In Traditional Chinese Medicine, there is a direct connection between our emotions and health. Specifically, seven emotions are instrumental in everything from our heart rate and breathing to digestion and bowel function. Today’s blog post examines these seven emotions and discusses their intricate connectivity with our health and well-being.
The Seven Emotions
Human emotions are classified into seven categories:
- Joy
- Anger
- Anxiety
- Contemplation
- Grief
- Fear
- Fright
These seven emotions link human mental activities to physiological organ function – they directly influence corresponding organs to bring on diseases. This phenomenon is referred to as “internal injury caused by the seven emotions”.
- Excessive joy impairs the heart.
- Anger impairs the liver.
- Grief impairs the lungs.
- Anxiety and excessive contemplation impairs the spleen.
- Fright and fear impair the kidneys.
Emotions and Organ Function
Our internal organs (heart, liver, lungs, spleen, and kidneys) are strongly influenced and affected by the seven emotions. Excessive mental activities negatively impact Qi circulation – Qi is the energy responsible for life itself. Good health requires proper Qi circulation throughout the body, just as it requires adequate blood circulation. All pain comes from Qi stagnation and all disease from insufficient Qi nourishing the bodily organs.
How do these seven emotions adversely impact organ function? The ancient TCM texts share the following insights:
- Joy causes the Qi to become sluggish.
- Anger causes the Qi to ascend when it should descend.
- Sorrow (grief) consumes the Qi.
- Anxiety causes depression of the Qi.
- Fear induces the Qi to dissipate.
- Fright results in disorder of the Qi.
Emotions and Qi
Emotions such as sadness, happiness, anxiety, and fear can cause dysfunction in the ascending and descending of Qi, triggering changes in breathing rhythms. Researchers are currently investigating the links tying certain emotions to specific organs, as every organ has its natural frequency.
The key to achieving balance and harmony in life is maintaining stability in the seven emotions. For example, the heart corresponds to joy – too much or too little joy stresses the heart’s ability to build and circulate blood through the body’s vessels. People often think there can never be too much joy, but proper health always seeks balance and avoids extremes.
Grief and the Lungs
The lungs correspond to grief. There is a time and place for feeling grief, and the emotion is essential at the right time. However, overwhelming feelings of grief will affect respiration. The body generates Qi energy from the food we eat and the air we breathe. Poor respiration will quickly deplete Qi in the body.
Anger and the Liver
The liver corresponds to anger, and taking too much offense will stagnate the Qi throughout the body, leading to pain. Liver Qi stagnation also overacts on other organs, most notably the stomach and spleen, causing weakness in the digestive system. There is a time for anger and righteous indignation, and we deny those times at our peril. On the other hand, we should not over-indulge in our anger.
Worry and the Spleen
The spleen corresponds to worry and overthinking. We treat many engineers in our clinic, and they tend to fall into this category. It’s good to be thoughtful, but overthinking will tax the spleen and stomach, leading to stress and fatigue. Overthinkers need to train themselves to step away from problems, giving them space to breathe. Not easy to do, but essential to maintain balance and good health.
Fear and the Kidneys
The kidney corresponds to fright and fear. Some situations legitimately induce fear, but all too often, we live in a constant state of fight or flight. This not only taxes our energy but burns out our root Qi – think of root Qi as the Western medical concept of cortisol levels. Adrenal fatigue (a growing diagnosis in modern medicine over the past ten years) develops by living in a constant state of fear, fright, and stress.
Balancing the Emotions
One of the best ways to keep the seven emotions in check and balanced is to get acupuncture tune-ups focusing on Qi circulation. When the Qi circulates properly, it smooths the emotions, providing a natural buffer to the harshness of the outside world. Exercise also helps spread the Qi, as does laughing and socializing with friends.
Behaviors that stagnate the Qi include working too hard, concentrating too long, and taxing any of the seven emotions. Sudden, intense, prolonged emotional stimuli will cause dysfunction of Qi, blood, and the organs, leading to diseases. A well-trained acupuncturist will identify organ pattern imbalances, regulate the Qi, and smooth the seven emotions.
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Key phrase: Seven Emotions
