What is Chi?

Monday, March 8th, 2010 at 6:27 pm

For billions of people Chi is a very real and personal entity. But what is Chi. Simply put it’s the life force that surrounds us and abides within us. Chi is a concept found primarily in Asian spiritualism. It relates directly to such concepts as martial arts, Chinese medicine, and Feng Shui.

In Chinese medicine the thought is that an imbalance of Chi within the body leads to different illnesses. The healer will address the area that has a Chi blockage and prescribe various remedies to open that area back up, restoring spiritual as well as physical health. There are 7 major Chi points on the body each corresponding to a different color and element.

With regards to martial arts such as kung fu and karate, Chi is an inner power that is focused during combat. A practitioner will concentrate his Chi and release it through a punch of kick. The thinking is that this extra energy being expended results in greater physical power. For Chi to be effectively used in combat the martial artist must be calm and focused.

What is probably the most common expression of Chi for westerners resides in the concepts of Feng Shui. Feng Shui concerns itself with the lay out of homes and buildings. Since Chi energy flows around and through everything it’s important that it have a natural path to follow. There are very specific guidelines for setting up living areas so that Chi stays balanced. These include sleeping with a bathroom door closed so Chi won’t flow out through the drains and using rounded edged furniture to keep the Chi fro being cut or damaged.

What’s important to remember is that Chi is a living energy that helps us be the people we are. Without it we would just be shells. It is Chi that gives us our lives