For anybody out there feeling detached from the world, lacking the energy and motivation needed to get through the day, it’s important to power on, to keep going, and to never give up. We all experience lows from time to time, but it’s how we deal with these issues that helps to shape us as human beings.
You may not realize it, but one of the primary reasons why you’re feeling so detached, drained, and demoralized, could be due to your life force being drained. As human beings, we are all attached to the universe, both physically and spiritually, though we are also governed by our minds. If we have negative energy, we think negative thoughts, and everything is thrown out of balance. In order to restore balance, we must re-connect with our mind. Energetic alchemy allows us to do precisely that.
Energetic alchemy allows us to experience our feelings and emotions, rather than ignoring them. It lets us transform negative energy into positive energy and become more conscious of the physical world we live in. Energetic alchemy lets us restore balance, become more mindful, and to become more self-aware. It lets us take something bad, and effectively turn it into something good.
To better understand energetic alchemy, we must first learn about: Jing, Qi, and Shen – San Bao (Three Treasures) as outlined below.
Jing – The Essence of Life
Jing is effectively the essence of life, literally translating to ‘essence’.
It is the deepest, most vital material of all life. It represents your spiritual life essence, serving as a symbol of strength, vitality, and tenacity. It serves as a representation of the physical energy needed to get you through the day ahead.
Jing is also a key fundamental of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) as it is associated with the kidneys, growth, development, vitality, reproduction, and aging. Strengthening and restoring Jing via TCM often requires lifestyle changes, including:
- Getting more rest
- Getting good quality sleep
- Allowing the mind and body to recover from stress and stimuli
- Following a healthy and balanced diet
- Enjoying things in moderation
- Becoming more active
- Respecting our physical limitations
Qi – Vital Life Force
If Jing represents our essence, Qi represents our vital life force.
Qi, pronounced ‘Chee’, is one of the central pillars of Traditional Chinese Medicine. It serves as a representation of the body’s vital energy associated with movement, protection, transformation, and the functioning of the body as a whole.
Qi is constantly flowing through your body via pathways known as ‘meridians’. You may not be able to see it, but it is responsible for your life force, and indeed, the life force of all manifestations of energy in this universe and beyond. It keeps you active, it keeps you moving, it keeps your heart beating, your blood pumping, and your body working. It’s the energy from the air we breathe, the water we drink, the food that we eat, and the universe as a whole.
When Qi is healthy and flowing freely, we feel strong, we feel energized, we feel happy, and we feel healthy. Balanced Qi is associated with vitality, happiness, and wellbeing. When meridians become blocked, however, and Qi circulation is disrupted, the opposite is true. Unbalanced Qi can lead to health complications, poor mental health, disrupted sleep, and negative energy.
From a more modern perspective, Qi can be restored in a variety of ways, including:
- Mindfulness exercises
- Tai Chi, yoga, and Qiong
- Fresh air and sunlight
- Acupuncture or acupressure
- Cut out negative energy which may be blocking meridians
- Eat a healthy and balanced diet
- Drink plenty of mineral water
- Drink herbal teas and natural remedies
- Lead a healthy and balanced lifestyle
Shen – Spirit and Consciousness
And finally, the third fundamental we’ll be looking at today is Shen.
Shen represents your spirit and consciousness. It is the spiritual and mental aspect of an individual, representing their consciousness, emotional wellbeing, their thoughts, inner harmony, mental clarity, and their perception of the universe. Balanced Shen can show itself in the form of a calm and relaxed demeanour, a clear head, rational thought, mental clarity, high energy levels, a healthy glow, and general good health and wellbeing.
Shen, alongside Jing and Qi, is one of the three San Bao that represents a person’s sense of being. Residing primarily in the heart, which governs both mental performance and circulation, when Shen is disrupted, it can lead to a variety of problems, both physically and mentally.
Disrupted Shen manifests in many different ways. It could rear its ugly head in the form of anxiety, insomnia, or agitation, or it could manifest in the form of an illness or simply a lack of energy or motivation.
Fortunately, when Shen becomes disturbed or imbalanced, there are several ways to nurture our spirit, restore inner harmony, and cultivate a greater sense of emotional and mental wellbeing. These include:
- Observing our emotions without allowing them to control our thoughts and actions
- Practising meditation, mindful breathing, and relaxation techniques
- Prioritizing restful, good-quality sleep
- Spending time outdoors and enjoying natural sunlight
- Grounding ourselves through nature, self-reflection, and positive affirmations
- Nourishing our bodies with healthy, balanced meals
- Staying well hydrated
- Enjoying green tea and traditional herbal teas
- Maintaining regular physical activity
The Three Treasures – A Foundation for Holistic Balance
In Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jing, Qi and Shen are not viewed as separate elements, but as three interconnected treasures that reflect different dimensions of our wellbeing.
Jing provides the foundation, Qi represents movement and vitality, and Shen reflects the clarity of our spirit and consciousness.
Together, they remind us that true balance involves nurturing our physical essence, cultivating our vital energy and caring for our inner world.
Nourish your Essence. Cultivate your Qi. Illuminate your Shen.