Almost everyone saw a spectacle of a martial arts practitioner breaking something with a friendly hand, however, his hand remains in perfect condition, which seems to challenge the logic of reality, the response that orientals give to this phenomenon is Chi, or Qi, a very ancient Taoist concept.
Martial arts fighters are not the only ones; Traditional Chinese doctors also work with Chi. It is defined as a “vital energy flow”. A life force that can concentrate, free and let go, at will. This is the equivalent of what is called “energy” in the West.
- This vital breath governs everything.
- According to the Orientals.
- The purpose of different oriental practices.
- Such as Tai Chi.
- Acupuncture and reiki.
- Among others.
- Is to facilitate this free movement of Chi or to concentrate it for a specific purpose.
“He who stays in the center lives forever. “Lao Zi?
It is believed that the Chi began to be known about 4,000 years ago in the East, since then it has been thought that this life force circulates through the body, as if it were crossing a series of rivers, are these rivers called?Meridians? In Chinese medicine.
For a long time it was thought that the best way to let it flow is to breathe and meditate. Orientals believe that by breathing properly, a person is synchronized with the rhythm of the cosmos. Meditation allows the life force to break out of its immobility and stagnation and, in turn, to circulate through the body and mind.
Over time, the Orientals assumed that breathing and meditation were not the only ones that favored the flow of vital energy, so they also included movement as a way to balance and harmonize Chi.
However, it was no movement, but specific movements grouped into what we call Tai-Chi or Chi-Kung.
For eastern people, vital energy is distributed in different areas of the body, including deeper areas.
It is also present outside the body, however, it focuses mainly on the kidneys and, from there, enables health and life.
This vital energy has several types. The main ones are
For the Orientals, the health of the mind is inseparable from the health of the body; an imbalance in one respect immediately affects the other.
Chi flows to keep a person alive and healthy, to restore balance, and to prevent the body and mind from weakening or deteriorating.
The first sign that Chi does not circulate properly is excessive fluid production: urine or sweat. From this perspective, the disease is thought to be a sign that this life force does not circulate as it should.
The way to regain balance is through meditation, breathing, applying pressure to certain parts of the body (by acupuncture or massage) and practicing Tai-Chi.
In addition, the flow of vital energy also depends on the spiritual dimension, from an emotional point of view the first thing sought is to enter a state of calm, calming the mind is a way to restore energy balance. a healthy body so that it is not an obstacle for the mind to free itself and evolve.
There are practices that allow the Chi to focus on a specific area of the body, in martial arts this is mainly done on the hands, arms and legs, this is what, according to the Orientals, allows a seemingly weak person to break a stone or jump defying gravity.