What is Qi?
Qi is an ancient concept, which can be understood in the following ways:
- Qi = universal energy: The heat and electromagnetic energy present in all things.
- In Chinese Medicine Qi refers to energy circulating in the human body. It is the warmth and pulse that separates life from death.
Human beings are born (because of) the accumulation of ‘Qi.’ When it accumulates there is life. When it dissipates there is death…. There is one ‘Qi’ that connects and pervades everything in the world. — Zhuang Zi
- Qi is the dynamic force responsible for life. It is gathered by the food we eat, the air we breathe, from sunshine, exercise and from the balance of heart and mind.
- Qi moves through meridians of the human body, and these energetic streams connect each part to the whole. Acupuncturists seek to restore the flow of blocked Qi by inserting fine needles into specific points on the meridian.