Energy work is a form of holistic or alternative medicine and personal practice in which energy or life force from the universe is used to increase personal energy and energetic balance. Adjustments are made to the human energy field which restores, maintains and improves health and well being. Chi is one word used to designate the personal energy field including magnetic, electric and other fields which have not yet been defined in Western Scientific terms. Energy work systems exist in most cultures and have been around since the beginning of recorded history and probably much longer than that.

Chi - the vital energy

Chi can be freely translated as 'vital energy' or 'life force'. Every living thing in the universe is said to possess chi.  It is that which gives us life, the vital spark which lets us live, move and function. When the term is applied specifically to human beings and other life forms, it refers to the energy freely circulating around the body. This concept is shared by many cultures, notably the Indian Yogis, who call it prana, the Tibetan timmo, and the Japanese ki.

In Chinese medicine and chi kung (chi cultivation arts), chi is designated as a 'Yin' or insubstantial energy - it can be felt but has no obvious form, in total balance with  'Yang', gross, manifesting energy. The ancient philosophy of Taoism divides everything in the universe as either 'Yin' or 'Yang', and the universal symbol Taiji represents that idea. Yin is anything which has a female quality - caring, yielding, softness, night, are examples of what may be described as Yin. Its symbolic colour is black. Yang is the exact opposite, representing male qualities of strength, aggression, hardness, day, and whose colour is white. When chi is strong, the body is vibrant and active; when weak, the opposite occurs. In order to be strong and healthy, chi must be abundant and flowing smoothly.

Energy work methods include Acupuncture, Acupressure, Shiatsu, Reflexology, Chi gong, Tai chi, Reiki, Therapeutic touch, Huna, Polarity, and many "laying on of hands" practices. Other energy-based treatments include Crystal healing, Homeopathy and Flower essences.

Acupuncture uses thin needles inserted at the points where meridian channels cross. Acupressure uses physical pressure on these same points as does Shiatsu, Chi gong and Tai chi are "soft" martial arts or exercise forms which build up personal chi. Reiki, Therapeutic touch, Huna and Polarity are laying on of hands practices where the practitioner places hands on or near specified energy centres and meridian points and "runs" energy. Other energy based treatments include crystal healing in which crystals and gemstones are used to channel and focus various energy frequencies, Homeopathy uses very dilute remedies as the energy connection and flower essences are created by putting water containing flowers in bright sunlight, the resulting energised water is used to treat emotional issues.

There are two primary views of health and wellness. The allopathic theory is that disease and health problems are caused by germs or injury and can be treated entirely with measures such as antibiotics, antiseptics, other medicines and surgery. This view has been the dominant theory throughout the previous century.   The holistic understanding of energy and disease is that usually stresses, traumas, and emotional reactions to events in personal life and surroundings can create constrictions and blockages or overloads, tears and such other distortions in the aura. These blocks, constrictions, holdings etc. if not healed, can in time manifest as disease and emotional or mental disturbance and susceptibility to accident. When the aura is damaged as the result of physical injury and the deformation to the energy structure is not repaired, then illness, injury or chronic pain may occur in the physical area or in an energetically related one. In order to truly heal a physical problem. you must also heal and restore the energy body.

Psychologists and traditional medical doctors are seeing the relationship between happiness and health. Traditional Asian medicine techniques which use holistic methods for diagnosis and treatment are becoming recognised in the West as effective for many conditions including pain relief and stress. Energy work can not always substitute for traditional allopathic medical treatment but supports it and can enhance it. Energy work has repeatedly been shown to be an effective addition to conventional treatment of physical, mental and emotional conditions. It is often effective for pain relief, stress reduction and shortening recovery times.

Energy working is based on the theory that the Universe is made up of energy and the physical body is surrounded by and permeated by non-physical energy fields including but not limited to electric and magnetic fields, radiated heat and other energy fields that are not yet perceptible by our current level of science but which may be seen or felt by those who are sensitive to subtle energies. These energy fields are part of the energy body or Aura. Some people believe that such energy fields could not possibly exist although there are numerous documented cases of such a force being manipulated. There are cases of people who can walk on fire, 'create' electricity, read minds, sense impending events, the list is endless. In addition to the ability of humans to perform these feats there are also scientific grounds for such a force being in existence.

A basic theory of energy work is that the energy field, or aura body, contains channels and energy structures through which the life force flows. Different cultures feature different sets of centres for receiving, dispersing and directing the energies throughout the entire body. The flow of energies could be described as being like streams of light or vibrating pulses. The most well known channels are the Chakra and the Meridian systems. The Chakras are often referred to in metaphysical and spiritual work. The meridians are used in acupuncture, shiatsu, chi gong, Reiki and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and are considered the primary channels for the life force.

Most energy work treatments do not produce instantaneous cures though minor pain relief such as relieving headache or muscle cramp may take only a few moments. Energy work is intended to restore and maintain energetic balance and treatments are usually repeated daily or weekly for several weeks or longer. Most treatments take around 45 minutes and clients usually report feeling unusually relaxed afterwards.

The ageing process is also governed by the quality, strength and smooth flow of vital energy in the body. If the organs are not functioning at their peak, the body will never reach its potential, shortening the life span of the individual. Before the Cultural Revolution  there were longevity schools in China where old masters would train their followers with the aim of a vastly extended life expectancy. To reach the goal the internat martial arts, chi kung exercise, dietary control and the taking of specific herbs and extracts were followed. The results, apparently, could be spectacular, with schools full of centenarians in some instances. The students must have possessed a great deal of dogged determination to follow such a spartan regime, while also being able to afford the extremely expensive herbs and extracts required.

In the practice of acquiring chi, certain points of the body are of special interest. At these points chi can be regulated and strengthened. The most prominent is the tan tien, which is situated two inches below the navel. This is the hub of all tai chi activity, and the place where energy circulation starts and finishes. By building up energy at this point, the chi can be made to flow into the main meridians, and strengthen the body. Almost as important as the tan tien is ming men (or the 'life gate') which is situated on the spine in the small of the back. This is sometimes called the 'back tan tien' and is a very important point not only in chi kung, but also in acupuncture.

The major point in the foot is called yong guan ('bubbling well'), which is situated on the sole and is the starting point of the kidney meridian. The kidney chi plays a major role in the health of the body; being at the beginning of the channel is of great significance. At the other end of the body you will find the point called bai hui, which can be found on the top of the head. At this junction the energy flow of the head and the onward flow of energy can be controlled.

An example of how Chi is constantly changing yet never ceasing to be is: A drop of dew that condenses in the cool of the night warms up, vaporising during the day rising to form a cloud where it may freeze into a hailstone fall to earth and melt back into water. Therefore things change in form and substance yet the energy that makes them up still continues to exist forever.

Chi is the energetic substance of all things and the force underlying all change and movement.  It has five basic functions within the body:

Movement - in other words, any form of activity, whether physical or mental, voluntary or involuntary.

Protection - it protects the body from outside influences such as cold, wind, infections, and so on.

Warmth - Chi keeps all parts of the body warm, regulating overall temperature and also peripheral circulation.

Transformation - it is Chi that changes food into the various building blocks we need for good health.

Retention - keeping the organs in their proper places, preventing prolapse, holding blood in the blood vessels, and so on.

The Five Elements of Oriental Metaphysics

Chi at different stages and process of change is referred to as elements in the oriental tradition.  These are Metal, Water, Wood, Fire, & Earth.  Energy flows between the elements in very defined sequences or cycles. Each element having it's own characteristic properties.  (In Western esoteric tradition the five elements are Air, Water, Earth, Fire and Spirit but here we are discussing the Eastern tradition).

Chi cyclical flow - The second important aspect of the Five Elements is it's very specific description of the way energy flows around a Yin Yang circle in nature. Chi flows in a cyclical fashion with each element generating or flowing into the next one in what is known as the creative cycle: - The cycle of the seasons is a good example of the creative cycle. The pattern of our activity through life is another example of this natural cycle - childhood growth representing wood,. Fire the emotional turbulence of adolescence,  Earth the maturity of our reproductive years, Metal the consolidation of our achievements, Water the precursor to our long sleep after death.

The creative mechanism would continue to increase infinitely if not for another energetic cycle holding creative forces in check and limiting their effect - the control cycle where the elements restrain each other again in a natural order.

Human beings contain and express the energy of all five elements within their physical and psycho-emotional make up. Everyone has a tendency to favour one element or a certain combination of Elements in their health pattern and way of dealing with life.

How Chi works in the body

Good health requires a free and harmonious flow of chi throughout all parts of the body like a network of rivers and streams flowing steadily through the countryside. The mind, emotions and spirit are merely a less dense aspect of the individual's material bodily.  Chi, when it is flowing smoothly in the body, promotes balance in mind and spirit.  Imbalance in Chi can be felt by touching the body, regardless of which level (physical, spiritual, emotional) the imbalance is occurring in.

Chi comes to us from three basic sources: -

1) Original chi comes from our parents.  Therefore you could say it is our genetic inheritance and basic constitution.

2) Grain chi is the chi we ingest from our food.

3) Air Chi is inhaled as we breathe..

The three together comprise our overall chi quality.

Causes of imbalance

There is never a single cause but a network of factors that may combine to manifest as imbalance.  These can be emotional. The 7 principle emotions are joy, sadness, fear, fright, worry, over-thinking and anger. Each is associated with a particular meridian e.g. Joy affects the heart, anger affects the liver, fear affects the kidneys etc.

There can also be external factors such as weather conditions - change of season or drastic change in the weather can bring on symptoms of an illness that will often have the same characteristics as the weather conditions that caused them

Other factors that can cause imbalance are Lifestyle and stress, diet, level of physical activity levels of physical and sexual activity, injuries, bites and stings, inappropriate medical treatment and misuse of drugs. By understanding how chi can be disturbed in the first place we can gather clues as to how to deal with the resulting imbalance.

Meridians.

The body has 12 main channels or 'meridians', which function like rivers distributing chi throughout the body. There are eight extra channels whose function is to store and regulate the energy, and generally act as reservoirs. Each channel is connected to an organ and runs to a foot or hand, ending at the fingers or toes. The energy passes along the channel to nourish and give life to that organ, and on through the channels feeding the other organs. Between every one of the major routes there are a countless number of tiny tributaries or canals. These interconnect all of the main channels and supply chi to the skin.

When the chi is low, stagnating or blocked at a point, ill health and weakness will result. At this time there are many options.  Here are three good Energy Work options which could be used to rebalance the situation. An acupuncturist could diagnose the problem and insert needles at the appropriate points to regulate the energy flow. A herbalist could administer specific combinations of herbs after diagnosis. This would be to readjust the behaviour of the energy within the organ and the smooth flow of energy along the channel. In turn this would affect all of the channels through which the chi passes. The third method would be to practise one of the three internal exercises and martial arts of tai chi - pa kua, hsing yi, or chi kung. The combination of the movements, breathing and calm relaxation could restore the energy back to normal. The use of exercises such as these is usually as a preventive measure against ill health, rather than a cure. When the malfunction in the body has reached a critical point, medical treatment is usually called for to redress the balance. This is then followed by the exercise therapy to reinforce the treatment and maintain the return to balance.

Conclusion

Everything in existence is in a continual state of transformation; even the process of life, growth and death are themselves only changes of form at a very elementary cellular level. What is common to all is chi. Chi is the energetic substance of all things.  It is also the force underlying all change and movement. Our entire universe is composed of chi manifesting in an infinite number of forms and stages of materialisation.