What is Chi?

In answer to a Facebook friend's question, What is Chi? I wrote the following:

Above: Calligraphy of word: Chi

The word Chi is Chinese, and the modernized spelling is Qi. Both are pronounced "chee." (I've noticed that people seeing the word Qi for the first time pronounce it Kwee ...or Key.  "Key" is actually how the Japanese pronounce their word for Chi, but you'll see it spelled Ki). 

Chi translates as "vital life force." The calligraphy (at left) is made up of the words steam (or vapor) and rice, and implies nourishment.  

Chi is carried in the air, suffuses the tissues and travels through the acupuncture meridians. Chi is perceivable and measurable, Western science has studied it as a naturally occurring far infrared field. 


I would describe Chi as a naturally occurring biofield produced by all life and living. The term biofield was coined by Richard Pavek, who developed SHEN Physio-Emotional Therapy® and who wrote the following 3 articles. The last article is a subsection of a study on  Alternative Medical Systems and Practices in the United States commissioned by the National Institute of Health:
 
Brief History of the Biofield
Measurement of the Biofield
Biofield Therapeutics

From The Empire Strikes Back copyright Lucasfilms

Chi has much in common with "The Force" of George Lucas' Star Wars, or rather, I suspect "The Force" probably has its origins in research about Chi.  Lucas said the concept was universal: "Similar phrases have been used extensively by many different people for the last 13,000 years to describe the 'life force.'   From Obi-wan Kenobi: "It surrounds us and penetrates us. It binds the galaxy together." and from Yoda, "Luminous beings are we, not this (apparent) crude matter."  

Chi is noted and described in many cultures, and is called yesod in kabbalistic tradition, pneuma to the Greeks and in Christian studies, baraka to the Sufis and prana in India.


SHEN Therapy uses Chi energy to relax and release emotional and physical pain and provide hands-on help for recovery from grief, pain, injury, abuse, and trauma. Physically, the SHEN protocols use Chi to relax tissue, (and thus contractions of tension held deeply in the body) normalize blood flow, reduce stress, and restore well being: http://lightkin.webs.com/shen.htm

I often use a patented "Chi Machine,"Japanese designed and German engineered, with clients in my practice and for my own personal health care. http://chihealth.webs.com/ayleyaellsstory.htm

As to what an article on Chi is doing in a blog devoted to experiences for the highly sensitive, strong chi is able to reach deeply into the physical body, through casts, through bandaged wounds, through pain, and precipitate healing.  Highly sensitives, as well as muggles describe the sensations of Chi healing as a gentle warmth, a tingling, and more rarely,  comfortably cool, like "a soft silver."


I found the following fascinating 5 minute video on youtube which describes the strokes and the meaning of the calligraphy for Chi above. You may wish to turn down or turn off the African beat auto-tuned soundtrack.