108
Gi
5
10
15
W
hat is gi? Gi means different things to different people. Some say
that it is a
force created by practicing breathing exercises. Some
say that it is highly developed concentration. Still others say that it
is an electrical force that circulates within the body of all living creatures. Some
even claim that gi is a person’s soul. Where does the idea of gi come from? Most
information about gi comes from Asia. For thousands of years, the people of
India have believed in this type of energy, which they call prana. According to
Indian
mystics, or holy men, highly developed prana can allow a man to equal
the physical strength of several men; letting him bend thick metal bars and lift
heavy objects. The Chinese call this force chi, the Koreans gi, and the Japanese ki.
Regardless of the name, the traditional thinking in Asia is that this energy can
be used for health, relaxation, and
self-defense. Special gi doctors in China, Korea,
and Japan believe that gi travels through our body like cars on a highway. They
believe that some types of pain are caused by gi not being able to flow smoothly,
similar to a traffic jam on a road. They use a special system of needle
therapy called acupuncture or a type of massage, reiki, to help
unblock those areas where gi cannot flow freely.
2
force --- power; energy
8
mystic --- a person who practices religious rites
13
self-defense --- the act of protecting oneself when attacked by another
16
therapy --- a treatment
