2 Heart. The Sovereign of the Mind: Caring for the 'Hand Shaoyin Heart Meridian'
[TCM Column 2] The Sovereign of the Mind: Caring for the 'Hand Shaoyin Heart Meridian' [mind - mental] In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), the Heart is revered as the "Sovereign of the Organs" (君主之官). It is considered the ultimate authority that governs our mental activity, consciousness, and spirit. Today, we explore the Hand Shaoyin Heart Meridian (手少陰心經) —the vital pathway that connects our physical vessel to our emotional core. 1. The Pathway of the Spirit The Heart Meridian begins deep in the axilla (armpit) at the point Jiquan (HT1) , descends along the inner side of the arm, and terminates at the tip of the little finger at Shaochong (HT9) . Remarkably, this meridian directly penetrates the heart organ itself and connects to the small intestine. Because the Heart is the "House of the Spirit" (心藏神), blockages or imbalances in this meridian manifest not just as physical symptoms like palpitations or chest tightness, but as psychological disturbance...