Heart, Love, and Qi, tickle my curiosity while learning what connects these three. How can these relate to each other? I know for a fact that the Heart is an organ, Love is a feeling, and Qi is energy. Maybe I can connect heart and love figuratively speaking but I can't put qi in the picture. So, what connects them and how can they help us make better choices in the future? I'm talking about physical and mental health as well as life choices.
Heart
The heart is one of the most vital organs we have in our body. In Chinese, the heart is called xin that relates to "feelings" or emotions. Daoist believe the struggles, decisions, and other things that put up emotions can affect how the heart works. There are two faces of the coin here. Both with contrasting views but somehow connects at the end of the line. In science, the heart is an organ that runs the flow of blood around the body. This is a muscular organ as small as our fist located under our chest. While in Chinese Medicine, the heart is dub as "ruler of organs". They believe that the heart is not just a beating machine but the "control room" of the body. This is why the heart is "xin" and the mind "hsin". They are both sounds the same as the heart can also decide. It can discern and it has its own views just like the mind. Though both views (Science and ancient beliefs) are different, each has its own point.
Love
Love is not something new to everyone. In science it a strong positive feeling or emotion. Love relates to compassion, desire, and a feeling of goodness. Love is a good feeling that helps boost our well-being and emotional health. However, though love is a positive emotion, it can also cause a negative effect. For example; obsession, selfishness, vanity, and egotism. Such negative love can drive negative emotions like anger, fear, worry, and anxiety that can greatly affect our emotional balance and health.
Qi
Qi is energy or the "air". This can also relate to breath. Any form of energy around us today is considered Qi (chee). Though qi has two forces, the "yin" and the "yang" Both can be useful in different times. In Chinese Medicine, life itself is a qi, meeting up and coming together as one. So if your qi becomes less, more, or stagnant, this can result in different sickness and pain. This is qi is very important in ancient cultures. Because a balanced qi is a healthy life so rethink how you see Qi energy.
How Heart. Love. Qi relates?
We all know that the heart is a very hard-working organ. It beats 100,000 times and pumps around 2,000 gallons of blood every day. So, if you are in your 70's then your heart must have pumped more than 2 billion times. The heart pumps what our body needs and responds with either "flight or fight". When we do and feel something, the heart responds to these feelings. When we feel low, stressed, and anxious, our heart and breathing also follow.
Since energy is Qi, it can show in our body's response to certain situations. Both our physical and mental well-being can suffer when Qi more, less, or stagnant.
People are normally driven by emotions. However, when we are in the state of being "in love" our body naturally responds with calmness, therefore lowering the blood pressure. When we feel love for something or for someone, our brain also releases hormones like Oxytocin, dopamine, and serotonin. These are “happy hormones" that give off positive emotions.
What happens if we have too much qi, will this affect our heart?
When you have more qi that means you are taking too much. It doesn't matter what is, but anything too much is not good. Do you feel anxious, jumpy, jittery, irritable, and cannot put yourself to sleep? This may be a sign that you have too much qi. Excess Qi is too much itself, such as excessive stress to physical, mental, and other activity. Excess qi can resulth in overeating and overstimulation.
What about a broken heart?
Two factors can affect the heart's overall health. Overeating can lead to obesity, which will lead to stroke and heart attack. Overstimulation leads to sensory overload and emotional imbalance. We have also two systems in our body that help us in direct situations.
In the “flight or fight” response, our body releases hormones to increase heart rate and boost your muscle ability to move, and get you ready. If both senses are turned on especially during "breakups", our heart breaks, this is called Broken Heart Syndrome. So heartbreak affects both physical and mental health.
What happens if we have less Qi?
We can feel fatigued, stressed out, drained, and burn-out. Lack of sleep and the feeling of disconnection and hopelessness. This feeling I believe leads to depression and unhappiness. Always check what your heart is feeling. The yin (receptive) and yang (active) must be balanced.
How do we keep our heart loving and "qiful"?
According to a writing by Michelle Fletcher, B.A. of PACIFIC COLLEGE OF HEALTH AND SCIENCE, Ancient Chinese Qigong practices help strengthen the heart. This was made known to people after their research about Heart and Qi. They found out that practicing Qigong regularly lowers heart rate, blood pressure, increases metabolism, and oxygen supply. Qigong activates qi, enhances blood circulation, and balances out the body’s life energy.
In Chinese Medicine, a good heart brings a calm spirit and a well-rounded mind. The use of Organ Qi Clock to optimize Qigong practices. This allows you to identify exactly which organ system or emotion needs strengthening/resolving.
There are a lot of ways to keep our hearts healthy. On the Westen side, exercise and physical activity can strengthen the muscles of the heart. The Eastern approach is living with love, happiness, and a peaceful heart so we can embrace our Shen - the spirit. Whichever road you take, for sure Qigong can help!
