All posts by john@acupressure.com.au

Treating the Earth

Digestion, Earth Element, Entry exit points, Nausea, Reflux, Seasons, Transitions, Worry, , , , ,

In Australia we are deep into Late Summer, season of mellow fruitfulness, when nature offers up its abundant produce. It’s a time to enjoy and savour the bounty. The Late Summer season of the Earth Element is represented by the 18 days that are sandwiched between summer and autumn. How appropriate is the word sandwich, evocative of the sights, smells and flavours of food; for the Earth Element is very much about digestion. Northern hemispherical readers will be in the Late Winter, also a period of Earth orientation. (See seasonal dates here.)

Last time I wrote about a treatment pattern for the diaphragm. The feedback was such that I thought to share some other patterns that I use often in clinic. While single points are beneficial, patterns of point combinations are far more powerful. Here we will look at a treatment for the Stomach channel, the yang organ/meridian of the Earth Element, and one which is frequently congested.

This treatment works to encourage the flow of Qi down the body by using some of the most important Stomach acupoints. In doing so, it can address conditions where the Qi is not flowing freely down the channel, and may even be flowing upwards, something known as Rebellious Stomach Qi. This may result in digestive disorders such as nausea, reflux, vomiting, bloating.

A second use of this treatment is for people who spend a lot of time worrying and overthinking. Even a lot of study can produce an excess of Qi in the head. These mental gymnastics are draining of the Earth energies. By drawing this excess away from the head and down the body to the feet, it is as if the worry is digested and metabolised.

A third way this pattern can be useful is for those who are ungrounded. Maybe there is a greater amount of Qi in the upper body than in the lower body. Perhaps the person is not in touch with their legs and feet and there is a sense of not having their feet on the ground. This can be helpful for anyone whose centre of gravity is higher than the navel.

THE POINTS

Let’s look at the acupressure points I’ve chosen. This list is not exhaustive, and practitioners can choose other Stomach channel points if it seems Qi is blocked elsewhere.

Qihu ~ Stomach 13 ~ Qi Door

As the name suggests, this is a doorway or opening that allows the Qi to flow down from the head into the body. If this point is blocked, spend plenty of time opening the door.

ST 13: Immediately below the clavicle, 4 cun lateral to the midline, in line with the nipple

Tianshu ~ Stomach 25 ~ Heavenly Pivot

A pivotal point indeed, for it marks the midway point between the upper and lower body, between Heaven and Earth. Some authorities regard this as the most useful point for any abdominal condition.

ST 25: 2 cun lateral to the centre of the navel, halfway between the midline and the nipple line

Susanli ~ Stomach 36 ~ Leg Three Miles

This point needs no introduction as it is one of the best known and most versatile points of all. It was the very first blog I wrote back in 2014. Treats any ailments of the Stomach and is very energising and grounding.

ST 36: 4 fingers width (3 cun) below the base of the patella, and one finger width lateral to the crest of the tibia

Fenglong ~ Stomach 40 ~ Abundant Splendour

Interestingly, this was part of the diaphragm release from last posting. Here it is used in its capacity as the luo-connecting point of Stomach, which balances Qi between it and its partner Spleen. And as a point in the lower leg, it encourages the flow of Qi down to the feet.

ST 40: halfway between the knee crease and ankle, 2 fingers width (1.5 cun) lateral to the crest of the tibia

Chongyang ~ Stomach 42 ~ Rushing Yang

This is a really important Stomach point. It is both the source point and the exit point of Stomach channel. Source points treat and balance the organ directly, while exit points ensure that Qi moves smoothly out of a channel and into the next in the Qi system, in this case, into Spleen. If this point is blocked, there is a strong chance that Stomach Qi is backing up along the channel and not moving through.

ST 42: on the top of the foot, in a slight hollow 2 fingers width (1.5 cun) distal to the middle of the ankle crease

Gongsun ~ Spleen 4 ~ Grandfather Grandson

While this is not a Stomach point, I’ve chosen it in its capacity as the luo-connecting point which balances the yin-yang pair of meridians. It is especially good at drawing excess Qi from Stomach to Spleen. Also, as the master point of the Extraordinary Vessel Chong Mai, it has a powerful influence over all the organs of the abdomen.

SP 4: in the arch of the foot, in a depression at the base of the first metatarsal bone

METHOD

OK those are the ingredients. Here is the recipe.

Start on the left side. Hold ST 13 + ST 25 for 2-3 minutes. Then decide which of the points is more reluctant to open and stay with it, while moving the other hand to ST 36.  Work down the body in a kind of leapfrog pattern, bringing balance between the pairs. Move next to include ST 36, then ST 40. It is conceivable that if ST 13 didn’t release, that you’d be holding it with all the other points, but that is rare. Finally, finish with ST 42 + SP 4.

Then repeat on the right side of the body. The order may well be different on this side, but again work from upper to lower.

This treatment will take around 30-45 minutes. It can be a stand-alone treatment or it could be incorporated with other work.

This week will be a great time to use this treatment as well as at other times of the year when the seasons are changing, when the Earth Element comes to the fore. However, it will be helpful at any time.

Enjoy!

Breathe Easy

Anger, BL 17, Breathing, Breathing difficulty, Diaphragm, , , ,

Bladder 17 Geshu Diaphragm Shu

Focus on the breath is a cornerstone of meditation practices, martial arts, Tai Qi and Qigong. This points to the importance of good breathing  practices in maintaining body-mind health. Indeed, air is a vital component in the production of Qi in the body.

An impediment to taking a full breath can arise when there is constriction in the diaphragm. This is the large muscle that separates the chest cavity from the abdomen, and which is the primary muscle of respiration.

Body-centred therapists recognise the role that diaphragmatic constriction plays in patterns of emotional holding. The pioneer of somatic therapy, Wilhelm Reich, regarded the diaphragm as one of the eight segments of potential body-armouring.

In my clinic I often work with the diaphragm. Some people have difficulty taking a full breath, or their breathing ‘catches’, or they hold their breath for a short time between breaths, and the breathing is not smooth. Many of these constrictions in the breathing process are associated with emotional holding. Therefore, when working at the emotional level, it is important to free constrictions in the diaphragm.

One of the most important acupoints for this work is Bladder 17 Geshu Diaphragm Shu. This point is the hui-meeting point of Blood and is said to treat any conditions of the blood; this is the main function of this point given in acupuncture manuals. My focus here is on its function implied by the name, Diaphragm Shu. The word shu means to transport, suggesting that the point transports Qi to the diaphragm, relaxing while at the same time invigorating the muscle.

I find that there is a strong correlation between tightness, congestion or stagnation at this point, and tightness at the Liver and Gall Bladder shu points which lie below (inferior to) it. The emotions associated with these Wood organs are anger and frustration which are often held in and stored in the body. Constricting the breath, usually unconsciously, is one way of controlling these and other emotions, and the diaphragm plays its part in this control.

When working on someone else, I have them lying face up (supine) on a table. I reach underneath the back with cupped fingers, to hold Bladder 17 with the tip of my curled middle finger, left side first, then right. This allows my other hand to hold other points which will help to release this main focal point. I have three favourite points that I use, all for different reasons.

(1) The first of these is not an acupoint but lies on the Conception Vessel (Ren) between CV 14 and 15. Call it 14.5 if you like. It is the tip of the xiphoid process, a piece of cartilage that extends from the lower part of the sternum and to which the diaphragm and other muscles attach. Holding the tip of the xiphoid together with Bladder 17 is a great way to release the diaphragm and allow breathing to become freer and easier.

(2) If this doesn’t work as well as I would like, I go to the next point combination, holding Bladder 17 with Bladder 40 behind the knee. Bladder 40 is a point famous for releasing any of the back-shu points, drawing congested Qi down the inner Bladder line in the back and down the backs of the legs.

(3) The final combination in the toolbox is Bladder 17 with Stomach 40. This method draws on the principles of microsystems, where a body part represents a larger area of the body. In this case the lower leg represents the length of the spine in the torso. BL 17 is half-way along this length, mirrored by ST 40 which is halfway along the lower leg. This might sound strange, but it does work, and sometimes this point will be the one that releases BL 17 the best.

When to use this protocol

Use when someone tells you that they are having difficulty getting a full breath or when you observe that there is a catch in the breathing or a holding of the breath. If there is back pain around the bottom of the shoulder blade, this work can relax the back musculature. Use also if emotions are arising and the person struggles to express or release them. Also consider if there is suppression of anger. Frequent sighing may indicate diaphragmatic constriction. There can also be an indication on the pulse. This “diaphragm pulse” is diagnosed when it feels as if the skin in protruding between your fingers at the junction of the distal and middle pulse positions.

There are of course other ways of working with the breathing. These include Lung points (especially LU 1) and the muscles of the neck, particularly the scalene and sternocleidomastoid muscles which are involved in lifting the ribcage during inhalation. If tight, these should be addressed in conjunction with diaphragm work. In fact, in cases of deep emotional holding, releasing the upper segments of armouring should precede this work.

Working on yourself

It is very difficult to hold these points directly on yourself. Instead, lie back on a pair of tennis balls tied together in a sock. Place the balls on either side of the spine at the level of the bottom (inferior angle) of the shoulder blade. If this is too much pressure, lie on a softer surface, or use a rolled-up towel across this area. This allows you to hold the tip of the xiphoid process in combination. While you won’t be able to reach the other points in the legs, you can use your mind to hold them with intention.

This work forms part of the workshop “Working with Emotions in Five Element Acupressure” which is part of the Five Element Acupressure training program.
Details here.

BL 17 is located two fingers width (1.5 cun) lateral to the junction of the 7th and 8th thoracic vertebrae, approximately level with the inferior angle of the scapula
Tip of the xiphoid process, the cartilage that attaches to the bottom of the sternum
BL 40 in the centre of the knee crease
ST 40 is half way between the base of the patella (kneecap) and the prominence of the outer ankle bone, and 2 fingers width (1.5 cun) lateral to the crest of the tibia bone