You may have heard of acupuncture and acupressure. They are both parts of Oriental medicine that date back to 2697 BC.
Yes, it’s that old!
These are treatment options that have gained popularity in the Western countries, too, thanks to widened knowledge and open-mindedness of today’s populace.
But how does such kind of treatment work?
Well, to tell you the very basics, acupuncture and pressure work to heal the body by applying a calculated amount of pressure through designated needles or the fingers on specific points (called acupoints) of the body. This is best done by professionals.
But how do they know which points to apply the pressure on?
That brings us to the concept of meridians. It has been mentioned in many old Chinese texts that acupoints lie along the meridians.
These meridians flow throughout the body, into different organs, and even criss-cross each other.
So, would you like to know how the whole system works and what is the real meaning of meridians?
In this article you will learn more about the main meridians of the body, their relationship to chakras, and ways to enhance their functions for a healthier body and mind.
Let’s dive right into it.
What Are The Meridians?
Meridians are pathways that carry the subtle energy, also called “Qi” or “Prana” or life force throughout the body and the mind, reaching various organs and taking care of you physically as well as emotionally.
We all know that our physical bodies comprise various systems, such as the nervous system, the circulatory system, the respiratory system, and so on. These systems connect various organs that perform bodily functions.
Sounds good so far. But did you know that there is also a subtle body in addition to the physical body?
This subtle body cannot be seen, only perceived. It is this subtle body that controls the flow of life force.
And how does the life force flow?
That’s right, through meridians. So, in essence, you may call the meridians a network of energy.
If we have to compare it with a physical aspect, you might say that it is like the nervous system, wherein various nerves are connected and carry information to different parts of the body from the brain.
Similarly, meridians carry the life force and are interconnected with each other, almost like a network of rivers.
How Do Meridians Work?
Comprehending meridians can be tricky. So, let’s just go back to the example of rivers.
Imagine a river flowing through the body with a lot of tributaries and distributaries. It can permeate everything, fluids, cells, membranes, tissue, and so on.
It carries with it several things, mainly that nourish the mind and the soul as well the organs.
The tributaries flow through specific channels, and even though all channels are interlinked, a specific issue arising in a particular channel tends to remain in the channel unless it crosses over at one of the junctions.
For example, if you take the liver and the eyes to be part of the same channel, there may be a problem with the eye that affects the liver, and vice versa.
If the problem becomes huge and crosses over to another channel, which, let’s say, comprises the heart, then the person may begin to experience cardiovascular illnesses, too.
And this is just the example of Qi flowing through the meridians to different parts of the body. It doesn’t stop there.
Along with the body, the flowing energy also permeates the mind and affects its functioning when any of the connected channels are disturbed.
Understanding these channels requires the knowledge of acupoints, which are considered gates within the meridian network.
An acupuncturist’s job is to find the issue with a particular meridian through these gates.
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What Are The Meridian Points in The Body?
There are 12 primary meridians in the body, and each of them corresponds to yin or a yang organ. Now, you’re thinking, what is a yin and yang?
In traditional Chinese medicine, yin and yang are considered to be mutually opposing forces, such as heat and cold. In the human body, yin and yang organs pair up with each other to create balance. Scientifically, this balance is also known as homeostasis.
These are the 12 Primary Meridians and this is how do they pair up:
- Pair 1 – Yin: Lungs and Yang: Large Intestine
- Pair 2 – Yin: Spleen and Yang: Stomach
- Pair 3 – Yin: Heart and Yang: Small Intestine
- Pair 4 – Yin: Kidneys and Yang: Bladder
- Pair 5 – Yin: Pericardium and Yang: Triple Warmer (it is not an organ but a process that controls the body’s humidity, heat, etc.)
- Pair 6 – Yin: Liver and Yang: Gall Bladder
Now, you may be wondering, how does information flow between these 6 pairs.
Here’s how its works.
The yin meridians are located along the inside of the arms and the legs, while the yang meridians run along the outside of the arms and the legs. Qi begins its flow through the lungs, the heart, and the pericardium (the yin channels).
The energy then…
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