Organs Have Spirits
The five spirits are the archetypes of our psyche belonging to each of our main organs. 'Spirit,' in this context, simply means conscious force. These spirits are often referred to as sages that we can turn to when we require wisdom and guidance.
When our soul is born into a human body, we adopt these five spirits, that relate to the five core elements.
The Shen
The Shen relates to the fire element and lives in the heart. The Shen is the king or queen of the entire body-mind system and carries your soul’s mandate. It knows your inner truth at all times and it is essential for maintaining a strong sense of self and inner autonomy.
When the Shen is disturbed it can express as disassociation, poor boundaries, and an inability to know or express your truth. A healthy Shen is exemplified by an ability to maintain appropriate boundaries in relationships and an ability to step in harmony with your life's direction.
The Hun
The Hun relates to the wood element and lives in the liver. It represents the archetype of the visionary. It is responsible for plans, dreams, visions and the imagination. It lends us our compassion and gives us the tenacity to stand up for injustices.
When the Hun is out of balance, it expresses as hopelessness, depression, and an inability to envision or plan.
When in balance, the Hun expresses as courage, determination, and enthusiasm for the future. It is what conceives of new possibilities.
The Yi
The Yi relates to the earth element and lives in the spleen. It represents the archetype of the humble farmer and is the spirit that generates, leading to actionable steps to grow our dreams and visions.
When out of balance, the Yi expresses as immobilizing self-doubt and an inability to follow through on plans. It can also express as rumination and worry.
When in balance, the Yi expresses as a constancy and tangible devotion towards work, dreams, or visions for the future.
The Po
The Po relates to the metal element and lives in the lungs. It represents our body's unconscious and basic survival drives. The Po is the spirit that stores our body's memories from childhood and is what drives our automatic and unconscious habits.
When out of balance, the Po expresses as the inability to let go of the past and a need to control our experiences. It can also show up physically as chronic pain or numbness.
When in balance, the Po expresses as an appreciation for the precious mysteries of life, and the ability to flow through changes and transitions.
The Zhi
The Zhi relates to the water element and lives in the kidneys. The Zhi carries the intelligence of our ancestors and the wisdom of the collective unconscious.
When out of balance, the Zhi expresses as a loss of faith and fear of the unknown. It shows up as an inability to trust the ebbs and flows of life.
When in balance, the Zhi expresses as the ability to be authentically who we are. There is an alignment of our life-force energy with our natural gifts, talents interests and the season of life we are in.
Ready to learn more?
If you like these explorations and are looking for support in developing or continuing a qi gong practice, please check out the Nosco Learning Library.
We also dive deeper into these topics in our Five Spirits Qi Gong Practitioner Training. Our next cohort begins in November. Spots are filling fast! Please register soon if you are serious in joining us 🙂
Yin Rising Retreat: A Women’s Health Qigong retreat in Uvita, Costa Rica, March 5–10. Registration opens soon!
