By Erin Steinhauser
For as long as humans have been able to place a hand over their chest and feel the steady rhythm beneath it, the heart has carried meaning. It is our most iconic symbol of love, courage, joy, and loss – and also one of the most essential organs sustaining our physical life. Across cultures and throughout history, the heart has been understood not only as a pump, but as the center of emotion, spirit, and vitality. When we look at Eastern and Western traditions side by side, we notice something interesting: two very different languages describing many of the same truths.
The Heart in Eastern Traditions
In Eastern medicine, especially Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), the heart is known as the ruler of all organs and represents the consciousness of one’s being. It houses the Shen, often translated as “spirit.” The Shen governs the mind, emotions, and awareness. It manifests as the “light behind the eyes.”
When the heart is balanced and the Shen is nourished, we experience:
● emotional stability
● clarity of thought
● restful sleep
● a sense of joy and openness
When the heart is disturbed, the Shen becomes unsettled. This may show up as:
● anxiety
● insomnia
● scattered thoughts
● emotional overwhelm
● a sense of being not fully present
The heart is also associated with joy in the Five Element system. Excess joy (overstimulation, mania), or lack of joy (grief, depression), can both weaken heart energy. This perspective views the heart not as an isolated organ, but as the energetic center of our emotional world. Herbs in this tradition, like reishi, albizia, and rose, are used not just to strengthen the heart physically, but to calm and anchor the Shen. They are seen as plants that help restore inner balance, soften emotional tension, and bring the spirit back home to the body.
The Heart in Western Tradition
Western physiology approaches the heart through a different, more mechanistic lens. Instead of spirit, the heart is framed in terms of:
● electrical rhythm
● circulation
● oxygenation
● muscular strength
● blood pressure
● nervous system regulation
In this model, the heart responds intimately to emotional states – just described in biochemical terms. Stress, grief, and shock trigger cascades of hormones like cortisol and adrenaline.
These influence:
● heart rate
● blood pressure
● vascular tone
● inflammation
● heart rate variability (HRV), a key marker of emotional resilience
Western science actually recognizes phenomena once thought purely metaphorical. For example, Takotsubo cardiomyopathy, also known as “broken heart syndrome,” is a rapid, measurable weakening of the heart muscle caused by intense emotional stress. Chronic sadness, long-term anxiety, and emotional isolation all have well-documented effects on cardiovascular health.
Herbs in this system, like hawthorn, motherwort, and oats, are studied for their physical actions: improving circulation, regulating rhythm, lowering blood pressure, reducing inflammation, and soothing an overstimulated nervous system.
Where The Two Worlds Meet
Although Eastern and Western frameworks use different language, both traditions agree on a core truth: the emotional and physical heart are deeply intertwined.
Both recognize that emotional experiences leave physiological imprints. Both acknowledge that calming the mind can steady the pulse, and strengthening the heart can stabilize emotions. Both see herbs as powerful allies – not as quick fixes, but as support that gently guides the heart back toward balance.
Where Western science gives us measurable mechanisms, Eastern tradition offers language that speaks to human experience. Together, they form a holistic, multi-faceted view of the heart: a living organ, an emotional compass, and a vessel for our deepest experiences.
Understanding the heart through both perspectives encourages us to care for it on every level. It reminds us that tending to the heart means tending to the whole person – body, mind, and spirit.
Join me on February 10th for a workshop to learn more about Plant Allies for the Heart.
References and Resources:
• https://www.heartmath.org/research/science-of-the-heart/
• https://web.stanford.edu/class/history13/earlysciencelab/body/heartpages/heart.html
• https://medherb.com/eletter/Spiritual-heart-only.pdf
• https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/17857-broken-heart-syndrome
• https://holisticacupuncture.net/the-shen-in-chinese-medicine-nurturing-the-spirit-for-optimal-health/
• https://newsroom.heart.org/news/depression-anxiety-and-stress-linked-to-poor-heart-health-in-two-new-studies