EIGHTEEN LOHAN ART
Big Boss Lifts Bronzen Vessel
Question
How do we programme our daily practice of the Eighteen-Lohan Art?
-- Dr Oetie, Austria
Answer
At your level you can practice the Eighteen-Lohan Art any way you like! Please note that not many other chi kung practitioners have this privilege. They may have to follow a certain procedure, especially if their chi kung is not of a high level.
Here are some examples of how you may practice the Eighteen-Lohan Art. You may pick any one pattern and practice it any number of times, then enjoy a chi flow. For instance, you may practice Lohan Worships Buddha for 3 times, or 10 times, or 30 times, and enjoy a chi flow.
Or you may have a combination of two or more patterns, and perform each of the patterns any number of times. The patterns chosen can be in any order. You need not follow the order as they are listed in the set.
Suppose you have chosen Reverse Hanging of Double Hooks, Big Bird Flaps Wings and Old Monk Takes off Shoes. You may practice Double Hooks 2 times, Big Bird 4 times, and Old Monk 6 times, then have a chi flow. Or you may have a chi flow after each pattern, instead of at the end. Or you may change the order as well as the number of repetitions, like Big Bird 10 times, Old Monk 8 times, and Double Hooks 3 times.
You can also perform all the 18 patterns, and in any order. You can also repeat some patterns in your combination, like Green Dragon 3 times, Father and Son 6 times, and Green Dragon again 5 times.
You may combine patterns from Eighteen-Lohan Art with patterns from other chi kung or kungfu set, or even with chi kung patterns of other schools. For example, you may perform Carrying the Moon 8 times, then Big Boss Lifts Bronze Vessel 10 times. Or you may perform Old Monk Grinds Rice 20 times, then practice the Three-Circle Stance. Or you may practice Double Hooks Hanging on Wall, followed by some kungfu patterns. Or you may perform a kungfu sequence, then one or two patterns from the Eighteen-Lohan Art, followed by more kungfu sequences.
There are countless ways to practice the Eighteen-Lohan Art or any chi kung exercises. The important thing is to have a chi flow. It is the chi flow that brings benefits, the exercises are just the techniques. You must take care not to over-train. Hence, you do not normally use powerful exercises, like Cosmic Shower and the Small Universe, in combinations, though you can if you want to.
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