shen
Mind in acupuncture
Shen is a Chinese concept referring to spirit, mind, or consciousness—one of the fundamental energies in traditional Chinese medicine and philosophy.
It encompasses mental and spiritual vitality, awareness, and the animating force that gives life its spark.
Practitioners speak of cultivating or disturbing the shen: Her shen was unsettled after the trauma.
In acupuncture and qigong, shen is associated with the heart and manifests in the brightness of the eyes and clarity of thought.
Vital life energy
- soulInnermost animating essence
- essenceFundamental nature of something
- vitalityCapacity for spirited existence
- consciousnessState of sentient awareness
ethereal · incorporeal · transcendence · otherworldly · metaphysical · inner light · life force · spiritual essence
Philosophy of the Way
- DaoismPhilosophy of natural harmony
- qiVital life energy
- yinFeminine cosmic force
- yangBright masculine cosmic force
TCM · acupuncture · meridians · cultivation · qigong · meditation · harmony · balance
Supernatural beings worshipped
- immortalsBeings that cannot perish
- divineOf or from gods
- sacredWorthy of reverence
- heavenlyDivinely pleasant or blissful
worship · altar · temple · reverence · benevolent · celestial · pantheon · offerings
Power to do work
- vigorActive physical strength
- radianceGlowing luminous quality
- clarityState of being understandable
- brightnessDegree of light emitted
alertness · mental acuity · sparkle · vivacity · animation · liveliness · spiritedness · dynamism
Taoist ruler of heaven
- heavenly courtDivine realm's ruling body
- folk religionTraditional community-based spiritual practices
- legendsTraditional stories or icons
- folkloreInherited cultural narratives
tales · ancestors · heroes · mountain gods · river spirits · Sun Wukong
qi
Vital life energy
- soulInnermost animating essence
- essenceFundamental nature of something
- vitalityCapacity for spirited existence
consciousness · ethereal · incorporeal · transcendence · otherworldly · metaphysical · inner light · life force · spiritual essence · higher self
Taoism
Philosophy of the Way
yang · TCM · acupuncture · meridians · cultivation · qigong · meditation · harmony · balance · five elements
gods
Supernatural beings worshipped
heavenly · worship · altar · temple · reverence · benevolent · celestial · pantheon · offerings · incense
energy
Power to do work
brightness · alertness · mental acuity · sparkle · vivacity · animation · liveliness · spiritedness · dynamism · vibrancy
Jade Emperor
Taoist ruler of heaven
- heavenly courtDivine realm's ruling body
- folk religionTraditional community-based spiritual practices
- legendsTraditional stories or icons
folklore · tales · ancestors · heroes · mountain gods · river spirits · Sun Wukong
- TaoismTao, Taoism, Daoism, Laozi, Lao Tzu
- Chinese philosophyConfucianism, Confucius, Taoism, Daoism, Tao
- TCMqi, yin, yang, yin yang, yin and yang
- Daoist practiceqigong, tai chi, Tao Te Ching, cultivation, incense offering
- Neidanqi, cultivation, elixir, cinnabar, furnace
- life forcevital force, vital spark, chi, qi, life energy
shenbody
Physical structure, living thing
xing · physical form · flesh · ti · corporeal form
shenlifelessness
Quality of having no animation
dullness · mental fog · unconsciousness · stupor · lethargy