More Than Digestion
Every day, we take in countless things.
Physically, we eat on the go—between meetings, while scrolling through our phones, or simply because it's time for lunch. We rarely stop to consider what our food actually contains or whether it is what our body truly needs in that moment.
But we don't only take in food.
Every day, we also take in conversations, news, opinions, expectations, social media, and the emotions of the people around us.
Not everything we encounter is meant to become part of us—part of our lives.
This is where the Small Intestine becomes truly fascinating in Chinese medicine.
While Western medicine mainly associates it with digestion, Chinese medicine describes a much deeper function. The Small Intestine separates the clear from the turbid—and this principle reaches far beyond the digestive system. It reflects the way we receive, process, and respond to life itself.
The Heart's Secretary
Imagine a large desk.
Everything that enters your life ends up here.
Not only food, but conversations, news, opinions, expectations, social media, other people's emotions, and countless impressions from daily life.
All of it is waiting to be sorted.
In Chinese medicine, the Small Intestine sits at this desk as the Heart's secretary.
Its role is not to pass everything on.
Its role is to discern.
What deserves to become part of me and my life? What can safely be passed on to the Heart? And what is better released before it ever reaches my innermost self?
This ability to distinguish between what should remain and what should be let go is considered one of the Small Intestine's most important functions—not only physically, but also psycho-emotionally.
When the Secretary Stops Sorting
But what happens when the Small Intestine can no longer discern clearly?
Eventually, everything reaches the Heart.
Every impression.
Every emotion.
Every disappointment.
Every expectation.
Suddenly, the emperor has to deal with everything himself.
Over time, the burden becomes too great.
Inner clarity begins to fade.
Some people become overwhelmed by their emotions. Others slowly lose touch with them altogether, feeling emotionally exhausted or numb.
Sometimes this can even be seen from the outside. The eyes lose their sparkle. Joy and vitality begin to fade because the Heart is constantly trying to process what should never have reached it in the first place.
When Everything Is Kept Out
The opposite pattern can also develop.
Sometimes the Small Intestine becomes so protective that almost nothing reaches the Heart.
Joy. Connection. Trust. New experiences.
Everything is filtered out before it has the chance to nourish us.
Over time, the Heart begins to feel cut off from the world around it. Its inner fire grows quieter. Openness gives way to caution. Vitality slowly fades into distance.
The Heart may be protected—but it is no longer nourished.
A healthy Small Intestine does neither.
It doesn't let everything through.
Nor does it shut everything out.
Instead, it knows what truly deserves a place within us—and what is better allowed to pass on.
Bringing Order Back to the Desk
We cannot change the world.
We cannot stop the endless stream of opinions, expectations, emotions, and impressions that reach us every single day nor can we rewrite our past.
You have been shaped by your experiences, your relationships, your environment, and your constitution. From the perspective of Chinese medicine, your Small Intestine has good reasons for responding the way it does today.
But we can work with it. We can help it bring order back to the desk.
We can support its ability to discern more clearly what truly belongs in our inner world—and what is better allowed to pass by.
Because the real question is not what we encounter in life.
The real question is what we choose to take in.
What we allow to become part of us.
And what we consciously let go.
The Heart Has Three Guardians
The good news is that, in Chinese medicine, the Heart Emperor is never alone.
The Small Intestine is only one of its three guardians. Together with the Pericardium and the San Jiao, it protects and supports the Heart—each in its own unique way.
That is why the workbook The Heart and Its Guardians explores all four organs together.
Over four weeks, you'll discover how the Heart, Small Intestine, Pericardium, and San Jiao work together, both physically and psycho-emotionally, and how you can begin supporting these relationships in your own daily life.
Each week focuses on one organ and includes background knowledge, reflection questions, an integration practice, an acupressure point, a Bach flower remedy, and an essential oil to accompany the week's theme.
If you join the DaoSense Membership during July, the workbook is included as part of the month's content. You'll also receive additional Heart-centred resources, including a seasonal Qi Gong practice, a Sound Healing session, and an in-depth article exploring the symbolism and qualities of the Rose in Chinese medicine.
Because the moment you begin to understand how body and emotions work together, you also begin to recognise—step by step—what truly belongs within you, and what can simply pass through without becoming part of your life.
