There is a remarkable power within each of us, but few are aware of how powerful we really are. This is our life force, and it is known simply as Qi. In this article, we will explore an amazing way to unleash this power.
A well-rounded martial artist must explore his full potential, and one thing that is rarely taught in a karate class is the full utilization of qi. Although we learn its capabilities in breaking, and by practicing kata, but fully unleashing this amazing potential of healing energy will increase every aspect of your art. Once you discover it, you will be amazed.
The word for “life force” is written three ways: chi, ki, or Qi (pronounced “chee” or “kee”). In this article, it is spelled “Qi”.
Ki is the Japanese spelling, and chi or Qi are used interchangeably or when designating a specific Chinese art, such as qigong or chi-kung (pronounced “ki-gong”) or tai chi (pronounced “tie chee”). However, the meaning of “chi” in tai chi comes from the concept of yin and yang, and is not the same concept we are discussing here.
Qi is the force that keeps us alive.
There are three types of energies: Jing (essence), Qi (internal), and Shen (spiritual). These are the energies that surround us and lives in our bodies. Qi is the expression of Jing and Shen, and to explain this as simply as possible, I will focus on Qi.
“What is Qi?”
Qi is in every living creature. Hard to pin down; Qi is as ethereal as love and as undefinable as God.
You cannot see love, you cannot touch God, but we accept the concepts of both.
Love can be explained physiologically. A combination of hormones – oxytocin, dopamine, serotonin, adrenaline, and others; plus the neuropathways of mirror neurons, and cell regulation.
Qi can also be explained physiologically. A rush of hormones, neurons, chemicals, breath, and heartbeat – those things that give us life.
The idea of Qi goes deeper than our physical bodies.
The Chinese have experimented with and studied this concept since the beginning of their civilization. Hundreds of millions of people have experienced Qi through practicing tai chi, yoga, and the martial arts. Yoga refers to breath as prana, which also translates to “life force.”
What exactly is Qi? Is it physical, mental or spiritual? – or is it all three?
Qi is our connection to the Universe; that from which comes our source of energy. We are a sum total of energy. Electrical impulses surge through our bodies. The basis of every cell, the nucleus, has an electrical polarity of plus, minus and neutral.
We all breathe the same air and are made of carbon mixed with hydrogen and other elements. We are like the rest of the Universe. Our composition is the same as all living and nonliving things.
We are no more aware of this life force circulating through our bodies than we are of our breath – both are a natural response for survival. We do not count our breaths or wonder where the next one is coming from. Yet we trust we will breathe again.
Qi is recognized through visualization, awareness of how the body functions, and concentrated thought.
When you have a hard work out, you feel exhilarated, sore and sweaty, but you may not feel the warm, tingly feeling of Qi.
You must call Qi forth to channel its use.
New-age qigong practitioners go through the motions of waving arms, bending, stretching, and breathing, so what is the difference between qigong practice and any other? Well on this level, there is no difference.
I first came across the healing power of Qi many years ago. My sensei healed broken bones in three weeks! His healing powers were amazing. His secret was this: He visualized a construction crew in his body, and each night he set them to work, watching them rebuild his bone.
Qi is visualization and awareness. Nothing mystical about it.
Circulating QI using the Dan TienThis is how it works. When you breathe into your belly (dan tien), you just don’t just breathe, you see the breath. See the energy. Imagine a fire burning in your belly spreading warmth and light as it travels the pathway of Qi.
Follow the Qi from the dan tien, up the spine, around the brain, down the face, chest, abdomen, and back to the beginning. You can send Qi to a hot spot – a place of pain, and mentally massage it. You can use Qi to help you relax and fall asleep.
Healer’s hands emit the energy of Qi. People who are aware can feel the warmth of an area of another’s pain.
Just like love, because we cannot see it, that does not mean Qi does not exist. We emit energy, and whether you can see someone’s aura- energy field – or not, believe it. Qi exists.
Our bodies are part of the Universe. Our bodies produce and emit the same energy as the Universe.
Do not discount the power of the mind and body. Or the force that drives us.
This is Qi. The living, breathing force that gives each one of us life and vitality.
“Follow the Qi”
An active meditation
Mantak Chia is a Daoist, that is to say he practices the Dao, which has a slightly different philosophy than Buddhism. I picked the following video because the techniques he shows produce instant results. When you are finished, as he says, your pumps are working, and the fluid is flowing.
Our body, like the earth, is seventy-percent water, consider it like a ball of fluid. There is the spinal cord fluid, which consists of both the sacral and cranial pumps. Two thirds of the fluid is in our stomach and intestines, and this is an important part of our body we generally ignore. We push our digestion with fast foods and hurried eating, which we all know is not healthy, but we do it anyway.
Stress – do you fight or flee?
Our stress compounds on itself, which he says stress is “fight or flight.” If you think about it, this makes sense. We are always in a rush, a war in our world, trying to get one step ahead without falling two steps backwards. Our business, our jobs, our homes, we are attuned to stress.
The body’s natural reaction to fight and flight is to shut down. Digestion, elimination, and breathing becomes inefficient. The body’s ocean becomes stagnant. The stress is blocking the flow of our energy, our qi.
There are three elimination portholes: the lungs, the kidneys, and the digestion. We can live without oxygen for about 3 minutes, without relieving our kidneys – maybe a week. People who have digestive problems experience pain and weakness which drag on for years.
This video shows you how to unblock those blockages. The technique is to isolate parts of the body by using the breath to cleanse out the system. First you start with the cranial/sacral pump, then the lower abdomen, the middle abdomen, the upper abdomen and then heart and lungs.
The breathing is easy. Follow along as he shows you the techniques, and you will be amazed at how much better you feel in just one session. Incorporate this into your daily routine and keep the lovely ocean in your body flowing freely.
If you are satisfied with yourself, you are humble and peaceful.
If you enjoy this post, you will like Zen Mentality, the Bushido Way.
Smile! Spread some cheer today. 😎
Sensei Carol
