To understand the our state of health, we have to know our own resources of Qi. Some people are blessed with strong energy resources inherited from their parents at birth. Others will need to work hard to boost their inherent energy levels by a healthy diet and lifestyle, and avoiding toxins and po1lutants, which can damage Qi.
Although some Qi is inherited from our family, Qi can be gained or dissipated throughout life.
This correlates directly with modern research. It is known that the sperm of men who drink heavily, smoke or who are under severe stress is of a lower quality. We also know that the health of a baby can be affected by drugs taken by the mother, by her lifestyle, or by trauma during pregnancy.
Parental Qi can be thought of as the deposit account in a bank. The deposit account can be used occasionally for special things, and to fall back on in times of emergency. It can be added to from a surplus in the current account. You get a reasonable 'interest' rate if you don't need to draw on funds very often. If this account is consistently overdrawn, you will need to fall back on your inheritance nest-egg to survive.
Poor diet, excessive alcohol consumption or polluted air can contribute to bad health, even in those with strong parental Qi who are born healthy.
The Acquired Qi is just like the current account in banking. The current account covers day-to-day living expenses. It will fluctuate according to your needs and the time of year. It can be depleted and renewed frequently. If you keep 'overspending' and this account is consistently in the red,you will have to keep drawing from your deposit account.
The Inherited Qi is the nest-egg. i.e. a one-off lump sum that cannot be substantially added to, and once it is used up you are broke!
Sometimes people can be born with a poor inheritance, such as those who suffer from congenital illness. With time, this basic store of Qi gradually erodes. In Chinese Medicine, some natural aspects of ageing, such as the menopause, may be related to the gradual depletion of Qi.
Wei Qi movements Wei Qi circulates during the day travelling up the spine, across the head in the morning, down the front of the body during the afternoon to reach the lower spine at night, where it retreats back into the body.
This means that the time of any external injury is highly significant in Chinese medicine. A head injury in the morning, for example, is likely to damage the circulating Wei Qi and so will be harder to treat than a head injury later in the day.
Work out the relative strengths and weaknesses of your Qi Hnances. Use this to decide which areas of your health maintenance need special attention. Nurturing Qi during the good times will increase your basic store of Qi. And that is also your energy resources to combat disease.
