In the first three chapters we have offered a general definition of Qi, discussed how human Qi is included in and affected by Heaven Qi and Earth Qi, and shown how Qi relates to other aspects of our bodies, such as spirit and essence. In Part Three of this book we will review how Qi circulates in the human body.
In this chapter we will first focus on the general characteristics of Qi in our bodies. This will provide a foundation to help you understand the rest of the chapter. We will then concentrate on a number of subjects which will lead you to a deeper understanding of human Qi, such as Qi’s Yin and Yang, and the quality of Qi. Once you understand the traditional concept of Qi, we will discuss the modern concept of bioelectromagnetic energy. Following this, we will offer some hypotheses based upon this energy which Western science has recently discovered. Finally, we will discuss the theory of how Qi gates can be opened through Qigong practice.
In this section, we will first discuss the natural characteristics of Qi and the relationship between Qi and the human body. Then we will explain how Qi’s Yin and Yang are defined, and how the quality of Qi is determined.
The Nature of Qi
To understand the nature of Qi, you should first know where Qi originates. Something cannot come from nothing, so Qi (any type of energy) must come from matter, usually through some kind of chemical reaction. Matter is a physical form of energy, and energy is an unlocked potential (or an insubstantial form) of matter. For example, you may burn a piece of wood or gas and obtain Qi in the form of heat and light. Similarly, food and air are taken into your body, and through biochemical reaction are converted into Qi, which is commonly in the form of heat and bioelectromagnetic energy. Whenever you take in more food than your body requires, the unexcreted excess is stored in your body as fat.
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Next you should understand that Qi generally manifests as heat, light, potential energy (e.g., gravity), and/or electromagnetic energy. Strictly speaking, heat (infrared) and light are alternative forms of electromagnetic waves, so, in effect, there are only two types of energy that we deal with in our daily lives — electromagnetic and potential energy. Often light and heat exist at the same time.
Finally, you should recognize that Qi moves from the area of higher potential to the area of lower potential, and this acts to naturally and automatically bring your system into balance.
Qi in the Human Body
Although, according to the general definition, heat is considered a type of human Qi, heat is not the type of Qi which is circulating in your body. Oftentimes you will feel heat when Qi is circulating strongly, but the heat is not the circulating Qi itself. There is another type of Qi which circulates throughout your body to nourish the cells and keep them functioning, and even to repair damage.
Since electricity has become more familiar to people in China over the last fifty years, many Qigong practitioners have come to believe that the Qi which circulates in the body is actually electromagnetic energy. If you run an electric current through a wire, the wire will heat up because of the resistance of the wire. The heat is an effect caused by the current, but it is not the current itself. According to this theory, as Qi circulates through your body, the resistance of your body causes part of the Qi to be converted into heat.
Qigong practitioners believe that the light which is sometimes perceived during meditation is also Qi. Light is a form of electromagnetic energy. Since all types of energy are convertible, heat can generate electromagnetic power and vice versa, and light can also generate heat, and vice versa. Once you have reached the higher levels of meditation, you will sense light in your eyes and mind. At an even higher level, your head will generate a glow like a halo. All of these can be considered transformations that the electric Qi undergoes when your training has reached a higher level.
The Behavior of Human Qi
Chinese doctors and Qigong practitioners have traditionally described the behavior of Qi as being similar to water. This is seen in a number of ways. First, just as water flows from higher areas to lower areas, Qi flows from areas of higher potential to areas of lower potential. In this way, Qi balances itself naturally. Second, if muddy water is left undisturbed, the sand will settle to the bottom, leaving the water above it calm and clear. However, if you stir up the water, the sand will rise up and dirty the water again. This is similar to how, when the mind is steady, the Qi will be calm and clear, but when the mind is scattered, the Qi will be disturbed and excited. Third, the Qi channels which supply Qi to the entire body are usually compared to rivers, and the vessels which store the Qi are compared to reservoirs. Water and Qi should both flow smoothly and continuously. When a river or channel is obstructed, the water/Qi flow will be agitated and uneven. In an obstructed channel, the water/Qi flow will be higher, and may overflow the banks.
Qi’s Yin and Yang
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When it is said that Qi can be either Yin or Yang, it does not mean that there are two different kinds of Qi like male and female, fire and water, or positive and negative charges. Qi is energy, and energy itself does not have Yin and Yang. It is like the energy which is generated from the sparking of negative and positive charges. Charges have the potential of generating energy but are not the energy itself.
When it is said that Qi is Yin or Yang, it means that the Qi is too strong or too weak for a particular circumstance. It is relative and not absolute. Naturally, this implies that the potential which generates the Qi is strong or weak. For example, the Qi from the sun is Yang Qi and Qi from the moon is Yin Qi. This is because the sun’s energy is Yang in comparison to Human Qi, while to moon’s is Yin. In any discussion of energy where people are involved, Human Qi is used as the standard. People are always especially interested in what concerns them directly, so it is natural that we are interested primarily in Human Qi and tend to view all Qi from the perspective of Human Qi. This is not unlike looking at the universe from the perspective of the Earth.
When we look at the Yin and Yang of Qi within and in regard to the human body, however, we must redefine our point of reference. For example, when a person is dead, his residual Human Qi (Gui Qi,
When the Qi in any of your organs is not in its normal state, you feel uncomfortable. If it is very much off from the normal state, the organ will start to malfunction, and you may become sick. When this happens, the Qi in your entire body will also be affected and you will feel too Yang, perhaps feverish, or too Yin, such as the weakness after diarrhea.
Your body’s Qi level is also affected by natural circumstances such as the weather, climate, and seasonal changes. Therefore, when the body’s Qi level is classified, the reference point is the level which feels most comfortable for those particular circumstances. Naturally, each of us is a little bit different, and what feels best and most natural for one person may be a bit different from what is right for another person. That is why the doctor will usually ask “How