Ki is known by many names. Metaphysical science calls it vitalism or “vital force.” Wilhelm Reich called it "orgon." Friedrich Mesmer called it “animal magnetism.” Bergson called it élan vital (vital force), he Indian and Hindu yogis call it “Prana.” To Chinese Kung Fu and Tai Chi practitioners, it is known as “Chi.” Western science defines it as “biorhythm,” while New Age thinkers simply call it “cosmic energy.”

Some explain the existence of ki as a kind of "energy" that flows within the body (especially along certain channels, called "meridians"). Some claim that certain forms of exercise or concentration enable them to feel ki flowing through their bodies. Traditional Chinese medicine bases some of its therapies on ki. These mostly anecdotal accounts of ki have not been substantiated by scientific experiments. Ki may exist as an objective phenomenon, but reliable evidence to support such a view is lacking.

Ki by any other name is still Ki. Dr. Wayne Dyer, in his theory of Power of Intention, speaks about your internal power of intention and how it may give you strength. He speaks of connecting to the "source" to gain internal strength. Sounds similar to Ki doesn't it? Ki is just being able to harness all your internal resources and use them together at the same moment to accomplish some task.

While on the subject of Dr. Dyer, just because you have a PHD and are a successful motivational speaker (which translates to people paying you exorbitant amounts of money to tell them what they already know so they will feel vindicated) does not mean you necessarily speak the truth. For example, Dr, Dyer speaks of the energy of objects. One of his examples is that you may gain physical strength from holding an organic banana next to your heart and that you will lose physical strength by holding a CD of gangster rap next to your heart because of the energy the objects emanate. If you believe all this unproven mumbo jumbo, then I have a natural rock to sell you that will give you super strength.

Some martial artists claim to be able to demonstrate the objective existence of ki by performing various feats, such as the unbendable arm, kneeling push, immovable body, finger circle, and fist wall, which are described below. Supposedly it is ki that permits a person to accomplish the feats. However, there are alternative explanations within the scope of physics or psychology that may account for the effects, such as subtle changes in body positioning or biases and expectations in the participants.

Some masters, such as Rod Sacharnoski, claim to be able to move people using ki, without ever touching them. However, when these claims are tested using scientific methods using subjects who are not students of the masters, the claims are proved false. The students who claim to feel the effects of the master's ki are necessarily lying, they are just being manipulated by their belief in the master' powers and the ideomotor effect.

The ideomotor effect refers to the influence of suggestion on involuntary and unconscious motor behavior. The term "ideomotor action" was first used by William B. Carpenter in 1852 in his explanation for the movements of dowser rods, movements of the pointer on Ouija boards, and the movements of Charcot's pendulum (where a small weight hanging from a string held by a person seems to answer personal questions). Carpenter argued that muscular movement may be initiated by the mind independently of volition or emotions. Suggestions may be made to the mind by others or by observations without your conscious awareness of it happening. These suggestions may influence the mind and affect motor behavior. These involuntary ideomotor movements have been used by charlatans for centuries. The have been used more recently by people such as chiropractors with their "Toftness Radiation Detector," by naturopaths using their "black boxes" in radiesthesia and radionics to harness "energy" for use in diagnosis and healing, by practitioners of Qi Gong in their "pulse diagnosis," by Deepak Chopra in his Ayurvedic medicine, and of course by advocates of ki.

Scientific tests by American psychologist William James, French chemist Michel Chevreul, English scientist Michael Faraday, and American psychologist Ray Hyman have demonstrated that many phenomena attributed to spiritual or paranormal forces, or to mysterious "energies," are actually due to ideomotor action. The tests show that honest, intelligent people may unconsciously engage in muscular activity that is consistent with their expectations and that suggestions that may guide their behavior may be given by subtle clues.

Ki is very commonly used in the Orient. They use it in all kinds of expressions and contexts, such as "genki" good health, without necessarily adopting any particular philosophical position on the existence of a specific energy.

Ki is not a native part of Western culture and so we tend to view it from a different perspective. We only use the word when referring to the internal energy of ki. Some reject the concept altogether while others accept it as a magical spiritual force. Pragmatists prefer just to use it for what usefulness they may attain from it.

Pragmatists fall into two categories: the rational believer and the rational skeptic. The rational believer views ki as an not well understood energy generated within the human body that may be developed, controlled, and used.  The rational skeptic views ki as a synergy of various psychological and physical effects within the human body that has no real existence as a separate force but is a useful concept that may be developed, controlled and used. 

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