Connecting the Visible with the Invisible

How does everything connect to make our body/mind complex operate in full potential?  Let’s take a look at the meridian system in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM).  

Picture a road map throughout your body: a profusion of points (called acupuncture points in TCM and  marma points in Ayurvedic Medicine from which the meridian system later developed)  woven into a web or network comprising  lines of travel. These lines create invisible energy pathways connecting to each other and to every atom, cell, tendon, bone, organ, your entire skin surface—everything in your body! These energy channels connect  the upper portion of our body with the lower and the surface, the right side with the left side and the interior with the exterior making our living organism totally connected.   

Now add another dimension to this interconnected body “map”: your mind and emotions – thoughts and feelings—everything conscious and unconscious within you.  The mind helps direct energy  through these pathways  and in turn has an amazing influence whether good or bad on how they operate.  

How were meridians discovered?

Ayurveda greatly influenced health care practices in the east and the west. By 400 AD Ayurvedic works were translated into Chinese; by 700 AD Chinese scholars were studying medicine in India at Nalanda University. Chinese medicine, herbology and Buddhist philosophy were also impacted by Ayurvedic knowledge. The  discovery of  the meridian system; were discovered through spiritual practices like  meditation and pranayama by those ancient practitioners who were “seers” of the subtle energy pathways.. By allowing themselves to become immersed deeply in another state of consciousness, ancient masters could literally “see” inside the body. Because of heightened sensitivities, these healing masters could withdraw their egos from the world of five senses and open a deeper part of themselves to the equally real world of the invisible. Their observations have helped us understand that this invisible energy network can enhance spiritual development, as well as create many health benefits.

Meridian Pathways

Meridians ( strotamsi)form invisible energy pathways that provide coherence to the human body and allow its structures to communicate among themselves and with the external universe. According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, there are twelve major meridians that run on each side of the body, one side mirroring the other.

Each of the twelve major meridians has its own function that relates to a specific organ system; however, the meridians have far more power and flexibility than organ systems. They are the  connection between  the body and mind, as well as consciousness and subconsciousness. While connections occur at the physiological level, other critical linkages take place at an invisible or quantum level that today’s technology cannot yet measure.

This is how certain masters alter their physical bodies through the state of meditation.   The master has learned to use the power of these subtle pathways  to change physical functions. Some can slow and even stop their heart without being dead.  This ability is just to point out that when one masters the mind and how to direct and control the healing force, she or he  masters all levels of existence from physical to ethereal.  

The meridians  in TCM distinguish  it from other ancient healing traditions.  Although, Ayurveda has its own channel system based on a different structure, called strotamsi.  In both ancient systems, there is the awareness the the mind and body are interconnected through subtle energy pathways.

The Healing Process

Because marma points and meridian pathways are so powerful, they offer the smoothest channel for unconscious and subconscious communications within the body. Using marma therapy, acupressure and acupuncture to readjust and unblock meridians is one of the best therapies available to help living organisms to connect body, mind, and spirit, and recover their healing power. This modality allows the unconscious mind to participate in the healing process. This way—and only this way—can you  Root Up the Issue that causes the problem resulting in disease.  The key to allowing the healing force to operate through these pathways is to remove any blockages along the channels. When the blockages are removed then the healing force will flow naturally and unimpeded.  This results in restoration of the system that may have been challenged.