The “Seven Emotions” refer to the human mental responses to external stimuli. In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), appropriately expressing emotions is beneficial for health; however, repression or excessive expression can harm the body. To address emotional issues, one must cultivate the heart and mind, gradually becoming aware and managing emotions, and nurturing oneself.
In TCM, emotions are categorized into joy, anger, worry, contemplation, sadness, fear, and shock, with corresponding relationships to the five organs:Excessive joy harms the heart, excessive anger harms the liver, excessive worry harms the spleen, excessive sadness harms the lungs, and excessive fear harms the kidneys.A normal person experiences slight happiness, anger, sadness, and fear in daily life without harming their body. Only when these emotions become excessive do they affect health.Emotional fluctuations can influence the flow of Yang Qi within the body, with different emotional states affecting the trajectory of Yang Qi differently. The “Huangdi Neijing” summarizes this as: anger causes Qi to rise, joy causes Qi to slow, fear causes Qi to descend, shock causes Qi to become chaotic, sadness causes Qi to dissipate, worry causes Qi to accumulate, and contemplation causes Qi to stagnate.
If one becomes angry, Yang Qi rises, which is why some people turn red in the face during intense arguments; the Yang Qi pushes blood upward, causing a sudden rush of blood to the face, resulting in redness.There is an interesting term in ancient China: “Anger raises the hair.” The hair is a surplus of blood; when a person is angry, the blood rushes to the head, causing the hair to stand up and even pushing up any hat they are wearing. This is an exaggerated expression, but it reflects the common understanding of this phenomenon in ancient TCM.Severe anger can lead to acute illnesses such as stroke and cerebral hemorrhage.When blood rushes to the head, blood vessels that are already congested can easily rupture, leading to cerebral hemorrhage. Additionally, if a person who is usually weak experiences a sudden surge of Yang Qi, they may faint, and cold pathogens can invade, resulting in paralysis.Many elderly individuals on television have died from anger caused by irresponsible children; this has some truth, as during severe illness, the body is very weak, and the last bit of Yang Qi resides in the kidneys. If an irresponsible child appears and says many upsetting things, the elderly person may become very angry, causing the last bit of Yang Qi to rise, leading to a phenomenon known as “returning light” where the face turns red before the Yang Qi departs, resulting in death.Therefore, when patients are very weak or after surgery, it is important not to say anything that might provoke strong emotions.
In daily life, anger can harm the liver and gallbladder,especially for those who suppress their anger, which can easily lead to liver Qi stagnation.The emotion of anger actually consists of two processes:The first stage is liver Qi stagnation.When a person becomes angry about something, their body becomes agitated, and liver Qi immediately stagnates.The second stage is the release of that anger.When the liver detects that its meridians are congested, it attempts to release the stagnation, causing Qi to surge upward, and the person’s emotions are expressed through language, facial expressions, and actions.People who suppress their anger remain stuck in the first stage, and their stagnant Qi cannot be released. If liver Qi stagnation occurs occasionally, it is not a major issue, as the body can self-regulate. During sleep, the body can automatically eliminate some negative emotions, and this stagnant Qi may be released through bodily functions, such as when someone feels depressed but feels better after a good night’s sleep or after massaging certain acupuncture points.Although the body has a self-cleansing ability, if a person frequently suppresses their anger, the cleansing ability may not be fast enough, leading to increasingly severe liver Qi stagnation, resulting in symptoms such as fullness in the chest and ribs, loss of appetite, nausea, and bitter dry mouth. This occurs becauseliver Qi is not smooth, and gallbladder Qi is reversed.Moreover, liver and gallbladder issues often come with gastrointestinal symptoms, as the liver and gallbladder are associated with wood, while the gastrointestinal tract is associated with earth; wood overcomes earth. Therefore, some people who experience bloating and diarrhea when angry have liver and gallbladder issues. By relieving liver Qi, these symptoms can be alleviated. Many chronic stomach issues are also related to liver and gallbladder problems, which is why TCM often incorporates liver-relieving herbs when treating stomach conditions, leading to quicker recovery for patients.
Subtle joy is very beneficial for the body.The “Huangdi Neijing” states: “Joy harmonizes Qi and allows the will to be expressed, thus facilitating the flow of Ying and Wei Qi, leading to a gentle Qi flow.” When a person feels joy, the flow of Yang Qi throughout the body becomes smooth, and previously stagnant areas become unblocked, allowing the accumulated gloom to dissipate, resulting in a gentle and unhurried flow of Yang Qi.It is important to note that the TCM concept of “gentle” does not mean slow; it refers to a state of being unhurried.Once Yang Qi flows smoothly, it can better nourish the skin, which is why there is a saying, “A smile can make you look ten years younger.” Those who maintain a sense of joy not only stay healthy but also appear younger. Some people say that those who laugh often have many wrinkles; however, this is not the case. Wrinkles form when muscles relax and Yang Qi is insufficient to reach the face, preventing the transport of blood and moisture. Over time, without the nourishment of blood and moisture, the skin becomes dry and wrinkles appear. For example, children who laugh often do not develop wrinkles because they have abundant Yang Qi.However, excessive joy can harm the heart.For instance, some people faint from excessive joy upon hearing they have won the lottery. Any extreme emotion can harm the body. Excessive joy can cause Qi to become sluggish; have you ever felt that after a hearty laugh or a moment of great joy, you lack the motivation to do anything? This is a state of lethargy that occurs when Qi slows down..
Some people turn pale after being frightened because the blood and Qi in their face descend. Others may experience incontinence due to fear, as Yang Qi descends, and if the Yang Qi is weak, it cannot hold the urinary and anal sphincters, leading to involuntary expulsion. This situation is more common in the elderly, as they often have weak Yang Qi.The kidneys’ function is to store a person’s essence and Qi for growth, bone marrow formation, and reproductive functions. However, when a person experiences excessive fear, Yang Qi descends, leading to incontinence, and even the essence stored in the kidneys may be expelled with urine and feces, resulting in a depletion of kidney essence. Some very weak individuals or those who experience extreme fright may lose all their kidney essence during incontinence, leading to cases of death from fright.It is a misconception that only sudden fright can harm the kidneys; even when a person is frightened, they may not experience severe incontinence, but a small amount of kidney essence may still be unconsciously expelled, as it can seep into the urine and feces during normal bathroom visits.If a person remains in a state of fear for a long time, kidney essence will gradually leak out, leading to a pale complexion and lack of vitality.This is partly because fear causes Qi to descend, preventing blood and Qi from reaching the face, and partly because prolonged fear leads to gradual depletion of essence, resulting in insufficient vitality and a lack of energy.
Some sadness is not fleeting; it can last a long time, such as after a breakup or the death of a loved one. As mentioned earlier,sadness causes Qi to dissipate; when a person is in a state of sadness, their Qi will disperse.Prolonged sadness, especially when one is deeply grieving, can easily lead to Yang deficiency, weakening the body’s resistance. Some individuals who are already weak may faint from crying too much. Patients who remain in a state of prolonged sadness find it difficult to recover, as their Yang Qi is continuously depleted by this emotion.Without the return of Yang Qi, recovery from illness becomes difficult.Sadness can also harm the lungs, as lung Qi immediately tightens during sadness, preventing the smooth flow of Qi and the expulsion of phlegm and toxins. Over time, this leads to an accumulation of waste gases and tightness in lung Qi, resulting in lung disease.Many ancient stories recount individuals who died from excessive grief over the loss of a spouse or parent, as their Yang Qi was depleted, and evil Qi accumulated within, leading to fatal illnesses.
When a person overthinks, Qi becomes stagnant, as all attention is focused on the thoughts at hand, causing Yang Qi to concentrate in the brain. This prolonged concentration of Yang Qi can lead to stagnation.Stagnation of Yang Qi in the brain can lead to insomnia.Many people experience this; when they think too much for an extended period, their minds become restless at night, leading to difficulty sleeping. Even if they do fall asleep, their minds are filled with dreams, as the Yang Qi stagnation in the brain prevents the heart spirit from descending into the kidney water.When a person is deep in thought, the digestive function of the spleen and stomach is diminished, as Yang Qi is concentrated in the brain. The spleen and stomach, working in a low-energy environment for an extended period, will deplete their original Qi.Thus, many individuals who frequently think or are forced to think deeply often have poor spleen and stomach function.Consider the intense study periods during high school; many may have noticed a decline in their digestive function, sometimes even losing their appetite or feeling weak even if they do eat.The spleen and stomach are the source of postnatal Qi, as they digest food and generate the Qi that supports mental and daily activities. A significant portion of Yang Qi is derived from the transformation of food by the spleen and stomach. Additionally, the spleen and stomach categorize the essence of food according to the nutritional needs of various organs and supply them accordingly.Therefore, individuals with long-term poor spleen and stomach function often appear pale and thin, easily fatigued, and frequently ill, not only due to Yang Qi deficiency but also because of the lack of nourishment to the five organs. Thus, it is essential to balance work and rest, limiting prolonged periods of deep thought, taking breaks to relax, and not fixating on a single problem, as this can be harmful to the body.
Shock and fear are often related, but shock primarily refers to the disturbance of the spirit, leading to unease, while fear is more about dread. Sudden fright can cause a person to become unsettled and unable to think clearly, leading to chaotic Qi flow. When checking their pulse, it may be erratic, and the person may feel mentally disorganized.Frequent chaotic Qi flow can easily lead to blood stasisand prevent Yang Qi from properly protecting the body. It is worth noting that children are particularly susceptible to fright; after being frightened, they may cry at night or appear panicked, indicating that their spirit is disturbed and cannot settle. A small amount of Fu Shen (Poria) powder can be given to them.
The last emotion is worry,worry arises when the mind cannot balance with reality.Worry is the fear of bad things happening, while contemplation is the hope for good things to happen; both involve thinking about the future, creating a contradiction when the future has not yet arrived. Our mind can only deal with the present; if it focuses on the future or distant matters, it becomes overwhelmed, leading to feelings of worry.During worry, Qi accumulates; instead of being dispersed to protect the body, it becomes concentrated, leading to Yang deficiency on the surface, making one susceptible to illness. Spending years in a state of worry can also lead to liver Qi stagnation, which is detrimental to both the liver and spleen.
In discussing how emotions can lead to illness, the aim is to remind everyone not to experience extreme joy, anger, fear, or sadness, as these are detrimental to health. While external treatments and medications can address illnesses caused by emotional disturbances,the root cause must be addressed through emotional regulation, gradually becoming aware and managing emotions, and nurturing oneself!
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