Expereicing the world through the eyes of Qi

Hello, welcome to the blog where James will write about his experiences of different aspects of his practice in East-Asian Traditional Medicine. To find out more about James, here is his about page.

Growing up, folk remedies was almost a part of our family's daily life. With my grandfather being a Chinese herbalist and moxibustion expert, anything from a runny nose to post surgery recovery and pregnancy, my grandfather was the man to go to. However, I was only 1 years old when he passed away, leaving behind only a few books and models for his sons and daughters. Unfortunately, again, I didn't get to play with these as a kid and didn't learn more about him until I started my acupuncture degree in university!

Although he wasn't here to treat us with his wisdom and medicine, his essence and love lasted and flowed through my mother's veins. My mother would be the one to show me his impression collect of herbal remedies for bruises and colds.

What does this have to do with QI?

Later on, in my Taiji Quan and qi gong training, I learnt that one must strengthen internally before expressing themselves externally, cultivating the qi first to build the yin quality before acting to express the yang quality. This means that myself, and most of us, would have cultivated this yin quality as children from the love our parents/family.

I am grateful for the fortune of being brought up in a soft and yielding family because this meant that I could observe more. In other words, my observation started in a state of yin.

Qi is flow

Water and wind currents. The pulsing blood through our veins. Collective movement of migrating birds. These are all expressions of Qi. Just like Bruce Lee had suggested in his famous phrase "Be water my friend", Qi is flow like that of water that flows with the streams or be transformed into the shape of a cup. Whenever there is qi, there is flow. If flow stops, qi diminishes and will either lie dormmate (as still water in cup) or disappear (as in death of a person).

Modern day Qi? What does it look like?

Qi is easy to see in nature once one understands what they are looking for but what changes when it comes to modern society? Nothing.

As long as things are made by something in flow, in the state of flow and does not stop, then qi can always be found.

When you sit in the park or the side of a street, stop and use all of your senses to "see". See with your body as well as your eyes, listen with your feet as well as your ears, taste with your hands as well as your tongue.

Notice without paying attention and you will "see" qi. If there's nothing around you, that is also qi. Slow walk through a busy crowd, that is qi. Qi moves and flows.

Through the eyes of qi, you will notice particular things about the world because you start to see the world through your whole being. The vibrational pulsing of the speakers, hearts, and phones start to echo through you and even the way food moves through you. How do you see QI?

Disclaimer: James practices Taiji Quan and Qigong and has a close relationship with Qi. This is James' experience to Qi and not exclusively what qi is.