The revealing blue skies: Exploring qi (ki) [氣] in TEAM

“The arrival of qi is like the wind blowing away the clouds to reveal the blue skies” [Lingshu chapter 1]

Part 2 of the serie Shen – Heart – Qi – Jing: a lecture series by Stephen Birch

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 Contents of this Masterclass

In the modern period we find qi thought of in a number of different ways, depending on the perspectives of the person discussing it. For over a billion and half people it is a concept that shows up repeatedly in daily life conversation across a huge range of contexts and understandings with no single clear meaning. In the field of TEAM it is seen as a philosophical concept by many; it is seen as a ‘spiritual’ concept by some; it is seen  as a kind of ‘energy’ by many; it is seen as something to do with living things by many; it is seen as a vital concept associated with functional systems by many. These different perspectives each have their own foundations and at the same time limitations. To understand the meaning and uses of this term in TEAM systems it is helpful to go back to the early pre-medical literatures and earliest medical literatures in China. Once we are armed with those foundational perspectives and ways of thinking it becomes possible to see how the concept has evolved and is used in so many different ways in the modern period.

The lecturer has written about qi for over thirty years. He published an edited book with two Spanish colleagues in 2014 about qi and the jingmai (meridians) “Restoring order in health and Chinese medicine” that draws from the latest available scholarly literature to compile a historical overview of the concept of qi and to show how it has been used in various medical traditions. The lecture will draw extensively from this work. A finding that was somewhat surprising to the lecturer was the close association of qi to the mind or at least to an action concept associated with conscious experiences of the world. The lecture will also explore those and discuss how those perspectives can assist and enable those practicing TEAM systems like acupuncture and shiatsu.

For Whom?

This masterclass is open for graduated shiatsu therapists and acupunturists.

Practical information

Online webinar. The link for the webinar will be sent to you after registration.
The online environment works best with Google Chrome or Firefox.

Teacher

Stephen Birch PhD, (acupuncture practitioner, teacher, scholar, researcher)

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