Spiritual capacity of Metal: the corporeal soul

The Metal Phase forms the boundaries of our life on Earth, with our first and last breaths. Between the drawing of the first breath and the letting go of the last, our bodies are inhabited by the ‘corporeal soul’, or Po, ruled by Metal. This is a counterpart to the ‘ethereal soul’, or Hun, which belongs to the Wood Phase, and which corresponds more to the Western concept of the soul which survives beyond death.

The Po maintains the Shen in this lifetime, in this body. It manifests as the instinctual intelligence and sensitivity of the body and Ki-field and returns to the Earth after our death in the same way as our physical substance. Our innate ability to respond to the environment and our ability to exchange Ki with the universe through breath are the gift of the Po. Our reality is mainly perceived by our senses, which are an avenue of communication between the inner and outer environments, and our sensitivity to sense impressions is one of the Po’s attributes.

The sense of smell (see below) and the sense of touch, which contacts the Metal Phase via the skin, are examples of the way in which the Po receives experience; this experience is non-verbal, non-conceptual, but nonetheless extraordinarily vivid and vital, since through it we re-establish our connection with our own intrinsic Ki and with that of the universe. If we think of the immediacy with which touch can communicate with our inmost feelings, or how a smell can call up a memory and seem to transport us directly into the reality of a past situation, we have an idea of the way in which the Po operates.

The very quality of being alive, of manifesting a Ki-field, involves the Po; as long as we can breathe, our Po is present. How much we are aware of its gifts depends on the other four of the ‘five Shen’ which together make up the human consciousness.

Movement of Metal energy: inwards and downwards

In the cycle of the movement of energy represented by the succession of the Phases through the seasons, the Metal Phase is linked with the autumn, when summer’s Yang peak of energy begins to reverse. Leaves fall, vegetation dies down, and Ki moves down and inwards in preparation for the winter storage period. The natural movement of Ki of the Lungs is also downward, since they draw in Heaven’s Ki and send it down to the Kidneys (Hara) for anchoring; only then can it be dispersed outwards to the rest of the organs and tissues. The Large Intestine, too, moves waste downwards for disposal.

The movement of the Metal Phase of energy is sometimes called ‘decline’, and in fact there does appear to be a decline in visible manifestations of Ki, as it moves inwards; but if there is an understanding of the regenerative, Yin power of this movement back towards the source, then we can accept this seeming decline as a part of transformation. Paradoxically, although the Metal Phase gives us the gift of life via the breath, it Propels us into the human dimension of the passage of time between birth and death. The oxygen which is necessary for our human life also consumes us in the process of oxidation and decline.

Metal emotion: grief

The emotion associated with Metal is grief. In the natural cycle of birth, growth, waning, death and rebirth which manifests in the seasons, Metal embodies the phase of waning in autumn, when it is natural to feel existential grief. Sadness is inevitable in human existence, for the loss of youth, of vigor, of relations and friends, and eventually of life itself. However, a healthy and flexible Metal Phase is built to encompass such changes, and to allow loss to make room in our lives for new intake.

Old people who have successfully navigated the autumn of their lives can show us what the possible new intake is: acceptance, the wisdom of experience, mature individuality, humor, lightness and a true enjoyment of life in the here and now. Healthy Metal energy does not prevent the experience of grief, but it prevents us from being trapped in it; it keeps us open to new possibilities. With mourning comes acceptance and letting go into the process of change.

If the Metal quality is weak within us, it is harder to let go of sadness. Bereavement or loss of any kind can cause a prevailing state of melancholy or depression, which may or may not be followed by physical illness. The Metal energy can also be weakened in childhood by over-harsh upbringing, which can lead to sadness and a lack of self-worth. Or the imbalance may be inherited, and present from birth onwards as a permanent sense of deprivation or isolation. Grief is a natural consequence of inability to exchange with the universe around us, and vice versa; if we grieve excessively, we feel isolated and cannot connect.

Harder to notice, but equally out of balance, is the inability to grieve. The discharge of grief is an essential part of the body–mind’s capacity to renew itself, but is often unacceptable to the individual or to our culture; if feelings of grief threaten to overwhelm us, we can repress them completely. The denial of grief in this way is often coupled with the search for perfection in our lives, but it also cuts us off from an essential part of existence, and some of the vital flow between ourselves and the universal Ki is lost as we armour ourselves against the natural experience of grieving.

Metal sense organ: the nose

The Lungs are said to open into the nose, although it is the Large Intestine meridian which connects with it directly. Both meridian systems work to take in and release through the nose via the breath, generating the balance between taking in and letting go which is characteristic of Metal.

The nose is also the source of our sense of smell, one of our ways of connecting with our environment which is immediate, physical and non-intellectual. The olfactory epithelium, the small patch of smell receptors at the back of each nostril, is the only part of the brain complex directly exposed to the atmosphere, and via the olfactory bulbs it connects to the limbic system in the brain, where immediate emotional and instinctual responses are generated;* this is an example of the workings of the Po, the corporeal soul, the bodily intelligence which responds to sense impressions.

The nose and nasal passages are obviously affected when the Lungs are in poor condition, whether the condition is acute, as in colds and flu, or chronic, as in allergic rhinitis or sinusitis. An itchy, tickly nose, sneezing and nasal catarrh are common signs of a Lung or Large Intestine meridian problem.

Metal color: white

Perhaps the association of white with Metal comes from its use throughout the Far East as the color of mourning; or perhaps it refers to the shiny lustre of metal. However, it has a clinical application, which is the diagnostic significance of the white ‘hue’ emanating from the face. A shiny white complexion in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is a sign of Ki Deficiency, since the Lungs rule Ki. However, the most olive-toned skin can radiate a white hue in less chronic Metal disturbances, and even in temporary disharmonies within the Metal energy, such as a cold, there may be a transparent whiteness around the eyes. There may also be a preference for wearing white.

Metal sound: weeping

Still linked with the emotion of grief is the sound of the Metal imbalance. Even when grief is unconscious or suppressed, the sound of weeping will surface in the individual’s voice, often in the form of a plaintive fall at the end of each phrase; if we would instinctively describe a voice as ‘whining’ or ‘complaining’, it is often a Metal imbalance we are hearing.

Metal odor: rotten

The smells are difficult to describe, and not always a useful diagnostic tool; however, the Metal smell is often discerned, and resembles the smell of stale cauliflower or rotting vegetation.

Metal taste: pungent

Since one of the characteristics of a Metal imbalance is a sense of remoteness from life, it is understandable that the preferred taste would be one with a ‘bite’ to re-awaken the senses, such as garlic, strong cheese or the hot taste of cayenne or chilli. The pungent taste tends to disperse Ki, counteracting the inward movement of the Metal energy, with its tendency to become dense or sluggish; the person with stagnated Liver Ki will similarly often crave hot and spicy tastes to move his Ki which is stuck for a different reason. The pungent taste lightens and clears heavy contracted Ki, but if there is a lack of Ki because of poor Lung function the pungent taste will deplete it further with its dispersing action so it needs to be used judiciously. Pungent foods include soya oil, leeks, onions, broccoli and most herbs and spices.

Metal season: autumn

Autumn is the season of decline and loss, when life in agricultural societies slows down after the harvest and allows time for reflection and adjustment.

In our urban societies, however, autumn usually marks the beginning of the academic year and an important commercial season, and tension builds up as the workload increases. It is possible that the epidemics of influenza and similar lung-related illnesses which so often occur later in the winter could be avoided, if autumn were given its due and life allowed to take a more leisurely pace.

Metal climate: dryness

The association of autumn with dryness is not immediately clear to natives of Western countries, where autumn brings abundant rain. In China, autumn is a dry season. However, the connection with the Lungs remains important, since dryness injures the Lungs. The delicate membranes of the lungs and nasal passages require moisture in order to perform their functions; dry climates, central heating and air conditioning dry them out so that they become vulnerable to infection.

Metal time of day: 3–7am

The time of day of the Lung meridian is 3–5am, and that of the Large Intestine is 5–7am. This time period is around dawn, as is appropriate for the meridians which begin the cycle of the Chinese Clock. In the Far East, dawn is the time to get up, and the first action of the day is usually some form of breathing exercise; in China it has always been the time to gather in the parks to do Tai Chi. Probably the second action of the day is defecation, in Large Intestine time. When the Metal energies are out of balance, however, symptoms may be at their worst during this time. Asthmatics may be woken by an attack during Lung time, and a classic symptom of clinical depression, often stemming from a Metal imbalance, is early waking, usually at around 4 or 5am, with a feeling of doom.

Respiration

The primary process for which the Lungs are responsible is the intake of Ki through respiration. In consequence, all respiratory disorders involve the Lungs in some way. This is not to say, however, that all respiratory diseases have the Lungs as their root. Any of the other meridians or organs may be the primary cause of such disorders as, say, asthma, according to the different symptoms and signs.

Governing Ki

The Lungs are responsible for the intake of Ki through breath, and for dispersing Ki downwards and outwards. They therefore govern the Ki of the whole body. Fatigue or lack of vitality in any bodily system can be due to a Lung imbalance. Poor circulation is a common symptom if there is not sufficient Ki to bring warmth or blood to the extremities. Deficiency of Lung Ki often leads to pallor, weakness and shortness of breath.

Protective shield

As well as governing Ki, and dispersing it outwards, the Lungs generate our Defensive Ki, which is traditionally said to circulate in the space between the skin and the muscles. We can imagine the Defensive Ki as generating a ‘force-field’, on and just above the entire body surface, which protects us from injurious external influences such as weather. Weak Lungs, and thus weak Defensive Ki, will result in lowered resistance to infection. The Defensive Ki is related to the opening and closing of the pores, which is how we can ‘sweat out’ colds and fevers. If our Ki is weak, as for example after ‘flu, we sweat spontaneously after the slightest exertion. Our Defensive Ki also protects us on the psychological level, although this aspect is not stressed in TCM. Shallow breathing or holding the breath is a form of psychological self-protection. Smoking (hot and dry) depletes the Yin, or receptive, principle of the Lungs and thus creates a relative excess of the Yang, protective principle, helping us to feel less psychologically vulnerable.

Dispersing downward

The Lungs are often referred to in medical texts as a ‘canopy’ or ‘lid’ on the human body’s energetic structure, because they are the uppermost organs, closest to the Ki of Heaven. Thus they ‘descend and disperse’ Ki throughout the body: in other words, they send energy downwards and outwards. Constipation can occur when the Ki and downward movement of the Lungs are weak. On the psychological side, weak Lung energy can cause us to feel nervous and ungrounded, because our energy is ‘up’. When the Lungs have been attacked by an external pernicious influence, as in a cold, the Ki will feel blocked throughout the body and the Lung Ki will go up, not down, manifesting in coughs and sneezes. The Lungs also disperse fluids downwards, and often a chronic imbalance in the Lungs will result in retention of fluids in the upper part of the body, with puffy face or eyes, watery eyes and sinus congestion.

Regulating water

The Lungs receive refined fluids from the Spleen, and disperse them throughout the body, as mentioned above. It is said that ‘The Lungs regulate the water passages’, which means that often the pattern of urination or sweating is disturbed when the Lung Ki is weak or obstructed. When the Lungs are blocked by an attack of Wind Cold (see p. 130) and not dispersing fluids to the skin, there is no sweating, as in ‘flu. By the same token, a chronic deficiency of the Lungs over time can lead to dry skin, dry hair, dry lips, and so on, as the Lung Ki is not strong enough to disperse fluids to the surface tissues.

The skin

The Lungs rule the skin, which, because of its similar function of gas exchange, is known also in the West as ‘the third lung’. Chronic skin diseases such as eczema or psoriasis are often part of a Lung disharmony. However, eruptive skin disorders such as boils or acne are more likely to be an attempt to eliminate, and are therefore associated more with the Large Intestine function.

The nose

The Lungs open into the nose. A blocked or runny nose, sinus problems, sneezing and so on are usually treated as Lung related, although these symptoms can also be due to over-production of mucus by the Spleen, or the Large Intestine’s failure to eliminate the mucus, or simply to an attack of Wind in the meridians of the face and head. The Lungs also give us our sense of smell.

The throat

The throat, which is also affected by Lung disorders, giving rise to a sore or tickly throat and cough, is not a sense organ in TCM terms, but it is dignified by the title of ‘Gateway to the Lungs’. It is also the source of the voice, whose strength is determined by the strength of Lung Ki, so that loss of voice can occur in acute Lung disorders, and a quiet, weak voice may be a sign of chronic Lung imbalance.

The Corporeal Soul

Since the Lungs govern the Ki, they account for the vitality of the body. The Corporeal Soul, or Po, which is ruled by the Lungs, accounts for its responsiveness. This includes our response to our bodily sensations and to the sense impressions we receive from the environment. One of the bodily sensations received by the Corporeal Soul is pain, a necessary survival response to save us from injury. Anesthetics, either general or local, which block the sensation of pain, are said to have an adverse effect on the Lungs through the Corporeal Soul.

It is possible that this is the reason why old people, whose Lung Ki is already weak, often develop pneumonia after an operation, or why a cold often follows a local anesthetic at the dentist.

Exchange

The Lungs in TCM govern the skin, which is a surface capable of both absorption and elimination. The lungs themselves consist largely of epithelial surface, in direct contact with the atmosphere, and which is designed for absorption and elimination. The Large Intestine, which also opens directly to the exterior, has a large surface area, and its main functions are absorption and elimination. Exchange through these different surface areas is the physical role of the Lungs and Large Intestine in Zen Shiatsu. The gas exchange of the Lungs and the material exchange of the Large Intestine are aspects of the exchange of Ki through the borders which define and differentiate the individual from the rest of the universe.