Xiaoming Cheng
Abstract: Shen (spirit) is a concept that is highly representative of traditional Chinese medicine. It refers to the integration of mind and body. The main expression of this concept is “Shen,” which, to a large extent, represents life itself.
Shen is the state of regularity within the universe, nature, and between heaven and earth:〖WTBZ〗 the climate、 environment、 geography, seasonal changes, all orderly activities and in harmonious relationships with humanity. It is a harmonious state of correspondence between man and nature. It operates in an orderly way within its own rules, from the unmanifest to the manifest, and from the manifest back to the unmanifest. It is both change, and maintaining a relative stability within the process of change. This is Shen. The creator, whom we currently do not fully understand, is responsible for creating the universe, nature, and life. We are unaware of the materials and methods used in this creation process. However, what we perceive is a world filled with a divine mechanism.
Shen is the form of existence for living beings: It is generally believed that the form of existence for living organisms is characterized by a “divine mechanism,” which is essentially marked by the dynamic changes of respiration, nutrition, excretion, reproduction, and other processes related to the “ascending and descending, entering and exiting” of vital energy. This represents the metabolic processes of lifes sustenance, as well as the biological consciousness, autonomous perception of the surrounding environment, and adaptive feedback.
When describing the physiological functions of the human body, “Shen” refers to the external manifestation of one’s physical and mental wellbeing： The saying:“on attaining spirit then there is a flourishing of life, when the spirit is lost then ere is death” summarizes the overall state of human life, which is the normal expression of physical and mental activities, as well as the normal functioning of physiological mechanisms. It represents the proper functioning and balanced maintenance of the vital energy qi within the human body, contributing to overall health.
The term “Shen” can represent a person’s spirit, psychological activities, and emotional state: It encompasses ones sensations, perceptions, consciousness, thoughts, psyche, and overall mental and spiritual wellbeing. Modern studies on the nervous system and abstract concepts such as “mental magnetic field” are explorations of the spiritual realm. This includes a series of mental and psychological activities such as spirit, soul, intellect, heart, intention, will, thought, wisdom, consideration, and dreaming, among others. For example, in traditional Chinese medicine, hun refers to a spirit that can exist outside of the body, while po represents cognitive abilities and is described as the capacity for understanding.
Shen is inspiration, it is the manifestation of creative thinking: a kind of guidance from the “higherdimensional world,” also referred to as “intuition” or “mindfulness” in Buddhism. People living in the threedimensional world can occasionally perceive information from the “higherdimensional” world, especially after conscious training, it becomes more evident. We refer to those who can occasionally glimpse the mysteries of the universe as individuals who can sensitively grasp each “inspiration” in the course of time and space, which is an opportunity for success. Whether a person succeeds or not largely depends on whether they pay attention to “inspiration,” whether they can seize it and not give up on it. Interviews with most successful individuals illustrate this point, as many of their initial decisions were derived from “inspiration,” also known as “intuition.”
Spiritual body and material body
In the saying “the heart governs the spirit”, the heart is described as the ruler of a small court, governing all other organs. It is important to perceive the heart as a spiritual entity, the seat of emotions and sentiments, which aligns with the understanding of many cultures all over the world. The same perspective is also prevalent in Western culture, particularly in the expression of love and emotions. When experiencing heartbreak, one would say, “My heart is broken,” rather than “My liver is broken” or “My brain is broken.” It can be said that the “heart” (and the spirit related to it in Chinese medicine) encompasses all the functions of the brain.
The proposition of the heart governing the spiritbrightness means to convey that the spiritual body (soul) is the fundamental ruler of the physical body, and it encompasses the governance of all material aspects of the body. It is the most explicit proposition that highlights the dominance of the spiritual entity over the physical entity. Physiologically, maintaining health and achieving a harmonious unity are under the governance of the “spiritbrightness”, and when it comes to pathological conditions, the focus of treatment should naturally be placed on the spirit. This principle applies particularly in acupuncture therapy:
“The heart governs the spiritbrightness” is a statement about the relationship between the spiritual body and the physical body, which is also a major subject of research in the 21st century (in terms of the integration of mind and body in medicine, etc).
One day, a former student of mine who had graduated over a decade ago came to my house to share his understanding of the “spiritual body” and the physical body. He told me about a case he personally treated: His 46yearold wife was diagnosed with breast cancer during a checkup. When they returned from the hospital, it felt like their world had collapsed. The husband and wife were both in tears, holding their heads in anguish, and even their child, not knowing what to do, voluntarily joined the sorrowful atmosphere. He told me that what made his wife most proud was her beautiful breasts, and she would rather die than undergo any treatment that could harm her body. The husband deeply loved his beautiful wife and embraced her tightly, gently patting her with his hand, comforting her. He told her not to be afraid, assuring her that he would be by her side no matter what happened. However, the fear and worry about the unknown progression of the disease still filled them with apprehension and fear.
He explained to his wife how integrative medicine approaches cancer. The explanation of integrative medicine can be summed up in two maxims:
Holistic perspective: Viewing a person as a whole, this wholeness is referred to as the “complete living organism,” which also encompasses the harmony between heaven and humanity. The content of the complete living organism includes the physical body, the spiritual body, the essence of life, and the independent individual energy attributes (such as theories of gender, and life).
Integrated Therapies: The emergence and occurrence of diseases are not solely attributed to single symptoms; they are inevitably accompanied by various functional disorders and changes. Therefore, the treatment approach cannot be singular either; it involves the integration of various therapies. We can understand this as a combination of mainstream medical practices such as pathological diagnosis, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, with complementary alternative therapies such as traditional Chinese medicine, acupuncture, or other nonmainstream medical treatments (including energy therapy, vibrational therapy, etc.). Additionally, psychological therapy for cancer, dietary therapy for cancer, physical exercise for cancer patients, engagement in social activities, group experiences and interactions, and prayer for cancer patients are also part of the integrative approach. The aim is to promote the improvement of cancer from physiological, mental, and lifestyle perspectives, provide comprehensive care for patients and their families, and reduce side effects and enhance physical strength during mainstream medical treatment.
Of course, he emphasized the relationship between the life system and the survival system (selfhealing system) and explained the understanding of “shen” (spirit). He delved into how traditional Chinese medicine comprehends the collaborative functioning of various body parts under the guidance of “shen,” particularly how the mental and physical bodies mutually regulate and interact with each other.
The wife is a biologist whose work revolves around scientific research. Under the dominant influence of materialism, she had never heard of the concept of the body being a “complete living organism” in her husbands explanation. She was also unaware of the bodys ability to selfbalance and selfregulate, which can enhance its selfhealing capabilities and restore its inherent state of health. As her husband slowly narrated the details, she gradually realized the role of “shen” and the irreplaceable vitality it brings to the physical body. She accepted her husbands explanation and actively cooperated with his proactive treatment. The student shared with me that most of the acupuncture points in his acupuncture treatment prescription were related to “shen,” such as Shen Ting (GV24), Bai Hui (GV20), Si Shen Cong, Shen Men (HT7), Ben Shen (GB13), and the points along the second line of the Bladder meridian, which are all associated with spirit, mind, and consciousness. Its worth noting that the points along the second line of the Bladder meridian exhibit tenderness in cases of breast cancer, and traditional needling techniques such as Bao Ci, Qi Ci, and Yang Ci can exert their unique effects on these points. Of course, he did not forget the principles of traditional Chinese medicine, especially the principles of syndrome differentiation and treatment. The selection of acupuncture points was adjusted based on changes in the overall constitution of the body. Half a year later, a miracle occurred. He told me that ever since his wife understood the concept of a complete living or ganism,she knew how to adjust her emotions, face the situation positively instead of fearing it, and cherish every day of her life. As a result, the family became more harmonious, joyful, and experienced an increased sense of happiness, amplifying the improvement in her condition of breast cancer.
Conclusion
“shen”（spirits) is a substance that exists unmanifested within the human body, and it governs the operations of both the mental and physical aspects. From a materialistic perspective, comprehending this intangible “shen” presents certain difficulties because materialistic thinking constrains us, making it challenging to grasp substances that are invisible but exist in reality.
“shen” is a concept that truly exists and is an unavoidable topic in discussions about health. Traditional Chinese medicine, by elaborating on the significance and manifestations of “shen” in various aspects of life activities from a holistic perspective, holds profound importance in guiding our understanding of mental activities, consciousness, and psychological activities in clinical practice.
Author Introduction:
Professor Xiaoming Cheng, a Chinese medicine physician at the Institute of Integrative Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Executive Associate Editor of New England Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Visiting Professor of Zhejiang Chinese Medicine University, special expert of Shanghai Fudan Medical College and Huashan Hospital, holographic life system integration expert, has been engaged in Chinese medicine teaching, research and clinical work for 45 years at home and abroad.
He is the author of the English version of Acupuncture and Moxibustion Clinical Desk Reference and the Chinese version of Ten Lectures on TCM Methodology.
