The Origin of Qi
The idea of a life force energy has been expressed in many countries but it is in China that we have the most detailed understanding of it. The concept of qi dates back to the ancient text the I Ching or Book of Changes written in about 2200 BCE. Today’s form appeared around 1150 BCE under King Wen of Zhou, founder of the Zhou Dynasty. The first references of qi describe it as an all encompassing force that pervades and unifies the three energies in the Universe – heaven, earth and human. Although it may sound mysterious and ”Eastern”, the notion of an invisible energy is not unknown in the West. Scientists recognize electricity, radioactivity and subatomic particles. We live in an electrosmog surrounded by Wi-Fi laptops, microwaves, cell phones and other electromagnetic forces. The existence of EMFs is widely accepted in the West, – although the debate continues as to how much exposure is dangerous to health – yet the concept of an invisible force that naturally surrounds us and that we are born with is still considered mystical by those who are open to the idea, and frightening by those who are not. However, a kind of vital energy has existed in many cultures all around the world. Here are some of the names given to it:
qi/chi – China
ki – Japan
prana – India
mana – Polynesia
ka – Egyptian mythology
pneuma – Greek mythology and Christianity
ashe – African Yoruba mythology
num – African people of the Kalahari desert
élan vital – French philosopher Henri Bergson
And of course George Lucas’s portrayal in Star Wars: “May the Force be with you.”