i was seeing a TCM practicioner, and I was given 'free wanderer' formula, and it had alcohol in it.  Xiao Yan So?  I was scarred of the alcohol, since it seemed kinda strong,.  So i didn't take it, can you comment on this?

Thank you!

You are right about Chi and I think even better than medatation and martial arts is the concept of "Keeping a quiet heart" to develope ones chi as Li Ching Yun did.

Here is my official view of what Chi is:

 

    My View of Qi

 

 As a TCM Herbalist to me, qi is just the flow of God’s creative energy living within us and all He created. Actually the Chinese have a somewhat similar view when you think about it:

 

Qi or Chi (pronounced chee) is a difficult concept to translate. It’s usually left un-translated because there is no single English word that conveys all parts of the Chinese concept. The word that comes closest is energy. The origins of both are tied to their cultures’ creation theories. The Taoist creation theory isn’t actually a theory. It’s more a statement of fact than speculation. “From nothing came something.” (Sounds like God at work creating to me!)  The Void versus Qi. Yin versus Yang. From Yin & Yang came the Five Elements. From the Five Elements came the Ten Thousand Things (all things in creation). It is interesting to note that even 4,000 years ago, long before Christianity existed, the Chinese always referred to “The Creation” as opposed to “Circumstance” or some other excuse for it!

 

Neither Qi nor energy can be destroyed, only changed in their forms. Everything is composed of Qi; our bodies, the earth, water, sound, light. The Nei Jing - The Yellow Emperor’s Classic of Internal Medicine (c.500BC) says “There is no place that Qi is not.”

 

Qi flows throughout the body in currents or conduits called channels or meridians or in Chinese; jing luo. There are fourteen main channels and these possess the most commonly used acupuncture points. Twelve of these channels connect to a yin or yang organ from which they derive their name.

 

For example, the Wood Element yin organ is the liver. The liver channel runs from the foot up the inside of the leg, along the center of one-half of the abdomen and goes inside below the sixth rib. Inside it connects to the liver and the gallbladder, goes up through the diaphragm, up to the throat, then the eyes and terminates at the vertex of the skull. There are two branches from the liver channel. One which connects to the inside of the lips and one which connects with the lung.

 

 

 

Chris ... I appreciate your post and am also a big proponent of TCM,.. as I am learned about it and have used it for many years in my own life for helping myself and others.

I am a bit surprised however that you do not mention the most fundamental aspect of promoting health and longevity that in my opinion is the the most true factor of all. ...That being the cultivation and development of ones "chi" or life force. ........... Here in the west we are only beginning to become aware of the phenomenon of Chi,.. but in such cultures as China or India or Japan,.. this reality has been a part of life for thousands of years. .... To learn to cultivate ones chi is to learn to strengthen and harmonise ones life in all ways,.. from the very core of your being, outward. ................ Many here in the west are discovering the tremendous wisdom and benefits of such forms of exercise as Hatha Yoga,.. Tai Chi ... Chi Gung... and meditation ...or even some forms of martial arts.

To cultivate ones inner life force is the most powerful thing that one can do to promote ones inner and outer health and longevity. .. Of course this does not negate the value and importance of good nutrition and natural healing modalities,.. but the reality of chi is seemingly missed even among those here in the "natural healing" circles of modern western culture.

I just bought a pound of "Tibetan" goji berries to try out, mainly because of their reputed high vitamin C and antioxidant content (2500 mg vitamin C/100g according to Wikipedia).  I've been eating a tablespoon or two a day with other food to minimize the possible blood sugar effects from the sugar in the berries.

Maybe eating goji berries will help to add some years back to my life that were taken away by eating all those burgers, fries, and sodas over many years in the past :-)
(see post by mmc8821)

Wouldn't it be something if we could live to be 197 (or maybe 256?) like Li Ching Yun?  Mastering the "quiet heart" may be the most difficult challenge for most of us!

BTW, I like your "Peruvian Dreams" tune.  Well done!