Does anyone have any good links on Chi.
I was researching another way to perform "magic" and I came across Chi, but I cannot seem to find anything on it on the internet, or in any of the old bookstores around town....
As far as I am aware Chi is merely one of the names for pranic energy or the body's life force.
It is a term that is used extensively in martial arts like Aikido and Tai Chi. Aikido in particular actively teaches the use of Chi in martial arts and I would suggest that manbe a site dedicated to Aikido or Tai Chi might be a good place to start.
It is also referred to a Qui
I found these websites:
http://skepdic.com/chi.html
http://www.shaolin.com/chi_kungfu.aspx
For a quick fix this is how it's defined in some dictionaries:
chi - the circulating life energy that in Chinese philosophy is thought to be inherent in all things; in traditional Chinese medicine the balance of negative and positive forms in the body is believed to be essential for good health
And the Encyclopaedia Britannica says:
qi (Chinese: “breath,” or “force”) in Chinese philosophy, the ethereal substance of which everything is composed. Early Taoist philosophers and alchemists regarded ch'i as a vital force inhering in the breath and bodily fluids and developed techniques to alter and control the movement of ch'i within the body; their aim was to achieve physical longevity and spiritual power.
I hope this is of use to you.
C.T.M.
To add a footnote to all that has been said, Chi is also known in Japanese traditions as Ki. It is this universal or pranic energy that is used for peace, stability, spiritual growth and development, and inner healing within Reiki, a form of spiritual healing. The Ki can be used and directed not only within the body but also beyond to body to another individual or item, regardless of location.
Hope this helps.