Meridians are the paths that Qi (氣), the life force in our body, travels along. They are also the map behind every acupuncture treatment.
So it's no surprise that people ask me: what exactly is a meridian? Does it really exist? And who discovered it?
WHO FOUND THEM?
Honestly, these are good questions that may never be fully answered. One traditional view is that the ancients found the channels through deep meditation, looking inward with a completely calm mind. The Ming dynasty physician Li Shizhen (李時珍) wrote that the body's inner pathways can only be seen by those who look within (內景隧道，惟反觀者能照察之). Through that kind of inner observation, the ancestors described twelve main channels and eight extraordinary channels of Qi.
Modern science hasn't found meridians as a separate structure you can see under a microscope. Some researchers are looking at connective tissue instead: one well known study found that most acupuncture points on the arm sit where layers of connective tissue meet.
A LOOP FROM YOUR FEET TO YOUR FINGERTIPS
The twelve main channels are the ones we use in acupuncture treatment. Six are Yin and six are Yang. To picture how they flow, imagine yourself standing with your arms raised, so your fingertips are the highest point of your body.
Three Yin channels carry Qi up from your feet into your torso. Three more carry it from your torso out to your fingertips, where they meet the Yang channels. From there, three Yang channels bring Qi from your fingertips to your head, and three more run from your head down to your toes, where they meet the Yin channels again. The circle closes and keeps going. This is how the meridians move Qi around the whole body.
Each of the twelve main channels connects to one of the organ systems. That's why acupuncture is traditionally used for more than pain along a channel: it's also used to support how the organs work and balance with each other.
AND THE EIGHT EXTRAORDINARY CHANNELS?
These work differently. Li Shizhen compared the main channels to waterways and the extraordinary channels to lakes (正經猶夫溝渠，奇經猶夫湖澤). When the main channels run full, the extra flows into the lakes, which store it and release it when the body needs it.
As I see it, these eight channels need a little activation to do their job well. Acupuncture can open them for a while during treatment, often through a set of points where they meet the main channels (八脈交會穴).
There are many pearls of wisdom hidden in the meridians and acupoints, and I believe some are still waiting to be discovered.
This article is for general educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. If you have a health concern, please consult a qualified health professional.