P. Sze 
These last couple of years, I found myself experimenting with treatment methods outside the well-known Western medicine. Surprisingly enough, I found most of them working just fine and treating the issues that I was encountering on a day-to-day basis.
One of my most recent discoveries was acupressure. Acupressure revolves around, applying mild pressure to the so-called acupoints. I found one of those points to be especially beneficial for the issues that I was experiencing at the moment, with that being the famous Spirit Gate pressure point. So I thought that my readers would appreciate finding out more about it and the wonders that are to come with the regular stimulation of this exact acupoint.
Where is the Acupoint HT-7 (Other names: Spirit Gate/Heart-7/Shen Men) located?
The Spirit Gate pressure point is one of the many hand pressure points. Other pressure points located near the wrist are the small intestine 3 (SI 3), the inner and outer gate points, the base of the thumb point, and many others. There are various ways to stimulate these points. Acupuncture and acupressure seem to be the most talked about. Acupressure also happens to be one of the two stimulation techniques that I personally have tried out in the past.
This popular pressure point is also known as the Shenmen pressure point or the Heart 7 (HT 7) pressure point. It is believed that the HT-7 has the role of a gateway into the deepest parts of the human heart. But this pressure point is not said to act as a one-way gate only, since it is suggested that it also provides a path through which our heart can express itself.
Through deep stimulation of the Spirit Gate, one can achieve strengthening and stabilization of the heart muscle itself and the heart as a whole. It all revolves around the Qi, in this case, the Qi of the heart organ, and rebalancing its levels in case of an excess or a deficit.
It was interesting to learn the meaning of the heart and its link to the mind outside Western medicine. As I have been taught my whole life, it is our brain that acts as the carrier of the mind. However, ancient traditional Chinese practitioners think differently. They believe that the heart and the mind are no different and that they are working together, is located at the same place in the body. In fact, the Shen in Shenmen translates into mind as it is believed that the spirit of our heart is the shen, hence the mind.
The problems that practitioners try to solve with the use of acupressure and/or acupuncture are thought to develop due to the disturbance of the Shen. As I learned, trauma and shock can easily cause the Shen to leave the nice little settling that it has inside the heart. And so, some of the major health issues such as insomnia, speech problems, and even mania are considered to be caused by the disturbances of the heart, rather than those of the brain as Western medicine explains.
But the heart is thought to have great sensitivity. Knowing that it must be approached with patience and enormous concentration. Some practitioners avoid stimulating the Shenmen pressure point wrist during acupuncture and decide on mild pressure instead, or acupressure as they like to call it.
So, where exactly is the Heart 7 acupoint located? If you place your fingers on the hand wrist, around the ulnar end of the crease of the wrist itself, you are to locate this popular acupoint. Or you can simply follow the space between the ring and the pinky finger, all the way down to your wrist. Below the HT-7, one can also locate the Heart 6, 5, and 4 acupoints as well.
In order to stimulate the HT-7, all that you have to do is apply mild pressure to this pressure point after successfully locating it. I like to apply the pressure by making either circular or up-and-down motions in the hollow space in this area. Repeat these movements in the following two to three minutes before you proceed by applying constant pressure on this point for a couple of seconds. Do not forget to stimulate the HT-7 point on your other hand wrist as well.
The Benefits Of Stimulating The Shen Men Pressure Point Wrist
The Shenmen pressure point wrist is said to provide several health benefits, with the majority of them revolving around our emotional health. For me, it was my anxiety that kept me up at night. I found myself spending night after night without getting much of a sleep as insomnia and anxiety took their toll on my life. A friend of mine suggested that I try acupressure since acupuncture would be too much for me taking into consideration my fear of needles.
And so, I booked my first acupressure session and head over there without much of a knowledge. The practitioner there explained to be all of the benefits that I could expect to take place, especially those revolving around my anxiety and insomnia. The Spirit Gate was one of the first acupoints that he applied pressure to. And from there on, I am still enjoying the benefits that are to come.
Other than insomnia and anxiety, acupressure also helped me to reduce the gathered-up stress that had so many adverse effects on both my physical and mental health. I felt more relaxed and at peace with my body and mind. And so, here are some of the major benefits that the Shenmen pressure point wrist stimulation could offer to you too as well.
- Improved sleep quality;
- Anxiety relief;
- Decline in chronic stress levels;
- Improved mental health;
- Prevention of cognitive decline;
- Pain relief;
- Improved cardiovascular health, etc.
Conclusion
If you too, like me, want to try out new things that would be potentially good for your health, then I highly recommend giving acupressure a try. The best thing about it is that you can even practice it at home. If you are anything like me, then you probably experience sleep issues and anxiety. Who does not living in this hectic world of ours? Well, if that is the case, then a quick daily stimulation of the Shenmen pressure point wrist would do you good. Read all about locating this acupoint and enjoy the many benefits.
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