What is Qi/Chi and Prana ? This life force energy that flows through all living beings.
In traditional Chinese culture, Qi is believed to be a vital force forming part of any living entity. Literally meaning “vapor”, “air”, or “breath”, the word Qi, Ki or Ch’i is often translated as “vital energy” or “vital force”. Qi is the central underlying principle in Chinese traditional medicine and in Chinese martial arts.
Prana is a Sanskrit word that means "breath" or "life force". In the perspective of Yoga, prana is the primordial energy of the universe. Prana is dispersed through the entire material world. “Prana is both macrocosmic and microcosmic and is the substratum of all life. Mahaprana (the great prana) is the cosmic, universal, all-encompassing energy out of which we draw substance through the breathing process”.
It is also known by many other names in different cultures, including:
Mana: To Polynesians
sḫm (sekhem): ancient Egypt
Ki: To the Japanese
Anima: To the Latin, meaning "breath", "vital force", or "animating principle"
Ruh: To Islamic and Sufic
Pneuma: To the Greek
Orenda: To the Amerindian
Od: To the German
Ruah: To the Hebrew
Life force energy, also known as prana, chi, or vital energy, is the energy that keeps living things alive, and helps them move, grow, and function. It's been a concept in many spiritual and healing practices for thousands of years. In yoga, life force is one of two types of energy that exist in all beings, along with consciousness. The Sanskrit term for life force is prana, which can be translated as "breath of life," "vital principle," "vital energy," or "spirit-energy". Prana is said to regulate bodily functions such as breath, blood flow, digestion, elimination, and cellular growth and healing. Prana is said to enter the body from the air we breathe, food we eat, and the energies of the earth and above.
Some say that life force energy is responsible for maintaining physical functions such as health, heat, and life. If the body is deficient in life force, some say that the person may become mentally or physically unwell.
Some say that you can feel life force energy coursing through your body, and that it can capture your full attention and fixate your thoughts. You might feel exhilaration or aliveness, or you might feel like jumping out of your skin.
The origin
The roots of chi can be traced back to ancient China, where early scholars and healers began to conceptualize the vital life force that animates all living beings. The term "chi" itself was first documented in texts dating back over 2,500 years. Ancient Chinese philosophers and physicians, including Laozi and Huangdi, contributed to the development of chi theory.
The ancient concept of prāṇa is described in many Hindu texts, including Upanishads and Vedas. One of the earliest references to prāṇa is from the 3,000-year-old Chandogya Upanishad, but many other Upanishads use the concept, including the Katha, Mundaka and Prasna Upanishads.
Egypt became the centre of culture, wisdom and learning all over the known world. At the summit of the Egyptian civilization many scholars and wise beings came from all over the world to see and know of this culture. Sekhem is an ancient system of wisdom as taught in the temples of early Egypt.
It is said that the life force energy is omnipresent and omniscient: it knows all about the past, present, and future; it is spontaneously aware of everything visible and invisible. It is because of the presence of this life force that we receive vitality from food, assimilate it into our system, and supply it to all our tissues and cells. When that force decreases or is not functioning well, our health will decline.
Western traditions view our “life force” as an esoteric phenomenon generally accepted by us as a gift from greater powers. As such, westerners have not tried to understand it to the extent that their Eastern counterparts have. The Eastern traditions see our “aliveness” and therefore our energy and vitality as having much more to do with our interaction with nature’s cycles.
While we are alive, Qi, or “aliveness” permeates every part of our body, keeping each cell and every bodily function alive. Although cells are dying throughout our body, they are being constantly replaced. The replacement of cells declines as we get older until not enough of the essential ones required for correct organic functioning are replaced. At that time we malfunction and die. The more Qi that reaches the cells, the less prone to decay they will be so an abundant supply of Qi to a cell means a healthier cell. However, it is not simply a question of quantity, but also movement. All living things exhibit more activity than their dead counterparts. Qi is flowing smoothly and abundantly in a cycle within healthy vibrant creatures. Unhealthy creatures are not vibrant, because their Qi is not flowing smoothly.
It may be that Qi is not present in adequate quantity to generate sufficient momentum to allow for a smooth flow, resulting in areas being starved of vitality while other areas stagnate and accumulate waste products; rather like insufficient water failing to flush debris from a drainage pipe. Alternatively, it may be that too much Qi is accumulating in a particular area of the body, causing stagnation or hyper-activity there. This is rather like too many cars on a constricted road, resulting in no cars moving, in turn causing the potential for actual irritation and aggression (e.g., road rage in traffic jams).
Physical practices to help cultivate your life force energy: acupuncture, meditation, breathing, Qi Gong, Thai Chi, Yoga, and dance or gym/sports. Those movement practices can help us connect with our bodies, release stagnant energy, and promote the flow of vital life force energy. These movement-based practices can also enhance flexibility, strength, and overall well-being.
Reiki is another healing practice that works with this vital life force energy. Reiki is a Japanese therapy that uses gentle touch to promote relaxation and well-being. Reiki comes from the term “Rei” translated as spirit, sacred, soul, and “Ki” translated means life-force energy. This wisdom comes from the Source of all things, the Creator, All That Is. This infinite, all-knowing power has the ability to understand, create, destroy, and heal all things. Reiki sessions use hand placement to channel energy to the client, with each hand position focusing on a different part of the body.
Qi in Feng shui and Earth energy.
In feng shui, qi is a positive or negative life force that is constantly moving around, and is believed to have created the Earth's landscapes. Qi is also known as ch'i and is pronounced "chee". Qi can be both good and bad, and is said to flow in different ways. Sheng qi is good energy, while sha qi is bad energy that can be caused by negative situations. Sha qi can be unhealthy, stress-producing, or noxious, and can include moving too fast, too slow, or being overbearing.
Prana in Vastu Shastra and Earth energy.
In Vastu Shastra, prana, or positive energy, is believed to flow into a home from the northeast in the morning, then move southeast and northwest, and exit through the southwest at night. The goal of Vastu is to align living spaces with cosmic energy to promote peace, health, prosperity, harmony, and happiness.