Posted by Hombre on November 4, 2010, at 8:13:24
Taken from "Acupuncture in the Treatment of Depression"
"The Five Spirits: Five Mental Aspects of the Bodymind
In addition to the spirit (shen), which is stored by the heart, each yin viscus houses a specific mental aspect of the human mind. The shen itself indicates consciousness and memory; it maintains our awareness and expresses the integration of our being. The liver stores the hun, usually translated as the ethereal soul. The hun is said to complement the functions of the shen, and it is related to intuition and inspiration, insight and courage. The hun gives us a sense of direction and the capacity for planning; it influences sleep and dreaming. In the spleen is
stored the yi or reflection, which represents our verbally expressed thoughts, our capacity for applied thinking, studying, memorizing, focusing, concentrating, and generating ideas. The kidney stores the zhi, which corresponds to will, drive, and determination; it also provides us with the capacity to store information and is related to long-term memory. The po or corporeal soul is stored in the lung and is what gives the body its capacity for movement, physical sensation, and coordination. It can be linked to the physical expression of the hun or to the organizational principle of the body, and it is considered to be
closely related to the essence, considered the foundation of human life. Depending on the specific manifestations, severity, and precipitating factors in a depressive episode, one or more of these mental aspects will
be affected."I find it very helpful to differentiate and categorize the different aspects of mental function. Instead of blindly trying to influence all at once, treatment can focus on the aspects that are deficient or not functioning correctly.
The organ systems in Chinese medicine are usually not literal references to the physical organs, although they may include the organ itself and some of its functions as we understand them.
I'm a big fan of addressing the Spleen, which is seen as one of the major sources of energy in the body. If we can't properly digest and utilize the nutrients in the food we eat, we can't hope to have sustained energy. I recently read that the health of the mitochondria are related to the concept of Spleen in Chinese medicine. People diagnosed with certain Spleen disorders have been found to have malformed or damaged mitochondria. I got that from Michael Tierra's blog, where he has some very good articles on the corresponding Western physiological functions to the Chinese medicine organs:
http://www.planetherbs.com/theory/index.php
The Kidneys are also a major source of energy, seen as regulating all endocrine function, especially the hormones released by the adrenal medulla and cortex. They are considered to be the root of Yin and Yang in the body. Yin corresponds to the parasympathetic nervous system, and a related hormone is cortisol, which helps us to deal with stress. Kidney Yang is related to the sympathetic nervous system and the hormones epinephrine and norepinephrine. An imbalance between Kidney Yin and Yang can be seen as a problem with the autonomic nervous system.
What is really quite fascinating is that we can shift the functioning of these systems back into balance using herbs and acupuncture, although in most cases herbal medicine is the real power behind Chinese medicine.
I've felt the difference in willpower and drive that can occur by addressing deficient Kidney Yang with the proper herbs. I don't know exactly what is going on, but I also feel and see clear differences in energy, the warmth in my body, and the changes in body composition that can come from draining excess fluid and increasing metabolism with herbs. This does not happen by taking one herb, but a formula containing several herbs that address more than one area.
The more I read about what it takes to properly diagnose patterns and prescribe herbs, the more I am in awe of the sophistication of Chinese herbal medicine. It's like being a chemist and a chef at the same time. It also requires the ability to take in the entire gestalt of a patient's life at a certain point in time, and to tailor a formula specific to the patient's constitution, strengths and weaknesses. There's no way we can expect such specific results with one, two or even three or more psychiatric drugs. It's the difference between the 16 pack of crayons and the big box of 64. I think the drug can paint with broad strokes, but herbs can fill in some of the gaps and address areas, such as the Five Mental Aspects, that are understandably not well understood by most of our doctors.
poster:Hombre
thread:968331
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/alter/20100930/msgs/968331.html