CHI Power

[Jay]

I was just wondering i am no expert on the subject of internal martial art if someone could explain what exactly chi is and what evidence there is that it exists. I was also wondering is it possible to move someone using chi without touching them???????

[fallen_milkman]

You have just asked a question that can't be answered, and is a lifetime of study.

[White Warlock]

It can be answered. The problem is, the answers presented tend to offend one group or another. As to evidence of its existence, you have to realize that the 'present' definition of chi falls between the cracks of evidentiary examination. I.e., the appropriate approach is to examine whether chi can be disproven. In order to do this, one must first clarify and quantify what constitutes chi, define measureable parameters. Then, one must test these parameters. If it is not possible to clarify, not possible to quantify, not possible to set measureable parameters, or not possible to test, then it is not possible to prove or disprove. Essentially, it becomes an issue of 'belief.'

Part of the problem with chi, as it stands today, is that it is mostly a belief system. Either people believe it is the basis for what happens in certain situations, or they do not. However, to give greater scrutiny to this subject, i refer to an earlier post i presented:

• Because most everyone has forgotten what chi meant, it has become a catch-all... a filler for all our suspicions and dreams. We feel a breeze against our skin and it must be chi. We feel empowered and it must be chi. We sense someone nearby and it must be chi. We have an urge to go to the bathroom... and it must be chi.
   
  It is not a catch-all, or at least it wasn't initially intended to be perceived as such.
   
  The whole 'feel' and 'sense' approach to discussing chi does not give insight, nor does it present anything tangible, therefore we should start from the beginning and examine the 'initial' definition of chi, and how the concept was birthed:
   
  The Chinese character for chi, or qi, stands for air. This is not something to be taken lightly. It is, in fact, the basis for the belief associated with chi. It was initially believed that air, wind, the flow of air, was a force... a universal force. It was known that we inhaled and exhaled, and in the process we consumed and released this... chi. It was noted that when we exhale chi in just the right manner, we create sounds... some of which allow us to generate more power (kiai, etc).
   
  The biomechanical understanding of this was missing, and thus it was attributed to the chi... this universal force that can somehow be channeled, or directed, to influence others and strengthen our own actions. The belief went so far as to present that the words we express are empowered by chi, and thus we can develop a stronger persona of ourselves, influence others, merely by gaining a better control of this chi... this air.
   
  Physical manifestations were attributed to chi, in such things as 'hyperventilation' and 'hypoventilation' being examples of bad chi. Such physical manifestations encouraged a flue of 'presumptions' that chi somehow influenced the entire body. Diseases, often obtained via the air (chi), were attributed to bad chi... both within individuals and in regions or areas (aspects of feng shui). Essentially, lack of knowledge played a strong role in the development of later perceptions on chi and how it influences the individual and their environment.
   
  A huge interference with the understanding of chi comes from our Western preconceptions birthed from medieval occultism. It has, essentially, tainted our understanding and thus presented this wholey false perception that chi can be 'summoned' or 'invoked,' or that objects can somehow attract/direct the flow of chi.
   
  Because of its foreign roots, and the problems associated with attempting to describe intangible 'concepts' through the fallacies associated with language differentiations, chi is unfortunately relegated to an ubiquitious metaphor for magic. To further complicate this, in our more modern struggles to cope with the clash of science and 'belief,' our foreign perceptions of chi have gained the forms of energy or of a being, like electricity or a god.
   
  Chi, or qi, was initially conceived as a descriptor for those intangible influences. It was air, wind, the noxious gases released by volcanoes, the bad breath of an unscrupulous businessman. In time it began to merge with the religions, imparting a 'basis' for all that is unknown, untouchable.
   
  These are the roots. Where you take them from here... is up to you.

I wish also to present the below article. It is a disturbing article to read for some qigong proponents, but i think it is important nonetheless and request people read the 'entire' article with an open mind. It is an article written about the efforts of Sima Nan, a journalist and economist that is very well respected in the journalism community. This man spent many years heavily involved in the 'formal' study of qigong, with is father and grandfather also being practitioners of qigong.

http://www.csicop.org/sb/9903/sima-nan.html

[yamesu]

Excellent post WW.

There are stories of yogi whom have lived off nothing but the prana of the universe for many years healthily and happily.

As a collective race, human beings could well benifit from refinding/relearning things we have forgotten over time through lazyness, ignorance, and technology!

[yamesu]

It is also interesting to note that scientific studies (1970's) have shown that an increase percent in the oxygen content in the atmosphere surrounding a human being causes predictable fluctuations in the electrical charge running across the outside of skin membranes.

This is thought to be caused by th increase in ionic charges within cells, due to an increase in body-oxygen-content.

I havent heard of any research being conducted in this field since.

But me thinks that more research needs to be done on this......

I can provide the references if anyone is interested. (May take me a bit for me to fish out of my books.)

Cheers.

[Jay]

Yeah go for it im fairly good at physics and biology so i would like to know about this as i would understant it.

Great post as always WW

[Jiffy]

Wow, what a fantastic read!

[yamesu]

Jay, i will PM the references to papers and books, on the above subject to you through this site as soon as I find the exact ref's. (I know its definantly in one of three books, so ill have to sift through them.)

By-the-by, are you currently studying science? or are you a practicing/retired bio-physicist or something?

As most of the research conducted in these fields, (to the best of my knowledge,) was quite unconventional at the time, and there was also people like Yuri Geller appearing saying and doing things which went against classical scientific views, most straightminded scientists thought it a fallacy, or decided that time was better spent researching other fields.

Nowdays this sort of science falls into fields of "Para-psychology" or "Meta-physics" or some other hokey sounding name, and most scientists avoid researching in these fields.

As WW said, what really matters is what YOU BELIEVE.

Cheers.

[btg]

As WW said, what really matters is what YOU BELIEVE.

Not really. You may well believe (or possibly swop "think" for "believe") that chi exists. But if so, do you think that would be enough for chi to move someone without touching them? I doubt it very much. Either chi exists or it doesn't and either it is possible to move someone with it or it isn't.

[stonecrusher69]

The first problem people have with Chi is that there is not direct word in English to define it.The closest would be bio energy.Chi in Chinese is a generic term.There are many types of Chi's which makes it even more confussing to the beginner.Chi is simple energy the runs throught the body which comes from the food we eat and drink and also from the air we breath.All living things have Chi.The reason people don't believe in Chi is they have no direct experience with it.If you do then you won't need science to prove its exsistence.Think of it this way, if some one hit you in the head with a rock yuo would feel pain.After feeling the pain would you find a science behind it to validate your pain.No, you would need no proof as direct experience is all that is needed.This traditionaly how the chinese arts where passes down.If you practice Qi gong correctly you should feel your chi moving and later chi from your surrounding.When this happends you will know that Chi is real and it exsisits.