The last of the Three Treasures is shen. Shen is also called spirit or consciousness. It is what gives our lives meaning and links us with our divine source. The shen is said to reside in the heart and to open through the eyes, as in, “The eyes are the mirrors of the soul.”
A doctor of Chinese medicine can tell the seriousness of a condition by looking into the patient’s eyes. Bright or clear eyes indicate that the shen or spirit is strong; then the chances of recovery are good. Clouded, glazed or unfocused eyes indicate a more doubtful prognosis.
The shen is also the seat of the mind. Cognitive thinking, short-term memory and the ability to reason are all qualities of the shen. Shen is also formed at conception, but is replenished continually thereafter.
Shen disharmonies appear as psychic or psychological problems. In Chinese medicine it is called a “restless or disturbed spirit.” Insomnia, memory loss, inability to concentrate, too much dreaming, and confused thinking are all also signs of a disturbed shen.
To the Chinese, the mind also resides in the heart. “Follow your heart, learning by heart, listening to your heart”—these all come from this belief. As these sayings are also used in the West, could it be that somewhere long ago we Westerners also knew something about this heart/mind connection?
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Showing posts with label treasure. Show all posts
Showing posts with label treasure. Show all posts
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Chi: Basic Life Force
The second Treasure is chi (qi). Chi can be thought of as basic life force. Other terms would be prana, orenda, or vital energy. It is what animates us, what gives us life. It warms us, keeps our organs in place and directs all our movements. There are different kinds of chi, including organ chi, and protective, or wei chi. The Chinese, even today, refer to the weather as a kind of chi.
One of the more familiar types of chi, at least for those of us who have experienced acupuncture, is meridian chi. This type of chi travels throughout our body in specific pathways or meridians, linking organs to each other. This is what acupuncturists tap into when they insert needles.
We get chi from the air we breathe, the food we eat and the water we drink. This is why it is so important to eat fresh, healthy food. Poor eating habits—eating too many processed foods with little chi in them will, in turn, produce poor chi in our bodies.
By understanding that all things in the universe are just different expressions of chi, one can see why the sages have always said, “All things are one, and the one is all things.”
One of the more familiar types of chi, at least for those of us who have experienced acupuncture, is meridian chi. This type of chi travels throughout our body in specific pathways or meridians, linking organs to each other. This is what acupuncturists tap into when they insert needles.
We get chi from the air we breathe, the food we eat and the water we drink. This is why it is so important to eat fresh, healthy food. Poor eating habits—eating too many processed foods with little chi in them will, in turn, produce poor chi in our bodies.
By understanding that all things in the universe are just different expressions of chi, one can see why the sages have always said, “All things are one, and the one is all things.”
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