ST-45 Lidui - Hard Bargain

Hard Bargain is the Metal point on the Stomach, for a sense of grief that is stuck, when it never seems fair. It is the hard bargain of dealing with loss or grief or some other issue in life. It is for a person who is cold, rigid and inert, mentally cold, lacking tolerance, understanding or compassion: Metal too cold in Earth. Metal also helps Earth see its own harvest, know the limits of its work and gain a sense of purpose. Metal gives richness to Earth, so it helps a barren Earth.

• Worsley gives it as a First Aid point for toothache, indigestion and hangover.
• Not to be needled from the 6th month of pregnancy onward

Location: At the nail point on the outer (lateral) side of the 2nd toe.
Needle depth: 1 fen
Moxa: 3 cones

• When grief is stuck and it never seems fair
• When someone is dealing with the hard bargain of loss, grief or some other issue in their life
• When a person is cold, rigid and inert, lacking tolerance, understanding or compassion
• When Earth is over-involved in other people's territory and needs to draw back to its center
• When Earth needs inspiration and a sense of purpose
• When there are nightmares with shouting, excess dreaming or a disturbed dream life
• When there is insomnia
• When the practitioner wants to reach out and help but the person has to help themselves, and it cannot be resolved for them
• When a person must accept imperfection in a moment of life, and can go no further than this
• For the person who feels their needs are never met and so keeps whining, complaining and demanding sympathy
• When there is a lack of sympathy for others and for oneself
• When a person has got themselves into a real bind, a hard place, 'a rock in my stomach', or is stuck in a complaint
• When the person feels cut off mentally or spiritually
• When an Earth CF is facing a hard time

• SP-5 Merchant Mound with ST-45: for the place where people are totally spent and wiped out
• LI-1 Merchant Yang with ST-45: uses the Bright Yang relationship to clear and calm a restless or congested mind

• Metal point, Well point and Sedation point of the Stomach
• A painful nail point: use it appropriately
• Saying the name of this point to patients can carry a sense of sympathy
• For insomnia, this is probably the best point
• For Earth imbalances, ground with points on the feet and center with points on the body
• When the Metal within Earth turns cold, rigid and inert, physical and emotional digestion become sluggish