Sifu Wong Kiew Kit's Home Page

Questions-Answers Series

June 2008 (Part 2)

SELECTION OF QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

Question 1

Answer

This is the source of all your problems. It is wonderful that you realize it now. Realizing it is the first step.

The next step is to stop worrying. It is not difficult to do, and you just have to do it. It is not something physically impossiboe, like jumping from a tall building unhurt. It is not even physically demanding, like doing push-ups 300 times.

Let us take an analogy. Suppose you always have stomach ache. You discover that it is because you have been taking rottern food. The solution is simple. Stop taking rotten food. Don't ask how you can stop taking rotten food. Just do it.

It is the same with worrying. You know worrying is killing you. The solution is simple. Stop worrying. Don't ask how you can do it. Just do it.

For you it may not be easy at first. But you have to make a start. Let us take an example. Suppose you worry about ten times per minute. You are about to perform a chi kung exercise called “Merry-Go-Round”. As soon as you thought of doing the exercise, you start to worry whether you can do it correctly. Don't worry, just do the exercise, even if you were to do it wrongly.

Then you worry whether doing “Lifting the Sky” is better. Don't worry, just do “Merry-Go-Round” even if doing “Lifting the Sky” were better.

Next, you worry whether this exercise will help you to overcome your problem. Don't worry. Just perform “Merry-Go-Round” even if it might not help you overcome your problem.

Then you worry whether you clasp your hands too hard while doing the exercise. Don't worry. Clasp your hands and perform the exercise, even if you clasped your hands too hard or too solftely.

Now if you can succeed in not worrying in just two of the above four times, you would have reduced your worrying from 10 times per minute to 8 times per minute. If you continue to practice stop worrying, you will soon overcome your worrying problem. It is certainly easier than overcoming cancer. Many people have overcome cancer by practicing our chi kung. Overcoming worrying is much easier. The essential thing is that you have to do it.

Question 2

Answer

It does not matter whether the blockage in your stomach is apparent or real. It also does not matter whether you feel the blockage when you are worrying or not worrying. But it matters that you stop worrying and get on with your chi kung practice and get on with your life. You owe it to your parents and yourself to live your life fruitfully.

Besides practicing chi kung, you should also change your lifestyle. Spend at least two days a week to travel. You can travel anywhere, and you need not have to travel far. But you have to leave your house and go outside. You may just take a ride in the country-side and let your spirit expand.

You should also get a girlfriend. You must be kind and nice to her. Don't worry whether you will marry her, or she will marry you in future. Think of the issue only when and if it arises in future. At present, be kind and nice to her.

Question 3

Answer

You are not following my instructions although you honestly think you are. You may have performed the physical movements of the chi kung exercises correctly. The physical movements are the lest important part of my instructions. The most important part is the mental — don't think of anything, and don't worry about anything.

Let us take another example. Suppose you have a bacterial infection, and your doctor prescribes some anti-biltics and asks you to take two tablets every four hours, to be swalllowed into your stomach with water. It is certain that if you follow his instructions you will recover from your bacterial infection.

You place two tablets of the anti-biotics in your mouth. Then you spit out the anti-biotics. Next you drink some water. You tell the doctor that you have followed his instructions but still you are not cured. But actually you haven't followed his instructions.

It is the same with chi kung. The most important instructions is not to worry. It is more important than how you perform the movements of the chi kung exercises. But you worry for every little detail. You are killing yourself emotionally. How can you benefit from the chi kung training when you do not follow the most important instructions.

Question 4

Answer

The Shaolin monks in the modern Shaolin Monastery are different from the Shaolin monks in the past.

Shaolin monks in the past practiced traditional Shaolin Kungfu and Zen, whereas modern Shaolin monks practice modernized wushu. I am not sure whether modern Shaolin monks practice Zen today, though I personally think they don't. Even if they did, it would be very different from the Zen practiced in the past.

Modernized wushu is very different from traditional Shaolin Kungfu. Modern Shaolin monks may practice classical kungfu forms, but these are performed as wushu and not as traditional kungfu.

Internal force and combat application were two cardinal aspects of traditional Shaolin Kungfu, but these are generally absent in modernized wushu. Much of the training of the modern Shaolin monks is external, like leg-splits, push-ups and jogging. Modern Shaolin monks do not use traditional kungfu forms for combat, they use Boxing and Kick-Boxing.

The modern Shaolin Monastery is a very important tourist centre today. There isn't any space even for modern Shaolin monks to practice wushu in the monastery. They usually train in wushu schools near the monastery. If you wish to become a modern Shaolin monk, you can apply to one of these numerous wushu schools. Citizens of other countries are accepted, but if you do not know the Chinese language you many have a problem of communication, which, however, can be overcome.

Question 5

Answer

We have certified Shaolin Cosmos Chi Kung instructors in many countries, but not in Poland yet. We hope to spread the wonderful benefits of the art to your country in the future.

Question 6

Answer

It depends on three factors — the book or video, the chi kung exercise, and the student.

If it is a good book or video giving clear instructions by a responsible teacher, the exercise involves much physical movement and little mental focus, and the student is familiar with chi kung practice, it is safe. On the other hand, if the book or video is by someone who has no direct experience of what is being described, the exercixe has powerful effects, and the student does not undestand what genuine chi kung is, it can be very dangerous.

Practicing chi kung exercises like “Lifting the Sky” and “Carrying the Moon” from my books or videos, provided the student follows the instructions reapectfully, is safe even when he is a complete beginner. But exercises like Abdominal Breathing and Sinew Metamorphosis can be risky, even when the student has practiced chi kung before and tries to follow my instructions in the books or videos.

Question 7

Answer

Although disc problems can be a big issue to many people, from the chi kung perspective, it can be overcome quite easily. It may be hard to believe but it is true that some of my students who had such a problem overcame the problem in just one session with me or my certified instructors.

Take an example of a slipped disc. After performing a suitable chi kung exercise like “Carrying the Moon”, the student enters a chi flow movement where he spontaneously bend his body forward and backward in an arc along his spine. Such a movement would be unthinkable in an ordinary situation. If a therapist were to force such a movement on a patient with a slipped disc, the patient would experience great pain. If a surgeon were to operate on the patient to set the slipped disc right, there is a risk of injuring the spinal cord and casuing serious damage.

But such a movement in a spontaneous chi flow is very different. The student would not feel any pain. In fact he often enjoys the movement. Figuratively speaking, his movement is controlled by God, or Universal Chi, which knows what is the best action to take. The forward and backward movement will loosen the relevant muscles, and open the relevant discs, and push the slipped disc back to its correct position. All this can happen, and did happen to some students with slipped disc problems, in a chi flow of about 15 minutes.

You did not have good result because you did not practice genuine chi kung. You performed the chi kung patterns as gentle physical exercise. Most people do this, and are unaware of it. In other words, the same Pa Tuan Jin, or Eight Pieces of Brocade, exercises can be performed as chi kung or as gentle physical exercise. If you just perform the external forms, you perform them as gentle physical exercise. If by performing the forms you have a chi flow, you perform them as chi kung. If you do not know what a chi flow is, you have not experienced it.

Question 8

Answer

I did not post “Carrying the Moon” on YouTube, but I would like to thank the person who did it.

If you derive improvement, you should continue practicing it. As long as you follow my instructions respectfully, “Carrying the Moon” is a relatively safe exercise that one can practice from my books or videos, and it brings good results. If you make some mistakes due to carelessness or forgetfulness, it is alright. But it can cause serious harm if someone purposely goes against the instructions.

For example, one very important instruction is to relax while performing the exercise. If a person tenses himself due to carelessness or forgetfulness, it is alright. As soon as he realizes his mistake, he corrects it. In this way, there is not much harm. But if he purposely tenses his muscles even though he knows he has to be relaxed, then he is asking for trouble.

I would recommend that you attend my Intensive Chi Kung Course. If this is not feasible, learn from one of our certified Shaolin Wahnam instructors. The difference between practicing from my books and learning from me or our instructors directly is incomparable. If you can derive good results practicing on your own after just three weeks, you can imagine what imagine what great benefits you can get by learning from us directly. The bebefits are much more than just overcoming your disc problem.

LINKS

Selected Reading

• Cross-Roads at Four Gates
• From Sitting in a Wheel-Chair to Walking in a Street
• Manifesting the Energy and Spirit of your Form
• Getting the Best Benefits of your Training
• The Gift of Relaxation

Courses and Classes

• Intensive Chi Kung Course
• Intensive Shaolin Kungfu Course
• Intensive Taijiquan Course

• List of Certified Shaolin Wahnam Instructors

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