You will find much debate on the subject of Qi (pronounced chee) in books, magazines and on the web. The qi we are born with is called pre-natal qi; after birth we begin to consume this qi and replace it with qi derived from food or air (post-natal qi) that is not as complete as our pre-natal qi. Although qi is not visible to the untrained eye, everyone can feel the qi: we all have the undeniable experience of those days when we feel light, positive and energised as opposed to those days in which we feel heavy, depressed, drained, stressed or other symptoms from living a modern lifestyle. This is a direct experience of the quality of our qi. To feel in good health is manifestation of qi working inside us, of our joints opening up, of our tension dissipating, of our relaxed state growing. Every activity we perform, from running, eating, typing, breathing, uses qi. Even whilst reading this article, qi is flowing through the brain and eyes, making every cell and tissue work together to allow the processing of print into words, words into paragraphs and paragraphs into knowledge.
Medical studies have shown that those who practise t’ai chi and qigong, on the whole, live longer and healthier lives than those who do not. However, like love, it has a subtle mysterious quality that must be experienced for it truly to make sense. Because qi is so subtle, we are not aware that it circulates in our bodies throughout our individual energy work. It can be considered as our “invisible fuel” which makes us function. When practising t’ai chi our energy is altered through the conscious linking of breathing and physical movements when the stored qi in the tantien is awaken which in turn develops, manipulates and flows throughout the body. At the beginner’s level, this is often felt in the hands as a warm or tingling sensation. With further practice, the qi begins to be felt throughout the body and the mind becomes clear and thrives. In ancient Chinese philosophy, it is said that qi is the life’s communicator. Without qi we die immediately; qi simply makes us alive!
Our physical state functions as a mirror in which we can perceive the condition of our subtle state of mind and source. To take it further, qi is also the life energy found in the subtleties all around us in the Universe. Qi cannot be seen, cannot be touched, yet those who have interacted with this universal energy can attest to the fact that it does exist. Being part of this Universe, which is based on vibrations, energy and waves, we share the results of the behaviour and interaction with plants, animals, planets, stars and beyond. Universal qi is the breath, the root, the essence of our healthy life.
Universal chi – Heavenly Way, North Carolina, February 2016
