The Acupuncture Meridians by Jane Thurnell-Read

The subtle energy system is partially based on the meridians. There are fourteen major meridians, mainly running skin deep over the head, torso and limbs. The meridians are mainly bilateral, running as mirror images on both sides of the body. It is believed that ch’i enters the body and is distributed throughout the body through the meridians.

These meridians are named after specific organs (e.g. the liver meridian, the small intestine meridian), but are not necessarily on or near the named organ. For example, the lung meridian runs down the inner arm to the thumb. The acupuncture meridians can relate directly to the health of the internal organ associated with it. The meridians are paired together. Each pair consists of a yang meridian and a yin meridian. Yang meridians reflect qualities such as expansiveness, dryness, masculinity, lightness, heat and hollowness. Yin meridians reflect qualities of femininity, receptivity, darkness, coolness and solidity. The yang meridian needs its paired yin meridian for its completion, so, for example, the large intestine is paired with the yin meridian of the lung.

The 14  acupuncture meridians are:

• Central Meridian

• Governing Meridian

• Stomach Meridian

• Spleen Meridian

• Heart Meridian

• Small Intestine Meridian

• Bladder Meridian

• Kidney Meridian

• Circulation-Sex Meridian

• Triple Warmer Meridian

• Gall Bladder Meridian

• Liver Meridian

• Lung Meridian

• Large Intestine Meridian

The meridians form part of the inter-face between the physical and etheric bodies. Acupuncture points lie along these meridians and it is these that are needled during acupuncture treatment. The aim of this is to balance the flow of energy within the meridians. Skilled practitioners can ‘feel’ the location of these points. For a long time the power of acupuncture was dismissed by Western medicine, because acupuncture theory did not fit with the medical understanding of how the body functions. However, gradually some doctors began to find that acupuncture could work for pain relief. As the body of evidence for the success of acupuncture with adults, babies and animals mounted, medical researchers began to consider the possibility of these subtle energy concepts such as meridians more carefully, although many feel acupuncture works through the nervous system in some way. In fact, the reality of meridians and acupuncture points is now beginning to be documented using radioactive tracer isotopes and sensitive electronic equipment. This suggests a real physical presence for the meridians.