03-17-2010, 01:33 PM
In Traditional Chinese Medicine, chi or qi describes the life energy that sustains the body by flowing through particular pathways called meridians. Western science has confirmed that there is a different electrical response at meridians than at the rest of the body. But so far, there's not a consistent explanation in western terms of the phenomena Eastern medicine has observed around meridians for thousands of years of clinical results. I believe an integration of these understandings will likely occur in my lifetime.
Each meridian is associated with a TCM organ. But some of the organs don't correspond with western anatomy. Instead they represent some type of process that occurs over time in the body, often but not always corresponding to physical anatomy. For example, the TCM Kidney (notice the capital letter) is not just the tissue that filters blood to produce urine. It also is where the spiritual life force we are born with manifests in the body, and its injury or illness is involved with excessive fear.
TCM uses several techniques to bring chi into balance when its flow has been injured by illness.
Qi gong and tai chi are two forms of "moving meditation" that help chi maintain balanced for health.
It's not clear to me if chi, prana, kundalini energy, and the energy of the chakras are all different ways to describe the same processes from different points of view. I suspect this is so. If that's right, then yoga, meditation, and anything that promotes healthy living will help the flow of chi to improve. This includes good nutrition, exercise, rest, clean environment, low-stress life, etc.
Each meridian is associated with a TCM organ. But some of the organs don't correspond with western anatomy. Instead they represent some type of process that occurs over time in the body, often but not always corresponding to physical anatomy. For example, the TCM Kidney (notice the capital letter) is not just the tissue that filters blood to produce urine. It also is where the spiritual life force we are born with manifests in the body, and its injury or illness is involved with excessive fear.
TCM uses several techniques to bring chi into balance when its flow has been injured by illness.
Qi gong and tai chi are two forms of "moving meditation" that help chi maintain balanced for health.
It's not clear to me if chi, prana, kundalini energy, and the energy of the chakras are all different ways to describe the same processes from different points of view. I suspect this is so. If that's right, then yoga, meditation, and anything that promotes healthy living will help the flow of chi to improve. This includes good nutrition, exercise, rest, clean environment, low-stress life, etc.