Vital Substances: Mind

Mind and Body

  • Mind and body are different manifestations of Qi

  • When Qi condenses, it becomes more materialized substance, such as our body

  • When Qi disperses, the substance becomes more rarefied and non-material, like our Mind

Foundation for Mind

  • Qi and Essence are material foundation for the Mind

  • Blood is the material foundation for the Mind as well

  • The Mind relies on both the Pre-Heaven, the Spleen and Stomach, and the Post-Heaven, the Kidneys

The Heart and Mind

  • The Heart governs the Mind 

  • The Heart is the residence of the Mind

Functions of Mind

  • The Mind has various functions for consciousness, senses, thinking, memory, and so on

  • The Heart is the “Monarch of the 5 Yin organs and 6 Yang organs,” thus all senses rely on the Heart 

  • 7 emotions, joy, anger, worry, pensiveness, sadness, fear, and fright, all affect the Heart 

So that closes our TCM Theory series. We have covered core theories of TCM, including the theory of Qi, Yin-Yang, 5 Elements, and all of the 5 Vital Substances. Feel free to go back and review what we have learned up until this point as these theories are the basic foundations of TCM. Next, we will begin our TCM Anatomy series.

If you have any feedback or questions about the material covered, please don’t hesitate to contact at junhwa@tcmexplained.com. Until next time. 

* The content is provided only for education purposes and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

References

1. Cheng, Xinnong, ed. Chinese Acupuncture and Moxibustion. 3rd ed. Fifteenth Printing 2014. Beijing: Foreign Languages Press, 2012.

2. Kaptchuk, Ted J. The Web That Has No Weaver: Understanding Chinese Medicine. 2nd ed. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2000.

3. Maciocia, Giovanni. The Foundations of Chinese Medicine: A Comprehensive Text for Acupuncturists and Herbalists. 3rd ed. Philadelphia: Elsevier Churchill Livingstone, 2015.