The Acupuncture Ghost points have little to do with Halloween and everything to do with healing the mind!
The human psyche has always fascinated me. Over the years in my practice, when patients seek my help in treating their chronic physical ailments, 80% of the time the root cause is long standing emotional issues.
One of my long time patients who first came to balance her hormones during menopause. Now comes she monthly to keep her anxiety at bay, surprised me recently, while I was needling her. This was our conversation:
Me: Yesterday, I was teaching my students about a bunch of acupuncture points that are great for long standing emotional issues. I love that many students ask questions related to anger, guilt, shame, fear.
Her: How many points can help these emotions?
Me: Many, and they’re always individually based. For example, there is a point on the ankle area. We use it for long standing childhood trauma. It’s related to sexual abuse, leading to anxiety and/or depression as an adult.
Her: Could you do that point on me?
WOW! I looked at her, and waited for more. She kept quiet, so I needled BL 62 and it was so strong, she burst out crying! Then, she explained. A family member sexually abused her. When she was only a teenager. I had known this women for 6 years, and she never shared this before.
Acupuncture truly keeps amazing me, and Ghost points are very powerful in releasing emotional trauma. So I thought I should write a post on these fantastic acupuncture points! Enjoy and let me know what you think π
And of course, keep rocking it using acupuncture Ghost points!
Clara
TCM Geek
β―οΈ If you enjoy my graphics, check out my AcuPoints Made Easy Book or Digital version.
The 13 Acupuncture GHOST Points
Ghost Points
Sun Si Miao βThe King of Medicineβ developed the 13 Ghost Points. Their purpose was treating mental disorders such as schizophrenia, manic behaviour & neurological disorders such as Epilepsy. In clinical practice, these ghost points are also helpful, in helping patients with long standing emotional trauma that are difficult to overcome.
According to Sin Si Miao “Ghosts” affecting the mind is actually excess phlegm misting the Heart mind. As we know excess phlegm can be the result of long standing emotional issues or trauma, weak Jing (Essence), diet, external pathogens, drugs, or shock.
All the Ghost points have applications that affect a patientβs emotional and psychological welfare and when used together they create a sense of peace, help centre and ground them.
How many Ghost points can be used per session?
A maximum of 3 Ghost points. Nonetheless, many practitioners differ in their approach π
ST 6 – Ghost PointΒ
This point isΒ perfect for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Patients with PTSD have tendency to clench their jaw, so ST 6 acts as a jaw relaxer as well.
BL 62 – Ghost Point
In clinical practice I useΒ Bl 62 for long standing childhood trauma related to sexual abuse, leading to anxiety and/or depression as an adult.
Li 11 – Ghost Point
Li 11 clear heat and balance the digestive system. It’s used for patient who like to be in control, and get diarrhea or suffers from IBS whenΒ they feel out of control.Β
SP 1 – Ghost Point
Bleeding SP 1 is generally used for patient who have poor body image and eat their feelings (as in Bulimia).
PC 7 – Ghost Point
This acupuncture point is the protector of the heart, which makes it the perfect point to needle for those who are emotionally upset (broken hearted) after the break up of a relationship.
PC 8 – Ghost Point
This is a good point for patient who have lost a sense of self, are manic with hallucinations, anxious and experience paranoia (Like in schizophrenia).
Lu 11 – Ghost Point
This acupuncture point is perfect, when a vow, contract, or an important agreement is broken, and anger results. Good during or after a nasty divorce, or a business partnership which goes sour.
Ren 1 – Ghost Point
For patient who are ashamed of their body and their sexuality, and especially for women after childbirth, who suffers from urinary incontinence and low libido, or can’t reach orgasm.Β
Ren 24 – Ghost Point
This is a great acupuncture point for people who are always worried and are consumed by their dark thoughts for years. They don’t ever smile or laugh.Β
Du 16 – Ghost Point
Because of its location, Du 16 is often overlooked because it is deemed a dangerous point. But it’s a good one for patient who resist change and are inflexible.
Du 23 – Ghost Point
For unresponsive people who have years of phlegm misting the mind, and become catatonic, such as Alzheimer’s patients in later stage.
Du 26 – Ghost Point
Often used for intergenerational trauma, which leads to spontaneous laughing with no reason.Β Β
Yin Tang – Ghost Point
This 13th Ghost point is controversial. In some text, extra point Gui Feng (under the tongue) is deemed a Ghost point. However, because of its location, Yin Tang has been used instead. Both are used for enlightening the mind, seeking knowledge and wisdom.
Haaaaaaa! I NEED this point π
Chinese medicine is so fascinating, don’t you think? I LOVE IT!
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Clara, I need all your wisdom gathered to one sacred place. time to write a book no?
HA! Alva, maybe I should π
Clara you are a good instructor, you way of teaching is wonderful, semple to understand, your graphics are superb easy to adentify and your leasons are worm and interesting because of your good heart, keep up with your good work
Thank you Meche π
Fantastic, my dear Clara! The way you explain every single point in your post is so clear and to the point, that anyone could use it their everyday life. I donβt treat emotional disease but thrue your post I can use them sometimes to support patients mind in other diseases wich make pains all over the body. Thanks Clara, you are really not just a good doctor of TCM, but also a very good person because you share your grate knowledge to the world. I listen your free webinars and read your articles and they are just GRATE. Where you find all this energy and peace in your heart that you are so good??? There are not so many people like you!!!Patients and students wich have You must be very happy! Congrats!!!
WOW Mirjam! You made my day π
Thank you for your kind & sweet comment. You rock!
Hugs from Vancouver, Canada
Clara
Thank you, I love your posts, so informative and so ‘human’ too. You are an inspiration π
Thanks Jacky π
Clara, thanks again for your clear post about this subject. Wright tot the point.
You’re a great teacher.?
Thanks Yvonne π
You are just amazing. Thank you so much for your time and consideration and making everyone learn more about TCM
My pleasure π
Thank you from an acupuncturist in Norway???. I really appreceate your posts. You are so inspiering and the humor you put in all this is awsome?
Thank you Heidi, you’re so sweet!
Hi Clara, Thank you so much for your posts, I really look forward to them. You make acupuncture rock!
Thank you Sandy! So sweet π
Ces points Γ©taient jusque lΓ inconnus dans nos pratiques .
Des longues sΓ©ances dacupuncture sans rΓ©sultats palpants.
Je pense Prof Clara devait avoir un prix Nobel en acupuncture!
Hahaha vous Γͺtes bon pour mon ego π
Great Article. I use those points everyday
Awesome!
Fantastic, my dear Clara! The way you explain every single point in your post is so clear and to the point, that anyone could use it their everyday life. I donβt treat emotional disease but thrue your post I can use them sometimes to support patients mind in other diseases wich make pains all over the body. Thanks Clara, you are really not just a good doctor of TCM, but also a very good person because you share your grate knowledge to the world. I listen your free webinars and read your articles and they are just GRATE. Where you find all this energy and peace in your heart that you are so good??? There are not so many people like you!!!Patients and students wich have You must be very happy! Congrats!!!
Thank you for your kind words Satpal π
You rock!
Clara, thanks you for very useful post
and what is your clinic experiences about Extraordinary Meridians?
M
Yes! Check out my resource page, I have all the Extra Vessels blog post links in there π
I use them all the time in my practice!
Wow Clara,you touch my heart again!?
… psychosomatic symptoms.for almost majority of the illnesses are in our … reality which is made by… our mind and emotions are the manner in which we respond to this reality..thank you !
So true Marcela π
Wow, thank you so much!
I actually never thought about using Bladder 62 in that context!
And I definitely need St6, Pc7 and ren24, anybody willing…? π
Hahaha Erik you’re funny!
You are always amazing us dear Clara wonderful thoughts wonderful work
Thank you Nadom π
Thank you…I belive this to be the most outstanding tcm resource Iβve ever discovered. Iβm so excited. Simply fantastic. ????
Thanks Barry! So happy to hear you’re now part of our TCM Rock Stars community π
Clara
i Would buy your book not only for the knowledge but to support you and show gratitude for the work you’ve put into your slides and videos. Thank you thank you !
You’re so welcome Elizabeth π
You simplify concepts in a manner that helps ancient knowledge travel to the bedside patient care through the practitioner!! Brilliant work! Thank you so much!
My pleasure Preeti π
Hola, acabo de descubrir tu pagina y me encanto!!!!, y gracias por compartir tus conocimiento,un abrazo – CHILE
Thank you very much from TCM Indonesia. I recently read your write in this web. Allow me to your science…may we can meet at onetime β€
– Honesta Jocelyn –
Sorry, I mean, allow me to use your science…?
Hi Clara! It’s pretty rare to come across someone else using the ghost points. As you say, everyone uses them in their own way. (Usually I simply follow the poem and the order in which the points are named). I’ve never heard of Yin Tang being used as a ghost point… on the other hand, the points under the tongue are really difficult to use. My solution has been to needle from under the chin in the direction of the points beneath the tongue. I call it “Snakebite” (just for fun but also because it has a certain power…)
I very much like the way you’ve put your composite seasonal, element and meridian mages together. However, I cannot find one for late summer-earth, but maybe I simply missed it….?
Also I am so very sensitive to the term “TCM”…. Oriental medicine is so much bigger than TCM, don’t you think?
Hi Chris,
I can see your passion for your craft through your words and I love that π
To answer your questions: I use TCM because I only was taught Chinese medicine, I wasn’t taught Japanese, Korean or Ayuverdic medicine. In Canada we all call it TCM.
As I said in my post, Yin Tang is not a real Ghost point but sometimes it’s used in substitution for Gui Feng (under the tongue) because of it’s better location. I like what you do though, that’s great little pearl! Thanks for sharing!
For the seasonal element about the Late summer, you’re so right, I have the picture on facebook but forgot to include it in the “All about the TCM Spleen”. I will remedy this today! Thanks for pointing it out π
Cheers!
Clara
Thank you Clara .your posts are great .??I also think you should write a book .Meirav Israel?
I am actually in the process of doing just that π
Thank you very much for your post on Ghost Points. One of patients don’t allow me to use DU 26. Please suggest some equivalent point. Eagerly waiting for your reply.
Tough to say, depending on what you’re trying to do π
I come from a family with so much pain: Alzheimer’s, paranoid schizophrenia, mental problems of all kinds… And I’m studying to be a certified acupuncturist. So happy to be able to help with these points. Thank you sooo much. <3 Looking forward to your book!
Keep rocking it with your TCM studies Akasha π
I know I have asked this question before on some of your great information but I am not a TCM practitioner I am 5 Element.
Can you tell me how are these points needled? Tonify? Sedate?
Thanks for sharing your fantastic wisdom. I want that book too!
Hi Gail,
It depends on each point, some’d need to you sedate and some you tonify π
I had a client ask for a point(s) for Previous Life Trauma (not transgenerational). Do you have any points or ideas for this? Thank you.
Wow, that one stomped me…I’m not sure, sorry!
Thank you madam. You are one of the icon in TCM world. I am interested in buying some of the books which you have recommended in your previous mails. Pls guide us in regarding this. Thanks and regards Dr.Vijaya bhaskar Potuganti Ph.D. in Medical Anatomy & M Acu.
You can buy books on Amazon, or eBay…
Thank you so mich for your posts !
You’re so welcome Ike π
God Bless you for sharing your knowledge with all of us. Thanks so much, Clara. I wish you good Shen, good Qi and good Jing. Best Regards from Spain!
Thanks Nuria π
Are there any issues related to Du 10-13 or BL 41-42 or SI 13?
Not as Ghost points…
This is amazing information!
Do you have any other points you can recommend for sexual abuse?
Thanks
Happy you benefitted from my post Kiera π
The points would depend on each patient and their emotional attachment to the trauma, what emotions comes out and what physical symptoms stem from it. So sorry, it’s very specific to each case.
Wow, Clara! I have so many emotional issues tied up in my body. I my talk to the student practitioners at school to see if they would needle Ren 1 for me. I am so tired of incontinence! I never would have thought to ask if not for this post! Un grand merci!
So happy I could point you in the right direction π
Stay safe and wishing a fast healing.
xo
Thanks Clara, I think you have a divine gift! Your words are so clear and leave me with a sense of hope for our future! That might sound dramatic, but it’s true.??
OH wow Alex! YOU made my day ? Thank you!
Thanks Clara, this a wonderful clear and simple way to teach. You have a good heart.keep It up. Nothing can take away Joy in TCM
Thanks Clara, this a wonderful clear and simple way to teach. You have a good heart.keep It up. Nothing can take away Joy in TCM
Thank you Wills ? YOU rock!
Hi. If I wanted to do all
these points for myself, I have a lot of lot of emotional problems. Which points do I start off with ,are these 13 points done in a specific order ? I found a document telling these points in three trinities.do we do the first trinity first then second then third? Thanks for Ur guidance in advance.
Because I don’t know your health problems, i can’t advise you. NEVER EVER DO ALL these points at once π
I would recommend you see a qualified acupuncturist in your area to help π
Dear Clara, you are wonderful teacher. I’m fpllowing your Ig also. I have a question, could I put needles on al those points in 1 session?
No, never! Read the beginning when I talk about 3 ghost points maximum in one sessions ππ
and interesting story yuo’ve shared, so what happen with that woman. Has she been feeling better now?
Much better π
Good Morning impresive information. I am an acupuncturist for many years and I am interested in how to treat emotional trauma. I have notions about the Ghost point of Sun Simiao, but never found the information you mention about them. I would be very grateful if you can tell me please where you got the information you are talking about. It is is not that I don’t believe you, don’t get me wrong. My idea is to go to the source and get my own conclusions.
Thank you very much
Enric Muniente
I appreciate your questions, and I’m not offended π
Unfortunately, my information comes from my TCM college class notes from my TCM teachers (who are from China).
Thank you very much Clara. Indeed, there is lots of valuable information not available in the West.
This is that kind of information that is worth 1000 gold ducats.
Really Tank you
Enric Muniente
You’re most welcome Enric π
Thanks a lot Clara for your inspirating explanations. I can use this very good in my lessons Do-In yoga.
So happy you found this useful and are taking it into your yoga! π§ββοΈβ―οΈ