What Is True Health? — Connects to the idea of hidden imbalance and natural law

Taoan Admin
Aug 21
4 min read

All illnesses do not appear overnight as a tumor or a visible mass. Disease is a gradual process, and this has long been explained in the Huangdi Neijing (The Yellow Emperor’s Inner Canon). According to this classic, the origin of disease always begins with the Shen (spirit). When the Shen becomes disturbed, it leads to disorders in Qi (vital energy). Once the Qi is disrupted, it eventually affects the Blood, and only after a long progression does the illness manifest at the physical level—the “form” that Western medicine can detect through scans, biopsies, or imaging.

So think about it: by the time a tumor is visible on an MRI or CT scan, the disease has already passed through the stages of Shen, Qi, and Blood. This is why many patients are diagnosed only when the illness is in an advanced stage—because Western medicine often only sees the final destination, not the journey that preceded it.

Chinese medicine teaches us that human health must flow in harmony with the rhythm of nature:

In spring, Qi rises and life expands—you should feel active and creative.
In summer, Qi flourishes—you should sweat and feel open and joyful.
In autumn, Qi contracts—you should naturally settle and become calm.
In winter, Qi stores—you should rest deeply, conserving energy.

To follow the natural rhythm is to be healthy. True health is nothing extraordinary—it is simply being normal.

Health Is “Normalcy”

Many people misunderstand health. They equate it with rosy cheeks, stamina, perfect test results, or the ability to run long distances. But these are only byproducts of health—not its essence.

The essence of health lies in 常 (chang)—“normalcy.” Health is the state of being in harmony: with yourself, with your family, with society, and with nature. It is living in rhythm with life.

For example:

On a hot day, everyone sweats, and you sweat too—that is normal.
After hiking for two hours, you feel tired but recover after resting—that is normal.
At night, when everyone feels sleepy by 10 p.m., you too feel ready to sleep—that is normal.

But if you sweat excessively in winter, or stay wide awake until 3 a.m. while others sleep peacefully, that is not a sign of vitality—it is already a loss of harmony with nature’s rhythm. Even those who boast, “I never get sick,” are often not as healthy as they think. Why? Because a truly healthy person does not need to think about health—it simply flows, just as you breathe without being conscious of every breath.

The First Stage of Disease: The Spirit

According to Chinese medicine, the earliest stage of disease begins with the Shen (spirit). When the Shen is disturbed, several patterns may appear:

Scattered Shen – difficulty focusing, constant distraction, inability to stay present.
Over-sensitivity – easily agitated by external events, such as becoming enraged by a single comment or deeply affected by a movie for days.
Weak Shen – poor sleep, constant fear, or irrational anxieties (such as fear of ghosts). A strong Shen is radiant and fearless.
Separation of Shen and Form – the body and mind no longer act as one; words, thoughts, and actions are disconnected.

This disharmony may manifest as emotional extremes, suppression of natural feelings, or being easily manipulated by external influences (such as media, entertainment, or obsession with celebrities). All of these are signs of 失常 (loss of normalcy).

Returning to Normalcy

So what is true healing? It is not about “conquering” or “fighting” illness. The most important task of Chinese medicine is to help a patient return to a normal, balanced life.

When a doctor sees a patient whose Western tests show “no disease” but who still suffers greatly, the approach is simple: 调常 (restore normalcy). That means adjusting the most basic life rhythms—eating, sleeping, digestion, elimination, sweating. Once these fundamental processes become normal again, vitality returns, and the body begins to heal itself.

The Role of Shen in Healing

The Huangdi Neijing describes this beautifully:When the body is weak, and Qi and Blood are depleted, yet treatments fail, the reason is simple—“the Shen does not respond.”

If the patient’s Shen is absent, no medicine or therapy can help. Why does the Shen leave? Because of endless desires and constant worries. This restless state consumes Jing (essence), scatters Qi, and eventually drives the Shen away.

Thus, all disease originates from the intangible realm of spirit and thought. From thought arises energy (Qi), from energy comes material form (blood, flesh, tumors, physical disease).

True Healing Comes from Within

This is why true health cannot be achieved by relying solely on herbs, supplements, or miracle foods. One cannot expect a handful of beans or an expensive tonic to undo decades of emotional burdens, lifestyle imbalances, and spiritual neglect.

The real medicine lies in awareness—learning to feel and live according to your own natural rhythms:

Eat when you are truly hungry.
Rest when you are genuinely tired.
Allow yourself to laugh freely when joyful, and cry when sad.

When the Shen is stable, the Qi flows smoothly. When the Qi flows, the Blood circulates. And when Shen, Qi, and Blood are in harmony, the body naturally returns to health.

In Summary

All illness begins with the Shen (spirit), then moves to Qi, then Blood, and only finally manifests in the body.
True health is not measured by medical reports or physical strength but by being normal—in rhythm with nature and life.
Healing is not about eradicating disease but about restoring balance so that the body’s innate vitality can heal itself.

Thus, the greatest blessing is not wealth or longevity, but this simple wish:“May you live every day in peace and normalcy.”