Chapter Thirteen: Clarity of Mind: The Core Method of Nourishing the Spirit in Traditional Chinese Medicine

II. Purity of thought

"Purity" generally refers to a pure mind, that is, a calm and peaceful spirit.

While stillness is a state of mind that is neither active nor inactive, it is also a state of "stillness" when one moves without being reckless, uses one's abilities without excess, and focuses without being chaotic.

When one's mind is clear and free of distracting thoughts, one can achieve the goal of internalizing true and righteous energy, calming the mind, and maintaining mental stability.

The concept of mental tranquility advocated in health preservation refers to focusing one's mind, eliminating distractions, avoiding wandering thoughts, not indulging in unrealistic fantasies, maintaining mental stability, and concentrating on one's work, study, and life.

(I) Tranquility is the foundation of health preservation

To regulate one's spirit and maintain health, the first step is to cultivate stillness.

This idea originated from the Taoist teachings of Laozi and Zhuangzi, and has been continuously supplemented and developed in terms of content and methods in later generations.

The key to quiet cultivation lies in cultivating the mind; this is a principle advocated by Taoism, Confucianism, Buddhism, and traditional Chinese medicine.

As stated in "An Outline of Taoist Health Preservation": "Confucianism calls it rectifying the mind, Buddhism calls it enlightening the mind, and Taoism calls it refining the mind. All of them must study the mind... All dharmas are mind, all paths are mind."

The heart is the master of a person, and also the master of essence, energy, and spirit.

Refining essence, refining qi, and refining spirit all begin with refining the mind.

Lao Tzu and Zhuangzi had long advocated "quietude and non-action" to maintain a pure and tranquil mind; the "tranquility and emptiness" mentioned in the Inner Canon refers to a peaceful and tranquil mind.

A calm mind leads to a clear spirit, and a settled mind leads to a calm spirit. When the mind and spirit are clear and tranquil, the Qi and blood flow smoothly, and the internal organs are at peace. Therefore, nourishing the mind and spirit is the foundation of health preservation.

Modern physiological research has confirmed that when a person enters a state of tranquility, the brain, the central nervous system for life activities, returns to the slow-wave state of brain waves in childhood, which means that the biochemical indicators of aging are "reversed".

Social surveys have found that if individuals experience significant emotional setbacks or psychological trauma and do not receive proper psychological support, the incidence of various diseases increases significantly.

Social practice has proven that maintaining a calm and peaceful mind, and regulating one's spirit and nourishing one's health, can effectively enhance disease resistance, reduce the occurrence of diseases, and benefit physical and mental health.

(II) Methods for calming the mind and nourishing the spirit

There are three specific methods for maintaining health through "mental purity":

1. Few selfish desires

"Less selfishness" refers to reducing selfish thoughts and desires; "few desires" refers to reducing one's craving for fame, fortune, and material possessions.

Lao Tzu's Tao Te Ching advocates "seeing simplicity and embracing the uncarved block, having few selfish desires and little selfishness." The Suwen (Plain Questions) chapter "On the Primordial Innocence of Antiquity" points out that "therefore, one should have a calm mind and few desires, a peaceful heart and no fear, a body that is active but not weary, and a smooth flow of Qi, so that each can follow their own desires and get what they want...that is why they can all live to be over a hundred years old and their movements are not weak."

If one is too selfish, has insatiable desires, and has too many wants, then if one cannot achieve one's goals, one will experience negative emotions such as depression, fantasy, disappointment, sadness, and distress, which will in turn disturb the tranquil spirit and cause mental confusion, leading to disorder of Qi and illness.

If one can reduce selfishness and desires, act according to reality, and restrain one's desires for personal gain and fame, one can alleviate unnecessary mental burdens, become more at ease and cheerful, and thus promote physical and mental health.

There are two points to keep in mind when trying to reduce selfishness and desires.

First, we must clearly understand the harm of selfish desires and use reason to guide people's hearts.

As Li Ting of the Ming Dynasty said in "Introduction to Medicine: On Health Preservation": "If one focuses on reason, human desires will disappear and the mind will be clear and joyful. One will be at peace without seeking it."

Second, one should have a proper attitude towards personal gains and losses.

As the "Taishang Laojun's Secret of Nourishing Life" says: "Those who are good at preserving life must first eliminate the six evils, and then they can preserve their life and prolong their lives for a hundred years."

What are these? First, be indifferent to fame and fortune; second, abstain from sensual pleasures; third, be frugal with wealth; fourth, reduce indulgence in rich foods; fifth, eliminate flattery and falsehood; and sixth, rid oneself of jealousy.

If the six evils are not eliminated, all things will disturb the mind, and how can the spirit be at peace? Eliminating the six evils and nourishing the mind and spirit is indeed a matter of experience.

2. Cultivate the mind and calm the thoughts

Nourishing the mind means maintaining one's mental well-being; concentrating one's thoughts means focusing one's mind, having a single-minded focus, eliminating distracting thoughts, and banishing worries.

As Weng Zao of the Qing Dynasty said in his "Medical Notes Compilation": "Nourishing the heart will concentrate the spirit, concentrating the spirit will gather the qi, and gathering the qi will preserve the spirit. If one is constantly disturbed and troubled, the spirit will not stay at home, and one will easily age."

This method of cultivating one's mind and spirit by focusing one's thoughts is not about being ignorant, without desires, without ideals, or without ambition. It is not about artificially suppressing one's thoughts or being idle and empty without any spiritual sustenance. It is completely different from the practices of lazy people who eat their fill all day and do nothing.

From the perspective of health preservation, the spirit should be focused and not chaotic, and thoughts should be restrained and not scattered. Therefore, focusing the mind and concentrating the spirit is a good way to maintain a clear and tranquil mind.

3. Suppress eye and ear movements

The eyes and ears are the main organs for receiving external stimuli. When the eyes are clear and the ears are calm, the spirit is at peace and the mind is not troubled. When the eyes are restless and the ears are agitated, the spirit is troubled and the mind is anxious and restless.

Lao Tzu once said in the Tao Te Ching: "The five colors blind the eye, the five sounds deafen the ear."

Because of their rich experience, the elderly are prone to overthinking, making their minds easily agitated and difficult to calm. As Sun Simiao of the Tang Dynasty pointed out in his "Supplement to the Thousand Golden Prescriptions on Elderly Care" that "the key to elderly care is to avoid listening to idle talk, speaking carelessly, moving without purpose, and having no idle thoughts. All of these are beneficial to the elderly."

III. Optimistic Spirit

A positive mental attitude is one of the important factors for good health and longevity.

The Suwen (Plain Questions) chapter "On the Primordial Innocence of Antiquity" states: "If one takes tranquility and pleasure as one's goal and self-satisfaction as one's achievement, one's body will not be worn out and one's spirit will not be scattered; one can also live to be a hundred years old."

The famous physiologist Pavlov once said, "Pleasure makes it easier for you to feel every beat of life and every impression of life. Both physical and mental pleasure can promote physical development and make the body strong."

A positive mindset is beneficial to physical and mental health, including an outgoing personality and optimistic emotions.