-IBIS-1.5.0-
tx
cardiovascular system
tachycardia/bradycardia
psychospiritual approaches

metaphors and correlations

• Associated with anxiety and grief. (Epstein, p. 77)
• Associated with severe psychological disturbances in the 24 hours preceding the arrhythmic episodes. (Gentry, p. 47)
• Heart represents center of love and security. (Hay, 1984, p. 168)

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; 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 Xue Xu (Blood Deficiency) predisposes to Heart Xue Yu (Blood Stasis).
» The Heart is the Emperor of the bodily realm so that when the Heart is disturbed all the other organs will be disrupted.

Kidney ~ Shen stores Jing (Essence) and governs birth, growth, reproduction, development, and aging; houses the Zhi (Will); expresses ambition and focus; governs Water to regulate body fluids; provides the "Fire of Life" through its Yang functions; provides the nourishing and stabilizing qualities of Yin and Water that balance the Yang and the Fiery qualities of the Heart; relates particularly to chronic conditions because it carries the constitutional endowment from the parents; and displays the effects of 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; 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.
» 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:
• from root to leaf: arrhythmia (Chavez)
• the shield: arrhythmia (Chavez)
• silver bell: arrhythmia (Chavez)
see also: imagery for heart conditions (arrhythmia)
imagery for anxiety and depression

affirmation:
• I bring joy back to the center of my heart. I express love to all. My heart beats to the rhythm of love. (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)

theotherapy:
(heart disease) Atlas, Poseidon, Prometheus, Typhon (Lemesurier, p. 99)

psychotherapy:
• 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: (experientially oriented)
• What is the symptom preventing me from doing? What is the symptom making me do? (see process interview: cardiovascular system)

related materia medica listings:
the shadow and physical symptoms
converting a symptom to a signal
behavior modification techniques
imagery for heart conditions (arrhythmia)
imagery for anxiety and depression
imagery: precautions
imagery: techniques
affirmations: guidelines and precautions
theotherapy
hypnotherapy
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.