Bolt
boogie woogie feng shui
Many East-Asian cultures believe in the existance of a internal life force called "qi" (AKA Chi, Ki) from which the user draws mental, spiritual, and even physical strength. The belief in qi has become an acknowledged worldwide phenomenon and is now represented widely in pop culture entertainment, usually mediums involving martial arts or magic, where it is depicted as being responsible for a wide range of abilities, from levitation to physical energy blasts. Do you believe in qi and its potential to be cultivated? Do you think it's a bunch of mystic horseshit? Discuss here. This has long been a topic of interest for me not only as a martial artist but as a thinker.
I don't believe in qi. At least not in its most commonly interpreted form. I don't think that there's any magic internal force that provides extra strength, speed, or stamina other than the willpower you have in your own heart. My thoughts on qi is similar to my thoughts on God; they may not exist as a tangible or visible presence that concretely dictates universal or personal happenings, but if you feel a certain way about something, it can become that investment for you; to some, God represents eternal hope and human brotherhood. So when you choose to never give up on your ideals, or feel love for your fellow Man, that is the touch of God in you. Similarly, when you're forced to call on the utmost of your own inner strength and concentration, that doesn't come from some sacred chakra point below your navel. It comes from your own confidence and fortitude and refusal to submit, and generally only arises as a result of hardship. It's something that is there all along but is only useful when you make a conscious effort to harness it. No amount of meditation can make it capable of shooting energy or putting out candles, and no one can ever take it from you.
So, to be concise, I don't believe in qi as a literal source of mythical power, but I do believe in it as a manifestation of the strength of the will. Any thoughts?
I don't believe in qi. At least not in its most commonly interpreted form. I don't think that there's any magic internal force that provides extra strength, speed, or stamina other than the willpower you have in your own heart. My thoughts on qi is similar to my thoughts on God; they may not exist as a tangible or visible presence that concretely dictates universal or personal happenings, but if you feel a certain way about something, it can become that investment for you; to some, God represents eternal hope and human brotherhood. So when you choose to never give up on your ideals, or feel love for your fellow Man, that is the touch of God in you. Similarly, when you're forced to call on the utmost of your own inner strength and concentration, that doesn't come from some sacred chakra point below your navel. It comes from your own confidence and fortitude and refusal to submit, and generally only arises as a result of hardship. It's something that is there all along but is only useful when you make a conscious effort to harness it. No amount of meditation can make it capable of shooting energy or putting out candles, and no one can ever take it from you.
So, to be concise, I don't believe in qi as a literal source of mythical power, but I do believe in it as a manifestation of the strength of the will. Any thoughts?
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