Tracing the Meridians

Energy Medicine That Anyone Can Do

Looking for a form of energy healing that even a beginner can do? Tracing the meridians might be just the thing.

The Meridian System

Meridians are energy pathways in the body. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has for many centuries studied and worked therapeutically with these energy channels.

The body's vital energies (called "qi" or "chi" in TCM) flow continuously through these pathways.

There are fourteen meridians. Each one nourishes, maintains and supports a particular organ system of the body. (These overlap with Western medical concepts of the body's organ systems, but aren't precisely the same.)

If the flow of chi in any of the meridians is out of balance —- either too strong or too weak -- the organ system supported by it is disrupted.

Along the channels are some 500 tiny points near the skin surface -- acupuncture points -- that can be stimulated by methods such as acupuncture and acupressure to balance and restore the flow of energy.

Learning acupuncture, and even acupressure, is a lengthy, complex endeavor. Fortunately, meridian tracing is not.

Tracing the Meridians

Even a beginner can learn to do this powerful self-care technique, with great benefit to their health and well-being. Doing it regularly will keep your energy (chi) flowing freely through your meridian system, releasing and preventing congestion, blockage and stagnation while refreshing and revitalizing the energy. The little time that it takes is a great investment in your health.

To do it, you simply move your open hand, either a few inches above or directly on your body, along the course of each of the 14 meridians. You do it quickly and fairly generally. It's not like acupuncture, where you have to be really, really specific about where you place that needle!

For reference, you might want to refer to Donna Eden's classic book, Energy Medicine, or to an online resource that shows the meridians.

Also, here's Eden's website, InnerSource, which is an excellent resource both for energy healing techniques and for some great basic explanations about energy healing.

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