"Much like stage hypnotism though, Empty Force has its fans. Unfortunately it also has its true believers who don't appear to have considered the ethical implications of their chicanery on innocent students. Why the authors included "Self Defense" in the title of this volume, I do not know. Far from teaching any practical skills to their students, the people who promulgate these teachings are doing a vast disservice. I can only hope with all of my heart no-one actually attempts to use these..."skills" when the situation really counts for life or death. The results of trying to project Empty Force against an actual attacker in a real life situation could only spell disaster. It is difficult for any rational individual to conclude that Empty Force is little more than a con game, a potentially dangerous Empty Farce." Review of the book "Empty Force: The Power of Chi for Self-Defense and Energy Healing," Reviewer C.J.Hardman. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1583941347/102-2070599-5664903?v=glance&n=283155 The "Universal Life Force Energy" is the "Chi", or "Prana," or "Ki." The living body, human or animal, radiates warmth and energy. This energy is the lifeforce itself, and has as many names as there are civilisations. The Taoists call life-force energy "Chi" or "Qi." http://www.meaningoflife.i12.com/qi.htm
and what? what is the topic of discussion here? I feel that chi exists, or at least does a good job describing the physical evidence presented by controlled study of living things. However, I agree that anyone who tries to stop an attacker by shouting at them is going to get himself stabbed. Much of the "no-touch" control that I have seen has been way too subject to the effects of suggestion to be relied apon as evidence. However, hypnosis is form of no-touch control. We accept hypnosis as being a realt thing because it is repeatable in controlled situations. Chi is difficult to test in scientific settings because *we have no way to detect or measure it directly*.
The only person I know that trained with this force as an element in Hapkido, explained that although master practitioners can injure without touching an opponent, usually chi is channeled through a limb to a concentrated point. It is what gives good technique an extra measure of power. It isn't meant to be a substitute for physical training, or as a sole self-defense technique.
actually there is no such thing as the "Empty Force of Chi" as the book claims, but you believe in a paranormal power of Chi. I don't think that there are any "controlled studies" of this, but we also learned this in "I Chen Ru" - a rather mysterious form of martial arts. And it is also fundamental to Taoism. Lao Tzu's famous book is the "Tao Te Ching" or the "Treatise of the Tao and the Way." It often refers to the force of Chi.
much of the same stuff that modern medicine explains (though modern medicine describes it in more deterministic detail), along with pain and swelling control through meditation, reflexology, and accupuncture/accupressure. I have a condition forwhich I have undergone three surgeries. After all three failed, I found meditation, proper breathing, and (FAIAP) qi manipulation, allowed me to control the problem manually. One of the most telling things that western society has seen in the past decade RE: qi was when insurance companies began covering acupuncture treatments. They are money-minded to the penny; I have serious doubts that they would pay for such treatment if it had no effect. Yet, modern medicine does not have an explanation for its effectiveness. I don't want to detract from Western Medicine; the scientific method allows for more people to understand and verify the workings of the human body than have ever in the past. We as a cultural whole know more about the body then ever in the past, and that is a great thing! But research is ongoing *because* we don't know everything yet. And in just the same way, the Qi/Chi theories of life do not know everything; however, there are some useful pieces in there that should not be ignored, IMO.
Chi is the silent force of Nature that pervades the universe. Believe in Chi and you will silently find it. It is not spoken; yet it is heard everywhere. It is not seen, yet its workings are all around us. It is not felt; yet those who can sense can feel it around us everywhere. The silent force of Chi is inherent in Nature. But it is not an "Empty Force." It is there for us to find as we grow. And it is there for us to use if so be it necessary if we are in tune with its force and guidance.
