One of the underlying premises to how acupuncture works is the balance of Qi or energy force within the body. Qi is derived from the air that we breathe and from the food that we eat. It then circulates throughout the body giving us strength and vitality. Analogies to Qi appear in other societies including ka in Egyptian mythology, awen in Druidry and prana in Hindu philosophy (Source: Wikipedia) .
In order to help explain the context in simple terms, Felix Mann in his book, Acupuncture – The Ancient Chinese Art of Healing published in 1973 says:
“In Western medicine we have an intricate knowledge of anatomy, microscopic anatomy, the chemistry and biochemistry of the body but little knowledge of what actually makes us “tick”. It was this energy at the roots of all life which was the primary interest of the ancient Chinese.” It is this Life Energy that is “Qi”.
In Chinese medicine and philosophy Qi is a fundamental concept and it is believed that the body is nothing but a vortex of Qi. What makes Qi a difficult concept for people in the West to grasp is that it is both material and immaterial. The Chinese character for Qi portrays this using two symbols combined, the upper symbol representing ‘gas or vapour’ and the lower symbol ‘uncooked’ rice.
Problems occur when our Qi is out of balance and in these cases, you’ll hear practitioners talk about Deficient Qi or Stagnant Qi.
When our Qi is deficient we will be tired and lethargic as there is not enough energy flowing through the body giving us the strength to carry out our day to day activities.
Qi can also stagnate if the normal flow of QI is blocked. This can occur due to a physical injury or trauma but also if we repress our emotions – particularly anger.
One of the aims of acupuncture is to restore our natural balance of Qi and bring us back to optimum health and well being.
No comments:
Post a Comment