The 12th Conference on Health Care of the Chinese in North America Physiological Changes Accompanying Qigong and Acupuncture

"Qi", the Chinese character for air, is a Chinese/Oriental term for an abstract form of energy that is considered vital to the mind and the body. Traditionally, Qi circulated through channels of the body known as "Meridians", is referred to as "Internal Qi". Proper flow of internal Qi is deemed to be important for good health, while blockage of Qi is associated with disease and dysfunction. When the energy is projected out from a certain part of the body (most frequently the hands) and transferred to another person or object, it is referred to as "External Qi". While the ideas of Qi and meridians remain unexplained in Western medicine, there is increasing scientific evidence that they may have great relevance to our understanding of human health and disease.