Energies

As we already know, energy takes shape in a broad band of manifestations: light, movement, electricity, life... And so with the body, energy will manifest in many ways, here classified as 3 types: Jin, Chi and Shen. These are the energies that flow in the physical body according to traditional Chinese medicine. They take other names in occidental occult philosophy, and we will speak about the other terminologies in later articles.

Jin

The energy that directly influences the physical plane is called Jin. It is the power converted in physical movement, it is heat energy, and it is the force behind the action. Jin can be converted from Chi, the more subtle energy. Many methods consist in compacting Chi and making it dense enough to become available to the physical plane, turning it into a physical manifestation. Jin can produce heat, more intense electric currents in our nervous system, heal our body faster and augment strength. Jin is energy acting in gross matter. It is more likely to flow thru the lower abdomen

Chi

Chi is energy in its ethereal form. It is life force. It is bioelectricity. It is naturally used by the body to live and the mind to think. It can move from one place to another before it is converted to the acting Jin or the elevated Shen. Chi is what we wish to develop, because it is easy to use, and it as a large range of applications. Breathing techniques enhance the movement of Chi in the body, and mental imagery also moves it in the body.

The more freely Chi can move in and around the body, the healthier you will be, and the more clearly you will think. Chi can be stored inside the body battery for later use (more on this in other articles). Chi can move thru the body and, with experience, outside the body. It can be transferred to someone else for healing purpose, or for Chi exchange. Great Chinese doctors use it in all sorts of medical techniques. Martial artists use it to augment their power and speed. It is also called Gi in the case of Gi-Gong, or Qi.

Shen

Shen is the spiritual aspect of energy. It is more volatile and harder to feel. It is always present, but the average person won’t even know it is there. It is the energy used in spiritual methods like prayer and meditation. As we develop Shen, we also develop our spirit and elevate our consciousness. Little information about Shen is available to common people, and a practitioner only becomes aware of it’s existence after a great while of practice.