Glossary

The Yin aspects of the soul, often translated as the "Corporeal" or "Earthly Soul" said to reside in the Lungs. They are responsible for our attachment to the world, using the connection of the Lungs to the skin and our sense of touch to foster this. They govern the tangible aspects of a person and the body's senses and survival instincts, attached to the body and dissolve with it after death. Emotional pathology of the Lung, connected with grief, comes from excessive attachment to the things of an impermanent world. As a result they are often considered depicted in a negative light in spiritual traditions. The Cantong Qi v. 53, says that the Po if formed from Yin Spirit of the moon, itself derived from the Original Breath (原氣, Yuan Qi) of Earth (坤, Kun, ☷). The Hun is formed from the Yang Spirit of the sun. This is itself formed from the Original Essence (原精, Yuan Jing) of Heaven (乾, Qian, ☰) (Pregradio, 2011). Their mingling produces Fire ☲ and Water ☵ which govern the east and west, the directions associated with the Hun and Po. Usually considered seven in number, depicted as seven monstrous animals which become most active at night when the consciousness dims. Their names are:

Chou Fei, 除秽, "Stinking Lung": regulates breathing and governs smell. Problems with this aspect of the soul cases snoring and sleep apnoea. Chu Hui, 胎光, "Remover of Filth": processes toxins and removes them through the urine and faeces. It deals with understanding and awareness in consciousness. When children wet the bed or adults need the toilet frequently in the night it is due to weakness in this aspect of the soul. Fei Du, 飞毒, "Flying Poison": removes toxic heat by regulating body temperature and governs the sense of vision. Weakness causes chills and night sweats. Tun Zei, 吞贼, "Thief Swallower": fights external pathogens by devouring them, similar to the modern concept of the immune system. Que Yin, 雀阴, "Yin Sparrow": governs sexual ability and the sense of taste. It determines how long it takes to recover after sexual activity and its injury results in sexual dysfunction. Fu Shi, 伏矢, "Hidden Arrow": controls digestion while we sleep and Mana consciousness in Buddhism (roughly equivalent to thought and ego consciousness). Waking up hungry is a sign this aspect is healthy, while waking up with no appetite or with bad breath may indicate injury. Shi Gou, 尸狗, "Dead Dog": governs vigilance and the sense of touch. If overactive a person may be restless and wake up easily. If underactive then they will sleep like a dead dog, blind to dangers in the environment.

The Yang aspects of the soul are called the three Hun. The Jade Purity tradition views the seven Po as stages of development that the Hun must travel through to evolve. They are acceptance, creativity, judgement, faith, responsibility, compassion and release. Located along the spine this tradition shows a clear influence from the Indian system of the chakras. According to Jeffrey Yuen's (2005) 3 Spirits, 7 Souls the treatments associated with these levels include:

First Level: Accepting our our connection with the world. It is therefore indicated for difficulty in relating to the physical, material world and reality as it is. It is treated with points symbolic of taking our first breath: Taiyuan Lu-9, Renying St-9, Zhongwan Ren-12 and Tainshu St-25. Second Level: Creativity and the ability to make subconscious associations, see polarity, make separations, and move into the world. It is treated with Jingming Bl-1, Mingmen Du-4 and Yongquan Kid-1. Third Level: Judgement and the ability to direct our attention, switch the mind off and sleep. Issues here can be treated with Shuaigu GB-8, Daling Pc-7 and Shanzhong Ren-17 and Ququan Liv-8 or Jimai Liv-12. Fourth Level: Faith, concerned with creation, "mind becoming matter" and the ability to turn ideas into actions that have consequences. Problems manifest as hopelessness, cynicism and inability to see reality as illusion and are treated with Huiyang Bl-35, Baihui Du-20 and Huiyin Ren-1 or Yinjiao Ren-7. Fifth Level: Responsibility, concerned with true expression of yourself as an Authentic Character or Realized Being. Issues achieving this are treated with Renying St-9, Chongyang St-42 and Taixi Kid-3 (dispersing). Sixth Level: Compassion and the will to create endless possibilities, the formation of the spiritual embryo and attainment of immortality in neidan meditation practices. It is treated with Yingu Kid-10 which pools the Yin, Yangchi SJ-4 which pools the Yang and Waiguan SJ-5 which emanates the resulting mixture outwards via the Yang Wei Mai and the San Jiao. Seventh Level: Release from the bonds of individual consciousness, this level deals with the interconnectedness of all things, collective consciousness and connection with the Divine. Issues on this level are treated with Yintang, Guangming GB-37 and Qichong St-30 or Gongsun Sp-4.

These seven levels have counterparts in other systems of mystical philosophy including the seven chakras, the seven valleys in Attar's the Conference of the Birds (the Valley of the Quest, the Valley of Love, the Valley of Knowledge, the Valley of Independence or Detachment, the Valley of Unity, the Valley of Bewilderment and the Valley of Poverty and Annihilation) and the seven powers which must be fought by the soul on its spiritual ascent to union with God mentioned in the Gospel of Mary (Darkness, Desire, Ignorance, Zeal for Death, the Realm of the Flesh, the Wisdom of the Flesh, the Wisdom of the Wrathful Person). In the Islamic context, Rothman & Coyle (2018) present a framework of the soul based on Al-Ghazali wherein the ego (Nafs), spiritual soul (Ruh), heart (Qalb) and intellect (Aql) form two opposing pairs in a four point cross. It is easy to see a parallel to the Chinese anatomy of the soul wherein the Nafs and Ruh are like the Po and Hun, while the Qalb and Aql are the Heart and Kidneys as the house of the Shen and producer of Marrow that fills the Brain, respectively. The purpose of Islamic psychology, to purify the Nafs being likened to polishing a mirror until it can reflect the Divine, also has close parallels to the Dao De Jing, ch. 15, that says of settling the mind: "Murky, like muddy water. We must wait for the water to settle; then it will be clear," and both aim for a more spiritual purpose than reintegration into the workforce. They are also alike in that diagnoses are seen as passing stages and not static identifiers. There are natural differences, especially in terms of Islam's more rigid moral structure, and in that it is the Ruh which is the part of the soul where God's imprint resides and functions as a direct access point to God, while in Chinese, Shen literally means "God" and is seen as the spark of the divine. However, it is often the Hun that engages in spiritual work and ascends to Heaven in most Daoist Neidan systems and the Qu'ran 50:16 says "We are nearer to him than his jugular vein" leading to the Qalb being the spiritual centre of the person, implying these differences may be more subtle than it would first seem and probably see greater variation within their own traditions that between them. Most of this information is taken from:

• Zhou (2016), Understanding The Human Soul, Daoist Gate Wudang Arts
• 3 Hun and 7 Po (三魂七魄) In Taoist Sorcery in taoist-sorcery.blogspot.com (2013)
• Jeffrey Yuen (2005), 3 Spirits 7 Souls lecture transcript
• Twicken (2004), Taoist Models of Hun and Po, Part Two, Acupuncture Today 5(9).
Pregradio, F. (2011), The Seal of the Unity of the Three. Golden Elixir Press.