Ki

Origin and concept

The Japanese character 気 (modern simplified) or 氣 (traditional) is direct adaptation of the Chinese 氣 (qì). Buddhism arrived in Japan from China in the 6th century AD, bringing with it the cultural concept of qi/ki and Chinese medicinal traditions. From there, the ki was integrated into Japanese culture and developed nuances and specific applications.

Although conceptually identical to the Chinese chi, the Japanese ki has emphases of cultural language: 1) Strong emphasis on the cultivation of personal ki through martial arts (Aikido — literally "the way of the harmony of ki" — Karate, Kendo all work with ki). 2) Strong emphasis on the Zen meditation as cultivation of ki through stillness. 3) Specific use in Reiki (Mikao Usui, 1922) as energetic transmissive therapy. 4) Daily expressions: genki (good ki = good vitality, the typical greeting "O genki desu ka?" = "Are you in good ki?" = "How are you?"), byoki (sick ki = sickness), tenki (sky ki = atmospheric weather).

In Japanese disciplines

Aikido: Japanese martial art founded by Morihei Ueshiba (1883-1969) in the early 20th century. Its central principle: rather than meeting force with force, the practitioner of Aikido directs the ki of the attacker by harmonising with him; the resulting movements look like dance more than violent fight. The training of Aikido is essentially training to feel and direct the ki.

Reiki: see specific entry on Reiki. Mikao Usui codified the system of channelling Rei + Ki (universal divine vital energy) through the hands for therapeutic effects. Zen meditation: the cultivation of hara (the Japanese centre, two fingers below the navel) is direct cultivation of ki — when you breathe consciously deep down to the hara, you accumulate and centre the ki. Traditional Japanese medicine uses Japanese acupuncture (shinkyu) on similar principles to Chinese medicine but with sharper Japanese needles and distinct nuances.

Cultivating your Ki

Habits that increase your ki: regular meditation with abdominal breathing centred in the hara, regular practice of qi gong / tai chi / aikido, contact with nature, fresh natural food, sufficient rest, satisfying creative work, healthy social relationships, regular gentle exercise. Habits that diminish your ki: chronic stress, lack of sleep, processed food, toxic environments, conflictive relationships, sustained exposure to negative content, sedentary lifestyle, addictions. The basic principle is identical to the work with chi/prana — different cultural language, same universal phenomenon of vital energy. (See also: Chi, Prana, Vital energy).