Xin -The Emperor
Continuing on from last month’s introduction to the Zang Fu organ system, over the next few months I will begin to look a little deeper at the major organs, beginning as all things should, with the Heart.
In Chinese Medicine, Xin, or the Heart is known as the Emperor and it is considered to be the supreme ruler over all the other organs. The Chinese character represents the structure of the Heart quite accurately with its various chambers however it is the space between the lines which is of most importance. The image shows an empty hollow and represents the profound truth that in order for it to be truly healthy, it needs to be empty. Indeed, the Chinese go further by saying that our true Spirit, our highest form of consciousness, exists within the momentary vacuum created by the beating of the Heart. It is within this vacuum that our Spirit resides and is connected to the rest of the Universe and the Dao. This notion is of utmost importance to the Daoists, as it is through this stillness that the Divine messages of Heaven can be reached.
It is perhaps surprising to our head-centric minds, that within Chinese medicine the brain is rarely talked about. Instead it concentrates on the Heart as the seat of our consciousness. The brain, therefore, is seen more as a filter of information rather than a generator of thought. At first this may seem a bit odd to us in the West but recently scientists such as Rupert Sheldrake have begun to postulate this very theory and state that there is nothing in Science that proves the brain is anything other than a highly complex filter. Furthermore it has recently been discovered that the Heart has its own neuron system as does the small intestine, which incidentally, is the paired organ to the Heart through the Fire element. So maybe it’s not such an outlandish theory after all.
On the spiritual level the Heart houses the Shen, our highest frequency of consciousness, but being the Emperor it has to do a lot more besides. On a physical and energetic level, and here it is agreement with the Western model, it controls the blood. Blood is obviously vitally important for every part of the body as it conveys Oxygen and nutrition. Blood however is a little more complex in Chinese medicine as it also carries with it Chi as well as aspects of the Spirit. Alongside this the Heart also transmits heat around the body so as you can see, it really is involved in all aspects of health.
So how do we know if there is an imbalance within the Heart system? Well I mentioned last time that cold hands and feet may be one symptom but there are many others as the influence of the Heart is so far reaching. Symptoms amongst others may include: palpitations, mental agitation, excessive sweating, tiredness, low mood, insomnia, dizziness, tightness of the chest and most drastically, stabbing pains in the chest. If you experience the latter please visit your local hospital but all other aspects may be successfully treated with Chinese medicine.
Make sure you look after the Emperor as without him the whole country will fall apart!
