Ch’i in Therapy

During therapy sessions, the dance/movement therapist’s first task is to sense the energy of the group members. When working with children, the therapist may use a combination of fast and slow activities to create exertion and recuperation to help balance their energy. When working with frail elderly people, the therapist may use an upbeat rhythmic quality in the music and movement to bring a sense of vitality into the client’s lives. Working with chronically mentally ill people, the therapist may use music and movement (gesture, posture, and breath) to allow the clients to sense their muscles and/or connect with another person in a non-invasive manner. This structure may bring an isolated client from their inner world to engagement with the outer world. Ch’i is a constant presence in the therapeutic space, and even if we do not overtly describe ch’i to our clients, they are able, through breath (ch’i) and movement, to facilitate the connection between the body and mind.

Functional Ch’i

Sometimes our days seem to linger with indulgence, whereas during other days, we find ourselves rushing to complete many urgent tasks. We are constantly pulled between inner and outer forces, both consciously and subconsciously. When we are stressed, there is a tendency to hold our breath and tighten our muscles. When we are relaxed, breath has an even flow and the muscles are flexible, giving a sense of well-being (Iyengar, 1966). An awareness of our ch’i may renew our homeostasis. Functional ch’i is the way we monitor our attention to self and apply an energetic force in our everyday life.

Ch’i as a functional construct encourages people to bring harmony into their daily lives. This can be achieved through contemplative practices such as tai chi, yoga (Iyengar, 1966), aikido (Warneka, 2006), karate, and many forms of dance (social, folk, contact improvisation, authentic movement, waltz, tango, trance, hip hop, etc.). Harmony can be achieved through meditation or mindfulness practices, whereby the polarities of our inner urges (hunger, thirst, fatigue, and procreation) and our outer awareness (of our environment or being socially connected to others at work or in our families) begin to merge. Harmony can be achieved through the collective practice of singing or chanting together. This harmony-like formation helps facilitate healing, balance, and flexibility in our daily lives.

Cultural Perceptions of Ch’i

There are differing culturally derived opinions about how energy is perceived. In Western culture, working ten to twelve-hour days in an organizational environment is often perceived as positive. However, people who take the time for self-fulfillment or self-care may discover increased satisfaction in the perceived significance of their day-to-day routine. However, critics of this ideology note the focus on self rather than the collective whole.

From an Eastern perspective, yoga activity engages ch’i by regulating the breath (pranayama) and by regulating muscles through steady, comfortable postures (asana) (Iyengar, 1966). In Chinese medicine (acupuncture), the acupuncturist takes a person’s pulse to measure the energy ch’i in the patient and structures their treatment plan based on this assessment and among other factors (Kaptchuk, 1983). A more structured, regulated ch’i is generally viewed as the objective. People practice tai chi to bring balance, health benefits, and meditation into their lives.

Summary

Ch’i as an energy force surrounds us, lives through us, and permeates all living things. It can be measured, controlled, or soothed. Ch’i as a life force may be harnessed through contemplative practices to achieve healing and harmony within oneself that can broaden into creative energy (innovation and collaboration). Creative energy is the backbone of a successful organizational vision, one that can be achieved in western and eastern cultures despite differing cultural organizational ideologies.