“Coming, going, the waterbirds don’t leave a trace, don’t follow a path.” – Dogen, On Non-Dependence of Mind
In Chinese Medicine Theory, Summer is the season of the Heart, of Fire, and of the Spirit. It is a time of illumination and great potential. I love this season because it is tied so deeply to hope and faith, to answering our calling and to reaching our fullest potential. One of my teachers says, “You only have so many heartbeats. How do you want to use them?” When we follow a path that aligns with our nature, the answer begins to materialize.
The Heart, in Chinese medicine, is referred to as the Emperor. It is said to house our Shen, or governing spirit, which allows us to understand our true nature and connect deeply with our personal purpose. This is the part of ourselves that is guided by our intuition and revealed by our whims. The heart does not command what it feels or pre-meditate its actions. It keeps us connected to the rhythm of life, able to relate to and communicate with those around us and experience each situation within it’s own context. When the heart channel is in balance, we feel a peacefulness of spirit, a tranquility of mind, and a clarity to the senses.
When the channel is out of balance we experience anxiety, insomnia, confusion and difficulty concentrating. Any sudden powerful emotional experience will overwhelm the heart, resulting in fright, shock, or emotional instability. We heal our mental suffering through the heart channel by balancing the emotions, calming the Shen and returning to a state of clarity. Allowing our hearts to heal is the only way to heal the spirit, and in doing so, we are better able to heal the whole.