The Po 魄, The Coporeal Soul

The five primary internal organs in Chinese medicine, the Heart, Lungs, Spleen, Liver, and Kidney, each have a spirit that corresponds and resides within them. As we are in autumn, the Metal season that corresponds with the Lungs, let's have a look at the Pò 魄 or Corporeal Soul that takes residence in the Lung. During gestation, the Pò gives rise to the human form by materializing Qi in physical form and separating it into a separate existence as defined by the skin. The Pò, the Lungs, the skin, and the colour white are all connected via resonance within Chinese medicine. The Pò is like the organizational principle of the body, and is known as the somatic expression of the soul. The word "soma" refers to the body. The Pò is all about our instincts, reflexes, and responses to physical stimuli. When the body is physically stimulated, such as touching the skin or upon the insertion of an acupuncture needle, it is the Pò that reacts. Just like the Lung, it is the point of contact between the body's interior and the exterior world around it. The Pò responds to physical stimuli and keeps us here in the present moment. Because the Pò resides in the Lungs and therefore also corresponds to breath, this is one of the reasons why many meditation techniques focus on the breath - to activate the Pò which allows us to embody the present moment. If the Pò interests you, the delightful human @drpaulawoodward and I just had a conversation about it over on her page! We have a couple more videos coming out about the Metal element, the Pò, touch, the nervous system, and embryological development. You can head over to her YouTube page to check it (and a ton of other excellent videos) out! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GBBokf1CllU

In health and happiness,

Kylie

Painting: Flowers by Qian Weicheng in the Qing dynasty

Disclaimer: Any information on this website or blog post should not be used for self-diagnosis or substitute for medical advice. Please always seek advice from a qualitied health practitioner for any health concerns.