By Brandon SJ Oh, L.Ac.
“The Upper Main Energy Resources treat shoulder pain, high blood pressure, stroke. The Lower Main Energy Resources are used for LBP, Prostate Enlargement, Gynecologic Symptoms.”
Definition of 4 Main Energy Resources
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There are two critical and functional movements in the human body; The arms movement for the upper body and the legs movements of the lower body. Each movement requires a greater amount of energy than maintaining the life of the body.
Therefore, the joints such as the shoulder, elbow, and wrist have acupuncture points that control movements of each joint’s range of motion.
This could be applied to the lower body, and there are acupuncture points located on the hip joint, knee joint, and ankle.
There should be an axis that controls energy flow from the trunk to the shoulders and legs for better and efficient movement of each upper and lower body.
From the structural and anatomical points of view, the scapula areas and the sacrum are the axes of the upper and lower body movements, and also the Eastern medicinal point of view, both scapula and right and left side of the sacrum are considered to control Qi movements to control the upper and lower body movements.
The 4 Main Energy Resources are considered the four main axes of human body movements and the scapula areas.
And sacrum areas are called 4 Main Energy Resources.
Even one axis of 4 Main Energy Resources has a functional defect that affects whole-body movements.
It is not just causing just a quarter movement issue of all movements of the body.
The Root Qi Place and The eight ‘Liao’ Points (BL31~BL34)
The most important movement of the human is walking upright. Therefore, kinetic energy tends to accumulate to lower body movements, and Qi mostly gathers on the sacrum area. The area is called by the Root Qi Place(本源氣處).
The Root Qi Place takes the most critical role regarding the movement of the human body: a role to support vertebrae to be maintained on upright position during physical activities and prevents distortion of all muscular and skeletal systems of the human body. So the Root Qi Place is used to balance the 4 Main Energy Resources and physical activities of the human body.
The sacrum is also considered as an important role for Taoist practitioners. The Taoist practitioners believed that practicing it would make them a god if they found a way to activate the sacrum area. The Taoist called the sacrum sacred bone(仙骨). In India, yoga practitioners have believed Kundalini is located somewhere in the sacrum.
In Eastern medicine, the sacrum and acupuncture points such as BL31, BL32, BL33, BL34 are used to enhance energy circulation and empower the kidney function to treat various urologic symptoms and gynecologic symptoms.
The 4 Main Energy Resources and the Root Qi Place are all located on the back of the body, which is considered Yang. Therefore, it could be possible to guess the 4 Main Energy Resources and the Root Qi Place are in close relation with Yang energy. So, the 4 Main Energy Resources and the Root Qi place all called as the Five Major Yang Places(五陽之處).
The eight ‘Liao’ Points, indications and benefits
The eight ‘Liao’ points take control of the Qi movement in the Root Qi Place.
The eight ‘Liao’ points have the power to enhance Qi circulation by pulling down the heat from top to bottom and pushing coldness from the feet to the head. Also, the parasympathetic nerve is densely located on the sacrum area.
Therefore, stimulating the eight ‘Liao’ points helps a patient feel more comfortable and help fall asleep at night.
The eight ‘Liao’ point could be applied for urologic and gynecologic symptoms such as erectile dysfunction, prostate enlargement, bladder infection, piles, discharge, irregular menstruation, menstrual pain, lower back pain, and boosting overall energy by helping digestion.
