Have you heard that our bodies house a complementary pair of souls known as the ethereal soul (hun) and the corporeal soul (po)? In Donguibogam, falling asleep and waking up are explained through the movements of this ethereal soul. The ethereal soul was regarded as an essential part of our mental activity and consciousness, while the corporeal soul was seen as the physical energy governing bodily movement and vitality.
In the dreaming section of Donguibogam, it is written that when the ethereal soul settles, one sleeps, and when the ethereal soul roams outside, one dreams. You can think of it as the ethereal soul, which ought to rest peacefully in the inner quarters of the home, leaving every night to wander about. When the ethereal soul is unstable and cannot remain in its proper place, you dream excessively or even experience sleep paralysis, where the mind awakens but the body cannot move. In this state, the ethereal soul has awakened while the corporeal soul remains in a deep sleep, leaving the body immobilized.
This ethereal soul becomes particularly unsettled when stress or worries accumulate. When the mind is uneasy, it cannot rest at night and keeps turning things over. This mental tension and anxiety ultimately disturb the ethereal soul, manifesting as vivid dreams, nightmares, or sleep paralysis where the body feels pinned down. Donguibogam also described this condition as one where qi circulation is poor and blood is insufficient, leaving the spirit clouded. Because the flow of energy through the body is obstructed, mental activity cannot function properly.
When this cycle recurs, sleep quality declines and daytime well-being suffers as well. Far beyond simply dreaming often, this is an issue that should not be taken lightly, as mental fatigue and anxiety can deepen. Taking the time to look gently into why the ethereal soul in your body welcomes an uninvited guest each night is an important first step.
