Qi Archives - Personal Power to Heal, Lead, Grow, and Live Your Best Life

Did you know that there are sounds that can heal you, both mentally and physically?

These instruments will take you on a journey through different cultures. Allow yourself to be calmed and healed by the thought of their sounds.

Hammered dulcimer. This is an ethereal instrument that will calm and heal your mind. It was popular during the Middle Ages in Europe. The hammered dulcimer is a folk instrument that provides you with a calming and charming melody.
Gong. The ong is an influential therapeutic instrument believed to resolve spiritual, emotional, and physical conflict. It was used as early as 3,500 BC. The gong is often used in meditation, yoga, and for other energy practices such as Chakra balancing.
Harp. This instrument is well known for its beautiful melodies. It has been used throughout the world, going back to 3000 BC. The sweet and soft melodies it creates are therapeutic to the spirit, mind, and body, and therefore often used in modern sound healing therapies.
Wind chimes. We often think of wind chimes as beautiful ornaments just hanging in the garden, but they actually go back to Ancient China, India, and Rome. It is commonly utilized in Feng Shui to increase the flow of life energy (Qi, Chi). Wind chimes have the capability of transmitting beautiful timbres and celestial sounds.
Pan flute. This is commonly made from bamboo, ivory, and wood. Pan flutes date back more than 6000 years, and are commonly played in South American countries such as Bolivia, Ecuador, and Peru. Pan flutes are common in folk music and have calming, mellow tones.
Singing bowl. Dating back to the 12^th century AD, singing bowls were commonly used throughout all of Asia and were commonly used in temples for meditation and Tibetan monasteries. In today’s time, singing bowls are used in sound healing therapy, traditional meditation practices, and in yoga sessions.
Hang. This was first developed in 2000 by two investors from Switzerland. The hang is a spherical, harmonic instrument that possesses 8 different harmonic notes. Depending on how you use the hang, it resonates a sound that is similar to the singing bowl or the steel pan.
Tuning fork. The tuning fork was first invented in 1711. The tuning fork is a unique harmonic instrument that was first designed as a method to tune instruments. Today, they are often used in healing sound therapy to help promote wellbeing, promote harmony, and to help balance the human energy field.
Didgeridoo. This first originated in Austria more than a thousand years ago. The didgeridoo is a native instrument that is usually made from wood and is painted with traditional paintings. Its beautiful sound is played by blowing through one end and is often used in music therapy to clear energy stagnation and emotional distress. It also helps in assisting mind body healing and meditation.
Kalimba. This instrument originated in Africa. Kalimbas are also called thumb pianos or Mbiras. They span back many thousands of years ago. They are often made with metal keys. The sound of the Kalimba is similar to the sound of a hang or a harp. It is very easy to play. The Kalimba has been utilized in Zimbabwe to treat mental and physical illnesses.
Djembe. This instrument is a drum that comes from West Africa and is made from rope, wood, and the hide of a goat. It is used commonly to produce trances (states of altered consciousness), and can calm the spirit of anxiety and stress.
Rainstick. This instrument is believed to have been invented by the Aztecs. Rainsticks are usually made from the inside body of dried cactuses that have objects like tiny pebbles placed inside them. As the name shows, Rainsticks make a type of sound that is similar to that of falling rain, and are used for inducing states of calm and peace.
Native American Flute. As the name implies, this instrument was first used by the Native American Indians and is usually used in modern-day healing sound therapy. Native American flutes are generally used to promote psychological harmony, increase one’s resilience to stress, and to decrease the heart rate.
Monochord. The monochord is said to have been invented by Pythagoras and is a prehistoric instrument whose vibrations are used to re-energize the mind, calm the spirit, and heal the body.

When you are alert and focused and you feel physically empowered, you speak of feeling energized. When you are energetic instead of lethargic, your mind, emotional state, and physical body all seem to be wide-awake and ready for action. According to traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) this is because there is an identifiable pathway through your body where your life force energy – Qi – flows.

If you experience a lot of stress at work or you are not very active you can disrupt this healthy energy flow. Breathing impure air or living in a clutter-filled environment can also block or disrupt the healthy flow of your vital energy. This happens at specific meridian points identified by TCM. The use of acupuncture and other Chinese medicinal practices keeps your meridians – energy highways – open and flowing freely, leading to the fulfillment and overall wellness.

The 12 Energy Meridians in TCM

Different Asian energy healing methods may identify fewer or more than the 12 energy channels usually recognized by traditional Chinese medicine practitioners. In many cases, TCM describes Qi energy as flowing from your chest along 3 Yin channels located inside your body near your lungs, pericardium and heart. There are 3 Yang meridians which flow to your head.

An additional, 6 meridians are located near the stomach and bladder, the spleen, the large and small intestines, and the kidney. All these energy highways connect with major parts of your physical body, like your feet, legs, and head. If you can imagine an interconnected network of highways, you can visualize how a block in one energy meridian can cause problems throughout the body.

What Are the Extraordinary Meridians?

In addition to the 12 energy channels recognized by traditional Chinese medicine, there are “extraordinary meridians”. These helps to further improve a healthy flow of life force energy by monitoring the movement of Qi through the 12 major pathways. They also improve overall well-being by boosting the health of your kidneys, influencing healthy blood flow and circulation, and improving the health of your immune system so your energy flows freely and naturally.

Western medicine is not always quick to agree with natural or alternative healing practices which have archaic origins. This is unfortunate, because the understanding that a life force energy moves through all living beings can profoundly affect your health.

We can talk about balancing your energy meridians if more traditional and accepted healing practices have not given you the results you are looking for.