A Point for Easing the Breath: The Landscape of Your Body #11

There are these cool spots on the rivers of your body where the Qi and blood dive deeper beneath the skin. Close to the fingers the toes, channels run near the surface, but at these "xi-cleft" points, the rivers plunge deep. 

This is the xi-cleft point on the Lung channel, named Kong Zui, or “Maximum Opening," a.k.a. Lung 6.

Watch the video above for the details on how to find this one. You might notice that there's a fingertip-sized dip in the muscles at this point, an "opening." When I first learned the name of this point, it was in connection with how the channel opens into a hole here. But now I think of the name as referring to how this point can support open lungs and easy breathing.

Through acupuncture or self-acupressure, Lung 6 supports breathing. We use it for people who deal with asthma, coughing, or shortness of breath. Daily massage here could be a powerful support in your ongoing care.

Lung 6's location also makes it helpful for relieving low back pain. If you're using it for that, get your hip circles or gentle stretches going while you massage.

The Lung channel is a Metal channel. Moving Qi here also relates to the Large Intestine, the voice, and the mental/emotional themes of value, discernment, grief, judgement, and radiance.

If you're curious to learn more about the Five Elements, I explore them deeply in the context of dreams. You can dive in to how the Five Elements might be speaking in your dreams, and showing up in your life, here: thedreamersden.org/open

And learn more about doing self-acupressure on yourself here: healgrowthriveflow.com/how