Qi is fundamental in the understanding of Traditional Chinese Medicine.
It can be likened to Prana, life force or the intrinsic energy in our bodies.
It pervades all. In Chinese culture, everything in the universe is
composed of & defined by it’s Qi. Mountains, forests and our human emotions
all have Qi. Qi is the expansion and contraction of the cosmos.
It is the thread connecting all being. Qi allows any phenomenon to
retain cohesion, grow and transform into other forms.
Qi includes all Yin and Yang. It also has a more narrow & specific
sense. In it’s practical and clinical sense, Qi means the particular dynamic of
engendering, movement, tension and activation. This is the more Yang aspect.
Repose, self reflection & quietude are more Yin. Qi encompasses both Yin
and Yang.
The Qi that is directly involved in a person’s life has three sources.
The first of these is Original Qi (yuan-qi),
also known as Prenatal Qi, which is transmitted by parents to their children at
conception. This Qi is responsible for one’s inherited constitution. The second
source is Grain Qi (gu-qi), which is
derived from digestion. The third is Natural Air Qi (kong-qi), which is extracted from by the lungs from the air we
breathe.
These three forms of Qi intermingle to produce the Qi that permeates
the whole person. There is no place that does not have Qi & no place that
it does not permeate.
Lesley-Ann Green. References ‘The Web That has No Weaver’ by Ted J.
Kaptchuk
