Types of Qi Qi English Translation location function Qing Qi Air Qi Lung inhaled by the Lung Gu Qi Food Qi Spleen and Stomach Zong Qi Gathering Qi stored in chest air qi + food qi produced by Spleen and Stomach helps lung to breath helps heart to move blood and control vessels Yuan Qi Primary Qi roots in Kidneys, spreads to whole body via the San Jiao (triple warmer) derived from congenital essence (Jing) supplemented and nourished by food qi Zhen Qi Vital Qi meridians ying qi +wei qi last stage of transformation of qi Wei Qi Defensive Qi circulates outside the vessels protects the surface and defends the body against pathogens controls opening and closing of pores moistens skin and hair readjusts body temperature warms up the sang-fu organs circulates 50 times in 24 hours (25 x during day and 25 x and night) Zangfu Qi Organ Qi organs each organ has it s own qi with it s own characteristics Zhong Qi Central Qi spleen and stomach the zhen qi of spleen and stomach helps spleen s function of transforming and transporting helps spleen to raise qi Zheng Qi Righteous Qi Wei qi +Ying qi +Jing Defends the body from external evil invasions opposite of xie qi (evil qi or pathogenic qi) Ying Qi Nutritive Qi circulates in the vessels produces blood and circulates with it nourishes blood copyright Bronwyn Michaelis 2010 4
Jing Qi = Essence There are 3 types of Jing or Essence. Pre-heaven, post-heaven, and Kidney Jing. Diagnosis : One can assess the health of the Essence by any pre-mature aging signs (pre-mature greying of hair, impotence, sore low back and/or knees, etc.). One can also observe Kidney depletion in folks with dark grey circles under their eyes. Treatment: treat Kidneys and Adrenal glands directly with Reiki Pre-heaven qi - Xi Tian Qi (pre-natal) Pre-heaven Jing is a substance inherited from our parents at the time of our conception. This pre-heaven essence or Jing pre-determines ones overall constitution, strength, and vitality. It is believed that one cannot quantitatively increase the amount of JIng given to us at conception, but we can alter the quality of it as we go through our lives. Usually this is accomplished through a balance in the way we live in terms of work, rest, sexual activity, and nutrition. The main force that motivates the qi to complete its transformational processes arises from between the Kidneys at the ming men. The motive force between the Kidneys determines human life, it is the root of the 12 channels and is called Original Qi Classic of Difficulties (Macioca). JING 3. The KIDNEY essence is a combination of pre-heaven and post-heaven essence. It is stored in the Kidneys but circulates all over the body especially in the 8 extra-ordinary meridians. This essence determines growth, pregnancy, fertility, and sexual vitality. copyright Bronwyn Michaelis 2010 5
differences between jing and qi Essence (Jing) Comes from our conception and therefore our parents Fluid like Similar to Ojas in Ayurveda Resides mostly in the Kidneys and circulates in the 8 extra-ordinary meridians Very difficult to replenish Follows long cycles of 7 years in women and 8 years on men Moves and changes very slowly over long periods of time Formed during our life Energy like Qi Similar to Vayus in Ayurveda everywhere Can easily be replenished on a day to day basis by food, sleep, etc. Follows shorter cycles, yearly, and daily, and lunar Changes quickly from moment to moment Partly summarized from Macioca, page 38-39 QI + HEAT = YANG BLOOD + COLD = YIN Yuan Qi-Original Qi 2. Post heaven essence or Jing comes from the complex process of extracting refined substance from food, and so therefore is more related to spleen and stomach health. This type of qi is essence in the form of qi rather than fluid. (Essence transformed into qi). A dynamic and rarefied form of Essence as it has it s origin in the Kidneys _Macioca page 41. copyright Bronwyn Michaelis 2010 6
Yuan Qi (Original Qi) Functions: 1. Motive Force behind the functional activity of all the organs. Derived from essence. Essence is more of a fluid and related to long term cycles. Yuan qi is more like energy and related to short term cycles. 2. Basis of KID qi where it takes root 3. Facilitates the transformation of Qi. 4. Facilitates the transformation of blood. 5. Comes out at the source points. 6. Supplemented and nourished by GU qi (food qi) 7. Spreads to the entire body via the San Jiao Gu Qi - Food Qi Qi of the grains The first stage in the transformation of food into qi The stomach is responsible for rotting and ripening the food and then it is transformed into gu qi by the spleen. Gu qi is not yet in a usable form by the body. The gu qi rises up first to the lungs where it it combines with qing qi or AIR qi and then to the heart where it forms Zong qi (GATHERING qi). (Because the spleen sends gu qi up to the chest we know the spleen qi is responsible for the raising of qi in the whole body)- if it flows down it is called Spleen qi sinking and leads to diarrhea, organ prolapse, and downward bearing sensation and hemorrhoids. Because gu qi is the basis for all qi in the body there is placed a strong importance in asian medicine on the quality, quantity, pace, and type of food chosen. If no food is eaten for half a day, Qi is weakened, if no food is eaten for a whole day, Qi is depleted Spiritual Axis chapter 56. (emphasis on not fasting) Qing Qi -Air Qi Air qi that is inhaled by the lung. mixes with Gu Qi (food qi) to form Zong Qi (gathering qi) copyright Bronwyn Michaelis 2010 7
Zong Qi - Gathering Qi - Chest QI A more subtle and refined form of qi that is usable by the body. Gu Qi (food qi) plus Qing Qi (air qi)= Zong Qi functions: 1. nourishes heart and lungs 2. promotes lung function of controlling qi and respiration and heart function of governing blood and blood vessels 3. controls the speech (HT) and the strength of the voice (LU) -Pathology, impeded speech or weak and fine voice. 4. promotes and affects blood circulation to the extremities. (especially hands) -Pathology, if zong qi is weak = cold limbs especially hands 5. stored in the lungs Relationships: Zong qi flows downward to assist the Kidneys and Yuan qi flows upwards to assist in breathing. (Lungs and Kidneys mutual assistance relationship) the energy that comes out under the left breast and can be felt under the fingers, is the Zong Qi Simple Questions chapter 18. Diagnosis: can see the state of the Zong Qi by the health of the heart, lungs, circulation, and voice. A weak voice or poor circulation to the hands indicates Zong Qi Deficiency. Grief and sadness weaken the lungs and disperse the energy in the chest. Excess Joy will deplete the Heart. Pulse: left and right front positions are very weak or empty Treatment: Reiki chest area- REN 17 is the controlling point for the sea of qi and gathering qi. as well as treating HT and LU channels Prescription: regular eating of appropriate foods and breathing practices, emotional balance work. - especially balance of grief and joy copyright Bronwyn Michaelis 2010 8
Zhen qi=true Qi= meridian qi Zong qi is transformed into Zhen qi by the catalytic action of Yuan Qi. Zhen qi is the qi that circulates in the channels and nourishes the organs. last stage in the transformation and refinement of qi. Zhen qi also originates in the lungs, further explaining why the lungs function is to control qi in general. Zhen Qi has 2 forms: 1. Ying Qi -nutritive qi 2. Wei Qi- defensive qi Ying Qi- Nutritive Qi (nourishing qi) Function: nourishes the internal organs (Zang) and the whole body. Ying qi produces and nourishes the blood. Location: flows with the blood and in the channels This is the qi that is activated whenever a needle is inserted into an acupuncture point. Zhong QI- Central Qi This is the true Qi of the Spleen and Stomach that embodies the Spleens function of transforming and transporting the GU qi (food qi) as well as the Spleens function of raising QI. 1. transforming and transporting 2. raising Zheng Qi- Upright Qi Zheng Qi = Wei Qi + Ying Qi + Jing functions to defend the body from invasion by external pathogens. Zheng qi is the opposite of Xie Qi (evil qi) ZangFu Qi (organ qi) Each organ has it s own particular type of Qi that is characterized by the organ itself. copyright Bronwyn Michaelis 2010 9
Wei Qi-Defensive Qi- (protective qi) (immunity) Wei qi is derived from the courser part of food and water (finer parts make Ying qi). It is slippery and so cannot enter the channels. this qi is coarser than ying qi. we qi also originates form essence (Jing) and Yuan qi and is transformed from Kidney-Yang. So resistance to Xie Qi (evil pathogens) comes from healthy Lung Qi and Kidney Yang (as well as healthy spleen qi-ability to absorb food - intestinal flora)!!! Location: circulates under the skin in between the muscles, it vaporizes in between membranes and diffuses over the chest and abdomen. simple questions Chapter 43 functions: 1. protects the body from attack of exterior evil qi (xie qi) (examples include wind, cold, heat, damp, etc.) 2. warms and moistens and nourishes skin and hair 3. controls the opening and closing of the pores (regulates sweating) 4. regulates the body temperature (usually by regulating sweating) 5. circulates outside the vessels 6. warms zang-fu organs This is why we promote sweating when a being is invaded by exterior windcold. The wind-cold evil pathogen (xie qi) obstructs the we qi circulation and blocks the pores thus disabling the dispersing function of the lungs. When we promote sweating by restoring the lungs dispersing function the pores are unblocked and the fluids come out as sweat and wind-cold xie qi mixed with it. circulation 50 times in 24 hours 25 times during the day tai yang to shao yang to yang ming 25 times at night KD to HT to LU to LV to SP During the night our immune system is compromised as the wei qi circulates internally rather than on the surface to protect us. copyright Bronwyn Michaelis 2010 10