You have probably heard the word Chi before—the word is firmly, albeit vaguely embedded in popular culture, but what does it actually mean?
With its roots in traditional Chinese culture, Chi (also spelled qi) refers to the vital life force or energy that runs through all living beings. It is the essence of existence that flows through each of us, uniting the body, mind and spirit. It is what makes us alive.
This concept of an essential life force is not unique to Chinese culture. In fact, most of the world’s ancient cultures have an equivalent word to describe the intangible vital energy. In India, it’s referred to as Prana, in Japan as Ki. Native Americans refer to the life force as the Great Spirit. In each of these cultures as in Chinese culture, healing and traditional medicine is firmly rooted in bringing the balance and flow of this energy into alignment.
Naturally, the presence or absence of this essential life force can have profound impacts on both physical and emotional well-being. A strong and balanced life force culminates in vitality, increased productivity and creativity. Conversely, blocked, unbalanced or weakened Chi can lead to sluggishness, pain and emotional distress.
The primary goal of traditional Chinese medicine is to optimise health and well-being by cultivating a smooth, powerful and balanced flow of chi throughout the entire body. Suffering (teng) caused by a blockage in Chi (bu tong), can be alleviated through acupuncture, tai chi, or qigong to facilitate proper circulation of Chi (tong) thus achieving teng jr bu tong, which means, a state of freedom from pain and disease. If you want to know more about Chi, then we have an entire page dedicated to it! Take a look.
Are you interested in how improving the flow of Chi in your body might benefit your overall health and well-being?
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