Chinese Medicine, Women's Health
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Spleen 6 – A Grounding Essential for Women’s Health


Spleen 6 is a triple-whammy point for the womb.

It is named “Three Yin Intersection” because all three of the leg Yin acupuncture channels, the Spleen, Liver and Kidney channels, meet here. This makes Spleen 6 a fabulous point for supporting the uterus and lower abdomen, because all of those channels run through that area and have a direct action on women’s health.

Spleen 6, Three Yin Intersection

  • Ruler of the Lower Abdomen (the home of the womb)
  • Meeting of Liver, Spleen and Kidney Channels 


  • Regular menstruation, encourages good flow and timing
  • Circulation of the uterine area and lower abdomen
  • Labor processes
  • Postpartum healing
  • Lower abdominal healing, such as after surgery or trauma
  • Strength and quantity of nourishing Yin and Blood
  • Regulation of all bleeding in the body, but especially uterine bleeding
  • Calming of anxious states with insomnia or palpitations
  • Downward and grounding energy and tuning into pelvis and womb
  • General digestive functions
  • Structural integrity of the lower pelvis, hips, sacrum, and thighs
  • Healing of pelvic pain

Because it acts so strongly on the pelvic organs, Spleen 6 is classified as the Ruler of the Lower Abdomen. Think of any menstrual problem, from irregular bleeding or sluggish-to-start menstruation, cramps, heavy or scanty bleeding, and so on, difficult or stalled labor, postpartum bleeding, or bleeding during miscarriage or abortion.

It can also be used for pelvic pain, like for pelvic inflammatory disease, cysts, pelvic adhesions, healing distasis recti, hernias, or any lower abdominal surgeries.                             

Spleen 6 is useful for lower digestive pain and tension, too. This makes sense because the Spleen is an important digestive organ.

Spleen 6 is indicated for any and all gynecological issues because it strengthens and regulates Yin and Blood. Yin embodies the receptive, heavy, substantive, dark qualities of the body, earth, spirit and universe, and Blood is a nourishing aspect of Yin itself. Use Spleen 6 as part of a grounding meditation or reflection and intention setting for a full or new moon altar.

Because of its grounding, earthy nature, engaging with Spleen 6 helps to interface with Yin within the body. Yin embodies the receptive, heavy, substantive, dark qualities of the body, earth, spirit and universe.

Any Yin and Yin nourishing point is going to be grounding by nature, but Spleen 6 is even more so because of the Spleen’s association with the Earth element. Acupressure here combined with deep breathing and/or a relaxing body meditation (especially a womb meditation) can induce a feeling of being very grounded. Because of its downward physical and energetic flow, Spleen 6 can calm and release a tight chest, palpitations, anxious feelings, insomnia or simply being up in your  head and scattered feeling.


As a practitioner, I use acupuncture and acupressure to treat diseases and help people feel more comfortable. But as time goes on, I am leaning more and more to using the acupuncture points in a way that isn’t only fixing a pathology. Acupuncture can be used to supporting the natural processes of the body, to align the body with the energetic and physical ways it wants or needs to express.

Spleen 6 is a great point to experiment with tuning into the feel of the point without trying to ‘fix’ something. Because of its broad action on anything menstrual or gynecological (or pelvic or digestive) and being so grounding, it can be used as preventative medicine during those times when when one needs flow, grounding and regulation of Blood.

CONTRAINDICATION: this point is not to be used during pregnancy until the ‘guess date aka due date’ is near or passed.

Areas of Action for Spleen 6:

Tonify Yin and Blood, all Spleen disorders.

Digestive disorders, sinking/prolapse.

Gynecological issues, male sexual issues, difficult labor (expel fetus).

Menstrual issues (irregular, amenorrhea, dysmenorrhea).

Bleeding disorders, uterine bleeding, cool blood in hot skin diseases.

Insomnia, palpitations, and other anxiety related emotions.

Dizziness, hypertension.


Location of Spleen 6

Technically, Spleen 6 is located three cun up from the point of the inner ankle bone, in a fingertip-sized divot in the fleshy part under the tibia, the inner shin bone.

A cun (pronounced soon) is the measurement in acupuncture. It’s a measurement relative to everybody’s different sizes. One cun on me is going to be different from one cun on someone else. It’s roughly an inch, though, and often taught as the length of the middle part of the pointer finger, between the knuckles on the finger.

A cun is measured using the person receiving acupuncture or pressure treatment in mind.

To find Spleen 6 on someone else, a good rule of thumb is that is around four fingers width above the inner ankle bone. With your fingers together, touch the side of the middle knuckle on the highest part inner ankle bone, then notice the area of your leg on the side of your pinky. Spleen 6 is under the edge of the tibia (towards the back of the leg).

Feel around with gentle pressure of the pad of your finger tip. Glide downwards to find the central divot of the point.

This point may be tender to the touch, or not. When you find it, apply moderate to strong pressure with the tip of your finger.

Try to have at least the end of your finger perpendicular to the point to get the greatest pressure. I like to push about an inch into the point. Sometime I use my fingernail to really make a connection.

However you touch the point, breath and remember your intention. Are you wishing feel a nice and easy menstrual flow? Coordinate uterine contractions during labor? Ease lower belly cramping? Feel calm and grounded, supported by the earth?

Close your eyes and notice what this point feels like, where the energy is flowing locally in the point itself, up and down the leg, into the pelvis and lower abdomen, or anywhere else.

Once you are in tune with the sensation of the point and where that feeling travels (if anywhere) tune into the organs this point traverses. Notice, observe, listen. Tune into your blood, the blood in your body and in your womb or womb-space if you do not have a womb. Imagine free flow.


Spleen 6 meditation

Sit comfortably. Take three grounding breaths. Breath in for 4 counts, hold for 4 counts, and exhale for 8 counts. Relax your body with each breath.

Set an intention. What would you like to feel, learn, or observe? Take another breath to integrate the intention into your being.

Locate Spleen 6. Take your time, but also don’t get hung up about the exact or perfect location. Feel for a spot that is inviting, active and connected.

Experiment with pressure and penetration of the point. Press at different levels and angles until you find a level that produces a nice sensation you like.

While holding the point, think of the blood flowing in your body. Start with a feel or image of the heart pumping, then the blood flowing though arteries, veins and capillaries.

Bring your awareness to your lower abdomen or uterus. Feel the blood flow in and out of the area via the arteries, veins and capillaries. If you have a uterus, feel the blood circulate through it’s muscular wall. If you don’t have a uterus, feel the blood flow through your pelvic area and lower abdomen.

Settle your attention to a spot that would like to feel a healthy flow. It could be a spot that is achy, dark, cold, cramped, weak or simply needing some invigoration. As you breath and focus on this spot, feel your visualize your heartbeat move blood into and out of this area. 

Sit with your feelings as long as you’d like. Give thanks for your body, and the connection to the point and the wisdom held there.

1 Comment

  1. This is the article I have been looking for! I am trying so hard to feel better. I am working with a Kinesiologist and we just discovered it is my spleen that is weak and causing many problems. Is this spot always on the left leg? Are there herbs that you recommend to nourish the spleen? I need to concentrate for two weeks after my period on building up my blood and then the other two weeks on moving Qi. Thank you for any help.

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