25/03/2026
Check out our latest insightful article by Dr Sam Dudgeon, our expert in Chinese Medicine. 🌿 Sam’s back in the clinic next Monday 30th & Tuesday 31st - secure your spot with a text to 0494 161 680.
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ESSENCES, MERIDIANS & HEALING
Ian White reached out to me recently, the pioneer who started the Australian Bush flower essences. He wanted my opinion being a Chinese medical practitioner on what flower essences help balance and harmonise the Conception and Governor vessel meridians. I have thought about this frequently since I started using the bush flower essences in my clinical practice. I have contemplated what planets rule the meridians and what flower essences would be useful to balance the channels. With the Governor vessel and the Conception vessel, it made sense to me to put the luminaries in rulership over these two meridians. The Sun ruling the Governor vessel as the “Sea of Yang.” The Moon for the Conception vessel as the “Sea of Yin.”
These two channels are linked to the eight extraordinary vessels and are the first meridians to be developed after birth. They are constitutional vessels that are evolutionary and transformational, reaching the Yuan source Qi level as reflected in morphology and astrology relating to the concept of Ming (fate). As an acupuncturist these channels are only activated specific diagnosis. It was not to long ago in Chinese history doctors thought that it was unethical to tap into this level of the body. As these were channels of transformation connected to Jing (DNA). Jing our life essence is our personal sacred blueprint. It was our responsibility to change and cultivate our Jing through ancient practices of Yang Shen (Nourishing life). It was argued that doctors had no right to try and change ones fate as you are taking role of the creator, that is playing God.
Chinese Medicine in essence is psychology. The Conception vessel and the Governor vessel all play a role not only physically but also psychologically in our lives. The Conception vessel relates to the archetype of the mother. One of the key essences for it is Bottlebrush for mother-child bonding. When the Conception vessel is balanced the person feels whole and complete in themselves. Partnerships, friendships and relationships are created free of a sense of neediness and free of the desire to be needed. Pathological and psychological indications for an imbalanced Conception vessel is one will have difficulty bonding with the mother. There will not be a feeling of being whole within oneself, leading to an over dependency on the mother therefore leading to a Yin deficient state which is more prominent in premature babies. This can lead to addictive behaviour and oral fixations of constantly talking and always wanting something in the mouth. There can be difficulties with commitment due to a fear of commitment due to an unwillingness to take care of somebody else. Dependence and over-dependence issues arise. The need to feel protected and touched at all times. There is also a feeling being incomplete in the absence of a partner, believing that the presence of somebody else is necessary for the feeling of wholeness not to mention the search for a soulmate to feel complete.
When the Governor vessel is in a balanced state the person feels free and fully independent. They are able to walk away from what does not truly serve them. Ruled by the Sun it reflects our own hero’s journey. When in a pathological state and not in balance there is conflict moving forward. This is often accompanied by a lack of independence or rebellion with hyperactivity. Curiosity and desire to learn are impeded. This is the meridian that can be constitutionally linked to ADHD. On a psychological level the Governor vessel can be broken down into a state of excess and deficiency. The state of excess one will have a strong aversion to commitment and responsibility, arrogance, craving status, over-independence, over achievement without happiness, always searching for something better, hyperactivity and behaving over-stimulated and extreme extroversion. One essence to balance these behaviours is Gymea Lily.
The Governor vessel in a deficient state one will have failure to lead or initiate action. One of the key essences I chose for this was Calophyllum when one doubts ones abilities to lead ones life. A tendency to follow and never lead. A fear of being alone, timidity and shyness. Tendency to be over dependent. Language problems, stuttering, or lack of speech due to disturbed shen (spirit). Lack of animation, motivation, and enthusiasm reflected in posture, motion, and gesture. Physically low libido, decreased sexual function, impotence, sterility or infertility. Coldness, stiffness, frigidity and numbness all due to deficient Yang.
Meridians and channels are metaphors for life. Most people don’t realise that acupuncture is sacred geometry applied to the body. Over the years in clinical practice, I have found people have varying degrees of sensitivity, that being to herbs and acupuncture treatments. I have observed after doing many birth natal charts that there are highly sensitive people, especially the Pisces moon and ascendants. The other aspects Neptune conjunct the Sun, Moon, and South node, to name a few. The beauty of flower essences is that those people with these signatures in their birth chart will benefit immensely from this type of medicine. Essences dissolve boundaries they cut through over intellectualisation of medical diagnosis and offer nature to take its course as the one and only healer. They truly are a great alternative when one is sensitive to herbal medicine.
I will put the full list of essences up soon for those interested in knowing how to balance out these meridians.
Samuel Dudgeon
Doctor of Chinese Medicine & Astrologer
M.AppSc., B.Hlth Sc. Cert. Astrology
Warrandyte, Torquay, Shepparton
