Acupuncture
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ZhÄ“n Cì is Classical Chinese meaning to prick with a needle or treat by acupuncture. Individually, ZhÄ“n means needle or something shaped like a needle. Cì means to pierce, penetrate, prick, and even kill. When you think about acupuncture you may think about ridding the body of disease. In Chinese Medicine, disease or pathology is categorized by "evils" invading the body. These evils are wind, heat, cold, damp, and dry. To understand this begin to conceptualize the four seasons and think about how these perceived "evils" relate to these major yearly transitions. A good book for reference is Wood Becomes Water.
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The Channels/Meridians :
The 12 Channels/Meridians correspond to the Lung, Heart, Spleen, Liver, Kidneys, Stomach, Large Intestine, Small Intestine, Bladder, Gall Bladder, Pericardium, and San Jiao (Triple Warmer). Channels are avenues to the internal organs. Acupuncture, depending on the technique and point chosen along the channel can rid the body of disease by nudging the pathology towards the nearest exit. Pathologies can exit through the orifices of the face (eyes, mouth, nose, ears), the stools and urine, nape of the neck, and through the fingers and toes. Each channel has a series of points, some small and some large, some deep and some shallow. Acupuncture points are often defined by anatomical landmarks on the body. Through the stimulation of these points with Acupressure, Acupuncture, or with non-insertive Japanese tools we are able to enliven the bodies physiological immune response to help push the impedance towards the nearest exit. This, in a nutshell, this is how the body works through the lens of the Chinese Medical Practitioner. Whether you are new to Chinese Medicine or somewhat seasoned, you may expect any practitioner to say something like "there is dampness in the Spleen, or qi (pronounced Chee) stagnation in the Liver." Don't worry, these are common patterns within Chinese Medicine, and it does NOT mean that there is something wrong with that organ.
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In modern times, two specialists on connective tissue, fascia, and the tensegretive properties of such tissues; Gill Hedley and Tom Myers, scientifically analyze the connective tissue which lies just beneath the skin. They have found that this connective tissue penetrates every single layer and depth of the body from the skin to the inside of the bones. Upon dissecting the body, layer by layer, it is has been proven that in fact everything is connected, and organized into a unique pattern which embodies your personal human experience. This complex organization of connective tissue, in recent times, has been subcategorized by Gill Hedley from gross to subtle as superficial fascia, deep fascia and peri-fascia. According to Tom Myers, 3,000 years after Chinese Medical Science had been established, there are new-age western discoveries showing that the continuous fascial pathways follow along the trajectory of the ancient meridian system with 80% accuracy.
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Resources for over-achievers:
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