The Mystery of the Governing & Conception Vessel
The Mystery of Governing & Conception Vessel
In many ways, the governing and conception vessel meridians are a mystery in shiatsu. There is no diagnostic correspondence for them in the pulse, the hara or the face. There is traditionally no specific technique for treating and balancing the governing or conception vessels' chi.
In his book Meridian Exercise, Shizuto Masunaga says that the governing and conception vessel (GV/CV) stand above the other meridians in terms of importance. He states that they regulate the 12 classic meridians along with regulating the basic life functions. Herein lies the mystery: if governing and conception vessel are so important, why is there no diagnosis or specific treatment for them?
To help solve what seems to be a huge contradiction in the teaching and practice of shiatsu, we can look at two different dimensions of these master meridians. The first dimension is how they express themselves at the primitive or cellular level of life. The second dimension is how they evolve into a specialized system of energy in the complex human organism. Then we can synthesize these perceptions to create a comprehensive approach to diagnosis and treatment.
“Shin Tai is an evolving form of shiatsu that makes diagnosis and treatment of governing & conception vessel a priority.”
The Primitive Dimension of GV/CV
At the primitive cellular level, motion is the equivalent to meridian. Motion supplies life force or chi to carry out the basic life functions of the cell. Motion is also the same as primitive governing and conception vessel. In other words, the most primitive dimension of GV/CV is motion.
MOTION = BASIC LIFE FUNCTION = GV/CV
The Specialized Dimension of GV/CV
As the fetus develops, recreating biological evolution, the governing and conception vessels develop into more linear pathways (meridians). The governing vessel then flowers into the spinal column and its inner components (the meninges, the cerebral spinal fluid and the central nervous system). The conception vessel flowers into the digestive system and its core, the hara.
These two master meridians also diversify into the 12 classic meridians of acupuncture, each with a specific energetic pathway and function.
Synthesizing the Two Dimensions
Solving the mystery of governing and conception vessel diagnosis comes from the perception and synthesis of the primitive and specialized way that they express themselves in the human being. Subtle motions, which can be seen throughout the body in response to breathing, indicate how well the primitive dimension of GV/CV is circulating throughout the system. Three phases of specific motions and their significance in the healing process is a key aspect of the shiatsu shin tai training.
Evaluating the specialized dimension of GV/CV requires a more specialized focus. For governing vessel, the flexibility of the spine and the independent springing motion of the vertebrae show the condition of its more specialized aspect. For conception vessel, the homogenous and resilient quality of the hara shows its specialized dimension.
A shiatsu practitioner can help regenerate the most essential flow of chi in the body. By developing the perception of subtle motions and learning specific technique which addresses the uniqueness of the governing and conception vessels, a practitioner can restore the power of primitive life force in the system and assist the client back to a higher experience of life. Shin Tai is an evolving form of shiatsu that makes diagnosis and treatment of governing & conception vessel a priority.
Shiatsu Shin Tai expands on traditional Shiatsu massage to create an evolutionary system of diagnosis and technique that stimulates the flow of life force in the body. There is a focus on the treatment of the two primary meridians, Governing Vessel and Conception Vessel, creating a powerful system of diagnosis, theory and technique that facilitates deep transformation. A unique synthesis of structural, fascia, meridian, and chakra technique, this therapeutic bodywork clears stress from the body, and naturally stimulates the flow of energy.