Master Tse’s Qigong Dao #158

Eight Extra Channels 奇 經 八 脈 pt2

In Chinese Eight Extra Channels is Qi Jing Ba Ma i奇 經 八 脈. Qi 奇 means of or unusual. Jing 經 means channels. Ba 八 means eight and Mai 脈 also means channels, but Mai is stronger. Jing is like a stream whereas Mai is like a river, like in Ren Mai and Du Mai. The Eight Extra Channels are all called Mai whereas the Twelve Main Channels 十二經絡 are all called Jing Luo.

So the Qi Jing Ba Mai means Unusual Jing Eight Mai, so we just say the Eight Extra Channels. The Eight Extra Channels are Ren Mai 任 脈, Du Mai 督 脈, Chong Mai 衝 脈, Dai Mai 帶 脈, Yin Wei Mai 陰 維 脈, Yang Wei Ma i陽 維 脈, Yin Jue Mai 陰 蹺 脈 and Yang Jue Mai 陽 蹺 脈.  When we study Qigong we are actually familiar with half of these already as we use the Ren Mai, Du Mai, Chong Mai and Dai Mai all the time. This is because they are the most important which means the other four Mai are not so important.  If the first four are formed fully and flow smoothly then the other four Mai will automatically have formed and flow as well.  In our Qigong practice we concentrate on first four Mai so that they can flow without any blockages. This means the Qi will be strong which in turn means the Twelve Main Channels will flow smoothly as well.