THE SHEN ~ THE MIND
The Shen is the spirit of “The Mind” and represents our consciousness. It is the basis for our humanity and source from which all other spirits emerge from. The Shen is in charge of our identity and capacity for self-awareness, but also, how we view and interact with others: how we orient ourselves in the world around us. The Shen is essential for integrating our psychic and emotional life since it governs perception, insight, ideas, the ability to extend beyond the Self (form relationships), determine our values, morality, and wisdom. The Mind is what bridges our intuition and inspiration: it allows one to recognize their truth and callings so they can show up in the world as their most authentic self.
In the body, the Shen is ruled by the Heart which, in Chinese Medicine, is the “the origin of mental life,” and therefore the “monarch” of all other organs: the only one capable of recognizing, assessing, and truly feeling the spectrum of one’s emotional experiences. Although different emotions (anger, joy, sadness, fear, guilt, etc.) will affect the body’s organs in unique ways, those organs do not “feel” the emotion and, instead, reflect the impact of that emotion as perceived by the Heart in the form of physical symptoms. In that sense, the Shen is referred to as the Heart-Mind, giving the old adage the heart has a mind of its own, a ring of truth.
Given the Shen’s role in processing interactions with others and external stimuli, all senses (eyesight, hearing, smell, taste, touch) depend on it for meaning just like how the brain is relied on in Western Medicine.
For this reason, the Shen is said to be the “most visible” of all the spirits, evident in how one carries themselves both in public and in conversation: the sparkle (or dullness) in one’s eyes, the capacity to maintain eye contact, as well as the use of clear/logical speech (since the Heart is the root of the tongue in TCM). It is the Shen that calculates appropriate behavior in order to “click” with others and foster mutual understanding: a Heart (Shen) to Heart (Shen).
When the Shen is vibrant, there is:
Clear thinking & consciousness, sharp insight, good intellect, self-awareness, a strong sense-of self, sound sleep (since the Shen retreats back into the Heart to be housed at night), a balanced emotional reality, good judgement expressed through wise action, flowing ideas, inspiration, alertness in the eyes, eye contact during conversation, clear speech + confident self-expression, compassion, and empathy.
When the Shen is disturbed and the Heart is affected, a person will have:
Cloudy consciousness, poor insight, inappropriate/erratic behavior or speech tendencies, socially awkward interactions, low self-esteem, difficulty expressing one’s self, hypervigilance and paranoia, poor self-awareness, a hard time relating to others (including little-to-no eye contact in conversation), little capacity for compassion/empathy, irrational thoughts and phobias, an imbalanced emotional reality (fixated on one emotion), panic, disturbed sleep etc.
THE PO ~ THE CORPOREAL OR ANIMAL SOUL
The po is the spirit-mind stored by the Lungs. It integrates with us at our first breath, and disintegrates at the end of life when breathing ceases.
When you think of the Po, consider your moment-to-moment experiences - your instincts, impulses, and knee-jerk reactions.
When balanced, the Po supports our ability to stay connected to the present moment through our breath. When strong, it is associated with assertiveness and fairness. We would expect someone with a well balanced Po to speak with a clear strong voice, to breathe well, and to act with the virtue of justice.
When there is weakness of the Po, we might see lingering or unresolved grief, lifeless voice, lethargy, depression, or constant feelings of loss or incompleteness. In this case, a person might be stuck in a moment that is far in the past, keeping them from being present or moving forward. We might also notice the presence of chronic respiratory issues like frequent colds, long standing cough, or asthma associated with this aura of sorrow.
When the Po is supported and reintegrated with the present moment, we see the ability to process grief in a healthy way. Impulsive reactivity is exchanged for responsiveness and trustworthy instincts. We see the shroud of sadness and heaviness lift, giving way to the ability to appreciate the beauty and fullness of the present moment, to experience awe and wonderment, and to grasp a flash of inspiration.
THE YI ~ THOUGHT
The Yi is the spirit-mind stored by the Spleen. It has to do with thought, intellect, and comprehension, as well as intention and creativity.
The Spleen organ in TCM is a major organ of digestion, separating and transforming useful nutrients from waste products. On a physical level, a weak Spleen can result in poor digestion of food. On a spirit level, a weak Spleen, and a weak Yi as a result, can cause poor digestion of thoughts. This means there may be trouble effectively deliberating, and instead a person may find themselves overthinking or ruminating on their worries. They may lack clear intention, and therefore they may feel “foggy brained,” or bored and unmotivated.
There is a saying, “the Yi guides the Li which guides the Qi” - meaning your intention guides the ritual which guides your energy. Have you ever noticed the difference between having a vague desire to achieve a broad goal such as “get in shape one day” or “learn a new language” doesn’t tend to pan out unless you set up a structure (or ritual) for yourself? My mother gave me the sage advice that “a dream without tangible goals is just a wish.” Having a strong and clear intention (Yi) helps us to create smart, structured plans and goals, which takes our energy there (aka manifests that reality!).
A strong Yi also promotes the virtues of faithfulness and loyalty. If the Yi is suffering, these virtues can become skewed to the point of “‘stifling’ loyalty, exaggerated sympathy, and even self-destructive generosity” (Kaptchuk, 60).
Supporting the spleen and its spirit-mind the Yi, can help you to cultivate clear intention, insight, creativity, motivation, and appropriate faithfulness (to your goals and to other people).
THE HUN ~ THE ETHEREAL SOUL
Of all the spirits in Chinese Medicine, the Hun or Ethereal Soul broadly shares the most similarities with the Western concept of the soul: it is tethered at birth, has a will of its own, yet at death it survives the body, preserving its physical appearance to wander the earth, the spirit realm, or return to the source of all life. This wandering quality is essential to understanding the Hun’s purpose and nature.
To start, the Hun is its own level of consciousness whose vitality depends on its ability to connect and disengage with the Mind—to “come and go” as it pleases. Whereas the Mind is more rational and in charge of processing/integrating information perceived from the external world, the Ethereal Soul is in charge of bringing one’s inner world and dreams into awareness and fruition. It alerts the Shen to our intuition, ideas, life goals, creativity, and artistic inspiration so they can be pursued rather than merely reflected on. Inherently Yang in nature, the Ethereal Soul provides the psyche with movement in several ways:
- out-of-body during sleep and dreaming
- beyond one’s everyday life/circumstances through the pursuit of life goals
- through the planning of projects and paths needed to accomplish them
- beyond the self towards others in fostering/maintaining relationships
Knowing the Hun requires movement to engage and detach from the Mind, it is no coincidence that it resides in the Liver: the organ responsible for ensuring smooth circulation throughout the body. Physically, the free flow of Liver Qi and Blood is the medium by which the Ethereal Soul “comes and goes.” In TCM, the Liver acts as the chief delegator to the monarch (The Heart). In that sense, the healthy personality of the Liver—and balanced animation of the Ethereal Soul—can be seen in those who excel at self-leadership, management, structure, and routine.
When the Liver is healthy, the Liver Blood is abundant, and circulation of Liver Qi is smooth, the Hun is content—it can come and go freely: there will be a healthy flow of ideas and creativity for the Mind to receive and integrate. A person will be connected to their intuition, able to envision a goal, and feel like they have a direction for their life. They can plan the steps necessary to actualize their dreams. In essence, a rooted Hun provides the courage to pursue one’s potential and regulate emotional ups/downs. With a balanced Hun, roadblocks can be faced with flexibility and frustrations met with resolve.
When the Hun’s movement becomes stifled due to a weakened Liver (such as Liver Qi stagnation or a Liver Blood/Yin deficiency) the Mind will lack stimulation, making a person apathetic and depressed. They will feel a lack of direction or purpose. They can lose touch with their emotions or internalize to the point of endlessly stewing causing resentment. Because of the Liver’s connection to the eyes and physic “sight,” there can be a lack of vision for life-dreams, dream-disturbed sleep, and a disconnection from one’s intuition. This can cause discouragement and a lack of desire to move beyond one’s “stuckness” and circumstances in life. If the Mind is overly-controlling or not receptive to the Ethereal Soul’s input/desires, they might be fully aware of what changes they need to make to pursue their potential, but unable to “get the ball rolling” in the direction they seek.
If the Liver is overburdened due to an excess pathogen (usually Liver-Heat Rising or Liver-Fire) the Hun will travel excessively and inundate the Mind. For example, someone can be full of ideas and inspiration, but because the Hun is so flighty, a person will not be able to bring them to fruition. With this kind of Hun-disturbance, there will be agitation, anger, rage, an inability to regulate one’s emotional overwhelm, and manic tendencies.
Overall, a disembodied Hun is implicated in involuntary dissociation (such as in PTSD), conscious escapism (excessive daydreaming, procrastination, substance use, etc.) and nightmares.
THE ZHI ~ THE WILL
The Zhi is our willpower. This spirit-mind is stored in the Kidneys, which, in TCM, are associated with our deepest “essence,” our inherited traits, our reproductive potential, and our deepest stores of energy. The Kidneys are said to house the “life gate fire” which is yang in nature, yet they are also associated with the water element which is yin. This duality is mirrored in how there is a yin and yang aspect to the Zhi.
The emotion of the Kidneys is fear, while the virtue of their spirit-mind is wisdom. When you look back on your life - do you recall experiences where fear of the unknown transformed into experience-based wisdom? It’s something that develops over a lifetime. The Yin Will is related to our destiny or fate - our relationship with and journey into the unknown of the future - it involves trust and faith. The Yang Will is more immediate than that - it has to do with the conscious efforts and fundamental decisions that allow your will for certain desires and outcomes to come to fruition.
An imbalance between the Zhi may look like restlessness, a desire to run away from your life, a vague or existential fear; patients might share a desire for things to be different than where they are regarding their life cycle, like a fear of aging, for example. When the Kidney Qi is weakened, there can be a lack of willpower and drive which is an important aspect of chronic depression. On the other hand, the Zhi can also become destructive, resulting in recklessness and excessive risk-taking. These symptoms can coincide with premature aging (looking older than you are), low back/knee pain, bladder issues, burnout, chronic exhaustion, recurrent or lingering illness, ear ringing, thyroid imbalances, memory loss, edema.
Have you ever wanted something, set out on the path to complete it, and come to find that after enough time, conviction in your ability to achieve it, and consistent effort—you have it? A job (or career change)...a degree...to become skillful at a hobby...to birth a passion project?
You can think of the Will like The Wizard of Oz...it works tirelessly behind the curtain—the scenes of your conscious awareness—until you reach your destination. Once you arrive, it comes out to greet and congratulate you on the journey as if to say: “Well, look who it is...you did it! I knew you could make it here. Welcome to (your “dream” aka manifested reality), you are right on time.”
In that sense, the Yang Will gives you the perseverance to set out on the journey whereas the Yin Zhi is that part of you that becomes apparent once the goal is reached. A healthy Zhi invites us to faithfully wade into the unknown, take the reins of destiny, and realize you’ve had the power to be the co-creator of your life all along. It’s like that saying, choose your hard. Healing and embarking on the journey to change your life is hard. Yet, staying in the same place and living with regret is hard. The Zhi asks:
What will it be…will you stay or will you go?