 |
Location Guides: |
He-Sea and Water point
Horary point of the Kidney channel
Opening point of the Kidney Divergent channel (Cecil-Sterman, 2012, Advanced Acupuncture)
Binding point of the foot Taiyang and foot Shaoyin Sinews
Trigger point (Melzack, Stillwell & Fox, 1977)
Homeostatic point 11 (Ma, Ma & Cho, 2005, Biomedical Acupuncture for Pain Management)
Meeting of Kidney with Kidney Divergent
At the medial end of the popliteal crease, between the semitendonosus and semimembranosus tendons. Locate and needle with the knee slightly flexed.
Perpendicular insertino 1 - 1.5 cun
"The Shaoyin usually has little Blood and much Qi" (Su Wen 素問 ch. 24) implying this channel should normally be needled.
"The foot Shaoyin is to be pierced 2 fen deep and remain inserted for three exhalations" (Ling Shu 靈樞 ch. 12).
"It is needled to a depth of four fen and moxaed with three cones" (Huangfu Mi 皇甫謐, 3rd Century, Zhenjiu Jiayi Jing 針灸甲乙經).
Clears Damp-heat from the Lower Jiao
Benefits the Kidneys
Activates the channel and alleviates pain
Shared with Zutonggu Bl-66 and balanced by ䷝ (Shaofu He-8 or Yanggu SI-5).
Hexagram attributions are my own with an explanation given in the glossary.
Superficial Innervation: Medial femoral cutaneous nerve of the thigh (L2 - L4)
Dermatome Segment: L4
Deeper Structures: Tibial nerve (S1 - S2) in Melzack's location
Muscle:
Gastrocnemius
Location Notes:
Melzack's trigger point location for this point is lower than the classical acupuncture description, on the belly of the calf approx. 5 cun inferior to the classical location, on a line connecting the classical Yingu Kid-10 with Taixi Kid-3
Pain Referral Pattern:
To the medial aspect of the sole of the foot, around the navicular
Indications:
Tendon and muscle strains of the lower leg
; Periostitis of calcaneus
Common target with the sword for disabling the opponent by severing hamstring tendons of the tendons of semitendinosus and semimembranosus, although due to the location, Ququan Liv-8 is a more likely target in combat. This point would more likely be used as a punishment or means to disable a captive.
Striking damages the Kidneys and can cause immediate kidney failure or slow decay of the kidneys. It can also cause knock out, weakening of the body including short or long term impotence and a disruption in the communication between upper and lower (Montaigue, Dim Mak Locations, Taijiworld.com).
Ling Shu Ch. 44, On the Qi Moving in Accordance with the Norms, indicates that the He-Sea points should be pierced in autumn or when the disease is a result of immoderate diet. The seasonal aspect should not be interpreted literally as it describes the flavours as "controlled by autumn", probably referring to the mouth, nose and throat where the metal channels run. It also describes the morning, afternoon, evening and night cycle of the day to be like the four seasons of the year with evening corresponding to autumn. Perhaps the most likely interpretation is during middle age, the autumn period of life, when the effects immoderate diet are likely to start to show.
Ling Shu Ch. 71, On Evil Visitors, says that when a depletion evil is in the Kidneys it remains in hollows of the knees. Yuen's theory of the Divergent meridians suggests that they store pathogens at the major joints, depleting our resources while they do, which gives a likely rationale for this statement.
This point is also on the 4th trajectory of the Chong mai relating to structural aspects of the body via the Qiao (Yuen, 2005, The Extraoridinary Vessels).
When combined with Yangchi SJ-4 and Waiguan SJ-5 this point relates to the Sixth Level of Manifestation of the Soul or the Ajna chakra concerned with the Realm of Immortality and the Will to Create endless possibilities. It asks what we would create if we were to live forever? This point pools the Yin while Yangchi SJ-4 pools the Yang and Waiguan SJ-5 emanates the resulting mixture outwards via the Yang wei mai and the San jiao as an irrigation system.
This stage also relates to the formation of the spiritual embryo and attainment of immortality in meditation practice (Yuen, 2005, 3 Spirits & 7 Souls).
In Sufism this level would relate to the Valley of Bewilderment described by Attar in the Conference of the Birds as:
"Behold! The next is the valley of bewilderment
Here pain and regret ever rave and thunder;
When the pilgrim in this vortex descends
He loses the path in amazement and awe;
He will say 'I know nothing of such riddle,
I know not this or that, I'm blank in
the middle' ..."
Here the mystic awakens to a new reality that is both wonderful and bewildering and is filled with pain and discontent as their previous sense of worldly identity collapses.
Like the other even (Yin) sets there is one point representing Yang (Yangchi SJ-4), one representing Yin (Yingu Kid-10) and one that unifies them (Waiguan SJ-5).
Hippocrates' The Nature of Man describes the use of venesection in the popliteal area or the inner ankle for pain the loins and testicles which seems to correlate to this point. It is related to a channel that begins near the ears, runs down the neck through the jugular, continues deeply close to the spine, passing close to the muscles of the loins, entering the testicles and thighs, traversing the popliteal fossa on the medial side and ending on the inner ankles and feet. The lower half of this channel is almost identical to the foot Shaoyin Kidney channel with some overlap with the foot Jueyin Liver channel, both of which have significant influence over the loins, testicles and reproductive function.
In Tibetan medicine:
Moxa point (AMNH, Tibetan Medical Paintings)
In Thai massage:
Acupressure point indicated for back, leg and knee pain/injury/arthritis and sciatica (Salguero & Roylance, 2011, Encyclopedia of Thai Massage)
Basic information on location, needle depth, TCM actions, indications and combinations is taken from Deadman et al (2001): A Manual of Acupuncture with additional anatomical information researched by reference to Gray's Anatomy (38th Ed., 1995) unless otherwise referenced. Images were found on acupunctureschoolonline.com and can be traced back to Claudia Focks (2008) Atlas of Acupuncture originally. I cannot claim any credit or rights over them. Other sources should be quoted in the text.
For some of the more unusual terms I have created a glossary here
Steve Woodley Acupuncture & Traditional Medicine
90 Deane Croft Road,
Eascote, Pinner, Greater London. HA5 1SP
Tel/WhatsApp: +44 (0) 7946 174 829
Email: steve@steve-woodley.co.uk
