THE IGNORANT TEACHING OTHERS ABOUT SHAOLIN KUNGFU
Shaolin Kungfu is very different from Capoeira
Question
Furthermore, I will apply your methods of cultivating internal energy to my study of Capoeira. It is a style of Afro-Brazilian origin and tends to dismiss internal strength as a concentration aid or myth. Perhaps I can help my friends to learn the way of things. I have you to thank for my new understanding (a term I use here loosely) of Shaolin martial arts and wrote this e-mail to inform you of my gratitude.
— Michael, USA
Answer
While I appreciate your writing to thank me, I must advise you not to do what you intend to do. Although you certainly mean well, actually you will be doing a lot of harm — to yourself, your friends and to Shaolin martial arts in general.
It is obvious that you are ignorant in the cultivation of internal energy, though you may have read my book. You may understand the dictionary meaning of all the words you have read, yet you may not know what actually the words are meant to convey. Take, for example, the term “focus your chi at your dan tian”. Affter finding out the meaning of “chi” and “dan tian”, you may understanding the term as “focus your energy at your abdominal energy field”, but you may not know how to do it.
Take an even simpler example. After getting into a Horse-Riding Stance, you are instructed to relax. You understand the dictionary meaning of the instruction, but you may not be able to do it. Do you relax in the stance? Most people don't, and also most people can't.
It is very easy to make mistakes in internal art training, and often you don't even know you have made the mistakes. These mistakes may cause serious harm, and ususally you are unaware of the harm.
The internal arts have been debased beyond recognition. One main reason for this debasement is that people like you teach internal cultivation when they themselves have no experience of it. Think of this: you yourself have never practiced internal energy cultivation, though you have read about it, yet you want to teach it to others.
If you really want to benefit from internal energy cultivation, learn it from a real master or at least a competent teacher.
Genuine internal energy cultivation and genuine Shaolin martial arts are much more than what you can imagine. The benefits are also more wonderful than you can think of. I would recommend that you learn from one of our certified Shaolin Wahnam instructors. Please see our List of Certified Instructor. When you are ready, attend my Intensive Chi Kung Course or Intensive Shaolin Kungfu Course. Please see my website for details.
The above is taken from Question 8 April 2008 Part 1 of the Selection of Questions and Answers.
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