What is Chi?

For many years in America we have heard a great deal about the magical and mystical force known as Qi (often spelled Chi- both are correct). There are stories about people doing absolutely incredible things with this stuff; wondrous feats of strength, physical power, self healing, and even tails of magic much like the force in Star Wars. So here is the question: what is Qi and what does it really do?

The first question that needs to be asked in this discussion is whether or not Qi is actually real or a figment of the imagination. The answer here lies in the training that is undergone to become aware of it. As a point of fact, there are numerous exercises and arts that use and cultivate Qi in a manner that can be reproduced by anyone who follows a prescribed method of practice. Arts such as QiGong (Qi Work), WuShu ( “Martial Art” in Chinese), Tai Chi (a specific internal Chinese Martial Art), Yoga (they call it Prana) Zen (they call it Ki), Japanese Martial Arts (also call it Ki)- the list goes on and on. Each of these examples has and uses specific methods for the cultivation of Qi in the body.

So we know that Qi exists in some form, so what exactly is it than? To put it simply it is a sensation in the body. It is something that you feel when you are moving your body correctly according to any of the previously mentioned methods. So let’s look at the phenomenon of Qi first as it effects and is effected by the systems fo the body, especially

1) The Central Nervous System
2) The Respiratory System
3) The Circulatory System

There are many possible causes of this sensation- but we do know that all physical sensation in the body had something to do with the nervous system. So it makes sense to look there first. What you will find is that when the body is held a certain way (see the sections in my book about posture, alignment and back up body mass), the body’s nervous system is able to fire more smoothly enabling it to relay a stronger signal with greater speed. In other words, we get all of the kinks out of the nervous system. When your nervous system is “kink free,” it is able to create a rhythm through which your body is able to function.

The nervous system is what sends the signals to everything making this rhythm happen. In the Tai Chi Classics (old text books on the internal type of Wu Shu called Tai Chi), there is a statement that says “the brain is the general, the chi is the flag, and the body is the army.” At that time armies used different flags to represent different formations and strategies. The flag was the communication system. These days it might read “the brain is the general, the chi is the radio, and the body is the army.” What this means is that the nervous system is responsible for the communication between the brain and the body- so the signals sent by the nervous system in correlation with the rhythms created by the other systems creates the sensation known as Qi.

But this isn’t enough. Next we must look at the respiratory system. The act of breathing sets the tempo for the movement of the entire body- it serves as the conductor that makes the entire orchestra stay in together. Air comes in at a certain rate with a certain volume. That is why most exercises designed to develop Qi tend to use some form of abdominal breathing. This enables the practitioner to increase the volume of air that they take in, and then by slowing down the pace more oxygen is extracted. The average persons lungs tend to take in about 30% of the oxygen that comes in- an advanced practitioner of the “Qi Arts” can greatly increase that- perhaps double or more. This controls how oxygen gets into the blood stream, and therefore your breathing patters control the rhythm of the flow of blood.

Therefore the heart beats based upon how your breathing flows. Since the blood works with everything else in the body, everything else will take on that same rhythm. When you are able to obtain this Qi sensation it means that you are getting a good supply of oxygen to all parts of the body, you’re blood is working properly in getting nutrients to cells as well as taking things away, and your nervous system is making sure everything is working together like it should since it has no kinks.

You can also control how much blood is being sent to any given area of your body with your ability to control the rhythm. Remember, your mind controls your Qi, and your Qi controls your body. You can use this understanding to send more oxygen rich blood to an area that you need it for healing, centering, or exertion.

There are also ways to make the Qi sensation stronger and stronger, and your awareness of your bodily systems better and better. It’s called practice. By practicing arts such as Tai Chi the student learns how to first align the body to get ride of postural imperfections. The better your posture is the better your Qi with flow. Next, the student learns to move the body is such a way that you create opposing forces- or yin and yang. This means that you are able to stretch and strengthen the body at the same time. After that the student learns to develop something called Yi (pronounced “e”), roughly meaning intention. When your Yi is guiding your Qi you are tremendously focused and are able to create a stronger and stronger sensation of Qi. The next thing would be to develop what can be called “shen”- or spirit. This is where it is said to be possible to have your body so focused and centered that your nervous system comes into contact with higher and higher levels of awareness. What this is exactly has yet to be determined.

By now your body is functioning like a highly tuned machine. You are able to feel how it is moving, where it might go off track, and how to fix it. The neat thing is that you can feel this not only on the outside- but on the inside as well. You will find that your brain function will improve greatly- meaning that you will have a better chemical balance leading to better focus, memory, and overall awareness. This means that you will be able to decrease and to a degree fix injuries, deal with stress, have better chemical balances in the body, and generally be in better overall mental and physical health. There are higher levels still- training and awareness does not end.
The beginning lies in one simple thing. Lift the back of your head straight up and tuck your tailbone. This will immediately increase your Qi sensation as it will increase blood flow to the brain, allow you to take in more air, and straighten out your spine.

According to the classical Tai Chi literature there are really three different areas of growth in the development of Qi. This really says the same thing as above, just in a different way.

1) You rely upon muscular strength.
2) Your body is full of Qi, but it is still inside your skin.
3) You are only mind and Qi, with no body.

There are higher levels still- but they are to be addressed later.
Level one is where you are still learning how to allow your body to structurally hold itself up. As you perfect the use of back up body mass, you will learn how to use less and less muscle to do things with your body and more and more structure. But at this level you are really still learning how to do that.

Level two is where you are worked out how to allow the structure of your body hold itself up, and now you have learned how to “put the water over the fire to make steam.” This is a reference to the concept that you have three Dan Tien, or elixir fields in your body. The lower Dan Tien (about two inches under your belly button) is thought of as the source of Water Qi from Jieng (original essence from birth which is finite in quantity) that is stored in the kidneys (remember that in the orient the kidney is thought of as the sexual organs as well as the kidneys). The middle Dan Tien (the solar plexus) is the source of Fire Qi from food, water, and air. The upper Dan Tien (also called the third eye on your forehead) is where you must focus your spirit.

As you may notice the problem with this originally is that the water is under the fire. It’s really hard to boil the water into steam this way. However, when you get your posture and alignment figured out, you will be able to put the fire under the water to boil it into steam. So what this means is that when you get your posture right, you will be able to fill your body with Qi (steam) because everything will be lined up correctly. You will be able to relax your muscles on a deep level and fill up with a different kind of power.

Level three takes place when you are able to extend your Qi beyond the confines of your physical body. In level 2 your Qi is only inside of your skin, but here it is not. This takes place when your Yi (mental focus) is not confined to just your body. Remember that your mind leads your chi, and then comes the body. So if your mind can leave the body, so can the chi, leaving the body to catch up on it’s own. At level 3 you have complete control over your body, your Qi, and your mind.

So to answer the question that we started off with, what is Qi? It is a sensation created when the mind and body are working completely in unison. When all of the systems of the body are working together with no hindrance, and the mind is able to lead without interruption. There are higher levels still than has been discussed here today, but that is another discussion.

For more information on this discussion go to http://www.taichimadesimple.com/. If you are interested in taking classes on teh subject go to http://www.croleysmartialarts.com/. And if you are interested in attending a seminar on the Subject go to http://www.thewhiteoakinstitute.com/.