On Fascia & Embryology

Check out this passage on the embryological origin of the meridian system! If you've been in classes with me you may have heard me talk about the possibility that the meridians were laid down in the fascial matrix along the embryological path of migration taken by their respective organ. I have imagined that embryological organs drift through the embryo and leave a trail in the mesenchymal tissue much like how something moves through the ocean during bio-luminesence, that sparkling light trail is the meridian.

"The embryo differentiates into three functional tissue types: ectoderm, endoderm, and mesoderm. The ectoderm continues to differentiate and develop structures that give rise to the skin, nervous system, parts of the eyes, the lining of the nose, mouth and anus.  The endoderm differentiates into the lining of the alimentary canal, larynx, trachea, bronchi, and the lining of the bladder.  The mesoderm, which comprises more than 90% of the entire human body, differentiates into mesenchyme cells that give rise to our internal organs, blood and lymph vessels, bones, muscles, ligaments, cartilage and fascia.

Mesoderm differentiation begins early in the fertilized egg.  Cell differentiation is guided by embryonic polar magnetic and electrical fields that guide the development into specific tissues and integrate them with neural and hormonal pathways.  At the points where the mesoderm divides, migrates or differentiates, mesenchymal nodes are created.  These mesenchymal nodes represent relay switches for the neurologic, neurovascular, and piezoelectric systems.  These mesenchymal nodes crisscross our body creating longitudes and latitudes that are described in eastern medicine as meridian lines.  Specific points along these meridian lines are termed meridian points.  Meridian points effectively utilized by acupuncturists’ needling techniques to provide the opening of energy channels to the internal systems of the body.  The opening of channels correlate to reintegrating and restabilizing neurovascular and lymphatic channels, rebalancing secondary electric and magnetic fields."

--Aaron Mattes, Active Isolated Stretching

The quote doesn't quite address the organs but it does discuss the idea of embryological migration in the context of the meridians. It's excellent information for us to apply our imaginations to in service of cultivating ever-deeper understanding and appreciation for how truly magical our bodies are.

T. Schwenk. Sensitive Chaos. 2nd Ed. London: Rudolf Steiner Press.

The quote is from Aaron Mattes' introduction to the newest edition of his Active Isolated Stretching book.  He attributed the ideas to Kiko Matsumoto's book Hara Diagnosis: Reflections on the Sea and to the work of James Oschman.  Ironically, it was many years ago that I first encountered Oschman's work via a different quote in an earlier edition of Mattes' AIS book!  The earlier quote made me read Hara Diagnosis (well before I was interested in Chinese medicine) and prompted me to get into Oschman's work.