Chi Energy – Does it Exist?

Chi Energy – Does it Exist?

Sheng Chi Energy, does it exist? Well, this will depend on whom you ask.

It has been the mainstay of Chinese Medicine for thousands of years.

I think the biggest problem with the idea of Chi energy is actually understanding what it is.

So what is Sheng Chi? Well, its not some superhuman power as some in the internal martial arts world will have you believe. And for the total sceptics out there, you are breathing substances into and out of your lungs all the time that you cannot see, does that mean they do not exist?

Most who practice the Chinese internal arts call it Sheng Chi – Vitality Power, others would call it Neichung Chi – Internal Energy, but technically it is T’ien Jan Neng Li – Intrinsic Energy, but let’s just call it Chi.

Chi is a natural substance that is part of the physical body. It started to develop at our conception and continued to develop while we were in our mother’s womb along with the rest of the body. The babies use their Chi from a moment they are born into this world and continue to up until they are about 5 or 6 years old when they begin using their physical strength more and more and their Chi less and less. So most people’s Chi becomes dormant to a large degree. The body regulates the Chi through the meridians and lower Tan T’ien to maintain the body’s health the same as it does for the blood circulation, etc.

The meridians, arteries and nervous system run side by side through the body. The meridians, arteries and nervous system also connect to the organs of the body so they are supporting each other in many ways.

When someone uses physically tension the muscle fibres clump and lock together. This action not only reduces but also can stop the blood flow to the muscles and the flow of Chi through the area and reduces the nervous systems ability to function and slows the muscle use. So, using muscle tension in martial arts actually slows you down and puts the body under stress.

When someone uses the muscles in a relaxed way, the muscles fibres can be extended or shortened as required, the blood can continue to feed the muscle and take away any waste and the nervous system can function to a high level so speed and timing are increased. With relaxed movement the Chi can flow unhindered through meridians backing up movement. Also because the muscle fibres remain open with the movement, Chi can be expressed around and though the muscle fibres, which cannot only increase speed but also increase power output. The facia around the muscle helps to guide and control muscle movement, also helps speed muscle movement if required and helps direct Chi through and around the muscles.

Some of my Tai Chi colleagues who I’ve known for 40 years still cannot feel Chi energy in their own bodies because they have never really applied the Tai Chi concepts and principals to their practice. They believe that they are, but their attitude, mental tension and constant use of physical strength when practicing Push Hands and when doing martial applications stops them from feeling what’s going on in their own bodies. In all these cases I have seen lots of their students applying the concepts and principles and gaining a better understanding and ability than the teachers have themselves, which has lead to a lot of unnecessary Tai Chi family partings.

So as a result of not feeling Chi energy, some of my colleagues still talk the talk. Some continue their practice to see what comes next and others have grown to not believe in Chi energy.

If one wishes to conquer ones self, one must start with educating oneself on relaxing inwardly and outwardly. This applies both to the body and the mind. If one does not make a conscious effort to calm ones mind, one will never accomplish any stage of gaining mastery of oneself.

I have met people who have always felt Chi energy within themselves and others who have never known what it was and had just accepted it as part of the norm of life and thought that every one could feel it, or in some cases found out it was just them that could feel it and kept quiet about it.

As for me, I felt Chi energy greatly as a young child, discovered I was on my own, lost it as I went into the external martial arts world. Then had it reawakened at a weekend course of internal martial arts.

Can those who practice the use of Chi energy move others with their Chi Energy?

The answer to this question is, only if you let them.

The energy belongs to your body so no one should be able to move it but you yourself.

If someone has sufficient control over their own energy then they could move someone’s energy, but only if there is energy to move and they have to let them move it.

Chi Energy is just a natural working part of the body; there is nothing mystical or magical about it. It’s as natural as a heart beat and the breath that makes the heart beat.

Join one of our Tai Chi – Health, Feng Shou – Self Defence – Martial Arts classes either in Bristol or Somerset or Devon to practice the concepts, principles, techniques of the Li Family Taoist Arts and experience the benefits discussed in this article for yourself.
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Peter Glenn

Published by Peter Glenn

Peter Glenn has been a student and teacher/coach of the Li Family Taoist Arts since 1974. He is also a lineage holder of the Li Family Taoist Arts and the Principal of the Harmony Arts Association.

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