-IBIS-1.5.0-
tx
cardiovascular system
tachycardia/bradycardia
psychospiritual approaches
metaphors and correlations
Associated with anxiety and grief. (Epstein, p. 77)
Associated with severe psychological disturbances in the 24 hours preceding the arrhythmic episodes. (Gentry, p. 47)
Heart represents center of love and security. (Hay, 1984, p. 168)
Chinese psychophysiology:
Heart ~ Xin houses the Shen (Spirit) and reveals itself through the brightness in the eyes; governs Fire and Heat; rules the Xue (Blood) and its vessels and directs the circulation; and relates to the integration of the organs and the personality.
» Healthy expressions are warmth, vitality, excitement, inner peace, love, and joy.
» Heart Xu (Deficiency) signs include sadness; absence of laughter; depression; fear; anxiety; shortness of breath (Seem, p. 28); cold feeling in the chest and limbs; palpitations; cold sweat; inability to speak; memory failure; nocturnal emissions; and restless sleep. Chronic Yin Xu (Deficiency) predisposes to Empty Fire, acute and chronic. Heart Xue Xu (Blood Deficiency) predisposes to Heart Xue Yu (Blood Stasis).
» The Heart is the Emperor of the bodily realm so that when the Heart is disturbed all the other organs will be disrupted.
Kidney ~ Shen stores Jing (Essence) and governs birth, growth, reproduction, development, and aging; houses the Zhi (Will); expresses ambition and focus; governs Water to regulate body fluids; provides the "Fire of Life" through its Yang functions; provides the nourishing and stabilizing qualities of Yin and Water that balance the Yang and the Fiery qualities of the Heart; relates particularly to chronic conditions because it carries the constitutional endowment from the parents; and displays the effects of overwork, aging, chronic debilitation, and extreme stress.
» Healthy expressions are gentleness, groundedness, and endurance.
» Kidney Xu (Deficiency) signs include indecisiveness; confused speech; dreams of trees submerged under water; abundant sweating (Seem, p. 28); fearfulness; apathy; chronic fatigue; discouragement; scatteredness; lack of will; negativity; impatience; difficult inhalation; low sex drive; lumbago; sciatica; and musculoskeletal irritation and inflammation, especially when worse from touch. As always, chronic Yin Xu (Deficiency) predisposes to Empty Heat.
» Intense or prolonged fear depletes the Kidney. Often chronic anxiety may induce Xu (Deficiency) and then Fire within the Kidney. (Maciocia, p. 250) Overwork, parenting, simple aging, and a sedentary or excessively indulgent lifestyle all contribute significantly to Kidney Xu (Deficiency).
therapies
imagery:
from root to leaf: arrhythmia (Chavez)
the shield: arrhythmia (Chavez)
silver bell: arrhythmia (Chavez)
see also: imagery for heart conditions (arrhythmia)
imagery for anxiety and depression
affirmation:
I bring joy back to the center of my heart. I express love to all. My heart beats to the rhythm of love. (Hay, 1984, p. 168)
Joy, joy, joy. I lovingly allow joy to flow through my mind and body experience. My heart beats to the rhythm of love. (Hay, 1984, p. 168)
theotherapy:
(heart disease) Atlas, Poseidon, Prometheus, Typhon (Lemesurier, p. 99)
psychotherapy:
With heart disturbances and heart conditions, the following questions are possibly worth exploring:
» Are my head and heart, my intellect and feelings, in harmonious balance?
» Am I giving enough scope to my feelings and trusting myself to express them?
» Am I living and loving 'heartily', or only 'half-heartedly'?
» Is my life borne along by a living rhythm, or am I subjecting it to a rigid way?
» Does my life still contain enough combustible materials and explosives?
» Am I listening to, seeing, feeling, moving my heart? (Dethlefsen, p. 202)
process paradigm: (experientially oriented)
What is the symptom preventing me from doing? What is the symptom making me do? (see process interview: cardiovascular system)
related materia medica listings:
the shadow and physical symptoms
converting a symptom to a signal
behavior modification techniques
imagery for heart conditions (arrhythmia)
imagery for anxiety and depression
imagery: precautions
imagery: techniques
affirmations: guidelines and precautions
theotherapy
hypnotherapy
process paradigm
footnotes
Reprinted from The Foundations of Chinese Medicine, Maciocia, Giovanni, 1989, by permission of the publisher Churchill Livingstone, a division of Elsevier Limited.