The idea of microsystem, that the whole is contained in the parts, is central to the thinking of acupuncture. This is why the stimulation of an acupuncture point can affect other body parts, organs, and even the whole being. To put it in a different way: a part reflects the whole of the body. Hence, systemic imbalance may present as abnormal sensations at various acupuncture points. The diagnosis of diseases by feeling the pulse and examining the tongue means that these parts of the body reflect the whole body.