Qi - Life energy

Qi (pronounced "chee"), or vital energy, is one of the foundations on which traditional Chinese Medicine is based.

The concept of Qi is based on the Chinese understanding of natural phenomena and everything starts from it. Qi is quite simply seen as the basic substance of which the world and everything that inhabits it, is comprised of and everything in the universe results from the movements and changes of Qi.

Powering the Body

Qi is the electricity of the body just as electricity “becomes” light, heat, movement or pictures, as it moves through lights, heaters, cars or Televisions. In a similar way Qi  “becomes” digestion, thought, emotions etc. depending on the organ of the body Qi is moving through. Qi is energy just before becoming tangible, and therefore, it cannot be seen, yet it affects everything in the body.

The belief held by Chinese medicine is that qi (the body's vital energy) flows along 20 meridians (channels) through the body and keeps a person’s spiritual, mental, and physical health in balance when this balance is upset then illness and disease will follow.

The aim of traditional Chinese medicine is to bring back balance and harmony, between the natural opposing forces of yin and yang and allow the smooth flow of Qi throughout the body.

The concept of the importance of free flow of Qi throughout the body is summed up in the Chinese saying:

“Bu tong ze tong, tong ze bu tong,”

Translated in to English means - “free flow: no pain, no free flow: pain.”

In essence, the Chinese believe that any kind of pain or illness represents obstruction in the normal flow of Qi or life force, through the body and these blockages need to be removed. Once balance is restored, the illness and ailment will be cured because balance has been restored. By keeping the free flow of energy through out the body and yin and yang the body can remain healthy. 

Causes of qi imbalance can involve:

Internal forces, such as emotions of joy, sadness anger and fear. And lifestyle factors, such as poor diet, too little sleep, excessive alcohol intake or drugs.

Chinese herbs can help the body restore balance, if the patient makes sensible lifestyle changes and can affect both the mental and physical sides of our health.

One Cure Doesn’t Fit All

The concept of Qi makes Chinese medicine different from Western medical practice, where any two people with a similar infection may be treated with a standard course of drugs. In Chinese medicine, each person is different and may receive a different treatment for the same illness depending on the person's qi and yin-yang balance.