The Qi to the Kingdom
When patients first hear the word “qi,” it is usually the moment in the conversation when things feel least familiar, making the medicine feel distant rather than relative. Some have heard of acupuncture only in passing or have seen it in a movie where someone lies covered in needles. Others may think it must be the same thing their physical therapist does and calls it “dry needling,” or they imagine it will be relaxing and similar to receiving a massage. When they hear about qi, for some, that is the moment they feel removed. What may have felt intriguing suddenly feels foreign, othering and harder to trust.
We could say this post is my attempt to offer “the qi to the kindgom” - a way in, a way to make this idea feel closer, more attainable. In truth, the word “qi” doesn’t come up often when I’m treating patients. Part of my job is to make the medicine feel accessible, and for many people, it’s already a big leap to receive treatment in a system they don’t fully understand. Adding a word that points to something invisible in their own body – something they can’t easily look up or explain – can make that leap feel even bigger. It invites questions they can’t answer for themselves, questions their doctor doesn’t know how to answer for them either, or questions they can’t research into a simple understanding. My goal is to keep the door open, to make space for curiosity rather than confusion.
From a Western medical perspective, qi can be understood as a metaphorical framework for describing biological processes rather than as a discrete, measurable substance. While there is no direct anatomical or biochemical equivalent to qi, several physiological systems together mirror what traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) means by its movement, balance, and flow.
Qi is often compared to the body’s bioenergetic processes – the combined effort of cellular metabolism, circulation, and neural signaling. For example, mitochondria produce adenosine triphosphate (ATP), the molecule that powers nearly every cellular process. This steady production and consumption of energy keeps tissues alive and responsive – a process that parallels how Chinese medicine describes qi as the force that sustains life and movement. The flow of qi through meridians can be thought of as similar to the way multiple systems – nervous, cardiovascular, lymphatic – work together to keep the body nourished and in conversation with itself.
From a regulatory perspective, qi also parallels homeostasis, the body’s capacity to maintain stability amid changing conditions. Western medicine describes this as an interplay of hormones, neurotransmitters, and feedback loops; TCM conceptualizes it as smooth or obstructed qi. When qi is “stagnant,” patients may report symptoms like pain, tension, or digestive irregularities- complaints that often correlate with measurable physiological stress responses such as muscle guarding, altered blood flow, or elevated inflammatory markers.
Some researchers have explored qi through the lens of biophysics, investigating bioelectric fields, connective tissue signaling (via the fascia network), and the effects of acupuncture on brain activity or immune modulation. These studies suggest that qi may be a functional metaphor for the integration of mechanical, chemical, and electrical communication within the organism.
When I explain acupuncture this way, I often see patients relax – faces soften, shoulders drop. They don’t have to believe in anything foreign or strange. It’s more of an invitation to notice what happens in their own body, how it feels to be more at ease, how pain shifts, how sleep improves. The mystery is still there, but the patient is inside it now- not standing outside, wondering if this is for them.
Whether we call it qi, bioenergy, or homeostasis, the heart of the matter is the same: the body is speaking. Acupuncture simply sparks the conversation it sometimes needs. The body remembers how to heal; acupuncture just helps us listen. Like clearing static on a radio so the signal can come through again – the message of health was there all along, just waiting to be heard.
