Traditional Chinese Medicine states that our body is traversed by a system of energy channels (also called meridians) where a person’s vital energy flows.

Many disciplines, from acupuncture to shiatsu, from qi gong to some martial arts, are based on the concept of energy channels to maintain and improve the person’s mental and physical wellness.

According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, the 12 main energy channels are related to the following organs:

Lung and Large Intestine
Spleen-Pancreas and Stomach
Heart and Small Intestine
Heart Constrictor (or Pericardium) and Triple Heater (the Triple Heater does not exist in Western medicine)
Kidney and Urinary Bladder
Liver and Gall Bladder

According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, the energy that flows in these channels is associated with the physiological function of the organs, but the function also expands to the emotional, mental and spiritual levels (for example, the stomach has the function of digesting, but it can also have the function of nourishing a person emotionally).

According to some disciplines and studies, acupuncture, acupressure, breathing exercises, meditation and stretching of specific body parts can stimulate and rebalance the energy within the meridians, bringing great psychophysical benefit.

 

Picture courtesy of Wikipedia:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meridian_(Chinese_medicine)#/media/File:Chinese_meridians.JPG