Class Notes 4

Class Notes 4: Same Name Channels

When we talk about “Same Name” or “Hand-Foot” or “Same Energy” pairings, we are talking about two channels with the same nature (level of Yin/Yang energy) that work on some common function or dynamic. Wang Ju-Yi feels that such pairings are so fundamental and important that he refers to them as single channels, and not two pairs of channels working together.

WAYS TO UNDERSTAND THE SIX LEVELS: STEAMING DUMPLINGS
It is helpful to think of the six levels in terms of the dumpling steamer image.

“the steam radiating off the top has the outwardly-moving nature that characterizes TAIYANG” (SI and UB).

“the ability of the bamboo lid to regulate and maintain a slow release of steam is likened to the SHAOYANG” (SJ and GB) “classically described as ‘between the outside and the inside.’”

“the warm, transforming steam and the dumplings themselves within the steamer are likened to the YANGMING” (St and LI) “level that holds and warms while closing inward to interact with the yin levels below”

TAIYIN (Lu and Sp) “opens outward not to the world at large, but to the ‘outside of the inside’.” It can be “likened to the steam coming up off the boiling water that mixes with YANGMING at the place where the internal and external truly meet.”

SHAOYIN (Heart and Kidney) “is analogous to the upward-moving bubbles within the pot that serve as a pivot between solid yin substance of the heating pot itself [JUEYIN] and the outward-opening above [TAIYIN].”

JUEYIN (Pericardium and Liver) “is where yin becomes firm and begins to revert to yang. Here it is the solid iron pot that holds yin together while also being the place from which the transformation begins from yin to the yang of radiating heat.”

WAYS TO UNDERSTAND SIX LEVELS: SIX QI
Another way to understand the six levels is to think about the associated six Qi that these levels modulate or regulate. The six Qi are Wind, Cold, Summerheat, Dampness, Dryness and Fire. Each of these are natural environmental factors, and they also have a presence within the human body. It is when the six levels/channels fail to regulate these six Qi that they turn into pathogenic factors within the body.

TAIYANG regulates/modulates COLD
SHAOYANG regulates/modulates SUMMERHEAT
YANGMING regulates/modulates DRYNESS
TAIYIN regulates/modulates DAMPNESS
SHAOYIN regulates/modulates FIRE
JUEYIN regulates/modulates WIND

NATURE OF TAIYIN LEVEL
There are two primary functions of the TAIYIN level (Lung and Spleen):
DAMPNESS: Taiyin is “responsible for the integration of external dampness ... while also transforming internally-generated dampness and helping to create healthy fluids of the body.”

NUTRITION: “The TAIYIN is the source of the body’s post-natal qi. The spleen transforms food and drink to create the nutritive aspect of the blood.

(picture on page 63)

A particular insight of Wang Ju-Yi is that the TAIYIN dynamic works on the nutrition of the body at the CELLULAR LEVEL. The spleen works on this level specifically at that place where the arterial capillaries (carrying fresh blood, oxygen, and nutrition) meet the venous capillaries (carrying used/damaged blood, CO2, and waste). The lung works on this level through the exchange of oxygen and CO2 within the body. The two work together to insure that nutrition gets to every cell, while carrying away waste products.

We usually think of TAIYIN when there is the presence of overt dampness in the body: edema, for instance, or phlegm in the lungs. But Wang Ju-Yi extends the usage of TAIYIN to include any issue where there is a failure of cellular nutrition and fluid circulation. For example, Wang Ju-Yi uses the TAIYIN point combo Lung 5 and Spleen 9 to address certain kinds of skin disorders: “Certain types of skin disorders are appropriate for treatment with the TAIYIN channel. In these cases, there is often a loss of the normal nourishing/cleaning functions of the surrounding tissues. This is in contrast to skin disorders caused primarily by heat and/or deficiency of the blood.”

Wang Ju-Yi uses TAIYIN pairings to address several other problems, including immune system disorders and metabolic dysfunction. He often begins a sequence of treatments by addressing TAIYIN. “When regulating qi, it is often appropriate to choose TAIYIN. Moreover, difficult cases are like untying a knot: Sometimes you must clear the air by regulating the qi dynamic first so that you can expose the core of the knot. For this reason, it may appear that I am choosing TAIYIN fairly often, but actually I use TAIYIN to regulate, and then proceed to other channels in later stages of treatment as the root condition becomes more evident.”

Examples of TAIYIN pairings include:

Lu 5 - Sp 9 regulates TAIYIN qi dynamic analog would be FU LING + ZHU LING
Lu 9 - Sp 3 strengthens spleen qi to transform dampness analog would be BAI ZHU + CANG ZHU

NATURE OF SHAOYIN LEVEL
SHAOYIN “regulates the physiology of fire”. It is used to “drain fire and clear the heart while also dredging and opening the yin collateral vessels. The nature of the channel is thus to invigorate blood and transform stasis of blood and heat.”

Both SHAOYIN organs (the heart and kidneys) are SOURCES of metabolic fire (heat/warmth) in the body. The Heart is a source of fire through moving and circulating blood throughout the body; the Kidneys supply this through Mingmen Fire. The SHAOYIN CHANNELS, then, are used to regulate this fire/heat/warmth so that it does not become excessive and pathogenic.

Unlike TAIYIN, the SHAOYIN organs/channels do not work together, but rather have a relationship of dynamic tension. This has to do with the fact that although both Heart and Kidneys are SHAOYIN, their elemental natures are FIRE and WATER (on the controlling cycle). That is, the Heart and Kidneys don’t so much work together, as they BALANCE each other.

Sometimes, we have an excess of fire/heat in the Heart, and a deficiency of fire/heat from the Kidneys (Kidney Yin Deficiency); this leads to the situation of Heart Fire due to underlying Kidney Yin Deficiency (or too much Fire, too little Water). At other times, we have an opposite situation, where there is not enough fire/heat in either the Heart or Kidneys, leading to the accumulation of fluid and edema in the body (too little Fire, too much Water).

Ht 5 - Kid 6 (Heart Luo Collateral + Master point of Yinqiao) Addresses problems in microcirculation to brain and heart leading to cognition or speech problems. Also for insufficiency of Kidney Water leading to Heart Fire (emotional stuff).

Heart 5 - Kidney 4 (Both Shaoyin Luo Collateral points) Similar to the above. Also has an effect on Shaoyin collaterals. Does not have as strong an effect on the brain and heart (because no Yinqiao affinity). Can be used when there are hearing problems.

Heart 6 - Kidney 7 (Heart Xi Cleft, Jing River of Kidney) This is less used to treat actual Yin Deficiency in the Kidneys and Heart, and more to restore relationship and balance between the paired channels (i.e. for Heart-Kidney not Communicating). Examples: ADHD


NATURE OF JUEYIN LEVEL
The function of the JUEYIN is to “foster yin, nourish blood, and regulate distribution of blood to other channels.” JUEYIN also has the connotation of “spirit calming”, largely because of the relationship of blood to the spirit. JUEYIN also regulates Wind, because any “sudden changes” (Wind) in the internal environment are related to disturbances in the circulation of blood.

Note that both the Liver and Pericardium store blood. The Liver stores blood for the whole body, while the Pericardium (thought of as the blood vessels surrounding the Heart) store blood primarily for the Heart.

When we use JUEYIN, we often think of “dredging” the channels to move and restore normal blood circulation, and thereby address both spirit issues and Wind. To make things more complicated, however, according to Wang Ju-Yi, we shouldn’t use actual Liver/Pericardium points to “dredge”; rather, this is best left up to the associated Yang channel pairs: thus, SJ 5-GB 41...

Liver 5 - Pericardium 6: Dredges and unblocks the Jueyin channels and collaterals; irregular menses associated with qi stagnation, including symptoms involving a generalized lack of motivation. Blockage, but no heat.

Pericardium 7 - Liver 2: Similar to the above, but with the addition of heat. “likened to relaxing and expanding the channel so that stagnation and heat can move smoothly out of the channel and organs.” Irregular menses associated with irritability, restlessness. Insomnia, vascular headaches, menopause syndrome, irregular menses, ADD.

NATURE OF TAIYANG
TAIYANG channels (SI and UB) run on the most expansive, exterior portion of the body. They are where heat is discharged off the body like the steam of a bamboo steamer. TAIYANG is also the first line of defense in an external pathogenic attack.

In practice, TAIYANG point pairs often have more to do with addressing pain/stiffness/numbness issues running along the course of the back of the body, particularly in the lumbar area or neck. Here are some examples of TAIYANG point pairings:

SI 3 - UB 62 (extraordinary vessel pair) chronic and acute lumbar pain. Can also be used to clear heat and calm spirit (using Yang channels to clear excesses from paired Yin channels). numbness in extremities, hysterical paralysis, epilepsy, mania, motor skill problems, etc.

UB 63 - SI 5 (UB Xi Cleft point and SI river point) reduces acute pain along Taiyang pathway. often a firstline treatment for patients with acute low back pain. Also Taiyang type neck pain.

UB 64 - SI 4 (both source points) used more for chronic, deficient type back or neck Taiyang channel type pain.

NATURE OF SHAOYANG
SHAOYANG (GB and SJ) is the “pivot” between the opening of TAIYANG and the closing of YANGMING. SHAOYANG is used to “clear and drain heat while dispersing clumped qi.” It is an important level to look to whenever there is heat and qi stagnation in the body.

Because Shaoyang is good at “regulating” and “moving” heat and qi stagnation, and because yang channels in general are good at this function, and because Shaoyang is paired with Jueyin, one of the most important functions of Shaoyang pairs is to regulate qi and blood and heat in the Jueyin (most notably, the Liver).

SHAOYANG is supposed to regulate SUMMERHEAT, which can be seen as a combination of Heat and Dampness, requiring both heat-clearing and qi-moving to clear out.

SJ 5 - GB 41 (extraordinary vessel pair) clear and drain excess heat from the channel; example: Liver/GB fire leading to wind-fire rising upward with symptoms like vomiting, headaches, red eyes, nasal congestion, ear ringing, tooth pain, etc. other examples: tinnitus, conjunctivitis, dry-itchy eyes, dizziness, high blood pressure due to heat rising; also for pain along course of Shaoyang channel

SJ 6 - GB 34 (SJ river point, GB he sea point) strongly moves Shaoyang stagnation, but has less of a heat-clearing effect than SJ 5 - GB 41. used for constipation, abdominal distention, intercostal pain, sciatic nerve pain, shingles, pms (breast tenderness/irritability), dysmenorrhea.

NATURE OF YANGMING
The YANGMING (LI and Stomach) is the “interior of the exterior” (the front of the body). YANGMING is “full of qi and blood” and is the “warm core within Yang and the relatively solid place from which Yang begins to grow outward to its eventual dispersal to the external environment at Taiyang.”

YANGMING regulates Dryness. If there is abundant Qi and blood within a body (produced via YANGMING) then Dryness cannot take hold. Note, however, that because YANGMING hold and generate a lot of heat, there is always the potential for it to slip into Dryness and Yin Deficiency.

Examples of Yangming point combinations:
Stomach 36 - LI 11 (both He Sea points) regulates and strengthens Yangming function in cases where there is insufficient absorption/nutrition from food. Also used for “channel exhaustion” when improper treatment has led to exhaustion of qi of Yangming (facial paralysis, etc.)

LI 1 - Stomach 45 (both Jing Well points) clear and drain Yangming channel. For fire-toxin stagnation in Yangming channel leading to symptoms like toothache, hemorrhoids, or sleep disorders.

LI 4 - Stomach 43 (LI Yuan Source, Stomach Shu Stream) stomach qi deficiency; belching, distention, sounds in intestines, but NO vomiting.

LI 10 - Stomach 36 Note: Wang Ju-Yi does state that on the LI channel, LI 11 is a heat-clearing, regulating point, but LI 10 is more qi tonifying. Therefore, this combo is better when there is a situation of stomach qi deficiency.