Acupressure’s Potent Points

Psychotherapy patients may derive benefits from acupressure by using it to heighten body awareness and deal with stress. When powerful emotions are free and unresolved, the body stores the resulting tension in the muscles. Acupressure can help restore emotional balance by releasing the accumulated tension caused by repressed feelings.

An acupressure point actually has two identities and ways of working. When you stimulate a point in the same area where you feel pain or tension, it’s called a local point. That same point can also relieve pain in a part of the body that is distant from the point, in which case it is called a trigger point. This triggering mechanism works through a human electrical channel called a meridian. The meridians are pathways that connect the acupressure points to each other as well as to the internal organs.

Just as blood vessels carry the blood that nourishes the body physically, the meridians are distinct channels that circulate electrical energy throughout the body. They are thought to be part of a master communications system of universal life energy, connecting the organs with all sensory, physiological and emotional aspects of the body. This physical network of energy also contains key points that we can use to deepen our spiritual awareness as we heal ourselves.

Because the stimulation of one point can send a healing message to other parts of the body, each acupressure point can benefit a variety of complaints and symptoms. The highly effective acupressure point in the webbing between your thumb and index finger, for instance, is not only beneficial for relieving arthritic pain in the hand, but tonic points

improve your condition and maintain general health. They strengthen the overall body system and fortify various internal organs and vital systems of the body.

How to Find a Point: Acupressure Point Names and Reference Numbers

You locate an acupressure point by referring to anatomical landmarks. A qualified acupressurist can show you them or you will find them in a reputable book on acupressure, which shows all of the points with a description of these landmarks (such as indentations and protrusions of the bones). </p><p>Some acupressure points lie underneath major muscle groups. While points located near a bone structure usually lie in an indentation, muscular points lie within a muscular cord, band, or knot of tension. To stimulate the point, press directly on the cord into the hollow. As acupressure evolved, each of the 365 points was named poetically, originally with a Chinese character. The imagery of its name offers insight into either a point’s benefits or location.

For instance:

• The Hidden Clarity  point refers to the mental benefit of the point: it clears the mind.
• Shoulder’s Corner point refers to that point’s location.
• The Three Mile Point earned its name because it gives a person an extra three miles of energy.

Runners and hikers have used this famous point to increase stamina and endurance.

The healing benefits of acupressure involve both the relaxation of the body and its positive effects on the mind. As tension is released, you not only feel good physically, but you also feel better emotionally and mentally. When your body relaxes, your mind relaxes as well, creating another state of consciousness. This expanded awareness leads to mental clarity and a healthier physical and emotional healing, dissolving the division between the mind and body.