SELECTION OF QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
OCTOBER 2022 PART 3
Chi Kung State of Mind
Note
: The Q & A Series will end on Apr 25 Part 1, but the Series will carry on as usual.
Question 1
My other businesses have been effected, but chi kung has flowed well now for the opportunity to focus more on teaching the arts.
— Sifu Tim Franklin, Shaolin Wahnam England
Answer
Chi kung healing, which is very rare, is excellent in overcoming illness as it treats a person's physiological and psychological condition. To be healthy is a natural birth-right, though many people for some reason are sick.Most people, however, practice "chi kung" and undergo "chi kung" healing, as they do not know how to enter into a chi kung state of mind. High level chi kung, which we practice in Shaolin Wahnam, gives peak performance and spiritual joys irrespective of religion. We find that every day is our birthday.
Question 2
Today, one of my students, who is a Tuina therapist, asked why we send chi to the stomach, which is a Fu organ, while the kidneys, lungs and liver are Zang organs.
Is there a special reason why the stomach is chosen instead of the spleen?
— Sifu Leonard Lackinger, Shaolin Wahnam Wien
Answer
There is no special reason why the stomach or the spleen is chosen to send chi to unless we know the specific reason. If there is a stomach or a spleen problem, or if the patient is anxious, we may send chi to the stomach.
I remember that when the daughter of Sylvester of Austria was small, I sent chi to her stomach to relieve her of her health problem, for which I earned the honorific nickname of "magic man". She is now a lovely lady.
Please remember that we use low level chi kung to overcome health problems. Using high level chi kung may harm the person. It is a common belief that chi kung that can overcome cancer, heart problems or any so-called incurable disease is of a very high level.
Generally, we just generate an energy flow, as it is best to overcome any health problem, as energy flow clears away energy blockage that causes diseases. We can use "Lifting the Sky" or "Carrying the Moon" from the 18 Lohan Hands to generate an energy flow. Sometimes we may use "Double Dragon" of 18 Jewels, or any set of three exercises.
Chi kung healing, which is very rare nowadays, will be the medicine in the future, as most people practice gentle, physical exercise though they call their art "chi kung". Pharmaceutical companies and Western trained doctors, who have much respect, may make sugar-coated pills to generate energy flow, as practicing chi kung even to a reasonable level takes some time.
The most important factor is chi flow, which is the essence of chi kung. Chi flow ensures that chi is flowing harmoniously to all organs and systems to work the organs and systems naturally and spontaneously.
But we must make sure that the chi flow is not of a high quality, a common misconception of many people, including some "masters", as they think that chi kung that overcomes so-called incurable diseases is of a high level. Most other practitioners of "chi kung" merely practice gentle, physical exercise, and they are weak and sick, but they don't realize it. They take sickness, which is unnatural, as natural.
The most important is to enter into a chi kung state of mind. I learned it only when I was teaching. In my students' days I only practiced techniques, thinking wrongly that if one knew techniques he would attain the benefits of chi kung, which gave good health, vitality and longevity. This of course is not correct.
Entering into a chi kung state of mind is coined by a great chi kung master, Yan Xin, of China. It is entering into a higher state of consciousness, or entering Zen in Shaolin context or entering Tao in Taijiquan. Hence, chi kung is sometimes called "shen gong", or spiritual art. Most "chi kung" practitioners lose this entering into a chi kung state of mind.
Chi Flow
Question 3
If an advanced Shaolin Wahnam member decided to focus on one exercise, for instance Sinew Metamorphosis, and practised that 5 to 6 times a week, occasionally doing other exercises on the other days. Would that practitioner have more or less benefit compared to a Wahnam practitioner who decided to focus on breadth and practised a different force training exercise every day?
— Sifu Roeland Jijkema, Shaolin Wahnam Netherlands
Answer
Focusing on Sinew Metamorphosis though he may perform other exercises on other days is very powerful. He will attain a benefit more powerful than another focusing on breadth and practicing a force training exercise, like stance training or Bone Marrow Cleansing, every day.
You will also practice breadth control, like you remain spontaneous or natural while, for example, flicking your fingers. Sinew Metamorphosis is a set of chi kung that is very powerful. One should focus on only one exercise while performing Sinew Metamorphosis, as we can generate tremendous internal force, which is good not only for martial arts but for daily living.
You are not only a typical student but an instructor whom I am very proud of. Right now I am practicing Gentle Small Universe every day, which will give me tremendous good health. I practice only for about 10 minutes and less than 30% of my potential, yet I can roll on hard ground and jump.
I remember Andrew (Sifu Andrew Barnett, Chief Instructor, Shaolin Wahnam Switzerland) asking me an important question. He asked me what exercise I had learnt. At that time I told him it was Golden Bell. But if he were to ask me again now, I would answer any exercise that gives good health, vitality and longevity.
Question 4
How would these two practitioners compare to a Wahnam practitioner who decided to focus on for instance flowing force but picked different exercises most days?
Answer
The practitioners who follow flowing force will have less benefits, but he will also have a lot of benefits. Flowing force is good for daily living. As you intend to practice Sinew Metamorphosis daily, you must be careful of over-training.
I suggest that you carry on with your 30 opponents programme. You should beat other masters and professional fighters easily.
"Double Dragon Emerges from Sea" from Dragon Strength
Question 5
I am guessing it would not matter much, as all exercises involve chi flow and accumulating energy flow at the end?
Answer
While chi flow is very important, it depends on what exercises we choose to practice daily. In other words, techniques are still very important, though skills, especially for those who are not initiated, are more important.
Different teachers teach differently. Most students learn chi kung from the first "chi kung" school that is convenient to them. Hence, they are still sick and weak, although chi kung is to give them good health, vitality and longevity.
Entering into a chi kung state of mind is very important. I learned it while teaching. I did not know about the term during my student's days, yet students who attend my Intensive Chi Kung Course attain a chi kung state of mind in the first hour. More than 80% of "chi kung" practitioners today do not know about entering into a chi kung state of mind, though they call their arts "chi kung".
Question 6
I have just taught the Dragon Strength Set form to a student.
Answer
The Dragon Strength Set should not be taught to any one. The sets that I mentioned I only taught once, like Dragon Strength Set and Essence of Shaolin, should not be taught to any one. It will be a mockery if you start teaching them. Those who missed the sets, just miss the sets.
When I taught the Dragon Strength Set, I taught dragon force, lightning speed and dim mark. They are three secretive arts. Any one who is accomplished in any one art is a rare master.
The superiority of Shaolin Kungfu
Question 7
At the Dragon Strength course we sometimes practised parts in isolation, such as lightning speed and consolidating energy. I prefer to train the different aspects in the set, some parts slowly, some parts flowingly, and some parts consolidated. Is this correct? Or is it better to train parts of the set?
Answer
The Dragon Strength Set can be used to train any type of force. "Double Dragon Emerges from Sea" from the Dragon Strength Set is a wonderful force training method, and can be used to train different types of force. If you train flowing force, you let the force be flowing. If you train consolidated force, you consolidate your force. It needs personal attention to show how to train the force to be flowing or consolidated.
If you are training "Double Dragon Emerges from Sea", you should focus on those parts that are relevant. You will probably remain at the Horse-Riding Stance. But you can move to other stances when you strike or defend. In fact, when you train the Dragon Strength Set, you only focus on the relevant parts. You may, if you like, perform the whole set once a while.
A shorter, narrower Bow-Arrow Stance is a spontaneous development. Techniques are still very important. We need techniques to overcome many combat situations. Having no form is a misnomer. A kungfu master is so good that he appears to have no form.
Question 8
If you spar with someone who is not skilful but is trying to hit you with all his might and does not care that you show him that you can hit him, would you consider being slightly more forceful to slow him down?
Answer
When you spar with someone who is not skilful but is trying to hit you with all his might, you can slow him down by being more forceful.
But there are many ways you can force him to accept your superiority. One favourite way I used was to fell him, contorl him so that he cannot retaliate, then put two fingers at his eyes.
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
- Cloud Hands Grasp Sparrow
- An Incredible Find
- Aims and Objectives of Practicing Kungfu
- Showing Respect to the Master
- Power, Speed and Flexibility Gained from Using Proper Stances