In the previous articles on Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) the principles and causes of disharmony were divided into four areas:
External Causes
Internal Causes
Neither Internal nor External Causes
Physical Constitution.
With two blogs dedicated to the External Causes and Physical Constitution, this article will detail the aspect of Internal Causes through analysis of the emotional body.
Photo by Mark Daynes on Unsplash
The Types of Human Emotion
Our emotional body is the aspect of yourself that is primed and ready to feel. Everything triggers emotions and influences the way we think, what we do and say.
Different situations cause us to react with a wide range of emotions. What makes one person happy could make another person sad or angry. If we remain emotionally upset for a long time or we go through a very sudden or serve emotional trauma the mind finds it hard to adjust to these mental disturbances. This can cause disharmony in the body that can then represent in our physical body through disease.
TCM considers the internal organs as influencing not only the physical body but also the psychological and spiritual aspects. Major causes of disharmony are considered to be psychological and are referred to as the seven emotions - Anger, Joy, Sadness, Grief, Pensiveness, Fear, and Fright.
These emotions pair with an element and are associated with a season.
It's important to note that these emotions are not considered good or bad. It is about balancing them. For example, too much joy is as imbalanced as too much grief.
Finding Balance in the Emotional Body
The key to finding balance as according to TCM is to be aware of how your emotions may influence your body and what exacerbates disharmonies. Below are some general guidelines for each of the seven emotions and initial ways to look at balancing your emotions.
Note that the above table lists general information for educational purposes. It is important to embark on the TCM journey slowly, making gradual changes and consult a qualified professional along the way.
Wishing you the best health on your journey!
xo Robyn Saurine - Founder of Humane Yoga.