Guide: 12 Major Acupuncture Meridians Explained
Understanding the invisible rivers of your body—and how they keep you flowing.
In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), the human body is more than flesh and bones. It’s a landscape—a living terrain of energy, emotions, movement, and function.
That energy flows through meridians: invisible channels that carry Qi and Blood, connecting organs, limbs, tissues, and spirit.
There are 12 Primary Meridians, each tied to an organ system, a time of day, and a unique emotional and physiological pattern. Think of them as rivers of regulation—and when they’re blocked, diverted, or dried up, symptoms begin to emerge.
Let’s walk through each one. Not as abstract theory—but as embodied experience.
🫁 1. Lung Meridian (LU)
Path: Starts in the stomach, rises to the lungs, then flows down the arm to the thumb.
Time: 3 am – 5 am
💡 When in flow:
- Clear breathing
- Smooth emotional boundaries
- Ability to “inspire” and “let go”
⚠️ When blocked:
- Shortness of breath
- Grief or emotional numbness
- Skin conditions (eczema, dryness)
🧠 2. Large Intestine Meridian (LI)
Path: Begins at the index finger, runs up the arm, crosses the shoulder, and ends at the nose.
Time: 5 am – 7 am
💡 When in flow:
- Healthy elimination (literal + emotional)
- Clarity and decisiveness
⚠️ When blocked:
- Constipation or diarrhea
- Difficulty letting go
- Sinus issues
❤️ 3. Heart Meridian (HT)
Path: Starts in the heart, moves down the inner arm to the pinky.
Time: 11 am – 1 pm
💡 When in flow:
- Emotional warmth
- Clear communication
- Peaceful sleep
⚠️ When blocked:
- Anxiety
- Palpitations
- Dream-disturbed sleep
🔥 4. Small Intestine Meridian (SI)
Path: Starts at the pinky, runs up the arm to the shoulder, up the neck, ending near the ear.
Time: 1 pm – 3 pm
💡 When in flow:
- Sorting “pure” from “impure”
- Clear mental judgment
- Healthy assimilation
⚠️ When blocked:
- Abdominal bloating
- Mental confusion
- Jaw tension or neck pain
🧠 5. Pericardium Meridian (PC)
Path: Starts in the chest, runs along the arm to the middle finger.
Time: 7 pm – 9 pm
💡 When in flow:
- Emotional intimacy
- Protection from stress
- Open-heartedness
⚠️ When blocked:
- Chest tightness
- Relationship anxiety
- Panic attacks
🌐 6. Triple Burner / San Jiao (SJ)
Path: Starts at the ring finger, moves up the arm, around the ear, and ends at the eyebrow.
Time: 9 pm – 11 pm
💡 When in flow:
- Fluid metabolism
- Hormonal balance
- Nervous system regulation
⚠️ When blocked:
- Temperature dysregulation
- Hormonal swings
- Dry mouth or throat
🧠 7. Spleen Meridian (SP)
Path: Starts at the big toe, runs up the leg and torso to the chest
Time: 9 am – 11 am
💡 When in flow:
- Strong digestion
- Stable energy
- Clear thinking
⚠️ When blocked:
- Bloating, loose stools
- Worry and rumination
- Tired limbs
🏃♀️ 8. Stomach Meridian (ST)
Path: Starts below the eye, runs down the body to the second toe
Time: 7 am – 9 am
💡 When in flow:
- Healthy appetite
- Physical motivation
- Mental alertness
⚠️ When blocked:
- Nausea
- Heaviness
- Anxiety after eating
🪨 9. Kidney Meridian (KI)
Path: Starts at the sole of the foot (Yongquan), travels up the leg to the chest
Time: 5 pm – 7 pm
💡 When in flow:
- Vitality
- Courage
- Reproductive health
⚠️ When blocked:
- Low back pain
- Fear
- Fatigue, tinnitus, hair loss
🔥 10. Bladder Meridian (BL)
Path: Begins at the inner eye, runs over the head, down the back to the little toe
Time: 3 pm – 5 pm
💡 When in flow:
- Resilience
- Stable nervous system
- Detox pathways open
⚠️ When blocked:
- Tension headaches
- Lower back tension
- Overwhelm
🌱 11. Liver Meridian (LV)
Path: Starts at the big toe, moves up the leg to the chest, and to the eye
Time: 1 am – 3 am
💡 When in flow:
- Smooth emotion & energy
- A flexible mind and body
- Vision and planning
⚠️ When blocked:
- PMS
- Irritability
- Eye strain, frustration
❤️🔥 12. Gallbladder Meridian (GB)
Path: Starts at the outer eye, zigzags across the head, and down the body to the fourth toe
Time: 11 pm – 1 am
💡 When in flow:
- Decisiveness
- Adaptability
- Courage
⚠️ When blocked:
- Indecision
- Neck/shoulder tension
- Sighing, emotional stuckness
🌊 Meridians Are Rivers—Not Wires
They’re not mechanical.
They’re responsive. Emotional. Rhythmic.
When Qi moves freely through these 12 meridians, we sleep better, digest better, think more clearly, and feel emotionally balanced.
Acupuncture, qigong, foot soaks, herbs, and even intentional touch all help to keep these rivers flowing.
The more you learn to feel your meridians—not just know them—the more embodied and resilient your life becomes.
