If you’re interested in more theory behind this week’s lesson, you might have a look at the following resources.
A quick lesson on chi
Chi (sometimes spelled qi, and pronounced “chee”), is the name used in China for the vital energy that flows through the body. Much of Traditional Chinese Medicine focuses on how to optimize the flow of chi through the body. T’ai chi (taiji) and chi kung (qigong) are martial arts that synchs body motion with the flow of chi. To oversimplify, T’ai chi exercises link together one movement after another; qigong repeats motions several times before changing to the next move. When you think of t’ai chi, you probably think of senior citizens standing in a serene area, stepping slowly and making flowing motions with their hands. But t’ai chi has both martial and healing aspects, as well. A t’ai chi master could knock you flat while barely seeming to move – and she could remove the trauma of the impact and align your body to heal itself very quickly.
I really love the goal behind t’ai chi, which is to be able to move effectively under duress. This is a contrast to yoga, which as the ultimate goal of being still in any circumstances. Both are necessary, I think, but t’ai chi seems more useful to me. T’ai chi also places equal emphasis on avoiding harmful situations, dissipating their impact, and transforming harm into something benign or even helpful. It’s complex and difficult and can be studied for a lifetime. I’ll explain a few concepts here for you to think about as you’re practicing, and if this practice resonates with you, I encourage you to find a local teacher to keep exploring.
Chi moves through your body along meridians (analogous to blood vessels or nerves), and you also have a “chi field” that extends into the space around you. Your chi interacts with the chi of other people, living things, and entities like water and gravity – and this interaction has a big impact on how you feel. It’s a lot to explain and teach meaningfully in a short time! The good news is that doing chi exercises, even imperfectly, will still get your chi moving in useful ways. This week’s exercise is designed to get your chi circulating both within your body and interacting with the space immediately around you. As you practice, visualize the energy moving. You might eventually start feeling the energy move. This is helpful, because if you can feel where your energy is stuck, you can target that area for additional movement.
The flow of chi is at the heart of my bodywork practice, and my clients regularly tell me they feel more relaxed after a session. One person said her anxiety was nonexistent for days after just one session! I’ll be curious to see how this self-directed practice works for you.
Additional resources
Several well-respected practitioners offer additional exercises and insights about fascia and its relationship to health, pain, and emotions.
- Master Chunyi Lin explains the different purposes of yoga, t’ai chi, and qigong and hosts a live, daily “Spring Forest Qigong ” on Facebook
- David Dorian Ross hosts simple “follow along” qigong sessions on his YouTube channel