ABCs of TCM: Meridian

The twelve meridians control human life,
yet they are the place where disease can live.
If disease starts in the meridians,
the physician can use the meridians
to treat the root cause of disease.

—Nei Jing (classic Chinese text, 475–221 B.C.E.)

Picture a roadmap:  a profusion of points woven into a web by lines of travel.  Now imagine this system 3-D in your body:  a vast network of invisible energy pathways connecting to each other and to every atom, cell, bone, tendon, tissue, organ, each centimeter of skin–everything in your body!  They link the upper portion with the lower and the surface with the interior, so that nothing is truly separate.  These amazing pathways are the meridians, and they form your body into an intercommunicating whole. 

Records in China as early as 722 B.C.E. describe the meridians, and the Nei Jing, a Chinese medical classic dating around 250 B.C.E., clearly states how they work:  "The function of the meridian is to transport Qi [vital energy] and blood and circulate Yin and Yang to nourish the body."  There are twelve major meridians that run on each side of the body, one side mirroring the other.  Each meridian corresponds to a different internal organ, and each organ, with its own unique physiological and energy functions, is not only dependent on the other organ systems but also on the greater meridian network.  Energy and blood flow continuously through the meridians, yet they also transmit information to and among your organs.  What kind of information?  Faster than the speed of light they send signals to raise or lower your body temperature, signs that your body needs to release water, signals to regulate emotion, and so forth.  Your body is constantly communicating with itself through innumerable amounts of messages passing through the meridians.  They help coordinate the work of the organs and keep your body balanced by regulating its energy functions.

According to TCM theory, as long as sufficient Qi flows freely through the meridians and your organs work in harmony your body can remain healthy.  This means that when your body's meridian system functions well, you are well.  Yet just like roadways to a city, they can become clogged or blocked.  When this happens it affects the function of the corresponding organ and ultimately the whole body.  The beauty of meridians is their great sensitivity—they can carry the effects of stimulation in the form of healing energy throughout your entire body.  It is this quality that allows the various forms TCM treatment to work:  with Qigong, food, herbs, needles or the pressure of the hand or fingers, the flow of energy in the meridians can be affected, restoring the balance and health of the individual.