What Is Qi?

Qi includes the qi of the mind and the bodily qi of the four great elements of matter. The qi of the mind manifests as the vital energy of the manas; it is the mental factors (caittas) of the manas, such as being arrogant and conceited, full of self-assurance, dignified in bearing, high-spirited, having backbone, having ambition, being haughty, and so on. Bodily qi includes kidney qi, lung qi, stomach qi, spleen qi, liver qi, and heart qi; all the five viscera and six bowels have qi, and indeed there is qi throughout the meridians of the entire body. Qi can carry the blood in its circulation, which is called blood-qi (xueqi); the body relies on blood-qi for nourishment and operation. Once the supply of blood-qi falls short, the six consciousnesses lose the strength to continue functioning and the activities of the five aggregates (pañca-skandha) weaken; or if the circulation of blood-qi becomes disordered, the six consciousnesses become disordered, and one may even go mad. 

The qi of the mind can drive and influence bodily qi, and bodily qi can elevate and influence the qi of the mind; the two influence each other, and their impact on meditative concentration (samādhi) is considerable. When the qi of the mind is not calm and balanced, meditative concentration does not arise; when bodily qi is not harmonized, meditative concentration does not appear. Therefore one must regulate both the qi of the mind and bodily qi. Regulating the qi of the mind relies, first, on principle—reasoning with oneself so that the mind's qi becomes calm and stable—and second, on good physical constitution with unobstructed circulation of qi and blood; only then can meditative concentration appear. Regulating bodily qi relies, first, on an adequate supply of the necessary nutrients of the four great elements; second, on adjusting the breath and engaging in exercise; and third, on the regulation of the mind's qi and mental intention—when the qi of the mind is calm and balanced, bodily qi will gradually become calm as well; this is called "a calm mind and harmonious qi." If bodily qi is disordered and insufficient, the qi of the mind will also become disordered and insufficient; the two complement and support each other.

Besides the qi of the mind and bodily qi, there is also the qi of karmic obstructions. What is called the qi of karmic obstructions is in fact a force of karmic actions from past lives, or one might call it the inertia and power of karma; this is the most difficult to regulate and overcome, and most of the time one can only passively endure it. If a person has relatively strong capacity for awakening and discovers where their karmic obstructions lie, discovering their own bad habits, they will find ways to turn things around and overcome them: first, through repentance, to repent away karmic obstructions; second, through making vows, to suppress and overcome karmic obstructions; and third, by cultivating new good habits.