Chapter 4

Qi Wiz! It’s Life’s Force!

In This Chapter

Qi: the life force at the heart of it all

How other cultures define qi

The three primal forces of qi: heaven qi, earth qi, and human qi

Good vibes and bad vibes: types of qi

What we’ve been describing as nature’s forces is what the Chinese call qi (also spelled ch’i). Qi has many meanings. It’s described as the air we breathe. It’s the Earth’s magnetic field, cosmic radiation, and the sun’s light. Qi is our spirit. Qi is luck. As you shall soon see, qi underlies all these things and more. Although this may seem somewhat abstract to us Westerners, Eastern cultures believe this holistic force governs our health, wealth, and happiness. Feng shui seeks to harness qi’s positive aspects to better our well-being.

Now, to be perfectly clear, the existence of qi can’t be fully scientifically proven. In fact, some of qi’s more mystical aspects can never be proven using quantitative measurement. For example, can you prove the existence of your sixth sense? Can you prove luck or fate? Can you prove intuition? Surely not. Yet, most of us believe these things exist. Simply, qi’s metaphysical or supernatural features defy measurement.

But we shouldn’t be too hasty and dismiss this notion of a partly nonmeasurable force. After all, it wasn’t so long ago that Benjamin Franklin “discovered” electricity—considered a mysterious force of nature at the time. We certainly have harnessed this energy, making our lives more pleasurable in the process. And what about the discovery of x-rays, radioactivity, and subatomic particles? All have led to a profound revolution in how we view the world.

This chapter is all about understanding qi, the foundation upon which many Eastern practices are based. So, keep your mind open, and let’s take a journey into the force unifying us all.

What Is Qi?

Simply, qi (pronounced chee) is the underlying quintessence, soul, and substance of all things. It is the all-encompassing, all-permeating, unifying force at the heart of the heavenly, earthly, and human realms. Both physical and metaphysical, qi is the fundamental, vital, nourishing force that drives life forward. It is the field of information connecting us all. Although no direct English translation for qi exists, it can best be called “life’s breath.”

This definition may seem rather vague and even abstract. But actually, the idea of qi bears a striking resemblance to the quantum field in modern physics. Fritjof Capra in his best-selling book, The Tao of Physics (Shambhala Publications, fourth edition, 2000), makes the correlation: “Like the quantum field, qi is conceived as a tenuous and nonperceptible form of matter which is present throughout space and can condense into solid material objects. The field, or qi, is not only the underlying essence of all material objects, but also carries their mutual interactions in the form of waves.”

Still need clarification? Qi is the stuff of and behind it all. It’s the stuff that breathes life into plants, animals, the mountains, oceans, and us. It’s the stuff of dreams, intuition, fate, and luck. It’s the stuff at the core of nonliving matter such as airplanes, buildings, and the chair on which you sit. It’s the stuff acupuncturists stimulate with their needles. It’s the stuff martial artists conjure up to split solid objects. And, it’s the stuff feng shui practitioners harness to improve the health, wealth, and relationships of their clients.

Qi Around the World

The concept of qi is not unique to the Chinese. It’s also known to other cultures:

Ki to the Japanese

Prana to the Hindus

Pneuma to the Greeks

Ankh to the Egyptians

Ruah to the Hebrews

Tane to the Hawaiians

Arunquiltha to the Australian Aborigine

Orenda to the Iroquois

Whatever you choose to call it, identifying, controlling, and directing this invisible life force for the benefit of your well-being is what feng shui’s all about.

Qi on the Move

Qi moves. It is in a perpetual process of change. Qi accumulates, disperses, expands, and condenses. It moves quickly, slowly, in, out, up, and down. Qi meanders and spirals. It flows along straight, angular, and curved pathways. It rides the wind (feng) and is retained in water (shui). There’s no escaping qi’s influence. We are all products of, and subject to, qi’s enormous power.

The Three Forces of Qi Energy

The Chinese believe three primal forces of qi sustain all that exists: heaven qi, earth qi, and human qi. To ignore their effects on your body is like ignoring a virus that weakens and depletes your strength. Viruses and other setbacks (like financial loss, unemployment, and illness) can be directly challenged by harnessing qi’s beneficial qualities, leading to a strengthened body, an alert mind, and a full and contented spirit.

What does this mean exactly? As you will come to learn in later chapters, the ancient Chinese have determined how to manipulate qi so that it promotes harmony in your living/working space. When balance and harmony exist in your environment, there’s a good chance your being will be in balance, too. Of course, you must also maintain a proper diet and exercise regime. You must get a good night’s rest. You must live by the Golden Rule. All of these components foster a healthful whole. Only when you are at your optimum capacity can you be inspired to succeed.

Within these forces, there exists an abundance of other lines of qi that impact every aspect of our lives—as you’ll see a little later in this chapter.

We are the balance of heavenly and earthly forces.

Heaven Qi

What comes from above is known as heaven qi. It’s the first force of nature. It’s the qi that spirals down from the celestial heavens—the sun, moon, planets, and stars. If you have difficulty believing the idea that heavenly qi can affect us, consider the sun, the central star of our solar system. Without its force, life would cease to exist. Disregard its force, and you might be prone to sunburn, heatstroke, skin cancer, and even death.

And the moon? Well, if the moon can deform the shape of the solid earth and the oceans roughly every 12 hours, doesn’t it stand to reason that its forces will, in some measure, affect you? After all, the earth’s main component is water—and so is ours. In fact, when the moon is full, we tend to retain water. Also, the migration and reproductive patterns of animals, fish, and birds conform to or are in harmony with the moon’s phases. The same applies to vegetation. Studies have shown that planting seeds two days before to seven days after a new moon yields a better crop.

Feng Alert

If you feel different during a full moon, it’s not just your imagination! A condition called “Full-Moon Madness” can occur when an excess of fluid accumulates in the skull, causing some of us to feel increased levels of passion, anxiety, and tension. In fact, the word lunatic (“luna” means moon in Latin) derives from the notion that the moon’s phases produce lunacy, or insanity.

Weather qi is also a component of heaven qi. There’s no question that weather phenomena affect our well-being. Extremes of cold “chill us to the bone,” while extremes of heat create “dog-day afternoons” and heighten passions. For some people, lack of daylight and long periods of rain cause depression—even suicide. Although this is more common in northern countries, any variant in weather can influence a person’s health and mood.

Another component of heaven qi is associated with time, a factor indubitably associated with change and transformation. The time of day and season changes as a result of celestial activity. The time your home was constructed is essential information, for it determines, in part, the inherent personality of your dwelling.

Finally, heaven qi is associated with destiny (ming) and luck (yun). If life is a road map and your life’s purpose is your destination, then destiny is the car in which you are fated to make the journey. The driver represents your free will (your thoughts and actions). For example, if you’re destined to drive a Ferrari and then take the vehicle off road onto rugged, rocky terrain, certainly you would agree that you’ve misused the car, potentially causing irreparable damage to it. Assuming you got to your destination, doing so would have been fraught with obstacles and pitfalls that could have been avoided if you had stayed on surfaces suited to your automobile (unless you’re Speed Racer driving the Mach 5!). Understanding what your vehicle can and cannot do is tantamount to arriving at your destination safely and successfully.

Although most Westerners believe luck is random and unpredictable, the Chinese believe luck is measurable and knowable. Continuing with our automobile analogy, good luck would be finding a time-saving shortcut, driving on an open road in fine weather and with no traffic. Good luck is picking up the Pass Go and Collect $200 Monopoly card. Bad luck is puncturing a tire, getting lost, encountering an unexpected detour, and driving in hazardous weather conditions. Bad luck is picking up the “Go to Jail” Monopoly card.

You’ll learn to evaluate your heaven qi—your destiny and luck—in Part 6, where you’ll use a method of Chinese astrology called The Four Pillars of Destiny (Ziping Bazi).

Earth Qi

The forces of mountains, waterways, deserts, valleys, and plains all carry earth qi currents that can affect our physical health, temperament, and compatibility with others. While mountain ranges protect us from harsh elements, they also provide psychological support. We tend to feel more stable and grounded if there is a mountain to our backs.

In classical feng shui, the mountain force is synonymous with the yin or female force of nature. Like a mother guarding her children from illness caused by gusting winds and torrential rain, the mountain force governs our health and relationships. A feng shui practitioner’s goal is to study and direct qi associated with the external mountains (or man-made mountains such as buildings and tall hedges) surrounding the dwelling, and internal mountains made manifest as walls and large furniture so that they bolster good health and relations with other people.

Conversely, watercourses correspond to the yang or male force. Traditionally, the man is responsible for generating wealth. Like water’s flow, wealth qi is retained in lakes and oceans. It’s carried down rivers, streets, and hallways. It flows through windows and doorways. All of these things must be considered when assessing a person’s living and/or working space.

Finding a balance among natural elements is the fundamental premise of classical feng shui. You’ll learn more about this in Chapters 9 and 10, as well as in Part 4, where mountain (health and relationship) and water (wealth) qi manifest as number schemes on a qi map.

The Earth’s magnetic field is also a component of earth qi. Coupled with the time your house was constructed, the magnetic orientation characterizes your home’s qi, its innate essence. It’s important also to understand that the electromagnetic field influences the quality of qi flowing into and inhabiting your house. There’s no question that fields generated by high-voltage power lines and modern-day electrical conveniences affect our health in some way. We must be mindful of such potential and exercise caution when we use electrical appliances and live in close proximity to power plants, electrical transformers, and the like.

Human Qi

You have qi, too. Your own qi is marked at birth, the time when you inhaled your first breath. Like a fingerprint, your qi is singular and unique. In feng shui, the year of your birth is a vital source of information. The energy you were born into (your birth year) determines how your life force is compatible to that of other people and to your home’s qi. This notion will become clearer in Chapter 8.

For now, understand that many Western scientists and medical experts are accepting and embracing the idea that some kind of vital and holistic force exists within the body that regulates the totality of our mental and physical well-being. Moreover, this bio-network connects us with the whole of our environment, and on a broader scale, the collective consciousness, the source of pure knowledge. In fact, the force field emanating from your body (what many call an aura) actually can be captured on film. Known as Kirlian photography, the technique was developed by two Russian scientists, Semyon and Valentina Kirlian.

Although the connective force within the human body is known by many names in the West (the odic force, life fields, entelechy, animal electricity, subtle spirit, and pneuma, for example), generally the progressive Western pioneers who have adopted the idea believe the field is electrical in nature. Well, human qi may very well be partly electrical, but let’s not lose sight of the fact that aspects of this unifying force cannot be measured or fully understood with our five senses of sight, taste, smell, touch, and hearing. Harkening back to the beginning of this chapter, remember that qi is physical and metaphysical (beyond physical or supernatural), the latter including fate, luck, and intuition.

Nevertheless, it seems that experts in divergent fields (physics, biology, psychology, religion, anthropology, neurology, and linguistics, for example) are coming together, realizing that the question about our existence and purpose in life cannot be answered by any one part. Using an analogy, a cake is created by the fusion of distinct and different ingredients. Similarly, the auspiciousness or inauspiciousness of a house is a result of layers of merging information. Get the idea?

Finally, the accumulation of virtuous deeds (ji yin de) and the act of studying (du shu) to acquire greater knowledge are components of human qi, or what is properly called Man Luck. Simply, treating others as you would want to be treated, helping those less fortunate than you, and refraining from gossip will inspire a contented and humbled spirit. By devoting more time to study and less time to watching television and other mindless pursuits, you’ll sharpen your wit and wisdom and fortify your brainpower.

Feeling Qi’s Power

How qi directly or indirectly affects you is vital to your state of being. To illustrate this point, let’s do a simple exercise. First, turn off the television and radio and find a quiet place free of distractions. It’s important that you actually participate in this exercise to fully understand how qi’s flow impacts you.

Ready?

Now, look at the following photo. Imagine you are sitting on the bench facing the waterfall. If we told you that suddenly the falls rushed at you in violent gushes of water, wind, and noise, buffeting and overwhelming your being, how would you feel? Scared, confused, disoriented, or tired perhaps? But what if we told you the water gently sprays in a cool cascade of mist and soft, gentle breezes, soothing and refreshing your body? Does this sensation promote feelings of relaxation, balance, comfort, and security? The feeling is quite different, isn’t it?

What we’ve demonstrated is how the flow of qi can affect your mood—and ultimately your health—over a period of time. Nourishing qi circulates. It gently revolves and curves; it creates a healthful, balanced environment. Strong qi (or what is actually called sha qi—a term you’ll soon learn) disturbs, especially if you’re in its powerful path. Strong qi can cause mental and physical illness. Qi can also be weak. Weak qi is stagnant and sickly. A stuffy, airless room is an example of weak qi.

So, can we control weak or negative qi? Absolutely! If the waterfall featured in the preceding photograph was a flood of gushing water, wouldn’t you move? If your house is stuffy, wouldn’t you instinctively open a window to let fresh air circulate? Although much of feng shui relies on plain old common sense, some factors are not obvious, such as determining the quality of qi your home innately carries. And, the change in qi ushered in with each new year. You’ll learn how to determine these numerological aspects in upcoming chapters.

Cascade Park, Monterey Park, California.

(Photograph by Val Biktashev)

Sheng Qi

Sheng qi is positive qi. It carries auspicious currents that nourish your well-being. We can detect some of sheng qi’s aspects with our five senses:

1. Sight sheng. Manicured gardens and lawns, neatly painted exteriors, tidy, clean, and organized interiors, and happy and cooperative people. Basically, sight sheng is anything you find pleasing to the eye.

Wise Words

Sheng qi is positive qi carrying auspicious currents that can influence your well-being.

Located on the shores of Lake Michigan west of Chicago is the impressive Bahá’í House of Worship. Recognized as a national landmark, the building’s circular architecture, nine entrances, and manicured gardens are an exquisite example of sight sheng.

(Photo courtesy of Bahá’í Publishing Trust)

2. Sound sheng. Babbling brooks/fountains, chirping birds, wind chimes, cooing babies, certain types of music. It’s important to understand, however, that what you might consider soothing to the ear might be an auditory disturbance to someone else. For example, many people prefer quiet solitude or the peace of rural areas or suburbs. Others thrive on the high-intensity atmosphere of cities. Although you might find classical music soothing, your friend might disagree, changing the station to rock-and-roll.

3. Touch sheng. Smooth surfaces, pets, a warm bath, a kiss, a massage, silk, satin, and velvet are examples of touch sheng.

4. Smell sheng. Flowers, perfume, scented candles, and food inspire smell sheng. Again, what you find a pleasing, fragrant odor, another person might find sickening. Cigarette smoke is an example of subjective smell sheng.

5. Taste sheng. Home-cooked meals, comfort food, chocolate, a fine wine or liqueur are all associated with taste sheng. It is anything you find satisfying. If this includes tobacco products, then, for you, these items are taste sheng.

There also exists a sixth sheng qi. Somewhat esoteric and metaphysical, it can be compared to your sixth sense. It is the vibe you feel when you’re about to get a raise or a promotion. It’s how you feel when you click with someone. It’s the feeling of being in love. Sheng qi is the look of confidence and contentment. It’s the resonance of helpful and kind people.

Sha Qi

Sha qi is negative qi. It carries inauspicious currents that create negative influences on your body. Sha qi is anything antagonistic to your five senses:

1. Sight sha. Glaring lights; dark places; offensive, disturbing art; clutter; trash; dead or dying things; and anything you find threatening or looming. We believe a good example of the latter is the interior of the pyramid-theme Luxor Hotel in Las Vegas. Upon entering the inverted interior, you are at the mercy of overhanging tiers of floors, which can cause vertigo. It looks and feels as though the upper levels can and will come crashing down on you like a house of cards. (We left with a headache, feeling disoriented and quite off balance!) Sight sha also includes acts of violence, prejudice, or intolerance.

Wise Words

Sha qi is negative qi carrying inauspicious currents that can influence your well-being.

2. Sound sha. Noise pollution like traffic, sirens, construction work, loud arguments, screaming babies, and certain types of music are examples of sound sha.

3. Touch sha. Grime, filth, dust, and mold; splinters, cracks, and tears. Maneuvering a rickety staircase or bridge, skating on thin ice, and scaling unsteady terrain are examples of touch sha, as are unwanted sexual advances and physical aggression.

4. Smell sha. Pollution, exhaust fumes, mildew, rot, pollen, and toxins are examples of smell sha.

5. Taste sha. Bitter, sour, or rotten food. Unfamiliar foodstuffs might prove distasteful and unpleasant experiences. Yet, we must remember that raw fish, insects, and seaweed are considered normal foods by many cultures. Vegetarians find animal products unpalatable.

Just like there exists an extrasensory sheng qi, so, too, is there a sixth sha qi. It is the vibe you feel when “Something’s in the air,” or when “You can cut the tension with a knife.” It’s the queasy feeling you get when “Something’s wrong,” or when you feel you are being watched or followed. This sixth sha also takes the form of anger, hate, and jealousy. It can be the resonance of evil spirits.

Poison Arrow Qi

Also called “killing breath,” poison arrow qi hits you like a bullet. The offending culprit can be straight roads, opposing doorways or windows; sharp, pointed edges of objects and buildings; and anything else directed at you in a straight line.

Like an arrow pointed at you, the poison arrow sha of the Sony Music building in Santa Monica, California, could cause misfortune to those in its path.

(Photo by Lorraine Wilcox)

A model of the Concorde pointed toward the Condé Nast building in New York City’s Times Square may have caused scaffolding to collapse, killing an elderly woman.

(Photo by Arkadiy Yagudaev)

Poison arrow qi is extremely inauspicious and carries misfortune, illness, and even disaster. You will be learning more about poison arrow qi and how to avoid and remedy it in Chapters 9 and 10.

The Holy Trinity, Chinese Style

As you’re learning, feng shui is the art and science of living in harmony with your environment and gaining the maximum benefit by being in the right place at the right time. The key phrase being, living in the “right place” (or space), built in the “right time.” Simply, with humankind acting as matchmaker, heaven qi and earth qi marry. While the changing forces of heaven qi correspond to the time in which your house was constructed, the stable force of earth qi corresponds to the magnetic space upon which it sits. Viewing it this way, wouldn’t it make sense to produce a good marriage, one generating prosperity, compatibility, and good health with its influence affecting your well-being positively and productively?

In the next chapter, you’ll learn about yin and yang, the two dynamic qi forces of nature.

The Least You Need to Know

Qi is the underlying substance and soul of all things.

Heaven, earth, and human qi compose all that is.

Sheng qi is positive qi that can influence your well-being.

Sha qi is negative qi that can impact your health and livelihood.