Living the Tao-A Spiritual Podcast

Shorts | You Can Have Energy and Still Be Powerless

July 14, 2026·14 min
Episode Description from the Publisher

Can you have plenty of energy and still be powerless? In this Living the Tao Short, Master Mikel Steenrod and Morgan explore the difference between Qi and karma. Qi is life energy — the force connected to health, vitality, and the feeling of being alive. Karma, in this teaching, is something different. Karma is the energy of choice. This episode looks at why some choices fail even when they seem possible, why a person can burn through their available karma trying to force a result, and why big goals are often better approached through smaller successful steps. The discussion also explores why successful choices release karma, why distant or overly complex goals may fail to produce a yield, and why nature often works through repeated small actions rather than giant abstract plans. A clear and practical short on Qi, karma, choice, power, and the hidden cost of trying to make something happen before the power is there.   Video version here: https://youtu.be/ggUou5KaMmQ 🌐 Explore more Taoist teachings: https://www.the-taoism-for-modern-world.com 🎧 Listen to more Living the Tao Shorts & full episodes: https://podcast.the-taoism-for-modern-world.com -From Beginner to Expert, examine our collection of free videos and articles on qi gong: https://www.watermountainvirtual.com/qi-gong-collection/ Premium Episodes, Full Catalog (4x the content), and episode commentary: https://living-the-tao.supercast.com     Intro music: “Finding Movement” by Kevin MacLeod — licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. Source: incompetech.com

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