-IBIS-1.5.0-
tx
cardiovascular system
pericarditis
psychospiritual approaches
metaphors and correlations
Heart represents center of love and security. Heart problems are associated with longstanding emotional problems; lack of joy; belief in strain and stress. (Hay, 1984, p. 168)
inflammation: fear; inflamed thinking; seeing red; anger and frustration about conditions in one's life (Hay, 1984, p. 170-1)
Chinese psychophysiology:
Heart ~ Xin houses the Shen (Spirit) and reveals itself through the brightness in the eyes; governs Fire and Heat; rules the Xue (Blood) and its vessels and directs the circulation; opens into the tongue and controls speech; and relates to the integration of the organs and the personality.
» Healthy expressions are warmth, vitality, excitement, inner peace, love, and joy.
» Heart Xu (Deficiency) signs include sadness; absence of laughter; depression; fear; anxiety; shortness of breath (Seem, p. 28); cold feeling in the chest and limbs; palpitations; cold sweat; inability to speak; memory failure; nocturnal emissions; and restless sleep. Chronic Yin Xu (Deficiency) predisposes to Empty Fire, acute and chronic.
» Heart Shi (Excess) signs include false or facile laughter; sobbing; agitated spirit; insomnia (Seem, p. 28); frightful dreams; anxiety; tongue feels numb and heavy; heavy chest; hot sweat; and orange-colored urine.
» The Heart is the Emperor of the bodily realm so that when the Heart is disturbed all the other organs will be disrupted.
Pericardium ~ Xin Bao is the Minister who protects the Heart, the Emperor, and maintains the order of the Heart energy; and as such may be adversely affected by emotional stresses internally or invasion of Heat externally. The Pericardium is said to be the origin of joy and sadness.
» Healthy expressions are joy, happiness, and healthy relationships.
» Weakness, dysfunction, and illness are associated with confusion, delirium, nervousness, and psychosis.
» Mental signs of Pericardium channel disorders include depression, sexual perversion, aversions, and phobias. (Seem, p. 28)
Kidney ~ Shen stores Jing (Essence) and governs birth, growth, reproduction, development, and aging; houses the Zhi (Will); expresses ambition and focus; provides the nourishing and stabilizing qualities of Yin and Water that balance the Yang and the Fiery qualities of the Heart; and displays the effects of sexual dissipation, overwork, aging, chronic debilitation, and extreme stress.
» Healthy expressions are gentleness, groundedness, and endurance.
» Kidney Xu (Deficiency) signs include indecisiveness; confused speech; dreams of trees submerged under water; cold feet and legs; abundant sweating (Seem, p. 28); fearfulness; apathy; chronic fatigue; discouragement; scatteredness; lack of will; negativity; impatience; difficult inhalation; low sex drive; lumbago; sciatica; and musculoskeletal irritation and inflammation, especially when worse from touch. As always, chronic Yin Xu (Deficiency) predisposes to Empty Heat and/or acute inflammation.
» Intense or prolonged fear depletes the Kidney. Often chronic anxiety may induce Xu (Deficiency) and then Fire within the Kidney. (Maciocia, p. 250) Overwork, parenting, simple aging, and a sedentary or excessively indulgent lifestyle all contribute significantly to Kidney Xu (Deficiency).
therapies
imagery:
related materia medica listings: imagery for heart conditions
imagery for immune enhancement
affirmation:
I bring joy back to the center of my heart. I express love to all. (Hay, 1984, p. 168)
Joy, joy, joy. I lovingly allow joy to flow through my mind and body experience. My heart beats to the rhythm of love. (Hay, 1984, p. 168)
(Inflammation) My thinking is peaceful, calm, and centered. I am willing to change all patterns of criticism. I love and approve of myself. (Hay, 1984, p. 170-1)
psychotherapy:
Those who are prone to infections are attempting to avoid conflicts. In the case of infectious illness, ask yourself the following questions:
» What conflict am I failing to see? feel? hear? What conflict am I dodging?
» What conflict am I failing to admit to?" (Dethlefsen, p. 108)
With heart disturbances and heart conditions, the following questions are possibly worth exploring:
» Are my head and heart, my intellect and feelings, in harmonious balance?
» Am I giving enough scope to my feelings and trusting myself to express them?
» Am I living and loving 'heartily', or only 'half-heartedly'?
» Is my life borne along by a living rhythm, or am I subjecting it to a rigid way?
» Does my life still contain enough combustible materials and explosives?
» Am I listening to, seeing, feeling, moving my heart? (Dethlefsen, p. 202)
process paradigm:
What is the symptom preventing me from doing? What is the symptom making me do?
(see process interview: immune system, process interview: cardiovascular system)
related materia medica listings:
the shadow and physical symptoms
converting a symptom to a signal
imagery for heart conditions
imagery for immune enhancement
imagery: precautions
imagery: techniques
affirmations: guidelines and precautions
process paradigm
footnotes
Reprinted from The Foundations of Chinese Medicine, Maciocia, Giovanni, 1989, by permission of the publisher Churchill Livingstone, a division of Elsevier Limited.