Acupuncture works by harmonizing and balancing chi; according to legend, acupuncture was accidentally discovered when ancient warriors found that arrow wounds, striking certain points in the body, will heal certain chronic conditions.

Acupuncture has been practiced in many countries over a very long period of history. There are many branch-disciplines which define chi meridians and therapies in many various ways. A classical acupuncture therapy session might use between eight and eighteen acupuncture needles while the same therapy by a similar discipline of India, termed Sujok, might use only four or five needles..

Chi flows to and from our body's organs. Each organ has a unique form of chi and a unique channel (meridian) through which chi flows relative to each organ. The wood cuts, for each organ listed below, permit one to conceptualize how organ, meridian and acupuncture therapy points are related. They are also a good reminder that these therapies are very complex and should only be practiced by formally trained medical professionals. Acupuncture is complimentary with modern medicine. The folks who developed acupuncture therapies, over centuries, used every thing available to bring good health to their patients. They, more than anyone, would utilize modern medicine and would see no conflict with their conceptualizations of chi.

Each organ has a specific form of chi that moves through our body in conjunction with the chi of a paired organ. Organ chi moves in specific meridians that are named for the associated organ, though an organ and its meridian may be logically and not physically the same. Blockages in the chi meridians occur and chakra vortices become congested and out of balance. You might think of your garden hose when it develops a kink. Such distortions to the flow of chi result in various disorders and disease. Acupuncture provides therapies for physical, emotional and mental conditions that, conceptually, are associated with either an unhealthy flow of chi or yin/yang energy imbalance in a specific organ. Acupuncture, performed properly, returns chi to a normal flow and balances chakra vortices. However, as in many aspects of medicine, acupuncture often does not address the underling cause of disease. People can fall into a cycle of therapy and relapse, thus the very logical and ever present need, at all time in history, for the use and acceptance of more modern medical diagnostic techniques and therapies.

Chi organ pairs:

• lung/colon                                 
• stomach/spleen                          
• heart/small intestine                   
• kidney/bladder:                           
• paricardium/triple warmer             
• liver/gall bladder                          

Acupuncture is best when performed by a medical professional (physician), keep in mind:

• Do not use it as a treatment for a chronic, long-standing illness or disorder.
• Do not do it within four hours of taking any drugs, medications, intoxicating food or drinks or medicinal herbs
• Do not use it if you are taking regular medicatiom
• Do not use it if you have a known heart condition or suffer from a disorder involving tissue change or degeneration such as chronic arthritis, cancer, cataracts, tumours or varicose veins
• Do not use it immediately before or within half an hour after bathing in hot water
• Do not use it immediately before or within half an hour of eating a heavy meal 
• Do not use it immediately before or within half an hour of doing strenuous physical activity
• Do not do it when emotionally agitated
• Pregnant women are advised not to do it, especially after the first trimester
• Women should always be very careful regarding any procedures which press-on any point on the breasts