Before the chain of events that led to the documented use of acupuncture as anaesthetic for surgeries, the theory of chi energy was generally frowned upon by Western Medicine as superstitious quackery.
Today, many MD's are also acupuncturists.
According to theory, the Ultimate or the Tao is one. From the oneness of the Tao manifests duality in the form of Yin and Yang. From the two comes chi energy, and from chi emanates all forms of Creation.
Yin represents water, moon, dark, heavy, descending, damp. cold, below, inside, slow, matter, rest and contraction. Yang represents fire, sun, bright, light, ascending, day, hot, above, outside, fast, energy, activity and expansion.
In relation to the human body, Yin means chronic disease, slow onset of symptoms, pale complexion, cold limbs and body, preference for heat, dislikes cold, tiredness, sleepiness, quite and still, and a slow, deep, weak pulse.
Yang means acute disease, sudden onset of symptoms, flushed complexion, hot limbs and body, preference for cold, dislikes heat, restlessness, insomnia, loud and hyperactive, and a rapid, full, superficial pulse.
The theory of Yin and Yang is combined with the theory of the five elements. Each element gives "birth" or generates another in the following order: fire -> earth -> metal -> water -> wood. Wood gives birth to fire. The previous element is the "mother" and the succeeding element is its "child".
The five elements have a controlling cycle: fire controls metal, metal controls wood, wood controls earth, earth controls water, and water controls fire. If an element becomes too weak or too strong - imbalance - the others will be adversely affected.
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has associated internal organs with these elements. On the Yang side, the small intestine represents fire, the stomach represents earth, the large intestine represents metal, the bladder represents water, and the gall bladder represents wood. On the Yin side, the heart represents fire, the spleen represents the earth, the lungs represent metal, the kidneys represent water, and the liver represents wood.
The disruption of balanced chi flow in the body results in disease. There are two main causes - internal (emotions) and external (climactic conditions). Outside of the two, there are miscellaneous causes like poor fitness, injuries, germs, parasites, toxins, wrong therapies, environmental pollutants, and unhealthy lifestyles.
In the human body, chi energy starts its path from the tan tien, an area about two inches below the navel and inside the body (corresponding to the uterus in females). From there, chi descends to the perineum or that spot between the external genitals and the anus. Then it flows up along the spine to the top of the head (crown) and down to the roof of the mouth. This path - from the perineum to the roof of the mouth - is called the Governing Vessel (GV).
From the roof of the mouth, chi flows to the tongue (considered the "switch" or link in chi kung exercises), then to the throat and down back to the tan tien. This path is called the Conception Vessel (CV).
The two main energy vessels (a.k.a. paths or channels) are connected to meridians identified with internal organs or functions in a fashion that follows the birthing theory of the elements. Energy from the lungs and lung meridian (Yin/metal) flows to the large intestine and large intestine meridian (Yang/metal). Energy from the large intestine meridian flows to the stomach and stomach meridian (Yang/earth). Energy from the stomach meridian flows to the spleen and spleen meridian (Yin/earth).
From the spleen meridian, energy flows to the heart and heart meridian (Yin/fire). From the heart meridian, energy flows to the small intestine and small intestine meridian (Yang/fire). From the small intestine meridian, energy flows to the bladder and bladder meridian (Yang/water). From the bladder meridian, energy flows to the kidneys and kidney meridian (Yin/water).
From the kidney meridian, energy flows to the pericardium and pericardium meridian (Yin/Fire). From the pericardium meridian, energy flows to the triple burner and triple burner meridian (Yang/Fire). From the triple burner meridian, energy flows to the gall bladder and gall bladder meridian (Yang/wood). From the gall bladder meridian, energy flows to the liver and liver meridian (Yin/wood).
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pericardium - The membranous sac filled with serous fluid that encloses the heart and the roots of the aorta and other large blood vessels.
triple burner - There is no organ in Western medicine which corresponds to the Triple-Burner. It is said to occupy the Thoracic and Abdomino-Pelvic cavities.
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These meridians or channels flow through specific paths that extend to our extremities. This is the reason why acupuncture or acupressure done to the hands or feet can cure certain ailments elsewhere. This is the reason why massage or exercises involving seemingly unrelated body parts can be beneficial to internal organs.
According to the practice of chi kung or the "art of energy cultivation", there are physical exercises that can help balance or energize chi flow inside the body. These can help maintain the health of organs and their functions.
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