By giving the Shen, the “divine spark” of consciousness, a home in the body, the heart unites heaven and earth in the human being. In Chinese medicine, the so-called “five Shen” represent different aspects of consciousness; the Shen of the heart is the purest form of consciousness. The best way to translate Shen is with “mind”. The presence of Shen is the prerequisite for health and a long life. The shine in our eyes is a reflection of the state of our Shen.

The concept of the Shen seems to correspond to the Buddhist idea of ​​mind as pure consciousness in a detached state. According to the Buddhist teachings, enlightenment comes through knowledge and identification with this pure consciousness within ourselves.

However, the heart-Shen must remain anchored in reality and react to the demands of all physical conditions. Correct and appropriate behavior is the result when pure awareness consciousness is committed to the concerns of physical existence.

In Nei Jing Su Wen it says: “Excessive Shen manifests itself in unceasing laughter, empty Shen in sadness. ” Sometimes a “lack of joy” indicates a problem in the Fire Element. In the event of a disturbance in the Fire, one will be infected by the cheerfulness of others, but then fall back into a lack of joy. But also, according to Chinese medicine, excessive joy/elation is considered to be a cause for illness.

Fire is the only element represented by two pairs of meridians: Heart/Small Intestine and Pericardium/Triple Heater Meridian. Here the Heart, in which the Shen is at home, takes over the central function of the Fire.

In medical texts from the East, various organs are compared with functionaries in a state. The Heart takes the place of the Emperor, who in ancient China corresponded to the Son of Heaven and embodied divine authority on earth. By harboring the Shen (spirit/mind) in the Heart, it gives the divine part of our being a physical home.

Through its central position in our Body-Mind-System, all other Meridians of the Fire Element are protectors of the Heart in very different ways or even its messengers, which help to increase its influence. The boundaries of the Meridians therefore overlap and to some extent all Fire Meridians are extensions of the Heart-Energy.

More about the functions and relationships is described in the explanations of the individual Meridians.

The Heart is the sovereign of all organs and represents the consciousness of one’s own being. It is responsible for intelligence, wisdom and spiritual transformation – Huang Di Nei Jing-

In the “evolution of being”, the natural function of Fire Energy consists in conscious awareness, in the intelligent, concrete implementation of creative visions and concepts. Any kind of interpersonal communication, in its various forms of expression (e. g. verbal, musical, visual, etc. ), belongs to the functions of the Fire Element.

As already described in the texts of “the relations between the Fire Meridians”, the Heart Meridian is “the” Fire Meridian. Its main function is to offer Shen a home. Since Shen is “the divine spark” of consciousness, he unites heaven and earth in man.

To serve the Shen as a home, the Heart itself must be calm and free of stirring emotions. If our centre, our Heart, is unstable, our reactions are not appropriate. If the Heart has enough blood at its disposal, it can anchor the Shen and offer it a peaceful resting place. With a prolonged emotional stress of the Shen, the function of the Heart suffers.

In Masunaga’s meridian cycle, the Heart and Small Intestine Meridians are placed “inside”, which provides information about their functions. They surround the emotional center of the body, just as the Water Meridians (Kidney/Bladder) outline the core of the will to survive.

The Heart and Small Intestine assimilate on an emotional, mental and spiritual level everything that has been absorbed and processed by the Stomach and Spleen. The Heart inserts what the Small Intestine has previously adapted into our body-mind-structure and transforms it into a typical and emotional expression of the individual personality (transformation).

That’s how the Heart becomes the creator of our individuality.

Organ
Heart and small intestine

Sense Organ
Tongue

Orifices
Ears

Body Structures
Tendons and muscles

Body Parts
Blood vessel

External, Physical Expression
Complexion

Body Fluid
Sweat

Ability in Times of Change and Excitement
Ability to mourning and sorrow

Releated Chakras
Chakra 3 – Small Intestine Meridian
Chakra 4 – Heart- and Pericardium Meridian

Chest pain with palpitations, tachycardia

Shortness of breath

Nervous stomach

Sweating, sweaty hands

Stutter

Lack of concentration and memory

Sleep disturbances, fatigue

Shock and coma

Unconsciousness

Neuroses, anxiety, paranoia

Depressions

Volatility, hypersensitivity, tension, restlessness

and others

Emotional strains

Yearning

Emotional chaos

Sadness