[TCM] Meridians Help

[Al Stone]

On Aug 10, 2004, at 11:10 AM, <vickiconfrey at cox.net> wrote:

> I do not have the kind of mind that retains numbers.  Also, when I 
> read a map, I turn the map around as I turn corners in the car in 
> order to understand the map. So, when I hear that CV11 is 3 cun 
> superior to CV8 and you divide 8 cun from CV8 to CV16 in half, and 
> that half into half again, blah, blah, blah, my brain goes blank.

I get it. Tell you what, the way that I really learned my point 
location was on a real person. I understand how all these words turn 
into a sort of mush in your head, but when you're in practice, the key 
points are easy to find such as Ren 12 being at the midpoint of the 
naval (ren 8) and the sternal xyphoid function (ren 16). I find those 
two points, put my fingers on them (using two hands) and then eyeball 
the midpoint, placing my thumbs on the middle of that line which ends 
up being Ren 12.

Most of the points that I use on a regular basis are pretty easy to 
find. I don't often find that one really weird one, what is that, San 
Jiao 13?

Perhaps a little more practical experience (i.e. practicing with your 
classmates) will help you be able to know where the points are on the 
body, as most of them are related to anatomical landmarks.  Don't worry 
about the name of that boney structure at the top of the lower leg on 
the side, just know that finding it, then going one cun down and 
forward is GB 34.  You can learn the name of that bone later.

> Even just remembering that Du9 is in ISS of T7 doesn’t make sense to 
> me because the Du numbers increase in value as you go up, but the 
> vertebra numbers go down!

Sucks, doesn't it?  There's actually some kind of pneumonic device for 
this. It has to do with 2-1-3, 3-2-1... something like that. Perhaps if 
someone remembers it they can chime in.

> Furthermore, when confronted with a live body, I tend to forget where 
> I am when I palpate. Was the 7 that I just counted a T-7 or a Du-7!??! 
> I don’t relate well to or retain numbers.

Yeah, to be honest, I couldn't tell you where all the du points are 
between Du 4 which is use often, and Du 14 which is use often enough.

> So, do you have a recommendation for a numerically & 
> geographically-challenged student? The other students in my class seem 
> to have caught on well.  The teacher is great; in fact, he is 
> brilliant.  It’s me.

I suggest working on people more and more.  I think that's the best way 
to get it into your head.

Just my 2 centavos.

> Thanks for any help you or others in the group can offer.

I'm sure that other students can provide additional idea.

--
Al Stone, L.Ac.
Pain is inevitable, suffering is optional.
-Adlai Stevenson