Huangdi Neijing Lingshu 黃帝內經靈樞: The Animist bible

I titled in this way to attract attention. However I must state that the 黃帝內經靈樞 is not really the animist bible. The only thing approaching an animist bible is Body and Mind: a history and a defense of animism by MacDougall.

The quoted passage from the LingShu which follows at the end of my exposition makes clear the animist foundation of the materials contained within the LingShu.

An important concept in Animism is that Objects are Ideas. A simple way to understand this is in Object Oriented Design an “ingenious” product of Russian solipsism no less. If Objects in OOD had sentience, they would have notions about their identity and function and purpose (Ie. the TRON world ). Another concept is that the fundamental nature of existence is spiritual. Now let me make things clear. Spirit is not the same as Soul. Shen is more correctly Soul, not spirit.

Thusly, the passage above illustrates the importance of the animating principle eg. things that move and do not move, poorly defined as the “animal spirits” of the animism defined by non-animist experts. Here in the LingShu it is not even implied. It is exactly what it is. Ironic that the A word is hardly if ever mentioned in contemporary writings.

Recall that Lingshu means “Spiritual pivot”. This is an allegory to the postulative nature of the elements (eg. Open battle). The theoretical givens in the LingShu can made known through developing “Diagnostic vision” vis-à-vis Animist principles. This means is contained hidden in the canon.

I began this to cover all the elements in the passage: Qi, Jing, Shen, Hun, Yi and the corresponding Corporeal, Etherial, Emotional and Mental bodies. But I edited it down just to the bare essentials here. I guess I should write separate expositions on each thing and then simply cross-reference them.

Intent means we know how it works. Hence: Know-how

The key is understanding the Ethereal and Astral connection to Hun and Po.

The lower astral (Po) is the Somatic identity and has all the qualities and interests as the Low self, or ID in psychotherapy. It is passionate, greedy and materialistic (the Chinese word for thief is the image of a grubby paw grabbing something) and calculating and is only concerned with survival. We program the somatic identity to watch over our body when we sleep by speaking to it as we speak to a child or how we might train an attack dog. One can even name it.

The Psychic identity is characterized by Virtue or Merit. The abstract term for the Hun is “Virtue of kindness” in the Lingshu it is constantly refered to as simply Virtue. This corresponds quite well to the Superconscious or Higher mind or Common tao. Connection to the Cosmic mind and the Oversoul (Constant tao) as well as stars and all things celestial and abstract.

Know-how means you know how it works and you can use Intention to produce a result. Here I have skillfully covered both somewhat unremarkable translations of Yi as both Intention and Reflection into a usable form that produces tangible results.

Method:

Now the passage closes with something concerning Reflection. Mirrors are objects of supreme occult power.

Stand in front of the mirror and read these stanzas aloud to your reflection as if telling a story. This is similar to a method of creating a self-generated astral guardian from the energy collected and captured within the reflection of a mirror. One speaks to the reflection in the mirror that “collects” and “captures” the somatic identity (Id-Entity) and gives it instructions.

For example:

Look into a mirror and repeat the following:

“Somatic identity, you are a slave to the Virtue of the Psychic identity, guard over my body when I am asleep”

The passage on reflection is telling. Literally speak to your reflection in a mirror or a reflective surface. Speak and instruct it, reiterate keys to the common knowledge that is contained within the Lingshu. The cited passage that follows should suffice.

“That which follows Spirit (shen 神) to and fro is hun; that which combines with Essence (jing 精) in and out is po. Moreover, ‘lung stores hun and liver stores po’.

Illustrating the importance of speaking to the low self by establishing its connection and association and interaction (like introducing a new pet to a household).

Rewording the beginning of Chapter 8 of the Lingshu: Hun and Po, Qi and Jing, and Yi, a mind that is separate from the nervous system implys that the basis of existence is Spiritual in nature. Animism is a viewpoint of spirituality but its salvific value for the soul is questionable.

The above quote says Shen means Spirit this is not correct. We see reference to Po spirits, Hun spirits, even Yi spirits (Spleen air, and Lingqi). These are lower or fundamental spirits. The classification of herbs as Fundamental, Middle and High would also apply to a hierarchy of Spirits. We can take Shen out of the equasion simply because understanding the mechanisms everything to some degree is at a level of deviation.

Exiting, entering, inside, outside, upper, lower, inner, outer, passive, active are implying levels of equilibrium or imbalance. Hence Lingshu. The pivot or balance to keep the forces in check is the Yi, the true heart of a cultivated man. Unless the residence, the host is properly functioning (armored) the shen will always tend to leave its residence and even fragment and break into pieces.

The body can take punishment that the soul cannot.

References:

Dreaming Sex with Demons: The Pathological Interpretations in Ancient Chinese Medicine: http://www.ihp.sinica.edu.tw/~medicine/conference/disease/hsuifen.PDF