Introduction
According to Reflexology, by Joelle Peeters, p.19, meridians "...are energy pathways, along which flows the vital life force which is sometimes called qi." These meridians "are duplicated on each side of the body, with two central meridians (known as the 'governing' and 'conception' meridians) running down the front and back of the body along its central or median line."
Kinesiology, a type of alternative medicine, uses the concept of meridians in its practice. It involves testing the muscles by moving them in their natural range of motion. If the muscle is 'weak' due to an energy blockage, it will test weak by refusing to move. The kinesiologist would test the muscle by pressing on an area with a light two-finger pressure which the client must resist if they can by responding back to this. For example, with the supraspinatus muscle (which can be used as a 'strong indicator muscle'), the kinesiologist will test the supraspinatus by applying the light pressure at the client's wrist whilst they are lying down, seated or standing. The muscle is tested in its normal, 180-degree movement. If it resists the pressure, it is 'healthy' but if it doesn't, then it indicates an energy blockage. In Systematic Kinesiology, should a muscle show to be weak in this way, the relevant, associated meridian is physically traced just above the body, associated acupuncture points are held - 'neuro-vascular' points they are called - and other associated acupuncture points are physically rubbed - 'neuro-lymphatics' they are called.
Most people cannot see meridians. However, according to a lady I met, who is a trance-medium, her grandma could actually see meridians in people's bodies.According to Reflexology, by Inges Dougans, meridian therapy and acupuncture "...can be understood more clearly in the light of the Chinese belief that five elements comprise the world, and that everything on earth essentially falls into the category of one or more of these elements. These elements are wood, fire, earth, metal, and water. The five elements do not refer to material elements, but rather conditions, or states.
"The five elements are generated and destroyed according to a law of cylical interaction: fire produces earth, earth produces metal, metal finds water, water produces wood, and wood becomes fire."
Another complementary therapy, Shiatsu, also uses the concept of the five elements. A good example of using the knowledge of the five elements and the constitution of them in everything - such as food - is the following. After a Reiki treatment, a man suggested to me about cutting down on eating peppers and tomatoes, in order to reduce inflammation in my legs (which used to cause occasional pain in the joints). This was because of a concept with which I am familiar: that peppers and tomatoes produce the energy of Fire in the body, according to Chinese philosophy. However, if someone (not me) believed in this approach, if they thus avoided eating tomatoes and peppers and over some course of time the joint pain did die down for good, the psychological process, classical conditioning, would occur, because the person would attribute the reduction in inflammation with their cutting down on peppers and tomatoes. I knew it was psychological, so I ignored the advice (haven't had any pains since).
So if someone else in my place took the Reiki Master's advice and found that the joint pains did die down (coincidentally, but not necessarily because of cutting down on the tomatoes and peppers) and they attributed it to reduced consumption of tomatoes and peppers, another psychological phenomenon, known as cognitive dissonance, would occur because if the person already believed in the five elements, the reduction in join pain would be interpreted as 'evidence' for their belief and consequently their belief in the five elements would be strengthened. The fire energy of red peppers and tomatoes would be seen as a direct cause of the inflammation or pain of the joints, when it may have just been a coincidence or had been caused by some other 'variable' which had been and gone unnoticed and which had, in actuality, caused the inflammation and pain in the first place.
What if, in the scenario, placebo effect, selective memory, and reconstructive memory played a role?
"The five elements are generated and destroyed according to a law of cylical interaction: fire produces earth, earth produces metal, metal finds water, water produces wood, and wood becomes fire."
Another complementary therapy, Shiatsu, also uses the concept of the five elements. A good example of using the knowledge of the five elements and the constitution of them in everything - such as food - is the following. After a Reiki treatment, a man suggested to me about cutting down on eating peppers and tomatoes, in order to reduce inflammation in my legs (which used to cause occasional pain in the joints). This was because of a concept with which I am familiar: that peppers and tomatoes produce the energy of Fire in the body, according to Chinese philosophy. However, if someone (not me) believed in this approach, if they thus avoided eating tomatoes and peppers and over some course of time the joint pain did die down for good, the psychological process, classical conditioning, would occur, because the person would attribute the reduction in inflammation with their cutting down on peppers and tomatoes. I knew it was psychological, so I ignored the advice (haven't had any pains since).
So if someone else in my place took the Reiki Master's advice and found that the joint pains did die down (coincidentally, but not necessarily because of cutting down on the tomatoes and peppers) and they attributed it to reduced consumption of tomatoes and peppers, another psychological phenomenon, known as cognitive dissonance, would occur because if the person already believed in the five elements, the reduction in join pain would be interpreted as 'evidence' for their belief and consequently their belief in the five elements would be strengthened. The fire energy of red peppers and tomatoes would be seen as a direct cause of the inflammation or pain of the joints, when it may have just been a coincidence or had been caused by some other 'variable' which had been and gone unnoticed and which had, in actuality, caused the inflammation and pain in the first place.
What if, in the scenario, placebo effect, selective memory, and reconstructive memory played a role?
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