The concept of Qi
There is no prefect translation for the word Qi into English, however, the most commonly accepted translation is energy or life force. Whichever term you prefer, Qi can be understood as the animating quality of our universe and a requirement for life. Qi exists in every living thing. While this may seem an abstract concept because it cannot be seen with the eye, the concept of Qi describes something that we can feel and experience everyday if we know what to look out for.
When Qi is flowing smoothly we often experience this as a flow state. This might be felt in our work, in our relationships with one another and the world. It is not that in these moments there are no obstructions, but that we find we can simply navigate our way through, over or around these with ease. Like water flowing down a stream, we find the simplest and most natural way to move. Artists and creative people often experience this flow state when the work seems to pour out of the body and decisions are made seemingly without our intervention.
I have found that understanding Qi through the embodied sense of it, rather than thinking my way through the concept, has led to the most important and rich discoveries. There is no perfect way to know it. What is important is your own personal connection to the concept. This connection can assist us in connecting inwards to our bodies and outwards to our world. I find bringing up memories of these embodied experiences of Qi helpful in moving me out of a space where my Qi might be feeling stuck or depleted. Everybody experiences it differently and it is useful to get to know what you feel in your body when you are experiencing this flow state.
When things are feeling easeful or comfortable for you, you might like to ask: “What sensations am I currently feeling in my body?” “What part of my body feels good right now?”
When you are feeling stuck, stressed or overwhelmed, you can ask: “Where am I feeling tension, hard or stuck in my body?” “What would it look like if it was a shape, what colour is it?” Can you invite softness, breath or release into this shape?
In these moments you are getting in contact with your own Qi getting to know your body through feeling.
One of the main goals of acupuncture needling techniques is to contact Qi and in doing so we allow it to gather and flow smoothly. I wonder whether we can all be our own acupuncturists, contacting our own embodied sense of Qi in order to let it gather, move through our bodies and help us flow using these simple practices of noticing.
