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The Meridians
In addition to
qi, acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine recognize a subtle
energy system by which qi is circulated through the body. This transportation
system is referred to as the channels or meridians. There are twelve
main meridians in the body, six yin and six yang, and each relates
to one of the Zangfu
, or organs.
To better visualize
the concept of qi, and the meridians, think of the meridians as a river-bed,
over which water flows and irrigates the land; feeding, nourishing
and sustaining the substance through which it flows. (In Western medicine,
the concept would be likened to the blood flowing through the circulatory
system.) If a dam were placed at any point along the river, the nourishing
effect that the water had on the whole river would stop at the point
the dam was placed.
The same is true
in relation to qi and the meridians. When the qi becomes blocked, the
rest of the body that was being nourished by the continuous flow, now
suffers. Illness and disease can result if the flow is not restored.
Acupuncture is
one tool used to restore the flow of qi, by inserting needles into
the acupuncture points (located on the meridians). These insertions
are said to clear any residing blockages, or dams, thus freeing the
river to better feed the body in its entirety.
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