What's a meridian?

Some of you may have heard of meridians in some way. For those of you who have not, a meridian is a channel or line. In the body there is a network of channels called meridians that carry energy through the body. Just like your house is wired for electricity, your body is "wired" with meridians. Acupuncture is a technology, from China, of manipulating energy in the meridians to bring about certain health results.

It has been observed over thousands of years that the energy flowing through these meridians is connected to certain organs. So, for instance, one can affect the health of the kidneys by stimulating a place on the bottom of the foot. This is because there is a meridian connecting the bottom of the foot with the kidneys. All of these connections and relationships have been known and mapped for thousands of years. I attended the Chinese exhibit at the Cleveland Museum of Art some years ago. They had an antique full size wood carving of a man. On the carving were drilled hundreds of eighth inch holes in a specific pattern. I realized that these holes represented the exit points of the meridians on the surface of the body.

Not only have these meridians been mapped, but it has also been observed that unbalanced living can lead to these channels becoming blocked. Blockage of meridians can lead to pain, and other symptoms in the body. There is a technique called moxibustion where a source of heat, usually a lighted cigarette, is held at the exit point of a specific meridian. The heat draws the energy through the exit point and removes the blockage or stagnation. This technique should only be performed by a trained practitioner so don't try this at home. The point is that when you are balanced, your meridians become open and the energy moves freely though your body the way it is supposed to.

Yang energy comes from above spiraling inward. It enters the top of your head and spirals through the body through the meridians. Yin energy comes from below spiraling outward. It enters the body through the feet and groin and spirals upwards through the body in the meridians. Where yin and yang meet in the body there is a spiral of energy which we call a chakra.

So, many of you may be saying, "I'm doing just fine with my meridians blocked. Thank you." But are you satisfied with just an ordinary life? Would you be interested in an extraordinary life? When your energy is flowing freely in your body, techniques like yoga, tai chi and chi gong have a much greater effect. You also become much more receptive to spiritual factors in your environment. Meditation is easier and deeper. When these meridians are blocked these techniques have to break down these barriers before they can have an effect. If you are helping the process by creating balance in the body then you get multiplied benefits from these pursuits in addition to the health benefits.

Thanks for reading.