SELECTION OF QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
JUNE 2013 PART 1
The Eight Immortals reproduced from http://history.cultural-china.com/en/38History9140.html
Question 1
Sifu,
What is the most important lesson you learned from Sigung Ho Fatt Nam?
— Sifu Maxime Citerne, Shalin Wahnam France
Answer
The most important lesson I learned from my sifu, Sifu Ho Fatt Nam, is to have an impeccable conscious.
I clearly remember my sifu told me that if a person did some evil deeds, he might cover his evil deeds from the whole world, but he could not cover them from heaven and earth. Even if he could cover his evil deeds from heaven and earth, he could not cover them from his own conscious.
My sifu also said, "Kui tau sam chet yau shen ming", which is in Cantonese meaning, "if you lift up your head there are countless divine beings three feet above you." The meaning is that a wrong doer may think no one else knows about his evil doing, but in reality his evil doing is witnessed by countless divine beings.
It is worthy to mention that my sifu was a great Taoist master frequently sought by the public for advice and help on spiritual matters. Hence, when he mentioned the presence of spiritual beings around, he knew what he was saying.
My sifu also advised that this presence of countless spiritual beings around would be a warning to other people, but not to us. We avoid evil and do good, not because of the presence of spiritual beings around us, but because it is the right thing to do.
Having an impeccable conscious is the most important lesson I have learned from my sifu. It has enriched my life and the life of many people. While it is the most important lesson, it is, however, not the most advanced.
Question 2
Then, what is the most advanced lesson?
Answer
The most advanced lesson, in the phenomenal dimension, is "sum seong si seng", which means "Mind thinks, events materialize".
Everyone has this ability, but the effect is weak that it is usually cancelled by other thoughts and happenings. But for those trained in spiritual cultivation, such as meditation and internal arts, like us, the effect can be very strong.
Therefore, it is of utmost importance that we must always have noble thoughts -- of ourselves and other people. Thoughts create reality.
If a person is sick, for example, he should think that he can get well, and take action to realize his thought. If he is unhappy in his family life or work place, he should think that the unhappy situation can be rectified, and act on it.
"Sum seong si seng" is the most advanced lesson in the phenomenal dimension that I learned from my sifu. In the transcendental dimension, the most advanced lesson is "sitting in a lotus position, thinking nothing and doing nothing".
This lesson can enable a dedicated cultivator to attain the most supreme achievement any being can ever attain, called variously as Enlightenment, merging with he Great Void or returning to God the Holy Spirit.
Heavenly beings are all around you. Angels reproduced from http://yourcaringangels.com/blog/?p=34685
Question 3
Is the Cosmos alive?
— Sifu Ronny, Switzerland
Answer
Yes, the Cosmos is alive.
This is in contradiction to what science at its present stage of development advocates. According to science, the Cosmos is cold and dead, consisting of non-living material. Any life in the Cosmos, according to orthodox science, is found only in our puny world.
But according to all religions and spiritual disciplines, the Cosmos is fully alive. In Buddhist cosmology, for example, life is found in every star, planet or moon in the universe. Transcendentally, the undifferentiated spread of energy has consciousness.
Science and religion also have different views on the original state of the Cosmos. According to science, the original state is chaos. When things are left to return to their natural state, they will become more and more disordered.
According to religion the original state is perfection. When things are left to return to their natural state, they will be perfect.
Question 4
Sigung, you often mention that over-training is harmful, as it adds too much energy to our body. But can we over-train if we circulate our energy?
— Sifu Mario, Switzerland
Answer
Yes, if we circulate our energy excessively, it can be over-training too. On the other hand, circulating energy is an excellent way to remedy over-training where too much energy is added. We should strive for the golden mean.
Excessive circulation of energy is indeed not uncommon among our senior practitioners. It is manifested as drastic cleansing. Our senior practitioners are so effective in their practice that they push through blockage faster than their body can dispose off the toxic waste. The result is unpleasant and often painful. What they need is to slow down their training.
Excessive circulation of energy is different from draining away energy. Energy drainage is very harmful. In excessive energy circulation, the energy remains in the body. The harm is due to toxic waster not disposed off in time. In energy drainage, energy is drained out from the body. The harm is due to insufficient energy for healthy physiological functioning.
Grandmaster Wong performing Taijiquan pattern, "Jade Grild Threads Shuttle"
Question 5
When I practice chi kung at night, I have so much energy that I can't sleep. What should I do?
— Koncha, Germany
Answer
Sleeping is Nature's way of replenishing you with energy. But when you practice chi kung at night you have so much energy that you need to sleep less.
This is one way where you have much time when you practice high-level chi kung. Another way is you become more cost-effective, accomplishing your work better in shorter time.
But you should not purposely go to bed late. Let the ability of sleeping less develop naturally. On the other hand, if you feel sleepy, you should enjoy your sleep. This is Nature's way of asking you to rest so that your body can adjust to your extra energy level.
But if you wish to sleep though you may not need it, you can do so by lying in your bed and perform Lifting the Sky about 12 times. Just be aware of your breathing. Your purpose here is not to generate a chi flow, but to relax your mind and body by being aware of your breathing. Once you are relaxed mentally and physically, you will sleep like a baby.
This is also an excellent way for those who can't sleep and have to take sleeping pills. If you practice this, you will say good-bye to your sleeping pills.
Question 6
During the Bone Marrow cleansing course I had to throw up several times. You told me that my karmic blockage at my stomach was being cleared.
I always had stomach pain. No Chinese herbs and/or acupuncture did help. But just after the Bone Marrow Cleansing course all symptoms completely disappeared. I was so happy.
I practice Iron Wire or Bone Marrow Cleansing nearly every day, once a day. About 2 month ago my symptoms started to reappear. The pain in my stomach, and me getting red nearly every time when I talk, make me quite depressive.
I have benefitted so much from practicing Shaolin Wahnam Cosmos Chi Kung and Kung Fu and I know it is powerful enough to overcome my problem but I don't know how to do it.
— Adrian, Germany
Answer
Firstly, I would like to assure you not to worry about your situation. It is drastic cleansing at a deep level. Our chi kung and kungfu practice is so powerful that it cleanses off many of your deep blockages in a very rapid manner -- too rapid for your physical body to cope with. Your situation is not uncommon with some of our instructors.
Cleansing can be divided into two broad levels, mundane and supra-mundane.
At the mundane level, cleansing can be for health, vitality and longevity.
Suppose 30% blockage is the threshold for good health. Most people function at about 35% of their potential. In other words, they are blocked to about 65%. If for some reasons the blockage goes beyond 70%, they will be sick.
Suppose a person is blocked to 75%, i.e. he functions at 25%. Hence, he is sick, as he functions below the threshold of 30%.
The first stage of cleansing (at the mundane level) is to clear the 5% blockage. When this is accomplished, he recovers from his sickness. Although he is not sick functioning at 30%, he does not have much vitality.
The second stage of cleansing is for vitality. If he can clear away another 30% of his blockage, which means he functions at 60% of his potential, he now has vitality.
If he can clear away another 30% of his remaining blockage, which means he functions at 90%, he will have longevity.
Supra-mundane cleansing belongs to a different category. It is cleansing at a spiritual level, whereas mundane cleansing is at a physical level. Even if a person clears away all his physical blockage, i.e. he functions at 100% at his physical level, it is not supra-mundane cleansing.
In supra-mundane cleansing, the spirit is cleansed so thoroughly that there is not even a spec of dust in it, in which case it merges with the Supreme Reality, called variously as returning to God the Holy Spirit, attaining the Tao, or attaining Enlightenment. It is the highest attainment any being can achieve.
In your case, it is cleansing for vitality and longevity. As you have passed the threshold of good health, you are not physically sick. Continuous cleansing will give you a lot of vitality and enable you to live to a ripe old age.
The cleansing, however, is faster than what your body can dispose off the toxic waste.
There are two ways you can cope with the problem. One is to slow down your training. Spend more time with your girlfriends and hobbies.
Another way is to practice more vigorous movements, like combat sequences and kungfu sets, and less static exercises that develops internal force.
It is also helpful for you to know that turning red in your face is nothing to be embarrassed about. It just shows that you have good circulation of chi and blood. The next time you feel yourself turning red, be proud of it.
Sifu Leonard and Sifu Anton engaged in sparring using Triple Stretch combat sequences
Question 7
What is the difference between the force in Triple Stretch and in Flowing Water Floating Clouds?
— Sifu Benedick, Germany
Answer
Both types of force are powerful, but relatively, Triple Stretch force is hard and solid, whereas Flowing Water Floating Clouds force is soft and flowing.
In developing Triple Stretch force, we consolidate energy into internal force. The patterns in the "ta chong" or force training on stance of the Triple Stretch Set are excellent examples.
In developing Flowing Water Floating Clouds force, we let our energy flow. When the energy flow is smooth and vigorous, the force becomes powerful. Patterns from the Flowing Water Floating Clouds Set are excellent examples.
In application, Triple Stretch force is superior in bulldozing into opponents and breaking their bones, whereas Flowing Water and Floating Clouds force is superior in neutralizing powerful opponents and felling them.
This comparison is relative. We can also apply Triple Stretch force to neutralize powerful opponents and fell them, and apply Flowing Water Floating Clouds force to bulldoze into opponents to break their bones.
More importantly, the two types of force is excellent in giving us good health, vitality and longevity, as well as peak performance and spiritual joys.
Question 8
Can we train Triple Stretch and Flowing Water Floating Clouds at the same time?
Answer
Yes, we can. Indeed, for us these two sets complement each other and enhance our result.
For example, if we train Triple Stretch for one year, we get 100,000 units of benefit. If we train Flowing Water Floating Clouds for one year, we also get 100,000 units of benefit.
If we train both sets together for one year, we won't get 50,000 units of Triple Stretch benefit, and 50,000 units of Flowing Water Floating Clouds benefit, but we get 150,000 units of benefit for both.
In other words, when we practice Triple Stretch we have 150,000 units of benefit. When we practice Flowing Water Floating Clouds, we also have 150,000 units of benefit.
However, for other people, if they train Triple Stretch and Flowing Water Floating Clouds at the same time, the two sets negate each other.
Presuming that other people progress in their Triple Stretch and Flowing Water Floating Clouds at the same rate as we do, if they train Triple Stretch for one year, they get 100,000 units of benefit. If they train Flowing Water Floating Clouds for one year, they also get 100,000 units of benefit.
If they train Triple Stretch and Flowing Water Floating Clouds at the same time for one year, they won't get 50,000 units of benefit for Triple Stretch, and 50,000 units of benefit for Flowing Water Floating Clouds, but they get only 30,000 units for Triple Stretch and 30,000 units for Flowing Water Floating Clouds.
In other words, when they perform Triple Stretch, they have only 30,000 units of benefit. When they perform Flowing Water Floating Clouds, they also have only 30,000 units of benefit.
In comparison, when we perform Triple Stretch we have 150,000 units of benefit. And when we perform Flowing Water Floating Clouds we also have 150,000 units of benefit.
Why is there such a vast difference of benefit between ourselves and other people? It is because of chi flow. Because of our chi flow, the two sets complement each other and enhance our result. Because the other people do not have chi flow, the two sets oppose each other and negate their result.
In our case, because of our ability of chi flow we can convert any one type of force into another. Suppose we have consolidated 300 units of force after a session of Triple Stretch training.
When we start to train Flowing Water Floating Clouds, we can convert the 300 units of consolidated force to flowing force. If we gain another 300 units of flowing force from the Flowing Water Floating Clouds session, we have 600 units of flowing force.
When we return to train Triple Stretch, we can convert the 600 units of flowing force to 600 units of consolidated force. When we add the 300 units of consolidated force of this session, we have a total of 900 units of force with which we can convert to flowing force or consolidated force as we like.
Let us see what happens to other people who do not have this ability of chi flow. When they train Triple Stretch they develop 300 units of consolidated force.
Because they do not know how to convert consolidated force into flowing force, the 300 units of consolidated force gained in Triple Stretch training become a deterrent to them when they train Flowing Water Floating Clouds. The objective of Flowing Water Floating Clouds is to generate energy flow, but the consolidated force acts as a blockage.
Presuming that their rate of progress is the same as ours, so they should have 300 units of flowing force in one session of Flowing Water Floating Clouds training. But in actuality they don't have 300 units of flowing force because some of it has to clear the blockage.
Suppose 200 units of flowing force clear away 200 units of consolidated force that act as blockage. So at the end of the Flowing Water Floating Clouds session, they have 100 units of flowing force and 100 units of consolidated force, compared to our 600 units of force which we can convert to flowing force or to consolidated force.
When the other people return to train Triple Stretch, they should gain another 300 units of consolidated force. But in actuality they only gain 200 units because 100 units of consolidated force are neutralized by the 100 units of flowing force present. Thus at the end of the third training session, they have 300 units of consolidated force and 100 units of flowing force, whereas we have 900 units of force which we can change to consolidated force or flowing force at will.
In the fourth training session, the other people should develop 300 units of flowing force. But in actuality they won't because some of this flowing force has to clear the blockage caused by the consolidated force. Suppose 100 units of flowing force is used to clear 100 units of consolidated force, so at the end of the session they will have 200 units of consolidated force and 300 units of flowing force, whereas we shall have 12,000 units of force which we can convert to consolidated force or flowing force.
The figures are estimates, but they give a good idea why we have more benefit when we train the two sets at the same time, whereas other people have less benefit.
LINKS
Selected Reading
- Showing Respect to the Master
- The Legacy of Shaolin Wahnam
- Glimpse of Special Wuzuquan Course
- Kungfu Techniques against Western Boxing
- Reflections on my Experience