Practitioners of Oriental medicine believe that vital energy has a definite, predictable route throughout the body.  It flows along pathways that traverse the body in a fixed pattern somewhat like the network of a complex railway system.  These pathways are divided into major routes called meridians, which are named for the organ or function they serve.  On these routes are numerous “tiny points” called acupunture or acupressure points where the energy comes to the surface of the body.  It is interesting to note that modern electronic instruments makes Kirlian photography possible which now enables us to locate acupuncture/acupressure points precisely.  This has proven that the points are exactly where the ancient Chinese showed them to be.  These points respond to any change in the flow of vital energy.  They appear to act somewhat like resistors in an electrical current by adjusting the speed and power of the flow.  The response is a kind of fluid elasticity that tightens or slackens as necessary.  The vital energy reaches the organs through the meridians and acupressure points.  If the organ or gland nourished by a particular flow is not functioning properly, points along the meridian will be painful or stiff.  By reestablishing the energy flow along this pathway, the organ or gland will be revitalized and health will be restored.  The meridians also can be thrown off balance by the tensions and stresses of modern life.  When this happens, the flow of vital energy becomes blocked, too intense, or too weak, resulting in the development of disorders in body functioning.

A meridian that is low or deficient in energy must be stimulated to bring a fresh supply of energy to it.  When a meridian is lacking energy, the organ involved as well as the nearby muscles and nerves are not working at peak performance.  Then ultimately this can have an adverse effect on the vitality of the entire body.  Stimulating the specific point, depending on the ailment, will generate a revitalization of that particular energy flow and thereby remove blocks within the organ’s meridian system that could prevent a state of good health.

This is an excerpt from “The Healthy Family Handbook” e-book.