Ki, Chi, Qi, Energy, or Light

When Joseph the Prophet wrote of his First Vision, he struggled to find the ideal word to describe the glory of God. He used the word fire in some accounts and said he was surprised that the trees did not ignite in God's presence. He also used the word glory. The word he finally settled on, and used most often, was light.

The light of God is said in D&C 88, verses 1 to about 12, to fill the immensity of space, quicken our minds, and give law and order to all things. We usually assume that this light is what gives us our conscience and holds the universe together. Perhaps this is what God meant when he said "Let there be light" to begin creation. His light began to shine--and that had to happen first. Likewise, in our personal development, we must start with the light of Christ, and built on that with positive habits and characteristics we want to have.

Anyway, I have often marveled at how similar Eastern ideas of Ki or Chi are to the scriptural idea of light from God. Eastern philosophies, and prominently in Western culture the martial arts, often teach that there is a universal energy that must be channeled through one's body for maximum effect. For instance, the Ki'ai, the shout during martial arts, is intended to channel Ki, or energy.

I believe that there is some truth to these nonscriptural practices--that Ki really can be channeled, and that it really does have a dramatic impact on your body. The first experience I ever had with Ki was with a meditation technique (I think it was called Qui Jong... maybe), in which you imagine light coursing through your body like a waterfall, from above your head through your feet. You imagine your feet holding it in your body for a while and then releasing it.

The next spiritual blessing I had from a father's hands was a special experience.