“In every culture and in every medical tradition before ours, healing was accomplished by moving energy.”
– Albert Szent-Gyorgyi, Biochemist and Nobel Prize Winner.
Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 1937.
The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine has been awarded 108 times to 214 Nobel Laureates between 1901 and 2017.
Discovery is seeing what everybody else has seen, and thinking what nobody else has thought.
Water is life's matter and matrix, mother and medium. There is no life without water.
Discovery consists of looking at the same thing as everyone else and thinking something different.
For centuries the ancient wisdom keepers and healers in several traditions had a keen understanding of the energetic body. The healing traditions from China, India, Japan and Tibet, as well as other countries all spoke of energy channels along which vital energy flowed.
Life was considered to be a bio-electrical and vibrational energy phenomenon and so health revolved around balancing energy through various means. This vital life force or “qi”, is composed of two kinds of forces, yin and yang, and flows along a sophisticated network of energy pathways, or highways, circuiting the body.
Over 2000 years ago ancient cultures knew of the existence of these energy channels. They were called ‘sen’ in Thailand, ‘nadis’ in India, ‘meridians’, ‘channels’ or ‘vessels’ in China and Japan, and ‘channels’ in Tibet. In India, where many eastern healing arts developed, there were said to be 72 000 nadis or energy pathways.
However modern science has never believed in the existence of meridians until now. Recently scientists at Seoul National University confirmed the existence of meridians, which they refer to as the “primo-vascular system.” They say that this system is a crucial part of the cardiovascular system. The current Korean researchers now believe the primo-vascular system is in fact the physical component of the Acupuncture Meridian System. And it has also been suggested that this system is involved in channelling the flow of energy and information relayed by biophotons (electromagnetic waves of light) and DNA.
The researchers discovered that the meridian lines are not confined to the skin, but are in fact a concrete duct system through which liquid flows, and that this liquid aggregates to form stem cells. This supports the Chinese Medicine understanding of meridians, which flow deep within the body.
Other recent studies have also added weight to these findings. In another study scientists used a combination of imaging techniques and CT scans to observe concentrated points of microvascular structures that clearly correspond to the map of acupuncture points created by Chinese energy practitioners in ancient times. In a study published in the Journal of Electron Spectroscopy and Related Phenomena, researchers used contrast CT imaging with radiation on both non-acupuncture points and acupuncture points. The CT scans revealed clear distinctions between the non-acupuncture point and acupuncture point anatomical structures.
How are meridians related to health?
Our bodies need balance. A balanced flow or energy, not too much or too little, is conducive to good health. We can see this harmony and balance in life, as the balance between the energ
ies of yin and yang, the two opposing and catalyzing energies of the universe.
Our health is vibrant if there is harmony and balance between these two forces in the body. If the balance is disturbed, and the flow of one of these forces becomes greater than the other then illness arises. These forces or energies flow through very definite channels in the body, or meridians, and these are the body’s healing energy pathways.
When the flow of energy is blocked, it causes low energy and illness. Practices like yoga and meditation work on these subtle energy channels, supporting the flow of energy through the body. According to some ancient Indian texts there are 350 000 nadis or energy pathways in the body. If you are sensitive to energy and have had energy treatments, such as acupuncture, you may have felt streams of energy or a flow of cold or heat, for example, up the legs or arms. This is a freeing up of energy in the meridians and the flow of energy that is released when a blockage is removed.
There are many wonderful healing modalities based on the meridian system that support radiant health. By enhancing the flow of energy through the body, balance and health is achieved and we come in touch with our true selves. Acupuncture is a therapeutic modality used in China as early as the late stone age. It was used to treat all ailments affecting people. Acupuncture did not enter modern Western consciousness until the 1970’s when China ended a period of isolation and resumed foreign political and cultural contacts.
The range of applications for acupuncture has grown slowly in the West, possibly because of the belief that it has no scientific basis. Perhaps now with the scientific proof of meridians, acupuncture will become more widespread for all ailments, along with other great healing modalities based on the energetics of the body, supporting more people to have vibrant health and wellbeing.
Healing traditions all spoke of energy channels, sen, meridians or nadis.
What the Merging of Spirituality and Science means for you
Energy channels
This vital life force or chi (Qi), is composed of two kinds of forces, yin and yang, and flows along a sophisticated network of energy pathways, or highways, circuiting the body. Over 2000 years ago ancient cultures knew of the existence of these energy channels. They were called ‘sen’ in Thailand, ‘nadis’ in India, ‘meridians’, ‘channels’ or ‘vessels’ in China and Japan, and ‘channels’ in Tibet. In India, where many eastern healing arts developed, there were said to be 72 000 nadis or energy pathways. Disease is believed to be a blockage in the energy flow of these channels. A range of healing traditions, including acupuncture, acupressure, massage and yoga, are founded on the principle of the existence of energy channels or pathways, known as meridians, or nadis, running around the body in an expansive network.
While it may seem a little airy fairy to some to consider the energy body while we have flesh and bone, at source we are an energy field, embedded into another energy field. Our bodies are electromagnetic in nature and science has measured these frequencies with advanced machines, like EKG’s and MRI scanning, for many years. Numerous studies demonstrate these energy pathways and points conduct electricity even when needles aren’t used. And the massage technique of Shiatsu have been found to stimulate the same energetic effects. Similarly, Qigong,Tai Chi and the postures of yoga, have been found to increase electrical conductance at acupoints, yet science never believed in the existence of meridians until now.
Scientific research
Recently scientists at Seoul National University confirmed the existence of meridians, which they refer to as the “primo-vascular system.” They say that this system is a crucial part of the cardiovascular system.
Previously, North Korean scientist Kim Bong-Han proposed that he had found meridians in the early 1960’s. Dr Kim Bong-Han showed over 50 years ago that new tubular structures exist inside and outside of blood vessels and lymphatic vessels, as well as on the surface of internal organs and under the dermis. He believed they were the traditional meridian lines. The meridians were called Bonghan ducts or channels, after his research, but now the existence of this system in various organs has been corroborated by further research.
The current Korean researchers now believe the primo-vascular system is in fact the physical component of the Acupuncture Meridian System. And it has also been suggested that this system is involved in channelling the flow of energy and information relayed by biophotons (electromagnetic waves of light) and DNA.
⇧ There may be a link between the meridians and energy and information relayed by DNA.
The Korean scientists studying oriental medicine with biophysical methods injected a special staining dye which coloured the meridians. By injecting the dye onto acupuncture points, they were able to see thin lines. These did not show up at non-acupuncture point sites where there are no meridians. The researchers discovered that the meridian lines are not confined to the skin, but are in fact a concrete duct system through which liquid flows, and that this liquid aggregates to form stem cells.
Previously, scientists used a combination of imaging techniques and CT scans to observe concentrated points of microvascular structures that clearly correspond to the map of acupuncture points created by Chinese energy practitioners in ancient times. In a study published in the Journal of Electron Spectroscopy and Related Phenomena, researchers used contrast CT imaging with radiation on both non-acupuncture points and acupuncture points. The CT scans revealed clear distinctions between the non-acupuncture point and acupuncture point anatomical structures.
⇧ Scientists injected a special staining dye which coloured the meridians.
The meridian system
There are 12 primary paired meridians and two single mid meridians, six yang and six yin. The yang meridians run down the body and the yin meridians flow up the body. Each meridian is also related to an element. Each meridian is most active at a certain time of the day or night and each meridian is influenced by an element or season.
The nature of meridians, in their elemental structure, and as vessels for the life force, show the intricacy and profound connection of our body at a cellular level, to the universe. We are intimately connected by the elements, energetic structure and flow of energy, to all life, at a cellular, physical level. Our earth is also said to have energetic pathways or ley lines, akin to meridians.
⇧ The map was created by Chinese healing practitioners nearly 2000 years ago.
How are meridians related to health?
Our bodies need balance. A balanced flow or energy, not too much or too little, is conducive to good health. This is the same in the way we live our lives. Balance is paramount. Just enough food, water and a healthy balanced lifestyle. As the Buddha said: “middle way” or moderation in all things.
We can see this harmony and balance in life, as the balance between the energies of yin and yang – or more simplistically, masculine and feminine – the two opposing and catalyzing energies of the universe.
⇧ In our bodies we need balance, not too much or too little.
Our health is vibrant if there is harmony and balance between these two forces in the body. If the balance is disturbed, and the flow of one of these forces becomes greater than the other then illness arises. These forces or energies flow through very definite channels in the body, or meridians, and these are the body’s healing energy pathways.
In traditional Indian medicine, the meridians are expanded upon.There are nadis found within the physical body and these nadis make up the nervous system, the circulatory system, the digestive system, the respiratory system, the lymphatic systems, etc. Any blockages in these nadis can result in physical health conditions. Nadis can also be found in the subtle body where they carry thoughts, feelings, and nerve impulses. When these nadis are blocked, we lose our ability to feel, and connect deeply with others, the environment and ourselves. In the same way that veins and arteries are important for the body to function, nadis weave through our physical nerves and the matrix of consciousness that circuits the mind and self, supporting our physical expression from the otherworldly dimensions of existence.
⇧ Chi is made up of two kinds of forces, yin and yang.
When the flow of energy is blocked, it causes low energy and illness. Practices like yoga and meditation work on these subtle energy channels, supporting the flow of energy through the body. According to some ancient indian texts there are 350 000 nadis or energy pathways in the body. In traditional Indian medicine and spiritual science, the energies of the physical body, the subtle body and the causal body are said to flow through the nadis. Within this framework, the nadis are said to connect at special points of intensity called nadichakras.
The three most important nadis are those running along the spine: ida, pingala and sushumna. The Sushumna is the central channel of energy in the human body and it runs from the base of the spine to the crown of the head and carries kundalini energy, which is the primal evolutionary force. Kundalini is awakened through yoga and meditation and is said to lie dormant at the base of the spine. Activation of the kundalini leads to higher consciousness states. The aim of yoga is to broaden the sushumna and to unite the pathways. Purifying all three nadis leads to overall health, and wellness of body and mind, as well as spiritual growth. Various Pranayama techniques aid in helping to keep these nadi channels open.
⇧ The three most important nadis are those running along the spine: ida, pingala and sushunma.
If you are sensitive to energy and have had energy treatments, such as acupuncture, you may have felt streams of energy or a flow of cold or heat, for example, up the legs or arms. This is a freeing up of energy in the meridians and the flow of energy that is released when a blockage is removed.
There are many wonderful healing modalities based on the meridian system that support radiant health. By enhancing the flow of energy through the body, balance and health is achieved and we come in touch with our true selves. Acupuncture is a therapeutic modality used in China as early as the late stone age. It was used to treat all ailments affecting people. Acupuncture did not enter modern Western consciousness until the 1970’s when China ended a period of isolation and resumed foreign political and cultural contacts.
The range of applications for acupuncture has grown slowly in the West, possibly because of the belief that it has no scientific basis. Perhaps now with the scientific proof of meridians, acupuncture will become more widespread for all ailments, along with other great healing modalities based on the energetics of the body, supporting more people to have vibrant health and well-being.
Understanding the 24 hour Chi (Qi) Cycle
The ancient Chinese have a super sophisticated traditional medicine system that supports health and vitality. Part of this system is a Chi Cycle that charts the flow of chi or energy through your body over a 24-hour period, showing the journey of the chi or life force which rests in different organs at specific times of the day. Chinese medicine suggests that by following this pattern of the chi voyage through the organs and matching your activities to relate to the qualities of the organs, you will always be in a flow with life. In fact by following the natural flow of your body’s energy cycles, you will create radiant health, abundant energy and even enhance your life purpose.
So what is Chi? Chi is the ultimate source of energy. It is the life force or cosmic energy and it flows through all of life; through our bodies, igniting our minds, our hearts and through the plants, animals, trees, rivers and the wind. The ancient sages of Taoism mapped out life patterns by spending time observing how the stars, seasons and the natural world moved. They discovered that chi flows through the cosmos from the largest of planets to the tiniest molecules in a rhythmical cycle which is the chi cycle. Actually chi is energy, information and consciousness, not the simple one dimensional Western translation of “energy.” To be in harmony with this tremendous force is revolutionary for your life. You can move from wandering around in a random trajectory, and can catapult yourself directly into alignment with Life itself.
Chi is the ultimate source of energy.
Acupuncturist, chi cycle expert and author of The Perfect Day Plan, Jost Sauer, says Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) developed a lifestyle in which everything we do, from eating to sleeping to sex, builds chi and creates health.
“The ultimate aim of Taoism and Chinese medicine is to reorganise our consciousness and put us on a path that enables us to develop from ordinary people into cosmic beings. Chi is the secret ingredient in this and you could say the chi-cycle, the 24-hour flow of cosmic energy, is the recipe. The Taoists understood that the universe is a massive chi-matrix, a web of inter-connectivity, and that following the chi-cycle is the means by which we can link into it. Once we do this, our destiny becomes clear and the impossible becomes possible.” – Jost Sauer.
Our destiny becomes clear and the impossible becomes possible.
What is the Chi Cycle?
Chi courses through us in the same endless 24 hour cycle. In Chinese Traditional Medicine, energy flows through our 12 main meridians or energetic pathways, in two hour blocks. It spends two hours in each of our organs and there are certain things we can do at specific times to catch the cosmic momentum and thereby increase our health and happiness. By moving in tune with the cosmic flow rather than against it, you are not exploiting your own resources which separate yin and yang, or unbalancing them.
“A happy life is one of movement and rhythm and I think of these eight segments as an eight-bar beat, a pulse, an endlessly engaging trance rhythm which creates the foundation for limitless complex harmonies. Doing the same things at the same time and in the same order every day creates the beat. So if you usually wake up at 8am, for example, start your routine then. Focus on establishing rhythm then slowly shift the entire routine to start earlier. This scheduled lifestyle might be sounding very un-mystical but, having researched the chi-cycle extensively and lived in harmony with it for years, I know that, over time, this repetition creates the foundation for a life that feels totally spontaneous. Also, one that allows you to fulfil your destiny.” – Jost Sauer.
In Chinese Traditional medicine, energy flows through our 12 main meridians or energetic pathways.
One of the keys of the chi cycle is waking earlier, and the rituals we engage in during this more introspective and transformative time of the day. It is a time when we are open to Divine guidance and inspiration. So by working in harmony with our chi cycle we can create more inspiration and clarity in our lives.
“Also resist the temptation to wake and immediately check messages, emails or Facebook on your phone or some other communication device. The moment you do this (or read the paper, listen to the radio or watch TV) you are affirming that the mundane affairs of the physical world are more important than your purpose and destiny. You are confirming to the universe that other people’s ideas and /or gossip have priority over the evolution of your soul. You’ll feel scattered and off-path for the day ahead and drift away from happiness and towards misery.”
Resist the temptation to wake and immediately check messages, emails or FacebookResist the temptation to wake and immediately check messages, emails or Facebook.
The Connection Between the Organs and the Emotions
In Chinese medicine each organ in our body is related to a particular element and emotion. The emotions are considered the major internal causes of disease in TCM. A normal internal physiological response to external stimuli is fine, but when emotions become overly powerful and endure for some time, it impacts our health. See our article on What are the Seven Emotions for more information. Western health practitioners tend to emphasize the psychological effects of the emotions on our health, but TCM practitioners emphasise the pathological damage to the internal organs.
In Chinese medicine your organs have emotional attributes as well as physical functions, and with a harmonious lifestyle your lungs can generate feelings of freedom; your liver, happiness; your spleen, concentration; your kidneys, power; and your heart, love. According to Sauer, tuning in with this lifestyle not only provides a natural 24-hour detox, but makes you feel supported, empowered and ready to go forth on your mission to find your cosmic self.
With a harmonious lifestyle your lungs can generate feelings of freedomWith a harmonious lifestyle your lungs can generate feelings of freedom.
It is possible to have more energy by changing when you do things. The 24 hour chi cycle is a template for optimising your day according to the ancient Chinese chi cycle. By choosing to perform activities at the time that they will be best supported, we can amplify our influence in the world and be more conscious about the way we live. This leads to great vitality, creativity, and flow in our lives. Working smart in this way, you can maximise your efforts and gain great results. Basically we are harmonizing with the forces of nature, rising when the sun rises, winding down when the sun sets and living life in harmony with the needs of our inner organs and the flow of chi.
Traditional Chinese Medicine body cycles.
Time Meridian Qualities Perfect activities
7.00-9.00am Stomach Arrive Have breakfast, create balance
9.00-11.00am Spleen Action Make decisions, tackle tasks requiring concentration and focus
11.00am-1.00pm Heart Love Joyful tasks, connect with soulful purpose
1.00-3.00pm Small intestine Slow Have lunch, slowing down brings clarity
3.00-5.00pm Bladder Support Schedule less intensive, routine tasks
5.00-7.00pm Kidney Switch off Social, laugh, unwind
7.00-9.00pm Circulation-Sex Protect Have dinner, be creative
9.00-11.00pm Triple Warmer Passage Go to sleep
11.00pm-1.00am Gallbladder Courage Sleep, unconscious problem solving
1.00-3.00am Liver Recover Sleep, soul guidance
3.00-5.00am Lung Embodiment Sleep, inspiration
5.00-7.00am Large intestine Transform Wake, embrace a new day
Experimenting with designing your perfect day around your chi cycle and your needs, can have a tremendous impact on your life.
“Everything we do is also cosmically aligned so we can access the matrix and achieve the greatness we are all destined for. The chi-cycle is an amazing lifestyle. It takes care of everything from the practical ‘what to do when’, to the profound ‘what am I here for’. And even though it is ancient, it is still the most effective ‘happiness system’ I’ve come across.” – Jost Sauer
⇧ Jost Sauer
Jost is an extreme wellness pioneer, a motivational speaker, healthy-lifestyle expert and popular author, passionate about exercise, nutritional supplements, peak performance and flow states. He has a background in competitive skiing, triathlon and iron man training, plus over 30 years of daily training in weights, endurance, tai chi and meditation.
Unhealthy lifestyles are the basis of most physical and emotional problems, so Jost developed the Chi Cycle Lifestyle which corrects physical and emotional imbalances and creates health. It is an energising lifestyle that helps people naturally get fitter, sleep better, slim-down, look younger and feel happier every day.
Jost shares his Chi Cycle Lifestyle health and success secrets in online courses, books, lifestyle and recovery coaching and retreats. He has also used it as the basis for the Jost Sauer Recovery System one of the most successful addiction recovery programs in the world.
As a therapist Jost offers the following services:
•Executive Wellness
•Executive Recovery Coaching
•Chi Cycle Consultations
•Orthomolecular Therapy
What is the Chi Cycle
Jost’s Chi Cycle Lifestyle draws upon the Chinese medicine idea that your chi (or energy) spends two hours in each of your organs every day. What you do in each 2-hour window either builds up your chi and your health, happiness and success, or depletes your chi which leads to ill-health and misery. It is like an energy game where you want to get more than you use. Check the time now, adjust your actions accordingly, and you’ll be on the path to 24/7 happiness!
The Perfect Day Plan: Unlock the Secrets of Your Body Clock Paperback – December 1, 2010
by Jost Sauer (Author)
A lifechanging guide to getting in synch with the body's natural processes will teach readers the best time to eat and sleep, to exercise, to do demanding work, and to relax
Based on the principles of ancient Chinese medicine, this guide reveals how each organ influences aspects of one's body, emotions, and potential for happiness and success. Readers will discover why feeling anxious or experiencing panic attacks, chronic fatigue, or depression means their stomach is in need of attention. They can find out why they are able to chill out, reflect, sleep, and enjoy sex when their kidneys are healthy. They will also learn how to burn fat 300 times faster by exercising at the right time of the day. Every two hours in the day is the best time to nurture a different organ. Once a reader understands how this simple daily plan works, many issues and their solutions become obvious. Answering such questions as Between which hours should we power forward? When should we get creative? When should we drift a little?, this guide uncovers two hours of each day and provides dozens of simple tips for how to make the most of each day.
I click here to Look Inside the book.
– Albert Szent-Gyorgyi, Biochemist and Nobel Prize Winner.
Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 1937.
The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine has been awarded 108 times to 214 Nobel Laureates between 1901 and 2017.
Discovery is seeing what everybody else has seen, and thinking what nobody else has thought.
Water is life's matter and matrix, mother and medium. There is no life without water.
Discovery consists of looking at the same thing as everyone else and thinking something different.
For centuries the ancient wisdom keepers and healers in several traditions had a keen understanding of the energetic body. The healing traditions from China, India, Japan and Tibet, as well as other countries all spoke of energy channels along which vital energy flowed.
Life was considered to be a bio-electrical and vibrational energy phenomenon and so health revolved around balancing energy through various means. This vital life force or “qi”, is composed of two kinds of forces, yin and yang, and flows along a sophisticated network of energy pathways, or highways, circuiting the body.
Over 2000 years ago ancient cultures knew of the existence of these energy channels. They were called ‘sen’ in Thailand, ‘nadis’ in India, ‘meridians’, ‘channels’ or ‘vessels’ in China and Japan, and ‘channels’ in Tibet. In India, where many eastern healing arts developed, there were said to be 72 000 nadis or energy pathways.
However modern science has never believed in the existence of meridians until now. Recently scientists at Seoul National University confirmed the existence of meridians, which they refer to as the “primo-vascular system.” They say that this system is a crucial part of the cardiovascular system. The current Korean researchers now believe the primo-vascular system is in fact the physical component of the Acupuncture Meridian System. And it has also been suggested that this system is involved in channelling the flow of energy and information relayed by biophotons (electromagnetic waves of light) and DNA.
The researchers discovered that the meridian lines are not confined to the skin, but are in fact a concrete duct system through which liquid flows, and that this liquid aggregates to form stem cells. This supports the Chinese Medicine understanding of meridians, which flow deep within the body.
Other recent studies have also added weight to these findings. In another study scientists used a combination of imaging techniques and CT scans to observe concentrated points of microvascular structures that clearly correspond to the map of acupuncture points created by Chinese energy practitioners in ancient times. In a study published in the Journal of Electron Spectroscopy and Related Phenomena, researchers used contrast CT imaging with radiation on both non-acupuncture points and acupuncture points. The CT scans revealed clear distinctions between the non-acupuncture point and acupuncture point anatomical structures.
How are meridians related to health?
Our bodies need balance. A balanced flow or energy, not too much or too little, is conducive to good health. We can see this harmony and balance in life, as the balance between the energ
ies of yin and yang, the two opposing and catalyzing energies of the universe.
Our health is vibrant if there is harmony and balance between these two forces in the body. If the balance is disturbed, and the flow of one of these forces becomes greater than the other then illness arises. These forces or energies flow through very definite channels in the body, or meridians, and these are the body’s healing energy pathways.
When the flow of energy is blocked, it causes low energy and illness. Practices like yoga and meditation work on these subtle energy channels, supporting the flow of energy through the body. According to some ancient Indian texts there are 350 000 nadis or energy pathways in the body. If you are sensitive to energy and have had energy treatments, such as acupuncture, you may have felt streams of energy or a flow of cold or heat, for example, up the legs or arms. This is a freeing up of energy in the meridians and the flow of energy that is released when a blockage is removed.
There are many wonderful healing modalities based on the meridian system that support radiant health. By enhancing the flow of energy through the body, balance and health is achieved and we come in touch with our true selves. Acupuncture is a therapeutic modality used in China as early as the late stone age. It was used to treat all ailments affecting people. Acupuncture did not enter modern Western consciousness until the 1970’s when China ended a period of isolation and resumed foreign political and cultural contacts.
The range of applications for acupuncture has grown slowly in the West, possibly because of the belief that it has no scientific basis. Perhaps now with the scientific proof of meridians, acupuncture will become more widespread for all ailments, along with other great healing modalities based on the energetics of the body, supporting more people to have vibrant health and wellbeing.
Healing traditions all spoke of energy channels, sen, meridians or nadis.
What the Merging of Spirituality and Science means for you
Energy channels
This vital life force or chi (Qi), is composed of two kinds of forces, yin and yang, and flows along a sophisticated network of energy pathways, or highways, circuiting the body. Over 2000 years ago ancient cultures knew of the existence of these energy channels. They were called ‘sen’ in Thailand, ‘nadis’ in India, ‘meridians’, ‘channels’ or ‘vessels’ in China and Japan, and ‘channels’ in Tibet. In India, where many eastern healing arts developed, there were said to be 72 000 nadis or energy pathways. Disease is believed to be a blockage in the energy flow of these channels. A range of healing traditions, including acupuncture, acupressure, massage and yoga, are founded on the principle of the existence of energy channels or pathways, known as meridians, or nadis, running around the body in an expansive network.
While it may seem a little airy fairy to some to consider the energy body while we have flesh and bone, at source we are an energy field, embedded into another energy field. Our bodies are electromagnetic in nature and science has measured these frequencies with advanced machines, like EKG’s and MRI scanning, for many years. Numerous studies demonstrate these energy pathways and points conduct electricity even when needles aren’t used. And the massage technique of Shiatsu have been found to stimulate the same energetic effects. Similarly, Qigong,Tai Chi and the postures of yoga, have been found to increase electrical conductance at acupoints, yet science never believed in the existence of meridians until now.
Scientific research
Recently scientists at Seoul National University confirmed the existence of meridians, which they refer to as the “primo-vascular system.” They say that this system is a crucial part of the cardiovascular system.
Previously, North Korean scientist Kim Bong-Han proposed that he had found meridians in the early 1960’s. Dr Kim Bong-Han showed over 50 years ago that new tubular structures exist inside and outside of blood vessels and lymphatic vessels, as well as on the surface of internal organs and under the dermis. He believed they were the traditional meridian lines. The meridians were called Bonghan ducts or channels, after his research, but now the existence of this system in various organs has been corroborated by further research.
The current Korean researchers now believe the primo-vascular system is in fact the physical component of the Acupuncture Meridian System. And it has also been suggested that this system is involved in channelling the flow of energy and information relayed by biophotons (electromagnetic waves of light) and DNA.
⇧ There may be a link between the meridians and energy and information relayed by DNA.
The Korean scientists studying oriental medicine with biophysical methods injected a special staining dye which coloured the meridians. By injecting the dye onto acupuncture points, they were able to see thin lines. These did not show up at non-acupuncture point sites where there are no meridians. The researchers discovered that the meridian lines are not confined to the skin, but are in fact a concrete duct system through which liquid flows, and that this liquid aggregates to form stem cells.
Previously, scientists used a combination of imaging techniques and CT scans to observe concentrated points of microvascular structures that clearly correspond to the map of acupuncture points created by Chinese energy practitioners in ancient times. In a study published in the Journal of Electron Spectroscopy and Related Phenomena, researchers used contrast CT imaging with radiation on both non-acupuncture points and acupuncture points. The CT scans revealed clear distinctions between the non-acupuncture point and acupuncture point anatomical structures.
⇧ Scientists injected a special staining dye which coloured the meridians.
The meridian system
There are 12 primary paired meridians and two single mid meridians, six yang and six yin. The yang meridians run down the body and the yin meridians flow up the body. Each meridian is also related to an element. Each meridian is most active at a certain time of the day or night and each meridian is influenced by an element or season.
The nature of meridians, in their elemental structure, and as vessels for the life force, show the intricacy and profound connection of our body at a cellular level, to the universe. We are intimately connected by the elements, energetic structure and flow of energy, to all life, at a cellular, physical level. Our earth is also said to have energetic pathways or ley lines, akin to meridians.
⇧ The map was created by Chinese healing practitioners nearly 2000 years ago.
How are meridians related to health?
Our bodies need balance. A balanced flow or energy, not too much or too little, is conducive to good health. This is the same in the way we live our lives. Balance is paramount. Just enough food, water and a healthy balanced lifestyle. As the Buddha said: “middle way” or moderation in all things.
We can see this harmony and balance in life, as the balance between the energies of yin and yang – or more simplistically, masculine and feminine – the two opposing and catalyzing energies of the universe.
⇧ In our bodies we need balance, not too much or too little.
Our health is vibrant if there is harmony and balance between these two forces in the body. If the balance is disturbed, and the flow of one of these forces becomes greater than the other then illness arises. These forces or energies flow through very definite channels in the body, or meridians, and these are the body’s healing energy pathways.
In traditional Indian medicine, the meridians are expanded upon.There are nadis found within the physical body and these nadis make up the nervous system, the circulatory system, the digestive system, the respiratory system, the lymphatic systems, etc. Any blockages in these nadis can result in physical health conditions. Nadis can also be found in the subtle body where they carry thoughts, feelings, and nerve impulses. When these nadis are blocked, we lose our ability to feel, and connect deeply with others, the environment and ourselves. In the same way that veins and arteries are important for the body to function, nadis weave through our physical nerves and the matrix of consciousness that circuits the mind and self, supporting our physical expression from the otherworldly dimensions of existence.
⇧ Chi is made up of two kinds of forces, yin and yang.
When the flow of energy is blocked, it causes low energy and illness. Practices like yoga and meditation work on these subtle energy channels, supporting the flow of energy through the body. According to some ancient indian texts there are 350 000 nadis or energy pathways in the body. In traditional Indian medicine and spiritual science, the energies of the physical body, the subtle body and the causal body are said to flow through the nadis. Within this framework, the nadis are said to connect at special points of intensity called nadichakras.
The three most important nadis are those running along the spine: ida, pingala and sushumna. The Sushumna is the central channel of energy in the human body and it runs from the base of the spine to the crown of the head and carries kundalini energy, which is the primal evolutionary force. Kundalini is awakened through yoga and meditation and is said to lie dormant at the base of the spine. Activation of the kundalini leads to higher consciousness states. The aim of yoga is to broaden the sushumna and to unite the pathways. Purifying all three nadis leads to overall health, and wellness of body and mind, as well as spiritual growth. Various Pranayama techniques aid in helping to keep these nadi channels open.
⇧ The three most important nadis are those running along the spine: ida, pingala and sushunma.
If you are sensitive to energy and have had energy treatments, such as acupuncture, you may have felt streams of energy or a flow of cold or heat, for example, up the legs or arms. This is a freeing up of energy in the meridians and the flow of energy that is released when a blockage is removed.
There are many wonderful healing modalities based on the meridian system that support radiant health. By enhancing the flow of energy through the body, balance and health is achieved and we come in touch with our true selves. Acupuncture is a therapeutic modality used in China as early as the late stone age. It was used to treat all ailments affecting people. Acupuncture did not enter modern Western consciousness until the 1970’s when China ended a period of isolation and resumed foreign political and cultural contacts.
The range of applications for acupuncture has grown slowly in the West, possibly because of the belief that it has no scientific basis. Perhaps now with the scientific proof of meridians, acupuncture will become more widespread for all ailments, along with other great healing modalities based on the energetics of the body, supporting more people to have vibrant health and well-being.
Understanding the 24 hour Chi (Qi) Cycle
The ancient Chinese have a super sophisticated traditional medicine system that supports health and vitality. Part of this system is a Chi Cycle that charts the flow of chi or energy through your body over a 24-hour period, showing the journey of the chi or life force which rests in different organs at specific times of the day. Chinese medicine suggests that by following this pattern of the chi voyage through the organs and matching your activities to relate to the qualities of the organs, you will always be in a flow with life. In fact by following the natural flow of your body’s energy cycles, you will create radiant health, abundant energy and even enhance your life purpose.
So what is Chi? Chi is the ultimate source of energy. It is the life force or cosmic energy and it flows through all of life; through our bodies, igniting our minds, our hearts and through the plants, animals, trees, rivers and the wind. The ancient sages of Taoism mapped out life patterns by spending time observing how the stars, seasons and the natural world moved. They discovered that chi flows through the cosmos from the largest of planets to the tiniest molecules in a rhythmical cycle which is the chi cycle. Actually chi is energy, information and consciousness, not the simple one dimensional Western translation of “energy.” To be in harmony with this tremendous force is revolutionary for your life. You can move from wandering around in a random trajectory, and can catapult yourself directly into alignment with Life itself.
Chi is the ultimate source of energy.
Acupuncturist, chi cycle expert and author of The Perfect Day Plan, Jost Sauer, says Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) developed a lifestyle in which everything we do, from eating to sleeping to sex, builds chi and creates health.
“The ultimate aim of Taoism and Chinese medicine is to reorganise our consciousness and put us on a path that enables us to develop from ordinary people into cosmic beings. Chi is the secret ingredient in this and you could say the chi-cycle, the 24-hour flow of cosmic energy, is the recipe. The Taoists understood that the universe is a massive chi-matrix, a web of inter-connectivity, and that following the chi-cycle is the means by which we can link into it. Once we do this, our destiny becomes clear and the impossible becomes possible.” – Jost Sauer.
Our destiny becomes clear and the impossible becomes possible.
What is the Chi Cycle?
Chi courses through us in the same endless 24 hour cycle. In Chinese Traditional Medicine, energy flows through our 12 main meridians or energetic pathways, in two hour blocks. It spends two hours in each of our organs and there are certain things we can do at specific times to catch the cosmic momentum and thereby increase our health and happiness. By moving in tune with the cosmic flow rather than against it, you are not exploiting your own resources which separate yin and yang, or unbalancing them.
“A happy life is one of movement and rhythm and I think of these eight segments as an eight-bar beat, a pulse, an endlessly engaging trance rhythm which creates the foundation for limitless complex harmonies. Doing the same things at the same time and in the same order every day creates the beat. So if you usually wake up at 8am, for example, start your routine then. Focus on establishing rhythm then slowly shift the entire routine to start earlier. This scheduled lifestyle might be sounding very un-mystical but, having researched the chi-cycle extensively and lived in harmony with it for years, I know that, over time, this repetition creates the foundation for a life that feels totally spontaneous. Also, one that allows you to fulfil your destiny.” – Jost Sauer.
In Chinese Traditional medicine, energy flows through our 12 main meridians or energetic pathways.
One of the keys of the chi cycle is waking earlier, and the rituals we engage in during this more introspective and transformative time of the day. It is a time when we are open to Divine guidance and inspiration. So by working in harmony with our chi cycle we can create more inspiration and clarity in our lives.
“Also resist the temptation to wake and immediately check messages, emails or Facebook on your phone or some other communication device. The moment you do this (or read the paper, listen to the radio or watch TV) you are affirming that the mundane affairs of the physical world are more important than your purpose and destiny. You are confirming to the universe that other people’s ideas and /or gossip have priority over the evolution of your soul. You’ll feel scattered and off-path for the day ahead and drift away from happiness and towards misery.”
Resist the temptation to wake and immediately check messages, emails or FacebookResist the temptation to wake and immediately check messages, emails or Facebook.
The Connection Between the Organs and the Emotions
In Chinese medicine each organ in our body is related to a particular element and emotion. The emotions are considered the major internal causes of disease in TCM. A normal internal physiological response to external stimuli is fine, but when emotions become overly powerful and endure for some time, it impacts our health. See our article on What are the Seven Emotions for more information. Western health practitioners tend to emphasize the psychological effects of the emotions on our health, but TCM practitioners emphasise the pathological damage to the internal organs.
In Chinese medicine your organs have emotional attributes as well as physical functions, and with a harmonious lifestyle your lungs can generate feelings of freedom; your liver, happiness; your spleen, concentration; your kidneys, power; and your heart, love. According to Sauer, tuning in with this lifestyle not only provides a natural 24-hour detox, but makes you feel supported, empowered and ready to go forth on your mission to find your cosmic self.
With a harmonious lifestyle your lungs can generate feelings of freedomWith a harmonious lifestyle your lungs can generate feelings of freedom.
It is possible to have more energy by changing when you do things. The 24 hour chi cycle is a template for optimising your day according to the ancient Chinese chi cycle. By choosing to perform activities at the time that they will be best supported, we can amplify our influence in the world and be more conscious about the way we live. This leads to great vitality, creativity, and flow in our lives. Working smart in this way, you can maximise your efforts and gain great results. Basically we are harmonizing with the forces of nature, rising when the sun rises, winding down when the sun sets and living life in harmony with the needs of our inner organs and the flow of chi.
Traditional Chinese Medicine body cycles.
Time Meridian Qualities Perfect activities
7.00-9.00am Stomach Arrive Have breakfast, create balance
9.00-11.00am Spleen Action Make decisions, tackle tasks requiring concentration and focus
11.00am-1.00pm Heart Love Joyful tasks, connect with soulful purpose
1.00-3.00pm Small intestine Slow Have lunch, slowing down brings clarity
3.00-5.00pm Bladder Support Schedule less intensive, routine tasks
5.00-7.00pm Kidney Switch off Social, laugh, unwind
7.00-9.00pm Circulation-Sex Protect Have dinner, be creative
9.00-11.00pm Triple Warmer Passage Go to sleep
11.00pm-1.00am Gallbladder Courage Sleep, unconscious problem solving
1.00-3.00am Liver Recover Sleep, soul guidance
3.00-5.00am Lung Embodiment Sleep, inspiration
5.00-7.00am Large intestine Transform Wake, embrace a new day
Experimenting with designing your perfect day around your chi cycle and your needs, can have a tremendous impact on your life.
“Everything we do is also cosmically aligned so we can access the matrix and achieve the greatness we are all destined for. The chi-cycle is an amazing lifestyle. It takes care of everything from the practical ‘what to do when’, to the profound ‘what am I here for’. And even though it is ancient, it is still the most effective ‘happiness system’ I’ve come across.” – Jost Sauer
⇧ Jost Sauer
Jost is an extreme wellness pioneer, a motivational speaker, healthy-lifestyle expert and popular author, passionate about exercise, nutritional supplements, peak performance and flow states. He has a background in competitive skiing, triathlon and iron man training, plus over 30 years of daily training in weights, endurance, tai chi and meditation.
Unhealthy lifestyles are the basis of most physical and emotional problems, so Jost developed the Chi Cycle Lifestyle which corrects physical and emotional imbalances and creates health. It is an energising lifestyle that helps people naturally get fitter, sleep better, slim-down, look younger and feel happier every day.
Jost shares his Chi Cycle Lifestyle health and success secrets in online courses, books, lifestyle and recovery coaching and retreats. He has also used it as the basis for the Jost Sauer Recovery System one of the most successful addiction recovery programs in the world.
As a therapist Jost offers the following services:
•Executive Wellness
•Executive Recovery Coaching
•Chi Cycle Consultations
•Orthomolecular Therapy
What is the Chi Cycle
Jost’s Chi Cycle Lifestyle draws upon the Chinese medicine idea that your chi (or energy) spends two hours in each of your organs every day. What you do in each 2-hour window either builds up your chi and your health, happiness and success, or depletes your chi which leads to ill-health and misery. It is like an energy game where you want to get more than you use. Check the time now, adjust your actions accordingly, and you’ll be on the path to 24/7 happiness!
The Perfect Day Plan: Unlock the Secrets of Your Body Clock Paperback – December 1, 2010
by Jost Sauer (Author)
A lifechanging guide to getting in synch with the body's natural processes will teach readers the best time to eat and sleep, to exercise, to do demanding work, and to relax
Based on the principles of ancient Chinese medicine, this guide reveals how each organ influences aspects of one's body, emotions, and potential for happiness and success. Readers will discover why feeling anxious or experiencing panic attacks, chronic fatigue, or depression means their stomach is in need of attention. They can find out why they are able to chill out, reflect, sleep, and enjoy sex when their kidneys are healthy. They will also learn how to burn fat 300 times faster by exercising at the right time of the day. Every two hours in the day is the best time to nurture a different organ. Once a reader understands how this simple daily plan works, many issues and their solutions become obvious. Answering such questions as Between which hours should we power forward? When should we get creative? When should we drift a little?, this guide uncovers two hours of each day and provides dozens of simple tips for how to make the most of each day.
I click here to Look Inside the book.
No comments:
Post a Comment