SELECTION OF QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
JULY 2016 PART 1
Flicking Fingers in Sinew Metamorphosis
Question 1
Firstly I would like to thank you personally, Sigung, for your answers to the 10 Question and Answer Series, especially the ones on Sinew Metamorphosis, Cosmic Breathing, and Cosmic Shower. Reading them has acted like a force multiplier for me, enhancing my "unpacking" of the transmissions you blessed us with at the 2012 Las Vegas Legacy of Bodhidharma, and the 2014 UK Summer Camp Legacy of Wong Fei Hung.
In fact I would even say that reading them has been a transmission unto themselves that has left me feeling a sense of euphoria and peace, but also a sense of surety-of-purpose that has propelled the momentum of my training. So I give my deepest thanks and gratitude to you, Sigung, for giving us these treasures.
— David, USA
Answer
Thank you for your kind words.
The answers to the Special Question-Answer Series on selected topics are indeed a treasure. Many people have kindly written to thank me for them.
The answers reveal secrets that many practitioners may not know. They help practitioners avoid common mistakes, make their practice more cost-effective as well as explain how they can apply the arts to enrich their daily life.
Answering the questions, many of which are profound and illuminating, is also very beneficial to me. It provides me opportunities to go deeper into the arts, to better understand their underlying philosophy, and to arrange my thoughts in a coherent and presentable manner.
Question 2
After reading the 10 questions on Sinew Metamorphosis and learning the dynamics of Flicking Fingers the practice itself has started initiating the "Chi Vortex" skill that you transmitted to us during the Legacy of Bodhidharma Iron Wire course. Before this such a thing would normally only happen after one or two sequences of Iron Wire, however now only after 3 flicks of my fingers the Chi Vortex seems to manifest around me. Is this a good development, Sigung?
Answer
Yes, the development is very good for you. But do be careful not to over-train, which has become a major problem of our dedicated students.
The development occurred because reading the answers enabled you to understand the underlying philosophy of not only Sinew Metamorphosis but also any advanced force training. As you already attended the Iron Wire course, you have both the skills and techniques of force training.
Sinew Metamorphosis and Iron Wire are already powerful. Understanding the underlying philosophy of how and why internal force is generated from these arts, makes your training more cost-effective, resulting in more powerful results.
A phoenix-eye fist common in Choe Family Wing Choon Kungfu but may not be found in other popular Wing Choon styles
Question 3
More interestingly this phenomenon stays with me for hours, and seems to cause change in my surroundings in accordance with my thoughts.
Answer
The effects of a great art lasts longer than the time when it was practiced. The more powerful an art is, the longer will be the effects.
Thoughts are very important. They create reality. It is great that you and many others in our school not only know this philosophy, but also experience the practical effects of this philosophy that thoughts create reality. It is therefore very important that you must have noble thoughts all the time.
It is even more important that you must always use this ability, i.e. the ability to cause changes in your surrounding according to your thoughts, always for good, and never for evil. Even if we leave aside altruism and righteousness, and consider only self-interest, using his thoughts for good is for his own sake. Goodness always brings goodness, evil always brings evil. This karmic law is universal and inevitable.
Question 4
I would like to first digress and say that I feel more "fully alive" nowadays than ever before! I feel things much more strongly than I ever have and it is wonderful! Even if the emotions are considered to be "negative" they are still wonderful to me, because the passion propels me to be a better person and make positive changes in the world.
Another example is when this chi vortex is active, the people at school, work, and socially seem to become more focused on me, and more likely to be agreeable towards me. I do my best to follow the 10 Shaolin Laws but I wonder what I did to deserve such a gift. I have more examples, but these seemed most important.
Answer
When you practice high-level chi kung, it is natural that you become more fully alive. You have more energy and more mental clarity, and you can do better no matter what you do. It is also expected that more people will focus on you as you are more fully alive.
Following the Ten Shaolin Laws is a practical and effective way to lead a morally upright life. Indeed, you and all others who learn from Shaolin Wahnam must have done a lot of good deeds in the past to deserve such a wonderful gift.
Don't worry what you did to deserve such a gift. Just enjoy the gift in a wholesome way, being good to yourself and other people.
Xingyiquan at UK Summer Camp
Question 5
Secondly I've had the honor of meeting a local Wing Chun master that seems excellent by the standards you gave on your Wing Choon Q&A and videos. He teaches fun combat application, but I have seen from direct experience that the Shaolin arts that you have taught us are more beneficial to me overall.
It is interesting though, since I found Shaolin Wahnam first before any other school it has made me appreciate our Shaolin arts all the more. Despite this it has been nice to have made some great friends there. I even met my girlfriend there! Since I only have a few irregular training partners the majority of the time these friends have become great training partners.
Answer
I am glad you have met an excellent Wing Choon master and have great friends as training partners. It is great that you have met your girlfriend there. Be kind to her always.
It is no surprise for me that you find our Shaolin arts more beneficial. I practice Wing Choon too, and it is exclusive, high-level Wing Choon. If I have found it the best, I would have taught it instead of what I am teaching now. It is not because I teach our arts that I call them the best. It is the other way round. It is because I have found them the best that I teach them.
Shaolin arts include the best in Wing Choon, as well as the best in other arts like Tantui, Praying Mantis, Eagle Claw, Drunken Eight Immortals, Choy-Li-Fatt, Taijiquan, Baguazhang and Xingyiquan. Similarly the chi kung we teach in our school, besides our Eighteen Lohan Hands, Bone Marrow Cleansing and Sinew Metamorphosis of Shaolin Chi Kung, also includes the best in other chi kung styles, such as Five-Animal Play, Self-Manifested Chi Movement, Cosmic Shower, Cosmic Breathing, and Small and Big Universe.
Question 6
I have learned something from this master that I think has given me some spread to the depth of the taming and pressing attacks of our Kung fu. It has in some ways enhanced my understanding of taming an opponent and safe entry. He taught us how to control an opponent's Center of Mass via the Centerline so as to off balance him while taming an arm and pressing in.
To clarify terminology, it is interesting in this school they do not call the line that runs down the center of the body the Centerline, they call that the Vertical Midline which is self referencing.
An interesting concept that I had not heard before is that the Center of Mass is a line that connects between the Bai Hui point and the Hui Yin point called the "Coreline" which has in itself helped my understanding of rotational, spiral force. But for them the Centerline is the connection between ones own Coreline, and the Coreline of an opponent which references a number of ways depending on how you and your opponent are facing each other. Realizing these concepts in my practice has helped me in being able to take away my partners' balance and power as I tame them.
Answer
It is great that you have benefited from this Wing Choon master.
It is understandable that different schools may have different terms for the same concepts, especially when terms were translated from Chinese into English.
Even in the Chinese language, different terms may be used for the same concept. Although Wing Choon and Hoong Ka both originated from Southern Shaolin, they often use different terms. "Taming hand" or "fok sau" in Cantonese, is a Hoong Ka term. In Wing Choon it is called "kam sau", or "covering hand", though "fok sau" is sometimes used. "Central line" or "choong seen" is a Wing Choon term. In Hoong Ka the similar concept is called "choong moon", or "central gate".
There is, however, some slight difference between "central line" and "central gate". "Central line", or "core line" used by the Wing Choon school you mentioned, refers to a person's axis running down from bai-hui to hui-yin, whereas "central gate" refers to the front part of his body.
Editorial Note: David's other questions are continued in the next issue, July 2015 Part 2
Sifu Joan Browne and Grandmaster Wong
Question 7
Unfortunately none of your students or recommended teachers live in my area. What's more, I am currently studying for my masters' degree and cannot afford, financially or practically, to put my education on hold to fly to another country and study chi kung.
— Nicky, USA
Answer
I gave my honest opinion on how you could get the best benefits for your pursue of kingfu and chi kung. I never suggested that you stopped your study now. You could learn from our certified instructors during your off-study hours, or attend my Intensive Shaolin Kungfu Course or Intensive Chi Kung Course during your university holidays. But whom you wish to learn from, or whether you wish to continue learning from books or videos, is your own choice.
Although there may not be any qualified Shaolin Wahnam instructors living in your area, there are many living nearby. There are also many people who borrowed money to attend my courses.
Usually people who borrowed money to attend my courses have very good results. It is not that they want to get the most from their money, but because they value the arts I teach. I don't recommend people to borrow money to attend my courses, but I am just stating a fact from direct experience.
A good example is Sifu Joan Browne, who is the Chief Instructor of Shaolin Wahnam Ireland where I am now giving some courses. Not only she overcame her so-called incurable disease, she is now very happy and has helped many people overcome so-called incurable diseases, including cancer.
Joan had back pain, and her illness was so severe that doctors told her she had to be on a wheelchair for life. I did not know about the seriousness of her illness then. I also did not know she borrowed money to attend my Intensive Chi Kung Course in Malaysia. Had I known her difficulty, honestly I would have invited her to attend my course with my compliments. But now with hindsight, it was better that I did not do so.
There was a very interesting story about Joan. Joan is a deeply religious person, and the idea of gambling was, and is, never in her mind. After coming back from the course, she just had an inexplicable urge to ask her sister to take her to a place where she won a Bingo price. The price money was exactly the amount she borrowed for coming to Malaysia to attend an Intensive Chi Kung Course. It must be divine guidance.
Question 8
Do you truly recommend that I simply stop trying? Is that the only option? I cannot find an adept Tai Chi Chuan, Kung Fu, or Qigong teacher in my area but would so love to learn. I've read so many of your books but I now want to practice. Tai Chi has such delicate movements and Kung Fu is so intense, that I felt Qigong was the best place to begin if I were to self-teach.
Answer
Whether you will give up your aspiration to learn chi kung or kungfu is your choice. People who can so easily give up their aspiration when faced with some problems are not likely to succeed in life.
Previously I used to advice sincere students to search for genuine chi kung or kungfu masters to learn from. But as genuine chi kung and genuine kungfu teachers are very rare today, and most people cannot differentiate genuine teachers from bogus ones, to save them time, now I ask them to learn from us. Understandably many people may think that we are arrogant or want to market our school. That is their problem, not ours.
We are not concerned whether others want to learn from us. Honestly we believe that those who learn from us are really very fortunately. Our fees are much higher than most other teachers', but our students get so many wonderful benefits and in such a short time.
If you have any questions, please e-mail them to Grandmaster Wong via his Secretary at stating your name, country and e-mail address.
LINKS
Selected Reading
- Qualities of a Good Master
- How to Get benefits from Sinew Metamorphosis
- Baguazhang Combat Sequences
- 48-Pattern Taijiquan Set in Video
- Curry and Sweets