The Heart in Chinese Medicine

Emotion: Joy

Element: Fire

Season: Summer

The Heart organ in Chinese medicine corresponds to Summer and the Fire element and it is much more than just an organ! As we know all over the world the heart is linked with love, passion and relationships. We say that someone has a ‘big heart’ or that someone is ‘broken-hearted’. When we feel touched or affected emotionally our hands automatically touch our heart. 

The Heart is affected by all emotions but Joy is the emotion of the Heart. When we are feeling joy, we feel our heart open and we want to connect with everything ; people, nature, animals. It is also associated with passion. The passion we may feel for a job, project, hobby or person. Joy and passion can blaze and spread like a fire. And love can be gentle and soft like candle light. 

The Heart is associated with Summer as it is the season where we are outside amongst people socializing and generally people feel more joy when the sun is shining and the days are longer.

We can ask ourselves.

What in life brings you joy?

What are you passionate about?

What or who fills your heart?