Yin Tang: the "Hall of Impression" Accupressure Point

In the Chinese medicine practices of acupuncture and acupressure, the Yin Tang is the point that is located between the inner edges of the eyebrows, at what is also known as the "third eye" area of the forehead. It can be activated via acupuncture, acupressure, or simply by gently resting one's attention in this area.

Location

Though the acupuncture point Yin Tang is located along the course of the Du Mai (Governing Vessel), it does not officially belong to that meridian. Rather, it belongs to a category of points known as the “extraordinary points,” i.e. points which stand on their own, in the sense of not being part of any particular meridian.

Yin Tang is located midway between the medial ends of the two eyebrows. In other words, it’s in the center of the forehead, between the eyebrows, at the point often associated with the “third eye.” The English translation of Yin Tang is “Hall of Impression”—pointing, perhaps, to the intuitive “impressions” or inner visions that one is able to access via this point.

Upper Dantian

The location of Yin Tang corresponds also to the upper dantian, which is traditionally believed to be the home of Shen—one of the Three Treasures. The “space” of the upper dantian (known also as the “crystal palace”) is in the center of the skull, between the two hemispheres of the brain, where the thalamus and hypothalamus glands rest. Though the acupuncture point Yin Tang itself is on the surface of the skull, it is used as a portal into the larger region of the upper dantian (as in the Inner Smile practice)—and hence is of utmost importance for qigong and neidan practice.

Actions & Indications

As an acupuncture or acupressure (qigong self-massage) point, Yin Tang has the power to:

• Dispel wind
• Calm shen and relieve anxiety, agitation or insomnia 
• Benefit the nose, opening nasal congestion, rhinitis, and pain
• Alleviate pain and headache

How to Apply Acupressure

To apply acupressure to Yin Tang, bring the first and middle fingers of your two hands together, using the ends of those four fingers together to very gently massage the area between the inner ends of your two eyebrows in a circular motion. The motion can be either clockwise or counter-clockwise (find out which intuitively feels best to you). As you apply that circular acupressure/massage, allow all the muscles of your forehead to soften and relax (saying "ahh" can be useful here), as though they were releasing backward, in the direction of the center of your skull (the upper dantian area).