What on Earth is Chi or
Prana Energy?
As
the standard of living increases the interest in health is also
rising and consequently Chi (pronounced: "chee") is increasing
as well.
To
understand Chi we must look back to the very beginnings of Oriental
Medicine to Taoism (pronounced: "dow-ism") which means The Way.
Taoism is the most influential root of Oriental Medicine. The
ancient medicine people or Taoist's main focus was to observe
the ways of the natural laws governing the universe as a method
to understand the unseen inner world of our bodies.
One
of the philosophical foundations upon which their medical theories
was built recognized that everything in the universe is composed
of two complementary yet opposing energetic forces known
as Yin (female) and Yang (male). Yin the female
principle is associated with water and represents the earth. Yang
the male principle is associated with fire and represents heaven.
Yin and Yang, female with male uniting the water energy of earth
along with the fire energy of heaven are the two primary forces
that are responsible for all of creation. Together this energetic
life force of Yin and Yang is known as Chi, which means Energy.
Einstein's famous equation concludes that energy forms matter
and when matter disperses it coverts back to energy so every particle
of existence is made of energy (Chi) and explains all movement,
changes and phenonama in our universe.
These
ancient people believed that the same natural laws of Yin and Yang
governing the universe had to influence human beings as well. We
were not considered a separate entity, we were viewed as a miniature
universe subjected to the very same laws.
If
Chi was the creating force of all visible components then they beilieved
it had to be a factor behind our existence as well. From Yin and
Yang came the Five Elements of the universe. These Five Elements
- Water, Wood, Fire, Earth, and Metal give birth to all things in
creation, including human beings.
CHI and its 12 energetic channels
The
human body as a miniature universe houses 12 energetic channels
or pathways wherein Chi flows. These channels are known as "meridians"
and control both our gross and subtle anatomy. Our gross anatomy
is the form that we can see whereas our subtle anatomy can not be
seen by most individuals. This subtle energetic body represents
the whole of who we are -- our body, mind, emotions, and spirit.
Unlike the veins that our blood flows through meridian pathways
also travel throughout the entire body but rather than fluid
they deal more with energy and states of consciousness. Each meridian
is associated with one of the Five Elements and connects to a Yin
or Yang organ of the body linking our states of consciousness.
Chi
applies to the human body in 2 ways; inherit Chi and acquired Chi.
Inherit Chi is the energy we receive from our parents at the time
of conception. Acquired Chi is the energy accumulated by the quality
of life we choose to lead, the food and the air ingested. Individuals
become ill when either they can not absorb enough Chi or the circulation
in their body has become blocked. The major cause of disease is
the blockage of Chi circulation.
Human
beings do not sustain life by food and breathing alone. It is important
to have a strong flow of energy within the body. Chi healing is
an ongoing process of creating a balance between the Yin and Yang
energies within our being. The most nutritious food would be of
no use if our inner constitution is weak. In order to absorb and
integrate the universal energy outside we must learn to integrate
and strengthen the fundamental life force within our body.
Good
health is living and being in balance with all aspects of our internal
world - the body, mind, emotions and spirit so that we may be in
balance and good relationship with all aspects of the external world.
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