THE GOVERNING AND CONCEPTION VESSELS (and finally - Meridians 14)

The Governing and Conception Vessels

The Governing and Conception Vessels are the main rivers of the body’s Yin and Yang energies. They are polar aspects of the body, perfectly complementary, like midnight and midday. They are responsible for the formation of the holoblastic cleavage and the first cellar division of the fertilized ovum in embryological development.

The Governing and Conception Vessels each have two energy flows on the anterior and posterior vertical midline of the body. Each vessel’s pathway is complete, being composed of an ascending energetic flow and a descending energetic flow. The duality of these two medial lines, join at the extremities (the head and perineum), forming one complete circle of energetic current.

Both vessels are superimposed on each other, with the energy of the Governing Vessel being predominant up the back and inferior down the front (behind the Conception Vessel); the energy of the Conception Vessel is predominant up the front and inferior down the back (behind the Governing Vessel).

Governor Vessel

Sea of the Yang Meridians

The Governor Vessel starts at the perineum and travels to the coccyx before making its way to the back of the head. Flowing over the head, it then travels down the front of the face to stop at the canines in the upper jaw.

Conception Vessel

Sea of the Yin Meridians

The Conception Vessel runs down the front of the body, starting just below the eyes. It circles around the mouth to the chest and abdomen before landing at the perineum