What does it actually mean to be? In clinical practice and daily life, we often speak about the need to “just be” or to “stop doing so much”—but the state of being is rarely defined in physiological terms. Is it rest? Is it stillness? Is it the absence of threat?
For many
patients, being isn’t a familiar or accessible state. It may feel foreign,
uncomfortable, or even dangerous. This is especially true for those with
histories of chronic stress, survival-based patterning, or developmental
trauma. In these systems, “being” is not simply the opposite of “doing”—it is
an autonomic state the body has forgotten how to enter.
To re-access
it, we must first understand what “being” is in terms of neural activation,
channel function, and fascial tone. This section outlines the key features of
the being state—both in the nervous system and in the somatic
channel structure—and contrasts them with the mobilized architecture of doing.
Classical
Reflections on Being
The question of
being—what it is, where it resides, and how it becomes obscured—has been
asked long before the language of nervous systems or channel theory existed. In
ancient philosophy, the body and mind were often thought to be at odds, or at
best, joined by a fragile thread. Descartes' “I think, therefore I am” reduced
existence to cognition, placing identity in the domain of the rational mind.
But clinical reality suggests the opposite: many of us think constantly and
still struggle to feel that we are.
In Eastern
traditions, particularly Zen, the instruction to “just sit” or “just be” is
offered as a return to essential presence. Yet for many patients—and for many
practitioners—that invitation can feel more like a confrontation. Stillness
reveals the very thing the nervous system has spent a lifetime learning to
avoid. Muscles clench. Thoughts loop. The breath flattens. Not because the
instruction is wrong, but because the parasympathetic (yin) infrastructure to
receive it is missing.
Even Socrates’
“Know thyself” invites us into an inner world, but often bypasses the medium
through which we know: the body. Self-awareness is not a merely mental act. It
is also a somatic-visceral one, shaped by how the viscera respond, how the
spine organizes, and how the breath yields—or doesn’t. In other words, before
we know ourselves, we are shaped to exist. And if that shaping carries
disruption—early bracing, chronic vigilance, unresolved orienting patterns—then
the very experience of being can feel incomplete, or unreachable.
This is where
Chinese medicine becomes not only relevant but essential. The secondary
channels of postnatal development—the Qiao and Wei sinew channels—form in
tandem with the limbic system, autonomic circuits, and primitive motor
networks. Because of this shared developmental timing, they carry more than
structural tone—they hold emotional charge. They govern how tension is
distributed through the limbs and trunk, how the body maintains orientation
under stress, and where fascial bracing or armor is laid down in response to
perceived threat or demand. These patterns do not resolve on their own. They
persist long after the original stimulus has passed and continue to shape how
the body responds to safety, pressure, and contact.
The sinew
channels of the Eight Extraordinary Vessels do not just reflect emotional
states—they help encode them. Vigilance, withdrawal, or urgency becomes
embedded in the body’s movement and posture, shaping fascial tone, breath
patterns, and autonomic set-points. These are not metaphors. They form a living
map of where the system remains braced for impact—an internal architecture
through which unresolved readiness continues to operate in the background,
gradually depleting yin and eroding jing. Over time, this somatic patterning
drives cortical overactivity—especially in regions responsible for evaluation,
decision-making, and self-monitoring—while cortisol suppresses gut motility,
vagal tone, and immune function. When prolonged, this is the physiological
basis of what TCM calls “phlegm misting the mind”: a condition in which fascial
rigidity, sympathetic override, and enteric disruption block access to
reflective awareness. The sinews provide direct entry points for treatment,
making cortical quieting and the experience of mindful presence physiologically
possible.
Definition:
“Being” (Within a Neuro-Somatic and Channel-Based Framework)
Being is the baseline state of non-reactive
presence in which the body is not mobilizing toward action, not suppressing
internal sensation, and not orienting toward external threat.
In this state:
- The autonomic tone is
primarily ventral vagal (parasympathetic), not sympathetic or
dorsal-collapse
- The motor system is in neutral—no
anticipatory tension, no prepulse toward movement
- The interoceptive system is
accessible—signals from viscera, diaphragm, heart, and gut can be felt
without distortion
- The cortical system is not
driving evaluative control—especially mPFC, anterior cingulate, and
insular hyperactivity is quieted
- The midline fascial structures
are tonally receptive—not held, not collapsed
I.
Neurological Markers of “Being”
|
System |
State
in “Being” |
|
Autonomic |
Ventral
vagal dominant; sympathetic tone low, dorsal vagal not dominant |
|
Motor planning (cortex) |
Quiet
SMA and dACC activity; no active goal-setting or movement prep |
|
Insular
cortex |
Open
interoceptive registration without urgency |
|
Amygdala–hippocampus |
Not
signaling threat; internal environment interpreted as safe |
|
PAG
/ brainstem nuclei |
No
freezing or flight-readiness signaling |
|
DMN / limbic-cortical loop |
Present-moment
continuity, minimal narrative projection |
II. Somatic
and Channel-Based Correlates of “Being”
- Ren Mai (Conception Vessel): supports internal coherence,
parasympathetic tone, nourishment
- Yin Qiao: flexor tone without reactivity,
capacity to be inwardly oriented without collapse
- Yin Wei: emotional congruence, containment
of internal states without cortical override
- Deep midline stabilizers (multifidus, diaphragm, psoas):
support verticality and inner space without effort
Together, these
create a structural state where:
- The body feels safe to exist
without doing
- Internal sensation is not flagged
as urgent
- There is no perceived need to leave
or suppress the present moment
II. Somatic
and Channel-Based Correlates of “Being”
When the body
is in a state of being, certain tissues and channel systems function in
specific, observable ways. These aren’t vague energetic metaphors—they reflect
how the body is actually organizing itself in space and time.
Ren Mai
(Conception Vessel):
- This channel supports the midline
of the body—from the pelvis to the face—and is associated with the parasympathetic
nervous system, especially vagal tone.
Think nourishment, both systemically from the Enteric Nervous
System (post-natal qi), and locally in the microcapillary beds in the from
of oxygen exchange.
- In a state of being, the Ren is
responsive but not guarded or diminished by the Du mai (internal
rotators and multifidus). There’s a sense of open front body tone—the
belly is not clenched through Ren 15-Liv13-ST 25-GB 25, the breath can
descend into the abdomen, and the throat is not braced. (Ren-Chong
Intersection via the spiral line).
- The core of the body feels
intact and continuous, not armored, braced or collapsed.
In plain
terms:
The person can
rest in their own verticality. They don’t feel exposed in the chest or hollow
in the belly. They are not gripping themselves for structure.
Yin Qiao Mai
(Yin Motility Vessel):
- This channel runs through the inner
legs, pelvis, and abdomen, and governs flexor tone—the capacity
to bring the body inward.
- In a healthy state of being, the
inner thighs, pelvic floor, and deep abdominal wall are softly
engaged—not locked, not flaccid.
- There is a sense of inward
support—the body doesn’t need to lift up out of itself or collapse
down through the hips.
In plain
terms:
The person
doesn’t feel like they’re “falling in” or needing to brace to stay upright.
There’s a quiet tone holding the base of the torso, so they can sit or lie
still without restlessness or dissociation.
Yin Wei Mai
(Yin Linking Vessel):
- This channel connects deep
internal tissues of the chest and abdomen, and is linked to emotional
containment and internal coherence.
- When this system is working well,
the heart, diaphragm, and gut can remain responsive without being
hijacked by threat signals or over-monitoring from the brain. (HPA
Axis and chronic cortisol)
- The person can feel emotion or
sensation without needing to interpret it, explain it, or suppress it. For our neuroscientists, this is containment
of internal states without cortical override. For PVT enthusiasts, we
could consider this remaining in an undefended ventral vagus state.
In plain terms: The body can have feelings without immediately trying to fix, understand, or shut them down. There’s room for affect to move through without losing orientation.
Du Mai
(Governing Vessel)
·
Midline
Core Stabilizers (Multifidus, Diaphragm, Psoas): These are the deep muscles that
stabilize the spine and help maintain posture without effort. Patients with spasticity and rigidity in the
fascia here are often in reflex demonstration.
- In a true state of being, these
muscles are tonically active at a low level—they hold the skeleton
upright without needing to recruit the large, external muscles of
the back, neck, or shoulders.
- The breath moves through the
diaphragm with ease, and the psoas responds to gravity without
tension or slack.
In plain terms: The person doesn’t have to “sit up straight” or hold themselves together. The spine organizes itself. The breath lands. The head feels like it’s supported from below, not suspended by the neck.
Together, these
create a structural state where:
- The body feels safe to exist
without doing
- Internal sensation is not flagged
as urgent
- There is no perceived need to leave
or suppress the present moment
Definition: “Doing” (Within a Neuro-Somatic and Channel-Based Framework) Somatic and Channel-Based Correlates of Doing (Yang-Side Expression)
Doing is a state of mobilized orientation in which the body prepares for or engages in action—externally or internally. It is characterized by anticipatory structure, directional output, and heightened regulatory control. This state may be adaptive (task engagement) or maladaptive (chronic readiness without resolution).
In this state:
- The autonomic tone is sympathetic-dominant
or blended with low vagal tone; physiological systems are tuned for action
readiness (↑ heart rate, ↑ vigilance, ↓ digestive function)
- The motor system is biased
toward goal orientation—preparatory activity in motor planning
regions (SMA, dACC); even when still, there is often low-level flexor or
extensor recruitment
- The interoceptive system is filtered
or overridden; bodily sensation is often minimized, distorted, or
registered only in relation to threat, urgency, or goal demands
- The cortical system is task-focused—especially
dlPFC, dACC, and premotor cortex directing attention, inhibition, and
planning; mPFC self-reference is diminished or performance-based
- The fascial system is tonically
braced or organized around projection—especially through the posterior
(Du), lateral (Yang Wei), or superficial extensor chains
I. Neurological Markers of “Doing” (Yang-Dominant
State)
|
System |
State
in “Doing” |
|
Autonomic |
Sympathetic
dominant; increased norepinephrine release, reduced vagal tone |
|
Motor planning (cortex) |
Heightened
SMA and dACC activation; motor programs primed, goal-seeking circuits engaged |
|
Insular
cortex |
Interoception
is filtered for urgency or external relevance; diminished internal felt sense |
|
Amygdala–hippocampus |
Amygdala
actively monitoring threat or salience; hippocampal loops primed for
environmental mapping |
|
PAG
/ brainstem nuclei |
Periaqueductal
gray engaged in action-readiness modulation; brainstem arousal systems (LC,
RF) activated |
|
DMN / limbic-cortical loop |
Default
mode suppressed; medial PFC disengaged from self-reflection, task-positive
networks dominate |
This state
aligns with the chronic action-preparedness we’ve been exploring—where
the body and brain are continuously organized for interaction, output, or
defense, often long after the initiating stimulus has passed.
Let me know if
you'd like a side-by-side version with the Being table for reference or
inclusion in teaching materials.
Du Mai
(Governing Vessel):
- The Du Mai runs along the
spine and governs Yang activation, motor planning, and outward
expression.
- In a doing state, the Du tone is elevated,
meaning there’s increased tonic drive through the paraspinal muscles,
back of the neck, and occipital base.
- This creates a kind of "internal
exoskeleton"—the body braces along its spine to stabilize
against potential action or collapse.
In plain terms: The person may feel like they’re holding themselves up from behind—tight in the back, jaw set, tongue pushing upward. Even if they’re still, their back body is ready to spring.
Yang Qiao
Mai (Yang Motility Vessel):
- This channel regulates extensor
tone and outward propulsion, especially through the lateral leg
line, posterior pelvis, sacrum, and occiput.
- In a heightened doing state, Yang
Qiao increases drive through the glutes, lower back, and posterior
chain—preparing for movement or alertness.
- This often creates tension in
the sacroiliac area, hamstrings, calves, and occipital ridge—places
where extension is chronically "on."
In plain terms: The person may feel like they’re always subtly “leaning forward,” even when standing still. There’s a micro-torque in the spine, a push through the feet, and a tension across the back of the head—as if they’re bracing against gravity or expectation.
Yang Wei Mai
(Yang Linking Vessel):
- The Yang Wei system links the Yang
channels of the limbs and torso, regulating the body’s relationship
to external time, pressure, and environmental rhythm.
- In doing mode, Yang Wei governs the
body's sense of timing, pacing, urgency, and internal clocking.
- When overactive or prolonged, it
creates a felt pressure to keep up, stay ahead, anticipate what’s
coming.
In plain terms: The person may feel like time is pressing in on them. Even if nothing urgent is happening, there’s a sense of being slightly late, not quite ready, or on the verge of needing to act. Their body is organized around “what’s next?” rather than “what is.”
Superficial
Back Line & Global Extensors:
- The superficial fascial line that
includes the erector spinae, glutes, hamstrings, calves, and plantar
fascia becomes dominant in prolonged Yang states.
- These muscles shift from responsive
postural tone to sustained contraction, often without awareness.
- The result is a system that
feels prepared, upright, alert—but rigid and fatigued underneath.
In plain terms: The person is “on,” even when they don’t want to be. Their back is tight. Their legs don’t rest fully into the ground. There’s a sense that they must stay vertical, stay efficient, stay in motion—or something will fall apart.
Together, these
Yang-side systems organize the body around doing: maintaining readiness,
asserting control, projecting forward. When balanced with Yin, they support
action. But when running alone, or in the absence of rest, they produce restlessness,
bracing, vigilance, and fatigue—a state of doing without grounding.
The Essential Conflict: Do-Be-Do-Be-Do
The conflict between doing and being is not just philosophical; it
is structural and neurosomatic. It lives in the interaction between the Ren Mai
and the Du Mai, between the parasympathetic drive to nourish and restore and
the sympathetic imperative to act, to stabilize, to survive. These two systems
are not antagonists; they are interdependent partners. But in bodies shaped by
prolonged stress or threat, the exchange collapses into hierarchy. Doing
overrides being. Readiness becomes the baseline. Rest becomes unfamiliar, or
even intolerable.
The Ren Mai
represents more than parasympathetic tone. It supports our capacity to receive
breath, to coordinate the diaphragms, to activate digestive motility, and to access
autonomic tone through ventral vagal engagement. It governs the midline and
visceral field, supporting interoception—the capacity to sense one’s own
internal organs and body state. When this system is intact, the body can soften and integrate emotional experience.
This conflict is
mirrored through the entire axial structure. Below the neck, it appears in the
deep spinal stabilizers: the rotatores, multifidus, psoas, and diaphragmatic
layers that hold the central column. When the body is safe, these muscles soften.
When the body is threatened, they grip. Above the neck, the same tension
registers in the brainstem and midbrain as orientation, motor planning, and
autonomic regulation are shaped. The body may appear calm, but the system is
still on. Still bracing. Still poised for a signal that never comes.
What we call
"doing" in this model is not simply action. It is persistent
mobilization in anticipation of threat. And what we call "being" is
not the absence of action. It is a sensation of presence without defensive
override. When these two states cannot regulate, the mind-body remain vigilant:
on guard, unable to rest.
Conclusion:
The Return to Being
To “be” is
not to withdraw from life’s demands, nor to float in some idealized stillness.
It is to inhabit a form that is not contorted by anticipatory action. It is to
remain within one’s own vertical axis - coherent in breath, posture, and
interoceptive signal - even as the world moves.
In clinical
terms, this means restoring the body’s capacity not to
prepare. To let the Ren Mai speak without being silenced by sympathetic
override. To allow the Yin Qiao to gather inward tone without collapse. To
inhabit the spine from within, rather than bracing from behind. And to regulate
emotion through somatic containment, not cortical control or suppression.
Most patients
do not need to be taught how to be -- they need to be reintroduced to the
conditions that make being possible. This is where our
medicine excels. It reaches into the pre-verbal scaffolding of experience: the
channels, the fascia, the autonomic set points, the shape memory of
the self. When we treat not just what the patient is doing, but how they are
held in the doing, we create a path back to being.
In The
Undefended Self, therapist Susan Thesenga describes how early defenses
distort the expression of our essential nature. She writes, “There is a real
self that equals neither your negative aspects, nor your adamant self‑judgment,
nor the pretense that covers up the negativity. To find this real self is our
concern.”
This real self
is not a constructed identity or a behavioral adaptation. It emerges when
primitive defenses no longer organize perception and when anticipatory threat
responses are no longer the body’s baseline.
When this shift
occurs, something essential is recovered—not only ease, but orientation. The
body no longer braces for what might come, and the mind no longer scrambles to
manage what it cannot feel. Presence becomes possible, not as a concept, but as
a physiological reality.
This state is
not the result of striving, performance, or self-improvement. These forms of
doing often mirror the very defenses they attempt to overcome. Rather, the
capacity for presence returns when the body no longer organizes around
anticipation, and the nervous system no longer equates preparedness with
safety. What remains is not collapse, but the quiet coherence of being. From
this ground, the real self—undefended and intact—can begin to emerge.
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