Ki

Ki (気) is the Japanese word for the vital life-force energy thought to flow through all living things. It is the same idea found across East Asian traditions — the Chinese qi (chi) and the Sanskrit prana — expressed through Japanese language and culture. Ki is the "ki" in Reiki: the energy the practice works with.

Meaning. Ki is understood as the animating energy of life — present in the body, the breath, and the natural world, and central to martial arts, meditation, and healing arts alike.

In Reiki. The practice rests on the idea that when Ki flows freely, a person feels balanced and vital; when it feels depleted or stagnant, they may feel run-down or out of sorts. A practitioner acts as a conduit, using light hand positions to encourage Ki to move and settle through the recipient's body.

Good to know. No scientific instrument has measured Ki as a discrete, physical energy. It is best understood as a traditional and experiential concept — a lens for relaxation and self-awareness rather than a medical mechanism.