September 2008 (Part 2)
SELECTION OF QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
Wu-wei is a very important concept in chi kung. Here at the Intensive Chi Kung Course of January 2008 in Sungai Petani, Julia, Foo and Edwin experience spiritual joy while in a state of wu-wei.
Question 1
I'm in a bit of a predicament. I have wanted to do the Intensive Chi Kung Course for a few years now. I feel it would be great for my life and my martial arts practice.
I practice a style of ancient Muay Thai. Currently I live in Thailand practising this style with a master. He has combined elements of Wing Choon Kung Fu and Ju-jitsue with this ancient style. He also spent 2 years as a Buddhist monk. So daily meditation is part of our practice. It is not sport Muay Thia for ring fighting.
I showed him Sifu Wong's website and while my master was impressed and he agreed with all the aims and objectives mentioned on the website, my master said that, from a Buddhist point of view of trying to help all beings escape from suffering, he couldn't understand why the course costed so much money.
My master said that all a good martial artist needed was a good teacher and time. If someone was charging a lot of money it was usually a warning sign. So he advised me not to do it, or at least, not to do the Intensive Chi Kung Course for 1000 Euros.
However, I have had a feeling about this course for a number of years, I've read many of Sifu Wong's books and I still would like to do it.
Would it be possible to do the course for 500 Euros? I know you offer a money back guarantee of 1000 but would it be possible to pay 500 and if I am dissatisfied I won't ask for my money back.
Sorry if this seems unorthodox and rude but, I am trying to practice and stay on the path. I don't have a lot of money, I gave up many things to come to Thailand and live as a martial artist.
— John, Thailand
Answer
The reason why I charge 1000 Euros for my Intensive Chi Kung Course is quite simple. I teach chi kung as a professional, and not for charity. I believe 1000 Euros is a fair price to learn in just three days chi kung skills ranging from beginners' to masters' level that most chi kung practitioners may not learn in 20 years.
Some people asked for a discount due to lack of money, and I always obliged. Some people promised to pay after the course but did not do so, and I did not chase after them. But in your case I would not offer you the 50% discount as I believe you are not ready to learn from me.
I am not referring to your Muay Thai master in this case, but some people, especially in the West, think that a true master must not charge any fee and must teach whoever expresses a desire to learn. I really cannot understand the logic of this opinion. Why should a true master who has dedicated decades to his art, the secrets of which are traditionally kept for time-proven disciples, teach any Tom, Dick and Harry who happens to knock at his door. Perhaps, this perverted opinion sprang from bogus masters who taught students to flatter their own ego.
Great teaching comes with a price, and the greater the teaching the higher the price. The greatest teachers call for the highest price. The price may not necessarily be in the form of money. The disciples of the Buddha paid the price of renouncing worldly lives, and the disciples of Jesus sometimes paid with their lives.
Your request is not unorthodox or rude. In fact I like your sincerity. Had you asked me for a discount giving the reason that you did not have much money, I would have obliged without question. But although you did not have much money, your reason is different. It is questioning the value of the Intensive Chi Kung Course I teach.
Nevertheless, I would offer you some advice. Irrespective of who you learn from, why did you give up many things to live as a martial artist? Think deeply and clearly on this question. If you are clear about your vision, and set your direction, you will arrive at your destination in much shorter time.
Question 2
Your teaching of “you wei” and “wu wei” have particularly benefited me very much, whether manifesting as a new and better job, or in better relationship with my family. God continues to teach me, and as I continue to grow and develop I seek to use these blessings to benefit the world more and more.
— Ray, USA
Answer
“Wu-wei” is an important Taoist concept that is often translated as “not doing anything and everything will be done for you.” This has caused much conusion to many people. They are puzzled how can anything be accomplished if they do nothing.
What they don't realize is that “wu-wei” is only half the secret. The other half is “you-wei”, which means “doing something appropriate”. If you do something appropriate, you relax and let God or Nature do the remaining necessary things for you, trusting that God or Nature will also work for your best benefit.
In chi kung context, you perform some appropriate exercise, then let go and let the spontaneous chi flow work to overcome any illness or pain you may have, and to give you good health, vitality and longevity. Those who do not understand chi kung philosophy may find this hard to comprehend, but this is how chi kung works.
When you have your chi flowing, the chi flow will clear your blockage. But how does chi know where the blockage is? Like water, chi flows from areas of high energy levels to areas of low energy levels. Blockage is where the energy level is lowest. As long as you practice consistently, the chi flow will eventually clear the blockage, resulting in good health.
Question 3
But as I am inexperienced and young, I was hoping that Sifu would bewilling to guide me in some things that I don't understand. In this case, I hope Sifu can share with me how to be a good boyfriend when the time comes and I am committed in such a relationship. How can I make my girlfriend happy even if I do not always have money to spend on her? How do I make her feel safe and full of joy when she is around me?
Answer
These are very important questions for any young man. I am glad you think of these questions seriously. This itself will make you a good boyfriend any sensible girl will like to have.
While money is important, it is not the most important thing a girl wants in her boyfriend. More importantly, she wants kindness and attention. When you are with her, be kind to her. When you are not with her, regularly telephone her so that she knows you always care for her and think about her.
To make her feel safe, first of all you must have self-confidence. This can be attained by practicing high-level chi kung, which can strengthen your bone energy and gall-bladder energy, resulting in self-confidence. You should also be wise. Avoid going to lonely or dark public places. If you wish to be alone with your girlfriend, be at private places where you are certain of security.
To make your girlfriend joyful, you yourself must be full of joy. Smile from the heart every morning, and whenever you can. The joy radiating from your heart will spread to those around you.
The experience of wu-wei of the participants at the Intensive Shaolin Kungfu Course of April 2008 in Penang is quite different. In a state of wu-wei, they enjoy vigorous chi flow.
Question 4
I guess I will try to learn from an instructor because I feel bad practicing chi kung exercises on my own. I feel like fainting and have big tension in my head during "Carying the Moon" and even "Bear Walk".
— Marek, Poland
Answer
You have practiced incorrectly, though your outward forms were correct. You did not open your mouth and breathe out enough, and you also tensed your muscles. Probably you intellectualized too while performing the chi kung exercises. If you correct these mistakes, you should be fine.
Students who learn from books and videos, often make these mistakes, usually without realizing them. They think that if their external forms are correct, they would be performing the exercises correctly. In fact, these formless factors are more important than the outward forms of the exercise.
If you learn from a good instructor personally, not only you will not have these problems, your results will also be many times better.
Editorial Note: As Grandmaster Wong receives a lot of e-mails, his replies may take some time, and it may be some more time before the questions and answers are posted in this Question-Answer Series. After providing the above answer, Marek responds as follows:
Thank you very much. I already corrected my practice according to some advice from a sifu in Switzerland (I met him on the forum on your website) and it helped. Actually I am very, very grateful. I feel like I have new life - without constant pain and fear for my spine. I find it about 80-90% improvement. And it's after 3 months. Before I had 8 years of problems. Thank you! I intend to attend your course as soon I have enough money.
Marek.
Question 5
My sister-in-law felt a lump on her breast a few weeks ago and doctors have now confirmed she has breast cancer. Unfortunately it has been in her family. Her mother had breast cancer and fought against it and now she is OK when doctors removed her breast during surgery. Breast cancer is in her family.
— Chris, Australia
Answer
According to traditional Chinese medical philosophy, there is no such a thing as an incurable disease. Cancer can be overcome, and many people have been overcome of cancer. An excellent way is to practice high-level chi kung.
Question 6
Do people inherit cancer? Why and how does cancer appear? Do some poeple have a larger chance of getting it if it's common in their family?
Answer
From the Western medical perspective, the how and why of cancer appearing is unknown. Hence it is unsure whether people inherit cancer, though a person's chance of having cancer is higher if the disease is found in his family line.
Nevertheless, I shall answer your questions from the traditional Chinese medical perspective, which is both simple and profound at the same time. The term cancer is not found in traditional Chinese medicine. This does not mean that people in China did not suffer from cancer, but the disease was called by different terms according to the physiological conditions of the patients.
A Chinese physician in the past examining your sister-in-law, for example, would not know of a cancerous tumour, but he could tell that she had too much fire in her breast, or her lung energy was blocked. If he could help her quench the fire or clear the lung blockage, she would recover, without ever knowing that she had cancer.
Therefore, the disease can be inherited. A parent with a constitution prone to excessive heat in the breast or energy blockage in the lungs has a likelihood of passing such “pre-natal chi” (or DNA in Western terms) to his or her off-springs. But irrespective of whether a disease is inherited or acquired, it can be rectified, as good health is natural.
In contrast to wu-wei where we just let go and be spontaneous, is you-wei, where we perform some purposeful action. Here at the same Intensive Chi Kung Course of January 2008, Irene, Yogesh, Edwin, Joe and Yong direct chi to massage various internal organs.
Question 7
Is there anything we can do to help?
Answer
Yes, you can help much by giving her hope, by telling her that cancer can be overcome and many people have overcome cancer. You can find some testimonials from my website.
Question 8
My sister-in-law would probably feel uncomfortable if I mentioned to her about chi kung as I am not a doctor and wouldn't be qualified to give her advice. I believe she will be undergoing surgery to try and remove the cancer. After the operation they treat her with chemotherapy, I think. Would it be best for me not to mention anything about chi kung to her but support her in any way I can?
Answer
It is indeed a pity that many people refuse help and possible cure due to their ignorance and prejudice. It is better to tell her about chi kung and that it has helped many people overcome cancer. Encourage her to go for surgery to remove the tumour, which is actually a symptom of the disease. Then encourage her to practice high-level chi kung to remove the root-cause.
LINKS
Selected Reading
- Joyful Experience of My Soul
- Performance of Four Gates with Jing, Qi and Shen
- The Unbelievable Effectiveness of Tantui Combat Sequence One
- Breathing Methods and Control in Taijiquan
- The Student as Part of the Perfect Equation