Diagnosis and Treatment of

Night-Time Wei Qi
FIRE

WOOD

EARTH

WATER

METAL

Huang Di:
I hope to know the circulation of wei qi and
its coming in and going out in the yin and
yang channels. What are their conditions?

Ling Shu Chapter 76 Wei Qi Xing

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Module Objectives
You will be able to:
Understand the role of Night-Time WEi Qi
Identify Blockages along control cycle
Select acupuncture interventions on the basis of
these findings (Emphasizing Compass Method)

Wei Qi
Compliments and opposes Ying Qi
Circulates outside the channels
Is rapid and oscillating
Protects from invading pathogens

Reasons for Assessing Night Time Wei Qi

Soft tissue problems

Autoimmune disorders
Allergies
Skin problems
Colds/flu, intermittent Symptoms
Depression
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Qi Bo
When the wei qi begins to pour into it starts
at the foot shaoyin channel and pours into
the kidney, then it pours from the kidney
into the heart, then it pours from the heart
into the lung, then it pours from the lung
into the liver, then it pours from the liver in
to the spleen and then, it pours from the the
spleen into the kidney again to become one
cycle.
Ling Shu Chapter 76 Wei Qi Xing

Night
Wei Qi moves to the interior where it moves along
the control cycle 25 times sunset to sunrise

Kidney
Heart
Lung
Liver
Spleen
Tapping Exercise To Start Class

Wu Xing

Elemental Relationships
FIRE

WOOD

EARTH

WATER

METAL

Qi Bo
East corresponds to green, it is in communication
with the liver. The eyes are the outlets of the liver,
which is the store of pure energy.
The south corresponds with red, it is in
communication with the heart. The ears are the
outlets of the heart, which is in store of pure
energy.
The center corresponds with yellow, it is in
communication with the spleen. The mouth is the
outlet for the spleen, which is in store of pure
energy.
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Qi Bo
The west corresponds to white, it is in
communication with the lung. The nose is the
outlet for the lung which is the store of pure
energy.
North corresponds to black, it is in communication
with the kidneys. The two yins (sex organs and
anus) are outlets for the kidney, which is the store
of pure energy.
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Night-Time Wei Qi Cycle

2. Fire

4. Wood

1. Water

5. Earth

3. Metal
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Cycle Block Identification

Qi can be obstructed along the cycle
Hold the two positions along the direction of flow
and compare
Obstructions present with a strong pulse followed
by a weak pulse
Select the dominant or most clearly defined
obstruction
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Correct Hand Placement

Thenar eminence relaxed
Level of the heart
Finger tips
Thumb Opposed
Elbows Relaxed

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Water - Fire Block

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Fire-Metal Block

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Metal - Wood Block

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Wood - Earth Block

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Earth - Water Block

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Night Time Wei Qi Flow

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Treatment Strategy Choices

Xi Cleft
Back Shu
Front Mu
Elemental Confluence
Biao LI
Bie Jing
Compass Method

Tapping along control cycles yin organs offers

effective noninvasive therapy Kd-Ht-Lu-Lv-Sp

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10

Treatment Strategies
Needle the back shu points to clear defensive qi
stagnation from the site of blockage.
The qi will immediately flow more smoothly
along the cycle. This can be confirmed by
checking the pulse.
Another effective method is to use the Xi-cleft
point on the channel where it is blocked. Again,
re-examine the pulse to confirm efficacy.
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Topographical Pulse Model

Compass Method

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Compass Method
The elemental compass method places a
compass image over the pulse so that the
correspondences of the five phases are laid
out in a map-like fashion on each pulse
position.

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Elemental Positions

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Topographical Application of the

Five Phase Model
North is water and is represented by the proximal portion
of each position.
Fire is south and is found in the distal potion of each
position.
Wood is east and is found in the right portion of the pulse
positions on the subjects left & right hands
Metal is west and is found in the left aspect of the pulse
positions on the subjects left & right hands
Earth is in the center of the pulse positions.
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Patients Orientation To the Pole Star

Right

Left

When the patient faces south, with the pole star 26

At their back, east will be to their left and west to the right

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Elements As They Relate To The

Pulse

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Comparing The Elements & 5 Phases

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14

Identifying Elemental Blockages

Identification of the area that has the dominant signal, or
is most congested and full, will reveal the element that is
influencing the viscera.
Once the location of the center of the impulse is
identified, select the elemental point on the channel that
relates to the position.
Performing this diagnostic procedure is like using a
joystick from a video game. To identify the obstruction,
place the finger in the center of the position, then palpate
in the four cardinal directions - distal, proximal, left,
right - plus center.
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Compass Method Therapeutics

Example: Night-time wei qi is not flowing well along the control

cycle and the pulse is strong in the spleen and weak in the kidney.

1.

Use the Compass Method to further define locust of stagnation in

the spleen.

2.

By needling the corresponding elemental point of the area that is

more full or congested allows the body's innate sensibility to
correct the area of imbalance.

The principle is to balance the qi within the organ itself.

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Big Picture

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