Body Wisdom: The Heart – More Than a Pump

In Western medicine, the Heart is our body’s central pump. It drives blood through vessels, delivering oxygen to every cell. It’s reliable, mechanical, measurable. And of course, vital.

But in Chinese medicine, the Heart is far more than muscle and rhythm. It’s called the “Emperor” of the organs — the sovereign that governs not only blood, but also spirit, emotions, clarity, and even memory. The classics say: “The Heart stores the shén” — our spirit, our spark of awareness.

This isn’t just philosophy. It shows up in real life. Someone may have a strong heartbeat on a hospital monitor, yet feel scattered, anxious, restless, or unable to sleep. From a TCM view, that’s the Heart system out of balance. The body is pumping, but the spirit has no settled home.

The Heart and its connections

In TCM, the Heart connects with the Small Intestine, tongue, and brain. That’s why speech, clarity, and insight are linked to Heart health. A restless tongue or an unsettled mind can reveal disturbance of the Heart shén.

And because the Heart is fire by nature, it resonates with summer — the season of warmth, joy, and connection. But too much heat (whether from the sun, overstimulation, or strong emotion) can scatter the spirit and leave us feeling ungrounded.

Qigong and the Heart

This is where Qigong becomes the bridge between theory and experience. Through breath, posture, and movement, we can calm the fire when it blazes too high, or kindle it gently when it burns low.

In Qigong, the Heart system is awakened through flowing movements that open the chest and arms — stimulating the Heart and Pericardium meridians, and balancing their partners, the Small Intestine and Triple Warmer. As we move, breath deepens, the ribcage loosens, and the “house of the spirit” becomes more spacious. Students often describe this as a sense of lightness, ease, or warmth spreading through the body.

'The Spiritual Guide' - The Integrated Qigong Front Arm Low Meridian from the book Move Life Better by Deniz Paradot. All rights reserved. ©

In this way, Qigong doesn’t just strengthen circulation — it helps us feel the Heart’s deeper role as a centre of joy, connection, and presence.

Summer support for the Heart

The Heart’s season is summer — the fire element in full bloom. It’s a time of expression and vitality, but balance is key.

Practical ways to support your Heart in summer:

• Stay cool in body and mind – practise calm breathing and avoid overheating or rushing.

• Eat bitter and cooling foods – bitter greens, cucumber, melon, and fresh herbs help clear excess heat.

• Balance joy with rest – celebrate, connect, laugh… but also give yourself stillness.

• Sleep early – before 11pm if possible, to let the Heart renew.

• Practise Qigong – open the chest, soften the breath, and feel the Heart meridian flow. Movements like Uphold the Moon or gentle chest-opening flows bring balance back to the Emperor.

The Heart in balance

When the Heart is at ease, the spirit rests at home. We feel calm, joyful, and able to connect without being overwhelmed. Summer is the season to enjoy that vitality — while keeping a still centre at the core of it.

This post is part of my “Body Wisdom: Living in Balance” series — exploring each organ through both Western and Chinese medicine, and showing how Qigong helps us embody these insights in practice.

Heart | Pericardium | Small Intestine | Lungs | Large Intestine | Liver | Gallbladder | Spleen | Stomach | Kidneys | Bladder | Triple Warmer | Qigong as Movement Medicine