SELECTION OF QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
AUGUST 2016 PART 3
Great kungfu is triple cultivation
Question 1
You are very well versed in kungfu and chi kung classics. How do you incorporate your wide knowledge of the classics into your kungfu practice?
— Sifu Ronny Singer, Switzerland
Answer
There are two main approaches. The classics give me guidance, and the classics give me confirmation.
For example, classics mention that great kungfu is triple cultivation, i.e. cultivation of the body, energy and spirit. This guides me to practice great kungfu. If I learned a kungfu set that only cultivated the body, I sought for ways to develop internal force as well as to enhance my presence of mind. Hence, I have cultivation of body, energy and spirit, even when the kungfu set I first learned only taught physical techniques.
I read chi kung classics mentioning that practitioners can generate an energy flow only when they are relaxed and their mind is free from irrelevant thoughts. Hence, when I taught chi kung to students I made sure they were relaxed and free from thoughts. My students having an energy flow as a result of performing chi kung exercises confirmed for me that my teaching and their practice were correct.
Kungfu classics mention that great kungfu besides contributing to combat efficiency also contributes to good health and spiritual cultivation. Hence, when I can use my kungfu efficiently for combat, have good health and am peaceful and happy, I can confirm that the kungfu I practice is great.
Chi kung classics mention that practicing chi kung can overcome illness. When I taught chi kung, and many of my students overcame a great variety of diseases, I had confirmation of this statement.
Chi kung and kungfu classics act like a map, showing us the destinations as well as the routes to these destinations. For example, from chi kung classics I know what particular benefits we can get, and what skills and techniques we should use. In Cosmic Shower, for example, we can employ cosmic energy to cleanse and strengthen. In Sinew Metamorphosis we can build a lot of internal force and mental clarity.
The classics have made us incredibly cost-effective. It is hard for others to believe, but our typical students can attain in one month what other practitioners may need one year! We have become so cost-effective that we have to carefully guard against over-training.
Question 2
Where do we focus our chi when we perform Five-Animal Play?
— Carolina, Spain
Answer
You don't have to focus your chi when you perform Five-Animal Play. Just perform the appropriate exercise and enjoy your chi flow.
Suppose you perform the Bird exercise but your chi flow turns out to be movements of the Deer. Don't try to change your movements to those of a Bird. Just enjoy the movements of the Deer.
If all other things were equal, when you perform the Bird exercise, your resultant chi flow movements will resemble those of a Bird. But in this case, other things are not equal. If you have some health problems connected with your liver system, your chi flow movements will resemble those of the Deer irrespective of what exercise you performed earlier. This is because chi flow will always work for your best benefit.
This is the concept of wu-wei, which means be spontaneous. You need to first do you-we, which means to perform an appropriate action. In other words, first you perform an appropriate chi kung exercise, then you let chi to flow spontaneously, which is expressed as first you-wei, then wu-wei.
The Bird Play
Question 3
Do we direct our chi to our problem area?
Answer
When performing Five-Animal Play, it is not necessary to direct chi to your problem area. After performing your chi kung exercise, your chi will naturally flow to your problem area. This is because your problem area is an area of low energy level. There is insufficient energy to work that area naturally. Energy will always flow from areas of high energy level to areas of low energy levels.
This is "wu-wei", which is sometimes explained as "don't do anything, and everything will be done for you." But most people, including most Chinese, do not understand what it means. The secret lies in the other half, which is "you-wei", which means "do something appropriate". Hence, first you perform chi kung correctly, then you let chi flow wherever it wants to flow. Your health problems, including those you may not know yourself, will be taken care of.
This is a main reason why chi kung can overcome so-called incurable diseases. The diseases, like cancer, heart disorders, diabetes, depression and phobia, are considered "incurable" because doctors trained in orthodox Western medicine, do not know what caused the diseases. But in chi kung healing there is no need to know the causes! There is only one cause, i.e.blockage of energy flow. Once the blockage is cleared, patients will recover their natural good health.
Just practice genuine chi kung to generate an energy flow. The energy flow will naturally clear the blockage. It sounds like magic, but practicing genuine chi kung has helped many of our students overcome so-called incurable diseases.
Question 4
Can we combine Five-Animal Play with other chi kung exercises?
Answer
Yes, you can. But irrespective of whether you practice one or more exercises, the total time of the practice session is still about 10 minutes. In the past, I used to recommend 15 minutes. But we have improved in our efficiency. Now, practicing for about 10 minutes is sufficient. Most students of other schools have to practice for about an hour.
You can, for example, perform the Bird Play, then followed with "Lifting the Sky". Or you can perform "Lifting the Sky" first, then followed with the Bird Play.
Except for special reasons, like reviewing exercises of the same chi kung type, generally you will get more benefit by focusing on just one exercise, just as people usually earn more income doing one job than a few jobs.
Baguazhang
Question 5
This morning, I attended a Baguazhang class where we learned sophisticated forms and applications. During solo form practice, I let my internal force spiral and guided my arms and legs during circle walking. Between form and applications drill, the whole class took about 2 hours.
After class, although I was feeling charged, I become incredibly tired and took a 3 hour nap! Was this simple over-training?
— Stephen, USA
Answer
Yes, this is a case of over-training.
After resting, you should be fine, i.e. you would return to yin-yang harmony. You 3-hour nap gave you time for your physical body, which represents yin, to catch up with your increase of energy, which represents yang.
Although your other classmates also practiced for 2 hours doing the same exercises as you did, they did not over-train. This was because they performed the exercises at a physical level, but as you have learned from us and the others havem't, you performed the same exercises at the energy and mind levels besides the physical level.
Performing the exercises at an energy level and mind level for 2 hours, like you did, using internal force to direct your physical movements, was over-training. What your classmates did, using their muscles to direct their physical movements, was not over-training.
Leaving over-training aside, if you had triple-cultivation, i.e. cultivation of body, energy and mind, your benefits would be 10 times those of your classmates who only had cultivation of their body, even when all of you practiced the same exercises.
However, because you over-trained, you benefits would be less than 10 times. Had the over-training been excessive, you might have negative effects, which would be worse than the benefits your classmates got if they had trained correctly.
Question 6
I also did not have time to return to my dan tian during class either since the focus was on perfecting forms and applications. Could a simple chi flow afterwards stabilize my presumed excess energy?
Answer
Gently thinking of your dan tian after training brings energy home to your energy field. If the increase of energy due to your training is not excessive, it is still alright if you don't think of your dan tian. Your normal daily activities will eventually let your energy settled down at your dan tian.
But if the increase of energy is excessive, you may feel uncomfortable for some time. If the incease is too excessive, you have over-trained and will result in over-cleansing. If excessive training is continued for some time, you will have harmful effects.
If your case, a simple chi flow should stabilise the situation. In cases of over-training, remedial actions need to be performed. Over-trained practitioners should stop their training for some time to let their physical body adjust to the increase of energy. They should also expend their excessive energy in physical outdoor activities.
Genuine chi kung is rare nowadays
Question 7
If I have become fluent in my practice, can I teach my friends?
— Bejamine, Germany
Answer
You can, but you should not. Teaching others is a heavy responsibility. You must be properly trained. You may derive much benefit by practicing chi kung fluently, but if you have not been properly trained and you teach others, you may bring harm to your students and to yourself. At best, you waste their time and yours.
Our chi kung techniques look simple, and are actually simple. But it requires many skills to practice them as genuine chi kung. Most other students practice the same chi kung techniques as gentle physical exercise, and they and their teachers are not aware of it.
It requires a different set of skills to reach chi kung to students. It is not just showing them some chi kung techniques and let them repeat. Our instructors are well trained. That is why you obtain so many benefits by attending just one course. It is hard for others to believe, and some may accuse us of being arrogant, but you get more benefits in one day than most other students in one year!
For example, you can generate an energy flow in just one day, but most other students cannot generate an energy flow after one year. And it is energy flow that provides the benefits of chi kung, like overcoming illness, promoting good health, vitality and longevity.
Worse, if you are not properly trained and teach your friends, you may give them a wrong impression that chi kung is performing chi kung techniques as gentle physical exercise, which is what more than 80% of chi kung students all over the world are doing. This is a main reason why chi kung is now so debased.
If you want your friends also to enjoy the benefits you get by practicing genuine high-level chi kung, ask them to join a class like this, or any class conducted by our certified Shaolin Wahnam instructors.
Question 8
The chi flow just now was very powerful. It made me bend my body backward. What should I do?
Answer
Move a few steps backward and go along with the chi flow. Don't tense your muscles to resist the chi flow, which is what students of improperly trained teachers will normally do.
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
- Various Eighteen Lohan Arts
- Non-Thought Manifested in Shaolin Kungfu
- Benefits of Practicing Taijiquan
- Butterfly Knives