Chi is one of those words that, like aloha in Hawaiian, can have more than one different meaning in modern English. Chi can mean breath, life force, or energy. It can also mean vapor, an attractive figurative variant of its original definition. Having said that, we immediately understand why this concept is extremely vital in understanding the art of feng shui.
Chi also can have a much larger meaning, one that is very much more than the totality of its parts. It is “breath energy” of unseen force that’s very much felt radiating life through and into all living things.
This is the reason chi is considered a central factor in the practice of feng shui, in other Oriental traditions, and most importantly, in Chinese medicine. While Western physicians normally treat a symptom, Chinese doctors aim to rectify or treat the entire body in order to make it perform at its optimum and to remove one or more medical conditions at any given time.
People who regularly receive shiatsu massage or acupuncture in Spokane already knows what chi is. These two techniques are both grounded on the existence of a web of energy channels that radiate all over the body – energy channels (that are called meridians) whose flow needs to run smoothly if chi is to work optimally and if we are to feel our best.
While blood transports nutrients and oxygen, chi conveys dreams, emotions, ideas, and thoughts. The way that you think and what you think is a significant factor that affects the outcomes in our lives. This is much more profound than the cliché and overused trope of “power of positive thinking”.
This is so because chi is way more than a belief or principle; it actually is a real energy force that permeates all inanimate objects and living things. Therefore, managing our chi has everything to do with the sadness, joy, or failure that we experience in our everyday lives.
What causes negative chi and what are its effects on humans? Here are three conspicuous examples.
- Rapid moving chi – Chi that flows faster than normal (the type of chi that you can feel on super windy days) can make a person fearful of personal attack, paranoid, and excessively talkative.
- Strong chi (similar to the one that produced drafts and dampness) – Depending on the person, a strong chi can lead to two opposite personalities: One without direction or with depression or one who is overexcited or suffers from excessive emotion.
- Negative chi – This is caused by artificial energy (such as air conditioning) and excessive light. Negative chi can lead to physical and mental fatigue.
Just as position and placement are essential in acquiring in our physical environments, the best possible flow of chi, so too does our physical countenance. The food we eat, as well as the manner we wear makeup and dress, can have a direct impact on our chi.
And, Why is our Chi so Important?
According to TCM or traditional Chinese medicine, the unfettered circulation of chi in our body is contingent to our wellbeing and good health. Eastern medicine, unlike Western medicine that addresses health symptoms, treats the whole body. Therefore, finding a way to help unblock our chi is the most important factor in achieving psychological and physical health.