These days, there’s more and more talk about External Qi Transmission (EQT). Even the Mayo clinic is doing a study. So what’s all the fuss about?
Typically, when I talk about qigong, I’m talking about self healing. Most of my work involves helping people to get the body’s internal energy (or qi) flowing, and thus maximize their natural ability to heal.
But there’s another aspect of qigong, and one that I actually have quite a bit of experience with. Some masters, after practicing for many years, can also transmit qi to another person. This enables him or her to maximize healing in another person.
Before we go further in, let’s talk briefly about terminology. There’s a slew of different terms being used, and this can get confusing. I’ve seen all of the following terms in common usage:
- External Qi Therapy
- External Qigong Treatment
- External Qi Transmission
- Emitted Qi
- Energy Healing
- Qi Transmission
- Medical Qigong Therapy
All of these phrases point toward the same phenomenon: The technique of projecting bioenergy outside the human body, typically for healing purposes.
I use the term “External Qi Transmission” because I think it’s the most accurate of the bunch.
External Qi Transmission is nothing new. It’s as old as Qigong itself, which of course is thousands of years old.
But it seems like, over the past few years, there is more research being done not just about qigong and tai chi, but specifically about External Qi Transmission.
Personally, I think that this is a good thing, and I fully support it. If the studies are crafted intelligently, and the masters chosen carefully, then I have no doubt that the studies will demonstrate not only the reality, but the effectiveness of External Qi Transmission.
If you’re raising your eyebrows right now, if your world view doesn’t allow for energy to be projected from one person to another — well, I can relate.
Once upon a time, I myself didn’t believe in this kind of mumbo jumbo either. So I can’t say that I blame you.
However — your disbelief doesn’t change the fact that energy projection is very real.
I’m not saying that all examples of External Qi Transmission out there are real. I’ve seen some pretty sketchy examples on YouTube. But that’s just the way of the world. Some examples are fake; and some are real (even on YouTube). C’est la vie.
Below are some of my own, real-life experiences with the phenomenon of External Qi Transmission.
Story #1: Qi vs. a Table
In late 2005, I was attending a seminar in Miami with my former teacher, Sifu Wong. I drove down from Gainesville, and I brought a few of my students along with me.
I was a fledgling Sifu (teacher) at the time, and although I had a good amount of qi built up from many years of training, I didn’t know how to apply it for healing others.
At the time, I was also a graduate student in acupuncture college, so I was highly interested in the subject of External Qi Transmission.
I asked my Sifu about transmitting energy. “You already have plenty of Qi,” he said. “And you’re also healthy, which is important. Now you need to learn how to transmit qi for healing.”
He taught me how to project Qi using special hand postures, breathing techniques, and visualizations. Then he showed me how to use my energy to open specific points and meridians on the body. (I already knew the points and meridians because of my acupuncture training; I just didn’t know what to do to them!)
A few days later, while having breakfast, my Sifu suddenly said, “Try transmitting qi to your student’s hand.”
My student, Chris, had joined us for breakfast. Although he was (and is) a dedicated student, he was relatively new at the time.
“No pressure,” I joked. Sifu Wong liked to test me by putting me on the spot. As much as I hate to admit it, this can be an effective teaching method. Nevertheless, I silently hoped that I wouldn’t mess it up and possibly lose a good student in the process.
My Sifu asked Chris to hold out both of his hands and to close his eyes. I summoned up my qi, and then projected it using a hand posture called the “Sword Finger”. The idea was for Chris to feel which of his palms, the left or the right, was receiving the qi.
Actually, he was able to feel it surprisingly easily. He said that it was quite obvious to him, and he was able to guess the correct hand repeatedly. “Whew,” I thought to myself, happy that I wasn’t going to lose a good student.
“Now through the table,” my Sifu said, sipping his coffee, smiling, and enjoying himself thoroughly.
So Chris held his hands below the restaurant table, and I repeated the qi transmission.
Same result. In fact, it seemed like the table had zero effect on the transmission whatsoever. Chris was able to feel the energy in his hand even with the table in the way.
Story #2: Seeing is Believing
After my wife had surgery for cancer in 2005, she suddenly started getting severe menstrual cramps. When I say severe, I mean sobbing-and-moaning severe. The pain was intense, despite all of her efforts to heal it.
At the time, my wife was an intern at one of the best acupuncture colleges in the country, and she had access to several senior acupuncturists. Acupuncture and herbs helped a bit with the pain, but not enough. She was desperate, so I decided to give it a shot using External Qi Transmission.
We did several sessions in the clinic at the acupuncture college (where my wife and I met). Using External Qi Transmission, I was able to alleviate her pain better than any other therpy.
My theory is that the qi was able to penetrate deeply into her tissue, just like it went through the table. Once it penetrated the tissue, it was able to help the body’s energy to heal itself.
After one of the sessions, an acupuncture physician who was watching said the following to me: “If I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes, I wouldn’t have believed it.”
Story #3: Freaking Out a Friend
Speaking of disbelief, I once completely freaked out a skeptic who also happens to be a dear friend of mine.
In 2008, I went back to New York for a visit. I had moved to Florida in 2004 to attend acupuncture college, but I still had friends and family back in NYC.
While there, I saw an old friend — one whom I had known since high school. While cooking dinner, she accidentally burned herself. Later that evening, she complained about the pain from the burn.
“I can probably fix that for you,” I offered casually. She looked at me like I was crazy. But then again, she was an old friend and already knew that I was crazy. So she agreed, albeit reluctantly.
I charged my palm with qi, and then held it over the burn for about 5 minutes. This was another technique I had learned. It’s slightly different than opening the energy points with the Sword Finger, but very effective.
After 5 minutes of holding my palm above her burned skin, the pain was gone.
Completely gone.
My friend was quietly freaking out, and got up to go pour herself a glass of wine. When she sat down, she looked visibly shaken.
“You just got rid of my pain — without touching me,” she said after a pregnant pause.
I had underestimated her skepticism. Over the years, I had gotten more and more casual with the reality of External Qi Transmission. To me, it was no longer mysterious. It was a natural, if unexplained, phenomenon.
But my friend wasn’t on the same page yet. At the time, she worked in bioscience research at a prestigious university. External Qi Transmission was not something that was in her window of possibility. In fact, I had seriously challenged her world view by taking away her pain.
As I watched her sip her wine, it occurred to me that the pain of having her world view shattered was probably worse than the pain from the burn.
To be continued?
This post turned out to be longer than I expected. I’ve still got several more stories to share, as well as my own thoughts about the phenomenon of External Qi Transmission. Shall I continue in another post later?
UPDATE: You can read part 2 of this article here.
Best regards, Sifu Anthony
I’m Anthony Korahais, and I used qigong (pronounced "chee gung") to heal from clinical depression, low back pain, anxiety, and chronic fatigue. Today, I'm the director of Flowing Zen, an international organization with students in 48 counties. I've been teaching qigong since 2005, I've served on the board for the National Qigong Association, and I’ve helped thousands of people to use qigong for their own stubborn health challenges. If you're ready to get started with qigong, there's no better way than my best selling book, which comes with free videos and meditations. The sooner you read my book, the sooner you can start healing! Click here to see my book on Amazon.
Yes, Sifu, please continue in another post.
Continue? Yes, absolutely. Excellent, thought-provoking post.
Yes! Please continue Sifu 🙂
Awesome stories, I for one would love to hear more 🙂
This may sound weird, but I like the stories and anecdotes better than the informational stuff.
Yes, please, Sifu! Your anecdotes are riveting! Thank you!
Excellent article as always, Sisook.
For anyone interested:
Question Answer 3
http://www.shaolin.org/answers/ans09b/nov09-2.html
(Sigung’s point of view of the Russian incident)
Very interesting read. Yes, more please! 😉
Add me to the list of those requesting MORE, and here’s an insight I got during stillness today.
When I was 4 or 5 years old if I was “misbehaving” in front of “company” my father would gently tap me on my head. Sixty years later I can still remember how devastated that made me feel and the tears came today as then! After all, it was meant as a subtle, private reminder. How loving is that?
Little did he or I know about the “bai-hui” point!
Yes, let’s have more stories, please. And conjectures.
Yes please Sipak! 🙂
I should come to your blog more often… Every time I read something, I feel like going back to practice again!
I am a skeptic….maybe you need a volunteer in Costa Rica. I will be happy to give it a try. Now, when you can move an object with your Qi…that will be something to behold.
Well done, Sifu! More posts are very welcome.
Yes, please!
I have done Reiki in the past. I believe in energy transfer… Yes, I would like to know more about this subject. Thanks.
Yes! More stories. I have done the same with Reiki, but did not know it could be done with Qi! Thank you.
In the next post how about you share the different techniques and hand signs and their effects?
In some Buddhist traditions like the kuji-in hand seals is a major part of practice.
Kuji-in “Nine Syllables” is apart of Japanese Esoteric Buddhist Practice (Hand Jesters) but is mostly found in Shugendo and Shinto religions blended with Buddhism. Also the Shinobi/Ninja share in a similar Meditation – Hand Jester practice known as the Kuji-Kiri or “Nine Cuts”, many also consider such practices as “Magic Casting”. At one time I have had some experience and practice with Kuji-In (A fasination with the Ninja I suppose). But Kuji-in and Kuji-Kiri have very little relevance to the subject at hand, and are different practices altogether.
Perhaps this would be a subject matter for a group who practices these methods. The internet also if full with information and history of the Kuji-in jesters, it’s origin and meaning. Such practices are also found in Yoga (Sitting Meditation IE; Transcendental Mediation practices) etc.
Thank you for sharing this to the world I cannot find a sifu to train me i would love to learn more and open my meridians I’ve been studying awhile but I need direction traditional direction I would love to carry these teachings thru the next generations to come it is hard to learn more with classes being so expensive I am at a stand still on my learning I still practice it is my passion I just wanted to share this I admire and respect the arts and your insight you have shared peace be with you and all
Hi Jacob. You’ve already found a teacher! I’m right here!
Sifu Anthony I have a story myself. I can actually pin up my energy or chi and actually release it towards a group of people or a person and they suddenly jerk or have a muscle spasm that makes them jump. I’ve studied it in multiple situations that when I get anxious I don’t breathe outward only inward and hold it and can even release that energy with a simple eye blink. Everyone I tell thinks Im completely crazy but I can practically zap people. I can’t control it, well now Ive studied more and looked more into Tai chi and Qi gong to help me control it. Its a real out of this world experience and thats why I get my anxiety because when I see big crowds I start zapping people pretty much with my eyes and I call it the jump effect and it makes people jump or spazz.
My name is Zhengqiang Yuan (Qiang), a PhD and a professor, studying and practising qigong for over 28 years.
Two ways to transit external qi (EQ): 1) transit your own internal qi out to targets; grab qi in the universe with hand (actually with mind) and transit it to targets.
EQ can be used not only for healing people, but can also be harnessed to improve crop production, breeding new species (microbioles and plants etc. ), enhancing material quality and change molecular structures of DNA, protein and water etc.
EQ can be harnessed to make a tumour regress quickly and completely possibly as quick as in one minute. I had seen that kind of demonstrations.
As usual an excellent post, I’m sure I’ve read this before, such a library of information makes you the brilliant teacher you are, so giving thank you Sifu.