SELECTION OF QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
MAY 2020 PART 2
Small Universe
Question 1
4 am -- Small Universe for about 10 minutes. I go through all the steps learned during the course. I can feel the Small Universe going around while I sit in Golden Bridge or Horse Riding. Golden Bridge -- at the moment I can sit comfortably for about half an hour. My aim is one hour.
— Karol, Norway
Answer
4 am is quite early, but because of your cost-effectiveness, you will have a lot of time.
Small Universe is very important, especially in our phenomenal world. It will ensure your health, vitality and longevity. It will give you a lot of energy and mental clarity, and it will make you very lucky.
You need not go through all the steps learned at the course. You can start your Small Universe with dan-tian breathing, or reverse breathing, or both.
After some time, the Small Universe would go round on its own. It will become your natural breathing, but you may emphasize it when you feel that it has become faint. Nevertheless, after a while it has become so natural that you may not feel it.
In our modern world, sitting comfortably at Golden Bridge for about half an hour is very good. Your arms will be very strong, and most people would not want to spar with you. Your arms are stronger than hitting a wooden dummy or htting your arms with sticks.
In the past, Shaolin masters sat at Golden Bridge for an hour or two, but you are about 10 times more cost-effective than them. If you can sit for an hour, they would have to sit for 10 hours.
Question 2
During the Zen Retreat in Germany, sipak Kai shared with us some interesting details about stance training. He said to avoid the leaking of energy from hui yin one should grip the ground with the feet and lift the anus, just like we did during the Forceful Small Universe. I tried it for fun and it felt like the stream of energy increased and the flow of Small Universe was stronger.
Answer
I would suggest that you should totally relax.
It is similar to the Horse-Riding Stance. When I first learned the stance, I gripped the ground with my feet. But later I let my chi grow "roots" into the ground.
At a physical level, gripping the ground is more firm. But we practice triple-cultivation. Letting chi grow "roots" is much better. When chi has grown "roots", it doesn't mean that you are not agile. You can still be very agile when you want to. You are at a higher level, being solid and agile at the same time.
Lohan Asks the Way
Question 3
After stance training I practice "Lohan Asks the Way", and then some of the basic sequences, where I focus on different aspects, lately on flow, checking from time to time if my form is correct.
Answer
Correctness of form is very important in kungfu. If the form is not picture-perfect, it will miss many advantages.
A good procedure is routine-form-force-flow if we use the force method, or routine-form-flow-force if we use the flow method. The procedure can be used for any pattern, sequence or set.
Let us use the force method for the set, Lohan Asks the Way. First we learn the routine of the set. Then, pattern by pattern, we ensure that we have picture-perfect form. Next, we explode force when it is necessary, like when we punch out in "Black Tiger Steads Heart". Fourthly, we link the patterns smoothly into a sequence. Leaving out the greeting at the start and the end, we can have 4 sequences.
Let us now use the flow method for the set, Cloud Hands. First we learn the routine of the set. Then, pattern by pattern, we ensure we have picture-perfect form. Next, we perform the set smoothly in 4 sequences -- the first sequence is on the right from "Immortal Waves Sleeves" to "Single Whip", the second sequence is on the left from "Immortal Waves Sleeves" to "Single Whip", the third sequence is forward and backward from "White Crane Flaps Wings" to "Green Dragon Shoots Pearl", and the fourth sequence is forward from "Cross-Hand Thrust-Kick" to "Playing the Lute".
Question 4
What would be the route of chi if "Lifting Sun and Moon" is performed correctly -- from feet/hui yin to bai hui and down again, or the purpose is to conduct the Small Universe? Shall the breathing be natural during "Lifting Sun and Moon", or is there any special mode which fits better for this exercise, like Reverse Breathing for instance?
Answer
In "Lifting Sun and Moon", we breathe in when we lift our hands, and breathe out when the hands are lowered. Normally we use dan-tian breathing, i.e. the abdomen gently rises as we breathe in. But when we need a lot of force, we can use reverse breathing, i.e. the abdomen gently falls as we breathe in.
The flow of chi is generally from the feet or hui yin to the head or bai hui when we raise our hands, and from the head or bai hui to the feet or hui yin when we lower our hands. But we need not be too concerned with the flow of chi. We also need not be too concerned with dan-tian breathing or reverse breathing.
For those who have attended the Small Universe course, the Small Universe will naturally be activated. For others, it is the flow of chi up and down the body.
Chi kung class in Mallocre in the Mediterranean
Question 5
What can be done when a person feels pain when seeing the suffering of others?
— Paz, Spain
Editorial Note: This is a continuation of Paz' questions which can be found at May 2020 Part 1 issue of the Questions-Answers Series.
Answer
Normally we feel pain when seeing the suffering of others, though we ourselves may not suffer. We shall relieve the suffering if we can do so, unless the others refuse our help or it is against free will.
We often find such cases in chi kung. In chi kung philosophy, there is no such a thing as an incurable disease. But genuine, high-level chi kung is very rare; most people practice gentle physical exercise although they call their art chi kung.
So-called incurable diseases can be overcome with genuine, high-level chi kung. But as those who suffer from such so-called incurable diseases refuse to practice genuine, high-level chi kung, it is not right to impose the practice on them.
Question 6
I remember once I was present in one of your Chi Kung courses in Mallorca, and a person from outside of classes started to became aggressive because he wanted to practice without being in the course and although Trini and Javier explained that it was a private course and that he could hurt himself, the man got angry to the degree of breaking the class. Then you approached him and said: "Enjoy your life" and the gentleman suddenly calmed down and left. This fact, not only impressed me, but it left me with a great lesson in life.
Every time when someone gets angry with me or they are not kind, I wish they could enjoy their life and I take them out from my mind. It really works for me! And I am very grateful for that, because it is a very important lesson in my life.
Answer
I can't remember the incident, but it is very kind of you to recall it. I am very happy that you have benefited from the experience.
What I can remember most is that you and Angel introduced many people to chi kung, and one of them was Angel's grandmother. She was sick and chi kung saved her. She is now very happy and healthy. It is a great blessing to you and Angel to introduce genuine, high-level chi kung to many people.
At 75 Grandmaster Wong performs break-fall on hard graund, and springs up immediately
Question 7
However, when I witnessed or heard of people harming other people, or harming other living beings, I got very sad and I wanted to intervene or do something to stop them.
Answer
You can intervene by talking nicely to them. Tell them that the other people or other living beings are helpless, and they will feel happier if they let the other people or other living beings go.
Your kungfu is very good, though you yourself may not realize it. Usually you don't need it in such cases; talking to them nicely will help. Your kungfu will give you other more important benefits, like good health, vitality, longevity when you get old, peak performance and spiritual joys.
There were some occasions when I was ready to use my kungfu. But in all these occasions I didn't need it. My kungfu has given me more important benefits.
Question 8
Although the practice of chi kung and kungfu has given me so many benefits, such as being able to strengthen the spirit and feel more serene in cases of injustice, is there anything else that can be done?
Answer
Practicing genuine, high-level chi kung is wonderful, but practicing genuine, high-level kungfu is even better. It is not without good reason for the saying that "practicing genuine, high-level Shaolin arts is better than changing stone to gold by touch".
I recall a question Andrew (from Switzerland) asked me. "What is the highest Shaolin art that you have learned?" he asked. "Golden Bell," I answered.
But if anyone were to ask me a similar question now, I would answer, "Any art that gives good health, vitality, longevity, peak performance and spiritual joys." At 75, I haven't been sick for more than 50 years. I am full of vitality, and can roll and jump, and find every day a joy.
Practice a kungfu set, any kungfu set, every day. Maintain your health and vitality, and live every day joyfully.
If you have any questions, please e-mail them to Grandmaster Wong via his Secretary at stating your name, country and e-mail address.
LINKS
Selected Reading
- Calling a Cow a Horse
- 72 Sequences of Shaolin Chin-Na
- Hallstatt and Other Places
- The Three Hearts of Chi Kung -- Confidence, Determination and Perseverance
- Arrival at Chennai, the Old Madras