What is chi? Almost everyone knows that the human body carries electricity. Many people know that the body carries electrical impulses throughout the body. What fewer people know is how the body generates electromagnetic energy. What still fewer of us know is how the human body uses electromagnetic energy to help heal.

A major healing form of electromagnetic energy is known as chi (Qi) in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). Traditional Chinese Medicine is based on balancing energy in the body. This understanding of energy is what acupuncture practitioners study. Energy Medicine practitioners understand that chi must be balanced and flow easily through all of the major energy pathways called meridians in the body.

Meridians carry chi as electromagnetic energy to all organs in the body. The organs form organ systems in the body. These organ systems are balanced and require balanced and constantly flowing chi to function optimally. One example of a system in Traditional Chinese Medicine is the pairing of the heart and small intestine. This organ system is balanced by a yin organ, the small intestine, and a yang organ, the heart. Each pairing of organs in an organ system creates balance. This balance is sustained by chi.

Environmental, physical, emotional, and mental stress can disrupt and imbalance chi. This chi energy reflects the source of all life, and if it becomes imbalanced or stagnant, ill-health may ensue. It is critical to maintain healthy, balanced and flowing chi throughout the body to maintain proper health.

Wellbeing is a result of proper thought, speech and action. One should practice balancing and moving chi through various forms of therapy including exercise, Qigong (Chi Kung), Tai Chi (Tai Chi Chuan, Taiji Quan, T’ai Chi Ch’uan), proper therapeutic herbs and dietary supplements, proper breathing techniques, visualization, meditation, high quality food and healthy living. These previous listed ways of balancing should be practiced daily to balance chi in all areas of the body.

As chi is balanced, its Yin and Yang aspects will be in equalibrium. Yin and yang are complementary and opposite forces that constitute chi. Yin can be described as cool, lunar, passive, receptive, feminine and internal, while yang can be described as warm, solar, active, productive, masculine and external. Yin and yang combined are the unifying force of the cosmos. All matter is composed of yin and yang forces that are ever in search of balance. Thus, yin and yang must be balanced for proper wellbeing. So one of the key goals of wellbeing  is to continually balance your chi.

As yin and yang energy is balanced, the body becomes balanced and operates correctly. When chi flows optimally in the body, healthy functioning occurs and nourishment starts to be provided to organs and organ systems. When chi becomes stagnant or excessive in the body, the body weakens. This weakening of the body can be tested through various subtle energy testing methods. These testing methods will be discussed in future blog posts here at ChiWellbeing.com.  Subtle energy testing represents a new scientific approach to measuring the presence and quality of chi.

You should balance your chi through healthy food, nutritional supplements, exercise and healthy thoughts, but it is up to you. Do you need improved health and vitality? If your answer is “yes”, try to optimize the flow of chi in your body continually. There are many good herbal supplements and programs that we will be reviewing at ChiWellbeing.com to help you improve your chi and wellbeing. Please take care of and nourish your chi and help heal your body. Our body deserves this kindness, respect and wellbeing.