23:Traditional Chinese Medicine and Oneness 2

Meridians in Everyday Language

Even if you don’t know Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), you may have heard something like:

“When you have a headache, an acupuncturist needles a point on your hand or foot.”

That sounds strange if you only think in local terms:

head problem → treat the head.

In meridian thinking, the whole body is a connected network. A few classic examples (these are traditional indications,notinstructions for self-treatment):

• Hegu— in the web between thumb and index finger.
  Traditionally used for headaches, facial pain, toothache, and stress. Modern acupressure guides also recommend LI4 for various headaches and tension.

•  Taichong— on the top of the foot, between the first and second toes.
  Traditionally used for headaches, eye strain, irritability, mood tension, and some gynecological issues.

• Fengchi— at the back of the neck, just under the skull.
  Often used for headaches, neck tension, dizziness, and eye fatigue.
  

You don’t need to memorize these names or locations. They simply illustrate one principle:

TCM sees the body as one network, where changing one point can affect the whole system.

In Oneness Standing, we also think in terms of a network—but our main tool is posture and alignment instead of needles.

Now we’re going to meet two of the most important “switches” in that internal map:BaihuiandHuiyin.

Baihui & Huiyin – The Crown and the Root

In TCM and internal martial arts, there is a very simple instruction that appears again and again:

“When you stand, align Baihui and Huiyin in one vertical line.”

You can think of them like this:

• Baihui — thecrown switchon top of your head
  

• Huiyin — theroot switchat the base of your body
  

When these two are gently connected in a straight line, your whole structure and your vital energy (Qi) start to organize differently.

Let’s keep it very simple.

Baihui – The Crown Switch

Where it is

Baihui is located on the very top of your head, on the midline. If you draw an imaginary line between the tops of your ears and find the center on the midline, you are close to Baihui.

What tradition says it does

Baihui is often translated as“Hundred Meetings”or“Hundred Convergences”because it is seen as a place where many yang channels meet. In TCM language, it is:

• the highest point of the body

• a gathering place foryang— light, clarity, upward movement

Traditionally, it is associated with:

• clearing the head and lifting a “collapsed” state

• supporting clarity, concentration, and mood

• helping with some types of headache, dizziness, and mental agitation

Modern research has explored Baihui-based acupuncture in conditions like stroke and anxiety, and found signs that stimulating this area can influence brain function and blood flow, although the science is still developing.

How you can feel it in practice

You don’t need to know all the classical categories. In Oneness Standing, we keep it practical:

• imagine a gentle thread lifting from the crown of your head

• feel the back of your neck lengthen and your head “float”

• allow your face to soften as the skull feels lightly suspended

Many people notice that when Baihui feels lifted, the mind feels a bit clearer and less dull. You don’t have to force this. Just think:

Baihui = Crown → lightness, clarity, lift.

Huiyin – The Root Switch

Where it is

Huiyin is located at the perineum, the very base of the body:

• in men: midway between the root of the scrotum and the anus

• in women: midway between the vulva and the anus

What tradition says it does

Huiyin means“Meeting of Yin.”In TCM, yin is associated with grounding, storage, cooling, and stability. Huiyin is seen as:

• a convergence point for several important vessels (Ren, Du, Chong)

• closely linked with the pelvic floor, reproductive organs, and lower abdomen

• a key point for basic vitality, longevity, and “keeping essence from leaking”

Traditionally, it is used for:

• problems in the pelvic and reproductive area

• constipation, hemorrhoids, and some urinary issues

• in some texts, even emergency situations of collapse (as a resuscitation point)

How you can feel it in practice

Again, we don’t need to perform complex techniques. In standing:

• bring gentle awareness to the base of your body

• as if you were about to very slightly hold in a bowel movement or urine, gently lift the pelvic floor

• keep the contractionsubtle—just a quiet “closing” rather than a hard squeeze

• let the hips relax and sink, like sitting very lightly on a tall stool

Combined with soft knees and relaxed hips, this gives the lower body a good kind of heaviness—more stable, less fragile.

You can remember it simply as:

Huiyin = Root → grounding, stability,storage