When people practice Qigong, Meditation, or Internal Martial Arts such as Tai Ch

i Chuan, Xing Yi Quan, or Bagua Zhang something that always is of interest is- "
How do I feel my Qi?". Because of popular media on the subject the consensus see
ms to be that Qi is the answer. We need to cultivate it, store it, circulate it,
and it will give us power for the internal martial arts (without any effort) an
d it will transform and heal the body. This is not quite the case. Read on to fi
nd out what the role of Qi plays in cultivation and Internal Martial Arts.
First- Qi is already present in your body and it is already circulating. It is n
ot something that we have to go out and get and we do not gather and store it li
ke we are putting something in a box.
The process actually works something like this:
through the exercises we start to unblock the flow of Qi or energy in the body
we quiet the mind and develop concentration
the body starts to work better
So how does this work?
Physical movements that twist and stretch the body help to lead Qi and blood nat
urally. Basically this is stimulating the circulation. Any area that is blocked
or constricted is gently moved and exercised. A free flow of energy and blood is
established and maintained. Increased circulation of Qi and blood helps the bod
y to get the nourishment that it needs to maintain, repair, and grow stronger.
This is where practitioners start to "feel their Qi". I put "feel their Qi" in q
uotes because actually the sensations usually identified as Qi are actually the
sensations of the energy meeting resistance. If there was no resistance (i.e. no
blockage) then there would be none of these sensations.
These sensations can include feelings of:
heaviness
lightness
cold
heat
tingling
itching
distention / swelling
even pain and discomfort
These are signs that the channels and collaterals are opening up. Once the flow
of energy is unobstructed then these sensations are no longer present but instea
d there might be a feeling of pleasant and profound calm.
This is important for the student to realize because if they seek these sensatio
ns they will hinder development and progress. Or they can fall into the trap of
imagining or generating these sensations with their mind and thinking that they
are cultivating Qi.
For progress and attainment it is important not to dwell on the sensations that
might be felt during practice. Do not look for certain sensations and do not cul
tivate them. Let them go.
Everyone's body is slightly different and the sensations that people feel will d
epend on their constitution and internal landscape. In other words, even though
there are common Qi sensations, everyone's experience is unique.
During practice the student will also learn to quiet their mind and develop conc
entration. This is important for cultivation because thoughts, feelings, and emoti
ons all have energy or Qi. If the mind is going to 10 million different places a
ll at once the energy is scattered and will never be able to flow smoothly and n
aturally. Developing concentration and a quiet mind can be accomplished by many
different methods. In meditation we focus on the breath and develop concentratio
n and quiet the mind. In Internal Martial Arts the practice of forms develops co
ncentration through having the intention (Yi) as the driving force of the movement
. In Qigong practice we can quiet the mind and develop concentration through the
movements and focus.
By developing concentration and a quiet mind we allow the energy of the body to
circulate naturally without any interference. The ancient texts state that from
the utmost stillness, movement is born. When the practitioner reaches a state of
quiet and emptiness, then the Qi will naturally circulate. This is part of the
cultivation process and the first stage is transforming the body and clearing ou
t all the physical blockages. This is a much deeper level then what is achieved
through basic Qigong exercise but the sensations can be similar to those stated
previously.
Once the body is transformed then there are higher stages of transformation.
The most important thing about developing Qi is to let it flow naturally. It sho
uld never be forced or directed, as this can cause problems.
As the body transforms and the Qi circulates naturally eventually the student wi
ll reach a state of peaceful calm. To get to that stage the student can not focu
s on the Qi sensations because those basic sensations are really indications tha
t the blockages are being cleared out and the goal is to get beyond that point o
r stage.