GB-20 - Wind Pool
风池 - Fēng chí
Point Region: Head
GB-20 Fengchi, meaning 'Wind Pool,' sits at the base of the skull where tension gathers like storm clouds before a tempest. Located in the hollow beneath the occipital bone, these paired points serve as the body's primary release valves for accumulated stress, mental pressure, and the kind of energetic congestion that modern life seems to specialize in creating.
As guardians of the transition zone between head and neck, the Wind Pool points excel at dispersing the 'internal wind' that Traditional Chinese Medicine associates with headaches, dizziness, hypertension, and the restless, scattered feeling that comes from mental overload. These points understand that sometimes the mind needs a good storm to clear the air and restore natural calm.
In the geography of stress relief, GB-20 represents a crucial mountain pass where accumulated tension can either continue building into a crisis or be gently dispersed back into healthy circulation. For anyone carrying the weight of the world on their shoulders—literally feeling it in their neck and head—these points offer a direct pathway to release, reset, and return to a more natural state of mental clarity and emotional balance.
Location & How to Find
Anatomical Location: At the base of the skull, lateral to the midline, in the hollow between neck muscles.
How to Locate:
- Place your hands at the base of your skull
- Feel for the hollow spots on either side of your neck
- These are between the neck muscles and below the skull
- Find the depression lateral to the spine
- This is GB-20, in the wind pool hollow
Primary Functions
Nervous System
- Treats headaches and migraines effectively
- Relieves neck tension and cervical pain
- Calms nervous system disorders
- Improves mental clarity and focus
Respiratory System
- Treats cold and flu symptoms
- Relieves nasal congestion
- Clears sinus pressure
Circulatory System
- Improves blood circulation to head
- Regulates blood pressure
Liver & Gallbladder System
- Clears liver wind and heat
- Promotes emotional balance
- Supports decision-making clarity
Clinical Applications
Primary Indications
- Headache
- Dizziness
- Blurred vision
- Hypertension
- Neck stiffness
- Eye disorders
- Common cold
- Occipital headache
- Cervical tension
Related Health Concerns
Common Conditions:
Related Acupoints
Select a point to learn about its location, primary functions, clinical applications, and protocols.
GB-20 Protocols
Neck Tension & Stress Relief (4 minutes)
- Sit upright or lie down with head supported
- Locate GB-20 (below the occiput, in the hollow between sternocleidomastoid and trapezius)
- Apply firm pressure with thumbs for 30 seconds on both sides
- Massage in circular motions for 1 minute to release neck stiffness
- Repeat pressure while exhaling slowly to calm the nervous system