Retreat Mind & Body | Massage

It may seem like a “way-out” concept beyond conditioned Western reasoning.

Qi: Lifeforce

According to traditional Chinese beliefs, Qi is the kinetic life force that is the basis of all phenomena in the universe. The body and mind are a vortex of energy with vital substances interacting with each other to form an organism. At the basis of all is Qi, an energy that manifests simultaneously on a physical and spiritual level. When you take a deep breath, Qi expands the lungs and fills them with energy. During an exhalation, Qi circulates throughout the body and some of it is released into the air.

Qi and Massage

While receiving Tui Na therapeutic massage or other forms of Asian bodywork, you may notice a release and unfolding of tension and knots as the Qi courses through the body. This is the effect of your own Qi in dynamic flow, intentionally combined with the Qi of your practitioner as she performs the work. The circulation of Qi from person to person and from a person to the environment reveals the interconnectedness of all things and can evoke a profound sense of physical and spiritual awakening in even the most skeptical types.

The Functions of Qi

The main functions of Qi involve transforming, transporting, holding, protecting, raising and warming. According to Chinese medicine, Qi moves the blood throughout the body. When you work out, fresh blood circulates throughout your system, warming you from head-to-toe. Qi also moves with the blood, ensuring a continual supply of energy to the organs and muscles. Without the movement of Qi, the flow is obstructed, often leading to pain. This is summed up by the traditional Chinese adage Bu tong ze tong, tong ze bu tong, which means “free-flow, no pain; no free flow, pain.”

Basically, we need Qi in order to survive:

• Qi flow is imperative to avoiding pain, stagnation, or blockages in the organs.
• It can also support weakened organs, as in prolapse of the spleen caused by enlargement and disease.
• Qi is the force behind digestion, transforming food into energy while helping to eliminate waste.
• In addition, external Defensive Qi, Wei Qi, protects us against external pathogens like the flu and the common cold.

You don’t have to believe in any specific deity to believe in Qi, and you don’t have to see it to know it’s there. Although it may seem like a “way-out” concept beyond conditioned Western reasoning, Qi exists. And it is working for you and all around you. Cultivating an awareness of Qi, like developing a meditative practice, may take time. But in the mean time, it is fascinating to ponder that the existence of an invisible force defying scientific explanation can actually sustain our lives. It’s a pretty amazing mystery.