Introduction to Chinese Medicine, Four

Introduction to Chinese Medicine, Four

QI

Qi (“chee”) is another fundamental part of Chinese medicine. Qi is the energy of life. Qi enlivens everything. Without Qi, there is no life.

Qi is formless. Qi is the formless, unseen energy that animates every form. When Qi is abundant and flowing, the form that it animates reflects that energetic balance. When Qi is stagnant, excessive, or deficient, the form that it animates reflects this energetic imbalance.

Why do we need to understand the formless? Because manifestation arises from the formless Qi. In practicing our medicine, if we attend only to the form and not to the underlying Qi, we will never really “cure” the condition.

For example, a person diagnosed with high blood pressure, TMJ syndrome, and sciatica is prescribed a different medication for each condition. Additionally, they are working with a therapist to address their short, volcanic temper. Each of these four symptoms is a manifestation of an energetic disharmony that is easily identifiable within Chinese medicine. Rather than chasing four conditions with four medications, we could attend to the dynamics of the Wood Qi of this person. Working with specific meridians and points we can support the flow of Qi and the return to balance of Yin and Yang. With the restoring of harmony to the underlying energetic system, all four manifestations dissipate and the client has new resources to draw from as their life unfolds.

That an underlying Energy becomes manifested physically is one of the most challenging concepts for western minds to grasp, understand, and know as a simple reality. To grasp this medicine, we must appreciate the movement from the formless to the formed as simply as we appreciate that apples fall from trees because of gravity.

Our challenge as ordinary humans who rely so heavily on our five senses to experience the world around us is to grasp the notions of Qi and Yin and Yang. If we are to practice Meridian Massage and understand Chinese medicine, we must set ourselves to the task of breaking through the limits of our senses and our intellects in order to know deeply in our cells that physical manifestation arises from an energetic basis. The state of that energetic basis will be reflected in the physical manifestation of our body.

Meridian Massage,

Cindy Black