GENUINE QIGONG (CHI KUNG) IS FOR THE DESERVING
Question
Surely this would allow more citizens of the world to take those first tentative steps forward and begin to benefit from qi-gong.
-- Paul, USA
Answer
I have no doubt about your sincerity, but your statement manifests a difference of attitude which many people especially in the West may not realize. Many people seem to believe that it is the duty of a qigong master to expose his art and share it with others. Not only this, but the onus rests on him. He has to make his art available to anyone who desires it.
The traditional attitude of the masters is reverse. They feel that it is a master's duty to preserve the art for the deserving few, and not — to put it crudely — to cast pearls before swines. The onus is on the students; if they really want the art they have to seek the masters and work hard for it — not that the masters purposely make it hard for them, but mastering any art demands hard work.
When I was much younger, I felt the way you do. I remember clearly I once asked my beloved master, Sifu Ho Fatt Nam, who had abilities most people would not believe. I did not ask him his miraculous abilities, I only asked him the basics. “Sifu,” I respectfully asked, “you have such remarkable abilities that can benefit the world. Would you consider letting the world know about your abilities?”
He kindly replied, “You are still young and naïve. You will understand better when you are older. There is no doubt our art is wonderful. Teach it to the deserving, not simply to any Tom, Dick and Harry.”
As the years went by, my sifu's wisdom becomes more and more obvious. Just recently Roberto, my disciple in Italy, found one of the undeserving. He knew a woman who had been very depressed. He telephoned her, and she was convinced that qigong could overcome her depression (which actually is easy).
“You are lucky,” Roberto said, “the master is now in Finale Ligure. Come to his qigong class.” “Oh! it is too troublesome. Why doesn't he come to Genoa?” (Genoa is about an hour drive from Finale Ligure.) “It's just too bad,” Roberto told me, “I'm sure qigong will help her overcome depression, but she doesn't have the good karma, she doesn't deserve to learn this wonderful art.”
The above is taken from Question 3 of July 2001 Part 3 of the Selection of Questions and Answers.
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