The predominant model of the mind and/or spirit is mostly derived from the Five Element school of thought. The five aspects of the mind are Wood - Hun, Fire - Shen, Earth - Yi, Metal - Po, Water - Zhi. Collectively these comprise the Shen. This term includes the Fire Element Shen. Below are a very simplified definition of each aspect.

Notice that the five aspects are distributed throughout the body. There is no distinction between mind and body; they’re one entity. The ethereal affects the substantial and the substantial affects the ethereal. They’re both Qi which is manifesting as one person.

It‘s interesting to note that this is contrary to the new-age notion that everything, especially illness, stems from the mind. If everything stemmed from the mind then Moving Liver Qi or Tonifying Kidney Yang would have no effect. The temptation to understand Oriental Medicine by fitting it into western models is strong. But reconciling eastern and western medicines is a vast ocean that is almost entirely uncharted.

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