Introducing The Essence of Japanese Meridian Therapy.

This month our article is about the Japanese style of treatment that I (Dr Chrys Soenaris) studied in Japan recently and how that differs from Traditional Chinese Medicine.

Japanese acupuncture feels different to modern Chinese acupuncture in a few ways — it’s very gentle, precise and meditative. It usually involves moxa that gently warms points on the body and some very precise instruments to stroke or stimulate meridians. Meridian Therapy/ Keiraku Chiryo is a tradition born from Japan’s effort to preserve authentic classical Chinese acupuncture wisdom during an age of Western modernisation, that sees the body as a machine.

This system emphasises skill, sensitivity, and understanding the body’s natural rhythms. It is an invitation for patients to listen deeply to their body’s responses and reconnect the body-mind-emotion awareness. This approach is an invitation for us to really feel into ourselves on a deeper level.

Other aspects of this form are

· Ikigai 生き甲斐 – Life-long dedication and reverence for the medicine, and deep passion to serve patients in their healing journey.

· Calm, focused practice: treatments performed with meditative attention, creating a tranquil space for healing. As a practitioner, self-cultivation practice is a must, to be able to hold space for the patients with impartial kindness and firmness.

· Respecting subtle changes: Every session is tailored through careful observation and touch—no two treatments are the same, even for the same patient. One never steps into the same river twice.

· Perceiving the meridian channels: The body is viewed as a natural landscape responding to cosmic and earthly changes, and as an interconnected network of pathways like rivers; this perception guides every treatment plan.

· Root and branch treatment: Addressing the root cause first, then relieving symptoms for lasting improvement. The body has an innate ability to heal and a natural want to find homeostasis, the path with the least resistance. By addressing the root and the soil, the whole tree can flourish.

· Less is more (shallow or deep needling based on what the body needs): Ultra-fine needles placed just beneath the skin for maximum comfort and precision. Deep needling when required is still applied.

· Revival of the classical (non-inserted) tools: The Yellow Emperor Inner Classic of Medicine (ca. 475 BCE) documented the use of nine types of tools in the art of

meridian therapy. A few of them are not puncturing the skin. What we normally encounter in acupuncture clinics are the hair-thin filiform needles. However, there are other tools to treat the meridians, such as what is shown in the photo below.

Meridian Therapy embodies the idea that healing is a dynamic interaction of polarity and harmony is not a state, but a skill to flow with change — when one loses the ability to move and gets stuck, this is when disease manifests.

Best wishes for your health and happiness!

Dr Chrys Soenaris for Kinglake Chinese Medicine