Category Archives: Tiredness

Completing a Cycle

Blood, Digestion, Earth Element, Knee problems, Menstrual disorders, Oedema, Reflux, Tiredness, Transitions, xi-cleft points, , , , ,

Here we complete the year-long series of blogs on the xi-cleft points. Under the microscope today are the Earth points of this category. If you are puzzling over why I’m considering the Earth Element in the late winter in the southern hemisphere, it is because we are now in the 18-day transition phase between winter and spring. For those in the northern hemisphere, the transition is between summer and autumn, namely the late summer, that is more usually associated with Earth. The previous blog looked at how the dates of these transitions are calculated.

The xi-cleft points, sometimes known as accumulation points, are places where the Qi of the channel accumulates and dives more deeply down. They are known to treat acute conditions of the organ.  They are also known to treat stagnation, both in the organ and in the corresponding emotion.

Stomach 34 ~ Liangqiu ~ Ridge Mound

The mound here refers to the rectus femoris muscle of the thigh, which is adjacent to this point. There are many acupoints with mound in their names. Mounds are raised places where we can see further and find greater perspective. Liangqiu can support us in finding balance and perspective around nourishment, both in what food we eat, how we eat, as well as the nourishment we get from relationships and other influences that we let into our lives. One of the ways that Earth can be thrown off its axis is when there is an imbalance between receiving nourishment from others and giving of ourselves to others. Another translation of Liangqiu is “Beam Mound”. A beam provides both support and balance, and this point brings both of those qualities to this issue of nourishing self and others.

Stomach 34 is known for treating a wide variety of stomach related conditions including epigastric pain and swelling, and rebellious Qi conditions such as regurgitation, acid reflux, nausea and vomiting. It treats swelling, stiffness and pain in the knee, difficulty with flexion and extension of the knee, and coldness in the knee and leg. It is also used to treat stagnation in the breasts, which lie higher up the Stomach channel. Mastitis, swelling, pain and abscesses in the breasts can be addressed.

Location of Stomach 34

2 cun above the top of the lateral border of the patella, in a depression between rectus femoris and vastus lateralis. The height of the patella, top to bottom, is considered to be 2cun and so can be used as a guide.

Spleen 8  ~ Diji ~ Earth Pivot

The name of this character, Diji, has many translations: Earth Pivot, Earth Cure, Earth Crux, Earth Motivator, Earth Basket.

Earth Pivot echoes the name of Stomach 25, Celestial Pivot. Indeed, the ancients saw three Earth points as representing the upper (SP 21), middle (ST 25) and lower (SP 8) aspects of the human body, corresponding to Heaven, Human and Earth respectively. Thus, Diji treats conditions of the lower body. The 16th century physician Yan Zhen-shi went so far as to claim, “There is no condition of the lower region that cannot be treated with Diji.” Big call!

The xi-cleft points of the yin meridians are famous for treating blood disorders, especially blood stasis. Since the Spleen is responsible for producing blood and for regulating the distribution of blood and fluids, it can be deduced that Spleen 8 will be particularly useful for blood issues. Any menstrual irregularities therefore respond to this point. This includes irregular, painful or scanty periods. It treats pain and distension of the abdomen, diarrhoea, leucorrhoea, oedema and difficult urination.

If we consider the alternative name of Earth Motivator, we can see how it can be used to energise the Earth Element, clearing stagnation, and resolving damp and its accompanying sensations of feeling drained and lethargic. It supports the healthy quality of Spleen that provides upward lift. One of the problems that can occur when Earth is out of balance is that of inertia. Inertia is often interpretated as doing nothing, an inability to get moving. However, it really refers to things continuing in their current state, so it equally applies to the person who can’t stop moving. This point therefore supports appropriate rest and movement.

This last thought makes me think of the tussle that occurs in the transition from late winter to early spring. One day we are pulled to outside activity on a bright sunny day, only to be driven indoors the next by a cold and rainy day. This back and forth between winter and spring can make for some frustration, so I’ll be using Spleen 8 in the next week or so to help me through this transition. Let’s see if it works.

See you again in our southern spring when I’ll be starting a new round of season-related blogs.

Location of Spleen 8

5 cun below the knee crease on the inside of the leg. Divide the distance between the knee crease and the ankle into three parts. The point is one third down from the knee and on the back border of the tibia bone.

How Effective Is Self-Acupressure?

Digestion, Earth Element, Headache, Meditation, Neck pain, Oedema, Self Acupressure, Tiredness, , , , ,

One of the most common questions I get from clients and students is, “Can I do this on myself?” The answer is, certainly! But as you might expect, it is not as effective as working with a skilled acupressure therapist. (I want to keep my job after all.) Even so, there are some things you can do to make self-acupressure an important and effective part of your health maintenance program.

With all my experience and knowledge, I cannot treat myself as well as another practitioner can. The main reason for this is that when you self-treat, you are trying to be both practitioner and client at the same time and so your intention becomes divided. As client you cannot fully relax because you are holding and focusing on the point; as practitioner you cannot bring all your attention to treating the point because you are trying to relax into it.

Another major reason that self-acupressure is limited is that it is almost impossible to see ourselves objectively. You can’t see your own blind spots. So when you try to diagnose your imbalance, you simply can’t see what you can’t see. Another practitioner is more able to view your case objectively and so may be able to choose points that will more effective for you.

When it comes to treatment of self or other, there are four levels of increasing depth at which we can treat:

  1. First Aid
  2. Symptomatic
  3. Diagnostic
  4. Constitutional

Self-acupressure is best suited to the first level, that of First Aid. Let’s say you are feeling bloated and nauseated after eating too much. Holding Stomach 36 will probably ease your condition. Maybe you have a headache with pain at the back of your head and behind your eyes. Gall Bladder 20 is a good choice for easing the pain. At this level of treatment we are choosing a single point for a single condition.

The second level, what I call the Symptomatic Level of treatment, is where you notice a range of symptoms and associations from which you recognise that a particular Element is calling for attention. Let’s say you have stomach pain and reflux, are feeling more fatigued than usual, and there is a build up of fluid in your lower legs and ankles. The Earth Element is clearly calling for attention. A treatment pattern that combines Stomach and Spleen points is probably going to treat you more deeply than simply holding Stomach 36. However, if you are doing self-acupressure, it can be difficult to hold points in combination because of the contortions you have to make. For example, holding Spleen 4 with the opposite Spleen 21 would be a good combination, but even Houdini might be stretched with this one.

The third level, the Diagnostic, looks at the interplay of all the Elements. In the above example, where the Earth is out of balance, I would be most interested in the mother Element which in this case is Fire, and the grandmother Element which is Wood. How are these other Elements involved, or even contributing to the Earth imbalance? While a practitioner can observe you objectively, you may not be able to see your own wobbles. This is especially true when working at the psycho-emotional level where our old patterns, beliefs and behaviours might obscure a clear view of ourselves.

The deepest level of treatment is at the Constitutional Level where treatment focuses on points of the Element that is at the core of our energetic structure. It can be particularly difficult to self-diagnose our Constitution. It’s hard enough to do it for someone else. If you know your Constitutional Element, then you can focus on the points of that Element, but it is not possible to sink deeply into the treatment when you are focused on doing the treatment

So far I’ve been pointing out the limitations of self-acupressure. But that is not to say that you can’t get some very good benefits from working on yourself. Here are some suggestions for getting the most out of a self-acupressure treatment.

Choosing the right point

While holding any acupoint at all will make a positive intervention into your own energetic structure, the more closely you can match your symptoms and conditions with appropriate points, the better the results will be. My book ‘The Way of the Five Elements’ is useful because it describes the locations and related conditions of 54 powerful points. It also has a good index to match points to conditions. In addition, each point comes with a list of related points so you can make your work more effective with point combinations. If you don’t have my book, simply go online and search for your condition + acupressure and you will come up with many suggestions. You could begin with a keyword search of this blog site.

Finding the point accurately

An acupuncturist who is inserting a needle needs to be accurate within 1-2 millimetres; but when using finger pressure we have more latitude as the pressure is exerted over a wider area. Even so, the more accurate you are, the more powerful the treatment will be. While a point location book will give you a picture or an anatomical description, this is not the point itself. A map is not the territory. What you must search for is the feeling of the Qi of the point. Feel for the pulsing, waving, whooshing, tingling vibration that is the sensation of the movement of Qi. This is how you will know you have the point. If you don’t feel this, try moving your finger slowly around in a small circle, looking for that feeling. It may take time for you to develop this skill, but be patient and the Qi will come to you.

Being present with the point

Do your self-treatment when you are in a quiet, restful place. Doing it while watching TV or chatting to someone will not make for effective outcomes. As you hold the point, send your mind down into the point. The Japanese symbol for an acupoint (tsubo) shows a vessel with a long neck and a little lid over it. Sustained pressure will remove the lid and allow your intention to go down into the depth of the point and influence the Qi. Treat your session as a meditation.

 

Noticing the effects

Observe what happens as you hold the point. Be as present as you can with the physical sensations, and any emotions, thoughts or memories that might arise. Just be with them without judgement or a need to change anything. You might notice energy moving in other parts of your body and perhaps other points calling to you for treatment. Don’t rush to treat elsewhere, but wait until the point you are holding feels complete before moving on. You will find one level of release after two or three minutes, but sustained holding will go to deeper and deeper levels of release.

Concluding the treatment

After you’ve finished your work, sit or lie with the effects. Notice what has changed. Notice what has not changed. You might hold your hands over your belly centre (Conception Vessel 6) as you contemplate your treatment. And when you do get up, try to take the new awareness of yourself into your daily life.

I wish you well in your explorations.