Energy / chi / prana

We’ve all heard about Energy / Chi / Ki / Prana, but what is it really about? The word "energy" comes in many translations, especially from Eastern countries with Eastern words like Chi (from Chinese), Ki or Qi (Japanese) or Prana (Indian). Although all of these words are somehow related, they are however not precisely the same thing as the scientific concept of Einstein’s energy.

Contrary to science, which emphasizes objective measurement and will stray away from personal observation as much as possible, the energy we’re talking about here is not the same thing as in this context it is something that should essentially be felt. The concept of "energy" is all about the power to perceive and heal that all stays in our own hands.
It can be easily explained in how when you place your attention somewhere in your body, you can feel that something is happening. ItThis something is called energy, which is displaced to the area of focus. To the Chinese, this is seen in the "Chi follows Yi," where "Yi" is the mind or attention and there is even a measurable rise in temperature of the spot of focus. The Chinese developed techniques to deal with this energy to enhance health like the Qigong and acupuncture, martial arts like Tai Chi and many others.

On the other hand, in India the chakras were also discovered as our intricate energy system. Techniques were also developed, like yoga and mudras which entered into use in other countries as well. To the Taoists, the life-force energy Chi (Qi) can have a charted movement through the body. The Indian yoga calls it Prana for healing. In the West, Dr. Wilhelm Riech called the same energy the Orgone energy and was felt as the creative energy that is the basis of life and could sometimes be seen as white balls of energy. This energy life force is also known as Mana in polynesia), Ruach in hebrew, Barraka in islamic countries, and to some individual healers it is Animal Magnetism. The Chinese, Hindus, and Dr. Riech all taught the benefits of arousing this energy. Basically there are three main sources of prana / chi which are the solar prana, the air prana and the ground prana. The solar is from sunlight and is invigorating and promotes health especially through sunbathing.

This special energy that the Chinese call Qi are undoubtedly real even if they require investigation by Western science. The East has much top offer to the wolrd and nothing is lost if no such phenomena can be reproduced even in a scientific context but much is gained.

For example, Tantrayana practical teachings taught to a Tantric theory: "To cultivate your mind is to cultivate Qi; and to cultivate your Qi is cultivate mind". The Chinese also have this in their own terms: Xin Ping Qi He (When the mind is calm, the Qi is even). It is strongly believed that if we are able to moderate our Qi, we are able to moderate our mind because our Qi is the same as our mind. Qigong materials state that qi originates from all things, and all things has qi. That is why Feng shui is concerned with the flow of chi in the environment.

However, this Qi is still highly debatable especially with the fact that knowledge of energy seems to have developed mostly only in the distant past. On the other hand, these ancient teachings wouldn’t also seem possible in the modern world where we have all kinds of things that grab our attention in our houses or at work. As people didn't have all these diversions at the time of the ancient world, perhaps they were able to pay more attention to their bodies and feelings, so were better able to notice the said energy.

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Energy / chi / prana