10/08/2025
Have you ever felt that rush of anxiety—your heart pounding, your chest feeling tight—right before you have to manage a stressful situation.
In medical terms, your heart is literally protected by a strong, fibrous sac called the pericardium. Its job is to keep your heart in place and shielded from physical stress.
But in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), this protective layer is seen as something more profound: the “Heart Protector.” It’s the bodyguard for your emotional and spiritual heart, acting as a buffer against emotional shock, stress, and overwhelming feelings.
When you're about to give a speech or face a difficult conversation, your emotional pericardium steps up. That feeling in your chest is a sign that it’s working hard to protect your spirit from the pressure.
Give Your Heart Protector a Helping Hand
You can support your pericardium's energy with a simple acupressure technique on a powerful point: Pericardium 6 (PC6), also known as the "Inner Gate."
PC6 acupoint is located on the palmar side of the wrist two inches above the transverse crease of the wrist, between the tendons of palmaris longus and flexor carpi radialis
Turn one hand palm-up.
Place the first three fingers of your opposite hand across your wrist,
Apply gentle, but firm, pressure with your thumb for 1-2 minutes while taking slow, deep breaths. You can do this on both wrists.
This point is famous for calming the mind, settling nausea, and helping to restore a sense of inner peace. It's a small act of self-care that directly communicates with your heart's emotional bodyguard, giving it the support it needs to stay strong.
