"In my opinion, there exists a prima facie [self-apparent] case that many of the phenomena associated with that special energy the Chinese call Qi are real.

They are deeply interesting and, therefore, they invite, indeed require, investigation by Western science. Science has been the eyes, the beacon of Western culture for several hundred years.

These scientific eyes cannot close. It is time for science to test the waters of the East, to open itself, if ever so slightly, to the phenomena of the manifestations of Qi. Nothing is lost if no such phenomena can be reproduced in a scientific context. Much is gained, a whole new world, if one can."

~ Prof. Carl Woese ~

The ancient Egyptians referred to it as “ka” and the ancient Greeks referred to it as “pneuma”. In India it is called “prana”, in Africa it’s known as “ase” and in Hawaii as “mana”. For Native Americans it is the “Great Spirit” and for Christians it is the “Holy Spirit”. In traditional Chinese culture it is called “Qi” (or “Chi”), literally meaning “breath”.

 Qi (or Chi) energy, in Taoist thought, is the "life-force". The concept of Qi is based on the ancient Chinese initial understanding of natural phenomena and Qi is regarded as the most basic substance of which all creation is comprised.  It is believed Qi permeates everything and links all things together and even at molecular, atomic and sub-atomic levels everything in the universe results from the movements and changes of Qi.

As Fritjof Capra explains in his book “The Tao of Physics”, everything is energy. All of manifest existence is energy and quantum physics demonstrates that there is a unity behind all existence and in that unity matter forms in one huge, coherent vibration of energy, continually forming and reforming.

Qi has traditionally been described as the vibratory nature of reality  and quantum physics has advanced what is called the "String Theory" which suggests that the fundamental constituents of reality are small strings, vibrating at different frequencies and like vibrating violin strings producing notes, these vibrating stings produce particles such as electrons and photons, which do not exist at any one given fixed point and that split and absorb one another, forming different particles and amazingly it even suggests that consciousness affects the behavior of these particles, which in turn suggests that within the conscious awareness of Qi energy in the “quantum mind” we have the potential to manifest our own reality. 

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At the heart of the nature of Qi is the concept of yin/yang which imparts the idea of how contrary forces are interconnected in the nature and how they give rise to each other in turn. Yin and yang are the basic components of Qi and only exist in relation to each other, as opposite sides of the same coin. There is a perception in the West that yin and yang correspond to evil and good, but Taoist philosophy discounts good and bad, as moral judgments in preference to the idea of balance.  Yin and yang interact within a greater whole, as part of a dynamic system. Everything has both yin and yang aspects and either of these aspects may manifest more strongly in certain things at certain times and over time these manifestations will ebb and flow as the tide. 

Dualities such as female and male, dark and light, low and high, cold and hot are thought of as manifestations of yin and yang.

Yin is the feminine principle, its essence is slow, soft, yielding, diffuse, cold, wet, and passive; and is associated with water, the Earth and the Moon.

Yang, by contrast, is the masculine, fast, hard, solid, focused, hot, dry, and aggressive; and is associated with fire, the sky, and the Sun.

Yet, there are no rigid borders between Yin and Yang and they rely on each other to “be”. 

The Taoist doctrine of yin and yang includes its own theory of change. Taoism sees change as opposites interacting with each other to both compliment and oppose in a balancing act between harmony and disharmony according to the principles of which are set forth by the I Ching.

Over time the common usage of the I Ching has devolved into becoming a divination system comparable to Western geomancy and is widely used for this purpose. But, on a much deeper level, the enigmatic wisdom hidden within the I Ching portends a possible code to uncovering the true nature and of the universe.  

The I Ching or “Book of Changes” attempts to elaborate on the nature of existence through a set of mystical axioms divined from the delineation of combined sets of broken and/or unbroken lines.  The I Ching symbols are composed of 8 sets of three lines called trigrams that are combined in pairs to form 64 sets of six lines called hexagrams.  It might be easier to grasp the working of the I Ching yin/yang by thinking of these sets of lines in terms of computer programming  language.  Computer programs are written in binary code, which consists of only two symbols, 0 and 1, in essence representing broken and unbroken pathways. No matter how complicated a program, it can still no more than combinations of 0’s and 1’s illustrating how simple elements can be interconnected to create things of great complexity. .

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As stated before, from the perspective of quantum physics, with a conscious awareness of Qi in the “quantum mind” the potential exists to manifest a new state of reality. This can be achieved by harmonizing the flow of Qi energy for mental, spiritual, physical and even environmental prosperity. 

Disharmony may occur from four basic “imbalances” of Qi energy, excess Yin, excess Yang, Yin deficiency, and Yang deficiency or by the blockage of the flow of yin or yang within a body or system. With an excess of Yin there is a Yang deficiency and the excess of Yang forces Yin to be more concentrated. Achieving harmony cannot be accomplished by dealing with a single part alone. Instead, the alignment of Qi energy as a whole determines how its intrinsic elements behave. 

Practitioners of Traditional Chinese medicine in such disciplines as Qigong, Tai Chi,  acupuncture and herbal medicine believe that balanced and free-flowing Qi results in health and formed a unique system to diagnose and cure illness in accord with the awareness of Qi in respect to the physical body.  The approach is fundamentally different from that of Western medicine in that their understanding of the human body is based on a holistic approach to wellness through the understanding of the movement of Qi energy. 

Traditional Chinese Medicine asserts that the body has natural patterns of Qi that circulate in channels called meridians  and the treatment of illness is based primarily the rebalancing the flow of yin/yang within them and removing any blockage that may be restricting the flow of Qi energy.

But, the rebalancing of yin/yang and releasing natural flow of Qi energy to promote wellbeing is not limited to the field of medicine. Practitioners of Feng Shui for example perceive energetic imbalances in natural or man-made environments and then apply various techniques to remedy those imbalances, as well.

Any given system, be it biological, chemical, social, philosophical, political or economic could be brought into harmony with the application of these same holistic principles of the balance of the Qi energy of which they are comprised. The only obstacle to doing so is our perception of these things as separate and distinct “things”, but our perception of separateness is merely an illusion. It is a perception based upon habitual ways of conceiving of ourselves separate and distinct “things”, set apart from everything else.  As we deepen our awareness of the Taoist ideas of Qi and yin/yang we become more aware of this illusion of separateness and the interconnectedness of all things in the “uantqum universe” and with that awareness we awaken to the potential of manifesting reality on both the macro and the micro scale of existence.

The Chakras

"Everything is energy and that’s all there is to it.
Match the frequency of the reality you want and you cannot help but get that reality. It can be no other way.
This is not philosophy. This is physics."

Albert Einstein (?)

Your physical body is just one layer, but beneath this phuical dimensional plane lies a subtle body and a complex system of energetic centers and lines. Coming from the Sanskrit word for wheel, chakras are energy centers in our body that energy flows through. They were first written about in 2000 years ago in the Vedas, the oldest Indian texts. They are located along the central channel, along the spine and where they intersect we find chakras.

There are seven main chakras, starting from the base of the spine through to the crown of the head. These swirling wheels of energy correspond to massive nerve centers in the body. Each of the seven main chakras contains bundles of nerves and major organs as well as our psychological, emotional, and spiritual states of being. Since everything is moving, it’s essential that our seven main chakras stay open, aligned, and fluid.

1. Root Chakra (Muladhara)
The root chakra represents our foundation. On the human body, it sits at the base of the spine and gives us the feeling of being grounded. When the root chakra is open, we feel confident in our ability to withstand challenges and stand on our own two feet. When it's blocked, we feel threatened, as if we're standing on unstable ground.

2. Sacral Chakra (Swadhisthana)
The sacral chakra helps inform how we relate to our emotions and the emotions of others. It also governs creativity and sexual energy. Those with a blocked sacral chakra could feel a lack of control in their lives.

3. Solar Plexus Chakra (Manipura)
The third chakra, the solar plexus chakra, speaks to your ability to be confident and in control of your life. Think back to the last time you had butterflies or felt a pit in the stomach: That's the Manipura chakra at work. If your solar plexus chakra is blocked, you might feel overwhelming amounts of shame and self-doubt. Those with open sacral chakras are free to express their true selves.

4. Heart Chakra (Anahata)
The heart chakra is the bridge between the lower chakras (associated with materiality) and the upper chakras (associated with spirituality). As the name suggests, this chakra can influence our ability to give and receive love—from others and ourselves. Someone with a blocked heart chakra will have difficulty fully opening up to the people in their life. If someone's heart is open, they can experience deep compassion and empathy.

5. Throat Chakra (Vishuddha)
The throat chakra gives voice to the heart chakra and controls our ability to communicate our personal power. When it's functioning at full capacity, it allows us to express ourselves truly and clearly. Someone with a blocked throat chakra will feel like they have trouble finding the words to say how they truly feel.

6. Third-Eye Chakra (Ajna)
As we move up the body, we're getting closer to communion with the divine. The third-eye chakra controls our ability to see the big picture and connect to intuition. Think of it as the eye of the soul: It registers information beyond the surface level. Visions and intuitive hits are not uncommon for someone with an open third-eye chakra.

7. Crown Chakra (Sahasrara)
The crown chakra, the highest chakra, sits at the crown of the head and represents our ability to be fully connected spiritually. When you fully open your crown chakra—something very few people ever do!—you're able to access a higher consciousness.

The Presence of the demon keeps the chakra from doing its job,
but that challenge also forces us to bring more awareness to that job,
so eventually we can do it better.”

Anodea Judith

When the main seven chakras are open and balanced, energy can flow freely through our bodies and minds. When any of these energy centers are blocked, it leads to stagnation and can contribute to a variety of physical and spiritual ailments. If you are experiencing any recurring pain or stiffness, a chakra imbalance could be the cause and find out how chakra balancing could help.

A commonly accepted definition of chakra balancing is the process through which the energy of the chakras is brought to a well functioning and harmonious state.
The idea of balancing a chakra is only addressing part of the picture: Each chakra part of a system that functions as a whole. If we look at how chakras work, we see that they have a dynamic connection with each other and interact energetically. Therefore, when doing chakra balancing, it’s not only important to consider each chakra, but also the neighboring centers, and the energy through the whole system.

Links

Qi (Chi) 

Qi Gong & Tai Chi

Mesmerism