Meridians are channels of energy flow within the body. These flows each have specific points along their path that are the points used in Chinese Acupuncture. There are 12 bilateral (one of each side of the body) meridians, most of which connect to a specific organ in the body. Therefore, in Western culture, we refer to them by their organ names, such as the lung meridian or the liver meridian. However, these meridians are all connected, so it is really one large, constant energy flow, not 12 separate ones. There are also 2 meridians that flow up the midline of the body, the Central and Governing meridians, that relate to the brain and the nervous system. By maintaining balance in the flow of the meridians, it is thought that it is easier to maintain general health and well-being. This concept, in conjunction with the original work of George Goodheart (see Applied Kinesiology), led to the development of Touch for Health by Dr. John Thie, D.C.