How to Self-Heal with Acupressure & Meridian-Based Meditation

Find your nature with The Nature of Points

Let me introduce you to my divine artistic friends Flora Joan & Michael Silvester van der Giessen. Together they form the creative duo behind the Amsterdam based ‘healing arts’ project – The Nature of Points.

Flora is a certified and practising Acupuncturist whose teaching led her, together with Michael, to reverse engineer the need for study aids into easy to consume Decks and Guides. The Nature of Points is a passion project which helps to unlock the often confusing jargon around acupressure and meridian based meditation making it accessible to discovery by everyone. Ideal for self-healing practices, the 4 unique decks (soon to be 5) correspond directly to your individual nature. So how do you begin? Here are 4 steps to help you get started:

Step 1: Find your Nature

We are all made up of 5 Elements, but we usually all have one element that is our default setting. Our personality traits help us understand which Element we align to the most. Rebalancing yourself based on your Element with acupressure and meridian based meditation is a key part of self-healing and personal transformation.

Based on your Element you can then determine which deck(s) would work best for you.

You can use this diagram to decide which Element and therefore, deck you most align with.

Still not sure which is your Element? Then you can download this free guide by The Nature of Points which will take you on a deep dive into each Element, what the imbalance of Yin and Yang looks like per Element, and which deck, Kidney, Liver, Lungs, Spleen, or Heart (coming soon) would help you the most. Remember you can always consult a registered acupuncture practitioner if you are unsure.

Step 2: Chose your Deck

Now that you have figured out which Element you are most aligned with you can use the corresponding organ Deck to help guide you.

Metal = Lung Deck

Water = Kidney Deck

Wood = Liver Deck

Earth = Spleen Deck

Fire = Heart Deck (coming soon)

Step 3: Explore your Nature

The decks each come with a hand-sewn guide booklet which helps you explore each card and meridian point aligned to your chosen Element (and organ). Each point along the meridian has an acupressure instruction or meditation associated.

Start with the Pathway Body card which gives you an overview of the meridian and points you will be working with. It acts as a key between the guide book and the deck.

The rest of the deck have words on the front of each card for you to meditate on, and are used to realign your body, mind, heart and soul. On the back of each card is the name of the point you are working with, in Chinese, English, German, Dutch, Hebrew, Latin, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Swedish and Farsi.

Always use the deck in a way that feels intuitive and natural. You can choose to work your way slowly through your meridian line of points or intuitively draw a card from the deck and work with that point. Each card is numbered, which you can find in the guidebook for extra instructions and learning.

Notice how your body reacts as you contemplate a card. What does it mean to you? This can help you get a sense of the next task on your unique path (ming). If you experience an “Aha!” sensation while focusing on one of the points, then this is the point of connection. Remember not to overstimulate, just enough to provide you with relief or understanding. You don’t need a needle to move energy – you can direct qi with simple finger acupressure, crystal wands, or just through the power of intention.

Step 4: Your Self-Healing Journey Continues

As these cards help to open a door to help you enhance your physical and emotional wellbeing you can also make positive choices to build qi. By choosing to eat good food, exercise regularly, take your rest, relax, meditate, and get some fresh air, you can help to nourish your body and mind. Make sure your internal dialogue to yourself is kind. Speak to yourself with positivity and think with hope about your future intentions. Reduce stress as much as possible, this may mean prioritising your own health above all the other demands put upon you.

Now you are ready to get started. So, find your element, choose a deck, trust your intuition, and start your journey to self-healing.