Yin and Yang Qiao Mai: Standing in One’s Self, Standing in the World
In Chinese medicine, the Eight Extraordinary Channels are often described as the deep rivers of life. They are not concerned with the day-to-day functions of digestion, circulation, or immunity—that’s the role of the primary meridians. Instead, these extraordinary channels provide the blueprint that organizes how we see ourselves, how we process the past, how we envision the future, and how we navigate the challenges of being human.
How We See Ourselves and Our World
These channels are like an inner scaffolding. They help us:
Form our identity and self-perception
Orient to the world around us
Integrate past experiences, including trauma
Align our path forward with coherence and purpose
When they are in balance, we move through life with fluidity. When disrupted, we may feel trapped in repeating patterns, unable to reconcile who we are with the life we want to live.
A Story: “I’m No Good at Anything”
Imagine a child who grows up hearing, “You’ll never succeed” or “You’re no good at anything.” Over time, this belief becomes ingrained, shaping not only the mind but also the body.
As an adult, this person may carry themselves with a collapsed chest, rounded shoulders, and a downward gaze—a posture that reflects resignation and lack of confidence. The stance says, “I don’t take up space. I don’t belong.”
From a purely physical perspective, one might try to correct posture with stretching or strengthening. But when the root pattern is constitutional, embedded deep in the body-mind blueprint, structural work alone won’t reach it.
The Yin and Yang Qiao Channels
This is where the Yin and Yang Qiao channels come in. The Qiao vessels regulate posture, stance, and the balance between activity and rest. They influence how we stand upright in the world—literally and metaphorically.
The Yin Qiao governs how we turn inward, how we meet ourselves. If compromised, it can trap us in patterns of self-doubt or collapse.
The Yang Qiao governs how we face outward, how we meet the world. If imbalanced, it can show up as hyper-vigilance, overcompensation, rigidity, or withdrawal.
By working with the Qiao channels through acupuncture, we address not just the physical stance, but the deeply held beliefs and imprints that shaped it. The treatment resonates at the constitutional level, helping the person to reorganize both posture and self-perception. Over time, the chest can open, the gaze can lift, and the belief “I’m no good at anything” can soften into something truer: “I belong here, and I can stand in myself.”
As a Channel Practitioner I will teach you how to feel these pathways within yourself
After a brief discussion of the channel and placing needles, I will make sure you can feel the flow in your own body. This flow contains a resonance, a frequency with a message for you. During the acupuncture session, I remain nearby and transmit the feeling or frequency of the channel. This meditation keeps the intention of the treatment focused and clear.
✨ Meditating on the channels is a beautiful gift I receive from being your acupuncturist.
