Shen (Mind)

Question 1

What is the hierarchy of the Three Treasures?

Answer 1

Shen (Heart)
Qi (Stomach-Spleen)
Jing (Kidneys)

Question 2

What is the most subtle and non-material form of Qi?

Answer 2

Shen

Question 3

What are the 5 spiritual aspects of a human being?

Answer 3

• Hun, the Etheral Soul (Liver)
• Po, the Corporeal Soul (Lungs)
• Yi, the Intellect (Spleen)
• Zhi, Willpower (Kidneys)
• Shen, Mind (Heart)

Question 4

What is the origin of Shen (Mind)? What does Shen depend on?

Answer 4

• nourishment from Pre-Heaven Essences from both parents- one yin, one yang (stored in Kidneys)
• Post-Heaven Essence (refined essence of water and food - produced by Stomach and Spleen)

Question 5

What happens to Pre-Heaven (Pre-Natal) Essence after birth?

Answer 5

• stored in Kidneys

- biological foundation for Shen

Question 6

What is said to be the foundation of the body and the root of the mind?

Answer 6

Essence (Jing)

Question 7

If Shen is disturbed by emotional stress, what will be affected first (in most cases)?

Answer 7

Qi- emotional stress upsets normal functioning of Qi

Question 8

When will emotional stress weaken Essence?

Answer 8

• when combined with overwork and/or excessive sexual activity
• when Fire generated by long-term emotional tensions injures Yin and Essence

Question 9

What organ is the Monarch and governor of the Mind?

Answer 9

Heart

Question 10

What is responsible for memory?

Answer 10

Shen and Heart; also Spleen and Kidneys

Question 11

List some functions of the Shen (up to 12)

Answer 11

• intelligence, consciousness, thinking
• cognition, insight, ideas
• sleep, senses, memory
• affections, feelings, wisdom

Question 12

What is the most important characteristic of Shen?

Answer 12

Consciousness- totality of thoughts and perceptions (individuality) and state of being conscious

Question 13

The Chinese characters for ‘thought’, ‘to think’, and ‘pensiveness’, as well as the characters for all seven emotions, all have what character as their radical?

Answer 13

character for ‘Heart’

Question 14

What is lost when the Shen is obstructed by Phlegm?

Answer 14

Insight: capacity for self-knowledge and self-realization

can result in serious mental illness like psychosis

Question 15

True or False: sleep is dependent on the state of Shen .

Answer 15

True.

if Shen is calm and balanced, a person sleeps well
if Shen is restless, the person sleeps badly

Question 16

What do the eyes rely on for nourishment?

Answer 16

Liver-Blood

Question 17

True or False: The eye is an orifice of the Liver, but a function of the Heart.

Answer 17

True.

• eye = liver = wood, provides nourishment to eyes through Liver-Blood, which is delivered to eyes via Blood Vessels (controlled by Heart)
• Heart houses Shen, Shen controls sight

Question 18

“The nose pertains to the __, but its function depends on the __.” - Classic of Difficulties

Answer 18

Lungs; Heart