MAGICAL AND MYSTICAL REALM OF CHI
Sifu Wong Chun Nga was able to take a chopper on his body because of "chi". This is magical and mystical.
Question
I am very interested in developing internal strength and practicing internal martial arts. However I am concerned with my sifu's views on the subject. He talks of chi, but almost speaks of it skeptically, and at one point said that everyone had chi but that you wouldn't do “magical and mystical things with it.” Now the things that I read from you and your students are certainly in the realm of the magical and mystical to me.
-- Julian, USA
Answer
Many people, including some masters, may talk of chi but not many have real experience of it. Even in the past, chi kung, which was known as nei kung (internal art) then, was also rare. Only top masters had nei kung, most kungfu exponents used external strength.
Today the situation is odd, though the general public may not realize it. Chi kung, especially in the West, is easily available but it is actually not chi kung, it is only gentle physical exercise although the forms are chi kung forms. In other words, most people today practice external chi kung forms as gentle exercise but miss the essence of chi kung.
It is true that everyone has chi. Without chi that person cannot be alive. But most people take chi for granted, and are unaware that it is chi that keeps him alive and enables him to do countless things daily.
Due to various reasons many people have developed blockages, which prevents chi from effectively performing its normal life maintaining functions, such as repairing damages inside the body, overcoming viruses and bacteria, and flushing out negative emotions. As a result these people become physically as well as emotionally sick.
Practicing chi kung is an excellent way to clear these blockages, thus restoring the normal function of chi in maintaining life (which of course includes overcoming sickness). Then chi enhances life, which can be manifested in countless ways, such as having vitality for work and play and being peaceful and happy.
Thirdly, chi in the form of internal force enables us to perform better in whatever we do. Some of these abilities are beyond what ordinary people can do, such as being able to spar for hours without feeling tired, and joyfully expanding into the cosmos. Such abilities are sometimes regarded as magical and mystical.
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