The Chinese Way of Mind Cultivation
A sound mental state ensures that the physical body is under proper control and the organ systems are working in harmony, so the body can protect itself effectively against disease. In comparison with the old days, modern life makes a higher demand on us in terms of mental functioning. The fast pace of life, extreme competitiveness of business, and 24-hour communication as well as limited living space always make us over-alert and stressed. Mental health is regarded as the first priority among other healthcare aspects in TCM. TCM advocates that we should always pay attention to the negative influences that originated from our immediate environment, family and society. A regular and balanced life is essential for both physical and mental well-being, it is necessary to keep a calm and peaceful mind and avoid excess emotional frustrations.
An optimistic attitude toward life helps to establish a peaceful and carefree mind. One should foster a positive view on the personal ups and downs of life; take responsibility for our own actions and choices; try to avoid over-stimulating our senses; get rid of improper desires; and try to be "in the moment" by concentrating on your current activity.
Mental activities such as sensations, memory, consciousness, emotion, sentiments, desires are generally referred as shen (spirit) in TCM. According to TCM theory, the heart is the residence of the shen (spirit); the heart's blood and qi are important material sources for the mental activities. Only when the heart's qi and blood are abundant can the shen be properly nourished, and mental activities be carried out normally, making the individual fully alert and responsive to external stimulation. When the heart becomes dysfunction, there will appear problems in the mental, consciousness or intellectual activities. For example, deficiency of heart blood and qi can lead to insomnia, dream-disturbed sleep, forgetfulness, mentally restless; over-heated blood damaging heart-spirit, there will become irritable, confused and even unconsciousness; phlegm-fire irritating heart-spirit will appear mania or craziness.
Nourishing the heart in daily life is important for obvious reasons. It ensures vitality and better life. Some foods that benefit the heart include lily bulbs, oriental arborvitae seed, white fungus, longan fruit, lotus seed, lotus root, beef, beer, wheat, red dates, wild jujube and rose buds (often used to make tea). Certain static qigong exercises and medication can also bring about deep mental relaxation.
More importantly, one should properly control emotional reactions by reacting moderately and solving conflicts as soon as possible. Emotions are responses to external stimuli that involve physiological changes to the body. TCM regards them as part of the manifestations of the physiological functions in the organs. That means the essence and qi (vital energy) of the organs constitute the material basis for emotional activities. For long-term observation, TCM claims that joy, anger, worry, anxiety, sadness, fear and fright are the common mental disturbances to the body. They are known as the "seven emotions" that cause various internal damages to the body. Within normal limits, these emotions cause no harm, however, when they become uncontrollable and overwhelming, they can damage specific organs.
It is said that anger impairs the liver, joy impairs the heart, sadness and worry impair the lungs, and anxiety impairs the spleen, while fright and fear impair the kidneys. Extreme and prolonged emotional frustrations especially disturb the qi (vital energy) flowing in these organs. Some details are as below.
 |
 |
Mutual restriction cycle of the five elements.
- Anger damaging liver: prolong anger makes liver-qi rushing and results in liver-yang hyperactive, there may have symptoms like muscular spasm or weakness, and uncontrollable excitement; when the liver fails its regulating works, there may have symptoms like a depressed mood, irritability, and dizziness. Anger emotion is a common factor to induce hypertension, heart attack and stomach ulcer.
- Extreme joy damaging heart: a pleasure mood promotes blood and qi flowing, relax muscles and tension; however, an extreme or long-term joyful state makes the heart-qi scattered, individuals may have difficulty in concentrating, absentminded, palpitations, insomnia, forgetfulness, and perhaps even dullness and craziness in severe cases.
- Worry and sadness damaging lungs: worry and sadness emotions deplete lung-qi, which leads to respiratory symptoms like cough, hoarseness, breath shortness and difficultly. Individuals may also appear in low spirits, and indigestion.
- Over-thinking or anxiety damaging spleen: this leads to a qi stagnation in the spleen, individuals are mostly experience indigestion symptoms such as chest and abdominal distention, poor appetite, gastric discomfort, belching and reflux. Other common signs include spiritual fatigue, sallow face, breath shortness, weakness, dullness and depressed mood.
- Fear and fright damaging kidneys: extreme fear or sudden fright makes kidney-qi insecurity, the qi is sunk in the lower burner; individuals will become timidness, panic, a foggy mind, and incontinences. They may further appear ear ringing, deafness, dizziness and impotence.
In order to harmonize and coordinate between the emotions and organ functioning of the body, the above extreme emotional influences should be vented in time, or actively shifted, in order to prevent the development of a real physical problem. In other words, express your emotions properly, and don’t inhibit your true feelings, so as to achieve a proper communication between the body and mind.
Based on the five elements theory and the idea of emotions corresponding to the organs, TCM has created guidelines for mental adjustments. The seven emotions are related to each other and so can be employed to restrain harmful emotional reactions, ancient sage created a “emotion counteracting emotion” method. The suggested methods listed below are just some examples for considerations.
|
Elements |
Associated organs |
Seven emotions |
Abnormal behaviors |
Counteracting emotions |
Suggested methods |
|
Wood |
Liver |
Anger |
Irritability, muscular spasm or weakness, uncontrollable excitement |
Sadness |
Use sad news to calm and cool down the anger |
|
Fire |
Heart |
Joy |
A frenzied delight for no reason, craziness |
Fear |
Use something frightening of shocking to depress the overly excited mood |
|
Earth |
Spleen |
Anxiety |
Mental fatigue, stressful, dullness and depressed mood, |
Anger |
Use insulting and rude language to enrage |
|
Metal |
Lungs |
Worry and sadness |
Constant sadness, depression |
Joy |
Use humor conversations and physical contact to cheer the person up |
|
Water |
Kidneys |
Fear and fright |
Timidness, panic, loss of concentration |
Anxiety |
Spend time to discuss the problem patiently with him, so as to induce deeper understanding and positive thinking, ensuring better self-control |
It should be noted that human emotions are complicated and cannot be evaluated simply; a comprehensive analysis of the individual situation is necessary. Many of the great TCM physicians have fully utilized the above techniques to cure both psychological and physical conditions.
TCM also encourages people to pursue personal hobbies and crafts, such as playing music, chess, calligraphy or drawing. When you are engaged in a favorite activity, your mind can be distracted from the stresses of everyday life.
