Meridian Therapy

Meridian therapy is based on the acupuncture meridians other principles of Traditional Chinese Medicine. These ideas have influenced the ancient practices of acupuncture and the martial arts such as tai chi and chi gong for thousands of years.

New meridian energy therapies such as Touch for Health, Brain Gym and Meridian Tapping Techniques work with the meridian system as part of the process to release blockages and restore balance.

The ultimate goal of meridian therapy is to restore the natural balance and flow of chi through the system. Practitioners use various methods to facilitate greater overall health and well-being for clients and patients.

The 12 Meridians

The 12 meridians travel along the arms and the legs. Their names correspond to their biological functions and not the physical organs themselves. This can be a bit confusing. They are the lung, pericardium, triple warmer,large intestine, bladder, stomach, spleen, heart, small intestine, kidney, gall bladder, and liver.

There are eight extra meridians that function as energy storage vessels. Two commonly known energy vessels are the central meridian and the governing meridian.

The meridian system chart below shows nine meridian lines.

To familiarize yourself with the meridians, use your hands to trace them on your body. Lightly smooth your skin in a long stroke along eac line. Or, if you prefer, trace the line an inch or so above the skin. Notice if you feel anything. Going over your clothes is fine.

As you trace, it's important to remember two things. Going in the direction of the meridian strengthens the flow. Going in the opposite direction weakens it.

For the purpose of exploring your meridians, go only in the natural or strengthening direction. The little triangles at the beginning of the meridian lines show you where to start.

Meridian Therapy Self-Care

• Trace the meridians according to the natural direction of flow as described above to give yourself a little "energy massage".

• Meridian tapping techniques such as EFT, sometimes referred to as "emotional acupressure", help you release blockages in the meridian system caused by trapped emotions. Several minutes of tapping sometimes leaves your body "buzzing" with energy. This is easy to do yourself.

• Do the "Zip Up" - This popular meridian therapy exercise from Donna Eden's Energy Medicine book works by strengthening the central meridian. This meridian runs all the way up your torso to the cleft of your chin.

  The zip up helps you get energized and is a nice little "pick-me-up" if you are feeling tired and a little foggy. It helps protect you from negative energy.

  Step One - Rest one hand below your navel and with the other tap or rub under your collarbone a few inches from the center of your chest (the K-27points). Switch hands and repeat on the other side.
  
  Step Two - Place your hand at the beginning of the central meridian at your pubic bone directly in the center of the front of your body. Take a deep breath and bring one hand up to the cleft of your chin and touch your lower lip. On the next in-breath, repeat with the other hand. Repeat three times. This can be done with the hands an inch or so off the body if you prefer.

  If you've ever watched martial artists, you may have seen them swipe downward in front of their opponent's body. This weakens their central meridian because its natural direction is upward. You can experiment with this yourself if you know how to muscle test. Just be sure to "zip up" again.
  
  

• Try these two Brain Gym exercises. As a bonus, both are said to improve reading skills.

  Space buttons

  One hand rests above the upper lip while the other lays on the lower backbone. This activates the brain for relaxation and concentration, eye contact in communication and may improve motivation and interest. Take a few deep breaths while holding the pose. You can also move your eyes from a near to far focus and back again. Reverse hands and repeat.

  Earth buttons

  Place the fingers of one hand right below the lower lip and the other hand on the pubic bone. Take a few deep breaths and move the eyes slowly all the way down and up and back again. This exercise gives the sensation of a better connection between the upper and lower parts of the body, helping you feel more stable and centered. Reverse hands and repeat.

To use meridian therapy for specific health issues, you may want to try acupressure. Find a book that appeals to you and use a few techniques to see if they help you feel better. Also, if you have a local acupuncturist, you may want to give it a try. It's an interesting experience and I've had some good results with it.



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