Glossary

A set of ten points, also translated as "Window to the Sky" points, mostly located around the neck and indicated in:

1. Major disharmony between the Qi of the body and the head, usually with Qi or blood rebelling upwards
2. Luoli (glandular swelling) or goitre as well as swelling, pain and stagnation in the throat region
3. Sudden disorders, especially loss of senses
4. Disturbance of mental faculties

In the Classics

This group of points first appeared in the Ling Shu Ch. 2, "The Roots of the Acupuncture Points," where a list of ten points where pulses can be felt are presented according to regions of the body. It says:

In between the two broken basins (缺盆 Qupen St-12), on the Ren Mai, is called the Heavenly Prominence 天突 Tiantu Ren-22. First, beside the Ren Mai, the pulse [動脈 Dong Mai, "moving vessel"] on the foot Yangming is called Man's Welcome [人迎 Renying St-9]. A second pulse, on the hand Yangming, is called Supporting Prominence [扶突 Futu LI-18]. A third pulse, on the hand Taiyang, is called Heaven's Window [天窗 Tianchuang SI-16]. A fourth pulse, on the foot Shaoyang, is called Heavenly Countenance [天容 Tianrong SI-17*]. A fifth pulse, on the hand Shaoyang, is called Heavenly Enlightenment [天牖 Tianyou SJ-16]. A sixth pulse, on the foot Taiyang, it is called Heavenly Pillar [天柱 Tianzhu Bl-10]. A seventh pulse, on the Du Mai, is called Wind Palace [風府 Fengfu Du-16]. Inside the armpit, a pulse on the hand Taiyin, is called Heaven's Palace [天府 Tianfu Lu-3]. Three cun below the armpit in a distance of three cun, on the hand Heart Ruler, is called Heavenly Pool [天池 Tianchi Pc-1].

* Ma Shi (1580) considered 天容 Tianrong SI-17 to be an error as is is not a Shaoyang point, believing it to be the similar sounding 天沖 Tianchong GB-9. This point was also likely originally located at the temporal arterial pulse, where a surging (沖 Chong) could be felt in the heavenly (天 Tian) part of the body, closer to the modern location of 太陽 Taiyang or 耳和髎 Erheliao. Su Wen ch. 20 describes using the "moving vessels in front of the ears" to evaluate the "Qi of the eyes and ears," possibly referencing a similar pulse related diagnostic practice. This would then give all six Yang channels a Window of Heaven point. An alternative explanation is that this point used to be on the foot Shaoyang Gall Bladder Channel when the Ling Shu was written. No specific functions or indications are given, appearing just to be referring to places where pulses can be felt. The last two may not be at the exact locations where they are today and may indicate the brachial pulse on the inside of the arm, and the apical pulse in the left mid-clavicular fifth intercostal space. They may be for diagnostic purposes as the Su Wen ch. 46, previously states that in Yang Reversal (Yang Jue 陽厥) with anger and mania, it can be noted that:

The Yangming has permanent movement [Renying St-9 or Futu LI-18 at the location of the carotid pulse]. The Taiyang and Shaoyang do not move [Tianrong SI-17 and Tianyou SJ-16 just above the normal location on the carotid pulse]. While they normally do not move, when they do move with great speed, this is the manifestation of Yang Reversal.

Although requires an extrapolation of the points mentioned, and not other points along these channels, it suggests that if Yang is blocked and accumulating inside, it will manifest as additional pulse sites above the usual carotid arterial pulse where it is not normally felt. For treatment it recommends making the patient fast to reduce their intake of Qi and thus reduce the excess Yang buildup. Five of these are then presented later in Ch. 21, "On Cold and Hot Diseases," with their indications given for their piercing. Although not named as a group until later, these are sometimes called the Greater Windows of Heaven Points and their indications suggest that they are connected to counterflow, with the Yang channel points balancing their opposite branch on the Chinese clock and their channel pathway, while the Yin channel point working to reduce counterflow along the controlling cycle of the Five Phases:

人迎 Renying St-9	"When Yang is rebellious and there is counter-flow, there is pain in the head. The chest is full and one is unable to take breath normally." The Stomach channel runs across the chest and head and its complementary Zang is the Pericardium, hence symptoms of the head and chest.
扶突 Futu LI-18	"When there is an abrupt loss of speech, the qi hardens." The Large Intestine's pathway runs across the throat and mouth, with its complementary Zang being the Kidney, which terminates in the throat, hence symptoms of loss of voice and hardening of qi (water's nature is soft and Su Wen 22 says "the Kidneys long for hardness").
天牖 Tianyou SJ-16	"When there is an abrupt loss of hearing, the qi becomes covered and blocked, and the ears and eyes lose their brightness." The San Jiao channel arcs around the ear to the eyebrow and its complementary Zang is the Spleen, hence symptoms of Spleen Yang failing to reach the sense organs and becoming dull.
天柱 Tianzhu Bl-10	"When there are spasms, convulsions, and dizziness, and the feet are unable to bear the body." The Bladder channel runs down the back and its complementary Zang is the Lung, hence signs of External Windstrike causing tetany-like symptoms.
天府 Tianfu Lu-3	"When there is an abrupt thirst and fever, the interior is rebellious and in counter-flow, causing the liver and lungs to strike at each other and blood overflows from the nose and mouth." This Window of Heaven point is an anomaly, being neither on the neck or a Yang channel. Its indications suggest Liver insulting the Lung, implying that this point can restore the power of the Lung to control extreme Liver Excess.

This makes the other five, sometimes called the Lesser Window of Heaven Points, and their indications, to be:

天窗 Tianchuang SI-16	Liver Yang Excess causing tinnitus, ear pain or paralysis from Internal Wind Stirring.
天沖 Tianchong GB-9 (天容 Tianrong SI-17)	As GB-9, this point pacifies Heart agitation, treating Shen disturbance and fright. As SI-17, this point treats inability to speak and chest pain and fullness.
天池 Tianchi Pc-1	Strengthens the Heart Fire controlling cycle function to resist Lung Obstruction insulting the Heart, e.g. Cor Pulmonale where COPD begins to affect heart function; or Heart Yang deficiency due to excessive control from Water, e.g. heart failure leading to oedema or cold counterflow. Another way to rationalise the functions of the two Yin points, is that, in the older system of the Five Phases, represented as a cross with Earth in the Centre, 天府 Tianfu Lu-3 stops counterflow along the horizontal axis (Wood-Metal) and 天池 Tianchi Pc-1 prevents counterflow along the vertical axis (Fire-Water).
天突 Tiantu Ren-22	There is no precedent from Ling Shu 21 to determine a mechanism but based on the other points, it can be assumed they may strengthen the vessel to treat counterflow in its opposite, e.g. rebellious Yang Qi causing cough, wheezing, vomiting with signs of Heat.
風府 Fengfu Du-16	Strengthening Yang to expel Wind and Cold obstruction, especially of the head and neck.

Modern Practice

After being formed into a functional group by Ma Shi (16th century) and Zhang Zhi-Cong (17th century), they were first given the name "Window of Heaven" by Dr. Albert Chamfrault in 1954 and then popularised by Van Nghi. They became used in modern practice for spiritual and psychological purposes such as:

• Connecting a person to their spiritual self or the celestial realm for guidance
• Evoking to a hypnagogic state
• Past-life work
• Releases emotional trauma
• Meditate between thought, action and feeling

Jeffrey Yuen also created a group of opposing Doorway to the Earth points, mostly located at pulse sites in the lower body, to balance above and below.

References: Deadman, P. & Al-Khafaji (1993). A Brief Discussion of the Points of the Window of Heaven/a>. The Journal of Chinese Medicine, Sep 1993, 43. Prescott, A. (2016). https://harmonygate.com/assets/linked_docs/articles/Windows_Heaven.pdfWindows of Heaven (Windows of the Sky). Twicken, D. (2016). Window of the Sky Points. Acupuncture Today. Feb 2016, 17 (2).