Chi (or Qi)

Chi (sometimes spelled qi) is a term associated with Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) that refers to the body’s vital energy. Therapies such as acupuncture and acupressure serve to reduce chi blockages and rebalance the body’s energy flow. 

In traditional Chinese culture, chi translates literally as breath and air, and figuratively as material energy, life force or energy flow. The thought behind TCM is that the symptoms of various ailments and diseases are the product of chi not being able to flow freely through blocked or imbalanced meridians (pathways) in the body. Acupuncturists and acupressurists stimulate the meridians in which the chi circulates though the human body, attempting to unblock and rebalance and flow of chi. Other techniques used to achieve similar results include herbology, moxibustion, martial arts and tui na.