Shanghaiceltic, ditto about the patience required to subjugate a penny whistle (or any other unfamiliar instrument).   :-)   All the best!

I think the word is referring to a host of different... mechanisms."

Hmm - I understand chi as the energy that powers that host of different mechanisms. Like the gas that runs your car, powering all it's different mechanisms - not to be confused with the mechanisms themselves.

I believe the the linguistic term "Qi" is a culturaly entrenched word and too many people in the west (and elsewere) try to define it using our paradigms ... I'd rather throw healing energy than people too, but I'm talking about what's possible, not what's desirable

Physical demonstrations and "anecdotal evidence" of what is humanly possible when certain level(s) of ability to manage and direct chi are achieved are valuable, I suppose. Without them there'd be no motivation or reason to carry out any scientific research in the first place. Yet other people's anecdotes; even seemingly "miraculous" but incomprehensible physical demonstrations of "chi in action" are certainly no substitute for scientific investigation / explanation (at least to the Western-trained mind)

This is why achieving scientific validation and understanding of life-force energy and of the many diverse Eastern traditions based on it would be beneficial, imo - especially in the fields of medicine, public health and education.