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A person may suffer from simultaneous deficiency of the Heart and Kidney. Suddenly, they perceive their body splitting into two; others do not see this, but only they do. People consider this a symptom of "Soul Separation" (Li Hun),
but who would know that it is actually due to the failure of communication between the Heart and Kidney? In the human body, the Heart and Kidney are in constant interaction. If the Heart does not communicate with the Kidney, dreams become restless; if the Kidney does not communicate with the Heart, the Spirit (Shen) becomes irritable. However, this situation still implies that either the Heart is diseased while the Kidney is healthy, or the Kidney is diseased while the Heart is healthy. Thus, although dreams are restless, the Soul (Hun) still clings to the center of the Heart; although the Spirit is irritable, the Soul still relies within the Kidney. The Soul desires to leave but cannot. Only when both the Heart and Kidney are deficient will the essence of the Kidney fail to ascend to the Heart, and the fluids of the Heart fail to descend to the Kidney, causing the Soul to separate. Although the Soul resides in the Liver, it is unheard of for it to reside in the Heart or Kidney. If the Heart and Kidney are deficient but the Qi of the Liver remains undamaged, the Liver can store the Soul, so why would it separate? One must understand that the Kidney is the mother of the Liver, and the Heart is the son of the Liver. The Liver is situated between the Heart and Kidney. When the Kidney is deficient, there is no Water to generate the Liver, thus injuring the Liver. When the Heart is deficient, there are no fluids to nourish the Liver, further injuring the Liver. When the Liver is injured, the Blood becomes dry; when the Blood is dry, the Soul cannot be stored. The Soul wanders between the Heart and Kidney; since the Mother (Kidney) cannot generate it and the Son (Heart) cannot support it, how can the Soul not separate? The treatment method seems appropriate to greatly tonify Liver Blood to guide the Soul back into the Liver. However, even if the Soul enters the Liver, if the Heart and Kidney are not tonified, the Qi of the Liver Wood will still be consumed. Even if the Soul temporarily returns, it will separate again. It is necessary to tonify both the Heart and Kidney simultaneously. Use She Hun Tang (Soul-Capturing Decoction):
Sheng Zao Ren (Raw Semen Ziziphi Spinosae, 5 qian) Mai Dong (Radix Ophiopogonis, 1 liang) Shu Di Huang (Prepared Radix Rehmanniae, 1 liang) Bai Shao (Radix Paeoniae Alba, 1 liang) Dang Gui (Radix Angelicae Sinensis, 5 qian) Shan Zhu Yu (Fructus Corni, 5 qian) Ren Shen (Radix Ginseng, 1 liang) Fu Shen (Poria with Hostwood, 5 qian) Yuan Zhi (Radix Polygalae, 2 qian) Ba Ji Tian (Radix Morindae Officinalis, 5 qian) Bai Zi Ren (Semen Platycladi, 3 qian) Bai Jie Zi (Sisymbrii Semen, 2 qian). Decoct in water and take orally. After one dose, the Soul reunites into one. Continue taking for several doses, and it will not separate again.
This formula treats the Heart, Liver, and Kidney simultaneously. When Kidney Water is moistened, the Liver is not dry; when Liver Blood is abundant, the Heart is not withered. When the Heart desires to communicate with the Kidney, the Liver facilitates its Qi; when the Kidney desires to communicate with the Heart, the Liver guides its fluids. Naturally, the Soul stabilizes and the Spirit calms down. With a calm Spirit, vision becomes single, avoiding diplopia (visual doubling).
For this syndrome, He Hun Dan (Soul-Union Pill) can also be used.
Ren Shen (Radix Ginseng, 5 qian) Fu Shen (Poria with Hostwood, 3 qian) Chao Zao Ren (Fried Semen Ziziphi Spinosae, 1 liang) Shu Di Huang (Prepared Radix Rehmanniae, 2 liang) Lian Zi Xin (Plumula Nelumbinis, 5 qian) Ba Ji Tian (Radix Morindae Officinalis, 1 liang). Decoct in water and take orally. After one dose, the Soul reunites.
Some people obsessively think about their lover day and night, unable to see them, leading to dream encounters. Upon waking, they feel separated by vast distances. Day after day, longing persists; night after night, dreams form. They feel lost and vacant, perceiving their body splitting into two, capable of knowing events outside the house. People consider this a Soul Separation syndrome, but who would know it is due to stagnation of Qi in the Heart and Liver? The Liver normally stores the Soul. When Qi is stagnant, Liver Qi fails to circulate freely, so logically the Soul should not exit. However, Liver Qi stagnation inevitably overacts on the Spleen. Obsessive thinking also damages the Spleen. Once the Earth of the Spleen is damaged, it cannot transport essence to the Heart and Liver, causing Heart Qi to become dry. Furthermore, the Liver, due to stagnation, has dry Blood and lacks fluids to moisten the Heart, making the Heart even drier. Heart dryness makes Liver Qi uneasy; daily, it seeks to send Qi to protect the Heart. But seeing the lover absent, frustration increases the stagnation. Extreme stagnation generates Fire, and the Soul refuses to stay in the Liver, preferring to exit with the Fire for relief. Since the Soul has exited but the physical shell remains intact, it can look back at its body, seeing itself as two. Treatment must soothe Liver Qi stagnation, moisten Heart Qi dryness, and simultaneously fortify Spleen Earth, enabling Earth Qi to generate fluids, allowing the Soul to return. Use Shu Hun Dan (Soul-Soothing Dan):
Ren Shen (Radix Ginseng, 1 liang) Bai Shao (Radix Paeoniae Alba, 1 liang) Dang Gui (Radix Angelicae Sinensis, 5 qian) Bai Zhu (Rhizoma Atractylodis Macrocephalae, 5 qian) Fu Shen (Poria with Hostwood, 5 qian) Mai Dong (Radix Ophiopogonis, 5 qian) Dan Sha (Cinnabar, 1 qian) Chang Pu (Rhizoma Acori Tatarinowii, 1 qian) Chai Hu (Radix Bupleuri, 1 qian) Yu Jin (Radix Curcumae Longae, 1 qian) Tian Hua Fen (Radix Trichosanthis, 1 qian) Gan Cao (Radix Glycyrrhizae, 1 qian). Decoct in water and take orally. After one dose, the Soul stabilizes; after two doses, the body reunites.
This formula treats the Heart, Spleen, and Liver together, with emphasis on soothing the Liver. The disease arises from stagnation; resolving stagnation naturally settles the Spirit and Soul. Thus, Shu Hun Dan is essentially a Liver-soothing formula.
Gui Hun Yin (Soul-Returning Decoction) is also effective for this syndrome.
Bai Shao (Radix Paeoniae Alba, 2 liang) Ren Shen (Radix Ginseng, 5 qian) Bei Mu (Bulbus Fritillariae Cirrhosae) Xiang Fu (Rhizoma Cyperi, each 3 qian) Yu Jin (Radix Curcumae Longae, 1 qian). Decoct in water and take orally. After two doses, the Soul returns.
Some patients present with early-stage Mania (Kuang Zheng). Though lying in bed, they know people outside, curse verbally, and resent family members for not coming out to welcome them. People also consider this a Soul Separation disease, but who would know it is caused by Stomach Fire invading the Heart? Heart Fire normally generates Stomach Earth, sharing a mother-son relationship. Why does it invade the Heart, causing the Spirit to exit? One must understand that Stomach Earth is the "delicate child" of the Heart. If the Stomach is weak, Heart Fire assists it; if the Stomach is strong, Heart Fire avoids it. Generally, Heart Fire is tranquil, but Stomach Fire boils. When Stomach Fire burns fiercely, the Stomach cannot even care for itself, let alone its parents (the Heart). Such rebellion and parricide are often unavoidable. Therefore, the Heart Monarch tolerates it, retreating downstairs to avoid the Stomach Fire's burning. Consequently, the Heart Spirit exits externally, forming the critical condition of Soul Separation. Since the Soul has left the body, logic dictates death should follow immediately. Why does life persist for one or two days? Because although the Spirit has exited, the Qi of the Heart has not yet severed. The rescue method leaves no option other than Ren Shen Zhu Ye Shi Gao Tang (Ginseng, Bamboo Leaf, and Gypsum Decoction). However, it must be decocted in large doses and drunk freely to have any chance of saving the patient; otherwise, they remain on the brink of life and death.
The most crucial herb in this formula is Shi Gao (Gypsum Fibrosum); next, Ren Shen (Radix Ginseng) must be used in large amounts. Approximately, Shi Gao should be 2 liang, and Ren Shen 1 liang. Used together, they are miraculous drugs for retrieving the Soul. If one delays using them, or uses this formula hesitantly, reducing the dosage of Shi Gao and Ren Shen, it will not help restore the Soul.
Some argue that using more Shi Gao and less Ren Shen is acceptable. Alas! Calming mania originally relies solely on the large dose of Shi Gao, but restoring the Soul absolutely requires Ren Shen. Since the Soul has already escaped outward, returning to the palace momentarily, the Heart remains unstable. Without using large amounts of Ren Shen, how can one calm the Spirit to prevent further separation? This is why Ren Shen must be used in large quantities.
For this syndrome, using Xuan Shen (Radix Scrophulariae) alone, 3 liang, decocted in water and taken orally, will stop the Soul from separating after two doses.