Chi
The power of our body is no match for the sheer force of our intent.
As we understand the essence of chi. we come to appreciate what it means to build our vital life force. Chi is the energy that keeps us alive and healthy. Chi is our life force. It is derived and generated from what we eat and drink. It is a result of what we do and think. It is affected by the people and environment all around us. It is molded by the thoughts and intentions that we carry with us from moment to moment.
- Chi is accumulated via food, water and air.
- Chi is conserved by rest and knowledge.
- Chi is used by action and thought.
Some peoples think that only living creatures have “chi”, but that is not so. Everything has chi, even the rocks, the water, the tree, and the animals. Some have it in extremely low amounts. Inanimate objects have chi but it is to low to give them the power to move around, eat or reproduce. People have used crystal rocks to cure sick people; they use the chi of the crystal to energies the patients and disease.
The more chi you have, the more abilities you possess. Thus, plants have more of it than rocks which enables them to grow and manufacture food. Animals have more of it than plants which gives them abilities to move and make sound. Human have the maximum amount of chi, which enables them to think and be creative.
"Chi" Cannot Be Generated
Chi is neither created nor destroyed; it is just transformed into different forms. A fruit is made out of chi that it’s plant from soil, the sunlight and the water. If it roots then the chi will be dissipated into dust.
We obtain chi from food. Some foods give more chi then others. Breathing also gives up chi.
Everybody get his or chi from somebody else. Plants get it from soil, water and sunlight. Man gets it from food and air. Fire takes bio – energy from fuel. Thus everything in nature feeds on something else to exist.
Utilisation and Waste of "Chi"
By eating and breathing we accumulated chi. Ancient monks had the ability to get chi just by breathing, they did not eat anything.
Each time we act or think we use chi. A wise man will use his chi energy carefully like a man who spends his money well. Waste it and you gain nothing. Useless actions and needless worries
Waste chi energy, for you derive no benefits from them. Before you do anything you must think whether that action or that thought will be a productive use of chi energy or not.
A person who takes a lot loses more chi energy than he who remains silent. A person who shuts his eyes when there is nothing exciting to see around him conserves more chi energy than he who keeps his eyes open for nothing. Listening to noise tires you as you waste too much chi energy in that cacophony.
When we are sick, our body uses all its chi energy to fight the disease. It does not have enough chi energy to help us move around. Hence when we are ill, we do not feel like walking about and prefer to lie down in bed.
Loss of chi is associated with lethargy, fatigue and malaise.
To conserve our chi energy, we must rest regularly. Knowledge is another way to save our chi energy for wisdom gives us the power to be conservation and discrete in the use of chi. A wise man will never squander his chi energy.
The concept of chi teaches us to respect all the things in the world around us. The rocks, the seas, the skies, the sun, the tree, the animals, the birds and other human beings; we see life all around us. We recognize that nature is merely an extension of our bodies, chi flows through all of us. While eating; we learn to thank our food for providing us with the chi energy which helps us alive.
Remember “chi” is the currency of life. Save it like money. Don’t waste it. Use it well.
Chi Kung (Qi Gong)
When we speaking of chi Kung; firstly, we should understand what the essence of “chi” is. There are many kind of “chi” but Chinese culture emphasizes that the most basic one is “Yuan chi (Qi)”- the origin of all living things. “Yuan chi” is an engine or anchor for human’s growth, metabolism and physical development. “Yuan chi” also plays an important role in defending illnesses. So, Chinese medicine teaches that the life all depends on the circulation of “chi”.
“Chi kung” is the art of developing vital energy particularly for health, vitality, mind expansion and spiritual cultivation.
There are various schools of “Chi kung”, such like as Shaolin Damo Chi Kung, Shaolin Cosmos Chi Kung, and Taiji Eighteen steps Chi Kung, Flying Crane Chi Kung, and so on. Sometimes, people may refer to deferent chi kung techniques, as deferent types of chi kung, in which case there are thousands of them.
There are many wonderful benefits derived from practicing “Chi Kung”, and they may be generalized into the following five categories.
- Promoting health and currying illness.
- Promoting longevity and youthfulness.
- Enhancing vitality and developing internal force.
- Expanding the mind and the intellect.
- Spiritual cultivation.
Chi kung is founded on a whole life outlook, related to the law of nature. When practicing it, you mainly the initiative of your own consciousness. The content includes three adjustments.
- to adjust your mind in peace.
- to adjust your body in best condition.
- to adjust your breath in balance.
If you keep training regularly and persisting, gradually the function of many parts of your body will be greatly enhanced and step by step, your health condition will be improved. The practice is able to improve quality of life and naturally transmute and develop a deeper awareness of subtle energies.
Chinese Chi kung has a long history and substantial content. Shaolin Chi Kung, the pearl of Chinese chi Kung, was originated by Da Mo, also known as bodhidharma, was a prince of a small tribe in southern India. From the historical records that exist, it is believed he was born about 483. At that time the Chinese considered India to be a spiritual center, since it was the source of Buddhism, which was becoming very influential in china. Many Chinese emperors either sent priests to India to study Buddhism and bring back scriptures or else invited Indian priest to come to china to preach, Da Mo was an invited priest.
Da Mo is considered by many to have a bodhisattva, or an enlightened to being who renounced nirvana to save others. Buddhism is a major religion based on the belief of Gautama, the Buddha, achieved nirvana, or perfect bliss and freedom from the cycle of birth and death, and taught now to achieve this state.
Da Mo came to china in 526 or 527 during the reign of Emperor Liang wu of the Lang dynasty. Da Mo went first to the Guang Xiao temple in canton. The governor of canton recommended Da Mo to the emperor, who invited Da Mo to visit. The emperor, however, did not like Da Mo’s Buddhist theory and so Da Mo left the emperor and traveled to the shaolin temple in Henan province, when he spent the rest of his life.
When Da Mo arrived at the temple, he found that the monk were in poor physical condition because of their lack of exercise. Many were weak and sickly and would fall asleep during meditation and lecture. Da Mo was so distressed by the monk’s physical conditions that he retired to meditate on the problem and stayed in retirement for nine years. When he emerged, he had a solution; Da Mo’s YI JI JING WAI DAN exercises.
The monks of shaolin temple have trained using these Da Mo chi kung exercises. These exercises are easy, and their benefits – good health, improved strength and muscular endurance, and the development of internal power can be experienced in a short time. The shaolin monks practiced these exercise to circulate chi and improve their health, later, the shaolin monks coordinated their chi kung exercise with martial techniques. This built their internal power by concentrating chi to affect the appropriate muscles and also helped to establish the shaolin temple as an important centre of martial arts training and development.
Shaolin chi kung is a kind of advanced internal mind thinking which is mix of Buddhism and Taoism and it can also cultivate your life energy. The chi can be moved to any part of your body using your mind to control it. Chi has the power to restore your body making it strong enough to defend and resist against illness and physical attack. This kind of internal kung fu not only can strengthen your body, but also can refine your character, improper you physical action and develop potential. This is the aim and intention of ‘YIN YANG CHI (kung fu)’ Martial arts Association.
‘YIN YANG CHI (kung fu) Martial arts are composed of internal and external components. Internal Martial arts refer to chi kung. External Martial arts refer to forms, fighting with hands and weapons. When achieving a high level, you will get the wonderful combination between internal and external refinement.
Practicing chi kung can strengthen your body and help you against entire force, which can help you in combat or competition.