Qi and the Holistic Concept of Inner Peace

Learn how to incorporate an all-round health perspective into your daily life, especially when study and work keep you busy.

It’s easy to ignore our health when we are busy; whether that is during exam preparations or insane deadlines. Ironically, that is when the body needs the most attention and care. And it’s more important to take regular care of oneself, focusing on more than merely the physical aspects of health. 

Health is not only about bodily strength but about inner peace, and balance. This balance is not so hard to achieve; it only takes a few small changes and some time “off” to introspect and structure your work. 

Consider this example:

It’s exam time and the pressure is mounting. With final examinations just a fortnight away, Trisha stays up all night and revises. She wakes up at 4:30 and guzzles down cups of black coffee. She practices two sets of questionnaires and gets down to revising chapters for Organic Chemistry. While it is make or break for Trisha, her parents are worried that she is not sleeping enough and is pushing herself too much for the given exams. She is not eating properly too and is erratic with her schedule. fretting over her exam preparation to the point that she doesn’t take breaks in between and sits long hours without proper rest. She complains of headaches and backaches but ignores and gulps down medicines and coffee. She pushes away any ‘heavy’ food her mother makes, complaining that it will make her drowsy. Unable to cope with her daughter’s erratic behaviour, Trisha’s mother has replaced coffee with warm water, ginger and honey and heavy meals with small, simple meals. She adds nuts and forces Trisha to take a walk in the sun and keep herself hydrated. With better care, Trisha is able to study better and retain her concepts better. 

Introducing the concept of Qi

Qi, (pronounced “chee”) is the concept of vital energy. It is the most basic substance of which the world is composed. According to traditional Chinese medicine, everything in the universe results from the movements and changes of Qi. 

Originally a philosophic concept, it holds the most basic substance of the world. It is universal and embraces all manifestations of energy. This could be from the most material aspects of energy (such as the earth beneath your feet, your computer, and even your phone) to the most immaterial aspects (the light entering your room, your thoughts and emotions). Life, it is said, is a gathering of Qi. A healthy (and thus, happy) human being is a dynamic but harmonious mix of all the aspects of Qi that make up who we are.

However, it is important to understand that Qi is in a state of continuous flux, transforming endlessly from one aspect of Qi into another. It is neither created nor destroyed; it simply changes in its manifestation. Practitioners of yoga, tai chi, and medicine simply state that the point of practicing mindfulness is to avoid disharmonies, which occur due to deficiency or excess.

The way out of disharmony

First of all, it is important to have clarity of thought. Take time out to figure out the immediate goals and declutter and disengage from anything that is not important. For this, we must have sufficient mindfulness to perceive the world and determine our needs. Also, it is important that we determine how we can meet those needs without creating new problems for ourselves or creating disharmony in the world we inhabit.

So, an unquiet or disorganised mind (say, a distracted mind, or a mind that is constantly engaged in perpetual multi-tasking, or a mind filled with endless worry, or a mind just plain “stressed out”) is in harm’s way and is on the road of destruction. 

A good way to balance your Qi is to cultivate a quiet mind. A quiet mind is the foundation for the cultivation of good health and holistic wellbeing. Taking time for yourself by engaging in meditation, tai chi, and yogic practices should do the magic. We must realise that cultivation of a quiet mind is the most important thing we can do for ourselves, and it is rewarding in so many ways. Maybe promise yourself better wellness this year?