By Brandon SJ Oh, L.Ac.
All 12 Meridians could be Grouped by Three Groups such as The Sky, The Earth, and The Human Meridians
▲ 3 Taiji and 12 Meridians(삼원론과 12경맥)
I explained 3 Taiji theories and applied to body parts such as the head, the truck, and the four limbs. Now I would like to apply 12 meridians to 3 Taiji theories.
The earth gives birth and grows plants and animals by help of the sky which provides oxygen and sun lights. Like the earth, Taiyin and Yangming meridians nourish body by digestion and absorption of nutrition. And Saoyin and Taiyang meridians are responding energy changes and external pathogens and it could be understood those Saoyin and Taiyang take role of the sky in nature.
The third Taiji, human, is existing in between the sky and the earth. Likely, Saoyang and lessor Yin meridians are distributed in between Taiyin and Yangming which have characteristics of the earth and Saoyin and Taiyang which have virtues of the sky. Saoyang and lessor Yin meridians respond to human emotional status and it makes those meridians have similar aspects of the human.
In conclusion, meridians that assigned to the lungs, large intestine, the stomach and the spleen respectively, called the earth meridian and meridians of the heart, the small intestine, the urinary bladder, and the kidneys are named the sky meridian and lastly meridians such as pericardia, triple burner, gall bladder and the liver are belonged to the human meridian.
▲ Taiji Theory and Acupuncture Point Selection(삼원론과 취혈 3)
Meridian control acupuncture (MCA) technique that designed for focusing on balance of the 3 Taiji such as the sky, earth and human. MCA believes that balance of 3 Taiji enhances immune system to expel external and internal pathogens.
MCA technique activates meridian that have been affected by pathogens and enhanced Qi in the meridian is guided to send back its origin in order to cure the organ.
MCA technique also adds acupuncture points which are located on face and head in order to maximize treatment effect of acupuncture treatment. Acupuncture points on the face and head could stimuli hormone secretions and cerebral cortex but actual outcome is much stronger than using acupuncture points on the trunk or limbs.
Acupuncture stimulation on the face and head leads stronger treatment effects. There is more explanation for benefits by selection of acupuncture points on the head and face. Acupuncture points on the face and head are considered as points that reflex symptoms of meridians. Therefore, acupuncture points on the face and head could be used for diagnosis and treatment.
For example, if a patient complaints headache and he would have more pain on front of head that could be understood as the cause of the headache is on the earth meridian. If he has more pain on back of the head that is because of pathogen is on the sky meridian. If he has more pain on his sides of head, that is due to circulation disrupted on the people meridian.
Usually, headache due to cold causes pain on back of the head and neck, and headache due to indigestion causes frontal headache, and headache from having too much stress causes migraine. This is well known acupuncture diagnostic facts and it matches MCA theory.
By using conventional TCM theory for understanding MCA theory, two theories are agreed that on facial area, Conception and Governing Vessel are met and all extraordinary vessels, except besides Girdling Vessel pass on the facial area. Extraordinary vessels are Conception and Governing Vessels, Penetrating, Yin and Yang Motility vessel, and Yin and Yang Linking vessel.
So, adding acupuncture points on the face and head is important and doing critical role for balancing 3 Taiji than just select acupuncture points on limbs and trunk.
