COSMOS AND SHAOLIN WAHNAM
Developing combat skills in an Intensive Shaolin Kungfu Course
Question
What is the purpose of this cosmos and what is my role in it?
-- Reto, Switzerland
Answer
Depending on their needs and aspirations as well as developmental stages and whims and fancies, different people will have different answers to the same question. I shall generalize the countless, different answers into three archetypical levels.
At the lowest level, the level of ordinary people, the cosmos has no purpose. It simply exists. A person's role in it is to live his life as best as he can. This includes staying away from illness and trouble, providing well for himself and his family, and enjoying the pleasures of life as much and as long as he can.
At the intermediate level, the level of those who are aware of the spiritual dimension, the cosmos provides the time and space for their learning and development. Their role is to improve themselves, physically and spiritually, so that when the inevitable hour arrives, they will enter heaven and live happily ever after.
At the highest level, the level of the spiritually awakened, the cosmos has no purpose! But the reason for this realization is different from that of the ordinary people (see above). The cosmos is an illusion, a creation of mind. It exists because of our ignorance. Our purpose, when we are ready, is to cast off the ignorance, to break down this illusion, to liberate the personal mind to attain Universal Mind, called variously by different peoples as God's Kingdom, the Great Void or Enlightenment.
Question
May be I should not ask such a question as I am still on the first level, meaning that I am still bothered by some minor illnesses and of course also far away to even finding out who I am and where I want to go, but the question bothers me still. I think if I have found out what this is all about, may be I am also able to know what I am supposed to do.
Answer
The fact that you ask the question shows that you are different from ordinary people. At the least you are spiritually concerned. And the fact that you are coming to my Intensive Chi Kung Course in Malaysia places you in an elite group.
Other people, understandably, may accuse us for being egoistic. In fact some time ago some people in a public discussion forum in the internet viciously attacked us in Shaolin Wahnam for being different. They were unhappy why we placed so much emphasis on internal force training when most other kungfu practitioners trained externally. They were unhappy why I charged US$1000 for my intensive chi kung courses when most chi kung teachers charged much less. And they were indignant when we mentioned that many of our students had overcome so-called incurable diseases like cancer and endometriosis by practicing our chi kung.
We did not want to waste time arguing with them, accepting that they had a right to their opinion. We need not apologize for being elite. We are indeed proud that we have the opportunity to practice arts that were once the prerogatives of emperors, generals and very special people, and are happy to share these arts with those who believe in our philosophy, methods and benefits.
You are right in believing that even if you are not ready for serious spiritual cultivation to find out who you are and where you want to go, knowing the answer theoretically will set you towards the right direction. This is known as “Right Understanding”, an essential first step that will prevent you not only from wasting a lot of time but also from deviating from the right path.
While we are very clear about our philosophy, the onus of our school, Shaolin Wahnam, is practical results. You will be able to confirm many of the points mentioned above during the coming Intensive Chi Kung Course itself.
For example, at the lowest level you will be able to experience using cosmic energy to overcome your minor illnesses so that you can live life as best as you can. At the intermediate level, you will experience spiritual cultivation in opening your heart and expanding your spirit. At the highest level, if you are ready, you may have a glimpse of your Original Face, or God or whatever name different people refer to the Supreme Reality.
Yes, you will experience all these during the Intensive Chi Kung Course itself. This is one good reason why I say that those who attend the course are elite. Not many people have the chance to know of such an opportunity in the first place. Those who may have heard about the course, may not believe in what is claimed to achieve, or even if they believe they may not value it. Only a very few out of thousands of people may have this opportunity and grasp it.
LINKS