Welcome

This may be too advanced – but I have added in what will be helpful should you wish to dive in further – and it will be contradictory. Acupuncture is energy. NOT Linear. On top of this – egos seem to have gotten involved. I will go back to – does it work? And when it does – I teach that and what was said by who – and where they came from – so you get a better idea.  Context.

A useful beginning – The meridians (Jing) and collaterals (luo) are the pathways in which Qi (vital energy or vital force, pronounced ‘chee’) and blood circulate. They form a specific network which communicates with the internal organs and limbs and connects the upper to the lower and the exterior portions of the body.

Luo points – TCM version Luo Connecting Points are where a separate channel splits off from the main flow and connects with the Yin/Yang paired meridian. Can be used to diagnose and treat channel problems based on fullness (pain, heat) or emptiness (stiffness, weakness). May be used to treat the Yin/Yang paired organ.

 Maybe . . see them as connectors – at different levels. I was taught three different versions and expect as Dr van Buren was a master – it is so. Longitudinal, traverse and superficial (skin Luo). I am not sure that the latter can be found. The longitudinal are in the classics all my source texts are MIA presently and likely what we can find online is somewhat edited for now (much like the King James version of ‘The Bible’).
Very interesting (Feb 2022 – researching online – so much is dumbed down/written – see more here (CLICK) Some is below

(Renamed Luo) Junction Points
Like Source Points, Junction (Luo) Points are also Command (were also called Shu) Points. Junction Points are representative of the the connection between paired officials, sometimes referred to as “connecting points”. We can liken Junction Points to adjoining rooms of a hotel. Each official is in charge of opening their own door to the other. The Junction Points are a way for the paired officials to share energy with each other and create balance. Both the Yin official and the Yang official need the same amount of energy. When the door is opened on the deficient side, energy flows out from the abundant side until balance is achieved.

We identify the imbalance in paired officials through the pulses. We will experience a “split” meaning that the pushes within a pair are not the same. We treat this “split” and imbalance through needling the Junction Point of the deficient official in the pair, allowing the gates to open and the pair to find equilibrium. A “split” should be treated anywhere it is found, regardless of the CF. Once a “split” is identified, it should be the primary target of treatment. After completing this type of treatment and rechecking the pulses, the paired officials should present with the same pulse. Paired officials can generate more energy when they are in balance with equal energy. Paired officials work together for the well being of the Element, thus it is vital for us to encourage balance between the two. It is important for us to focus upon the concept of balancing, rather than the idea of raising the energy of both Officials. Harmony among Officials is associated with the system becoming happier.

The Junction Points: Heart 5 – Penetrating Inside, Small Intestine 7 – Upright Branch, Bladder 58 – Fly and Scatter, Kidney 4 – Great Bell, (Pericardium) Circulation Sex 6 – Inner Frontier Gate, Triple Heater 5 – Outer Frontier Gate, Gall Bladder 37– Bright and Clear, Liver 5 – Insect Ditch, Lung 7 – Narrow Defile, Large Intestine 6 – Side Passage, Stomach 40 – Abundant Splendor, and Spleen 4 – Princes Grandson – not sure about that translation – not heard before). 

Hierarchy of the meridians

Very interesting to see what is online – and who sees themselves as experts – it is shame the masters have no voice . . AND mostly the medicos take acu on as a hobby – and seem to think the body paradigm fits the Qi one- not so . .
1998 – before TCM took over too much (CLICK)

Maybe review this first . .

Layers of the body – energy above – and thus
SKIN – at the very surface (I suspect are the energy component of micro bleeding substance).

A brief go-around . .

This may be a little too hard to grasp – start with me always as having taught the subject since 1981

Luo – (CLICK) also Luo (CLICK)

This article (CLICK) shows that few taught TCM (even when the teachers themselves) are aware of what was taught a few short decades ago – classical and in the actual texts – and from CLINICAL masters.

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Luo Points – this is transverse

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Luo – Skin

Look to my microbleeding work