Soothing grief with meridian massage
Finding peace in the midst of grief is challenging.
A challenge of being with a person in grief is to allow them their experience rather than nudging them toward “moving on,” “letting go,” or “looking on the bright side.” By enlisting the wisdom of Qi (energy) we can soothe the process yet not direct or interrupt this sacred time. By contacting a few acupoints we can support the authentic grieving process of the individual.
The points that I use to support the grieving process are:
Lung 1 (LU 1), Lung 2 (LU 2), Lung 9 (LU 9)
Ren 17 (Ren 17)
Pericardium 6 (P 6)
I contact these points gently, yet with presence.
My intention is to let the person I am working with know that I am here, present with them, and available to be with whatever they are experiencing.
I observe their breathing pattern.
I am watching for a deepening of the breath and or/or a smoother breathing pattern. I notice the tension in their forehead, jaw, around the eyes and mouth. As they relax the muscles of the jaw and face, I am given the clue that they are making their way toward a sense of rest and peace.
I hold the points, feeling my own breath, feeling my own connection to the Earth through my body and feet. I am allowing my Qi to guide my contact and my timing with each point. I am present. I am available and I am allowing my client to have their unique experience of grief.
Lung Points:
Contact LU 1 on both sides of the body at the same time.
Contact LU 2 on both sides of the body at the same time.
Contact LU 1 and LU 9 at the same time, on one side of the body, and then move to the other.
Ren and Pericardium:
Contact P 6 on one side while holding Ren 17. Then I move to the other side to hold P 6 and Ren 17 again.
Lung points: 1, 2, 9
Pericardium 6 and Ren 17
How to locate acupoints
How to locate Lung 1 and Lung 2
- Go to the lateral (outer) end of the collarbone (clavicle)
- Drop just below the clavicle and feel for a large dip – that is Lung 2
- Slide down about an inch from Lung 2 to locate Lung 1. Be sure that you are on the rib cage.
Lung 1 (LU 1) and Lung 2 (LU 2) are below the outer end of the clavicle on the rib cage.
How to locate Ren 17
Ren 17 is on the breastbone (sternum). It is a little more than half way down from the top of the sternum.
Ren 17 is in the center of the chest, on the sternum
How to locate Pericardium 6
- Pericardium 6 (P6) is on the palm side of the forearm
- From the center of the wrist crease, slide back about 2 inches. (an inch in this case is the same as the width of the thumb)
P 6 is 2 thumbs from the wrist crease
Combine P 6 with Ren 17 to soothe grief
With a little practice you will be able to confidently locate these points. I apply gentle pressure and maintain a quiet presence while holding these points to soothe grief.
Thank you, Cindy! I DEEPLY appreciate your concise and clear delivery of info!
Best wishes for a wonderful 2018!!
Thanks you Cindy for all the great information on so many conditions…:)
Hi Freda,
You are welcome. Meridians, acupoints and Qi offer us great potential!
Thank you…great for the Full Moon in Cancer…New Year clearing…I would love to do this with Reiki with those who have had traumatic losses… Many blessings of gratitude…diane
Diane, I love your idea of combining this with Reiki, I’m sure it will lead to beautiful healings.
So timely for my journey sweet Cindy. Thank you!!
You are welcome, go gently with yourself.
Thank you, Cindy.
I will absolutely use this.
You are welcome. Your loving presence and contact with the points offers great healing.
I always love the knowledge you share and I am very grateful to you for that. I am just getting into essential oils and am curious if you know which ones are good for these issues and if you mix them on the body or place them more on the feet?
Thank you and Happy New Year
Frankincense, Sandalwood, Vetiver, combined with Lavender, any Pine and/or citrus oil comes to mind.
Grief is a very personal thing, so I would offer a few choices and see which they like the best.
Always dilute the essential oils in a carrier oil such as jojoba or any unscented massage oil/lotion. Mix the essential oils into the carrier oil before applying to the body. You only need a couple of drops to benefit from the soothing aroma. Applying to the feet is a great idea, you might also want to apply around the neck and shoulders so the person can smell the aroma.
To learn all about essential oils go to http://www.aromahead.com
🙂
Your timing is remarkable! Thank you.
You are welcome.
Dear Cindy. Happy new year wishes to you. thank you for these insights. I hope that you’ll do some on anxiety attacks of doom and gloom so I can truly help a friend of mine. love Angela
Hi Angela,
Thank you. I will get to work writing about anxiety, doom and gloom. In the meantime, know that your loving presence with another who is suffering is always powerful healing medicine.