SELECTION OF QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
NOVEMBER 2013 PART 3
If you practice kungfu, logically you use kungfu for sparring, not kick-boxing!
Question 1
I studied a system of Shaolin Kung Fu for eight years. However the school at which I studied turned out to be not what I thought it was. I was very disappointed when I learned my teachers did not live their lives the way they had shown me to.
— Kenneth, USA
Answer
This situation is not uncommon. In fact, it is even the norm now that kungfu is not taught the way it should be taught, and kungfu masters do not conduct themselves the way the public idolize kungfu masters to be.
How should kungfu to be taught? If one is taught ordinary kungfu, he should be able to use it for self-defence. If he cannot defend himself, he is not taught ordinary kungfu..
If one is taught good kungfu, he should be healthy, besides being able to use his kungfu for fighting. If he is not healthy, he is not taught good kungfu.
If one is taught great kungfu, he should have spiritual development, besides being combat efficient and healthy. If he has not experienced any spiritual development, or do not even know what spiritual development is, he is not taught great kungfu.
Today, it is a norm that kungfu practitioners, including some masters, cannot defend themselves. They may be good at punching or kicking others who are not trained in martial art, but they cannot use the kungfu they have learnt to defend themselves. If they are caught in a fight, or even in friendly sparring, they will be hit many times.
What is taught today as kungfu is not even ordinary kungfu, as its practitioners cannot use it for self-defence. This straight away disqualifies it to be good kungfu or great kungfu.
How should a kungfu master conduct himself as idolized by the public? Firstly he should be combat efficient and healthy. Preferably he should also be kind, generous, peace-loving, honorable and morally upright.
But today many kungfu masters may not be able to apply their kungfu to defend themselves against Karate or Taekwondo black-belts, though they may demonstrate beautiful kungfu forms. If they can defeat Karate and Taekwondo black-belts, they usually use Kick-Boxing, not kungfu. Actually they are kungfu-form masters or Kick-Boxing masters, but not kungfu masters.
These masters, if they can fight, are often not healthy, though they may be fit, due to the frequent injuries they sustain in their Kick-Boxing practice but are routinely left unattended to.
Many of these masters are brutal rather than kind, petty rather than generous, and aggressive rather than peace-loving. They are not dishonourable nor morally crooked, but neither are they shinning examples of honour and morality as past kungfu masters were.
Something has gone seriously wrong in the course of kungfu training. Our school, Shaolin Wahnam, strives to restore the greatness of kungfu. We as teachers live the kind of life we teach as a living example to our students.
Question 2
I am on a new journey now and I need some guidance. After turning my back on the way of life Kung Fu teaches, I am slowly returning. In my absence of training I have realized that it is not fighting that I wish to focus on but rather the spiritual side.
Answer
The fault does not lie in kungfu. The fault lies in the fact that kungfu has been so debased that a kungfu practitioner today is not one that the public would look up to.
But great kungfu is different. We do not want to fight if we can, but if we have to, we will fight well. But fighting is not the main reason why we practice great kungfu, especially in our modern law-abiding society. We practice great kungfu to enhance every aspect of our life, making our life and the lives of other people meaningful and rewarding.
From the chi kung perspective, there is no such a thing as an incurable disease
Question 3
I wish to learn how to help and heal people. That is where I need your guidance. Where do I begin? Should I study acupuncture, herbal medicine, massage therapy or Qi Gong therapy?
Answer
If you do not even know where to begin, you are not ready to help and heal people. To be a healer not only requires great skills and knowledge but also great responsibility. One must never become a healer just to flatter his own ego.
Any one of the arts you have mentioned -- acupuncture, herbal medicine, massage therapy and qigong therapy -- may make you a healer, provided you measure to the high level of skills, knowledge and responsibility required.
Question 4
What is the most effective? My instinct is to go with message therapy. However I would like to further my understanding of Qi Gong.
Answer
What is most effective in healing depends on a few factors, like the healing art, the healer, the patient and the illness.
If all other things were equal, to me the most effective healing art is qigong therapy. It is because of the following reasons:
- In the qigong paradigm there is no such a thing as an incurable disease but this does not necessarily mean that every patient can be cured.
- There is no need for diagnosis because the root cause of all illness is energy blockage.
- As long as a healer can help a patient regularly generate an energy flow to clear the energy blockage, his illness will be cured.
Big Boss Lifts Bronze Vessel
Question 5
Are you knowledgeable of a place I can study this?
Answer
Not only I know of a place, but also I can tell you the steps you can take to study qigong therapy and become a qigong healer if you qualify and are deserving. The path is long and not easy, but it is highly rewarding.
First of all, you have to be a good student. Learn from one of our certified qigong instructors.
You will save a lot of time and be assured of learning genuine, high-level qigong if you learn from us. If you learn elsewhere it is likely that you will only learn qigong forms as gentle exercise. We may sound boastful saying this, but it is true, and the intention of mentioning it is to help you save time.
When you have developed some foundation, you should attend my Intensive Qigong Course. Please check my website for available dates.
Later, if you are selected, you may attend my Qigong Healing Course, which is by invitation only. I offer such a course only once in a few years. After successfully completing the course, you may become a qigong healer. Please remember that being a healer demands high level skills, knowledge and responsibility.
Question 6
I know that the main objective of our practice is generating an energy flow by any means or techniques.
— Sifu Leonard, Austria
Answer
We are able to enjoy a lot of benefits within an incredible short time of training because of our chi flow.
It serves four very important purposes.
1. It is a fantastic safety precaution against deviations. Many people may be surprised that some Chinese are afraid to practice internal arts although they know the benefits because they are afraid of deviations.
But with our chi flow, whatever adverse effects due to wrong practice will be erased immediately. This gives us a lot of confidence in our training.
2. It overcomes illness and pain, and contributes to good health, vitality and longevity. This is probably the most valuable benefit of kungfu training today where actual fighting seldom or never occurs. On the other hand, many martial artists become more unhealthy the more they train.
3. It speeds up progress at an unbelievable rate. It is unbelievable that when past masters took months or even years to develop internal force, we take only days or weeks. It is understandable that other people would not believe it, but it is true. This is unprecedented in kungfu and chi kung history.
I have found out the reason for this. Chi flow is necessary for developing internal force. As past masters were not aware of this fact, they conscientiously practiced the required techniques for months or years, until they developed chi flow unknowingly. Only then their internal force began to build, and as their chi flow might not happen everyday they did not have the benefit of daily accumulated effect of internal force building. Because we understand the underlying philosophy, we aim at chi flow and internal force building on the very first day, and continue to accumulate our effect every day.
4. Chi flow enables us to benefit from spread and depth.
Practitioners, today as well as in the past, focus on one force training at one time because if they practice two or more types of force training, like Iron Palm and Thousand Steps for example, the two training methods would cancel each other.
But if we train two or more types of force training at the same period, even when the methods conflict with each other, we enhance our result instead of diminish it. This again is unprecedented in kungfu and chi kung history.
I have found the reason too. It is because of our chi flow.
For other people when they train two types of force training at the same period, the two methods cancel out each other. For example, when they have consolidated sufficient force in Iron Palm training, they dissipate and use up the consolidated force when they train Thousand Steps. So when they return to Iron Palm training, they have to start from stretch.
For us we use chi flow to convert one type of force to the other to enhance the result. For example, after having consolidated force in Iron Palm training, we can convert it into flowing force when we train Thousand Steps. When we return to Iron Pam training, we can convert our flowing force back to consolidated force. Because of this conversion, which increases both the flow and the volume of force, we have better result than had we train only one type of force.
Swallow Flies through Clouds
Question 7
But due to curiosity and cost-efficiency I always try to collect as many details and information as possible. My current project is concerning the 18 Lohan Art. I collected the special benefits of the exercises besides developing internal force from various sources (my personal notes at the course in Austria, various texts, Answers to Questions on your website, information from my brothers and sisters).
Answer
As in all chi kung exercises, there are the holistic and the thematic aspects.
The holistic aspect applies to all chi kung exercises, and their benefits are overcoming pain and illness, and contributing to good health, vitality, longevity, mental freshness and spiritual joys.
Even low-level chi kung will have these benefits, but the benefits may be so little and it takes a long time to attain them that they are marginal.
Hence, in my answers below I shall focus on the thematic aspect, i.e. benefits that are of particular important to certain types of chi kung exercises.
Question 8
Here is the current list of my research: (Please see the Answer below)
Answer
1. Lohan Worships Buddha -- Art of lightness, agility, mental freshness, heart, feeling light and solid at the same time, "see the light".
While Worshiping Buddha is excellent for agility, by itself it is insufficient to develop the Art of Lightness, though the movement in the exercise contributes to the Art. It is also an excellent exercise to strengthen the heart.
Mental freshness, feeling light and solid at the same time, and seeing the light are holistic benefits that are applicable to other chi kung exercises.
2. Reverse Hanging of Double Hooks -- activates the phenomenal Big Universal Chi Flow.
It is also a very powerful exercise to develop internal force. It has to be practiced with the supervision of a competent teacher.
3. Double Hooks Hanging on Wall -- kidneys.
It is also a very powerful internal force training method, which must be trained under the supervision of a competent teacher.
4 Shake Head Wag Tail -- cleansing of the nervous system, allergies, mental clarity, spine, neck, longevity.
Mental clarity and longevity are holistic benefits.
You are right that this exercise is very good for the nervous system, spine, neck and for overcoming allergies.
5 . Rhinoceros looks to the moon -- kidneys, spine, neck, flexibility of the hips (commander of movement).
Your observation is right. It is also very good for the nervous system, and overcoming allergies.
6 . Big Boss Lifts Bronze Vessel -- develops a lot of internal force, opens heart, strengthens kidney system, roots to ground.
Yes, it is a powerful exercise for internal force training, and must be trained under the supervision of a competent teacher. It does not particularly opens the heart, but would bring this benefit as the resultant powerful chi flow (not the exercise itself) opens the heart. However, when practiced wrongly, it may close the heart.
7. Big Bird Spreads Wings -- Fa Jing, heart, opens chest (more for Shaolin Kung Fu).
You are right in your observation. It is an effective method to practice fa-jing or explode force for all styles of kungfu.
8. Old Monk Grinds Rice -- Fa Jing (more for Tai Chi Chuan).
It is also good for advanced Shaolin Kungfu and other kungfu styles. It is excellent for agility and flowing energy.
9. Golden Leopard Trains Claws -- Fa Jing, heart, lungs, opens chest, Eagle & Tiger Claw, muscles, sinews, gall bladder, courage, confidence.
You are right in your observation. The fa-jing or explode force here is quite different from that in Big Bird Flaps Wings and Old Monk Grinds Rice. Here the force is more consolidated.
10. Father and Son Together -- Fa Jing.
Again the nature of exploding force and the resultant force itself are qute different from the other methods of fa-jing. Herein lies the richness of training methods in our school. The force here is both consolidated and flowing. This exercise sends energy flowing not just to the arms but also to the legs.
11. Shoot Spear at Mystical Gate -- Fa Jing, heart, lungs, opens chest.
It also makes a practitioner confident and courageous. It roots him to the ground, with a sense of solidness, while flowing energy is being exploded out.
12. Green Dragon Charges at Face -- Fa Jing, reducing the 5 gates to less gates.
I am glad of your observation that this exercises reduces the five gates to a lesser number of gates. It signifies your advanced attainment of both kungfu philosophy and practice. Many people reading this may not know what we are saying.
It is an excellent exercise for advanced kungfu practitioners to accomplish the ability of exploding internal force from their palm at close quarters.
This exercise is also radiant with health, vitality and mental clarity, and promotes longevity. Although these are holistic benefits, this exercise is particularly effective in realizing these benefits.
13. Hungry Tiger Charges at Prey -- Opens the lungs, liver, anger, sadness, confidence, Eagle & Tiger Claw Training.
Your observation is excellent. It also strengthens the sinews and muscles, and enables a practitioner to be youthful even when he reaches advanced age.
14. Iron Bull Ploughs Earth -- kidneys, combat application in ground fighting.
It also strengthens the waist and thus improves agility. Like the exercise above, it gives youthfulness irrespective of age.
15. Open Window to Look at Moon -- stretching of the side meridians.
As a result of opening the side meridians which acts like lakes containing life-force, this exercise promotes longevity. It also makes a practitioner flexible. It is also good for the kidneys and waist.
16. Old Monk Takes off Shoes -- kidneys, feeling light and solid at the same time, leg flexibility.
It is an excellent supplementary exercise for the Art of Lightness. It also cleanses the liver meridian, hence very good for people who become angry quite easily.
17 Night Guard Tests Sea -- longevity, balance (physical, mental, emotional, spiritual).
It gives agility and flexibility as well as poise and confidence.
18. Swallow Flies through Clouds -- freedom, balance (physical, mental, emotional, spiritual), flexibility, agility.
Your observation is excellent. If one practices this Swallow exercise and the Night Guard exercise regularly, he will still be youthful and agile when he grows old. Considering that many elderly persons are slow and clumsy, this is good advice.
Question 9
Only with your allowance I would like to post this to our discussion forum, as some of my brothers were very interested in my list. We would be grateful if you found something to add or correct. Should any secrets be included, I would of course delete the entries (like maybe The Art of Lightness for Lohan Worships Buddha).
Answer
It is a very good idea for you to post the information in our Discussion Forum. I shall also include it in my Question-Answer Series, but as there is a long waiting list, it won't be out until about a year later.
We are very generous with chi kung and kungfu knowledge.
And we need not worry about secrets being let out. Even when outsiders know the secrets, they would not be able to attain the skills.
This, of course, is not a justification for letting out secrets; it is a statement of fact. Indeed we are generous to mention this fact, though many people may not believe the fact or choose not to believe it.
The fact is that even when we describe the required techniques clearly for a desired art, people will still not get the benefits of the art even when they practice the techniques correctly.
An analogy will make this clearer. Even when a master surgeon, a swimming champion or a millionaire describes clearly how they become a master surgeon, a swimming champion and a millionaire, other people practicing the same techniques would not become a master surgeon, a swimming champion or a millionaire.
Actually this fact is so blatantly evident in kungfu and chi kung circles, but due to their lack of being humble enough to learn, or misplaced loyalty to their school, or other reasons, many practitioners choose not to see the fact. The techniques they have practiced for years are correct, but they still cannot use their kungfu for combat or are sick and weak.
Our generosity is not just in offering kungfu and chi kung knowledge but more in offering deserving students an opportunity to derive benefits from practicing these arts in a much shorter time than is normally required.
LINKS
Selected Reading
- Qualities of a Good Master
- Ah, Another Beautiful Day
- Five Elemental Continuous Fist of Xingyiquan
- Application of Wing Choon Folding Arms
- Combat Efficiency of Boxers and Kungfu Masters