Tonification, Sedation and Horary Points in Five Element Acupuncture

Summary

This video covers tonification, sedation, and Harari points in Five Element acupuncture, focusing on how to balance elemental imbalances by guiding energy through the mother-child relationship between elements. Tonification points strengthen a weaker element, while sedation points address excess energy. Harari points utilize specific elemental points during their peak hours, enhancing their effectiveness. Key examples include using metal points on water channels or fire points on wood channels. Timing is also crucial, with specific points being most effective during certain hours of the day or season, like Earth points between 7-11 a.m.

Takeaways

• 😀 Tonification points involve using the Mother element to support the Child element, pulling energy from a stronger element to a weaker one.
• 😀 Sedation points work by pushing energy from the Mother element into the Child element, typically when the Mother is excessive or too strong.
• 😀 Tonification is typically used when the element of focus (Child) is deficient, and the Mother element is relatively stronger.
• 😀 Sedation points are less commonly used than tonification, and are applied when the Mother element is excessive, and the Child element is deficient.
• 😀 Harari points involve using the Earth points of the Earth channels to strengthen the element, especially during peak hours based on the law of midday and midnight.
• 😀 The concept of tonification and sedation is rooted in the Ming Dynasty and was initially discussed in classic texts such as Suan 5 and Nanging.
• 😀 In Five Element acupuncture, tonification and sedation techniques are useful for guiding energy between different organ systems, such as from Yang organ to Yang organ or Yin to Yin.
• 😀 For example, to tonify a weak Water element, points from the Metal element (e.g., Kidney 7 and Bladder 67) can be used to pull energy from Metal into Water.
• 😀 To sedate an excessive Wood element, Fire points on the Wood channels can be used to push energy from Wood into Fire (e.g., Liver 2 and Gallbladder 38).
• 😀 Harari points are used during specific times of the day based on the element’s peak and weakest times (e.g., Spleen 3 from 9-11 a.m., Heart 9 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.).

Q & A

What is tonification in the context of acupuncture?

Tonification refers to a technique where energy (Chi) is pulled from a stronger element (the 'mother') to a weaker element (the 'child') to help address deficiencies in the weaker element, thus restoring balance.

What is the historical background of tonification points in acupuncture?

Tonification points were first written about in the Ming Dynasty and were used to treat deficiencies by guiding energy from one element to another, discussed as early as in the Suan 5, following the concept of mother-child relationships in acupuncture.

How do tonification points work in Five Element acupuncture?

In Five Element acupuncture, tonification points involve using the points of a 'stronger' element (mother) to guide energy into a 'weaker' element (child). For example, if water is weaker than metal, metal points are used on the water channels to restore balance.

Can you give an example of how tonification points are applied in practice?

If the water element is weak and the metal element is strong, points like Kidney 7 (metal point on the kidney) and Bladder 67 (metal point on the bladder) are used to pull energy from the lung to the kidney and from the large intestine to the bladder, helping to tonify the water element.

What is the purpose of sedation points in acupuncture?

Sedation points aim to push energy into the following element (the 'child'), especially when the mother element is excessively strong. This helps reduce excess energy and restores balance in the system.

How do sedation points differ from tonification points?

While tonification points pull energy from a stronger element to a weaker one, sedation points push energy into the following element from the stronger one, especially when the mother element is excessive or overactive.

Can you provide an example of when sedation points would be used?

If the wood element is excessive and the fire element is deficient, sedation points like Liver 2 (fire point on the liver) and Gallbladder 38 (fire point on the gallbladder) can be used to push energy from wood into fire to restore balance.

What are Harari points in acupuncture?

Harari points are specific points on the acupuncture channels corresponding to the element of that channel. They are particularly effective when used during the two-hour peak periods according to the law of midday and midnight, or during specific seasonal times.

How can the law of midday and midnight be applied in acupuncture?

The law of midday and midnight dictates that each channel has a peak time between 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and a weakest time between 11 p.m. and 1 a.m. Acupuncturists may use Harari points based on these times to enhance treatment, such as using Spleen 3 or Stomach 36 during the 7-11 a.m. period when earth elements are at their peak.

Which acupuncture points are used for an Earth constitutional factor (CF) and when?

For an Earth CF, Earth points like Spleen 3 and Stomach 36 can be used between 7 a.m. and 11 a.m. to tonify the earth elements during their peak period.