# What Are the Three Souls and Seven Ethereal Essences?

Daoism believes that humans possess three souls and seven ethereal essences, which are respectively Taiguang, Shuangling, Youjing, and the ethereal essences of breath, heart, lungs, liver, kidneys, spleen, and alertness. Traditional Chinese medicine judges health status by observing a person's spirit, soul, and ethereal essence, believing that when the spirit departs, the person dies, and when the form remains, it easily disperses. Shuangling governs perception, reaction, intelligence, and clarity; Youjing governs emotional desires, perception, and attraction. The ethereal essences undergo dynamic changes when people are in deep sleep. Traditional Chinese medicine treats diseases by adjusting the ethereal essences.

## 1. Three Souls

- **Taiguang**: The most fundamental soul; when it dissipates, one becomes an empty shell
- **Shuangling**: Governs perception, reaction, and intelligence; related to innate talent
- **Youjing**: Governs emotional desires, emotions, perception, and attraction; related to love

## 2. Seven Ethereal Essences

- **Breath Essence**: Controls respiration; affects sleep quality
- **Heartbeat Essence**: Related to heart rhythm; overexertion causes irregular heartbeat
- **Digestion Essence**: Manages the digestive system; bitter taste and nausea indicate congestion
- **Fluid Essence**: Regulates body fluids; drinking water before bed and frequent nighttime urination indicate its activity
- **Sexual Desire Essence**: Responsible for sexual vitality recovery; depletion causes lower back pain and excessive sleepiness
- **Temperature Control Essence**: Regulates body surface temperature; malfunction causes night sweats and susceptibility to cold
- **Alertness Essence**: Like a sentinel; excessive tension causes easy awakening, while dullness prevents arousal

## 3. Conclusion

Traditional Chinese medicine's teaching that the liver stores the soul and the lungs store the ethereal essence is not mysticism—it teaches us to understand ourselves. Adjusting the body begins with attending to subtle bodily responses.