Hey, My next topic will be Pathological Causes and it's Characteristics, however, it would be necessary to show you How to link the TCM Fundamentals of 1st Yin Organ - the Heart with the Integumentary System.
On a block scale, the Integumentary System is an organ system consisting of the skin(the largest organ), hair, nails and the exocrine glands.
An introduction to the Spirit element is necessary for TCM foundations as it is essential to control, so to speak, the unrestricted movement of the body by brain and heart activities as in Western Medicine. This Spirit is termed as 'Shen'.
1st Yin Organ - Heart
The Shen of the spirit in charge of the consciousness resides in the heart in TCM foundation. Shen is the awareness or perception of one's belonging and surrounding. We will talk about Shen in my later blogs.
Master of: Blood
The Heart pumps the blood through the arteries and capillaries to reach every part of the body to carry out physiological activities, especially to the largest organ, the skin. As long as the Heart can pump due to the fact of its very peculiar nature, it governs the blood flow to all parts of the body like a Master.
Clan: Pulse
Generally, the Clan means a close-knit of interrelated families, so any interrelated materials branch out from the heart, whether it is amplitude, width, or rate they are all interrelated to the blood and in turn are within the heart association. So the manifestation of the heart in its clan is the Pulse in TCM Fundamentals. So Pulse is the rhythmical throbbing of the arteries as blood is propelled through them.
Grouping to 5 Elements: Fire
At this point, you just need to know the grouping of the Heart which is the Fire. I will write a blog to discuss which elements are complimenting or restraining each other.
Physiological Function
The main function of the Heart is:
1) to circulate blood to every part of the body to carry out physiological activities. So it is the Master of the blood and pulse. 2)to control the state of consciousness in body and mind. So it is also master of the consciousness.
Orifice: The Tongue
The Heart has its orifice at the Tongue. So I will write more on the observation of the Tongue to explain on the Yin Yang energy affecting the Heart when the body is sick.
Bodily Association: Pulse
Very obvious, the Heart pumps the blood through the arteries and the resulting formation is the throbbing rhythm of the arteries. Therefore the Heart's association on the body is the Pulse.
States of Condition: manifest on the Face
In another word, whether and how is the heart performing its activities is manifested on the Face. Under normal condition, if a person is looking glamorous, then the Heart is likely to be in a good condition. Likewise, I will write more in my later blog when necessary.
Emotion Classification: Happiness
When it comes to emotion, the Heart loves and be in charge of Happiness more than other classes. Fear and Sad are bad to the Heart which I will discuss more later on.
Liquidity State: in the form of Sweat
The Heart in its body fluid state is in form of Sweat. The integumental system has many exocrine glands which are feed by capillaries at the dermis layer to secrete sweat to the skin surface to regulate temperature for example. Just to quote you another example of sweat secretion during the onset of minor heart attack, usually than not, there will be big drops of sweat around the shoulder and upper chest indicating the sudden change of the heart condition. (Cold Sweating)
Correlation Match: Small Intestine
Coorelationship means a mutual relationship or connection between 2 things. So the correlation for the Heart in the body is the Small Intestine in TCthe M context.
I have summed up all the foundations for the Heart in the TCM context and hope to discuss with you if you any feedback. I love to answer all of your feedback.
***Reference:
( Emperor's Interior Sutra is available on sales better known as the esoteric scripture of the yellow emperor in Amazon, it's just a different way of naming the book cover)
Best of all,
Xiong