three treasures jing qi shen

Jan

2017

The Spirit of Heart-Shen

Shen is the ebullient spirit of the Heart. Shen embodies mind and thought and is reflected in our higher consciousness. Shen was first discussed in the Huangdi Neijing medical classic in the chapter called the Root of Spirit:

‘Heaven abides so that we have virtue;

Earth abides so that we have Qi;

When virtue flows and Qi is blended there is life.’

Sentient beings synchronize to the energy of their environs. The capacity for synchronization is fundamental. Electromagnetic fields encompass ‘information’ and once synchronized there is a rapid flow that is energetically exchanged. A person uses part of the healthy patterns of the places and people with whom we share resonance to solve concerns and health conditions, and to form connection and a compassionate context. The fundamental nature of Heart resonance allows a person who is ill a pathway to cultivate truth and healing. In clinical practice of Chinese medicine this puts focus on the practitioner to embody the essence of Chinese medicine including its spiritual context.

The Heart creates unity through connection. The brain, different from the all-knowing of the Heart’s compassionate nature, can help us to understand but it can also separate us from the essence of true knowing with its causal/scientific/analytical process of creating distinctions and its drive to deny there is anything outside analytical sense. The mind and its collection of facts vies to become master although it is indeed the servant of the sovereign Heart’s heavenly status as ruler. Heart is like an aperture that allows us a state of resonance, rapport, and connection with everything else. Harmonious resonance with one’s place in the Universe is the ultimate expression of the state of one’s Shen.

Nov

2014

Living in the Tao

Reverently entering nature and observing the flow of streams, rivers, and waterfalls is, in itself, one of the natural remedies for a troubled mind. Water benefits the ten thousand things and yet does not compete with them. Water dwells in places the masses of people detest. People detest such places not because they are bad, but because they are unfamiliar; they are held back by fear of the unknown or thrust forward in fearful arrogance, in either manner not trusting in the Tao.

Photo by Marc Newland

Fear is the emotion that ultimately causes the most difficulties. Learning to move gracefully around obstacles, like water does, is one of the aims of practicing T’ai Qi. Joining the flow of Tao, wherever it may go, leads one to unusual places, but places meant to be visited by those who have devoted themselves to the Tao.

Each of us a different face of the same journey. Adapted from Spirit of Peace, by Subhuti Dharmananda.

Dec

2013

WATER INTAKE AND HEALTH

Turning to traditional Chinese medicine and a Taoist concept of health and long life, one is taught to be moderate in every action and attentive to the signals of the body, and to the prevailing influences of nature. Eating when hungry and drinking when thirsty, we should ingest only enough food and drink to satisfy actual needs, needs which match our level of activity. Advice regarding water intake is to drink only when thirsty or to drink a few sips regularly throughout the day. To consume more than what is essential is considered in defiance of natural balance.

There are obvious cases where higher fluid consumption is important, such as for people who are perspiring profusely [due to exercise, hot weather, or resulting from a feverish disease], those who are losing fluids due to diarrhea, as well as one who tends to form kidney stones. But by eating the suggested five servings of fruit per day, plentiful amounts of water are provided; many fruits and vegetables being more than 80% water in content.

Most yin quality foods in a healthy diet contain a significant quantity of water making it feasible to get the 2.5 liters a day without drinking copious amounts of water. However, the popular impression is that for good health one must drink 2.5 liters of water per day, when essentially, emphasis needs to be placed upon consuming fresh fruits and vegetables, not on high volume water-intake. Health advisories recommend that sedentary women consume approximately 2,000 calories per day, for which the suggested 1 ml/calorie translates to only 2.0 liters of total water needed. Adding 1.9 liters of water from drinking glass after glass of water simply doubles such suggested intake.

Drinking large volumes of water appears to be inconsistent with age-old advice regarding health maintenance.