The 8 Extraordinary Meridians or Strange Flows

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TCM healers mostly work with the 12 Organ system meridians and 2 of the

Strange Flow meridians. The 12 Organ System meridians are Liver (Yin) and

Gall Bladder (Yang) (Wind); Heart (Yin) Small Intestine (Yang), Triple

Heater (Yang), and Pericardium (Yin) (Fire); Spleen (Yin) and Stomach (Yang)

(Earth); Lungs (Yin) and Large Intestine (Yang) (Metal); and Kidneys (Yin)

and Bladder (Yang) (Water).

 

The two Extraordinary or " Strange Flows " meridians that get worked with a

lot are the Governor Vessel (Yang) which runs up the midline of the back

over the head to a point above the upper lip and the Conception Vessel (Yin)

which runs up the midline of the front of the body.

 

Usually these 14 are adequate for most problems. But occasionally,

treatment can be improved by using some of the other Strange Flow,

especially the Penetrating Vessel. In fact, the Penetrating Vessel can do

some things that the usual 14 cannot do. For example, sometimes the

Penetrating Vessel can help to get Qi and Blood moving in the abdomen and

chest when the use of other techniques have failed.

 

There are four main functions of the Extraordinary Vessels. Chief to

understanding the Strange Flows is number 1: They act like reservoirs of

energy. Other meridians are more aptly compared to rivers or streams. If

it rains a lot, rivers overflow and flooding results (too much energy in a

particular merdian). If drought comes, rivers dry up (not enough energy in

a particular channel). The Extraordinary vessels are like resevoirs. If

there is too much water/ energy in a river/ channel, they take the excess.

If there is too little water/energy in a river/ channel, they release water.

In this way the rivers and channels have the proper amount of water/ Qi -

not too much, not too little. The stabalize energy flows.

 

2). The Strange Flows all get their energy from the Kidneys and they all

contain Jing (Essence) which is stored in the Kidneys. They circulate the

Jing around the body so it can mix with the Nutritive Qi. Translation: The

Extraordinary Vessels can be used for a deeper level of healing when the

problem is rooted in the basic constitution of a person (like a tendency to

Yang Deficiency, Yin Deficieny, etc. present from birth).

 

3). Three of the Strange Flows - the Governor Vessel, the Conception

Vessel, and the Penetrating Vessel circulate Protective (Wei) Qi over the

chest, abdomen, and back. Tranlation: If there are problems in these

vessels, the person is going to tend to catch a lot of colds, flus, etc. and

may be weather sensitive. When people are prone to infections or weather

sensitive, first you check to see if there's a problem of Qi Deficiency,

specifically Lung Qi and Protective Qi (which often are the same thing). If

Protective Qi appears to be adequate, start considering the possibility of

using the Governor, Conception, and Penetrating Vessels for a deep level of

treatment. Note: For those of you trying to answer the grouping question

that Colleen asked, note the symptoms grouped under number 4 and keep in

mind that it is the Kidneys that supply energy to all the Extraordinary

Vessels, including the Governor, Conception, and Penetrating Vessels.

 

4). The Conception and Penetrating Vessels have control over the 7-year

cycles of women's lives and the 8-year cycles of men's lives.

 

In addition to these 4 main functions of the 8 Strange Flows, they each have

some other uses.

 

The 8 Extraordinary Vessels are: Governor, Conception, Penetraing, Yin Heel

Vessel, Yang Heel, Yin Linking, Yang Linking, and Girdle Vessel. The Girdle

Vessel is the only horizontal channel in the body. It circles the waist

area. The Penetrating Vessel is the origin of the Girdle Vessel, the Yang

and Yin Heel Vessels, and the Yang and Yin Linking Vessels.

 

Victoria

 

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