subtle energy in other trad itions

Central t o many therapies and disciplines

(particularly those originating 1n the East) is
an understanding about different types of
energy flow; for example, acupuncture,
shiatsu, tai chi and chi kung concentrate
mainly on balancing energy pathways-the
body's meridians. Aromatherapy, sound
therapy, mantras, color/light therapies,
radionics, gem/crystal therapy. flower
essences, Reiki, hands-on spritual healing
and psychic surgery (among others) work
with subtle energy in general to bring
wholeness and health to our bodies.

traditional chinese medicine

Acupuncture is traditionally believed to work
by normalizing the free flow of subtle energy
(or ch'i) in the body. The earliest known
wntten text of Traditional Chinese
Medicme-the Nei Ching-1s thought to
have been written between 2697 and 2596
substance that flows from the env1ronment
mto the body (in India this is referred to as
prana). In the Chinese system ch'i is
absorbed into the body through the skin at
particular portals of entry formed by the
acupuncture points. These points connect to
meridians, or lines of energy with1n the body,
and each pair of meridians is associated with
a specific body organ or funct1on.
Another key aspect of Traditional
Chinese Medicine is Yin and Yang: the
positive and negative creative forces of the
universe that complement one another
when your health and body are in a dynamic
equilibrium. Yin is regarded as the female
principle, represented by these keywords:
passive. destructive, moon, darkness,
death. Yang is the male principle,
represented by these keywords: active,
generative, sun, light, creation of life. Tied in
with this principle is Five Element Theory,
BCE. It provides evidence of the continual use which relates energy and the internal organs
of acupuncture by emperors and common of the body to the five elements of Fire,
people for 4,500 years. In more recent years, Earth, Metal, Water and Wood.
researchers have found provable evidence
of the effectiveness of acupuncture,
particularly in the treatment of pain.
Ch'i (or qi) is regarded in Traditional
Chinese Medicine as a unique energetic
An acupunctunst's teaclung dummy"
showing meridians and treatment ponts.