THE LUNGS RECEIVE THE HEAVENLY CHI THROUGH THE BREATH, SO IT IS EASY TO SEE WHY THE CLASSICS SAY " THE LUNGS ARE IN CHARGE OF PHYSICAL ENERGY". WHEN WE CONSIDER THE LUNG’S ROLE IN RESPIRATION THEY CONTROL THE RATE AND DEPTH OF RESPIRATION AND THEREFORE, THE ABSORPTION OF HEAVENLY CHI FROM THE AIR. THE ENERGY FROM THE LUNGS CIRCULATES THROUGH AND WARMS THE SKIN ENABLING THE SKIN TO BREATHE THROUGH ITS PORES AND ADAPT TO ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGES. IN COLD WEATHER THE PORES CLOSE AND HOT WEATHER THEY OPEN. THE NOSE IS ALSO RELATED TO THE LUNGS.

MUCOUS, THE SECRETION OF THE LUNGS IS ALSO ASSOCIATED WITH THIS MERIDIAN. A PERSON WITH A LUNG IMBALANCE MAY COUGH WHEN EXCITED. THE LUNGS ARE IMPORTANT FOR RESISTANCE TO DISEASE AND THEREFORE A DEFICIENCY IN LUNG CHI DECREASES A PERSONL’S DEFENSES AGAINST COLDS, FLU AND RELATED ILLNESSES.

PATHWAY: THE HAND TAI YIN LUNG CHANNEL STARTS IN THE REGION OF THE STOMACH IN THE MIDDLE BURNER AND DESCENDS TO CONNECT WITH THE LARGE INTESTINE. IT THEN RETURNS UPWARD PASSING THE UPPER OPENING OF THE STOMACH, PENETRATES THE DIAPHRAGM AND HOMES TO THE LUNG. CONTINUING ITS ASCENDANT PATH, IT PASSES THROUGH THE RESPIRATORY TRACT INTO THE THROAT THEN VEERS DOWNWARD, FOLLOWING THE CLAVICLE TO ENTER THE AXILLA. FROM HERE IT RUNS DOWN THE ANTERIOR ASPECT OF THE UPPER ARM, LATERAL TO THE HEART AND PERICARDIUM CHANNELS, TRANSVERSES TO THE CUBITAL FOSSA AND CONTINUES ALONG THE ANTERIOR ASPECT OF THE FOREARM TO THE RADIAL STYLOID PROCESS OF THE WRIST. IT CROSSES THE RADIAL PULSE, TRAVERSES THE THENAR EMINENCE AND TRAVELS ALONG THE RADIAL SIDE OF THE THUMB TO ITS TIP.

A BRANCH LEAVES THE MAIN PATHWAY PROXIMAL TO THE WRIST, PASSES ROUND TO THE DORSUM OF THE HAND AND THEN RUNS DOWN THE INSIDE OF THE INDEX FINGER TO ITS TIP.