SELECTION OF QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
OCTOBER 2016 PART 3
When one practices high-level chi kung, overcoming illness is a matter of course
Question 1
As mentioned in your website, the curriculum during the five days of the Chi Kung Healing Course looks quite a lot. Could you advise what healing skills will be taught?
— Jose Lobato, Spain
Answer
The healing skills to be taught at the Chi Kung Healing Course are bafflingly simple, yet very profound. Any of our Shaolin Wahnam instructors or any students who have attended an Intensive Chi Kung Course and willing to learn will be able to acquire these healing skills within the few days of the course! With these skills he will be able to help people overcome any illness, especially so-called incurable diseases!
Many people who are used to conventional medical philosophy will be very surprised at the skills to be taught at the Chi Kung Healing Course.
The three main skills to be taught at the course, which have enabled me to help countless people overcome their so-called incurable diseases over more than 20 years, are:
- To convince patients it is worth their time and effort to regain their good heath. This may sound ridiculous to healthy people, but many of those suffering from daily pain and so-called incurable diseases may prefer to die.
- To convince patients that if they follow the prescribed healing procedure, they can be cured.
- Teach patients some appropriate exercises to generate a chi flow.
The difference between a matter of course and a matter of fact can be illustrated by an analogy. If you drive along an expressway from Madrid to Barcelona, arriving at Barcelona is a matter of course. As a matter of fact you may not arrive if, for example, you stop on the way or drive to somewhere else.
Again it may sound ridiculous but true that even if a healer trained in the course has forgotten all the theoretical knowledge mentioned in the curriculum but succeeds in accomplishing the above three skills, he can help people overcome so-called incurable diseases!
We have the skills and techniques to help people overcome so-called incurable diseases. It is "sinful" if such skills and techniques are not made available to deserving students.
Why are there still so many people in the world suffering from so-called incurable diseases? Apart from the fact that healers trained in our tradition are very few by comparison to the number of sufferers, there are three reasons as follows. The sufferers do not know about our healing, they do not believe in our healing even if they know, they do not follow the healing procedure we prescribe.
The healing procedure is to practice the exercises we teach for about 15 minutes every day until they recover, which usually takes between three months to nine months, and sometimes just a few days. The exercises are simple to perform, and are certainly more pleasant than taking medical drugs.
The Chi Kung Healing Course is by invitation only. Only those who have attended an Intensive Chi Kung Course, or have practiced our arts in our school for many years, are eligible.
Question 2
You have said that Sinew Metamorphosis is considered a "wow" course because there are only two reactions. Students either say "wow", or they say I feel nothing. Why do some students feel nothing?
— Max, Australia
Answer
The main reason is that they do not follow my instructions faithfully, often without their realisation and usually without meaning to be disrespectful, especially at a time when I am transmitting important skills.
For example, I ask them to be relaxed, but instead of relaxing they check whether they are standing upright.
Or I specifically ask them not to follow me when I show them a technique to be performed soon. But instead of listening they follow my action.
In other words, when I ask them to do A, they do B or C. If at this moment I am transmitting a skill, they will just miss the transmission.
As an analogy, you are to turn your television set to Channel 5 to receive the broadcast transmitted by a television station. It doesn't matter whether you turn the nob controlling the channel with five fingers or three, or even with your mouth, but you must turn to Channel 5. But instead of doing that, you clean the television set with a piece of cloth, or sit on it. You just don't receive the transmission.
"Grasping Thumb" or "Hiding Gold in Fist"of Sinew Metamorphosis
Question 3
You also have said that it took you more than a year to achieve what we now achieve in just four hours. Why?
Answer
This is unbelievable but true.
There are two main reasons. One, you differentiate between techniques and skills. Two, which is more important, I transmit the skills to you so that you can apply the skills immediately.
When I was a student learning Sinew Metamorphosis I did not differentiate between techniques and skills. Like most other people, I thought that by practicing the techniques I would obtain the desired results.
Secondly, my sifu did not transmit the skills to me. I developed the skills unknowingly by practicing the techniques dedicatedly.
Question 4
I have noticed that my hair is thinner in the front and is definitely growing at only 2/3 the rate as the rest of the hair on my head. The change happened about 3 or 4 months ago. I can feel the sides and back of my scalp tingle during chi kung practice but the top and front feel absent, numb, desensitized. Sensation to touch is normal but the sensation of chi isn't. What can I do about this?
— Lee, USA
Answer
You don't have to do anything special about it. Jut carry on your chi kung practice and enjoy it. But remember not to over-train.
Chi kung practice, amongst other benefits, will make your hair grow. But the benefits of chi kung happen according to the priority of needs of a practitioner. Hair growth is relatively not as important as overcoming illness. If the practitioner has some health problems, his chi kung training will overcome the health problems before aiding his hair to grow.
Three Levels to the Ground
Question 5
I alternate between Lifting the Sky, Carrying the Moon and Three Levels to Ground. I rarely focus on energy increasing for the last 3-4 months because I was afraid this was effecting my hair.
Answer
What you did was correct.
Unless you are at an advanced level or are performing chi kung for specific purposes, you need not focus on increasing your energy level. Your energy level will automatically increase even when you don't focus on it. It will also flow to wherever you need it most, though you may not realize it.
In chi kung terms, this is known as "wu-wei", which means "being spontaneous", and your practice will give you benefits according to what you need most. In English translation, "wu-wei" is often described as "don't do anything and everything will be done for you."
Most people, including most Chinese as well as the authors of the translated terms, may not really understand what it means. How can everything be done for you if you do nothing.
"Wu-wei" is a Taoist term, and Taoists are usually arcane. Here they give you only half the secret. The other half is "you-wei", which means "do the appropriate thing".
So, you have to perform "you-wei" first, then followed by "wi-wei". In chi kung training, you have to first perform appropriate chi kung exercises, then be spontaneous. If chi moves you, go along with the chi flow. If chi does not move you from your standing position, enjoy yourself in your position.
If you feel the sides and the back of you head tinkle with chi, enjoy the tinkling sensations. If you don't feel any tinkling sensations on the top and the front of your head, don't worry and don't intellectualize about it. In this way you will obtain the best benefits.
Question 6
One night after watching a kung fu movie and having a glass of strong wine, I was surprised I could enter into a very strong chi flow very very easily. It was nearly 2 hours after the wine with dinner and normally any alcohol effects are passed by then so I don't believe that it was just alcohol I was feeling.
I went outside to practice chi kung. I immediately and unintentionally went into a variety of kung fu forms, that for the most part I have only seen and never done, let alone understood. I could even understand some of the applications! In some cases, difficult movements that I had be practicing for 6 months, suddenly I was able to do. The next few days after, I notice I cannot remember the applications or even duplicate those movements. What happened?
Answer
What happened to you was not uncommon amongst some of our chi kung practitioners. In their chi flow, which might or might not be induced by alcohol, they performed fast and powerful kungfu movements which they had not learned before.
The principle of "wu-wei" is useful here. Just enjoy your spontaneous kungfu movements, and don't worry and don't intellectualize about them. These kungfu movements are beneficial to you. Also you don't have to worry and don't have to intellectualize how or why they are beneficial.
Nevertheless, for your intellectual curiosity, there are a few possibilities why these kungfu movements occurred. One, more or none of the possibilities could be the real reason. But what the real reason is, is not important. What is important is that you derive benefits. As an analogy, when you get money from a telling-machine, who put the money in the machine is not important. It could be a clerk or a supervisor or the bank manager himself, or none of them. What is important is that you get money from the machine.
One possibility of your kungfu movements was that you were a kungfu practitioner in one of your previous lives. Another possibility was that you saw these movements before and they were imprinted in your memory. A third possibility was whims and fancies. Your chi flow triggered these kungfu movements.
Kungfu is not just for combat, it is also for attaining good health, vitality and longevity
Question 7
I have heard that alcohol can excite chi. Does this happen? Is it bad? I have noticed that it is very hard for me to loosen up and "let go".. But that night of vigorous chi flow and kung fu movements, I really had no trouble loosening up. I wish I could enter that state more easily and without alcohol.
Answer
It is true that a small amount of alcohol can activate a chi flow. This is the reason why a bit of alcohol is added to some medicinal concoction. It is good. But a big amount will make him intoxicated, and this is bad.
It is, of course, better if you can loosen up yourself to activate a chi flow. This is entering into a chi kung state of mind. All our students have no difficulty in entering a chi kung state of mind. As you continue in your daily chi kung training, you will find it easy to enter into a chi kung state of mind and enjoy a chi flow, without the use of any alcohol.
Question 8
I am reading through your book, "The Art of Shaolin Kung Fu", again to set up my aims and objectives for chi kung and kung fu. Could you tell me if I am on track?
My aims are to have a healthy strong flexible body, be able to effectively defend myself, and have internal force. Later I wish to add mind expansion and spiritual development. A goal that I have set is to be able to do the Horse Stance and Bow Stance for 5 minutes each.
I intend to practice in small increments of time to avoid another knee injury. It is my understanding that the stances are fundamental in kung fu training and now for the first time in my 2.5 years of exposure to kung fu my knee is well enough to pursue this!
Answer
You are on a right track.
Many people have kindly told me that they have found my books on chi kung and kungfu are some of the best they have read. They provide a sound philosophy for your training.
To be flexible and healthy, to expand your mind and develop your spirits are important aims in any kungfu training. Developing internal force will contribute to these aims. It is unfortunate that today many kungfu practitioners not only do not have these aims, but worse, they harm themselves by routinely submitting themselves to generous exchange of blows.
The Horse-Riding Stance is a main method to develop internal force in Shaolin Kungfu. The Bow-Arrow Stance as well as the False-Leg Stance are used in combat.
It is important that you progress in small increments. Not only you will avoid injury, but also you give sufficient time for your physical body to adjust to the increase of energy which you will develop from your training. Gradual progress and persistent practice are two cardinal principles in any force training.
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
- A Beautiful Joruney
- Wing Choon Kungfu and Wooden Dummy
- Forgiveness in chi Kung
- 48-Pattern Taijiquan Set
- From Copenhagen to Stockholm