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.