Weighted Tuning Forks Pt 1- Acupuncture Meridians
When I first started with tuning forks I had the same question many of you have; Now what? I really had no idea what to do with them until it dawned on me draw on the experience I gained from editing a few acupuncture books a friend had written. From that point on, it was easy. I just needed a comfortable place to start.
So if you are just beginning with tuning forks, try using acupuncture meridians. The charts are easy to follow and with tuning forks, you don't have to be exactly on any point or meridian, close is good enough.
What not to do
It is easy to get wrapped up in the study of acupuncture but remember, you are working with sound and vibration, not needles so don't approach this as if you are an acupuncturist. You will find a lot of technical information on meridians and points. For example,
- Each acupuncture point has a specific health purpose.
- Each meridian has a specific purpose.
- Each meridian is said to be "active" at certain times of the day.
Don't be concerned about this. The acupuncture points and meridians for our purposes are just markers or a guidepost.
Also, don't be concerned about placing the tuning fork on the exact acupuncture point. The vibration expands outward as opposed to an acupuncture needle which needs to be pretty exactly placed.
What to do
Find yourself a good acupuncture chart. It will show you front, back and side views of the body with the meridian lines and points clearly marked. I tried to find a good sample image online but they were not very clear. A good book or wall chart is all you need.
The Basics
There are 12 meridians or lines throughout the body. They are called Lung, Large Intestine, Stomach, Spleen, Heart, Small Intestine, Bladder, Kidney, Pericardium, Triple Warmer, Gall Bladder and Liver. Each channel has a series of numbered points. Once you are comfortable, you can start with any meridian but for now start with the Kidney meridian which starts at the bottom of the foot.
Tap and place the stem of your weighted tuning fork on the first point called Kidney 1 or K1. Keep it there for about 10 seconds or until you don't feel the vibration any more. The next point, K2 is on the side of the foot so go ahead and place the tuning fork there. Do not try to touch every point. Instead, move 3 inches up the side of the leg following the meridian. Tap place the fork there. Then, go up 3 more inches and do it again.
This is not acupuncture or acupressure, you are just working with the meridian. Once you have completed the channel, choose another channel one follow the same procedure. Don't feel as though you have to do each channel in one session.
Remember, this is just for learning purposes. If you find that you like working with acupuncture meridians, then there are plenty of resources online. If the meridians are not for you, let your hands decide where to place the forks, use your intuition. That is the transition I made. I followed meridians when I first started then eventually let my hands decide where to place the forks. If you are concerned that you might do some harm, don't be. Read this post to understand why.