Lao Gong - Palace of Weariness, Heart Protector 8
A client asked the other day about Lao Gong (Pericardium 6).
Her Winter Qigong practice uses Lao Gong, however, she felt the explanation of the point’s functions and use were…lacking.
She also wanted to know if there is a correlation between Lao Gong and Kidney 1 (Bubbling Spring). Pericardium 6 is in the palm of the hand and Kidney 1 is on the ball of the foot. I’ll get to correlation in a bit.
Lao Gong is a powerful transmission point. It connects us. Lao Gongs touch when we shake or hold hands.
It is a very important point for Amma therapy practitioners. If you are new to Amma therapy, the form of bodywork I teach and practice, it is a hands-on modality. It is a form of Asian bodywork and Chinese medicine descended through a Korean lineage. If you are a student or alumni of mine, you will recall the numerous times I helped place your hands in alignment with the channel and made sure you were connecting through Lao Gong to the client’s channel.
During treatment, an Amma practitioner’s Lao Gong is connected to the client’s body as much as possible, and gives us depth of connection and constant information — if you pay attention. This may be difficult for newer practitioners until their skills evolve — if they so choose.
Clients love to have this point worked and look forward to having their hands stretched, and this point activated, even if they don’t know why I am working it.
Heart Protector 8 — Lao Gong, Palace of Weariness
It is also called Palace of Labor, Ghost Road, Palm Center, 5 Miles, and Pericardium 8.
Point Classification—
Spring point — After welling up at Heart Protector 9, the channel’s Qi begins to rise, like a spring.
Horary point — This is the Fire point on Fire channel and it can be particularly beneficial to treat it from 7-9 pm, on the summer solstice.
Ghost point — Sun Simiao, one of the great physician’s of Chinese medicine, identified 13 Ghost points for treatment of “possession”, what we identify now as psycho-spiritual disharmonies, mania, neurological imbalances and patterns such as epilepsy. This is a gross oversimplification, but it gives you the idea of the importance of this point.
Location —
Where the tip of the 3rd finger meets the palm when you make a soft fist. The point lies on the radial edge of the 3rd metacarpal bone. Direct your pressure slightly towards the radial edge of the 3rd metacarpalphalangeal joint. Take a few deep breaths and massage the area for 30 seconds. Ahhhh…sigh…
Virtues —
In health, the Heart Protector, protects the Heart as the Sovereign ruler. It helps create appropriate boundaries and relationships. It allows us to have an open, warm nature, to be loving, and compassionate and help transmit the virtues of the Sovereign to the world — this is the authentic light and gifts that you bring to the world,
If there is too much heat, there can be excessive sexual behaviors and mania. If there is too little heat, the person will be closed off, cold and lacking the ability to have deep, meaningful relationships and may hide or mask their truest of selves.
I see you.
Actions —
Clears heat and cools the blood. Use for high fevers, anxiety, agitation, palpitations, 5 palm sweat, tidal fevers, fullness in the hypochondria, halitosis, thirst, gingivitis, infections, and Summer heat. Use this point if you feel like a fire is raging through you, which can make the blood reckless and cause bleeding including excessive menstrual flow.
Quells the urgency of unfulfilled or repressed Heart's desires or helps reignite Heart fire if lost.
Regulates the Heart Qi, transforms Heart phlegm, clears Heart fire. Use for arrhythmia and palpitations, high fevers from any source that have caused agitation, and anxiety,
Calms the Shen and revives consciousness. Shock, anxiety, grief, fright, mania, Dream disturbed sleep. Wind-stroke, heat stroke, slurred speech.
This point can be profoundly helpful for women in perimenopausal and menopause years when physical, mental and emotional changes can be very tumultuous and women may struggle with sense of self, purpose and worth.
Is there a correlation between Kidney 1 and Heart Protector 8. Yes, it is one of Water (Kidney) and Fire (Heart). Kidney 1 — Bubbling Spring is the Well point on the Water channel, it has a strong action of increasing and nourishing Yin. Think of it as a deep well of which can help quell excess Fire and calm the Spirit.
Happy point hunting.
April
