SELECTION OF QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
OCTOBER 2020 PART 3

Every day is a joy

Every day is a joy

Question 1

Thank you so much for everything you teach us. I can't believe how more and more beautiful life becomes every single day. It makes me want to help as many beings as I can. As you always say, we truly live in a golden age. It is amazing how many blessings we in Shaolin Wahnam receive from Heaven.

— Miguel, Netherlands

Answer

Indeed, we live in a golden age. Just a touch of a button and you can have light in darkness, and heater that warms the weather in winter. People in the Netherlands in the 17th century during its pinnacle as a military and trading power, or the glorious Tang Dynasty in China might have lanterns to make nights like days, but they certainly didn't have answers to questions at the touch of a button.

Wanting to help other beings is a blessing in Shaolin Wahnam. Live everyday peacefully and joyfully, which practicing our arts will give us. It is wonderful that the biggest group of people who write to thank me is not the people I have saved -- and I have saved a lot of people from so-called incurable diseases -- but healthy people like you who are at peace with the world and find every day a joy.

Question 2

I wanted to ask you a more personal question. Currently I am doing two studies, one in Chinese medicine and one in Renaissance history. Unfortunately I do not like my history study very much as the teachers aren't motivated and I feel I have more of a duty and find enjoyment in Chinese medicine. My history study is a two year masters. I have completed one year and am not sure whether to continue.

Answer

History can be made interesting, and much of it depends on the teachers. I remember that when I was in Form 4 (which is equivalent to the fourth year in high school), I had a very bad history teacher. He, literally, came into class, wrote on the blackboard "Read Chapter 5" (or whatever chapter we were supposed to study) and continued himself with his newspaper. He did that, factually, in every history lesson.

He was eminently qualified. He had a master's degree in arts and a master's degree in science. Most other teachers had only a bachelor degree in either arts or science. When I went to Form 5, which was the final year before taking the common school certificate examinations, I had a very good history teacher. He is Mr Leong Yee Foong. He not only taught, but inspired. When I went to Form 6, which, consisted of 2 years, Lower 6 and Upper 6, and is pre-university, I also had a very good history teacher in Mr Rao. When I went to teacher's training, I took history and English.

I taught history in my early years as a school teacher. Later I mostly taught English. I not only taught, but inspired. Sometimes I acted in my history lessons. For example, when I taught Parameswara, the founder of Malacca Sultanate in Malaysian history, I acted like Parameswara. My classes enjoyed themselves very much, and of course they improved in their history.

Renaissance history can be interesting. You can read up the life histories of Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo and other inspiring persons. Renaissance history is not just facts and figures. It is an interpretation of life, and we can learn a lot from it. It is a two-year course, and you have completed the first year. You can complement it with Chinese medicine, which personally I find more urgent for Western societies.

University life is enjoyable and interesting. Make the best of it.

Sophisticated Qin-na

A sophisticated qin-na technique

Question 3

I was wondering if Shaolin Kung Fu can be used to carry out assassinations without leaving any mark on the body of the victim. For example, with one finger zen one could send a beam of energy through an opponent's heart without leaving any mark on the body.

— Bala, India

Answer

Yes, Shaolin Kungfu can be used to carry out assassinations without leaving any mark on the body of the victim, but Shaolin disciples would not do that. It is because of compassion.

Shaolin Kungfu at its highest level was used for spiritual cultivation. When Bodhidharma taught the Shaolin monks the Eighteen Lohan Hands, the main purpose was to strengthen the monks physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually so that they could better perform sitting meditation, or Zen, which was the paramount path to Enlightenment. The Eighteen Lohan Hands evolved into Shaolin Kungfu.

That was why "dim mark" and "qin-na" developed. "Dim mark" is dotting vital points and "qin-na" is gripping in special ways, so that energy flow, which would work all life activities, would be blocked. Instead of breaking bones or damaging internal organs, the victims could consult other masters or good physicians to restore the victims' normal functions. "Dim mark" and "qin-na" are actually compassionate arts. Unfortunately due to shallow understanding, "dim mark" is often regarded as "the death touch".

A Shaolin master is joyful, peaceful and relaxed even in demanding situations. He can spar for hours without being tired or panting for breaths. He is gentle, but can be very powerful. He has good health, vitality, longevity, peak performance and spiritual joys irrespective of religion. Shaolin Kungfu, or any kungfu, is now very rare. Many kungfu practitioners merely perform kungfu forms or use Boxing and Kick-Boxing if they have to spar or fight.

Question 4

Is there a direct relationship between morality and internal-force, how are they related, how do they compliment one and other and what are the benefits of being moral as an aid to cultivating internal-force?

— John, Ireland

Answer

There is no direct relationship between morality and internal force. In other words, a person can be immoral, yet has internal force. Or a person with a lot of internal force can also be immoral.

However, there is a saying that "chai pat sing cheng" (Cantonese pronunciation), or "immorality cannot be victorious over morality". In other words, an immoral person cannot have a lot of internal force. This, I believe, is Nature's way of elimination.

An immoral person can have some internal force, but it cannot be as great as one with high morality. To have tremendous internal force, a person must be morally upright.

Dragon Strength

A pattern from Dragon Strength

Question 5

It is great to know you are in excellent health and happiness! I am happy to say that I am too. I am forever grateful for your teachings, for they bring fantastic results!

— Sifu Roeland Dijkema, Shaolin Wahnam Netherlands

Answer

I am happy that you too are excellent in health and happiness. There is a lot of truth in the saying that "being accomplished in the genuine Shaolin arts, it is better than changing stone to gold by touch", a fact that I have discovered gradually though at first I thought it was an exaggeration.

Question 6

How would the Horse-Riding Stance compare to a practitioner who practices the Dragon Strength Set every day, or a practitioner who just does Golden Dragon Taps on Ground?

Answer

Comparing the Dragon Strength Set or Golden Dragon Taps on Ground and the Horse-Riding Stance, the Dragon Strength Set or Golden Dragon Taps on Ground is advanced whereas the Horse-Riding Stance is elementary. I am commenting the way we perform them.

Other people will just perform the form of the Dragon Strength Set or Golden Dragon Taps on Ground, and struggle with the Horse-Riding Stance -- the former may not bring any benefits, and the latter may bring harm. Many people may be angry at what I said, but that is their problem.

Golden Dragon Taps on Ground

Golden Dragon Taps on Ground

Question 7

Would the practitioner who practises the Horse Riding Stance have an advantage in combat because the Horse Riding Stance can be trained for a much longer time?

Answer

The practitioner who practices Dragon Strength will have an advantage in combat. The one who practices just the Horse-Riding Stance and nothing else would have internal force, which he can't use for combat except that it will contribute to his vitality and quickness.

If we take internal force, I believe that the practitioner who practices Dragon Strength Set or Golden Dragon Taps on Ground will have more than the one who practices Horse-Riding Stance. The answer is straight-forward. Dragon Strength Set and Golden Dragon Taps on the Ground are advanced, whereas Horse-Riding Stance is elementary. In terms of flowing force and consolidated force, the exercises at "Ta Chong" is more flowing, and Golden Dragon Taps on Ground is more consolidated than Horse-Riding Stance.

Sinew Metamorphosis, of which Golden Dragon Taps on Ground is one of the twelve exercises, produces a lot of internal force in a very short time. It is much more cost-effective than the Horse-Riding Stance.

Of course, you don't need to perform Golden Dragon Taps on Ground as long as you perform Horse-Riding Stance. In your case, if you perform Golden Dragon Taps on Ground for just 3 minutes, you can develop more internal force than performing Horse-Riding Stance for 15 minutes.

Question 8

Personally, I prefer the Dragon Strength as it is much more flowing and I have noticed life runs more smoothly if I start the day with that. But somehow it feels like cheating, not putting in so much work. Would you recommend that I also train the Horse Riding Stance every day for at least half an hour?

Answer

The question is not of cheating but of being cost-effectiveness. You can put in less time but gain more results. I really don't mean to be boastful, but all Shaolin Wahnam students and instructors are cost-effective. Others don't even know how to defend themselves, yet they say they practice kungfu. Worse, they hurt themselves in generously exchanging blows.

You need not train the Horse Riding Stance every day for at least half an hour. You already have a lot of internal force. More important than combat, your internal force will give you good health, vitality, longevity, peak performance and spiritual joys.

Question 9

You told me that if all things were equal, the Flower Set was the best set for me. I do love the set, especially the combat sequences, but as far as force training is concerned I prefer the Dragon Strength Set. Is it all right to use the Dragon Strength Set for force training and the combat sequences from the Flower Set?

Answer

The Flower Set was the specialty of Ng Mui, the eldest of the Shaolin Elders. She developed her tremendous internal force from "Double Worshiping of the Buddha", which is at the start of the Flower Set.

You can use Dragon Strength for force training, and Flower Set for combat. They are the two best sets for kungfu training. Dragon Strength is very good for force training. You can train any force with it. Flower Set is excellent for combat. The combat sequences in the Flower Set is very sophisticated.



If you have any questions, please e-mail them to Grandmaster Wong via his Secretary at stating your name, country and e-mail address.

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