SELECTION OF QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
SEPTEMBER 2013 PART 1
How would you counter if an opponent pins you down and twists your foot?
Question 1
First of all, I would like to thank Sifu for everything. Although I am far from perfect, I have grown so much in these past years. I feel I have won the lottery. Even if I would have no cash or a house, I would still feel as rich as one can be. The opportunity to cultivate my heart, my health, my energy, my spirit to full potential is beyond words. I will never be able to repay Sifu. Thank you.
I would like to take the opportunity for apologizing for being a bad student. I am embarrassed to say that I have neglected sequences and combat training for a long time. This is why I couldn't defend myself at the San Shou tournament.
— Name and Country Withheld
Answer
A main aim of our training is to enrich our life and the lives of other people. You have done remarkably well.
But don't be too harsh on yourself. You have been an exemplary student, being an inspiration to many people. Not only you have changed emotionally, mentally and spiritually, your physical structure too has undergone remarkable transformation. You have become a happy, caring and lovable person that you may not even thought possible before.
In today's law-abiding world, combat efficiency is a hobby, not a need. It is fun as well as satisfying if you can win free sparring competitions without yourself being hurt at all and without humiliating your opponents. But if you can't, it is perfectly alright. Our priority in practicing chi kung and even kungfu is good health, vitality, longevity and living a meaningful rewarding life, not to become a best fighter.
Nevertheless, if you practice well any of the combat sequences you have learnt and apply them in free sparring you will have a very good chance of winning without yourself being hurt. It is more important that you are unhurt in combat; it you don't win, it does not matter. You will then be able to restore the greatness of kungfu.
Question 2
I will do better. In chi flow I have great glimpses of how to perform in combat, with force and skill. I am happy to say that this is becoming second nature, not only in chi flow. I feel it is in my heart. I enjoy kungfu immensely. Thank you so much Sifu, for your patience and for believing in me.
Answer
The strategies I taught in our kungfu courses are the crystallization of my more than 20 years of fighting with other martial artists and remained undefeated.
I have made things very simple for our instructors and students. All they have to do is to apply what I have advised and find out whether it works. But somehow, some of them for some odd reasons resort back to bouncing about and fighting in individual patterns. It is not that they do not believe in me, but that they lack practice and lack experience in threatening sparring.
If you can apply my advice in chi flow and better still if it has become second nature to you, it is excellent. It is exactly what I have been advocating. Try it out with other martial artists, using what you have practiced, and you will be surprised how easily it works.
A secret of successful sparring is the combat sequence
Question 3
Inspired by this thread on the Virtual Kwoon, http://wongkiewkit.com/forum/showthread.php?t=7165 by Siheng Maxime, I have been thinking of also traveling to Germany to work and live there, and learn under Siheng Kai for about half a year, if siheng would accept me. After that, when back in my country, I would set up a healing practise.
Answer
Without any doubt, Kai is one of the best masters you can learn from anywhere in the world. Don't forget that he was already an international free sparring all style champion and a world acknowledged master before he learned from me. His healing skills are also excellent.
Kai also has the rare fortune to learn high-level acupuncture and healing personally from my sidai, your sisook Ho Kok Cheong, who is the eldest son of my sifu, your sigung Ho Fatt Nam. Your sisook Ho Kok Cheong is a rare expert in treating paralysis. A few persons told me that they had seen with their own eyes paralyzed persons walked again after just a few healing sessions from him!
If Kai accepts you, you must not miss this opportunity to travel to Germany to learn from him.
Question 4
In regards to the healing practice, I have not yet started. I am fully ready for it. I just need to take the step. With the right effort I could set it up in a matter of months or weeks.
Answer
Chi kung healing is excellent. It will rectify the misconception that many diseases are incurable, and restore the fact that good health is natural. I can foresee that it will revolutionize medicine and health care in future.
But, like any new practice that changes the world, it takes time. People the world over are conservative.
Editorial Note: The enquirer' questions will be continued at
September 2013 Part 2
issue of the Question-answer Serie
Sifu Kevin avoids a kick from Santiago during a sparring session at a regional Taijiquan course in Ireland
Question 5
Why do we massage our eyes after a chi kung session?
— Steve, Sultanate of Oman
Answer
An obvious reason is to have sparkling eyes, which is noticeable if you look around the class now. This will also enhance our eye-sight.
A less obvious reason, but still palpable, is to act as a transitional step from a chi kung state of mind to an everyday conscious mind. If a student opens his eyes suddenly, he may experience a "cultural shock".
A third reason which may not be obvious is to help in the process of normalization. We do not want to be fresh and energetic only immediately after practicing chi kung; we want to be fresh and energetic all the time. Massaging the eyes will contribute to this result.
All these three reasons also apply to facial massage and walking about after a chi kung session.
Question 6
Teaching the class was a great experience. Definitely the most rewarding paid work I have ever done. So, as well as having my physical, mental, emotional and spiritual health to thank you for, I have to thank you for enabling me to pass on these transformative Arts. As well as enjoying the classes themselves, outside of the classes I felt "blessed" as if the universe was sending me extra energy on top of my own practice.
— Sifu Andy Cusick, Scotland
Answer
It is hard to find any job more rewarding than what we do. We give health and happiness to people, and are well rewarded spiritually and financially. I don't call it work, I call it my hobby as it brings a lot of fun as well as heart-felt joy.
Students performing eye massage at a chi kung class
Question 7
This year has been a year of many personal breakthroughs. I've realized how powerful -- in a wholesome manner -- the Shaolin Arts have made me. On this chi kung course for example, despite teaching at a low level as possible, the students were getting strong energetic effects.
I also realized quite how far ahead of non-self cultivating people I am in my internal development and how much I have to give to others in that regard. At the Summer Camp San Shou contest I discovered that I had the ability to stop the fighting spirit in another trained person by landing one clean power hit.
I feel well-balanced and equal to the responsibility and I would like to thank you once again for allowing this incredible personal development to take place through your teachings.
Answer
I am very happy about your attainment.
Indeed we are very blessed. It is hard for other people to believe our attainments. Understandably they call us liars.
Question 8
Regarding the Beginners Course, the other two students had very good results. With one lady, I noticed some kind of internal shift after only the first three weeks of practice. She had a medical history of depression but I detected that there was some other insidious issue that was cleared rapidly and her complexion notably improved.
With the second lady when I taught her Carrying the Moon she could not bend her neck or spine backward to perform the pattern correctly. After only one week of home practice she could bend her spine completely backward and forward like a young sapling! It was quite an incredible change within only seven days.
At the completion of the 12 weeks of the course both of these girls report a happy weight loss of one stone, more energy, better able to deal with work and home, more centred, more proactive, more peaceful; and friends, colleagues and family asking "How are you getting these results!".
Answer
To us these results are so common that we sometimes forget that they are actually marvellous.
It is a pity that those who need our help are not aware of the opportunity, or do not believe that such marvellous results can be true. But it is our policy that if they want our help, they have to seek us, not we them.
LINKS
Selected Reading
- Courage and Confidence in Teaching and Healing
- Ultimate Aim of Shaolin Kungfu and Taijiquan
- Tactic of Interception
- Shi Zhan or Practical Fighting Set of Wuzuquan
- Fun Time in Disney Land