Herbs_CalmShen/OpenOrifices

Question 1

What do we mean by ‘Calming Shen’?

Answer 1

All emotions are felt in the Heart even if the pathology for them originates in another zang, so the Heart is always treated as well.

Pathology includes irritability, anxiety, palpitations, insomnia and psychosis.

Depression is a symptom of qi stagnation and qi deficiency and is treated via the Liver, but many of the substances to settle the shen affect the liver as well.

Question 2

category: herbs to calm the shen

Answer 2

The herbs in this category are ones we add in a formula that treats the whole imbalance, for instance, the original pathology, which could be heat from the Liver or Kidneys rising up and disturbing the shen, for example.

Question 3

SHI CHANG PU
Rhizoma Acori

Answer 3

Nature: acrid and warm.
Channels: Heart and Stomach

1. Opens orifices, vaporizes turbid phlegm – loss of consciousness, manic behaviour, seizures, epilepsy
2. Opens orifices and pacifies Shen – forgetfulness, deafness, dizziness and dulled sensorium
3. Transforms turbid dampness, harmonizes the middle jiao – fullness, distension, pain, poor appetite, and sticky mouth
4. Benefits the throat

Question 4

Herbs to Open the Orifices

Answer 4

Orifices become blocked by pathogenic influences
This can alter perception and consciousness and the five senses
Differentiated according to Xu or Shi and hot or cold
Acrid and pungent – only cooked for short while in low temperature or given as pill or powder
Stimulate the central nervous system, for acute situations only