At the end of the course, Sifu reminded us that it is good to share our experiences on the forum.

I've been to quite a few courses with Sifu, and this one has exceeded all of them in terms of the quality and depth of achievements and experiences that people were reporting. Thank you Sifu, for sharing your amazing knowledge with us. I was always impressed before, and had some wow! moments, but this has been Wow! Plus.

I've quite a few things to share here, so it will take several posts to cover them. Here's one to get started with.

During one of the breaks I saluted Sifu Andrew Barnett. He made a correction, showing me that I was closing my chest and needed to move my elbows further apart.

During the practical part of the next lesson his advice suddenly popped into my head. I realised I had my chest closed again. I opened my chest and the chi went bublublub down the front of my chest (sternum?). This was a distinct and real sensation - not a theory or visualisation. It was like bubbles in liquid, but going down instead of up.

For the rest of the day I could feel a force like gentle magnetic repulsion easing my chest open. Now that my mind is on it - its noticeable even now. Its greatly improved my posture.

I'll post more later and look forward to other peoples stories.

So many thanks to Sifu Andrew for your help.

Regards,

Chris.

Next: Rolly Chi Flow - expanded mind...

As I started to read your post, I began feeling a sensation of opening in my chest. When I got to the part about a "magnetic repulsion", I realized that expressed perfectly what I was experiencing!

Thank you so much for sharing your experiences. I've just had a direct experience from a course I never attended!! Awesome!

-Matt

I just arrived home from the course yesterday. The world feels a whole lot smaller every time I travel so far

I'd first like to thank Sifu for this opportunity. I didn't give a graduation speech, but if I did I would have said, something like this:

It is a wonderful thing to be alive.

Most people aren't happy; but we are full of happiness for the smallest things. Most people don't feel a zest for life, but we do no matter what. Most people don't believe in chi, but we feel it everyday all day. Most people are not full of health and vitality, but we are.

I count my blessings, like Sifu says. The more I count the more there are. On the smile of another, in the ease of my laughter, on the beauty I see all around me...

These are beautiful teachings! And the fruit don't fall far from the tree, so I am quite proud to be a part of an international family of individuals who are all so good and beautiful in their own unique ways. I am continually amazed by the calibre of individuals in Shaolin Wahnam.

Thank you for a wonderful course.

I will post some more about some specific experiences in a future post

All the Best,

Alex

After having enjoyed the company of such beautiful people, and having received the ultimate gift of both small and big universe, I owe Sifu and all those interested by the Art a description of my experience of the universes:

On the second day in the morning, Sifu brought us with his incomparable mastery into the Small Universe. The circulation of chi along the ren and du meridians became very obvious, almost matter of fact. Not only was there a visualisation of the energy circulating, but also a very clear sensation along its path. Then, what was at the beginning a circle of energy flowing down and up the meridians widened and took more and more expansion outward, reaching the boundaries of the physical body, and yet beyond the energy body. There was a sense of losing limitations, energy expanding naturally into space, individuality as energy merging with the whole. A feeling of very quiet joy, very natural, spontaneous , as if that state had always existed in its expansive mode.There was a sense that the physical body had lost its density, everything was perfect as it was, healing happening spontaneously wherever needed. A sense of limitless well being.

On the third day, Sifu introduced us to the Big Universe.Again it happened, spontaneously, effortlessly. This time, it was the phenomenal big universe,as named accurately by Andrew.

What a course, what a breakthrough into another dimension of the Art!

Thank you Sifu, thank you all beautiful people that attended the course.

Gratitude

Wow...

Dear all,

I have just arrived back in Amsterdam and I just wanted to shortly express my gratitude for a wonderful life-affirming event. When trying to explain my experiences to my sifu today, I could only make sounds and hand gestures, aiming to bring across a depth I haven't even begun unpacking. As my internal wow will crystallize into words, I will post them.

For now, thank you Sigung, from the deepest part of my soul for being so important in liberating all internal beauty!

And thanks to all beautiful family members that made the experience all the more fulfilling.

Thank you everyone

Dear Shaolin Wahnam family,

Wow.

And wow again.

What can I say. When I reflect on the beautiful week that I have had, I find I have so so much to say. I don't know where to start.

However, I should start somewhere and so I would like to start by saying thank you to Sigung from the bottom of my heart for his boundless kindness, his boundless generosity, his wisdom and his incredible teaching ability which tends to leave most of us speechless.

Prior to the course I felt so much gratitude for having the opportunity to be on the course, I felt even more gratitude during the course (which surprised me) and I feel even more gratitude (which I did not think possible) now that I am home and practicing the priceless teaching Sigung had very generously "given" to us.

Thank you Sigung from the bottom of my heart.

I would also like to thank Wei Foong Siguje and Chun Na Sipak for their hard work in organising the course and the complimentary tours. Being able to share great food and great conversation with your fellow class mates as well as enjoying great tours with them, which allowed us to get to know one another more, is a big part of the week for myself. Being able to do this without having to lift a finger to organise any of it yourself was a great privilege and one we had Wei Foong Siguje and Chun Na Sipak to thank for.

Thank you Wei Foong Siguje and Chun Na Sipak.

I would also like to thank Sipo and the rest of Sigung's family for supporting him in spreading the shaolin arts, without which many of us would not be where we are today.

I have been lucky enough to have gone on a few course with Sigung. It is always a great blessing to have the opportunity to learn anything from Sigung. Courses particularly special to me was the Cross Roads at Four Gates course in 2008 as well as the Sinew Metamorphosis course in the same year. The Small Universe course however, is the "special of the specials".

Because of this, I sincerely hope Sigung will teach it again for those who for some reason was not able to attend the course this time around. From my own personal experience, I sincerely hope that students who wish to learn the Small Universe and Big Universe would not miss the next opportunity should it arise again. This gift is too precious to miss.

Outside of the course, the opportunity I had to learn from my seniors in impromptu lessons, opportunities to share great food and tea with my classmates, opportunities to get to know them better, opportunities to practice kung fu with them and share training ideas, opportunities to visit Kek Lok Si temple and other historic sites was just invaluable to me. It is a treasured week in my heart and I would like to thank every single person on the course deeply from my heart for making the week so special for me. I would like to thank in particular:

My Sihing Nick Jones for his companion from the moment we stepped onto the plane at Heathrow to the moment we stepped off the plane when we got back to Heathrow.

Emiko Siguje, words is simply not enough to express the gratitude I feel for your teaching. What you transmit to me in an impromptu lesson of an hour and the half or in an organised lesson of two hours helps me to grow and use for the rest of my life. Thank you Emiko Siguje. Thank you .

Maxime Sisuk. The energy of power, love, compassion and kindness you carry with you so obviously radiates all around you. Thank you so much for being there and being a Shaolin Wahnam instructor. We are so lucky to have you in the school. Thank you for all your impromptu teaching and advices, the three star hitting (maybe not) and most importantly the warm hug (or hugs I should say ) as we part.

Hubert Sisuk for the kind and loving energy you spread around you as well as the impromptu lesson on Golden Bridge. Thank you.

Irina Sije. What can I say but smile when thinking of you and Tantui. Thank you for the training and the training ideas you share with me. Thank you for being my classmate and your wonderful companion on the course. I hope it is sunny in Frankfurt. I wish you much joy and happiness Sije and I very much look forward to seeing you again at the Mountain Retreat.

My daughter and my wife absolutely adored the necklace you kindly gave to my daughter Shannon. Upon wearing the necklace it brought much joy and happiness to Shannon's face. Thank you .

Pragata Sisuk. Thank you for the lovely conversations and the beautiful energy you gave through the flute. I wish you and your family much joy and happiness in Portugal.

Andrew Sisuk, it was a great honor to be able to see you again. Thank you for the advises you had given me. I look forward to seeing you again soon some day.

Ronny Sisuk. What can I say. My long lost brother, I had so much fun and laughter with you on the course. What great memories and moments. Your speach at the graduation dinner was very touching, it felt like it was dedicated to me and me only . I just wanted to ask you something if I may, when you get to level 10,000. Could you let me know if there are many more levels .

Yumi Siguje, thank you for the wonderful conversation we had at the seafood restaurant as well as sharing with me your first meeting with Emiko Siguje. I wish you much joy and happiness.

George Sihing, It was wonderful seeing you again. Thank you for looking after me and ensuring a constant flow of food into my bowl at the graduation dinner. I wish you much joy and happiness Sihing.

Finally, thank you also to Jereon for being my classmate again and your wonderful companion, Anja for your playful energy and companion, Parveen and Joel for your companion, Chris Sihing for the wonderful conversation over some green tea at Penang Hill, Chris Sisuk for waking me and my brother up for the taxi to the airport as well as your beautiful smile, Alex Sisuk for the sparring and companion, Bernado Sisuk for you companion and your glowing charm and spirit, Jas Sihing for the fun we had in sparring, Daniel Sisuk for your fun companion and the great picture you allowed me to take of you (not very dragonny Mr Dragon), Ben Sihing for the wonderful conversations, Roland, the rest of my classmates and of course our cheerful tour guide for bringing so many smiles to my face.

Thank you all again for such a treasured week. I wish you all much joy and happiness in everything that you do.

Many blessings.

With much gratitude

Martin