One of my favorite points to use in clinical practice is Ren 12. It is located on the meridian called the Ren Mai, which translates as the “Conception Vessel.” This meridian is located along the frontal midline of the body, and the point is located the width of your hand above your belly button. The Chinese name is Zhongwan, “Middle Cavity,” or Zhongguan, “Middle Controller.” Ren 12 is the Front-Mu point of the Stomach, a place where energy is greatly concentrated.

The Stomach and its paired organ, the Spleen, play a central role in our body because they “transport and transform” our food and drinks. When this energetic system is not functioning properly, people might suffer from poor appetite or cravings, unhealthy bowel movements, nausea, vomiting and dizziness.

Further, the Spleen’s associated emotion is anxiety, worry and overthinking, and this point is located where people often report “having a knot in their stomach” when nervous or anxious. So many people in our world are stressed and worried — very taxing to all aspects of our health! In our medicine, the state of one’s emotional health is directly related to physical health. Thus, the needling of Ren 12 can serve to help us absorb the external to create the internal, creating balance and homeostasis in the body, mind and spirit.

written by Kennedy