Chinese folklore has many a story on qi vampires – corpses and creatures hiding during the day in coffins or caves until they can suck the qi (energy) from their victims at night. Dr. Graves remembers professors often sharing these stories during extra minutes in class throughout his education.
Although Western culture may not heed these legends, a modified version of a qi vampire is a way of understanding what’s draining your energy and affecting your health.
So how does Dr. Graves conceptualize a qi vampire?
“Qi is like a battery. You can drain it or charge it. A qi vampire sucks that battery dry.”
External and internal factors play a role in both draining energy and building it and the more we are aware of them, the more we can adapt our choices and lifestyle to manage and maintain a balanced state of qi.
External qi vampires
External factors (physical facets outside one’s mind), that syphon qi are such things as:
- poor diet and/or lack of whole foods
- insufficient sleep
- little rest and relaxation
- improper digestion
- pain
- alcohol, smoking, misuse or unhealthy use of drugs
- giving too much
- an overly busy schedule
- lack of movement
- overexertion (too much intensity and/or not enough recovery time)
- unhealthy relationships (gossip, drama)
- news/media/social media
- technology
- environmental toxins
- medications
Internal qi vampires
In addition to external factors, emotional and spiritual stressors can also deplete qi such as:
- excessive worry, anxiety, and fear
- grief
- low self-esteem or too much ego/conceit
- trying to live up to unrealistic or unhealthy expectations
- emotional distress from trauma, relationships, or work
- a disconnect between values and actions
- lack of loving and feeling loved
- isolation, loneliness, lack of community
So what’s sucking your qi?
We all do things that create imbalance and once we recognize what those things are, we can create change – by both reducing or eliminating qi depleting factors and adding in things that build qi back up.
For example, in Western culture productivity is viewed as success and we can strive for that at any cost. In our 20s, it can be easy to go, go, go because we have enough qi to function at that level, but as we get older our qi naturally declines so that same productivity can be exhausting.
If it’s time to check-in with your qi, simply take your hand and place it over your heart. Listen to what your body and mind are telling you they need. Is it rest and recovery? Maybe stimulation and movement? How about love and compassion?
Take the time to ask and listen and follow up with mindful action and choices (as well as boundary setting, if needed). It may just be enough to drive those qi vampires away.
Does your qi need balancing? Dr. Graves specializes in the process to rebuild healthy and harmonizing qi. Please call us at (303) 688-6698 or click here to schedule an appointment and make it a happy halloween.
The CNMA office provides naturopathic care, acupuncture, testing, massage, and holistic counseling to those in Castle Rock, Castle Pines, Highlands Ranch, Lone Tree, Centennial, Parker, Larkspur, Monument, Colorado Springs, and the greater Denver metro area. For those outside of these areas, virtual appointments are available.
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