The Meridians
These are the pathways along with the chi circulates in the body. The major meridians number 12, there being 6 yang and 6 yin meridians. There are also 8 extraordinary meridians, and probably countless minor branches. Most are associated with, but not the same as, physical organs or systems. They are probably more usefully though of as representing physical functions. These are apparently detectable with electric instruments, but do not appear to correspond to the nervous system. They may represent physical (as opposed to psychic, or astral) nadis . Like the nadis they radiate from and area near the navel (the "chukan" point, CV12), the region just above the navel. Motoyama claims the research shows them to be associated with fluid filled connective tissues.
The main meridians are:
- Lung (LU). Yin.
- Large Intestine (LI). Yang.
- Spleen (SP). Yin. Runs from the big toe, up the inside of the leg, up the outside of the abdomen, through the spleen and stomach, over the outer chest, and through the throat to end at the base of tongue. [TC]
- Stomach (ST). Yang. Runs up the outside of the shin and thigh, across the abdomen and chest, and up the side of the face. [TC]
- Heart (HT). Yin.
- Small Intestine (SI). Yang.
- Kidney (KI). Yin. Runs from the little toe up the inside of the leg, through the groin, up the front just outside the median line, through the throat ending at the base of the tongue. Problems in this meridian are often associated with the ears. [TC]
- Urinary Bladder (UB). Yang. Runs from next to the bridge of the nose up over the crown, down the side of the spine to the shoulders where it splits into two lines, both to the side of the spine. At the hips the inner branch moves inside, and runs down past the coccyx and the rear center line of the leg. The outer branch shifts to the side of the buttock and then down the outer rear of the leg, merging again at knee. The meridian ends in the little toe. Along the inner branch are "yu" points corresponding to each organ and forming a meeting point with the autonomic nerves that radiate from that region of the spine to control the organ. These are important acupuncture meridians. These secondary bladder lines may correspond to the ida and pengala nadis. [TC]
- Heart Constrictor (HC). Yin.
- Triple Heater (TH). Yang.
The triple heater is formed of three circuits. i) In the chest and above, governing the lungs, respiration, the heart and circulation. ii) Between the diaphragm and the navel, governing the secretary, digestive and assimilative functions of the stomach, spleen, pancreas, liver and gall bladder. iii) Below the navel, governing the large and small intestines, kidneys, bladder and genitals. [TC]
- Liver (LV). Yin. Runs from the big toe up the inside of the leg to the genital area, curves up the outside of the front of the torso, and up the face through the eye to the top of the head. It has a connection to the Chukan point that loops up over the lungs and down the median. [TC]
- Gall Bladder (GB). Yang. Runs from the corner of the eye, back and forth over the ear, down the outside of the trunk, along the outside of the leg, ending at the tip of the fourth toe. [TC]
Extraordinary Meridians:
- Governor Vessel (GV). Yang. Runs from the tip of the coccyx to the crown and then down the median line to the upper lip. Possible correspondence to the Sushumna. It is said to control the six main yang meridians. The ki in this meridian is said to be like a lake, which can replenish the rivers of its associated meridians when they are in need. It usually flows downward. In Taoist practice physiological energy is converted to more subtle forms and raised along this channel to the top of the head. [TC]
- Conception Vessel (CV). Yin. Runs from the perineum up the frontal median to the mouth and the eyes. It is a connecting channel for the six main yin meridians. [TC]
Sei and Gen points. There are a series of "sei" points which form the ends of the meridians on the toes and fingers. Ki is said the enter and exit the meridians at these points, and their energy levels reflect those of the meridians as a whole. There are also "gen" (source) points on the meridians in the wrists and ankles (below the joints). Exercises to flex the fingers and toes affect the sei points and ones that flex the ankle and wrist joints affect the gen points. [TC]
Motoyama's Experiments
Motoyama used two machines to analyze chi(ki) in the meridians. The AMI is used to measure the skin current at the Sei points on the fingers and toes. The Chakra Instrument measures very small emissions for the body of energy (electric, magnetic, optical) generated in the chakras. The CI is used in a special room, light-proof and doubly grounded with lead in the walls and aluminum on the inside. A 10cm copper disk and a photosensor are positioned 12-20 cm in front of a chakra. A magnetometer is placed on the floor in front of, or to the side, of the subject. Signals are analyzed and recorded in a separate room, along with standard body measurements. His experiments were undertaken assuming correlations between the chakras and the nerves and functions of the body. [TC]
Roughly one hundred people (members of his society) were classified as (A) having dormant chakras, (B) chakras starting to activate, and those (C) with chakras in advanced stages of activation. [TC]
A study of disease susceptibility was carried out, indicating that the more active the chakras the higher the susceptibility. Tests were then made of individual organs (heart, stomach, kidneys and the urogenital organs) associated with the anahata, manipura, and svadhisthana chakras. This was done by monitoring the accupuncture points associated with these organs. The Galvanic Skin Response (GSR) signals were monitored as a control, indicating the state of the whole sympathetic nervous system. Initial GSR (sympathetic system activity) was highest in the A group, then C, then B. After stimulating specific organs A and B groups showed a smaller current (except for the kidneys, were A was highest). This is said to show that group A's autonomic nervous reaction to stimulus was mostly parasympathetic. Coupled with the higher initial sympathetic activity this suggests that group A had a larger range of dynamic balance between the opposing functions of the two systems than did group C.[TC]
Comparing a yogi's heart signals to those of untrained people shows little basal blood flow variation in the untrained subjects, but regular pulsation of both blood flow and heart rate in the yogis. This may reflect a rhythmic action of the autonomic nerves in the yogi. [See also HeartMath results]. This again suggests a wider dynamic range in the balance between the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system in trained yogis. This supports that chakras exist, and that when awakened, and controlled, control is also gained over autonomic nervous systems controlling the related organs. [TC]
Study, with the AMI and Chakra Instrument, of persons who evidenced psychic abilities and chakra activity indicated that the abilities did not correlate directly with the chakras supposed to govern them, but that they did correlate with patterns of meridianal abnormality. He found evidence to support a division of psi abilities into those of reception (associated with the lower chakras) and those of generation (associated with the upper chakras). He cites the summary of powers awakened with the lower three chakras as being ones that maintain things, while with the anahata and the power of love, creation and transmission becomes possible. Thus ESP powers (reception of information) are associated with the lower chakras, while those with an open anahata show psychokinesis and psychic healing. This former group when tested with the AMI show various abnormalities in the stomach, spleen, triple heater, kidney, and bladder meridians, particularly energy deficiency in the spleen meridian. Those with PK abilities show excess energy and instabilities in the heart, heart constrictor, and lung meridians. These folks also show arrhythmia. [TC]
Tests with the CI indicate that a chakra used for daily concentration will emit more energy when it is focused on, while another (in the same subject) will not. Similarly in some subjects the sensation of energy being emitted from a chakra corresponded to changes in the field measured in front of the chakra. The chakra measured was one showed by the AMI to have abnormal or unstable associated meridians, suggesting enhanced activity in the chakra. [TC]
Accupuncture and Shiatsu
These are techniques for balancing the flow of chi in the different meridians, having beneficial effects on the mind and body of the patient. For more on these techniques see the section on energy clearing work.
