Channels on both sides?

[Guest guest]

Can someone please explain to me why the meridians are on both sides of the body, when [some of] the organs are only on one side of the body?

 

 

I'm also trying to understand the theory of the circulation of the twelve channels (Lung to Large Intestine to Stomach to Spleen etc). I'd like to understand why qi circles this way, what occurs during the 'peak' activity of each meridian (how is qi distributed to each organ, etc.), and how this cycle relates to five-phase cycles?

 

Are there any online articles or any books that explain this in detail?

[Guest guest]

>Can someone please explain to me why the meridians are on both sides of the

>body, when [some of] the organs are only on one side of the body?

 

Keep in mind that TCM is more concerned with collections of functions rather

than anatomy. For example, the TCM concept of the Spleen includes functions

that are performed by the pancreas. Also, there were translation problems.

The closest the early translators could come to translating " pi " was spleen.

It stuck.

 

A TCM Organ is not just the closest corresponding organ in anatomy. For

example, the Kidneys open into the ears " and the Liver " open into the eyes. "

The Triple Heater is an Organ that has no form, only function.

 

More on Qi pathways in a later post.

 

Victoria

 

_______________

Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com

[Guest guest]

Chinese Traditional Medicine, " Lee Lieske " <leelieske> wrote:

> Can someone please explain to me why the meridians are on both sides

of the body, when [some of] the organs are only on one side of the

body?

>

> I'm also trying to understand the theory of the circulation of the

twelve channels (Lung to Large Intestine to Stomach to Spleen etc).

I'd like to understand why qi circles this way, what occurs during the

'peak' activity of each meridian (how is qi distributed to each organ,

etc.), and how this cycle relates to five-phase cycles?

>

> Are there any online articles or any books that explain this in

detail?

 

I'll have a go at answering this....

 

The meridians give energy to the organs, but are not to be thought of

the same as the organs themselves. Energy is also yin or yang, as are

the sides of the body. The qi flow may be disrupted on either side,

perhaps depending on whether there is an excess or deficiency - yin or

yang.

 

Now, on the cycle of energy through the meridians.... they actually do

flow into one another. Most charts only show the more surface flow of

the channels; they also branch off and go more internally where they

flow through the organs and connect with each other. The Jin Shin

workbook 1 from my High Touch acupressure course shows how each one

ends and changes into another. The `day' starts with Wood energy, the

young, new growth qi, and progresses through the day according to the

nourishing cycle of the five elements.

 

I don't know of any online resource to help you out with; Daniel

Reid's books have good information as do Between Heaven and Earth by

Beinfield and Korngold and The Web That Has No Weaver by Kaptchuk.

 

sue

[Guest guest]

Chinese Traditional Medicine, " Lee Lieske " <leelieske> wrote:

 

> I know all this, but I need to know why does the qi flow in the

order that it does? It seems that the cycle both ends and begins with

wood energy, but how come metal energy is next in the cycle? Wood

energy doesn't nourish metal. You know? I need to know stuff like

that.

>

> What functions are occuring when each meridian is at its peak?

Also, what about people who's sleep schedules are reversed? Is it any

different for them?

 

 

Oh yes, the 24 hour clock... We had some discussion of that in my

acupressure course, but no reason was found for the order it's in. It

doesn't follow either the nourishing or the controlling cycle. Mostly

it seems to follow the physiological functions of the body as it wakes

up every day and goes about it's business. As to function, I read just

recently (not in a TCM context) that the liver does it's work relating

to glycogen storing / production at 11 at night, the same time

assigned to it by the five elements. And the LI being at it's peak in

early morning.... well, most people generally have a bowel movement

first thing in the morning. Then your body gets busy digesting the

first meal of the day, and so on. And I would imagine that someone

who's a night worker would eventually have a lot of problems because

the cycle doesn't change; the qi flow would be disrupted.

 

>

> Of course to fully understand the cycles we must first understand

the internal and external trajectories of the organs pathways. For

this you can also reffer to my website.

>

> http://www.lieske.com/5e.htm

>

> I don't know if this board allows attachments, but if you would look

at the picture I've attached it's the correct 24 hour cycle of energy.

> The brighter colored sections represent the yang organs, while the

dark are yin.

>

> This " yin to yin, yin to yang, yang to yang, yang to yin " cycle

occurs 3 times in the body every 24 hours. What is the significance

of this? If you pair up the four organs that make up on of these

cycles, are they carrying out equal functions as the other 4 pairs in

their cycle? [hope that makes sense]

> .

 

No, I don't understand what you mean. The organs have different

functions and they are `equal' in the sense that they contribute to

the body's overall function.

 

 

> Also, could someone explain the second illustration? I got this off

of a chart I found, I beleive it's showing the connections between the

organs and the ren mai and du mai.

>

 

Without the text to explain it I'm afraid it makes no sense (pretty

maze though!)

 

sue