A Comparative Study of the Heart as the Center of Mental Well-being in Traditional Chinese Medicine and Islamic Tradition

This research investigates the "sovereign" role of the heart within Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and Islamic spiritual psychology, challenging the prevailing modern cerebrocentric paradigm of mental health. While TCM regards the heart as the seat of Shen (spirit), Islamic tradition identifies the Qalb as the moral and spiritual compass. Despite theological differences, both traditions emphasize the primacy of the heart over the brain in regulating emotions. By integrating these classical epistemologies with contemporary neurocardiology, this study highlights practical techniques such as the TCM five-element strategy and Islamic muhasabah that provide a holistic framework for emotional regulation. Incorporating these heart-centered perspectives into contemporary psychotherapy offers significant clinical benefits, advancing beyond the limitations of the conventional biopsychosocial model toward a more comprehensive "science of the soul".