Explaining Qi/energy

[Sal Canzonieri]

how do you explain qi?

people like to qualify and quantify things.

qualify something is know what it is.

quantify is to measure or gauge something in comparable "units"?

so what is qi?

and how do you measure qi?

how do you know your qi is larger or more than mine?

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I think that people have gotten far away from this guy's original question.

[Lucas]

how do you know your qi is larger or more than mine?

I ask your girlfriend
(sorry i couldnt resist)

but back OT:

when asked or in the position to, I describe qi as a term used to identify with many different types of energy. Depending on your understanding of the concept and opinion/beliefs regarding that will have a huge bearing as to what you are going to view qi as. so, here in the west especially, its very case by case as to what people are going to understand/accept.

[uki]

I think that people have gotten far away from this guy's original question.

one question gives birth to 10,000 ideas...

[David Jamieson]

If Qi was/is air, why all this talk about refining Qi?

because it is refinable.

[Lucas]

This is it in a nutshell. Old wives tales, myth, you name it. Chi is neither air (oxygen) nor nutrients. It is the by product of combining them. Along with other trace elements required to preserve a living body. The energy that the body creates when it consumes these elements is Chi. It then fuels the body's functions. Without it you are considered dead. Trees and plants live, feed, breath, and they create and burn energy as they cycle and grow. Energy can be created in many ways. Movement of water, air, the sun and moon, just about everything can possibly create energy at one time or another. This can be considered Chi. However, this Chi is only good as long as it remains in motion. Chi from living creatures will always be as long as it lives. It dies, and Chi dies with it. For you to lift an arm you must use Chi.
Now, for the superstitious and believers in old wives tales, you can not cultivate Chi except by eating and breathing properly and keeping the body fit. Resting while completely and totally relaxed can well up the energy to some extent, but it burns off quickly once motion is again resumed. If your energy level is low, you can not instantly summon it. It is not a mystical force that can be manipulated that way.
This is why in Wing Chun we remain in a simi relaxed posture and only exert force with the striking hand or arm when it is needed. It uses this Chi or energy at a much reduced rate as compared to some other forms of fighting. And because we are not expending huge amounts of this Chi energy with un necessary body flexing and movement, We can focus it in much stronger amounts in single actions. Stamina, endurance, are just descriptions of high energy. People that are extremely fit, that breath well, and have a fairly decent diet, can carry large amounts of food serums in the blood and convert them more effeciently than those that are not as fit. This conversion is merely that of creating the Chi or energy that fuels the body.

LCP

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