Heart and Pericardium – Dwelling Place of Our Soul and Consciousness

In China, it is said that the heart is the seat of our soul. In Chinese medicine, it is also referred to as the Emperor of the Organs. It is the powerful motor that supplies all organs and the entire body with blood and keeps the circulatory systems flowing. An Emperor who cares well for all the inhabitants of the realm – a realm that encompasses both body and soul.

When the Emperor is well – healthy, strong, and balanced – everyone in the realm benefits. They can relax, unfold, and pursue their work with vigor.

Because the heart holds this important position, it deserves special protection. It stands, like an Emperor, in close relationship to both the outer and inner worlds.

The Emperor of the Organs should be especially well protected, above all from anything that weakens, injures, or throws him into too much agitation. Due to his responsible position, he should be treated with the utmost respect and recognition.

If, in the state, the Emperor were to cry out in pain, everyone would immediately turn their undivided attention to him, striving to find the cause of his pain, to remedy it, and to restore his well-being. 

When my heart cries out in pain, what do I do?

Do I do everything to avert harm and offer it optimal support and protection?

Do I roll out the red carpet for my Emperor, or do I rather meet him with severity and demands:

- Don't be so sensitive!

- Just pull yourself together!

- Don't be so weak!

- Get a grip!

In Beijing, the Emperor lived in the Forbidden City, well protected by the city wall. This wall, in turn, was strictly guarded. The guards paid close attention to who was allowed to come into contact with the Emperor and who was permitted into his proximity. Only people who were lovingly devoted to the Emperor lived in the Forbidden City – such as his family – and people who supported him and made life easier, such as his closest statesman confidants and all those who cared for his well-being, like cooks and service staff.

The function of the Forbidden City, especially the city wall, is assumed by the pericardium. It surrounds the heart protectively and nestles it lovingly.

The Emperor should always be treated with the utmost respect and appreciation.

All emotional injuries, but also all injuries to my self-worth, affect the heart particularly deeply. These are especially injuries in intimate relationships, within the family, with people close to me, but also injuries in professional life due to a lack of appreciation and disrespect. These are events that have penetrated my pericardium and struck my heart.

Heart injuries are wounds to be taken very seriously, as they affect the entire body and soul to a particularly high degree.

Energetically, the heart is in close relationship with the tongue. I can "have my heart on my tongue" (speak openly), but I can also hurt deeply through words and "sharply tongue" strike the heart. 

A struck heart manifests itself, for example, through stammering. In the best case, I stammer when my heart is in the excited state of being in love. But when I stammer in conversations with my partner or a supervisor, it is a sign that the matter truly "goes to my heart," that my heart has already suffered an injury and urgently needs protection.

Further symptoms of a heart injury are weak knees and cardiac arrhythmias. They occur in the state of being in love just as they do in conflicts and crises in which I have not experienced sufficient appreciation.

In Chinese medicine, it is also said that our heart is the dwelling place of Shen – our soul, our consciousness. By day, the soul goes out and participates in life. In the evening, the soul returns home and finds rest and recuperation in the heart. But if the heart is full of unrest, unprocessed experiences, and writhes in pain, then the soul cannot find peace within it and cannot find sleep.

Take symptoms such as stammering, weak knees, and sleep disorders very seriously, especially when they occur together, as signs of serious heart injuries. After perceiving existing injuries, it is important to show my heart and soul the respect they deserve, to protect them optimally from these injuries, and to prevent further injury.

After perception comes the step of action. The soldiers must clearly and unmistakably expel the intruders from the palace and close the gates before them.

Optimally, the guard works so well that heart injuries cannot occur in the first place, because dangerous intruders are not allowed to reach the heart. But palace guards are also human beings who are allowed to learn through experience.

If the palace guards have only inadequately protected the Emperor, there is a danger that they will become over-anxious and, for fear of making mistakes, no longer allow anyone near the Emperor and completely seal off the palace.

But the Emperor loves exchange and contact with his realm. The Emperor wants to experience lightness, joy, and love. He wants to engage with life. If the pericardium becomes too tight and too hard, the Emperor can no longer breathe, becomes lonely, and withers.

Wounds of the heart and pericardium often need a long time to heal – for example, after separations or experiences of bullying. It is important to allow them this time and to treat them with particular lovingness and leniency during this period, as these are open wounds in the heart and tears in the pericardium. The healing of these wounds is associated with a great deal of pain. Once I have eliminated the causes of the injuries, it is above all a matter of enduring this pain, treating my heart with the greatest possible respect, and sharpening my awareness for good protection.

A scar will remain on my pericardium, but the palace guard has become a little wiser and more vigilant.

What is important is that I trust that my heart will one day be able to sing and leap again, experience lightness, and become a harmonious resting place for my soul.

It is also important that I learn to trust my pericardium again, so that it can calmly and clearly decide what may be brought to my heart. I grant it the right to make mistakes, knowing that my heart is strong enough to handle them and that I correct them as quickly as possible at the first symptoms, before greater injuries arise.

What is important is that I show my Emperor of the Organs the highest appreciation and do my utmost to care for his well-being.

If the Emperor feels pressured or attacked and I do not react at all, I diminish the value of my own heart, and my self-esteem sinks. Truly appreciating my heart again to the point where I do not dismiss its perceptions with statements like "It wasn't that bad at all" or "Don't make a mountain out of a molehill" is an important step toward healthy selfconfidence. It is good when I can develop trust in my own perception again and when I trust that I take good care of myself and protect myself.

The palace guards do not always have to draw their weapons and fight unnecessarily, but they should clearly and unequivocally deny certain people access to the imperial palace and turn them away. My subconscious will always notice when the palace guard has shirked their duty with a lame excuse, and my own heart will, in the long run, lose trust in me. 

Which are the people who do the Emperor long-term good, who strengthen, love, and support him?

"Listen to your heart" – in China, this would also include the pericardium. Thus, I not only let myself be guided by emotions and let them determine my actions, but I also involve a wise pericardium in my decisions and perceptions – one that strives to protect my heart from injury.