Quick, Easy Acupressure

by Frances O'Brien, C.Ht.
(Tarzana, CA)

Acupressure promotes healing by recognizing humans as energetic. You have, within your body, a system of meridians, like your veins, except that instead of moving blood, these meridians transport your life energy, called Qi. Since energy flow is essential, if there’s a blockage, you will experience some negative manifestation in your life. It might be anywhere: health, sleep, relationships, work, weight.

When using acupressure, you hold certain endpoints along these meridians, thereby releasing the blockage, getting your good energy flowing again. When you do that, you’ll often find that either the negativity becomes easier to deal with, or that the solution becomes clearer to you, or that the problem goes away on its own.

One perfect place to begin is called the One Hundred Meeting point. Place the palm of your hand on the crown of your head and breathe slowly and deeply, preferably for two minutes or more. This is great for alleviating headaches and heatstroke. It balances your body’s energy. It connects with your pineal gland and balances your 7th chakra (your higher self). It also boosts your morale.

Next, place your index, middle and ring fingers from one hand so they’re between your eyebrows, with your index finger on your forehead and your ring finger at the top of your nose. Again, breathe slowly and deeply. This is your Third Eye point. Holding this point for two minutes or more relieves pain, depression, chronic fatigue, mood swings, and overwhelm. It helps to balance your pituitary and thyroid glands. It cultivates your spirituality, and increases your intuition.

If you’re feeling dizzy, faint or disassociated, take your index finger and press it firmly into the divot between your nose and upper lip into the upper gum. Again, long slow breathing for a minute or two. Doing this clears fogginess and drowsiness. It makes you clear-headed. It increases mental alertness and energy.

A wonderful aspect of acupressure is that it brings you into the moment. By choosing to make use of it as a stress relief technique, you become aware that that’s what you’re doing. You’re making a conscious choice to counteract the fight-or-flight mechanism, and with it, the stress that you might otherwise experience.