Friday, March 6, 2009

What are Acupuncture Meridians & What Do They Mean

By Deborah Lindholm

Acupuncture is one of the oldest forms of health care on the planet. It dates back to 3000 BC and experts theorize that it is even older than that - dating back to the Stone Age. But what exactly is acupuncture, what are meridians and how on earth does it contribute to better health? Let's take a look at these questions individually, specifically the meridians and how they affect your body.

The Meaning of Acupuncture

Acupuncture is used to balance energy levels and eliminate blockages, which may be preventing your health from achieving its optimum state. The energy system of the body can be manipulated with the use of very fine acupuncture needles. This energy system flows through the body, and can be accessed via a variety of 500 specific acupuncture points found along what is called the acupuncture meridians. These points are related to every system and function of the body, housing both positive and negative energy.

The Meridians

There are twelve main meridians which connect the 500 acupuncture points, and they are found along your legs and arms. With balance they provide optimal health and happiness. When unbalance they result in life and health being unbalanced as well. The Yin and Yang can be compared to the flip sides of the same coin. This is where the balance needs to be in order for all aspects to be positive and aligned.

The Yin is associated with negative, dark, passive, cold, wet, and feminine. The Yang is positive, bright, active, dry, hot and masculine. Each of the 12 main meridians also has a yin or yang element.

The locations of the twelve meridians are:

Along the inside of your arms from your body to your fingertips - Yin

The outside of each arm, from fingertips to your face - these are Yang points

Along the outside of your leg from your face to your feet - Yang

At the inside of your leg, from feet to body - Yin

The following organs are affected by the 12 main meridians:

1. Lungs

2. Large Intestine

3. Stomach

4. Spleen

5. Heart

6. Small Intestine

7. Urinary Bladder

8. Kidney

9. Pericardium

10. Triple Warmer - This meridian affects the thyroid and the adrenal glands which regulate your metabolism and affect your immune system and has a profound affect on your stress reaction.

11. Gall Bladder

12. Liver

Included in the arm meridians on the Yin side are your heart, lungs and pericardium while the Yang side houses the meridians for the large and small intestines and the triple warmer. Included in the leg meridians on the Yin side are liver, kidneys and spleen, whereas on the Yang side of the coin your leg meridians are the stomach, bladder and gall bladder.

Each of your organs, as you probably already know, play a valuable and essential function in the effectiveness of your overall health and the optimal functioning of your body. When one is out of balance, blocked, or not functioning optimally your entire body and even your emotional state can be significantly affected.

Acupuncture and the practice of balancing the body's energy through accessing meridians is a long standing healing method for a reason - it works.

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