Shen & The Heart Spirit

We modern folk seem epically busy these days, not only busy with things like work; kids, family, friends, hobbies, and studies - but we have to process a mighty lot of information each day. In fact, we are likely processing more daily information than ever before in history, especially the left brain and rational variety. It has got me thinking lately, that I feel much more inspired to share in a contemplative format and bite sized morsels of words, kind of like yummy snacks instead of a whole five course meal. I know that I personally feel better when I eat less, it takes up less agni or digestive fire, and I think it's often the same with information. There have been many studies on improved longevity that suggest that eating less, within reason of course, directly leads to longer life spans. Possibly it's similar with information, less can indeed be more. We digest it better and we feel lighter when we don't over consume. Less load on the system means we use up less ojas (vital essence) and we can feel more spacious, and more Zen and clear so to speak. There are of course times when we will want a big feast, and we will devour a book, but sometimes we only have the time and energy and desire for a page or two. On the topic of bite sized learning or micro learning, I'm reminded of the Eastern concept of Shen, or Heart / Mind, or Heart / Spirit in TCM. In Traditional Chinese Medicine it refers to a part of our being, spirit or mind essence, that represents a kind of inner peace and positivity stronghold of the psyche or soul. The Shen is said to be disturbed by too many concepts and too much information, or not being in the here and now. Many forms of depression and anxiety are considered to be "disturbed Shen." The Shen is strengthened by meditation, prayer, journal writing, time in nature, and other contemplative activities. Sitting and watching a tree in the breeze, a bee on a flower, or waves on the lake, all support Shen. We can think of it as creating a time to process and "digest" all that has been going on, and to simply be in the present moment rather than gathering more, doing more, or thinking about the future and planning. However, we can also think of Shen as a vibrational state within us, that is healing and soothing to the soul and body. On this note, there have been certain books in my life that are kind of like eating tapas style, they have a page or two to read and it's the end of message. If I want more then I can read onward and ingest more. Kind of like going to the fridge for a nibble or the cupboard for a small but nourishing snack. So here begins my own exploration of writing in such a tapas style, but in blog form to start with. Possibly one day it will become a book. I hope that you find it nourishing and you can savour the info in a way that feels easy to digest, and also supportive to your Shen and life over all. I am going to make it a practice to create or write just for the joy of writing and supporting my own Shen and inner joy. It seems that we modern humans are so often on a wild goose chase, never really arriving to our destination of ambitions, goals, and seeking an elusive feeling of satiation. Of course achievements and goals can be fun and they are required, but there is a magic when we slow down enough to receive and be. It's an entirely different vibrational state. Sometimes we can get this receptive calm when doing something like knitting or gardening, or most kinds of art as well. However, I would like to consider that it's up to us to pull our senses (and ambitions) back in, back home into the heart, and heart of the moment, and into a deeper slower kind of processing of our lives. There is an old saying that "when the ego-mind is quiet, the higher wisdom-mind speaks." There are many ways that we can go about our day, or stations of consciousness that we can be on, and they all have their place and purpose. However, it's easy to forget the ways of tasting the deeper sweet nectar of life, and it's helpful to remember that this often only comes when we are truly present. Not simply gobbling up and hardly chewing the next sensational bit of food, info, or bling on a screen, or page. Instead, slowing down to savour the nectar of now, of today, of this moment. Not being like a moth to the flame of modern stimulation, at least not all of the time! It's cliche but it's true. I once heard 96 year old woman asked her main regret in life, and she said "I just wish I would have been more present and grateful while it was all happening, but I was too worried about the future to enjoy it fully." Each moment has beauty, and wisdom to offer, even amidst the challenges and uncertainty, disappointments, problems, and worries that we all have at times. The more I travel on, the more I realize that I need to carve out these moments to be home in my heart, and to feel the presence of beauty, to feel grateful for the now, and fully inhabit this moment. It seems that the wilder life gets, the more important it is for us to create the time to process and to centre in our Shen. We have all heard the saying "live fast die young," but in the TCM there is another saying, which is "live slow die old." Now the bonus side effect of slowing down; when we can, and being present, or "taking the time" is that we tend to remember it all better, and to digest it better. It is arguably more nourishing to us going forward as well. So a good practice is to reflect on what brings us personally closer to our Shen state and integrating it into our lives. It's also notable that it's always in the full presence of the moment that enlightenment happens. The true nature of nature presents itself when we are fully now-here, we can sense that we are actually no-where. That as the teaching goes - form is emptiness and emptiness is form. Emptiness here is referring to a higher state of pure consciousness and bliss that transcends our earthy lives. This ancient bite of wisdom is from a text called the heart-sutra. Maybe home is indeed truly where our heart is, that the heart space holds the key, yet this world is pulling our attention away and all over the place with all five of our senses a blazing. To the point that sometimes I don't even feel comfortable putting out any more information to digest, and I avoid writing and sharing in general. This has evolved into a feeling that I am much more willing to participate in my own joy of writing if I do it in smaller pieces that nourish others and myself. To support more Shen in our lives and to help us feel our fullness of "being human" rather than simply all the doing. In this way our learning can even act like a bit of a sanctuary in itself. So I will seek to write and create amidst the obstacles of human laziness and busy-ness, desire for perfection, or classic fears of failure, and so on. It helps me personally to remember that I actually simply love to write, I love to share, and I love to explore our nature and the meaning of this life. I don't love to edit as you may know, but I do like free flow and stream of consciousness writing. Without always needing to come to a conclusion or to get a very specific point across per se. I do notice that there can be a magic just in the adventure of just sitting down to a blank page, or cavas, and seeing what comes. Or when we simply create for the sake of creating, or share for the sake of sharing. Life is our blank page, but it takes at least some courage and effort us to show up, and to get out of our own way. So, with that said, I kindly welcome any comments in the upcoming blogs, they will spontaneous topics related to herbalism, but also all things healing and living lives of connection and meaning, authenticity and compassion, wisdom and joy. Blessings, Chad