Idea
Well nothing really spurred this little... I guess you could call it a rant, but I'm not really annoyed to any such great extent.
Anyway, the thing is, Chi and Spiritual Energy are the SAME THING. Just thought I'd clear that up before we begin. Many would assume that I'm the only member who actually uses the stuff on these forums, with Mitsukai/Jinsei and all, but you need to take into consideration that some magicks also utilize spiritual energy, maybe even ALL magicks.
Ok, now the next part, I'm not so sure about, so I'll need Kegan or someone to clear this up for me. But basically, Spiritual energy is either considered to be Astral energy as well, and as such exists in the Astral Plane... or the Spiritual Plane is a sub-plane of the Astral...
Getting to the Point
-Ahem-.
Moving onward. A discussion about chi/spiritual energy was made in this other forum I use to venture, and I think it briefly touched on the idea of different chi types, or "auras".
Chi Types
Just exactly what your own personal chi can do, and how it does it, is determined entirely on your disposition. A being who is at peace, centered or clarity will possess a more calm, fluid, or even healing chi. On the other hand, a powerful, corrupt or loathing being will possess a negative type of chi that is more destructive and akin to elements depending on their ferocity, not the element alone.
Taking that into consideration, both ends of the chi scale could utilize an aura that harmonizes or mimics the attributes of water, however, one would better replicate a calm sea, and the other a destructive ocean.
Necromancy
Now Necromancers require a more destructive chi in order to partake in their deathly-oriented arts. Some may disagree, but they are in fact inserting their spiritual energy into a corpse in order to animate it, and curses are much like insidious parasites in chi form that infect a conflicting chi aura. Depending on the level, a most chaotic chi aura will have freshly made corpses decomposing at an accelerated rate. Zetsumi is an inadvertent example of this.
The Other One... >.>
Monks, priests, and healers such as Jinsei are the same, except that the necessities to perform their magic lies on the OTHER end of the scale. Those in harmony with themselves have better control over their chi/spiritual energy, and can use it to mend ailments and restore vitality. It becomes increasingly difficult for someone on the calm side of the scale to heal a person of corrupted chi, because these auras conflict and at times result in more damage.
But do not fret, there are alternate means of healing and restoration for those of a destructive nature.
Martial Arts
Then there are martial artists like Mitsukai who utilize chi to strengthen their body. A frail old man with the required chi capacity could deal a devastating rupture to a structure such as the great wall of china with not so much as a flick. This is also the source of Mitsukai's speed, which rivals that of warp travel. On the contrary to magics above, it doesn't matter which end of the scale you reside in order to utilize chi in this fashion, but your affiliation affects your style of combat, and the damage you deal.
eg. Destructive soul hits a man and blows him up, exemplifying the ultimate asset of strength. Soul of clarity hits man and punctures his spine with surgical precision, dealing no more damage than he needs to.
Holy Magic
Everything has a spiritual capacity, including Gods. In fact, they probably have the most (exempting some beings) and as such, many Healers invoke the energies of the Gods to perform acts of healing or smiting Unholy types. This is usually because of the fact that if Healers are expending their own chi to much for the benefit of others, they can kill themselves through a spiritual deficiency.
Holy Energy is essentially "God Chi" but only pertaining to Gods on the very end of the chi scale, more specifically the "valiant/peaceful" side.
Unholy Magic
You guessed it, is the complete OPPOSITE to holy. Necromancers and other practitioners of the dark arts will beg for this power, because Unholy Gods are less willing to share their power, except to devout followers.
Because Holy Magic and Unholy Magic are on the opposites ends, they conflict, and this is why one beats the other, but ONLY depending on the quality and/or quantity of the energy. Usually, Godly chi is more potent, powerful, pure and refined, and in MUCH MUCH greater reserves.
Other Derivatives
Of course, there are other means to "borrow" or evoke spiritual energy from an external source, the most common being the Astral/Spiritual Plane itself. However, this energy is ENTIRELY uninfluenced, and as such, you won't be able to draw holy/unholy magics from the plane. Because the soul acts as a miniature nexus of its own, you are involuntarily drawing small amounts from the plane as a result.
It's YOU yourself that affects the development of the chi from then onward.
Conclusion
Well I suppose that's just my idea, and how I've come to interpret things. By no means do you actually have to call spiritual energy "chi", it's just easier to type for me. I'm not entirely sure, but I think that words such as "mana" and whatnot might work, but I have a feeling these are different substances...
Spiritual Energy - Necromancy and Holy/Healing Arts 
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