It is said you can die from extreme joy. It’s hard to believe, isn’t it? Sometimes people can feel joy in such a big burst that it can give rise to a heart attack, like a soccer fan at a football match. Unfortunately this happens from time to time.
In Chinese medicine, joy is the emotion of the Heart and so that makes perfect sense. We also talk about people dying from a broken heart. So in a sense we know how powerful our emotions are and what kind of impact they can have on our physiology. The impact of emotion on health is often not well understood nor accepted in the medical field but from the human experience perspective, we know it to be true.
In Chinese medicine your Heart is the commander of your ship. It is the organ that is the most high. It is the one in charge of all the other organs. Your spirit resides in your Blood, which is ruled by the Heart and pumped around your body by the Heart. Your spirit is called your “shen” in Chinese medicine.
The ancient texts will tell you that the Heart is the emperor of the human body. Its subordinate officers (all other organs) are in charge of the nine orifices (mouth, ears, eyes, nostrils etc) and their related functions. As long as the Heart remains on its rightful path, the nine orifices will follow along and function properly.
However, if the Heart’s desires become abundant, the eyes will lose their sense of colour, and the ears will lose their sense of sound. Thus it is said:
Keep your heart empty – this is the art of the heart through which the orifices can be mastered. [Daoist classic, Guanzi, prior to 200 BC.]
Another text from the Ming Dynasty in the 1500s says:
The ancient book of definitions [Neijing] refers to the Heart as the ruler of the human body, the seat of consciousness and intelligence. If we decide to nourish this crucial element in our daily practice, then our lives will be long, healthy, and secure. If the ruler’s vision becomes distracted and unclear, however, the path will become congested, and severe harm to the material body will result. If we lead lives that are centred around distracting thoughts and activities, harmful consequences will result.
The sage regards his/her body like a country: the Heart is the ruler, and the Jing [a combo of your genes and your body’s superannuation of good energy you’ve accumulated throughout your life] and the Qi [energy] are the citizens. If the Heart does not abuse its superior position, if it remains centred and focused on the essential matters, the Jing will flourish and the Qi will be steady, noxious intruders [bacteria, viruses, parasites etc] will always be fought off, the dantian [that space below your belly button] will be full with treasures, and every part of the body landscape will be light and at peace. [From Li Yuheng, Unfolding the Mat with Enlightening Words, Tuipeng Wuyu, Ming Dynasty, 1570.]
So what can we take from this as people living in the 21st century? There are many ways to interpret it, but I’d like to share my interpretation with you.
On a daily basis, think about what truly gives you joy and honour that for yourself and for your family. It could be as simple as having the family meal all together, taking a bath after a long day, or going for a walk by yourself or with a friend – whatever it is, do this to nourish your soul, your shen and your spirit – keep your heart healthy!
Don’t get distracted by the many things that are ready to pull you away from your centre. Make some intentions for your day as you rise. This will help you to stay focused on your path and assess whether the distraction is really that – a temporary tangent that you can put aside, or something you do have to change and be flexible for. Trust your gut instinct on that and follow your Heart.
Sometimes our desires to pursue distractions become too strong and they can pull us off our path without us realising it. You could be desiring some new clothes, something sweet to eat. Take a moment to see what’s behind that desire and whether you are being true to yourself or not. Then make the decision and trust that it’s the right one for yourself, and enjoy it.
If your Heart is truly happy it will manage all your other organs well and they will function better. If it’s not and you can’t figure it out and it feels confusing, it could be time to get some help with that. Help comes in many forms and you have to figure out what feels right for you… is it yoga or acupuncture, could it be counselling or something else? Learning more about yourself and how you tick will give you great solidity and confidence in who you are and how you want to be in the world.
Ancient texts were sourced from: http://www.itmonline.org/5organs/heart.htm
Discover more ancient wisdom and how you can apply it to your modern life in our online course for mums, From Anxiety to Security: The A-Z of Home Remedies for Children’s Health.