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Sensing and Feeling Qi

1/14/2014

 
PictureFlow of Qi in the Human Body
Qi is real. It is a subtle energy force, but it is an energy you can feel and sense. The first step of learning to feel Qi, is to have a recognition it is real and not something made up. Once you recognize it is a real force, you can start to tune in and feel it.  You may even already had experiences where you felt it, but you didn't know it was Qi/the life force energy, you were feeling. For example, have you experienced goosies? You know, those chills you get when you are touched by something that connects to your very being?  Perhaps you felt a chill up your spine or a sense of awe and wonder as you watched a sunset. Or maybe when you kissed someone and felt something electrifying go through your very being?  Or perhaps you were listening to music and you felt as if your body was one big incredible smile? 

Those types of experiences were moments when your physical self recognized and felt that Qi/life force energy. What you felt was real; you may not have known the energy transfer and mechanism going on within you, but you did have a physical experience to this subtle energy moving inside your body. 

Sensing Qi 
Once you recognize that you have this subtle energy within you, and it is a part of your very being, flowing and moving in your body, you can start to tune in and feel it in other situations. You can even learn to sense its flow, its movement, and what feelings and sensations it is triggering in your body.

For me, I started to pay attention to how and when I feel Qi beyond those moments when I get goosies or am spiritually moved. I have discovered I can  
  • feel Qi flow dripping in the back of my throat when I receive an acupuncture treatment
  • see Qi as different colors when I am receiving or giving a Qigong medical treatment
  • feel and hear Qi flowing as a "swoosh" at some acupuncture points
  • feel Qi flowing and see different colors during Qigong exercises 
  • feel and hear Qi during Qigong meditations
If you want to start feeling this subtle energy, first be aware it is possible to feel it, and then start to tune in to where and how you feel it. How the Qi manifests to you will usually be based on the 5 senses (see, hear, taste, smell, touch).  If you are a visual person (like most of us are) you may see Qi as different colors.  

This subtle energy follows a structured path in and around the physical body.  The path it follows is known as meridians and channels. These pathways were were mapped thousands of years ago by people tuned into subtle energy. It is said that many of the paths were identified by Buddhist Monks who tuned into each of the acupuncture points, one by one, sensing and tracking the energy, the flow, and what effect the energy had on different parts of the body. This ability to tune in and sense to that degree of detail is truly a remarkable ability and it does show you to what degree a person can tune in and feel their Qi.  

When I was first learning Qigong, our instructor began by having us become aware of our Qi by partnering with someone in the class. We then would have our partner stand still while we would slowly walk toward them with an out-stretched hand, trying to determine where there was an energy change. We would stop when we felt an energy change or a gentle ridge of energy. This, we learned, was the person's personal energy field. With additional practice, we were able to then determine more layers and levels of subtle invisible energy surrounding this person. This lesson helped us become open to recognizing this invisible subtle energy force that surrounds everyone. 

Tuning In to Qi
After you accept the fact you have a subtle energy force around and within you, you may decide you want to have more experiences where you feel and interact with this energy. To do this, you need to create more opportunities for that type of connection and interaction. This is what I have found as a way for me to have more interactions with Qi:
  • before I do Qigong exercises, I mentally and silently say to myself I want to feel the Qi energy flow during this exercise. My mind is then alerted to what I'm expecting it to produce. 
  • before I do a Qigong meditation, I mentally say to myself, I want to feel and experience the Qi energy during my meditation, and I often feel the energy during the exercise.
  • before I give a Qigong medical treatment, after I ground and connect with the earth, then take a deep breath, and mentally see myself going into an energetic room, filled with Qi energy. This helps me direct Qi to my patients.
I also have gotten into a habit to make sure I connect with QI/the life force energy each day. I have established a daily routine of Qigong meditation and/or Qigong exercises and this provides the opportunity where I can tune in and feel this energy source. It now is a source of nourishment for my soul. 

Conclusion
If you want to feel Qi, start paying attention to those moments when you feel something different happening within you, like a connection to music, color, food, someone you love, or goosies. Establish a routine where you open your mind up for more of those experiences when the subtle energy is able to connect and interact with you. You can also create a routine where you just be open to any type of Qi sensing experience. This can be via Qigong exercise, meditation, treatment or any activity where subtle energy is created or moved.

Explore the possibility the subtle energy of Qi can provide you with more sensing and stimulating experiences.


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    Different chakra energies provide different types of experiences. You can train yourself to cultivate and use these subtle energies for more diverse purposes.

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    QiCultivation.com - Information on using the tools and methods to better sense subtle, spiritual energies, as well as receive and interpret the messages, and use/direct those energies.

    AnotherQ.com - Personal experiences with subtle, spiritual energy.

    QigongByQuist.com - Using Qi and subtle energies to help you maintain your health and wellness.

    QibyQ - Directing subtle energies to help the earth and humanity