Spirit Calming Pills are one among a litany of Chinese herbal formulations that treat psychological and emotional disorders. Below is a discussion on the thinking behind 1) psychological and emotional disorders in Acupuncture, 2) the features of Spirit Calming Pills, and 3) a case in which Spirit Calming Pills proved beneficial.
Psychological and Emotional Disorders According to Acupuncture
Acupuncture is a subset of Chinese medicine, but here we’re using “acupuncture” as a general term to reference Chinese medical diagnostics as a whole. Boiling it down, emotional disorders are the result of either too much or something or too little of something. This “something” can refer either to how the body works functionally or in terms of a substantive deficiency, as in a hormonal or nutrient deficiency. These factors are associated with specific organ or systemic malfunction, for example the respiratory system or a problem with the lung.
Diagnosing where the problem resides depends on the symptom picture. Each organ system presents in a particular way. For example, emotional complaints that accompany digestive complains suggest digestive system involvement in the emotional expression. Often multiple systems are involved. Palpation, which is physical detection of abdominal and neck discomfort, provides confirmatory information on the nature of the imbalance. Key to this perspective is an awareness that emotions reside in the organs and organ systems themselves not in the brain per se.
The Features of Spirit Calming Pills
Acupuncture herbal medicine is a splendor. Understanding the theory behind the selection of individual herbs offers insights into how emotional problems are being treated in terms 1) too much or too little and 2) which in the organs and organ systems are involved. Below is a listing of the herbs in Sprit Calming Pills. Signs of +/- have been included to designate its particular action of either nourishing or reducing, as well as which system.
Dan shen – Radix Salviae Miltiorrhizae – Heart
Wu wei zi – Fructus Schisandrae + All systems
Shi chang pu – Rhizoma Acori Tatarinowii – Spleen
He huan hua – Cortex Albiziae + Liver
Tu si zi – Semen Cuscutae + Kidney and Liver
Mou han lian – Herba Ecliptae + Kidney and Liver
Nu zhen zi – Fructus Ligustri Lucid + Kidney
Shou wu – Radix Polygoni Multiflori + Kidney
Di huan – Radix Rehmanniae + Kidney
Zhen zhu mu – Concha Margaritifera Usta – Kidney
Suan zao ren – Semen Ziziphi Spionsae + Liver
I don’t think that much can be extracted from this formula beyond its complexity. Formula rarely tilt wholly in the camp of either adding or subtracting. Consideration is taken in terms of striking a balance between the elements that are deficient and those that are excessive.
Sprit Calming Pills Case
Justicia was a 49 yo mother of two who came to me for an on-going digestive complaint arising after her first pregnancy more than 15yrs prior. After our acupuncture session, I decided to gather additional information by muscle-testing various herbal formulations. She tested strongest for Spirit Calming Pills, so I queried further, “How’s your sleep?” “Restless,” was the response.
Justicia is fit. She likes hiking and being active. Her skin is dry and there’s a subtle quality of depletion beneath her fiery spirit. The muscle-testing feedback suggested nourishing her kidney and liver, which made sense for a woman her age and activity level. Upon taking the pills, she reported better quality sleep and a greater sense of well being.
Conclusion
In Acupuncture, psychological and emotional problems have causes that are equated with organ pathology. There are numerous Chinese herbal formulation for treating the emotions. Spirit Calming Pills address deficient type emotional imbalance. This deficiency would be located primarily in the kidney and liver. Insomnia is probably the most obvious sign of such a deficiency for a woman like Justicia given her age and activity level.