One of the most profound teachings that Traditional Chinese Medicine covers is the connection of the heart to the uterus. There is a vessel called the Bao Luo which connects the heart to the uterus and it is said in ancient texts that if the heart energy is blocked it can directly affect the functioning of the uterus.
The heart is understood in Chinese medicine to house the mind, so if there are any deficiencies or blockages in the heart area (energetically or physically) it will impact the mental state of the individual. Similarly, if there are any stressors that affect the mind and cause anxiety this will impact the energy of the heart.
It is not surprising then, that Guan Yin who is considered the female Buddha energy and is the Goddess of compassion was also known as the Goddess of fertility. In ancient times prayers were made to her during the new and full moon in order to bring conception to those who faced challenges. Those times of the moon phases were considered ‘magical efficacy’ and are also said to link up with a woman’s menstrual and ovulation cycle when she is in harmony with nature.
The ancients of China said that ‘in order for conception to occur, one must be open in the area of the heart’.
Nature has us programmed and there is an incredible intelligence that causes us to behave in a specific way when we are aligned with the harmony of nature. One of these examples is what happens to us physiologically when we are attracted to another person. Both males and females’ bodies will respond with increased heart rate and a cascade of physical events that will cause their bodies to prepare to conceive. This is part of our programming to procreate.
In order to allow this passion to occur, there needs to be a sense of surrender to this pull and attraction – and if fully immersed in this act of intimacy, both partners are present and not thinking of anything else. This surrendering is the reason many people can easily become addicted to sex, because in this state there is a moment of openness and freedom that we don’t commonly experience in the normal stress of life.
What happens often though with couples who are actively trying to conceive is that they are given specific times of the month for intercourse and this act becomes a to-do. This dilutes an incredibly important first step in the cascade of events that creates a signal for hormones and bodily responses to open for conception. This is one example of opening in the heart and although it’s obvious that people don’t necessarily need to love each other for conception to occur, this example speaks more to the opening and surrendering of the moment where they allow themselves to become fully immersed in the moment.
As a Chinese Medicine practitioner, I often speak with couples on the importance of taking time to cultivate this natural pull of intimacy. This will allow the proper hormones and physiologic factors to play into the body’s natural opening for conception in both men and women.
The heart also plays a major role in creating a sense of peace in one’s mind. This aids brain health where the hypothalamus and pituitary are located and is essential for hormone regulation. A great example is if you think of a child who is distressed and crying. The child’s first instinct it to run to the people they feel most comfortable with, and when the child is nurtured with love, the child almost immediately calms down. This is the amazing power that love has over the heart and mind, and the best part is that it’s completely free!