In Chinese medicine, the fire element is generally associated with the Heart, but there are actually 4 organs/channels associated with the fire element. All the other elements – earth, metal, water and wood – have two channels, one yin and one yang, but in the fire element it is doubled.
Heart is yin fire and is paired with Small Intestine, yang fire.
Pericardium is yin fire and is paired with San Jiao (Triple Burner), yang fire.
So far this horse year I have been drawn to doing quite a few Korean style acupuncture yang fire treatments, Small Intestine and San Jiao channel, which have been well received. Responses have included deep relaxation, relief of pain.
Small intestine is associated with dynamic motion – hot and cold, fire and water. When this is deficient qi and blood can get stuck – pain, especially sacrum and neck pain, muscles spasms or stiffness, visible varicose or spider veins and non-physical stuck stuff. Small intestine channel treatments can have results that include moving qi and blood stasis, unblocking stuckness, less pain and letting go of some layers of old trauma.
San Jiao (Triple Burner) is associated with brightness, attention to external detail and openness. Treating this channel can help lighten and brighten up your qi. The image of this channel is the high desert – bright, sunny, dry, warm. It can balance cold dark Vermont days.