Each meridian corresponds to one of the yin organs and one of the yang organs.

These organs have no counterpart in western medicine but relate to processes in the
body.

Energy flows through the twelve meridians or channels in a precise way. First, qi
flows from the heart area out along the three arm Yin channels to the hands. In the
hands these meridians connect with the three arm Yang channels and flow upward to
the head.

There they connect to three corresponding leg Yang Channels and flow down through
the body to the feet where they connect with the corresponding leg Yin channels and
flow back up again to the heart area to complete the cycle.

A problem in an energy channel or an organ can be treated in the partner channel.

For example as the spleen and the lung are both on Tai Yin channels a problem in
the lung can be treated by applying pressure to the points on the spleen channel in
the leg.

Contents

1 1. The Heart Meridian

2 2. The Small Intestine Meridian

3 3. The Bladder Meridian

4 4. The Gallbladder Meridian

5 5. The Kidney Meridian

6 6. The Lung Meridian

7 7. The Large Intestine Meridian

8 8. The Stomach Meridian

9 9. The Pericardium Meridian

10 10. The Spleen Meridian

1. The Heart Meridian

The Heart meridian is a yin meridian and its pair is the Small Intestine meridian.

It is the House of the Spirit and this meridian governs circulation, the blood and
the blood vessels

The Heart Meridian emerges from the heart, and divides into three branches. One
branch goes down toward the small intestine, another runs up along the throat
towards the eyes, and the third branch passes under the armpit and runs along the
inner side of the upper arm, elbow and forearm. From there it crosses the inner
side of the wrist and palm and extends to the inside tip of the little finger where
it connects with its yang pair, the Small Intestine Meridian.

It rules:

The blood, adrenals, prostate, tongue, throat, sweat, facial complexion, thyroid,
and pituitary gland.

Physical Imbalances:

Disturbed flow and blockages in this meridian manifest as shortness of breath,

palpitations, cold sweats, loss of voice, memory failure, cold limbs and restless
sleep.

Emotional Imbalances:

Because the heart rules over all emotions, signs of imbalance in this meridian
include sadness, depression, fear, anxiety, hysteria, erratic behavior, jealousy
and sorrow.

Acupressure Points:

The HT 7 (shen men) acupressure point sits on the heart meridian in the inner wrist
crease. If you trace a line from the space between your little finger and its
neighbor, up to your wrist, you will hit this pressure point.

Applying pressure here will ease heart palpitations (fast heart beat), calm
emotional problems, improve insomnia, and reduce feelings of nausea.

Just above the wrist crease is the HT 6 (yin xi) point which can control night
sweats, anxiety, shock, panic attacks and nosebleeds.

A further point just above HT 6 is HT 5 (tong li) which can help with weakness in
the hand and fingers, excessive menstrual bleeding, incontinence and depression.

2. The Small Intestine Meridian

The small intestine meridian is a yang meridian and its pair is the Heart yin
meridian.

The Small Intestine meridian begins at the tip of the little finger and crosses the
palm and wrist. It runs up along the side of the forearm to the back of shoulder
where it ends at the bottom of the neck. From there it branches off and travels
through the heart and stomach to reach the small intestine.

The second branch crosses the neck and cheek, passes the outer corner of the eye
and then enters the ear. A short branch from the cheek joins with the Bladder
meridian at the inner corner of the eye.

It rules:

This meridian is responsible for digestion and bowel functions.

Physical Imbalances:

Signs of disturbance in this meridian include bluish lips, emaciation, sweating,

tinnitus, pain around the ear, and abdominal pain.

Emotional Imbalances:

These can manifest as the inability to assimilate ideas, forgetfulness, indecision,

muddled thinking, restlessness and bottled up emotions.

Acupressure Points:
The SI 19 (Ting gong) point sits in front of the ear. To find this point place
your finger on the side of your face in front of your ear lobe. Open your mouth and
you should feel a depression form, that is the SI 19 point, and it deals with
tinnitus, deafness, ear infections, toothache and problems with the maxillary
joint.

SI 16 can be found below the ear behind the jawbone. Apply pressure to this point
for relief from sore throat, tinnitus and neck pain and stiffness.

3. The Bladder Meridian

The Bladder Meridian is a Yang meridian and its pair is the Yin Kidney meridian.

It begins its journey at the inner corner of the eyelid and travels up the forehead
and over the scalp to the back of the head.

From there it branches into two traveling down the spine to the sacrum. It then
crosses the buttock and goes on to the back of the thigh.

The two branches cross behind the knee and continue down the calf to the Achilles
tendon, along the outside of the foot to the baby toe.

It rules:

The nervous system

Physical Imbalances:

Disruption in this meridian causes headaches, back pain, urinary problems, eye
pain, and colds.

Emotional Imbalances:

Problems include lack of energy and lethargy, being fearful, resisting change,
negative attitude.

Acupressure Points:

The BL 36 (Chengfu) acupressure point can be used to relieve hemorrhoids. This

point sits in the buttock crease at the midpoint of the thigh.

Sitting behind the knee is BL 40 (Weizhong) which controls lumbar pain, abdominal
pain, vomiting, and diarrhea.

The side of the little toe houses BL 67 (Zhiyin). Apply pressure to this point to
ease headache, eye pain and nasal congestion.

4. The Gallbladder Meridian

The Gallbladder meridian is a yang meridian and its pair is the Liver meridian.

From the outer corner of the eye, this meridian turns down towards the ear and then
back up to the forehead. At the hairline it dips away to head behind the ear to the
corner of the skull.

It then travels back to the forehead above the center of the eye and from there
moves down the head to the base of the skull.

Continuing down the neck to the shoulder, the meridian travels down the side of the
body along the ribs, to the waist and pelvis, down the outside of the leg, passing
in front of the ankle bone, over the foot to end on the side of the 4th toe.

It rules:

Decision making and good judgments, courage and initiative.

Physical Imbalances:

An imbalance here can cause insomnia, painful tendons, weak nails, eye diseases,
stiff neck, ringing in the ears and dizziness.

Emotional Imbalances:

These can include timidity, indecision, resentment and being easily discouraged.

Acupressure Points:

Apply pressure to the forehead at GB 14 (Yang Bai) directly above the pupil, 1 cun
above the midpoint of the eyebrow, to relieve eye pain, blurred vision, eyelid
tick, headache and facial pain.

A cun is a body inch, and it is unique to your body, so a conversion to normal

units of measure can’t be given. To determine the length of one cun for your own
body, look at your middle finger, at the section between the mid finger knuckle and
the joint that bends at the fingernail end. The distance between the two joints is
one cun.

5. The Kidney Meridian

The Kidney Meridian is a yin meridian and its pair is the Bladder meridian.

This meridian starts on inside edge of the little toe, then crosses the sole and
the arch of the foot, sweeps behind the inner ankle and travels along the inner
side of the lower leg and thigh, before entering the body at the base of the
backbone. From there it connects with the kidney and emerges over the pubic bone.
Continuing across the abdomen, it runs externally over the upper part of the chest.

A second branch begins at the kidney and moves through the liver, diaphragm, lungs
and throat, before ending at the tongue. Another branch moves out from the lung to
connect with the heart and the pericardium.

It rules:

The growth and development of bones and nourishes bone marrow. The marrow is the
source of red and white blood cells and a weak kidney meridian is linked with
anemia and a weak immune system.

Physical Imbalances:

Chest pain, asthma, impotence, abdominal pain, constipation, menstrual

irregularities, and hernia.

Emotional Imbalances:

Fear, hysteria, paranoia, depression, loneliness and insecurity

Acupressure Points:
KI 15 (Zhongzhu) is located on the lower abdomen, 1 cun below the center of the
naval, and half a cun lateral to the anterior midline. Pressure applied here can
help to resolve irregular periods, abdominal pain, constipation and diarrhea.

Another useful point on this meridian is KI 27 (Shufu). Found in a depression on

the lower edge of the clavicle, 2 cun lateral to the Central Venous line. This
point can help with cough, asthma, congestion, tight chest, fatigue, lowered
immunity, neck and jaw pain or tension.

6. The Lung Meridian

The Lung Meridian is a yin meridian and its pair is the Large Intestine meridian.

Beginning deep in the solar plexus, this meridian descends to the large intestine,
then winds up past the stomach and across the diaphragm where it divides and enters
the lungs, reemerging united once more to pass up the center of the windpipe to the
throat, before dividing again and surfacing at the front of the shoulder.

From here it travels along the shoulder and then along the edge of the bicep on the
front of the arm, on to the forearm, then the wrist and along to the thumb,
finishing at the thumbnail.

It rules:

Breath and energy

Physical Imbalances:

Blockages in this channel can lead to disorders of the chest, lung, throat and
nose.

Emotional Imbalances:

Disappointment, sadness, grief, despair, anxiety, shame and sorrow.

Acupressure Points:

LU 5 (Chize) is located in the inner elbow crease and it controls conditions

including cough, dyspnea (difficult breathing), sore throat, dryness of the mouth,
heaviness in the chest, pain of the elbow and arm, upper body edema, vomiting and
diarrhea.

LU 11 (Shaoshang) found on the thumb alleviates cough, asthma, sore throat, and
abdominal fullness. This point is adjacent to the outer lower corner of the
thumbnail.

7. The Large Intestine Meridian

The Large Intestine meridian is a yang meridian and its pair is the Lung meridian.

This meridian emerges from the outside corner of the index fingernail, runs along
the edge of the finger, between the two tendons at the base of the thumb and along
the outer edge of the arm to the elbow.

Continuing on to the outside of the shoulder muscle, the meridian crosses the
shoulder blade and travels up side of the neck to the cheek, it then passes through
the lower gums, over the top lip and ends beside the nose.
It rules:

Transformation of wastes from liquid to solid and carries them to be excreted. It

also plays a major role in balancing and purifying bodily fluids and helps the
lungs to control perspiration.

Physical Imbalances:

A disruption in the energy flow in this channel can lead to sluggish bowels,
congested lungs and bronchial passages, abdominal pain, intestinal cramping,
diarrhea, disorders of the mouth, teeth, nose and throat.

Emotional Imbalances:

Introversion, depression, irritability, distress, apathy and low self-esteem.

Acupressure Points:

LI 4 (Hegu) can alleviate swelling and pain of the eyes, toothache, facial
paralysis, inflammation and pain of the throat, abdominal pain, diarrhea,
constipation, common cold, cough and sweating.

You’ll find this acupressure point on the side of the hand in the middle of the 2nd
metacarpal bone.

LI 11 (Quchi) is found on the outer edge of the elbow crease and is associated
with relieving toothache, eye pain and swelling, sore throat, abdominal pain,
diarrhea, and high blood pressure.

8. The Stomach Meridian

The stomach meridian is a yang meridian and its pair is the Spleen yin meridian.

The stomach meridian begins at a point between the lower eyelid and the eye socket.
It travels down the face and then loops back to the forehead. Next it heads down
across the shoulder, past the ribs, along the stomach, before travelling down the
leg and ending at the outside edge of the second toe.

It rules:

In conjunction with the Spleen meridian it aids digestion and nutrient absorption.

Physical Imbalances:

Imbalances in this meridian lead to abdominal pain, distension, bloating, vomiting,

sore throat, toothache, nosebleeds.

Emotional Imbalances:

Anxiety, worry, low confidence, skepticism, suspicion.

Acupressure Points:

ST 7 (Xiaguan) is located on the side of the face in front of the ear, and this
point affects hearing, ringing in the ears, nasal congestion, toothache, lockjaw,
facial swelling and pain.

Pressure applied to ST 34 (Liang Qiu) helps to alleviate stomach ache and gastric
pain, swelling and pain of the knee joint and weakness of the legs. Locate this
point with your knee flexed and find the point 2 cun above the upper outer edge of
the kneecap.

9. The Pericardium Meridian

The Pericardium Meridian is a yin meridian, and it pair is the San Jiao meridian.

This meridian begins mid chest at the pericardium. One branch drops internally
through the diaphragm to the ‘upper, middle, and lower burners’.

Another branch crosses the chest to emerge near the nipple, before rising on the
surface to the armpit where it flows down the arm following the bicep muscle, then
down the middle of the front of the forearm to the wrist. It crosses the middle of
the palm and continues to the outer corner of the middle fingernail.

It rules:

Protects the heart from emotional damage.

Physical Imbalances:

When this meridian is disrupted, disorders of the heart, chest, stomach and mind
will manifest.

Emotional Imbalances:

Difficulty expressing and reacting to emotions, depression, aversions, and phobias.

Acupressure Points:

At PC 4 (Ximen) found 5 cun above the wrist crease and at the center of the inner
forearm, pressure regulates angina, palpitations, epilepsy, and chest pain.

PC 9 (Zhong chong) is found at the tip of the middle fingernail. It corresponds to

angina, coma, sunstroke, convulsions, stiffness and swelling of the tongue

10. The Spleen Meridian

This meridian is a yin meridian and its pair is the stomach yang meridian.

The spleen meridian begins at the tip of the big toe and runs along the side of the
foot before continuing up the inner leg, then across the groin, the stomach and
through the diaphragm where it connects with the stomach and heart meridian.

It rules:

Self esteem and open mindedness.

Physical Imbalances:

Problems in this meridian lead to stomach and digestion difficulties.

Emotional Imbalances:

Anxiety, poor concentration, forgetfulness, brain fog, addiction, attachment,

obsession, overeating, jealousy, self-pity, worry about opinions of others,
stubbornness, low self-esteem.
Acupressure Points:

SP 12 (Chongmen) is associated with treating lower abdominal pain, hernia, and

irregular and painful menstruation. This point is located on the pelvis above the
lateral end of the inguinal groove.

Pressure applied to SP 16 (Fuai) relieves abdominal pain. This point is located 6

cun directly below the nipple.