Functions of Small Intestine Meridian?
The Small Intestine is the Fire Element Yang organ paired with the Yin Heart. The human small intestine is about 6 meters or 20 feet long. A semi-permeable barrier that sorts solids and liquids into useful nutrients or waste to be eliminated, the small intestine absorbs nutrients from food into the blood. Its surface is a mucous layer containing beneficial bacteria and essential parts of the immune system.
Mental & Emotional Functions of the Small Intestine: In modern times a common pathology that weighs heavily on the small intestine is excessive sorting of poor-nutrient foods. Empty foods with a high percentage of toxins (think MacDonald’s or Cheerios) can deplete the small intestine. A weak Small Intestine loses the capacity to discern useful nutrients from garbage. This manifests in poor absorption of food, the brain soon sputters as well, becoming overwhelmed and indecisive. The Small Intestine function can also be affected by emotions such as anger that cause Liver Qi to stagnate, and experience fear, which together can cause digestion to stop altogether. That’s why your mom may have told you never to eat when you’re mad or upset.
Small Intestine: Psycho-Spiritual Aspects
The Small Intestine influences one’s mental clarity, judgment, and powers of discernment. The ability to distinguish relevant issues with clarity before making a decision is attributed to the Small Intestine.
Small Intestine Imbalance Patterns:
Overeating low nutrient foods that require excessive sorting, damages the intestines. Other imbalances can manifest as restlessness, anxiety, depression, moodiness, irritability, abdominal pain, bloating, gas, gut inflammation, unclear life direction, inability to focus on a single task, too many irons in the fire, pessimism, PMS, melancholy, constipation, sluggish gut, feeling pulled in many directions, inability to make decisions. Congestive Heart Failure (Fire) is linked to Small Intestine chronic inflammation, intestinal permeability, and bacterial imbalance. Eating on the run without complete chewing stresses the small intestines.
Leaky Gut happens when the bacterial flora in the mucosal lining are out of balance. Instead of only allowing pure nutrient molecules into the blood, holes appear, and other particles enter as well. Foreign particles trigger inflammation as the body tries to defend itself from unrecognized molecules. Particles can be tagged as toxins, leading to chronic inflammation, multiple allergies, intolerances, leaky gut, and auto-immune diseases. Even worse triggers of small intestinal imbalance are antibiotics, ibuprofen, aspirin. The worst foods for the intestine are are GMO foods combined with Glyphosate herbicide, which can cause brain fog, loss of beneficial bacteria and blocked immune system.
Consciousness Issues of the Small Intestine Meridian:
Discernment, Separation, Sorting, Connection, Sarcasm, Self-poisoning, Nourishment, Joy, Appropriateness, Knowledge, Mind, Intellect, Confidence.
Worst Ways to Damage the Small Intestine: GMO’s, Cold, Spicy Foods, Antibiotics.
GMO foods with pesticides and herbicides destroy the delicate bacterial ecosystem in the gut. Your intestines host over 500 beneficial bacteria, essential for metabolism and the immune system. DNA in genetically modified foods activates an immune reaction in the intestines that causes chronic inflammation. Even worse, it blocks the natural immune response whose job it is to destroy cancer cells in the body! Thus GMO foods increase the risk of cancer, heart disease, inflammation, leaky gut, and auto-immune diseases such as Rheumatoid arthritis, Multiple sclerosis, Celiac disease, Lupus, Psoriasis, Hashimoto’s, Grave’s disease, Type 1 Diabetes, etc. Excess cold and raw food can cause cold to accumulate in the Small Intestine. Excess hot and spicy foods can cause heat to accumulate. Both imbalances are equally difficult.
Key Small Intestine Point to Massage:
SI-11, 天宗,Tian Zong, Heavenly Ancestors. On the scapula near the underarm. This point strengthens our Qi and the awareness of personal destiny. The strongest point on the Small Intestine Clears the mind, dissolves chaos and mental confusion, brings tranquil balance. One of the deepest reaching points on the small intestine to cleanse the body, mind and spirit.
Puts one in touch with their “elders and betters” who have dealt with similar problems in the past and understand how. Brings in a great source of wisdom. Helps us step into our personal destiny, assimilate life and discover our unique role in life. We can sort what is truly ours and to let go of what is not. This takes a load off of the Small Intestine meridian. Also relaxes the chest, relieves anxiety, asthma, alleviates pain, and facilitates lactation. This is also the choice point for Myasthenia graves, a chronic autoimmune, neuromuscular disease characterized by weakness in the skeletal muscles responsible for breathing and moving, especially in the eyes, face, and swallowing.
The Source Point of the Small Intestine Meridian is SI-4, Wangu, or Wrist Bond, located on the heel of hand outer edge, where the pink palm meets the lighter color upper side of the hand. Stimulating this point uplifts all body Qi, aids digestion, promotes healthy micro-biome. It calms congestion caused by too many sweets or overeating. This is a good point for diabetes. The Source Point of a meridian is located on the ankle or wrist, and is the point that most closely exemplifies the energy of the entire meridian.
To Balance the Small Intestine Meridian:
Set a clear intention to build health. Start at SI-1, the outer corner of the little fingernail up the outer side of the hand to the wrist, and up the outer forearm, passing the “funny bone”. Continue up the back of arm, behind the shoulder. Trace across the shoulder to the center spine Da Zhui point at GV-14. Trace forward to the hollow above the collarbone, and up the side of the neck, over the cheek bone to in front of the ear SI-19. You may optionally trace the internal branch from cheekbone to BL-1 the inner corner of the eye. Another internal branch goes down to the heart, down the esophagus to the stomach, to connect with small intestine. Trace both sides together, or one at a time.
To Clear the Small Intestine Meridian:
Set a clear intention to build health. Trace backwards once, starting at the front of ear to cheek, down the neck to Da Zhui C-7 at center spine, down the outside of shoulder and outer arm, ending at the outer corner of the little fingernail. Trace both sides together or one at a time. Then trace forward 3 times as indicated above, both sides at the same time or one after the other.
“There are receptors to these molecules in your immune system, in your gut and in your heart. So when you say, ‘I have a gut feeling’ or ‘my heart is sad’ or ‘I am bursting with joy,’ you’re not speaking metaphorically. You’re speaking literally.” Deepak Chopra