As a study aid while attending the IVAS Acupuncture/TCM course I put together some study sheets. Perhaps others will find them useful. Other study aids can be found at Equine and Canine Point descriptions and charts, Printer Points, Crib #2 and Crib #3.

PAGE CONTENTS

	A Simplified Vision
	Command, Special Action Points + Energy Flow
	Point Location Notes…Shu, Sea, Head/Neck etc.
	Vital Substances & Organs
	Organ Summary
	Meridian Indications & Ting Points
	The 8 Extraordinary Vessels

A SIMPLIFIED VISION: [up]

Initially TCM and AP may seem like a confusing mix-up of strange terms and concepts. Not to worry…it really is very logical! Step back and forget about all the different terminology. Meridian theory is based on the concept of energy flow and the “organs” associated with the major meridians. In order to get a handle on the topic you need to
envision:

The route of the energy flow…what route it takes, where it runs deep and where it comes to the surface.

The association of stations (organs) with sections of the route.

The interconnections (shortcuts) between various sections of the route.

I view the simplified vision as the London Underground…it has the basic route through the city, comprised of various sections and each section has a station. Your visual simplification may be different but it certainly helps to have one!

Once this concept is grasped it is not so difficult to learn the route of the meridians over the body..it is just another road (tube) map. Along the route are points of interest (AP points) and intersections (meridian crossovers) and shortcuts between sections (Luo points). Traffic controllers utilize key places to influence the flow of traffic on a route. In AP one utilizes strategically placed AP points. Although there are many AP points there are a limited number of strategically placed ones..and these are the ones that must become very
familiar.

The organs

are like the Underground stations in that they are associated with specific meridians (route sections) and meridian points are used to influence energy (traffic) flow through the organ (station).

The next step is learning what goes on at each station (organ). Once you learn what happens at each station when traffic is running smoothly you will be able to recognize the effect on traffic, and the station, when flow along the route is disturbed. In our analogy you will be recognizing patterns that develop when energy flow is disturbed.

If you know the route well and what happens normally at each station it is only common sense …The Five Elements and/or Eight Principles… how to figure out what station is not normal and what traffic upset has lead to the problem. With experience one learns where traffic jams are likely to occur and which stations they will affect. When one becomes more familiar with the situation you will learn short cuts between sections of the route that, when utilized, allow for smoother traffic flow.

In AP and TCM the meridians are the routes, the organs are the stations and the AP Points are the areas along the way where energy (traffic flow) can be manipulated. You need to become familiar with which areas (AP Points) work best under different circumstances to keep the traffic flowing smoothly.

AP can be used in a cookbook fashion..someone else has figured out the route and you follow their instructions.

It can also be used in a slightly different concept for the musculoskeletal system. In this concept you need to know the mechanics of movement and wherein lies the restriction to the proper functioning of that system. Once you can pin point where the problem lies you can
utilize AP points that lie along and/or influence the area to improve neurological conduction, reduce muscle spasm and relieve pain.

With a
firm grasp of Western anatomy, and a vision of energy flow, AP and the
Patterns of TCM become a logical approach to wellness management.

COMMAND and SPECIAL ACTION POINTS: [up]

Tonification Point:	mother/parent
Sedation Point:	child/son
Horary Point (+) :	greatest concentration of Qi at maximum time of meridian
Luo Point	treat specific pathologies affecting externally-internally coupled channels..GB/LIV
Xicleft:	where Qi & Blood in the Channels collect…used to treat acute diseases

Wu-Shu = 5 Transporting Points (* = Well Point)

lement	METAL		EARTH		FIRE		WATER		FIRE		WOOD
Meridian	LU	LI	ST	SP	HT	SI	BL	KI	PC	TH	GB	LIV
Sense Organ	nose			mouth	tongue			ear				eye
WOOD	11*	3	43	1*	9*	3	65	1*	9*	3	41+	1*+
FIRE	10	5	41	2	8+	5+	60	2	8+	6+	38	2
EARTH	9	11	36+	3+	7	8	40	3	7	10	34	3
METAL	8+	1*+	45*	5	4	1*	67*	7	5	1*	44*	4
WATER	5	2	44	9	3	2	66+	10+	3	2	43	8
	Tai Yin	Yang Ming	Yang Ming	Tai Yin	Shao Yin	Tai Yang	Tai Yang	Shao Yin	Jue Yin	Shao Yang	Shao Yang	Jue Yin
Time	3-5A	5-7A	7-9A	9-11A	11A-1P	1-3P	3-5P	5-7P	7-9P	9-11P	11P-1A	1-3A
SOURCE	9	4	42	3	7	4	64	3	7	4	40	3
LUO	7	6	40	4	5	7	58	4	6	5	37	5
XICLEFT	6	7	34	8	6	6	63	5	4	7	36	6
MU	LU1	ST25	CV12	LIV3	CV14	CV4	CV3	GB25	CV17	CV5	GB24	LIV14
SHU:BL	13	25	21	20	15	27	28	23	14	22	19	18

SP 21…	Luo for all..connects all!
GV 1….	Luo of all Yang Collaterals
CV 15…	Luo of all Yin Collaterals
GB 39…	Luo of 3 lower leg Yang

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INFLUENTIAL POINTS (8+2)			MASTER POINTS (6)
LIV 13	Zang (Yin Organs)		Fore	LI 4	Face/mout
CV 12	Fu (Yang Organs)			LU 7	Head/Neck/Lungs
CV 17	QI			PC 6	Chest/cranial abd.
GB 34	Tendons
LU 9	Vessels		Hind	BL 40	Hips/Caudal back
BL 11	Bone			ST 36	Abdomen/GI/Qi
GB 39	Marrow			SP 6	Caudal abd./UG
BL 17	Blood/Diaphragm
ST 40	Phlegm
BL 12	Wind/Trachea

COMMAND POINTS				EMPIRICAL POINTS
Well	Mental			LU 9	Qi in & down
Spring	Fever			LI 4	dispel Wind
Stream	Bi			ST 40	trans. Phlegm/damp
River	Cough/asthma/throat			CV 6	Sea of Qi
Sea	GI/Yang Organs			ST 44	clear ST Heat
				HT 7	calming
HIP TRIANGLE				ST 36	Qi
GB 29 : GB 30 : BL 54				GV 26	resussitation
				LI 11	dispel Wind/Damp/heat
SONG of 4 GENERAL POINTS				GV 4	Life Gate
ST 36	Abdomenal & lumbar pain			SP 6	Diar./3 Yin cross
BL 40				CV 4	3 Yin+CV
LU7	Head, neck & facial disorders			GV 14	all Yang cross disp Wind clear Heat,fever
LI 4
				GV 20	100 Yang meet!
				SI 1	lactation
				GB 30	siatica
INTERSECTION POINTS
				TH 6	hypochondriac pain
ST 8	Hand Yang	LI, SI, TH
SI 18	Foot Yang	ST, BL, GB
CV 3	Foot Yin	SP, KI, LIV
GB 22	Hand Yin	LU, HT, PC
SYMPTOMATIC POINTS				4 GATE TREATMENT
Fever	GV 14, LI 11, LI 4			LIV 3	Bilaterally
Shock	GV 26, KI 3, (PC 6)			LIV 14
Cough	CV 22, LU 7
Nausea	PC 6 + ST 36			KIDNEY BELT
Loose stool	SP 6			GV4: BL23: BL52: GB25: CV6
Constipation	ST 25, Th 6
Weakness	LI 4, ST 34			PERIODIC OPTHALMIA
Anorexia	BL 21, ST 36			GB 1:ST 1:BL 1:Yu Yao :LIV 1

POINT
REVIEW [up]

The following is a
schematic point review stressing the spacial relationship of some of the points.

SHU POINT
COMPARISON:

Relation of
Equine head/neck points:

Relation of
Equine LI limb points:

SEA POINT
RELATIONS:

Can you
identify these points?..click
on image to view full size

VITAL SUBSTANCES and ORGANS [up]
HEART	Governs Blood
LIVER	Stores Blood
LUNG	Governs Qi & Influences Fluids
SPLEEN	Governs Food Qi, Holds Blood & Influences Fluids
KIDNEY	Stores Jing & Influences Fluids

	ORGAN SUMMARY [up]
PERICARDIUM	Protects the Heart
	mild Shen disorder = nervous condition
HEART	Governs Blood
	Controls Blood Vessels & Sweat
	Manifests in COMPLEXION
	Opens to the TONGUE
	Houses the MIND
	JOY
	Rules all the organs
TRIPLE HEATER	Regulates water passages
	UPPER BURNER: Lu & HT -> Blood & Qi
	MIDDLE BURNER: SP & ST -> Digest’n & T/T
	LOWER BURNER: Elimination & Sex organs
LUNGS	Govern Qi & Respiration
	Controls	Channels & Blood vessels
		D/D
	Manifest in SKIN & BODY HAIR
	Regulate water channels
	Open to the NOSE
	Houses the CORPOREAL SOUL
	GRIEF
LIVER	Stores Blood
	Ensures smooth flow of Qi
	Controls sinews
	Manifests in NAILS
	Opens to the EYES
	Houses the ETHEREAL SOUL
	ANGER
SPLEEN	Governs T&T
	Controls	Blood
		Muscles
		the 4 limbs
		raising of Qi
	Manifests in LIPS
	Opens to the MOUTH
	Houses THOUGHT
	WORRY/PENSIVE
KIDNEYS	Govern water
	Control	reception of Qi
		lower 2 orifices
	Manifest in HEAD HAIR
	Open to the EARS
	Houses WILL POWER
	Gate of Vitality
	Governs reproduction & development
	Produces Marrow
	Stores Jing
	FEAR

MERIDIAN
NOTES [up]

I: LUNG

 

All respiratory problems	cough
	asthma
	sore throat
Local pain	shoulder
	elbow
	carpus

II:
PERICARDIUM

 

All cardiovascular problems
Epigastric pain	nausea/vomiting
Emotional	nervous
	anxiety
Local pain along meridian

III: HEART

 

All cardiovascular problems
Emotional	nervous
	anxiety
Local pain along meridian

IV: SPLEEN

 

GI conditions	epigastric pain
	abdominal distention
	diarrhea
U/G problems	impotence
	urine incontinence
Lassitude
Pain	medial hind limb

V: LIVER

 

Painful urination
Painful external genitalia
Epilepsy
Eye problems
Jaundice

VI: KIDNEY

 

U/G problems
Chronic back pain & weakness
Old animal insomnia & vertigo
Sore throat

VII: LARGE
INTESTINE

 

5 Senses disorders
Pain	facial
	mouth, throat, teeth,
	neck
	lateral fore limb

VIII: TRIPLE
HEATER

 

Deafness
Eye/throat problems
Fever
Pain	temporal head
	caudal fore limb

X: SMALL
INTESTINE

 

Deafness
Pain/stiffness	neck & back
	scapula
	ulnar aspect fore limb

X: STOMACH

 

GI disorders
Pain	head/face
	eyes, nose. mouth, teeth
	cranial hind limbs

XI:
GALLBLADDER

 

Deafness
Liver/gallbladder problems
Pain	lateral chest
	abdomen
	lower extremities

XII: BLADDER

 

Eye problems
Pain	neck
	spine
	caudal lower limbs
Mental illness
Epilepsy
All TCM Organ disorders

XIII:
GOVERNING VESSEL (DU)

 

Behavioral problems
Convulsions	*loss of conciousness
Fever
U/G problems
Spinal pain

XIV:
CONCEPTION VESSEL (REN)

 

Endocrine & reproduction problems

Abdominal distention

Sore throat

Pain in ventral midline

THE
8 EXTRAORDINARY VESSELS [up]

Except for the Ren
(Conception Vessel) & Du (Governing Vessel) the 8 Extraordinary Vessels are made up of
points located on other meridians. To use these meridains the meridian is opened with the
Master Point, the desired points are used and then the meridian is closed with the Coupled
Point.

VESSEL	MASTER POINT	COUPLED POINT	ACCUMULATION POINT
Ren Mai	LU 7	KI 6
Yin Qiao Mai	KI 6	LU 7	KI 8
Du Mai	SI 3	BL 62
Yang Qiao Mai	BL 62	SI 3	BL 59
Chong Mai	SP 4	PC 6
Yin Wei Mai	PC 6	SP 4	KI 9
Dai Mai	GB 41	TH 5
Yang Wei Mai	TH 5	GB 41	GB 35

EXTRAORDINARY
VESSEL FUNCTIONAL PAIRS

Ren & Du	store Yin & Yang
Chong & Dai	circulate between Yin & Yang body organs
Yin Wei & Yang Wei	link Yin & Yang
Yin Qiao & Yang Qiao	distribute energy between Yin & Yang anatomy

Du Mai	meets all Yang meridians
Ren Mai	meets all Yin meridians
Chong Mai	meets all 12 meridians
Dai Mai	binds up all meridians
Yang Qiao	meet at medial canthus of eye ->regulate lower limbs
Yin Qiao
Yang Wei	connects with all Yang meridians
	dominates exterior of body
Yin Wei	connects with all Yin meridians
	dominates interior of body

The 8 Extraordinary Meridians -> control, join,store & regulate the Qi & Blood of each meridian.

[up]

This is
just a start… there is more on other pages!