Dai Mai
Dear Patient,
All of the acupuncture meridians run longitudinally up and down the body, except for one very special meridian: the Dai Mai (pronounced “die my”).
The name Dai Mai means Belt Vessel, or Girdling Vessel, because it encircles the waist. I picture it cinching up all the other meridians, containing the qi as it courses up and down through the torso.
The Dai Mai is a storehouse of our emotional wounds and past traumas. All that we’ve endured is contained here. We carry it around with us, as lumbar pain or abdominal heaviness, as urogenital issues, as menstrual irregularities or fibroids or cysts. In modern times we talk about the body producing cortisol in response to stress, which causes a buildup of abdominal fat—we acupuncturists call that a disharmony in the Dai Mai.
We access the Dai Mai through a point on the foot, Gallbladder 41 (scroll down for location notes). This point has a broad range of applications because the health of the Dai Mai has such far-reaching effects. It’s used for everything from headaches and eye problems to pain in the ribcage and chest to mastitis to menstrual disorders to swelling of the feet. Such a long list of symptoms, all rooted in emotional pain, orbiting the midsection through the Dai Mai.
It’s good to check in with the Dai Mai. Do you feel the energy encircling your waist? Is the belt too tight? Too loose? What does it hold? Press on Gallbladder 41—spend a little time sending attention to the Dai Mai and see what happens.
Love and gratitude,
Your Acupuncturist
P.S. Each Wednesday I write about a different acupuncture point. Are there any you’re curious about? Let me know!
Location Notes:
Gallbladder 41 can be a little tricky to locate. It’s on the dorsal surface of the foot, between the 4th and 5th metatarsal bones. The tendon of m. extensor digiti minimi is also between the 4th and 5th toes. If you flex your foot towards you the tendon will be easily visible. Gallbladder 41 is on the lateral or outer side of the tendon. Check out this diagram for a visual.