The Seven Emotions |
Anger and the LiverAnger, interpreted broadly encompasses resentment, repressed anger, irritability, frustration, rage, indignation, animosity and bitterness. The Liver controls the smooth flow of Qi throughout the body and when anger and related emotions are long-standing, the body's Qi stagnates and internal heat is created, manifesting primarily in problems of the head and neck.
Thinking and the Spleen
Overthinking refers to a tendency toward worry, anxiety, preoccupation, continuous or obsessive thinking, excessive mental work or studying. The Spleen (akin to the Pancreas in Western Medicine) controls the process of digestion, separation, absorption, and elimination, distributes metabolites and is primarily affected by excessive rumination, which slows the digestive process.
Bodymind Manifestations
Physical tiredness loss of appetite loose stool anxiety breathlessness stiff neck and shoulders
Yin Disharmony worry (overthinking with inaction) too tired and empty to care for self of others
Yang Disharmony clinging possessive intrusive over-concern and limiting the independence of others
Western medicine psychological and physiological manifestations: encephalitis hyperthyroidism stomach disorders generalized anxiety or panic attacks traumatic brain injury
Sadness and the Lungs
In Chinese Medicine, sadness refers to uncontrollable low spirits and a tendency to grieving, melancholy and crying or a desire to cry. The Lungs govern Qi and prolonged sadness depletes and disperses Qi, which causes a deficiency of Lung Qi. Because grief is usually expressed by crying and sobbing, the breathing mechanism is affected.
Bodymind Manifestations
Physical shortness of breath with exertion tiredness crying amenorrhea daytime sweating frequent colds
Yin Disharmony withdrawn from active participation in life fearful of loss insufficient energy to form lasting bonds
Yang Disharmony suppressing grief dumping negativity onto others using new relationships to assuage unprocessed grief
Western medicine psychological and physiological manifestations: melancholia characterological depression
Fear and the Kidneys
The Chinese concept of fear refers to an emotional state characterized by anticipation of the feeling of pain or danger that is often unreasonable or groundless. The Kidney system includes the hormonal function of the adrenal glands that are intimately associated with stress. Prolonged fearful stress or "frozen panic" depletes the energy of the Kidneys and makes Qi descend.
Bodymind Manifestations
Physical loss of bladder control heat in the face night sweating palpitations dry mouth and throat dizziness tinnitus vertigo
Yin Disharmony fearful of life lacking drive or ambition easily discouraged giving up on life
Yang Disharmony fearful of losing control over-ambitious ruthlessness need to have power over others to feel secure
Western medicine psychological and neurological manifestations:
Fear: generalized anxiety agoraphobia psychoses with anxiety adjustment disorder with anxiety OCD with anxiety specific social phobias
Fright: panic attacks, triggered panic disorder, triggered post-traumatic stress disorder phobias with panic
The Gall Bladder - TCM's Curious Organ
Having trouble making decisions? Do you feel you are just muddling along from day to day? Do you have a lock of sense of direction in your life? Well, maybe it's your Gall Bladder!
According to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), each organ is associated with a particular emotion. While the Liver is said to control the ability of planning one's life, the Gall Bladder controls the capacity to make decisions.
In TCM the body and mind are an inseparable which, when disturbed, gives rise to symptoms and signs in both the physical and mental-emotional spheres. Besides controlling decision-making, the Gall Bladder is also said to give an individual courage and initiative. This is an important function on a psychological level. It controls the spirit of initiative, the "drive", the courage to take decisions and make changes. A deficient Gall Bladder will cause indecision, timidity and the person will be easily discouraged at the slightest adversity.
From a body perspective, the main Gall Bladder function is that of storing bile. The Gall Bladder's job of storing and emptying bile is dependent on the Liver, it's paired organ, ensuring the smooth flow of Qi.
Causes of gall bladder pathology include excessive consumption of greasy and fatty foods, anger, frustration and bottled-up resentment and a damp, hot climate. Key symptoms of a problem of damp-heat in the Gall Bladder are hypochondriac pain, bitter taste and a thick, sticky coating on the tongue, usually on the right side. Dizziness, blurred vision, nervousness, and a propensity to being easily startled are all indications of a Gall-Bladder which is deficient in qi and/or blood. Problems along the Gall Bladder channel include cramps in the fourth toes, knees and thighs. Back spasm of the sacral area radiating to the area below the ribs are also indications of a problem in the Gall Bladder channel. One can also experience spasms above the clavicle and on the sides of the neck.
Metaphorically, the Gall Bladder and bile form a liquid crystal like the lens of the eye through which we perceive existent and anticipated, inner and outer, reality from which foresight arises. With deterioration in the function of the Ball Bladder, a veil obstructs vision and thought. From a physical perspective, cataracts, glaucoma, and other deformities of the eye that diminish vision may occur.
Acupuncture and herbal preparations have been used for centuries in the effective treatment of Gall Bladder disharmonies. |
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Emotions and The Organ Systems |
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Date: 12/10/09 |
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Bodymind Manifestations Physical: Headache, tinnitus, dizziness, red face, thirst Yin Disharmony: Hypersensitive, Lack of self-confidence, unsure of one's identity, easily dominated, timid Yang Disharmony: Aggressive, impatient, angry, intolerant and selfish, ego expansion without regard for others Psychological manifestations: Intermittent explosive disorder, Bipolar disorder, Bipolar affective disorder, Antisocial personality disorder, Borderline personality disorder.
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Bodymind Manifestations Physical: Palpitations, insomnia, shortness of breath, easily startled, poor memory, anxiety, feeling "hot and bothered" Yin Disharmony: Sad, lonely, lacking interest in life, relationships and social activity Yang Disharmony: over-excitable, over-enthusiastic, irresponsible, socially or sexually overactive Western medicine psychological and neurological manifestations: Multiple Sclerosis, encephalomyelitis, demyelinating disease, Bipolar disorder, Schizophrenia or other psychotic disorder, some personality disorders |
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The seven emotions are joy, anger, anxiety, thought, sorrow, fear and fright. Five of these -- anger, joy, thought, sorrow and fear are corresponds to 5 of the internal (yin) organs. This article discusses each emotion, the organ system affected by that emotion, and the mental, emotional and physical problems that ensue when things get our of balance.
The correspondences are: Liver Anger Heart Joy Spleen Worry or Thought Lungs Grief or Sorrow Kidneys Fear
To put the role of emotions in perspective -- remember that emotions are a natural part of human existence and no human ever escapes being sad, angry or worried sometimes. The emotions only become causes of disease when they are particularly intense and prolonged -- especially when not expressed or acknowledged. These emotions are as real a source of disharmony in the mind/body/spirit as the external causes, constitution and lifestyle. |
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Bodymind Manifestations Physical tiredness, loss of appetite, loose stool, anxiety, breathlessness, stiff neck and shoulders Yin Disharmony: using new relationships to assuage unprocessed grief Western medicine psychological and physiological manifestations: melancholia, characterological depression, worry (overthinking with inaction), too tired and empty to care for self of others Yang Disharmony: clinging, possessive, intrusive, over-concern and limiting the independence of others. Western medicine physical manifestations: encephalitis, hyperthyroidism, stomach disorders, generalized anxiety or panic attacks, traumatic brain injury
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Bodymind Manifestations Physical: shortness of breath with exertion, tiredness, crying, amenorrhea, daytime sweating, frequent colds Yin Disharmony: Withdrawn from active participation in life, fearful of loss, insufficient energy to form lasting bonds Yang Disharmony: suppressing grief; dumping negativity onto others; using new relationships to assuage unprocessed grief Western medicine psychological and physiological manifestations: melancholia, characterological depression
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Bodymind Manifestations Physical: loss of bladder control, heat in the face, night sweating, palpitations, dry mouth and throat, dizziness, tinnitus, vertigo Yin Disharmony: fearful of life, lacking drive or ambition, easily discouraged, giving up on life Yang Disharmony: fearful of losing control, over-ambitious, ruthlessness, need to have power over others to feel secure Western medicine psychological and neurological manifestations: Fear:generalized anxiety, agoraphobia, psychoses with anxiety, adjustment disorder with anxiety, OCD with anxiety, specific social phobias Fright: panic attacks, triggered panic disorder, triggered post-traumatic stress disorder, phobias with panic |
