UB-42 Pohu - Soul Door

More Spirit Names: Door of the Corporeal Soul, Animal Soul Door, Po Door

English:	Door of the Corporeal Soul
Also Known As:	Soul Door Animal Soul Door Soul's Household

Location

3 cun lateral to the midline, level with the lower border of the spinous process of the third thoracic vertebra and level with UB-13 Feishu.
Note: when the shoulder is relaxed, the 3 cun line corresponds to the medial border of the scapula.
3 cun lateral to the DU channel, at the level of the lower border of the spinous process of the third thoracic vertebra, on the spinal border of the scapula.

Needling

Oblique insertion 0.3 to 0.5 cun.
Caution: deep perpendicular or deep oblique needling in a medial direction carries a substantial risk of causing a pneumothorax.
Slanted insertion 0.5 to 0.8 cun.
Moxibustion is applicable.

Command Functions

Actions

Tonifies and nourishes the Lungs
Stimulates the descending function of Lung Qi
Regulates Qi
Clears Heat
Stops cough and asthma
Soothes dyspnea
Subdues Rebellious Qi
Activates the channel
Alleviates pain
Soothes the Corporeal Soul (Po)

Indications

Lung atrophy
Lung consumption
Deficiency-taxation
Taxation cough with Heat in the body
Cough
Asthma
Dyspnea
Aversion to Cold
Pleurisy
Cough with profuse sputum
Neck rigidity

Pain of the shoulder, scapula and back
Pain of the chest and back
Stiff neck
Vomiting with agitation and fullness
Three corpse possession disorder*
Loss of consciousness
Bronchitis
Pulmonary tuberculosis
A stifling sensation in the chest
Hemoptysis
Atelectasis

Combinations

UB-43
Gaohuangshu

LI-18
Futu
SI-17
Tianrong
REN-23
Lianquan
ST-11
Qishe
UB-45
Yixi

GB-21
Jianjing

Consumption

Cough with rebellious Qi

Dyspnea

Vomiting of foam

Clenched teeth

Inability to turn the neck

UB-42 + UB-13: soothes the Corporeal Soul (Po)

Contraindications

Notes

This is the outer Bladder point for the Lungs.
This point is good for Bi syndrome of the upper back.
It is used for emotional problems related to the Lungs, especially sadness, grief and worry.
*Three corpse possession disorder is a Taoist concept of possession which attacks either the upper corpse (the eyes), the middle corpse (the five Zang) or the lower corpse (life itself).
This point is used for severe exhaustion of the Lungs.
It can be used for spiritual revival.
It is used for paralysis of the mind.
The outer Back-Shu points are the spiritual points: UB-42 Po (Corporeal Soul), UB-44 Shen (Mind), UB-47 Hun (Ethereal Soul), UB-49 Yi (Thought) and UB-52 Zhi (Willpower).

Five Elements Spirit Perspective

Spirit of the Point	Soul Door is the spirit level of the Metal element. Picture precious gems and gold, and how the alchemists dreamed of making gold from metal: refining, reaching the essence of the true spirit, the person's essence. It is one of the strongest points for reinforcing the spirit and soul, and it opens the eyes of a patient who has given up. When the door opens, someone who has shut themselves off at a deeper level can touch the world of essence again, so the spirit can truly breathe; it gives access to the soul, so that patients can reach their essence. Behind this door lies the spirit's innermost home; when it is shut, nourishment from even the most sacred experiences cannot get in. It is a powerful spirit and soul connection; it opens up the soul and allows the soul to roam freely and move. It helps a person recover their soul, giving an embodied nourishment in which things have meaning, and it brings Heaven's energy down to Earth. It changes thoughts and emotions entirely, from negativity to freedom, and reinforces the fatherly spirit: a gate that, once opened, lets the spirit flow out.
Worsley	Opens our mortal self to the heavenly spirit that comes to dwell within us as our immortal soul. It ensures an inspiring relationship with our inner and outer worlds, so we maintain our ongoing connection with the utmost source. Together with UB-44 Spirit Hall, this point can raise the quality of the Officials. It reinforces the fatherly spirit and brings Heaven's energy down to Earth: a gate that lets the spirit pour out once it is opened. Location: On the back, 4 ACI from the midline, level with the dip between the T3 and T4 spinous processes. Needle depth: 5 fen Moxa: 7-15 cones
When to Consider	For a patient who has been shut off, after something that has been unbearable, with a closed mind or spirit When a person has shut down to cope with an unbearable disaster When the patient has lost hope and stopped trying For deep grief, where people are unable to function and you see their sadness When the spirit is there, but weak and emaciated When the patient searches hard for the god within, through spiritual quests and meditation, yet cannot find it When life has turned so outward that the person is nearly mechanical and cannot picture an inner life at all: "I feel like I am losing my soul" For people who are depressed and lacking inspiration, to give spiritual revival and open up new vistas When nothing found through spiritual practice ever satisfies, and even holy experiences leave the patient unfed When shock or trauma has shut the patient off from their own inner richness When quests for success, power, money, sex or prestige leave the person unsatisfied When nothing is actually wrong with the person, yet they still can't breathe When someone is unwilling to take part in the give and take of life, the reciprocity of the air and the Lungs When a person is trapped and you want a chance to reach their essence, beauty and joy
Combinations	UB-44 Spirit Hall with UB-42: a good treatment when the Heart and Lung pulses remain low and feel empty UB-44 Spirit Hall with UB-42: together they can also raise the quality of the Officials
Notes	Outer Bladder line point; suitable early in treatment Use when KI-24 Spirit Burial Ground or REN-1 has had no effect Moxa is great on this point (unless the Lung Yin is severely deficient) Caution: the lung lies beneath this point Especially for a Metal Causative Factor (CF), but the outer Bladder points can be used for their spirit on any CF Numbered Bladder 37 in the older outer-line numbering used by some texts (site/WHO UB-42) The point governs the Po, the animal soul that lives in the Lung. The Po is linked with passion, instinct and attachment, a Yin movement toward the Earth that restrains or holds back the Hun, the spiritual soul If this door is closed the person is either shut off from themselves or trapped inside and cannot get out

From Class

BL-42 Pohu (Door of the Corporeal Soul): Stimulate when one has difficulty surrendering; concentrating on it addresses the unceasing longing that comes from knowing existence is finite. (Lewis)
Hyperemesis — treat the Po: LU-3, LU-7, BL-42: Resistant hyperemesis: treat the Po (which can 'say no' to the incoming soul in trimester one) — LU-3 calms Po, LU-7 regulates Ren, BL-42 for agitated vomiting. (Lewis)
Month 9 Shen/Po points: HT-4, HT-7, LU-3, LU-7, BL-42; avoid LI-11: Calm the spirit and Po; avoid LI-11 this month. (Lewis)
Five-element emotion practice with paired points: Observe the emotion, then pair a release point with an outer Bladder spirit point: ST-7/BL-49 (Earth), BL-63/BL-52 (Water), SI-1/BL-44 (Fire), LI-1/BL-42 (Metal), GB-12 (possibly GB-8)/BL-47 (Wood). (Lewis)