As we briefly explained in the sheet on physiology and in the presentation of the Three Treasures of life, the Shén or Spirits (which is also translated by Consciousness) represent the spiritual and psychic forces which animate us and which manifest themselves. through our states of consciousness, our ability to move and think, our temperament, our aspirations, our desires, our talents and our abilities. The Spirits occupy an important place in the evaluation of the causes of imbalance or disease and in the choice of actions intended to bring the patient back to better health. In this sheet, we will sometimes use the singular, sometimes the plural when speaking of the Spirit or the Spirits, the Chinese concept of Shén implying both the unity of consciousness and the multiplicity of forces that feed it.

The concept of Shén comes from the animistic beliefs of shamanism. Taoism and Confucianism refined this view of the psyche, making it compatible with the Five Element correspondence system. Subsequently, the concept of Shén underwent new transformations, confronted with the teachings of Buddhism, whose implantation was dazzling in China at the end of the Han dynasty (around 200 AD). From these multiple sources was born an original model specific to Chinese thought.

Faced with developments in modern psychology and neurophysiology, this model, preserved by Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) until today, may seem somewhat simplistic. But this simplicity often turns out to be an asset, since it allows the therapist to make clinical links between the physical and the psychological without having to master complex knowledge. As the clinician works mainly on the physical level with the patient, he intervenes only indirectly on the psychic level. However, the regulation undertaken will have positive repercussions on the emotional and psychic level: thus, by dispersing the phlegm, by toning the Blood or by reducing an Excess of Heat, the therapist will be able to calm, clarify or strengthen the Spirit, which comes back. to reduce anxiety, promote sleep, enlighten choices, mobilize willpower, etc.

Psychic balance

Intimately linked to physical health, a good psychic balance makes it possible to take a correct look at reality and to act accordingly. To achieve this accuracy, TCM offers a healthy lifestyle where it is important to take care of your body posture, your breathing, the circulation of your original Energy (YuanQi) – among others at the level of the Marrow and the Brain – and to practice Qi Gong and meditation. Like Qi, Shén must flow freely if you want to be fully aware of reality both in your body and in your environment.

The traditional vision describes a collegiality between the multiple psychic components which one calls the Spirits. These originate from the Sky-Earth macrocosm. At the moment of conception, a part of the universal Spirit (YuanShén) is embodied to experience, for a lifetime, the possibilities of the formal and material world, thus constituting our individual Spirit. When this parcel of YuanShén is associated with the Essences transmitted by our parents, it “becomes human” and particularizes itself to fulfill its human functions. The human Spirits thus formed (also called Gui) are composed of two kinds of elements: the first characterized by their bodily functions, the Po (or Bodily Soul), the second with psychic functions, the Hun (Psychic Soul).

From there, our individual Spirit develops through thought and action, drawing on the five senses and gradually integrating lived experiences. Several very specific functional components intervene in the development of this consciousness: ideation (Yi), thought (Shi), planning capacity (Yü), will (Zhi) and courage (also Zhi).

The activity of all these psychic components (described below) is based on an intimate relationship, a true symbiosis, with the Viscera (Organs, Marrow, Brain, etc.). So much so that the Chinese designate under the name of “psychovisceral entities” (BenShén) these entities, both physical and psychic, which take care of the Essences and which maintain an environment conducive to the expression of the Spirits.

Thus, the Theory of the Five Elements associates each Organ with a particular psychic function:

• The direction of the BenShéns returns to the Spirit of the Heart (XinShén) which designates the governance, the global consciousness, made possible by the collegial, combined and complementary action of the various psychovisceral entities.
• The Kidneys (Shèn) support the will (Zhi).
• The Liver (Gan) houses the Hun (the psychic Soul).
• The Spleen / Pancreas (Pi) supports the Yi (intellect, thought).
• The Lung (Fei) houses the Po (bodily Soul).

Balance arises from the harmonious relationship between the different aspects of the psychovisceral entities. It is important to note that TCM does not consider that thought and intelligence belong exclusively to the brain and the nervous system as in the Western conception, but that they are intimately linked to all the Organs.

The Hun and the Po form the initial and predetermined component of our Spirit, and provide us with a basic personality and unique bodily individuality.

The Hun (Psychic Soul)

The term Hun is translated as Psychic Soul, because the functions of the entities that compose it (three in number) set up the bases of the psyche and intelligence. The Hun are related to the Wood Movement which represents the idea of ​​the setting in motion, the growth and the progressive detachment of matter. It is the image of plants, living organisms – therefore moved by their own will – rooted in the Earth, but the entire aerial part of which rises towards the light, the Heat and the Sky.

The Hun, associated with Heaven and its stimulating influence, are the primitive form of our Spirits who aspire to assert themselves and to develop; it is from them that the intuitive intelligence and spontaneous curiosity characteristic of children and those who remain young originate. They also define our emotional sensitivity: depending on the balance of the three Hun, we will be more inclined to focus on the mind and understanding, or on feelings and feelings. Finally, the Hun define our strength of character, our moral strength and the power of affirmation of our aspirations which will be manifested throughout our life.

Go from Hun (innate) to Shén (acquired)

As soon as the emotional and cognitive development of the child begins thanks to the experimentation of his five senses, to the interaction with his environment and to the discovery that he gradually makes of himself, the Spirit of the Heart (XinShén ) begins its development. This Spirit of the Heart is a consciousness which:

• develops through thought and memory of experiences;
• manifests itself in the liveliness of reflexes as in reflective action;
• records and filters emotions;
• is active during the day and at rest during sleep.

The Hun therefore set up the bases of the Spirit of the Heart. There is between Hun and Shén, between the Soul and the Spirit, like a dialogue which would take place between the innate and the acquired, the natural and the agreed, the spontaneous and the reflected or the unconscious and the conscious . The Hun are the unalterable aspects of the Spirit, they express themselves as soon as it silences the mind and reason, they go beyond what is shaped by education and social learning. All the great qualities of being are germinating in the Hun (the psychic Soul), but only the Shén (the Spirit) allows their tangible development.

The Hun are associated with the Liver, echoing the close link observed between the state of this Organ (sensitive to emotions, alcohol, drugs and stimulants) and the individual’s ability to maintain the right expression of the Hun. . Gradually, from birth to the age of reason, the Hun, after having given their orientation to the Spirits, can leave them all the place they deserve.

The Po (Bodily Soul)

The seven Po constitute our bodily Soul, because their function is to see to the appearance and maintenance of our physical body. They refer to the symbolism of Metal whose dynamism represents a slowing down and condensation of what was more subtle, leading to a materialization, to the appearance of a form, of a body. It is the Po that give us the impression of being distinct, separated from the other components of the universe. This materialization guarantees a physical existence, but introduces the inevitable dimension of the ephemeral.

While the Hun are associated with Heaven, the Po are related to the Earth, to that which is cloudy and gross, to exchanges with the environment, and to the elemental movements of Qi which enters the body in the form of Air and Air. Food, which is decanted, used and then released as residue. These movements of Qi are linked to the physiological activity of the viscera. They allow the renewal of Essences, which is necessary for the maintenance, growth, development and reproduction of the organism. But, whatever the efforts of the Po, the wear and tear of the Essences will inevitably lead to aging, senility and death.

After having defined the child’s body during the first three months of intrauterine life, as a virtual mold, the Po, as a bodily Soul, remain associated with the Lung, ultimately responsible for life which begins with a first breath at birth and ending in a last breath at death. Beyond death, the Po remain attached to our body and our bones.

Signs of Hun and Po imbalance

If the Hun (Psychic Soul) are out of balance, we often find that the person feels bad about themselves, that they can no longer meet challenges, that they are hesitant about their future or that they are missing. of courage and conviction. Over time, great psychological distress can set in, as if the individual was no longer himself, no longer recognized himself, could no longer defend what is important to him, lost the desire to live. On the other hand, a weakness of the Po (Body Soul) may give signs like skin conditions, or generate emotional conflicts that prevent the Energy from flowing freely in the upper body and the upper limbs, the all often accompanied by tremors.

To develop, the global consciousness, the Spirit of the Heart, needs the five senses and more particularly two of the psychovisceral entities: the Yi and the Zhi.

Yi, or the capacity for ideation, is the tool that Spirits use to learn, manipulate ideas and concepts, play with language, and visualize bodily movements and actions. It makes it possible to analyze information, find meaning in it and prepare for memorization in the form of reusable concepts. The clarity of the mind, essential for the efficiency of Yi, depends on the quality of the nourishing substances produced by the digestive system and the sphere of the Spleen / Pancreas. If, for example, the Blood or Body Fluids are of lower quality, the Yi will be affected, which will prevent the Spirits from manifesting effectively. This is why the capacity for ideation (even if it initially comes from the intelligence set up by the Hun) is associated with the Spleen / Pancreas and the integrity of its functions. When the Spleen / Pancreas is weakened, thinking becomes confused, worries set in, judgment is disturbed, and behavior becomes repetitive, even obsessive.

Zhi is the element which allows voluntary action; it provides the ability to stay focused on completing a project and to show determination and endurance in the effort required to achieve a desire. Zhi is at the heart of libido, it is intimately linked to desires, and it is a term also used to designate emotions.

To memorize, the Spirits use the Zhi, an entity associated with the Kidneys, the Organ of conservation. However, it is the Marrow and the Brain which, thanks to the Essences, retain information. If the Essences acquired weaken, or the Marrow and Brain are malnourished, memory and the ability to concentrate will decline. The Zhi is therefore very dependent on the sphere of the Kidneys which, among other things, manages the innate and acquired Essences originating both from the heredity received from the parents and from substances from the environment.

TCM observes preponderant links between the quality of Essences, will and memory. With regard to Western medicine, it is interesting to note that the functions of the Essences of the Kidneys correspond largely to those of hormones such as adrenaline and testosterone, which are powerful stimulants to action. In addition, research on the role of hormones tends to show that a decline in sex hormones is involved in senescence, decline in intellectual capacity and memory loss.

We could say that Thought (Yi), Feeling (XinShén) and Will (Zhi) form the central axis of our psychic life. Within this axis, the Heart’s capacity for judgment (XinShén) must create harmony and balance between our thoughts (Yi) – from the most trivial to the most idealistic – and our actions (Zhi) – fruits of our will. By cultivating this harmony, the individual will be able to evolve wisely and act to the best of his knowledge in each situation.

In a therapeutic context, the practitioner must help the patient to refocus this inner axis, either by helping the thoughts (Yi) to provide a clear perspective of the action to be taken, or by strengthening the will (Zhi) so that it manifests itself. the actions necessary for change, while keeping in mind that there is no possible cure without the feelings finding their place and their peace of mind.