Hunyuan Qi within the Boundless Mind: Why You Are Not a Body With a Mind, but a Field With a Form

Leilah Cupido
Dec 3, 2025
4 min read

We often assume that our mind and consciousness are products housed inside our head, generated by the brain. While the true nature of consciousness is largely unknown, Zhineng Qigong, founded on the Hunyuan Entirety Theory, provides a framework that invites you to flip this idea completely. Your consciousness is not inside your body — your body is inside your consciousness. This realization helps us discover the deep potential of Zhineng Qigong and understand our place beyond our selves.

The Hunyuan Entirety Theory - In short

We can think of the Hunyuan Entirety Theory as the unified physics of Zhineng Qigong Science. It explains that everything in existence, both visible and invisible, is a manifestation of one fundamental, original substance called Hunyuan Qi (Dao). A key aspect of this theory is that because each thing in existence is made of and surrounded by the original substance, each thing is also connected through it. Yi yuan ti (Mind Oneness Entity) is the manifestation of Hunyuan Qi at the highest level often referred to as Qi of the consciousness. With yi yuan ti in motion at will, with motivation, direction and penetrative abilities, it can cause various changes in other forms of Hunyuan Qi.

The Foundation: Everything is Hunyuan Qi

The Hunyuan Entirety Theory asserts that original Hunyuan Qi is the basis of all existence. In human life, this ever-present energy presents in three essential layers of matter:

Matter (Xing): The physical body—the condensed, visible form of Qi.
Energy (Qi): The invisible life force inside and around your body, including energies like heat and magnetism.
Information (Shen/Yi yuan ti): The consciousness, mind activity, or spirit (yi yuan ti). It is the most advanced, subtle, and complex type of Qi.

Why Your Body Is Inside Your Consciousness

The reason your consciousness acts as the container, rather than the contained, lies in the nature of Shen (consciousness) and Information. We consider consciousness (Shen or Yi yuan ti) to be the highest level of qi in the universe. It is characterized by being “enormous without confine and refined without interior”.

The Role of Information: Your Shen acts directly on information. Information refers to the holistic time-space structure that all matter possesses. This means that the complete blueprint of your physical body—its past, present, and potential future—is contained within its informational structure.
The True Container: Because the physical body is merely a condensed manifestation of Qi, and because your boundless consciousness (Shen) is capable of receiving, synthesizing, storing, and transmitting the holistic information (time-space structure) of your entire being, the Shen effectively contains and commands the physical and energetic layers.

In short, your body, its energy, and its entire history are held within the boundless energetic and informational field of your consciousness.

A Thought Exercise to Connect your Consciousness:

Shatter the Boundary (Consciousness is Boundless): With eyes closed, forget the physical limits of your body and your skin. Mentally recite: "Head touches the sky, feet stand on earth". Begin to imagine yourself as a space of openness where no judgement exists. Feel yourself as a huge Qi person in the universe with your head reaching into the blue sky and your feet standing in the void space under the earth. Your true essence, your Shen (consciousness), is so subtle and refined that it is "enormous without confine". You are not limited to your skull; you are as vast as the universe itself.
Reach the Horizon (Shen Acts on Information): Now, with eyes still closed, gently lift your arms and slowly push them outward. Mentally project your consciousness (Shen) to follow your hands, reaching out "into the horizon" and filling the infinite, empty space. That "empty" space is actually full of Hunyuan Qi. When your boundless Shen connects here, it is connecting with Information—the holistic time-space structure, or the perfect blueprint, of all existence.
Command Your Container (Shen is the True Master): Now, draw your hands and your consciousness back toward the center of your body (your navel/Lower Dantian). You are not just pulling air; you are humbly directing that boundless, high-quality Hunyuan Qi—perfect Information—to pour directly into your physical form and organs. Your consciousness (Shen) is the supreme commander. By bringing that pure information inside, your Shen is actively governing and transforming your physical body and energy, proving that your physical self is contained and mastered by your limitless consciousness.

Shifting Perception in Practice

Zhineng Qigong methods are designed to confirm this reality and break the fixation on the small, limited physical body. We actively use our mind to integrate with the external world and draw this Hunyuan Qi back into ourselves.

When we practice the Eight Verses, we shift our perspective from the limited "Self" to the "True Self" that is vast and empty. Learn the 8 verses with Free Zhineng Qigong Practice Sessions. And when we focus on the void, we realize that the empty space is a kind of homogeneous, formless and clear, transparent Hunyuan Qi. And when our mind merges with this void, we achieve a deep state where the void is actually felt to be inside the body.

This process transforms the limited, conventional self into a vast, free master: the True Self. By recognizing that our bodies are simply a dynamic component housed within the infinite scope of our consciousness, we gain the power to lead and control our own life activities and our health.

This conscious expansion of the mind to encompass the universe is the core of external Hunyuan practice, enabling the constant movement of "we within qi, qi within us" (ren zai qi zhong, qi zai ren zhong). This practice transforms the consciousness from a passive resident of a physical structure into an active, boundless commander!

Sources:

Pang, M., Wei, Q. F., & Fraser, P. (2013). The Methods of Zhineng Qigong Science (Vol. 1, Teaching Zhineng Qigong) (Paperback, 196 pp.). Patricia Fraser. ISBN 0473242311.
Pang, M. (n.d.). Chinese sport health-building methods: First level of the dynamic method of Zhineng Qigong – Hold Qi Up and Pour Qi Down method (Zhijun Liu, Trans.). Life Qi Center, Meishan, China; ZQ Education Corporation, Kentucky, USA
Pang, M. (2019). Overview of Zhineng Qigong Science: Textbook Series of Zhineng Qigong – 1. ZQ Educational Corp. ISBN 0986438820.
Zhen, Q., & Liu, L. (2017). The Psychology of Inner Perceptions: A New Branch Originating from Traditional Chinese Medicine (Paperback). Independently published. ISBN 1521411638.