Well, Spring, Stream, River, & Sea Transporting Points

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In previous posts we saw that there are 5 special points in each meridian

called Transporting Points (aka Shu Points, aka Element Points). These

Transporting Points lie between the tips of the fingers and the elbows, and

between the tips of the toes and the knees.

 

The names that Maciocia gives to these 5 special points on each meridian are

Well, Spring, Stream, River, and Sea Points. These are not exact

translations of the Chinese terms, but are the terms Maciocia chose in order

to avoid confusion.

 

These 5 points are very powerful because the flow of Qi is unstable and very

swallow between the tips of the fingers and the elbows and between the tips

of the toes and the knees. The polarity of energy flow changes at the tips

of the finger and toes. Yin becomes Yang, and Yang becomes Yin.

 

Remember that everything is is relative. For example, even

though both skin and muscle are Exterior, the skin is more Exterior than the

muscles, and the muscles are more Interior than the skin. The Qi is the

most swallow at the Well points (nail points). As it approaches the Stream

point, the Qi quickens (becomes more " lively " , speeds up). Between the

Stream and River points, the channel broadens. Between the River and the Sea

points, the Qi starts to flow deeper, more Interior though it's still very

Exterior. At the Sea point the Qi plunges deep into the body. Think of a

swallow, natural well where water first begins to flow. The water in a

natural well is neither deep nor fast moving. As more water accumulates, it

becomes a Spring. The Spring water flows more rapidly, and the Spring

becomes a Stream where water gathers and becomes more powerful. As the

Stream flows, the channel it's in become wider, and the Stream becomes a

River. Rivers are deeper than Streams. At the Sea point the water becomes

very vast and deep. This is the point where " the Qi of the channel is vast

and deep, it collects, comes together and joins the general circulation of

the body, like a large river flowing into the sea. " (Maciocia, Foundations,

p. 338)

 

This analogy of Well to Spring to Stream to River to Sea holds regardless if

the flow of energy in the meridian is descending or ascending because what

is being described is the swallowness/ deepness of the Qi flow and the rate

of flow of the Qi. Qi flow is the most superficial (Exterior) at the

fingers and toes. At the elbows and the knees the Qi flow is deeper than at

the fingers and is connected to the general Qi flow in the body.

 

Victoria

 

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