4: Chi Time: The Quantum Qi Show withClara Apollo - Episode 4

4: Chi Time: The Quantum Qi Show withClara Apollo - Episode 4

What makes a lifelong energy practice so compelling? In this Chi Time: The Quantum Qi Show conversation, grandmaster Mantak Chia joins host Clara Apollo to share how meditation from childhood in Buddhist Thailand grew into a global teaching career in Taoist inner alchemy.

You’ll hear how Mantak Chia’s fascination began at age six, simply watching monks sit in stillness and wondering, "what are you doing there?" That curiosity led him through Buddhist and Taoist training, qigong and Tai Chi, and eventually to New York, where he taught Chinese communities first before his work reached wider Western audiences. He recounts how his books took off after he demonstrated his energy work to a New York esoteric bookseller, who immediately backed his entire catalogue.

The heart of the conversation focuses on practical Taoist tools for everyday life. Mantak Chia explains the Dantian as the body’s "original force" and prenatal qi, describing how people spend this inner life store without realising, and how practices like the Inner Smile and Microcosmic Orbit help "add more life into your life". He breaks down the difference between the "creating cycle"—organs working together as a harmonious team—and the "conflict cycle", where emotional tensions pit organs against each other.

Clara guides the chat into accessible territory, asking whether qi is something to generate or simply recognise, and how the Six Healing Sounds support organ health by matching each organ’s healthy vibration. Mantak Chia also shares the Fusion of the Five Elements practice for transforming fear, anger, hatred and other heavy emotions into more balanced states.

For anyone interested in inner resources for stress relief, emotional balance, or simply feeling more at home in their own body, this conversation offers a calm, gently humorous window into Taoist self-care. It’s especially relevant if you’re building a life that prioritises wellbeing and want practices that start from the inside out. How might your recovery or wellness journey change if you truly "learn how to love yourself" first?