We have seen in recent blogs that the Heart is protected by three “ministers” of the Fire Element. The Small Intestine official, sometimes referred to as the Sorter, is the minister who is closest to the sovereign, the Heart. His job description includes the functions of personal assistant, liaison officer, food taster, adviser and friend. Just as the organ of small intestine sorts the pure from the impure in the food we eat, so too the Small Intestine official is responsible for sorting out what is good for the Heart and what is not. This sorting includes the transformation of food and the absorption of nutrients, but also operates more widely at the level of mind and spirit.
Small Intestine is the paired partner of the Heart. It is yang to the Heart’s yin. This official listens attentively to the needs of the Heart and is in constant, direct contact with it. This close attention facilitates the communication from the Heart to the outside world and from the world back to the Heart.
An imbalance in Small Intestine can cause a breakdown in the attentiveness to the Heart’s needs. This might result in making poor food choices, taking in food that is not good for the body. It may also extend to choosing relationships that are harmful, situations that are toxic, and failing to engage in activities that nourish the spirit. In our busy modern world we have so many choices to make, so much information to filter and sort, that the Small Intestine official can become overwhelmed and fail to adequately protect his friend the king.
When the Small Intestine is not listening to the Heart, it tends also not to listen to the world. There can be confusion in communicating with others, misunderstanding what others are saying and being misunderstood by them.
A point to support the healthy relationship between Small Intestine and Heart is Zhizheng – Branch of the Upright. This is the luo connecting point of the meridian which supports balance between the yin and yang meridians. The upright referred to here is the Heart itself, while the branch is the connecting channel.
Zhizheng helps to resolve ambivalence and confusion by conveying faithfully the intent of the Heart. It calms and balances the Heart when its sprit (shen), is disrupted by restlessness, fluctuating moods, fright, anxiety, depression or mania.
At the physical level, Branch of the Upright is used to treat problems of the forearm and elbow, painful fingers and difficulty gripping. As with most Small Intestine points, it treats problems in the shoulder and neck through which the meridian passes. It also reduces fever, visual dizziness and blurred vision.
If you have trouble sorting the sheep from the goats, get confused about the choices in your life, or have lost touch with what your heart is telling you, Zhizheng can help restore connection with the purity of your Heart.
Location of Small Intestine 7
The point is on the little finger (ulnar) side of the forearm, five-twelfths of the distance between the wrist and the point of the elbow (5 cun). Locate with your arm bent as shown. The point lies in the hollow between the ulna bone and the muscle next to it on the front of the arm (carpi ulnaris).