LEARNING FROM A MASTER HAS NO COMPARISON
Engineer, USA/Peru
It's amazing how the basic exercises can give one outstanding results. Learning the art of chi kung from a master has no comparison.
-- Javier Castaneda
Dear Sifu:
Thanks for the opportunity to receive lessons from you and thanks for your open and happy heart that you have to teach others. It has been truly a privilege to receive chi kung lessons from you as well as to be able participate in such a diverse and wonderful group of people from all over the world that included your son, Wong Chun Nga.
I would like also to give you an update on my progress. I started practicing Chi Kung from your wonderful book "The Art of Chi Kung" in January 2000 and I was able to generate basic chi flow throughout my body based on the detailed description how the exercises must be performed. But during the Intensive Chi Kung Training last December in Malaysia, my chi flow increased at least by a factor of 20 on the first day of classes! I have been able to keep the level of Chi flowing since then.
Thank you for opening my energy points! I've been practicing chi kung 15 minutes every day. "Lifting the Sky" and "Pushing the Mountains" have been the main exercises. The results have been incredible from my humble point of view. As you mentioned several times in the philosophy part of the training "it's amazing how the basic exercises can give one outstanding results". Learning the art of chi kung from a master has no comparison. Your words of wisdom are always in my mind:
- Open your heart, it doesn't matter how, just open it!
- Have an objective prior to practicing
- Let the chi flow through your body, relax!
- Relax your legs!
- Breath in through your nose and breath out through the mouth slowly
- Let and command chi to flow through different parts of the body
- Visualize energy concentratng at the dan tian
After I finish the "Pushing the Mountain" exercise daily, I leave my arms in the forward position for a couple of minutes with my hands perpendicular to my forearm, then I turn the palms of my hands to face the sky and after few seconds my hands are separated by the sensation of a ball around my arms as if I were holding a ball and when I try to bring my hands together I can feel this ball of energy in between my hands.
Javier (in front) performing "Pushing Mountain".
Also when I get my hands closer to each other (about 10 cm away) I can feel like an outer layer skin around my arms, my hands.
It would be an honor if you would comment in this area. Thanks in advance!
I would also like to mention that I was speechless when you mentioned to me during the graduation dinner that if I wanted to become an instructor, you would teach me. It is a great privilege to learn from you and I will continue practicing so one day I would be able to help others, what a great joy that day will be! Currently I am saving and making plans to attend your course in Spain this summer.
Please send my regards to your wife, Wong Chun Nga, your disciples, as well as Linda.
Sincerely,
Javier Castaneda
Madison, Wisconsin
(Lima, Peru)
JACASTA@aol.com
Sunday, 25th
February 2001.
Javier (right) enjoying a dinner. On the left is Neeta, and in the center is Chim Chin Sin, one of Sifu Wong's inner-chamber disciple. Sifu Wong and some other students are at another table in the back.
Editorial Note:
Sifu Wong explains as follows.
"The ball you felt when performing 'Pushing Mountain' is actually a ball of energy. Those with psychic eyes can actually see this ball. You created the ball of energy as a result of performing the exercise successfully. Let this ball of energy flow into you gently. You don't have to worry how, just let it flow gently into you and let it enhance your internal force, with which you can do anything, such as enhancing your vitality, physical activities or intellect.
The outer-layer skin covering your arms and hands is a layer of chi. Kungfu masters developed this layer of chi over their whole body to protect themselves against attacks, even by weapons, such as in Iron Shirt and Golden Bell.