Meridian of the Month | Liver

The meridian lines of the body are energetic highways that provide a path for Qi and other substances to flow. This year, we will learn details about one of the meridians each month as they coordinate with the time of year / season that we are currently in. For October, let’s discuss the Liver pathway!

The Journey of the Liver Lines

This meridian line begins by the inside of the big toe. It crosses over the top of the foot, in front of the inside ankle and travels up the inner leg past the inner thigh, groin and pubic region. It then circulates the external genitals then connects with the conception vessel in the lower abdomen and travels up around the stomach enter both the liver and gall bladder.

The lower two surface points of the ribs are the next connection point, where the channel then dips into the ribcage, runs up through the throat, eye and ends at the crown of the head where it connects with the governing vessel. One branch moves through the mouth. While another, from within the liver, reaches the lunges restarting the circulation of chi.

The Liver Meridian | General / Chief of Staff

The liver is responsible for controlling the volume and fluidity of blood through the circulatory system via the blood vessels. The liver organ serves as a storage location for blood in the body. It works to detoxify blood, generates and secretes bile and aids in digestion through the breakdown of complex substances. Energetically, in TCM, the Liver is responsible for the smooth flow of emotions, Qi and Blood. Both the flow of Qi and physical function of the liver are deeply impacted by excess stress and intense emotion.

Our peripheral nervous system is intersected by several points along this meridian channel. The peripheral nerves control muscular activity and tension. If you are experiencing difficulty relaxing muscles, it may be related to an imbalance in your Liver meridian. Motor activity and health as well as coordination issues may also reflect dysfunction in these channels.

There are 14 points along this meridian line and the element of the liver channel is wood. The energetics of this meridian is closely related to our ability to “digest” emotion. Much can be learned about the health of the liver by noticing consistent emotional responses.

A healthy emotional expression might be highlighted by willpower, confidence, courage, satisfaction, contentment, enthusiasm, cooperation, acceptance and surrender. An unhealthy expression would focus on feelings of envy, irritability, frustration, impatience and excessive ambition. Every meridian has a yin or yang counterpart or complimentary meridian.

The Liver lines are yin and the Gallbladder lines (next month’s post!) are the yang counterpart that also shares the wood element. The active season for the Liver meridian is spring and the time of day the meridian is most active is between 1am – 3am.

IMBALANCE	BALANCE (never 100%)
Resistance to Change	Open to Change
Procrastination	Self Starter
Stays Stuck (rut)	Transforms (groove)

Yin Postures for the Liver Meridian

The Liver is responsible for planning, and oversees our path in life. The Liver relates to emotions. It generates anger, a clearing force, to keep things moving and flowing. When anger dissolves, this energy transforms into faith, optimism, and wisdom.

Try this sequence (or poses) for balancing your Liver Meridian as we target the inner leg and groins, the 'yin' side of the legs.