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Sorry if this has already been discussed, but I couldn't find a thread about it (maybe I just missed it). Anyway, In my studying, what little bit I've learned of qi/chi/prana/etc. is that it is the life force that runs throughout the universe (or something similar), kind of like the gas for the cosmos. It can be used and abused in multiple ways. Traditional Chinese Medicine (and I suppose Ayurveda too) focus on cleaning/clearing the Qi pathways to prevent/cure sickness. However, I've found little positive evidence backing up TCM. In that light, here's the question: Is Qi a real thing in the sense that it is wholely contained in itself and perhaps misunderstood, or is it more of a metaphor for the multiple body systems working together to make the results of Qi? Is it something else entirely? At this point, I am more inclined to think of it as a useful metaphor, like the concept of an electron or gravity, but I'm interested in what other, more experienced Taoists/others have to say.