Yang Qiao Mai—Fire
The Yang Qiao Mai puts the yang into dynamic motion. It is responsible for graceful movement of the limbs and the body and together with Yin Qiao Mai allows us to coordinate and move with freedom. The Qiao Mai relate not just to body movement but the movement of yin and yang in all aspects of life, eg the flow from night to day. The Qiao Mai are very important for the regulation of biorythms and sleep.
The characters for Qiao Mai relate to being able to stand in a dynamic way or walk and a pavilion with lofty heights. Another character that is sometimes used for Qiao relates to being firmly rooted in the earth. This link to the earth suggests they provide a stable foundation. However, the pavilion component of the character suggests that they raise this energy to the heights. One of the functions of the Qiao Mai is to attract the energy of the earth to the top of the body.
The characters together symbolise moving with agility and grace. The characters are used sometimes in reference to horses – and the ease and grace for which they move.
The Qiao Mai are particularly important for walking and walking gates. The Yang Qiao Mai affects the lateral aspect of the leg and torso, the Yin Qiao Mai the medial aspect of the leg and torso. The balance between medial and lateral leg is affected by these vessels.
These vessels also play an important role in the balance of yin and yang, interior and exterior. They both arise at the centre of the heel, meet at the eye and end in the brain. This sharing of beginning and end points is similar to the pairing of Ren and Du Mai. The Yang Qiao Mai is said to be coupled with the Du Mai and the Yin Qiao Mai with the Ren Mai, which is further emphasises their role in balancing yin and yang. The Qiao Mai are particularly involved in regulating the ascending and descending of yin and yang. The Yang Qiao Mai is particularly important for the distribution of wei qi (defensive qi).
The Yang Qiao Mai connects to our extroverted side, and how we stand up to the world. It helps us respond to external stimuli, and resolves phlegm misting the mind for manic behaviour or paranoia. It helps those who are in constant rebellion against the world or who are high very judgemental. It also is useful in cases where someone cannot stop doing.
Pathway: The vessel begins at the centre of the heel, flows to the lateral malleolus, at Bl62, then to Bl61, Bl59 (xi cleft point), to the posterior border of the fibula, lateral thigh, to GB29, to the posterior axillary fold, winds over the shoulder to SI10, LI15, LI16, ascends the neck to the corner of the mouth, St4, St3, St1, Bl1 (where it meets with Yin Qiao Mai) and flows over the head along the Bladder channel to GB20.
In Treatment: Important for sleep, excess yang conditions, heat, fury/rage, madness, apoplexy, cerebral congestion, contractions, facial paralysis, excess adrenal conditions, inflammation, generalised pain, stiffness, particularly the back, painful and red eyes, arthritis, lumbar pain, andropause, headache, angry eyes, eyes that cannot close, eyes that can not shed tears easily, skin disorders, immune system, biorythms, daytime epilepsy, spasms.
Master and Coupled Point
