Liver 14 期門 “Qi Men” - opening the door to a new start

“...like coming up from deep water for a breath of air,” is how a patient once described her experience of having her Liver 14 or, Qi Men, point needled.

When we are stressed, anxious, or angry, our qi stagnates in the chest often resulting in chest tightness, short breaths, and frequent sighing. This is something we often see in the clinic with patients, and it’s a constant reminder of how closely connected our emotions are with the state of our physical bodies.

Liver 14 is a powerful point to relieve this sort of tension, found in the 6th intercostal space just under the nipple. The moment the needle is inserted, the patient often feels an immediate opening of energy in their chest, and I watch them take a deep breath of calm air. Liver 14 helps restore the fluid and free-flow of energy and emotions throughout the body.

The Chinese name for this point is also quite poetic. Liver 14 is called 期門 “Qi Men” — 期 is the character for a “period of time” or “cycle,” and 門 is the character for “gate” or “door.” Together, it translates as Cycle Gate, which suggests how needling this point is like opening the door to the start of a new cycle or period of time.

With a deep breath, we let go of the stress, anxiety and anger that clouds our bodies and mind. We release what agitates us so that we can be open to and be refreshed for what comes next.

You can simply use two fingers to massage this area to feel its effects. I often like adding a drop of diluted rose essential oil, which has opening and constraint-relieving properties to it as well. (swipe right to see the exact location of the point!)