CIRCULATING CHI AND BUILDING CHI
Circulating Chi
Question
Before I learned from Sifu, I could accumulate chi at the dan tian. After learning from Sifu the chi at my dan tian not only became more but it flowed all over my body, making me feel very pleasant.
— Sifu Diana, Italy
Answer
Congratulations for the wonderful results.
There are two dimensions in all types of chi kung, namely circulating chi and building chi. In some types of chi kung, like self-manifested chi movement and dynamic patterns, the emphasis is on circulating chi. In other types of chi kung, like abdominal breathing and stance training, the emphasis is on building chi.
While we circulate chi, we also build chi. For example, in self-manifested chi movement, chi flows vigorously in various directions. As chi flows inside our body, chi from the Cosmos also flows in. Hence, at the end of the training, we have more chi than when we started.
When we build chi, chi also circulates. For example, in abdominal breathing while we increase the amount of chi at our dan tian, we also circulate the chi. The accumulated chi at the dan tian is not stagnant; it is being circulated all the time. In other words, the increase of chi at the dan tian is not the result of just adding more and more chi to the chi that remains there all the time. The increase is due to the increased volume of flow into as well as out of the dan tian. The chi that flowed into your dan tian some time ago, has now flowed out to somewhere else.
It is like your bank account. The increase of your bank account is not just your putting in money but not taking it out. The increase is due to the volume of money flowing in and out of your bank account. The money you first put in is now circulating somewhere else.
Relatively, circulating chi clears blockage that results in overcoming pain and illness and contributing to good health, whereas building chi increases vitality resulting in peak performance, as well as contributing to longevity. Both aspects are important, and complement each other. But generally one should circulate first, then build. Building without circulating, like adding energy when there is blockage, may bring serous harmful effects, a fact not many people realize.
The above is taken from Question 8 March 2013 Part 1 of the Selection of Questions and Answers.
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