Where exactly are the meridian points located on your body and face, and which ones do you actually tap in EFT Tapping? This guide answers both: a full map of the meridian points used in acupressure, acupuncture, and EFT tapping, including the points on your face, and which ones are part of the standard Tapping sequence.
Meridian points have guided practitioners for thousands of years, and today, they're at the heart of popular wellness techniques like acupuncture and EFT Tapping.
Ready to explore the hidden highways of healing running through your body?
In this guide, you’ll find everything you need to know about meridian points.
Everything here assumes just a little familiarity, and our complete tapping guide fills in the rest.
What are meridian points?
Meridian points, or acupoints, are specific locations on the body that serve as gateways to the body's vital energy (often referred to as “qi”).
The theory of meridians and meridian points originated in ancient China over 2,000 years ago. According to traditional Chinese medicine practices, these specific sites on the body are access points to an intricate network of energy pathways (called meridians) through which life force energy flows.
You can think of meridian points like the body’s energy hotspots.
Mapped out over thousands of years by Chinese medicine practitioners, meridians are believed to be connected to various organs and bodily functions. When the acupoints along these channels are stimulated (whether through acupuncture needles, finger pressure, or Tapping) it can help balance the body’s energy flow, alleviate physical discomfort or emotional distress, and promote healing.
This knowledge around meridians and acupoints has been passed down through generations and forms the basis for many energy healing modalities still used today, making it one of the oldest and most enduring systems of medicine and healing in human history.
Whether you're interested in traditional Chinese medicine, energy healing, or simply looking for new ways to support your health and wellbeing, understanding meridian points can be incredibly valuable.
Why are meridian points important?
Meridian points play a crucial role in many holistic health practices and offer several key benefits:
- Gateway to energy healing: Meridian points serve as the foundation for numerous healing modalities, including acupuncture, acupressure, and EFT Tapping. They provide practitioners with precise locations to focus their efforts for maximum impact, and offer an integrative approach to caring for the whole person.
- Stress reduction: Techniques like EFT Tapping that use meridian points have been shown to reduce cortisol (the stress hormone) levels and activate the body's relaxation response, making them powerful tools for stress management.[1]
- Pain relief: Many people find that stimulating certain meridian points can help alleviate various types of physical discomfort, from headaches to chronic pain conditions.
- Emotional regulation: Working with meridian points, especially through practices like EFT Tapping, can help process and release difficult emotions, leading to greater emotional stability and resilience.
For those of us who practice EFT tapping, meridian points are particularly significant. The Tapping sequence uses specific meridian endpoints that, when stimulated, help to regulate the brain and body, effectively relieving both physical and emotional distress.
How many meridians are there?
There are 12 principal meridians recognized in traditional Chinese medicine. Each is associated with a specific organ system:
- Lung Meridian
- Large Intestine Meridian
- Stomach Meridian
- Spleen Meridian
- Heart Meridian
- Small Intestine Meridian
- Bladder Meridian
- Kidney Meridian
- Pericardium Meridian
- Triple Warmer (San Jiao) Meridian
- Gallbladder Meridian
- Liver Meridian
In addition, there are two other major meridians that aren’t linked to specific organs:
- Central Meridian (or Conception Vessel)
- Governing Vessel
All of these meridians exist in symmetrical pairs, with channels running along each side of the body.
Each of the meridians also has a varying number of acupoints along its path, where the meridian can be “accessed” through practices like acupuncture, acupressure, or EFT Tapping.
The meridian system is kind of like an intricate network of energy highways running through the body.
Interestingly, although the theory of meridians is based in ancient practice, recently researchers have discovered that the meridians are linked to specific physical structures in the body called fascia.[2]
Other researchers believe the meridians correspond to the nervous system.[3,4]
Want the full traditional map to print or keep on hand? Our printable 12 meridians chart lays out all 12 pathways in one place.
Free. The best place to start.
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This article will cover a few of the common points to help you get started, but there are hundreds of acupoints found across the body along the various meridians.
Even working with a few key points, as we do in EFT Tapping, can lead to significant positive changes in your life.
Here are some of the most commonly used points in practices like EFT Tapping:
- Side of the hand, Small Intestine
- Eyebrow, Bladder
- Side of the Eye, Gallbladder
- Under the Eye, Stomach
- Under the Nose, Governing Vessel
- Chin, Conception Vessel
- Collarbone, Kidney
- Under the Arm, Spleen
- Top of the Head, A meeting point of many meridians, like the Governing Vessel and Bladder
These points are the nine acupoints used in the traditional EFT Tapping sequence, and they were chosen for their effectiveness in addressing a wide range of emotional and physical concerns.
When you tap on these points while focusing on a specific problem, you're sending calming signals to the amygdala, the part of the brain responsible for processing emotions. This can help you let go of stress, anxiety, and other negative emotions, allowing you to approach challenges with greater ease and clarity.
You can learn more about each of these points and why we use them in this EFT Tapping Point guide. And for a more comprehensive understanding of meridian point locations, it's best to consult detailed acupuncture charts or work with a trained practitioner.
Meridian points on the body: the full map
Meridian points aren't only on the face and hand. Traditional Chinese medicine places them all over the body, along each of the 12 meridians described above. The table below shows where the 9 points used in EFT tapping sit, plus a few traditional points beyond the EFT sequence, so you can see how the two maps relate. Meridian theory is part of traditional Chinese medicine, not a medically verified anatomical system, so treat the meridian-to-emotion associations as traditional theory rather than established science.
| Point | Meridian | Location | Tapped in EFT? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Side of the Hand | Small Intestine | The fleshy outer edge of the hand, below the pinky | Yes, the setup point |
| Eyebrow | Bladder | Inner edge of the eyebrow, closest to the bridge of the nose | Yes |
| Side of the Eye | Gallbladder | On the bone along the outside of either eye | Yes |
| Under the Eye | Stomach | On the bone directly under either eye | Yes |
| Under the Nose | Governing Vessel | Between the base of the nose and the upper lip | Yes |
| Chin | Conception Vessel | In the crease between the bottom lip and the chin | Yes |
| Collarbone | Kidney | Just below where the collarbone and breastbone meet | Yes |
| Under the Arm | Spleen | About four inches below the armpit, level with the nipple | Yes |
| Top of the Head | Governing Vessel / Bladder meeting point | Directly on the crown of the head | Yes |
| Inner Wrist | Lung | Inner forearm, just above the wrist crease, thumb side | No, traditional point only |
| Below the Kneecap | Stomach | About four finger-widths below the kneecap, outer shin | No, traditional point only |
| Center of the Chest | Conception Vessel | Center of the breastbone, between the nipples | No, traditional point only |
The nine "Yes" rows are the ones you'll actually tap in a standard EFT round. The other rows exist to show that meridian points cover the whole body, EFT just uses a focused, accessible subset of them.
Meridian points on the face
Five of the nine EFT points are on the face, which is part of why Tapping is so easy to do anywhere, no rolled-up sleeve or bare collarbone required.
- Eyebrow (Bladder Meridian): where the eyebrow begins, close to the bridge of the nose. Tapping here is often used while naming trauma, hurt, or sadness.
- Side of the Eye (Gallbladder Meridian): on the bone directly along the outside of either eye. This point is associated with anger and resentment in traditional theory.
- Under the Eye (Stomach Meridian): on the bone directly under either eye. Traditionally linked to fear, anxiety, and worry.
- Under the Nose (Governing Vessel): in the area directly between the nose and upper lip. Often used while naming shame or feeling powerless.
- Chin (Conception Vessel): in the crease just below the bottom lip and above the chin, sometimes called "under the mouth." Traditionally linked to confusion and uncertainty.
A sixth point often grouped with the face points, even though it's technically on the crown: the Top of the Head, where several meridians, including the Governing Vessel and Bladder meridian, meet. It's usually the last point in the round.
You can tap just these face points on their own as a fast, low-key option, or run the full 9-point sequence below, which adds the hand, collarbone, and underarm points.
A meridian-point tapping round
Here's a simple round that moves through all 9 EFT meridian points. Rate how strong the feeling is from 0 to 10 before you start, tap through the points, then check the number again.
- Setup (repeat three times, tapping the side of your hand): "Even though I feel this [emotion or issue], I deeply and completely accept myself."
- Eyebrow: "This feeling."
- Side of Eye: "All of this."
- Under Eye: "This tension I'm carrying."
- Under Nose: "It's here right now."
- Chin: "I'm allowed to feel this."
- Collarbone: "I choose to let some of this go."
- Under Arm: "I'm safe in this moment."
- Top of Head: "I release what I don't need to carry."
Swap the bracketed part and the reminder phrases for whatever you're actually feeling, that's what makes a round effective. Reassess your number, and do another round if it's still high.
What our data shows
We don't have a session category built specifically around meridian points, since meridian points are the mechanism behind Tapping, not a topic on their own. The closest app data comes from Getting Started, the category built for people learning the basics, and from the session most people use to learn where the points are in the first place.
Across the Getting Started category in The Tapping Solution App, 7 sessions and 239,422 completions show the average self-rated intensity drop from 6.1 to 3.5, a 42% drop in a single session (app data). "Intro to Tapping and The App," the session built to walk new users through the points, has been completed 41,742 times, with ratings going from 5.6 to 4.2 (app data).
A peer-reviewed study of 270,461 App users, published in JMIR mHealth and uHealth (Church & Stapleton, 2020), found that anxiety dropped by 44% and stress dropped by 45% in a single session.
If you want to try tapping through the meridian points yourself with guidance, start with this free session.
What people say
"Absolutely baffled! I'm literally fighting tears of joy to write this."
Brandi, lifelong anxiety, a skeptic before trying tapping — rated her anxiety an 8 before tapping, a 1 after
"I absolutely LOVED this one! I just hosted a friend for 2 days and felt much overwhelm with the schedule. My mind was onto tomorrow's activities and I did this tap before going to sleep. I went from 9 to 0. Thank you!"
Susan, Tapping into Meditation — rated her overwhelm a 9 before the session, a 0 after
Go deeper
- EFT Tapping: The Complete Guide
- EFT Tapping Chart: Getting to Know the 9 Main Tapping Points
- Printable 12 Meridians Chart
- EFT Tapping Phrases
- EFT Tapping Scripts
Tap along with me
Jessica walks through each tapping point out loud in this video, so you can follow along and get the sequence into your body, not just your head.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are meridian points?
Meridian points, or acupoints, are specific locations on the body that traditional Chinese medicine describes as gateways to the body's vital energy, often called qi. They sit along pathways called meridians, mapped out over thousands of years, and are the points used in acupuncture, acupressure, and EFT tapping.
Where are the meridian points on the body?
Meridian points run the full length of the body, from the top of the head down through the face, hands, torso, and feet. Traditional Chinese medicine maps hundreds of them along the 12 principal meridians. EFT tapping uses a small set of these points, on the hand, face, collarbone, and underarm, chosen for how accessible and effective they are. See the body map above.
Which meridian points do you tap in EFT?
Nine: the side of the hand (karate chop), eyebrow, side of the eye, under the eye, under the nose, chin, collarbone, under the arm, and top of the head. The side of the hand is where you say your setup statement; the other eight make up the tapping round.
What are the meridian points on the face?
Five of the nine EFT points are on the face: the eyebrow, side of the eye, under the eye, under the nose, and chin. A sixth point, the top of the head, sits just above the face at the crown. See the face points section above for exact locations.
Do you need to be precise about tapping the exact point?
No. Meridian points aren't pinpoints the size of a needle tip, they're small areas, and tapping anywhere within an inch or so of the spot works. Use two or three fingertips and a light, steady tap. What matters more than precision is staying focused on what you're tapping about.
Is there a chart of the meridian points?
Yes. This guide includes a body map of the points used in EFT plus several traditional points beyond it, and our printable 12 meridians chart lays out the full traditional meridian map.
Want to learn more about how to use meridian points to improve your own health and wellbeing? Explore our Tapping resources or try a guided Tapping meditation in The Tapping Solution App today!
- Instantly reduce anxiety and stress
- Fall asleep faster and sleep better
- Boost productivity, stay motivated
- Relieve chronic or occasional pain
- Release anger, find peace
Until next time… Keep Tapping!
Nick Ortner
References
- Stapleton P, Crighton G, Sabot D, O’Neill HM. Reexamining the effect of emotional freedom techniques on stress biochemistry: A randomized controlled trial. Psychol Trauma. 2020;12(8):869-877.
- Maurer N, Nissel H, Egerbacher M, Gornik E, Schuller P, Traxler H. Anatomical Evidence of Acupuncture Meridians in the Human Extracellular Matrix: Results from a Macroscopic and Microscopic Interdisciplinary Multicentre Study on Human Corpses. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2019;2019:6976892.
- Eigenschink M, Dearing L, Dablander TE, Maier J, Sitte HH. A critical examination of the main premises of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Wien Klin Wochenschr. 2020;132(9-10):260-273.
Longhurst JC. Defining meridians: a modern basis of understanding. J Acupunct Meridian Stud. 2010;3(2):67-74.
