The Healing Point in the palm of your hand
HEALING can mean many things to different people. At its most unadorned and fundamental, it can be simply the ability to touch someone and help them to feel better.
This is the power of Heart Protector (HP) 8.
The power of Healing Hands
Most importantly, this power is not exclusive. Pretty much anybody can build awareness and then energy in HP8 and use it to support the people close to them – help them to feel the warmth, feel the love and feel better.
For an experienced energy therapist this point is a major asset in the toolbox. Its energetic capacity is developed and used consciously in all serious energy healing work such as Shiatsu, acupressure, acupuncture and Qigong. The stronger the flow of KI energy through our palms, the more sensitive is our sense of touch and our awareness of energy in others. The more practiced our ability to both take in and give out energy through HP8, the more effective our healing will be.
HEART PROTECTOR (HP) 8, LAO GONG:
Palace of Toil / Work / Labour … & Labor
Why is it that this easy-to-access acupressure point can give you healing hands?
FUNDAMENTALS of HP 8
Lao Gong is the “Ying Spring” point of the HP meridian: a point where the KI energy is very dynamic. It is also the “Fire” point, on a Fire meridian.
Every meridian has a Spring point and their specialty is clearing heat from that meridian (and its partner) They are also known to anchor the meridian and so are used for rising Yang.
However, the Heart Protector both protects and governs for the Heart.
The Heart governs both the Fire Element and the whole meridian system. It also houses the Shen / Spirit and, some would say, Mind.
This adds up to significant amplification of the power of HP8, allowing it to:
- Clear Heat from the Heart & Heart Protector meridians
- Clear Heart Fire and balance the 4 Fire meridians
- Clear excess heat from the body more generally, and
- Calm the Shen / Spirit / Mind.
To give further amplification, Lao Gong is a secondary Chakra. This makes it a major energy gate and one of the most powerful acupressure points. Because it opens to the surface of the body, it can be directly manipulated to further develop and release its power. Because it is on the hand, the extraordinary Human Hand, it can be used with subtlety and finesse.
Our hands allow the mind / imagination to physically express itself in the world.
Lao Gong is ideally placed to enhance our capacity to perform work – physical &/or energetic, healing &/or artistic – and to create change.
Heart Protector 8 is The Palace of Toil
MORE SPECIFIC HEALING APPLICATIONS OF HP8
On the healers own hands, HP 8 is a point where you both build energy and from which you emit energy in healing – with or without contact. A healer may also contact and work with the Lao Gong point on the hands of their receiver in order to address issues around excess heat as well a other specifically indicated conditions such as:
- Exhaustion
- Cardiac pain, palpitations, arrhythmia
- Coma, Epilepsy
- Mental disorders
- Vomiting, nausea, gastritis
- Fever, nosebleed
- Mouth & tongue ulcers, bad breath
- Rheumatoid arthritis, numbness in the arm, cold hands Fungal infection of the hand
CONTRAINDICATION
Heart Protector 8 is The Palace of Labor
It is not to be worked during the first 36 weeks of pregnancy.
MOST IMPORTANTLY: HP 8, is a recognized and commonly used acupressure point for inducing labor. It is also used to relieve pain once the labor process has begun. Because of this, manipulation of the Lao Gong point of your receiver is contraindicated for the first 36 weeks of pregnancy.
LOCATION
Heart Protector 8 is near the center of the palm of the hand, between the 2nd & 3rd metacarpal bones but closer to the 3rd than the 2nd. When you make a fist, Lao Gong is found where the tip of the middle finger lands in the palm.
NOTE: the other pair of secondary Chakras is found in a corresponding place on the soles of the feet at the Kidney 1 point: Yonquan, Bubbling Spring.
DEVELOPING and USING LAO GONG
BUILDING HEALING CAPACITY
A tangible, easy way to activate and open the Lao Gong points is by massaging them.
Begin with warming the palms generally by rubbing them together around and around.
Then, rest one hand, palm up, on the fingers and palm of the other. Put your mental focus gently upon the point as you use the bottom hand’s thumb to reach into the palm of the top hand and make contact. Apply moderate pressure, with the tip of your thumb, moving it in tiny circles. After a minute or so, change direction.
Remember, that this point requires sensitivity and care.
“When you hold this point on yourself or another, it stirs the Fire in the way you might rake a dying fire into life.
It activates and opens the emotional heart.”
FYI: To really build vitality and capacity in the four minor Chakras, some practitioners recommend a particular massage sequence. It can be done at any time although last thing at night is considered optimal.
- Start with Kidney 1 on the left foot
- Then HP 8 on the left hand
- Followed by HP 8 on the right hand
- Complete the circle with Kidney 1 on the right foot
Here’s another way to activate your Lao Gong energy
Place the palms of your hands together in “prayer position” in front of your heart-center / sternum.
First, separate the palms slightly, so there’s about 4-5cm distance between them and gently place and hold your attention in the space between them. Then, begin to move your two hands in tiny circular motions, maintaining that slight distance.
Notice the sensation both in the palms and between them.
Second, slowly, in a wave-like fashion, pull your hands apart (to a maximum of about 15cm), and then bring them back toward each other until they’re not quite touching. Repeat this movement, perhaps ten times (with your eyes either open or closed), keeping with your attention in the space between the palms.
Again, notice the sensation both in the palms and between them.
You may feel a magnetic or stretching-toffee like sensation, possibly some heat &/or tingling or a sense of lightness – or heaviness.
This is the activation of your Lao Gong points. This activation and your conscious awareness of the energy in your hands is all you need to start giving a little nourishment, support and energy balancing to the people around you. Your lucky receivers will probably experience your touch as being unusually warm or even hot.
NOTE: A more advanced technique for building energy in the Energy Gates, Heart Protector 8 and Kidney 1, is to breathe through them.
WORKING WITH YOUR HEART PROTECTOR 8
Using Lao Gong to support your friends and loved ones couldn’t be easier; you simply place your hand(s) on them with awareness of the healing power of the point and an accompanying intention of giving them energy. Depending on your relationship with the person, there are different ways that you could go about this.
A hand on the shoulder is a simple, natural and non-invasive approach. An energizing touch here will also help to ground and stabilize your receiver’s energy.
You might hold their hand – palm to palm – to create a direct connection with their HP 8 point.
Placing your palm between the shoulder blades – the Heart / Heart Protector zone on the back – is also very effective. The same applies for placing your palm on the sternum. Although this kind of touch requires a high level of intimacy and most probably consent.
In fact, you can put your hand more or less anywhere that you and your receiver feel comfortable with, possibly simply targeting areas where they are experiencing some kind of negative sensation.
AWARENESS CHANGES EVERYTHING
You might be surprised at how a conscious appreciation of the power of Lao Gong can change the way in which your system receives energetic healing treatments.
You can road test your awareness of HP8 next time you come in for a Zen Shiatsu session.
Looking forward to seeing you all soon, on the mat.
