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Tai Chi, Chi Kung, and ReikiThis page is dedicated to discovering more about energy play and cultivating energy through the use of various systems such as:
What exactly is Energy?Let's get some definitions down so there's no confusion about who's talking what here. When I refer to energy I am speaking of the word chi (also written as ki or qi). It is also known as vril, the Force, etc, etc, etc.
According to Chinese theories on Chi, there are three types of Chi:
The Universal Chi is the overall chi. Earth Chi is a subset of the Universal Chi, and Human Chi is a subset of Earth Chi. A rather general definition of the Human Chi is that it is the life force energy that runs through our bodies. I'm not speaking of blood flows, but rather that "spark" that gives us life. It is that which allows us to be alive and to live. There are variations on that definition. The Chinese have been studying the nuances of Chi for the past 3,000 years. And I am not about to replicate that information here. There are plenty of resources on the Web for further study. Tai ChiWhat is tai chi? Tai chi is a form of martial arts that builds Internal Human Chi. There are two types of Tai Chi: the martial art type and the healing type. The martial art tai chi is just like any form of martial art in that it is taught for use in self-defense. The healing type of tai chi helps to build the internal human chi so that you are healthier. There are variations on Tai Chi. Currently, I am learning Tibetan and Chinese style tai chi. What's the difference, you ask? Chinese style tai chi is very rigid. You must place your hands, feet, body in this exact position. Tibetan tai chi is more lenient, just as long as you get the basics right and positioning is approximate. Chi KungWe've discussed the definition of "chi." Let's discuss the defintion of "kung." Kung, literally, means "the study of." So Chi Kung could be roughly translated as "the study of chi." Chi kung is not a martial art, but it can be very helpful in the martial arts. Many martial artist that I know get into chi kung to help their martial arts. Chi kung can also help you to be healthier. The form of chi kung that I am studying is very simple. The basic gist is that there are only two or three very simple movements for each chi kung form. Each form builds up Internal Human Chi in specific parts of the human body. Sounds simple? It's can be, and it's not. When you practice chi kung excercises, you build up the chi internally, building up a lot of heat. You have a tendency to sweat, but it's not salty sweat that you're producing, but rather an oily sweat. If you're ever doing chi kung excercises, taste your sweat, it ain't salty, unlike if you were sweating due to actual physical exertion. In essence, chi kung teaches you how to regulate your chi: how it flows, where it flows, how strongly it flows, etc. In advanced study, you can learn how to use your energy to do other things: blowing out candles, dropping an agressor, and so forth. But this is oversimplyfing chi kung. It takes years of practice to even understand, let along master chi kung. In the relevative sense, I've only started, so I can't even begin to explain much of the concepts that I, myself, are trying to grasp. You'll have to make a go of it on your own. Or drop me a line, and we'll talk. There are other forms of chi kung information out on the Web and your local book store. Or stop by your local martial arts dojo and talk to the sensei (Japanese), sifu (Chinese), or teacher (English) of the dojo. ReikiWhat is Reiki? Reiki was "re-discovered" by a Japanese gentleman name Mikao Usui. There are plenty of sites out there with the history of Reiki. I am going to present my concepts of Reiki. There is a lot of controversy on exactly what Reiki is, what it means, whaddya. There are my opinions on the subject. Reiki is a technique which channels the healing energy of the Universal Chi. In my opinion, Reiki is a derivative of Chi Kung. Whereas chi kung takes years of discpline, hard work, and practice, reiki is a "short-cut" to start channeling healing energy. All you need is an "attunement." An "attunement" is just a re-aligning of your energy flow to be more in-sync with the Universal Chi. Every human being has a natural attunement when you are born. As time goes on, and you become older, you lose that natural attunement. How you ask? As you get older, you start to forget things. Because....that "imaginary" friend isn't really "real." And no, honey, you really can't talk to the dog/cat, because people don't talk to animals. And sweetheart, get outta that tree before you break your neck, and no, the tree isn't really talking to you. Dear child, you have to start acting like a grown-up, and forget all those silly dreams--blowing out those candles really can't get you your wish, and the tooth fairy, santa claus, and the Easter Bunny don't really exist; you need to finish college, get a career, get married, have children, and start the entire process over again...............But I digress.... Reiki is very similar to Therapeutic Touch or Laying-On Hands. The reiki client lies down in a comformtable position on a massage table, and the reiki practioner places his/her hands on the patient (there are several positions for the hands about the body), and lets the healing energy flow. Often times, with reiki, the energy flow might trigger emotional or past physical traumas that the patient might not have dealt with yet. But this is generally not the norm, and a good reiki practioner informs the client of all possibilities. Just a note here, REIKI IS NOT A CURE. It is a way for the body to help heal itself. Reiki is to be used as a supplement to actual medical treatment, not in lieu of treatment. Granted, there have been cases where Reiki "seemed" to cure a client of his/her aliment, but like all miracles, miracoulous cures are hard to predict. If you're interested in becoming attuned to reiki, there are plenty of reiki masters/teachers out there who can help. There is a price for these attunements, and some can be pretty outrageous. I suggest that you do plenty of research (there's a lot of information on the Web), and make sure that you feel comfortable and trust a potential teacher. Remember, there are frauds out there, so be careful. |
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(Note: The following is a VERY SIMPLE version of the Chinese
concepts and theories on chi. They are in no way to be taken as THE theory
on chi. I leave it to the reader to do more research on their own.)