Spring and summer months mean cultivating the Yang energy, while in the fall and winter, we must protect the Yin energy.
In the summer, your heart, mind, and spirit should be top priority since they are ruled by the fire element. When the fire element is balanced, the heart is in harmony and the mind has clarity. “The spirit needs the Yin and blood for stability, otherwise it ‘escapes’ from the heart, causing incessant wandering of the mind" (Pitchford). Excess Yang qualities, like heat, qi energy, and spirit, will flood upward into the head. Anchor the Yang by improving Yin of the heart; this will help protect the spirit. Our spirit likes to feel calm, centered, and grounded.
Our spirit, or Shen in Mandarin, lives in our heart. Shen also translates as heart-mind, The Self, I, or our presence. When we are children we begin having awareness of ourselves as a separate being other than just our physical self. Shen is responsible for our thinking, cognition, emotional life, and the spiritual consciousness of our being. “It is our spiritual radiance when it's at its strongest and can help cultivate a non discriminatory, non judgmental awareness needed to become wise, resilient, and powerful” (Ford).
If the heart does not have enough blood or energy or if it becomes disturbed by emotional imbalances, it cannot house the Shen. In TCM, the pericardium, a membrane that surrounds your heart, is called the “heart protector”. Its job is to help express joy, to stop invaders like trauma, and to regulate the blood circulation in and out of the heart.
In more extreme cases, unstable Shen could look like irregular or racing heartbeat, palpitations, depression, mania (excess joy), coldness, agitation, nervousness, stuttering, slurred speech, irritability, poor memory, panic, lethargy, insomnia, or excessive dreaming — these symptoms are often associated with Qi stagnation and disharmony in the liver and/or heart.
Strengthening your memory, thought processes, emotional well-being, and consciousness can help balance and calm the Shen. Anchoring the Shen can come in many forms — typically anything that gets us out of our heads and gets us working on our spirits, hearts, and desires:
Meditation, breath-work, + other mindful speech patterns:
Meditation can help clear your head, lower your heart rate, and reduce anxiety or negative emotions. Try setting aside just a few minutes a day for stillness and to focus on deep breathing to bring intention to the mind. Other traditional spirit-focusing practices like prayer, devotional singing, mantras, affirmations, and silent contemplation can help strengthen the heart and organize the scattered mind.
Qigong:
Qigong is a more active form of meditation, or an energy art. The practice uses controlled and coordinated breathing, slow-flowing movements, visualizations, and meditation to reduce stagnant qi (energy). Qigong reduces stress, encourages deep sleep, improves flexibility, and enhances overall health and spirituality. It is described as an internal process that has external movements.
T’ai Chi:
Similar to Qigong in that it is a mind-body practice, T ‘ai Chi’s guiding principle is to follow the spirit. T’ai Chi includes the concepts, theories, and usually movements from Qigong, but a Qigong practice might not necessarily include T’ai Chi.
Acupuncture + acupressure:
Shenmen (HT-7) means “Spirit Gate”, and it is one of the main points on the heart meridian. This point helps open the gate and relieves blocked energy in our spirit and mind. Relieves stress, anxiety, insomnia, forgetfulness, and palpitations by calming the inner fire.
Benshen Spirit Root (GB-13) — the “root” of the mind is the spirit. This point quiets and clears the mind and benefits those who constantly worry or do not sleep well.
Bubbling Spring (KI-1) restores consciousness from an unsettled mind. Helps treat fullness below the heart and clears heat. Supports better sleep.
Receiving Spirit (GB-18) — this point relaxes the rational mind and allows one to reconnect to the unconscious mind. Unifies the mind and body, by reconnecting one to a sense of destiny and purpose.
Yintang —the location of this point is thought to be home of the Shen, or the third eye — our higher consciousness. Helps quiet and clear the mind.
Connect with nature:
Sink your feet into the earth, feel the wind on your face, listen to nature… drop in to your outdoor surroundings whatever way fills your soul the most. Nature is full of reminders to let go of stagnation.
Other ways to ground and nourish the Shen: writing, painting, drawing, dancing, or restorative yoga…
References:
Fitzgerald, Patricia. “Calming The Shen: A Chinese Medicine Approach To A Good Night's Sleep”. Retrieved from https://www.huffpost.com/entry/calming-the-shen-a-chines_b_439771.
Ford, Kerry. “Cultivating Shen: Spirit & Beauty.” Retrieved from https://www.sunpotion.com/blogs/journal/cultivatingshen.
Gao, Sally. “Traditional Chinese Medicine Tricks to Help Reduce Anxiety.” Retrieved from https://theculturetrip.com/asia/china/articles/traditional-chinese-medicine-tricks-to-help-reduce-anxiety/.
Pitchford, Paul. “Healing with Whole Foods”.
Tallarico, Eden. “What is Shen (or Spirit) in Chinese Medicine?” Retrieved from https://telmd.com/wellness/what-is-shen-or-spirit-in-chinese-medicine/.