Recently I came across an interesting fact that in an Irish text, there is something that seems like pressure points called "The 12 Doorways to The Soul." (Da Dorus X Anma) I spoke to a teacher here whose subject is Old Irish, and she pointed gave me the name "Da Dorus X Anma". I haven't really had a chance to do much more research, but this is what I found on the net abou it:

“There are twelve doors of the soul (or portals of life) in the human body: (1) the top of the head, i.e. the crown or the suture, (2) the hollow of the occiput, (3) the hollow of the temple (temporal fossa), (4) the apple of the throat ('Adam's apple', thyroid cartilage), (5) the spoon of the breast (suprasternal fossa), (6) the armpit (axilla), (7) the breast-bone ('spoon of the breast') (sternum), (8) the navel (umbilicus), (9) the...of the side, (10) the bend of the elbow (antecubital fossa), (11) the hollow of the ham (popliteal fossa), i.e. from behind, (12) the bulge of the groin (femoral triangle?), i.e. the bull sinew, (13) the sole of the foot.”

[from The Judgements of Dian Cécht. trans. D. A. Binchy.]

This is interesting to me, because, more than just being areas of the body that are particularly vulnerable, the implication is that they wound 'the soul' that is held within the body. This really gets my mind thinking. This is an 8th century, Old Irish text, and here we have a description of pressure points that are meant to damage, more than just the physical body, but also, seemingly, a conception of a 'subtle body' as well. Interesting, because it also suggests that, perhaps, other non-Asian cultures also had a conception of subtle, or energetic bodies even after the rise of Christianity.

I'd be interested to know if those of you who study Asian systems of pressure points, can relate these areas that are described to the meridian system, especially it might be interesting to know what the psycho/spiritual implications of damage to these points may cause (if there is any information that goes that way).

--Chris

Good find, Chris. Although some of those descriptions are a bit obtuse (hollow of the ham, LOL)!

Interesting.

The Icelandic Vikings had the principle of Oond, a kind of chi-like energy.

this knowledge is not something that was passed down to us irish over the ages

pity

Yes, it most certainly is! If you look at some old Irish books, it's pretty clear that they had some pretty interesting martial arts back in the day (seen in books like the Tain). Too bad it was lost, I'd love to know what the "Heroic Salmon Leaping" skill was.

--Chris

I was joking about the Salmon Leaping Skill. I know that in all liklehood the specific techniques in the Tain are made up (because it was copied after hundreds of years of being passed down orally). However, certain aspects of the book most likely do have historical correlatives, such as there being warriors who taught other warriors martial arts. Nora Chadwick's book 'The Celts' does talk a little (wish it was more) about this aspect of Celtic society.

--Chris