ENTERING INTO A CHI KUNG STATE OF MIND
Chi Kung State of Mind
Question
You pay a lot of importance on entering into a chi kung state of mind. Can you please elaborate on it?
— Julio, Colombia
Answer
We start every course by entering into a chi kung state of mind. Why? It is because by doing so, we attain results faster and more by a very big margin, probably more than 10 times! We shall have a clearer picture by using some examples.
Let us take a chi kung class lasting an hour. If I teach exercises like "Lifting the Sky" and "Carrying the Moon" the way it is normally taught in other schools, students will be lucky to have 100 units of chi flow after 10 classes.
If I lead the same students into a chi kung state of mind first, then teach them exercises like “Lifting the Sky” and “Carrying the Moon” as I do now, they will have 100 units of chi flow in that class. In other words, without entering into a chi kung state of mind, the students need 10 hours to get 100 units of benefit. With entering into a chi kung state of mind, the same students need only 15 minutes to get 100 units of benefit!
Let us take a kungfu class lasting an hour, like a Shaolin class or a Taijiquan class. If I teach students exercises to develop internal force, like "Golden Bridge" and "Three-Circle Stance", the way it is normally taught in other schools, they will be lucky to have 100 units of internal force after 10 classes.
If I lead them into a chi kung state of mind first, then teach them the same exercises, they will have 100 units of internal force in the same class of 1 hour. In other words, without entering into a chi kung state of mind they need 10 hours to get 100 units of benefit. By entering into a chi kung state of mind they need only 1 hour to get 100 units of benefit!
Entering into a chi kung state of mind is a modern term. In the past, it was known as entering silence. In Shaolin context it was known as entering Zen, and in Taijiquan context it was known as entering Tao. Many people consider entering silence, entering Zen or entering Tao as advanced teaching, but we teach it right at the beginning.
Actually one cannot have a chi flow or develop internal force if he is not in a chi kung state of mind. That is why other students, if they are lucky, need 10 hours to get 100 units of chi flow or internal force, whereas our students can get 100 units of chi flow or internal force in just 15 minutes or 1 hour.
Inter-spaced in the 10 hours, other students enter into a chi kung state of mind for a few minutes without their conscious knowing and derive some benefit. Because this happens sporadically, they do not have the advantage of accumulated effect. They will be lucky if they can get 100 units of benefit in 10 hours.
We purposely enter into a chi kung state of mind and maintain it as best as we can to attain the desired benefit. We have the advantage of accumulated effect. Hence, we can get 100 units of chi benefit or internal force in just 15 minutes in a chi kung class or 1 hour in a kungfu class.
Question
I have one important question regarding the Small Circulation. I have been practicing it for many years now, about 5 years or more and recently I have noticed some side-effects. I have also been practicing sitting meditation as you describe in your earlier books.
Answer
I have specifically warned readers not to practice the Small Universe and Sitting Meditation without the supervision of a competent teacher.
Question
Can we apply the chi kung state of mind in our daily life?
Answer
Yes, and we should, it will enable us to have better results no matter what we do.
Indeed, the greatest achievements of scientists, artists, scholars, philosophers, inventors and sportsmen were attained when they were in a chi kung state of mind, though they might not have heard of the term. To them it was a heightened level of consciousness.
There are different levels in the chi kung state of mind. The most fundamental level is to be focused and relaxed at the same time. At higher levels, we use our chi kung state of mind for other tasks, like massaging internal organs, letting chi to flow in our bones, and enjoying a cosmic shower.
When you are focused, you will produce better results than when you are distracted. When you are relaxed, you will produce better results than when you are stressful. When you are focused and relaxed at the same time, your results will be better many times.
Question
Must we always think of the dan tian to enter into a chi kung state of mind?
Answer
No, it is not necessary to always think of the dan tian.
Gently thinking of the dan tian is a good way to enter into a chi kung state of mind. But once we are in a chi kung state of mind, we can let go of the thinking.
There are also other ways to enter into a chi kung state of mind besides thinking of the dan tian, like focusing on an object, reciting a mantra, and being aware of one’s breathing. Scientists, artists and scholars often enter into a chi kung state of mind, or a heightened level of consciousness, by focusing on the task they are doing.
In our classes, the skill of entering into a chi kung state of mind is transmitted to the students directly. That is why they can achieve the skill so quickly. I just tell the students to be relaxed and not think of anything.
The above is taken from Questions 2, 3 and 4 February 2014 Part 1 of the Selection of Questions and Answers.
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