What is the Shen?
Shen is the least tangible, yet most spiritual of the Three Treasures, and is a very subtle energy. It is Yang in nature and flows upward with a fire-like quality. As with the other facets of the San Bao, it can be cultivated, this time through meditation and the tranquil forms of Qigong. It is associated with the Liver and the Heart, and when the Qi from these two sources combine harmoniously they produce Shen. When these organs are out of balance the Shen becomes unsettled, leading to restlessness and agitation of the Mind. All mental health illnesses are seen as diseases or imbalances of this aspect of qi.
“Shen is the sparkle in the eye of the wise, the substance of sentience, intuition and wisdom.”
Shen is increased through meditation in any form of introspective exercise such as meditation. However, it is lost when we spend too much time and energy looking outside to the materialistic world and it should be noted that the ego destroys the Shen.
Shen is stored in the Upper Dan Tien (Yin Tang), flows through the Exceptional Vessels, and unless stopped through meditation and introspection it is lost through the eyes.
Traditional Chinese Medicine sees Shen as being an inherent component of our health and well-being. The active cultivation of the Shen is considered essential for a healthy body, mind and spirit.
When referring to the consciousness, the definition of shen that we are l looking at, Shen is usually translated as spirit and refers to our connection to the spiritual via our consciousness. It also embodies our emotions and thoughts.
As previously mentioned, Chinese Medicine considers Shen to be one of the Three Treasures that constitute sentient life: –
- Qi – the life force that animates matter.
- Jing – the essence. This is the primal energy. It is the foundation of energy reserves of the body. Iit is Jing that determines the vitality, the quantity and quality of our lifespan.
- Shen – the spirit (consciousness).
Can the Shen be harmed?
The Shen can be harmed by a number of external factors that put stresses on our physical body if we do not take care of ourselves conserve our vitality. This can be undertaken through proper nourishment, through maintaining good habits, maintaining physical strength, and avoiding exposure to toxins.
The Shen can also be harmed by internal factors, such as stress, anxiety, depression or excessive emotions.
Disharmony of Shen can manifests as: –
- Insomnia.
- Anxiety.
- Confusion.
- Restlessness.
- Dull, empty, lacklustre eyes.
- Forgetfulness.
- Mania.
- Extreme depression.
- Paranoia.
Shen can be healed and enhanced through the practice of Qigong, Taiji, or meditation. It is best if this healing process begins early and that these arts are used in a proactive manner. Where the imbalance is extreme, or chronic, it is recommended that Shiatsu, Healing Qigong, or acupuncture is used to kick start the healing process.
The “Three Treasures” are the essential energies sustaining human life:
Pre and Postnatal Shen
We derive our Prenatal Shen prior to birth. It is not clear whether this is at the point of conception or whether it develops in the womb. This energy that connects us (via the consciousness) to the Tao. It is through the development of the Shen that we can achieve glimpses of facets of the Tao. We can never see, or know, anything other than a fraction of a fraction of it, but we can develop the ability to have those glimpses. It is the Shen that understands the myriad qualities of the Qi while the Yi struggles to comprehend the non-physical and translate those signals (from Shen) into something that makes sense to a being that only has experience of the physical.
Postnatal Shen is derived from the Jing and the Qi. It is developed and shaped after birth by our conditioning, our environment and our habits. If that conditioning is toxic, if the environment is toxic, if our habits are toxic then our Shen is damaged.