SELECTION OF QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
MAY 2014 PART 2
Should the left hand or the right hand be on top?
Question 1
If we can go into chi flow without performing any exercise, is it necessary to perform the exercise?
— Cindy, Malaysia
Answer
No, it is not necessary if the sole objective of the practice is to generate a chi flow.
But if there are other objectives, it will be necessary.
For example, you may not want just a chi flow, you may want a strong chi flow. So if your chi flow is not strong enough, it would be necessary to perform an appropriate exercise to generate a strong chi flow.
Or you may want to work on your back. Although the chi flow you have without performing any exercise may still work on your back eventually, the result is not as cost-effective as that from exercises like Carrying the Moon. So it is necessary to perform the exercise.
Or you may just enjoy doing an exercise. Enjoying your exercise is a very important aspect of our practice. It is one of the three golden rules. So you have to perform the exercise to enjoy it.
Question 2
I have a curious question and believe if anyone would have the answer it would be yourself.
Which hand goes on top of which on the lower dan tian during qigong for male and females?
The reason I asked is because during doing qigong my right hand was burning hot so I placed my left hand on top of my right hand when lowering them on top of my dan tian. But then something in my head said do it the other way round in aiming to feel this burning sensation in my left hand.
I'm male and can't seem to find anyone with a solid answer. Some say, left on top of right for males and other way round for females. And it doesn't really matter until you are doing advanced qigong and trying to balance different sides.
— Jermaine, USA
Answer
According to Chinese cultural belief, left is for male and right is for female. Hence, some chi kung books suggest that male practitioners place their left hand on the dan tian, and female practitioners place their right hand.
However, the problem is that these books are not clear about whether male practitioners should first place their left hand on top of their dan tian, then place their right hand on top of their left hand, thus with their right hand on top, or whether having placed both hands on their dan tian male practitioners should have their left hand on top.
In our school, it does not matter whether our practitioners are male or female, and whether which one of their hands is on top. I am male and in both my Abdominal Breathing and Reverse Breathing, I place my right hand on my dan tian, then my left hand on my right hand. I have been doing this for years, but it has not changed me from being male to being female.
Some of my male students have done the reverse with their hands in their Abdominal Breathing or Reverse Breathing, i.e. they first place their left hand on their dan tian, then place their right hand on top of their left hand. They too have done this for years, and it also has not changed them from being male to being female. Similarly my female students, some with their left hand on top of their right hand, and others with their right hand on top of their left hand, have not changed their sex.
Irrespective of whether your left or right hand is on top, it becomes hot because energy gathers on it.
Developing sparring skills in Shaolin Kungfu
Question 3
I have come to realize that each patient will experience a critical point during their healing period when the illness seems to become aggravated. Am I right to say that this is the chi clearing out the deep root blockage? Also, if the patient perseveres and overcomes this critical point, they will definitely recover and become healthy as a result if they continue their healing.
— Sifu Lee Wei Joo, Malaysia
Answer
While some patients may experience a critical point during their healing period when the illness seems to become aggravated, it does not happen to every patient. Many patients just recover without their illness appearing to have aggravated first.
Just recovering is usually the case when the illness is recent. If the illness is old, thus deep-rooted, seemingly becoming aggravated before complete recovery is common. Yes, this is due to chi clearing out the deep-rooted blockage, known in chi kung terms as “chi cleansing the oven of the illness”. It the patient persists and continues the his chi kung therapy or chi kung practice, he will eventually overcome his illness. He will become healthier and has more vitality than before he was ill.
It is necessary to differentiate that this seemingly aggravation of the illness is a transitional stage of his recovery, and not an actual aggravation. It is quite easy to tell the difference.
In an apparent aggravation, the patient first enjoys good result. The apparent aggravation usually comes towards the end just before complete recovery. In an actual aggravation, it happens right at the start of the treatment, clearly indicating that the prescribed treatment is incorrect.
Question 4
At the moment, I associate relaxation with calmness and slowness. Not sluggishness but slow movements. When I practice Lifting the Sky, I practice it at a slow pace. Not super slow but slow. At the moment, that's what feels natural. Do you recommending speeding the movement form up or maintaining the same speed?
— Jordan, USA
Answer
This is another example of making life difficult for yourself. Don’t worry (like what you did), don’t intellectualize like what you did too), and enjoy practicing Lifting the Sky at whatever speed and in whatever way you think most suitable according to what your sifu has kindly taught you.
Editorial Note : Jordan's questions are continued from May 2014 Part 1 issue of the Question-Answer Series.
Chi flow
Question 5
With respect to chi flow, sometimes I will stand and move around a lot but question whether this is real because I am unsure if I am mentally moving myself as I do not actively feel like energy is possessing me and moving me here and there; and I also want to experience good benefits and results so I am unsure if this want in me is forcing it to happen. Sometimes, I just stand there and do not move, but I feel when I do this that perhaps I am stopping real energy from moving me because I am focusing on whether energy will move me. How should I proceed with chi flow?
Answer
When you eat your meals, just eat your meals and enjoy it. You don’t have to worry and intellectualize whether it is your thought or your need that results in your meals appearing in front of you.
In the same way, just practice your chi kung and enjoy you chi flow without worrying or intellectualizing on anything.
Question 6
As you see, I over think a lot and am caught up in the web of thoughts instead of experiencing the moment. How do I let go?
Answer
Just don’t over think and be caught up in the web of thoughts. Just let go.
Hawaii 2014
Question 7
Also, my aspirations are to become a Shaolin Wahnam qigong healer. Would you be open to prescribing a specific training regimen that I may take to Sifu Gusty, and have him teach me?
Answer
Firstly you must become a good student. You are very lucky to have Sifu Gusty to be your teacher. You may not realize it, but not many people in the whole world have this luck. You already have wonderful results, as you yourself have described.
Just follow your sifu’s teaching respectfully and cherish him like a living gem.
Question 8
When are you coming to the USA next and where?
Answer
I shall be teaching in Hawaii in 2014. Please check my website for details.
LINKS
Selected Reading
- Lineage of Shaolin Wahnam
- Taming-Tiger Set
- Facts and Opinions
- Is Qigong Practice Real; Is Eating Food Real?
- Don't Become a Slave to Intellectualization