The Meridians: What is your pattern?
The western view of anatomy sees the body as parts that are pieces together like Frankenstein. It’s inclined to cut things apart in section and label them. The Eastern view of the body is completely different, here the body is seen as a whole and as part of the whole universe. It is an integrated system centers on the principle on the formless principle of life. In yoga this channel is called the Nadi, in Thai massage the Sen lines and in TCM, the Meridians.
The meridian system is a continuous pathway that integrates the whole body, connecting every single cell of every organ to one intelligent Being.
The meridians are not separate from each other though they have individual identities. The life force and intelligence flows from one meridian into the next continuously. The meridians form a circuit or cycle through which the life-force (Qi or prana) flows and transforms. If there is a blockage in one path-way, it will eventually affect all of the pathways and organs. On the quest for healing, it is helpful to find the original blockage, the most important meridian.
You can start wherever you are drawn, but it will be most effective and efficient if you start at the source. Make an effort to find the meridian where the original blockage occurred. Usually, you can identify this meridian because it will have the most symptoms along its pathway.
A person will often have many issues related to one organ and along the same meridian.
Here are some symptoms for each organ-meridian pair:
Lung (LU) : Upper back pain, Sadness, fatigue, shortness of breath, rounded shoulders, thumb or radial wrist pain, skin problems, throat tension and soreness.
Large Intestine (LI): Acne, teeth and gum issues, depression, throat tension, clogged sinuses, constipation, anterior shoulder pain, neck and throat tension and soreness, index finger issues.
Stomach (ST): Hip flexor tension, constipation, ulcers, excess hunger, throat tension, infections in throat/gums/sinuses, maxillary sinus tension or head-aches, abdominal tension, anterior knee pain, patellar pain, rapid thinking and worry, ADD/ADHD, TMJD, second toe issues, hammer toes, shin/Tibialis anterior tension.
Spleen (SP): Fatigue, heaviness, overall weakness, mental fog, hernia, hip flexor tenderness, bruising easily, low appetite, diarrhea or constipation, all over body tenderness, abdominal tenderness, puffiness and edema, medial knee pain, flat feet, bunions.
Heart (HT): Left shoulder/rotator cuff pain, left upper back pain, little finger pain or stiffness, anxiety, loneliness, heartbreak, feeling of being lost or purposeless, insomnia, dreaming, autoimmune issues.
Small Intestine (SI): Shoulder and neck pain and stiffness, rotator cuff injuries, ulnar wrist pain, little finger stiffness, anxiety, urinary problems, lower abdominal tension.
Bladder (BL): Spinal pain and stiffness in whole spine or parts of spine, plantar fasciitis, calf cramping and pain, hamstring tension, sacral pain, occipital headaches, exhaustion from over work, back of knee pain or weakness, spinal degeneration and disc problems, nerve problems, PTSD, fear, bone problems, paranoia.
Kidney (KI): Exhaustion, depression, infertility, low libido, hormonal problems, pelvic floor issues, fear, PTSD, hearing loss, old age, tension in navel, psoas tension, aching lower back and knees, puffiness and edema in lower body.
Pericardium (PC): Depression, hatred/grudges, social anxiety, panic attacks, wrist pain and tension, carpal tunnel syndrome, chest and shoulder tightness, right side upper to middle back pain, inability to connect with others, fullness in chest, inability to exhale fully.
Triple Heater (TH): Upper shoulder and side neck tension, jaw tension, defensiveness, Ear ringing, immune problems.
Gall Bladder (GB): Impatience, anger, risk-taking behavior, overall muscle tension, temporal headaches, jaw tension, hip tension, lower back tension, side neck and upper shoulder tension, tension and fullness in solar plexus, clicking and popping of joints due to tension, lateral ankle issues, 4th toe issues, right side, hypochondriac pain or tension on the right side.
Liver (LV): Mid back and lower back tension, pain on Iliac crest, Inner thigh and hip tension, rage, sexual frustration, excess libido, irritability, PMS, menstrual issues, endometriosis, sighing, yawning, burping, constipation, abdominal bloating, right side abdominal tension and pain, blurry vision, red eyes.
Join us every Sunday for a 90-minute Meridian Yin Yoga and get to know your Self more. This is an open level class and is beneficial for yoga beginners and advanced practitioners.
Source: Vaughan, E.R. ( 2020): The Pain Book.(ebook)