Meditation and the Meridians - Lung Meridian
By Tian Li, L.Ac
Characteristics
The lung meridian is called the "Prime Minister" and assists with controlling energy and circulating the blood. The lungs and the heart are seen to work in conjunction with blood and energy, being complementary parts of the living system. This connection has led the lungs to also be called "The Priest" and the "Minister of Heaven." The lungs also control the skin and perspiration.
This meridian generates what is known as the radiant energy. This control puts the lungs in the front line for fighting external disease.
The meridians start in the lung meridian and end in the liver meridian. The birth of a person begins with the activation of lung Qi, crying; it also ends with the extinction of liver Qi and let go.
From three am to five am, meridian Qi mainly flows through the lung meridian. If people wake up at that time, or cough, or wake up with a headache, etc., that means lung energy is off or stressed; and then enters the Large Intestine Meridian at five am to seven am. If you wake up with an abdomen cramp and need to have a bowel movement, this means you have a healthy large intestine.
If not, then work on your Large Intestine Meridian. And then the Stomach Meridian from seven am to nine am. This is the best time to have breakfast. I have always told my patients to finish their breakfast before nine am. It's the best way to take care of your digestion. In this way, the meridian cycle is continuous as the Qi flows through the body.
Primary Pathway
The Lung Meridian primary pathway originates in the middle portion of the body and runs downward connecting with the large intestine. It then turns and passes through the diaphragm to connect with the lungs. This meridian branches out from the axilla (armpit) and runs down the medial aspect of the upper arm where it crosses the elbow crease.
It continues until it passes above the major artery of the wrist and emerges at the tip of the thumb. Another branch emerges from the back of the wrist and ends at the radial side of the tip of the index finger to connect with the Large Intestine Meridian.
Characteristics of Lungs
The lungs are delicate organs. The lung is the weakest organ in our body. The lung is the first organ that a baby needs to activate after coming out of the mother's womb. The first thing a child must do as it is being born from the mother is to open the lobes of the lungs. Crying is used to open the lobes of the lung. What does the doctor or midwife do if the baby doesn't cry at this time? A swift pat to the buttocks and then the soles of the feet.
The lung, located as the top source of five organs, is the first organ to feel the harm of the environment and the first organ to be affected by medications. If kids catch a cold or flu or eat the wrong foods, drink some ginger soup and massage the belly. It will be okay. I'm most afraid that the parents will rush to eliminate the symptoms and mess up the child's blood and energy. Life has to be slowly transformed, and time must be given to the movement of Qi and blood. Usually, it is best to let the children get more sun, exercise more, and eat less sweets, so that the lungs can be strong.
As we know, the lung is in charge of breathing. The best breathing is what is often referred to as belly breathing, or breathing deeply down to the lower Dantian, which is in the area a few fingers below your navel. This type of breathing involves the kidney's energy, so chronic respiratory system problems actually require work on the lung and kidney too. The best breathing exercise is Qi Gong breathing exercises.
The lungs are in charge of dispersing and descending. After the meridian Qi returns to the lungs, the lungs will also distribute the twelve meridian Qi to the whole body. This kind of redistribution is strict, and it's not something any organ can have more than others.
If the lung Qi is not descending, the quality of people's sleep will be poor. The time for the lungs to distribute energy is from three to five am, so sleeping deeply at this time is important.
The lungs are also in charge of the skin and hair. Skin diseases like eczema, psoriasis, etc., are primarily associated with the lungs. Skin diseases originate at the joints, which is characteristic of lung disease. The second characteristic is symmetry because the meridians are symmetric. For example, the most common eczema flare place is at He Gu (Large Intestine 4) area.
Lungs are deeply affected by grief, sadness and worry. People with severe skin problems almost universally also have grief, sadness and worry too. So, it doesn't matter how much topical medicine you put on skin, if the lung meridian has not been addressed, and the emotion has never been recognized and dealt with, the skin problem will never go away.
The lungs are partnered with the large intestine; they are in the same family, so to speak. These two meridians also share the same tissue in Western medicine. If lung cancer ranks first, then large intestine cancer will be second.
TCM Lung Organ
It is important to remember that the lung organ in Chinese medicine is not the lung organ referred to by Western medicine. The TCM lung organ is like a system. It also includes the lung meridians, including the relationship between the lung and the body, and the relationship between the lung and the skin. Even if the lung lobes are removed, the relationship between the lung meridian and other meridians is still there, and it will work.
Main Indication
Acupuncture points in the Lung Meridian are indicated for throat, chest and lung ailments and for other symptoms that are presented along the meridian's pathway. Imbalances in the lung meridian can cause upper respiratory infection, breathing dysfunction, and skin problems. An imbalance can also cause despair and depression.
Symptoms
Disorders of the Lung Meridian lead to diseases related to TCM lung dysfunction. According to TCM, the lung rules and regulates Qi throughout the body and administers respiration (breathing). In addition, the lung moves and adjusts the water channels, so disorders of this meridian may be related to disharmony of lung fluid or "water" and respiratory disorders.
Symptoms like chest discomfort with a fullness sensation, dyspnea (shortness of breath), cough, and wheezing indicate Lung Meridian disharmony. This disharmony can also lead to pain along the meridian position.
Examples include, but are not limited to, pain or cold feeling in the upper arms, indicating weak heart and lungs; blue veins that pop out on the lateral tail of the elbow indicating that the lungs are cold and allergic; the thenar (known as the big fish area) should be a nice pink color. If it is bluish, wrinkly, or pale, it means the lung is cold, and the stomach is cold too.
Deficiency of Lung Qi
Signs of lung Qi deficiency include weak urination. Irregular stool is another indication, including weak and incomplete stool and soft stool. By contrast, babies who have enough lung Qi have quick bowel movements that are firm and thick.
Other signs of lung Qi deficiency include cold and pain in the upper arms and shoulders and frequent sighs or shortness of breath.
Healthy Lung
Deep sleep between three and five am is a sign of a healthy Lung Meridian. Interrupted sleep at this time points to lung Qi deficiency.
The phrase "cold injures the lungs" explains the root of lung disease. In this day and age, people don't pay enough attention to keeping warm when they are young and drink too many iced beverages. Not only can these behaviors cause allergies, they can also injure internal organs and result in coughs. Chronic pharyngitis is often caused by taking the wrong or too many medications.
It is super important to develop a good, mindful lifestyle. Wear boots, hats and a scarf in fall and winter. Don't wear sandals and flip-flops. Don't sweat profusely in the summer. Don't eat food that is too cold or too hot. Too much cold food and cold drinks particularly hurt the lungs. And don't sleep too late.
The best way to protect the delicate lungs is to protect them from cold. Consume fewer or no cold drinks and foods. The best exercise is swimming. In addition, do deep breathing, Qi Gong, and engage in Lung Meridian massage. Take all medications with caution. And finally, and of utmost importance, manage your emotions. Grief, sadness and worry can hurt the lungs. The first step to bring lung health back is to manage our emotions.