STRATEGIES TO ENCOURAGE FAMILY AND FRIENDS TO LEARN CHI KUNG
From the chi kung perspective, there are no incurable diseases
Question 11
Can we use any of the 36 Strategies to encourage family and friends to learn this wonderful art and derive the many benefits its practice can bring?
Sifu Kevin Barry
Answer
Yes, of course. We can use everyone of the 36 strategies to encourage family and friends to learn our wonderful arts and derive many benefits.
Let us briefly see how some of the strategies in this course can be used.
When reading a newspaper we can highlight a new item reporting someone suffering from a so-called incurable disease.
“It’s really a pity,” you may say, “she is so young yet suffers from this incurable disease.”
Hopefully someone may comment. But if no one says anything, you can continue, “Jane, do you know of any of your friends who suffer from this disease, or any incurable disease?”
This may or may not lead to a short discussion about chi kung. Eventually, you say, slowly and loudly, “Actually these diseases are considered incurable in Western medicine. From the chi kung perspective, every disease can be cured! My teacher and my teacher’s teacher have cured many people who suffered from these diseases.”
If someone asks a question, it is timely. If not, you can continue, “Better still, you don’t have to wait to suffer from these diseases to practice chi kung. Practicing chi kung will prevent you from these diseases which can happen to anybody.”
You conclude by saying, “I’ll leave some reference material here. If you are interested you can check it up. It may turn out to be the best things you have ever done in your life.”
This is the strategy of Hit Grass Startle Snake.
You may propose to take your family members or friends for an outing. After some initial fun, you say you have to drop in at some place on the way to get some important material. You have to arrange with your sifu or a suitable instructor to have an elementary class running when you arrive.
Your sifu or the instructor invites you and the others to join the class for a few minutes for fun. Prior to this, arrange all chairs and tables to be taken away so that there is no place for anyone to sit.
These few minutes of chi kung should be exhilarating and hopefully encourage them to continue taking a class.
This is the strategy of Trick Tiger Leave Mountain.
When your friends or family members have difficulty performing some physical movements or are not agile, you ask them how old they are.
“I’m 32,” one may say.
Jokingly, you say, “By the manner you moved just now, I thought you were 50! But don’t worry, I’ll show you how you can be 25.”
Then you move quickly to show them some simple chi kung exercises, like Bear Walk or Swinging Hips, and ask them to follow you. The exercise must be simple so that they can follow you easily. Don’t correct their mistakes yet as this might spoil their interest.
When they are in a right mood, let them into some gentle chi flow, if possible, and let them enjoy themselves.
“Now you’re 25. Let’s go for a drink.”
Give them a phone number and say, “You can follow up with this phone number if you want more benefits.”
This is the strategy of Throw Stone Attract Jade.
A gentle chi flow during a chi kung class in England
The question and answer are taken from the thread More Fun! 36 Strategies in the Shaolin Wahnam Institute Discussion Forum.