Examples of other signs of disharmonies with the heart include an imbalance of joy.  This can be any type of over stimulation whether it be too much of a good thing or too much of a bad thing.  The heart is associated with the tongue and influences our talking and laughing.  If there is an imbalance in the heart we may experience talking and laughing at inappropriate times or talking too much.  The taste related to the heart is bitter (bitter flavor hardens).  We may have had ‘bitter’ experiences in life or we may crave bitter foods.

The partner organ to the heart is the small intestine.  The function of the small intestine is to further separate the pure from the impure, to break down the food we eat and the information we take in, before sending it to the large intestine.  Since the small intestine is the partner organ of the heart it also has to do with our mind, and it serves us by giving us further mental clarity and judgment.  It helps us decide what is useful and what is not in our life especially when it comes to making decisions.  If there is a disharmony of the small intestine it can be hard for us to make a choice because we do not see clearly all of the available options or outcomes.  It also helps us refine our digestion of the information, knowledge, and studies we take in through the stomach to a deeper spiritual level, where we can discern what is true and false, and decide right from wrong.

The season corresponding to the heart is the summer, the color is red, and the element is fire.  These all represent passion, warmth, a robust spirit, and abundance.  The heart has the passion to care for all the organs and all of the organs have the spirit to support and care for the heart.