Meridian theory, an essential part of the basic theory of Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), is a theory that studies physiology and pathology and their relationship to the meridians. From a philosophical point of view, the meridian system explains our lifestyle and the reasons for our illness. TCM believes that this distribution network, the same as a huge web, spreads all over the body and penetrates each other. It connects the inside, outside, upper and lower parts of the human body into an organic whole.
Conceptions of “Jing and Luo” in Chinese meaning
”Jing Luo” is the Chinese term for the meaning of meridian, which together constitutes the basic structural components of the meridian system. These concepts are derived from the “Huang Di Nei Jing”, a TCM classic works thousands of years ago. “Jing Luo ” is the general term for meridian and collaterals. “Jing ” in Chinese has the meaning of path or route. It runs lengthways through the upper and lower sides, communicating interior and exterior, and is the main trunk of the meridian system. While “Luo” in Chinese, means network and is a branch of “Jing ” in the meridian system. It is smaller than the “Jing ”, crisscrossed all over the body.
Classification of Meridians
The meridian system consists of Jing, Luo and their subsidiary parts. Jing is divided into 12 main meridians. There are 12 main meridians, corresponding to the five Zang-internal organs, six Fu-organs and pericardium. The Five-Zang are internal organs, including the liver, heart, spleen, lung and kidney. The six Fu-organs include the gallbladder, small intestine, stomach, large intestine and bladder. The meridians connected with the five internal organs are called the Yin meridian, and connected with the six Fu-organs are called the Yang meridian. There are also eight extra meridians and some mini Luo meridians. Governing Vessel and Conception vessel are the special meridians among these eight extra meridians due to their own independent acupuncture points.
Application of Meridian theory in BMT
Meridians belong to the viscera, entering the collaterals in the limbs. They communicate between the viscera and the body surface, connect the body’s viscera, tissues, and organs into an organic whole, and use this to promote qi and blood, yin and yang, so that the functional activities of various parts of the human body can be achieved. Maintain coordination and relative balance. TCM holds that the basic substances including qi, blood and body fluid are all over the human body, which is very important for health preservation in TCM. They rely on the huge and complicated pathways of meridians to deliver energy to every part of the human body. If the flow of energy is blocked at any point in the meridian, it will cause various symptoms and uncomfortable situations anywhere in the meridian. In BMT treatment, we also find the involved meridians according to the abnormal area. This is why we may unblock the small intestine channel of the hand Tai Yang, put pressure and stimulate the acupuncture points on this channel to relieve the shoulder pain around the scapula. With the help of bioelectricity, relying on the hand-touch of the therapists, stress may affect the autonomic nervous system in some way.
