According to the principles of Oriental Medicine, the 5 Spirits are housed not only in the human body, but in the organs of the body and are also identifiable in terms of the functions they actually perform. Conjoining each of them literally completes the human picture and yet often a failure to do so contributes to the drama, especially when these functions are disturbed. Without balance and harmony of the 5 Spirits, purpose remains elusive. Compassion lies dormant. Transformation is hindered. Body and Psyche separate. In a nutshell, purpose can never align with Will.

So what are these 5 Spirits?

The Spirit of Wood emerges as the messenger of Soul’s purpose.

Disturbances here can be found in people who suffer from an inability to organize their lives and who blame others for their lack of progress in life. Other common problems include timidity, an inability to take a stand, aimless wandering, suffering from a lack of direction, starting but not finishing projects, constantly running into obstacles, and obsessions with injustice.

The cure is to leave no stone unturned in an effort to connect with spirituality on some level and in so doing establish a relationship to the part one may play in bringing the message closer to home.

The Spirit of Fire awakens compassion.

Disturbances can be found in people who find living in the world too intense and numbing out is an effective if not dangerous coping mechanism. Other common problems include a lack of inspiration, ambivalence, lack of coherence, lack of insight, aimless activity, no discernment. 

The cure is to open up and not shut down.

The Spirit of Earth supports manifestation and transformation.

Disturbances here can be found in the inability to transform ideas and thoughts into commitments and actions, continually generating new ideas without taking action, an inability to digest life experiences and assimilate them.

The cure is find a way to put an end to worry and obsession.

The Spirit of Metal conjoins the soma and the psyche.

Disturbances can be found in in unexpressed somatized emotional issues, extreme sensitivity to externals, having no clear sense of why things are not quite right.

The cure is develop an awareness of what is actually happening in the body. This can be achieved through exercises such as Tai Chi.

The Spirit of Water aligns purpose with Will. 

Disturbances here can be found in people who are drained by life instead of empowered by it, an inability to face fears, those who suffer from complete disintegration of the nervous system, neurasthenia, burn-out, and the repression of instinctual impulses.

The cure is to stop and repair the foundation. 

When the 5 Spirits are once again in balance and harmony, the liver, heart, spleen, lung, and kidney mutually support each other. This is the challenge for the present and future practitioner and patient who will need to understand the mechanics of wholeness on a more intimate level if progress is to be made on the path.

In simple terms, it’s nigh impossible to maintain a sense of balance and harmony when the focus of attention is either on feeding sentiment, pandering to the demands of emotional blackmail, or finding the elusive voice that had previously and mysteriously gone missing.

Lest you get your knickers in a knot though, I’m not saying it’s wrong to celebrate. Nor am I implying that gathering with friends and family over the ‘holy holiday’ is necessarily fraught with negativity. However, the fact remains that we often reserve this time of the year to unleash our carefully measured accumulation of resentment, guilt, and dissatisfaction, on those we deem worthy of the special attention.

Throw in a drink or two or three, and the scene is set if not for a boxing match, then a verbal sling shot competition or something in between that resembles a toxic debate! While there are some that treasure the opportunity to rub shoulders again with long forgotten siblings or relatives and wax lyrical about their many noteworthy accomplishments during the year, others are not so predisposed to exposing their stories even if the perceived benefits of doing so might mean setting the ledger straight.

There are therefore two teams on the field usually – the extroverts who will gladly call a spade a spade – and the introverts who will happily retreat to the silence of the corner. One bludgeons the other until the referee shouts for a timeout! 

Once the party hats have been packed away to vegetate for another year in a chest full of mothballs, most have been punished for breaking grandma’s golden rule.  ’If you can’t say something nice, don’t say it at all!’ 

The great test for all of us intent on surviving the silly season ultimately is whether or not we can refrain from projecting our prejudices onto those we claim to love.

Try dispensing with the grog.

See if you can do it!

Don’t eat so much.

Go on! Try.

Listen to whomever it is that is speaking to you without saying a word.

Even if what is being said is absolute drivel, wear it.

Maintain silence and smile.

If you can compliment everyone you meet – find one thing that grabs you about them – and tell them why they inspire you – you’ll become the talk of the town.

You may not end up walking arm in arm with Chrissie Hind but you’ll win over more than you lose.

For those looking to cultivate their spirituality, take the opportunity to practice economy of speech. Keep your mood light. Do not buy into one single projection – either your own or someone else’s. Listen to everyone and look them in the eye. See if you can find their heart spirit. It’ll be there. But you do have have to look.

What do I mean by the complete understanding of addiction? 

It’s relatively simple to grasp. Addiction is attachment – to someone or something. Strengthen the attachment and the more resistance there will be to giving it up. Attachment then becomes dependency. If I observe how I depend on you for my happiness, my safety, to give my life meaning, I absolve myself of taking any responsibility for what is actually going on in my life.

When I see this clearly, it becomes apparent that I am shackled. Restriction of this kind is in essence the seed of unhappiness because if I remain dependent, I will never develop the sensitivity to respond to life’s challenges with a fresh approach. Without vitality of this kind, it is impossible to let go of negative attitudes and behaviours.

So the way forward is to contemplate taking a fresh approach that is not burdened by limiting sensitivity. Addictions erode sensitivity. They are killers not so much in disguise as they are insidiously venomous creepers.

Ekiken was talking about the preoccupation those under the age of 50 have with sex and the problems associated with lust. Young men in their 20s, for example, can think of nothing else for the most part. The welling of the vital energy within (the feeling commonly linked to the desire for sex) is an uncomfortable but nonetheless urgent sensation that can only be relieved through sex (or so many think). The more the merrier – most will in fact jump for joy and then shout about the delights of their adventures.

Unfortunately, the thinking behind ‘the more the merrier’ philosophy is delusional and destined to invite energy deficiencies of the kidney predominantly. In other words, long ago it was established by the ancients that sexual excesses lead to depletion and compromise longevity.

According to Oriental Medicine, when the energy of the kidney and the vital energy in particular (stored in the kidney) becomes depleted, general stability is compromised because of the connection shared between the vital energy, the mind, and the body.

Instability can be measured in many different ways but basically it is recognisable as wavering determination, distracted focus, lack of consistency, and fundamental insecurity.  These all ride on the back of fear and cannot engender the kind of foundation that is necessary for the cultivation of real spiritual growth.

You don’t have to be celibate but it helps if the energy is used appropriately.

She was also asked some big questions and her answers were mystically striking as much as they were refreshing. In reference to being asked her biggest regret in life, she said she had none.

‘Regrets are a waste of time!’ 

But there was more to come. This reader was particularly taken by the credo of her personal philosophy.

‘I don’t understand the current obsession with the “me” and the “I”,’ she said. 

‘The best way to exist is to forget about yourself and just get on with it.’

One supposes she meant forgetting the self – in much the same way as the Buddhists would say feelings should be forgotten because they are an impediment to understanding reality.

And as Chuang Chou once said several thousands of years ago, ‘What I am calling feelings are judgments about right and wrong.’

Anyway, Margaret Olley hit the nail on the head! She is absolutely right. The best way to exist is indeed to forget about yourself. And once the delusions created out of self-importance are dissolved, one can then put one’s attention to more important matters. 

Margaret also recommends the philosophy of giving back. ‘The world would be a much better place,’ she urged, ‘If (retirees) were encouraged to give back a little bit of their knowledge to society.’

They would love to no doubt. Unfortunately, there does not exist the appropriate platform. We seem to be more interested in other things. And there would be few who didn’t know that we tend to pump for the pomp of the young and the restless!

We certainly have a bit to learn, don’t we?

The 1st is preservation of inner vitality by talking little.

When words spoken are few, energy is not wasted. This becomes more relevant as the years go by. In a nutshell, economy of speech is very clarifying and rejuvenating.

The 2nd is preservation of the kidney by refraining from excessive sex.

What is too much? Without taking into account a working understanding of the principles of Taoist sexology, the rule of thumb for male ejaculation is to multiply your age by .2 – this will mean that a 30 year old should not ejaculate more than once every 6 days (30 multiplied by .2 = 6). There are variations on the theme for women – but this entails a lengthy discussion of physiology in Oriental medicine terms. 

The 3rd is preservation of the liver by quelling anger.

In short, the liver dislikes getting hot and dry and is prone to overheating. This can fuel agitation and certainly lead to anger. However, the cause of this emotional disturbance is constraint of the liver’s flow of Qi – otherwise responsible for sprinkling and spreading Qi to the rest of the body.

There is also the issue of the soul’s purpose. Perhaps, an inability to connect with this upsets Qi flow and in depressing its movement, causes a welling of agitation.

The 4th is preservation of the stomach by restricting one’s food and drink. 

No doubt many of us eat and drink too much! If you are prone to a big thirst, a big appetite, and a big urination – watch out! As for dietary regulations, refer to the products and courses on  www.artofhealth.com.au

The 5th is preservation of the heart by not worrying too much. 

A classic says, ‘Sadness and worry move the heart and the organs tremble’. This is quite true. The heart is the abode of the spirit and when it is troubled, spirit no longer has a residence!

‘Anger causes vitality to dissipate, joy causes it to slacken, sorrow causes it to vanish, and fear causes it to stop circulating.’

In other words, all illness arises from damage to vitality. That is why the way to health preservation lies in avoiding doing things that cause it to become blocked. 

For starters, they both spoke the truth.

And secondly, they both understood the human condition.

Lao Tzu once said, ‘One’s life is in one’s own hands, not in heaven’s.’

Of course, you are given life by heaven at birth, but its length depends on how well you take care of it. 

Ekiken said, ‘Until a person gets to be fifty years of age, his blood and vital spirit are not yet stable and his wisdom has not yet developed. What he says is frequently mistaken, and what he does he often regrets.’

The moral of the story is change your attitude – and be sure to take care of your body as well as your mind!

He had spoken on and off as we strolled around the lake on our daily morning walk. The sun had just risen and there was the faintest shimmer on the surface of the water inviting those who could see it to admire the natural elements with tender respect.

‘Your arms furthermore must be as strong as steel rods wrapped in cotton, with immense power concealed therein. But the root is in the feet. The force is launched through the legs. It is controlled by the waist and expressed by the fingers.’

We were discussing the finer points of Tai Chi.

‘When the hands, waist and legs move, the eyes should follow their movements. The mind is the commander… and the body is subservient to it. When the mind is tranquil, the movements will be gentle and graceful. It follows then that when the mind is a mess, the movements will be chaotic.’

This was the wisdom of understanding I yearned.

Needless to say, I remained silent for the rest of the day.

Kolita drags Upatissa up to the summit of the mountain where the healer Cinnabar Yang resides. Cinnabar Yang is well built, with a tortoise-shaped figure and a crane-shaped back, big ears and round eyes, and a thick and long beard as well as whiskers. He wears a cassock with a palm-bark rain cape and greets the newcomers at the mouth of his cave.

Covered with pure white snow, the Nine-Room Grotto of Precious Immortality overlooks the fertile land of Chengdu. It is here that the two travelers receive their initiation into Chinese spirituality. Tall ancient trees reach to the sky. Emerald vines blot out the sun. Ravines and marvelous peaks stand mysteriously covered over and dressed in the moss of a thousand or more changes of the seasons.

‘People wishing to cultivate their true and essential nature should not seek fame, wealth, or profit. Rather, they should eliminate worry and anger, abstain from sex and alcohol, as well as strong smelling vegetables such as onion, garlic, and chili.’

‘Live in a cloistered residence if possible where you may have occasion to free your mind and read sacred books to perceive their inner meaning without getting caught up in the words. Penetrate herbal lore and you will also have the means to support the Tao and transcend the mundane. Strong personal attachments should not be made, but companions should be chosen to help you on your journey. Those with an illuminated mind, deep wisdom, and strong determination are the best. Don’t forget that the mind must let go of the world of desire, the world of forms, and the world of formlessness. Then it will become pure and your spirit will reside with the immortals and sages. Be attached to nothing and the Tao will be realized!’

The journeyers look at one another dumbfounded. This is certainly a moment to savour.