Pericardium
The Pericardium (sometimes called the Heart Protector) is part of the fire element in the body. The fire element is unusual – it has two manifestation each of yin and yang. Unlike the other elements which have only one manifestation of yin and yang. The fire element in the body manifests in the heart and pericardium (yin), and the Triple Heater (sometimes called Triple Warmer, Triple Burner or by its Chinese name Sanjiao) and Small Intestine (yang).
Organ and Channel.
The Pericardium is the membrane around the heart. In western medicine it is fairly unimportant. In acupuncture it is of major importance.
The channel runs from just outside the nipple down the inside of the arm (the side with less hair on it) to the tip of the middle finger.
Points along the channel (as with all the channels) are used to treat local problems. With the Pericardium perhaps the best know example is using it to treat “tennis elbow”.
Functions
As the Pericardium is part of the fire element in the body it is affected by fire. Because it is the membrane around the heart it can be used to treat the heart, especially problems associated with the ‘mental’ aspect of the heart (fainting. loss of speech, constant laughter).
A healthy pericardium means we can open and close our heart as we need to.
Checking the health of your Pericardium
Can you open your heart to others? Or are you cold?
Can you close your heart to others? Or do you get too hot (manic)?
Do you have hot palms when the weather isn’t very hot?
Do you have any pain along the inside of your arm?
The Pericardium (sometimes called the Heart Protector) is part of the fire element in the body. The fire element is unusual – it has two manifestation each of yin and yang. Unlike the other elements which have only one manifestation of yin and yang. The fire element in the body manifests in the heart and pericardium (yin), and the Triple Heater (sometimes called Triple Warmer, Triple Burner or by its Chinese name Sanjiao) and Small Intestine (yang).
Organ and Channel.
The Pericardium is the membrane around the heart. In western medicine it is fairly unimportant. In acupuncture it is of major importance.
The channel runs from just outside the nipple down the inside of the arm (the side with less hair on it) to the tip of the middle finger.
Points along the channel (as with all the channels) are used to treat local problems. With the Pericardium perhaps the best know example is using it to treat “tennis elbow”.
Functions
As the Pericardium is part of the fire element in the body it is affected by fire. Because it is the membrane around the heart it can be used to treat the heart, especially problems associated with the ‘mental’ aspect of the heart (fainting. loss of speech, constant laughter).
A healthy pericardium means we can open and close our heart as we need to.
Checking the health of your Pericardium
Can you open your heart to others? Or are you cold?
Can you close your heart to others? Or do you get too hot (manic)?
Do you have hot palms when the weather isn’t very hot?
Do you have any pain along the inside of your arm?
