Qi/Chi: Qi (pronounced chee) is often used as another word for the vital force,
yet Qi includes even more qualities to the Chinese practitioner. "Neither classics, neither modern texts try to conceptualize nor do they attempt to speculate on the nature of Qi/Chi. Rather, Chi is perceived by/through what it does. The main functions are: warmth, transporting nutrients, protecting from environmental influences, transforms food in useable nutrients, mantains the blood in the blood vessels and mantains organs at their place. You can see it is more than just giving energy. The meridians are a network of pathways throughout the body that Qi follows; these are the points in these meridians with which an acupuncturist cooperates in the manage of the flow of the Chi, Blood and Fluids.
Blood: In the Chinese Medicine, it has similar things to the occidental vision of blood but, it is inseparable from Chi. The Chi is indispensable for the production and the circulation/movement of the blood. "The Chi is the ruler of the Blood". Blood warms the body up and is born from the bone marrow, which is why nutrition is very important for this vital substance.
Essence or Jing: It is a fluid substance which is the foundation of life. Stored in the kidney, the essence supports the reproduction, the growth and the development and donates necessarily the strenght for our constitutions.
Shen: Translated like "spirit", it is connected to our personality, ability of thinking lucidly/clearly, acting appropriately, giving the joy to live a complete and satisfying life. Shen is directly connected to the Heart. It is said “Shen is the awareness
that shines out of our eyes when we are truly awake.”
Fluids: Saliva, tears, urine, lymphs and body secretions like mucus and phlegm. These are responsible for moistening the tendons and the bones and to constitute the spinal fluids.
Spirits of the Organs
For thousands of years, Chinese practitioners observed health and illness
through astute observations in relation to natural elements. The practice of
autopsy was forbidden, so the articulation of functions and roles of Organs
by Chinese practitioners of long ago was remarkable. In Chinese medicine,
the Organs are viewed in energetic terms, rather than by their anatomical
structure and physiological functions, as they are in Western science and
medicine. These energetics are seen as dynamic, interrelated processes that
occur throughout the whole body versus in a localized area.
The Organs are paired into solid and hollow, or yin and yang. The
Chinese classics view the yin Organs to be more precious (vital) because
yin provides life or nourishment. Yin Organs are Heart, Spleen, Lungs,
Kidney, and Liver. Yang Organs are the motive force for transformation and
change (function). These are Small Intestine, Stomach, Large Intestine,
Urinary Bladder, and Gallbladder. I give examples of these pairings below
in the description of each of the five seasons.
- Hours of organs
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Astrological and Anatomy Correspondences
- Correspondences
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