Gifts from TCM/Insomnia help

In TCM, a primary concept is the idea of "root and branch." Symptoms like insomnia are considered to be the branches of a disease. The root of a disease is a dysfunction or imbalance of the fundamental substances (Chi, blood, Yin, Yang, Jing, Shen), or of the major organ systems (Lungs, Heart, Spleen, Liver, Kidneys). When a person suffers from insomnia, the two organs most often out of balance are the Heart and the Liver. Each of these two organs houses a specific aspect of the spirit. If these organs are out of balance, they will not be able to house the spirit properly, and the spirit will wander. (TCM, although a very complex medical system, had its origins in Taoism, and before that in shamanism. Therefore, there is a spiritual consciousness built into TCM theory.) A wandering spirit, or Shen disturbance, can manifest in a number of ways, including mood disorders and heart palpitations, but insomnia is one of the commonest symptoms.

The two acupressure points traditionally used to relieve insomnia are the Spirit Gate and the Inner Gate. Pressure on these points helps balance and calm the heart, alleviate anxiety, and promote sound sleep. Both are located on the inner wrist, so you can easily reach them yourself. The Inner Gate can be found in the middle of the inner side of the forearm, two and one-half finger widths from the wrist crease. The Spirit Gate is located on the inside of the wrist crease, in line with the little finger.
Link to diagram of spirit gate....



The Spirit Gate is located on the inside of the wrist crease, in line with the little finger

Inner gate (it is pc 6) locate inner gate by putting two fingers at the crease of the inner side of your wrist. The point is two cun (approximately 2 finger widths) away from wrist on forearm.
See image:




Hold the point with a steady pressure for one to three minutes. If you feel resistance or tension in that area, you may want to push a bit harder. Your hand should feel comfortable; if it starts to feel tense or tired, lighten the pressure a bit.

Breathe gently as you apply pressure.
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