Legends say that five thousand years ago the first practitioners of acupuncture were able to see the meridians webbing the surface of the body. Even today, most of the renowned acupuncturists in Japan are blind. Their acclaimed diagnostic skills are possible because they are not distracted by physical appearances. Able to follow the flow of chi with their fingers, they sense its rhythm and pulse along the acupuncture meridians. By sensing where the chi is blocked and where it is flowing vigorously, they are able to diagnose health or disease.
— Alberto Villoldo, Shaman, Healer, Sage