The five sensory orifices, referring to the nose, ears, eyes, lips, and tongue, are each paired with specific visceral organs. In particular, the Heart, regarded as ‘the emperor or sovereign ruler’, gives residence to Shen – a level of ‘Spirit’ which activates all mental activities, as well as perceives the emotional stimulus of all of the organs. The Heart has relationships with the other orifices beyond its own link with the tip of the tongue.
Heart 心 is the only organ with insight to do that.
For example, the eyes are related to Liver, but are also related to Heart. The Heart supplies blood, and blood vessels supply the eyes. According to the Su Wen 素問, the first medical text to address basic questions, theoretic foundations and diagnostics in Chinese medicine, excessive use of the eyes injures the Heart as well as the blood of the Liver. Diagnostically, the eyes are the most important window of Shen (or Spirit) that is inherently stored in the Heart, and although the eyes are particularly the orifice of the Liver, sight is a manifestation of the function of Heart.
While the brain can help us to understand, it can also separate us from the essence of true knowing. Some of the issues of academic teaching, as well as the orientation we encounter in many of our patients, is that the brain wants to rule. The brain has its place but it is absolutely subservient to the unifying function of the Heart, which is like an aperture that allows us a state of resonance, rapport and connection with everything else.
The Heart is all-healing and creates unity and connection; while brain, the servant, can vie to become the master, denying there is anything outside of itself with its causal, scientific, analytical process of creating distinctions. Establishing a healthy heart field in one’s self is important. The capacity for synchronization is a fundamental truth and cultivating coherence of our heart field allows a channel to enfold a person who is ill to the inner cultivation of truth.
All sentient beings basically synchronize to the energy fields of their environment. Electromagnetic fields encompass a huge amount of ‘information’ about each organism, and once synchronized, there is a rapid flow of information exchanged. In synchronizing, a patient harmonized with their practitioner’s healthy Essence and Heart patterns, finds support to solve their health conditions and facilitate change and hope on their life path.
