Which of Sifu Wong's qigong books for beginner?

[joesax]

I have been practising baduanjin exercises from a book and video, but aware of the deficiencies of trying to practise without a teacher, have been looking for a genuine teacher for some time. Although I live and work in Taiwan, I'd like to study with Sifu Wong, but the earliest possible time will probably be next year, since I've used up most of my holiday for this year and anyway there are govermental restrictions on teachers' movements around Asia due to SARS at the moment.

For this reason I want to buy one of Sifu Wong's introductory qigong books and attempt to practise some simple exercises for the moment. What are the differences between his two books;
'The Art of Chi Kung', and 'Chi Kung for Health and Vitality'? Which would be more suitable for me to buy?

Thanks in advance for your advice.

[qingui]

Re: Which of Sifu Wong's qigong books for beginner?

I have the opportunity of owning both books. In my opinion, the contents are quite similar and cover the topics qiute comprehensively and extensively. They are therefore suitable for beginner and even advance learner.
I personally feel that "Chi Kung for Health and Vitality" covers the practical aspects in a bit more detail and would be a better choice if you are trying to learn QiKong from a book. If you are trying to have a more profound understanding of the topic, "The Art of Chi Kung" should be better.
The best is still to have both books, they are not terribly expensive.

[AlexBaranosky]

Joe,
I have both books, and I like them both.

The Art of Chi-kung covers a wide array of chi-kung, which is useful for getting an overarching understanding of what chi-kung is and what it can do.

Chi-kung for Health and Vitality is my favorite book by Sifu Wong. It is in my opinion the best one for the complete beginner because he dwells on the subtle details of chi-kung like relaxation and merging of form, energy, and mind; these things are the real "meat" of chi-kung, what is is really about. His other books explain these things also, but this one he explains it in the best detail.

I recommend that you practice only Lifting the Sky out of the exercises in the books as this is one of the safest and also the best chi-klung exercise the Sifu teaches.

Hope all this helps, Good luck!

Alex

[HugoDarien]

Which of Sifu Wong's qigong books for beginner?

...Chi-kung for Health and Vitality is my favorite book by Sifu Wong. It is in my opinion the best one for the complete beginner because he dwells on the subtle details of chi-kung like relaxation and merging of form, energy, and mind; these things are the real "meat" of chi-kung, what is is really about. His other books explain these things also, but this one he explains it in the best detail.

Alex this is also the best of the best book of Chi Kung for me and The best of the best book of Chi Kung by Sifu for me too!

Is really a gold treasure! Another special thing of this book is that you, can see the programmes you can and should take if you have some special illness, and explain to you the aims and objectives you can have! ( the other book that explain the aims and objectives in kung fu is Sifu's book: The Art of Shaolin kung Fu) A gold yes a really Gold book, that makes me train before meeting or after meeting Sifu in his courses!


Hello joesax I wonder if you had buy any of the 2 books? If not here is my reply too, to you and all:

Sifu say in his books: Chi Kung is a Art for Experiencing, not a art or reading books, because practice is the key, a book is a poor substitute for a Master, but a good book also give you information not found in Chi Kung Class, also to find a good Master is difficult, but to find, a good student is more difficult, even when what the student has to do is, follow the Master's advice and practice, practice and practice, but you should not practice hard, but smart, having Aims and Objectives, so be humble in the quest for knowledge!

In the book The Art of Chi Kung http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/AS.../shaolinwahnam you found ( I looked just to the exercises that have figures in the book, so the are others exercises too!):

Lifting the Sky
Carrying the Moon
Pushing Mountains
Abdominal Breathing
Horse Ride Stance
Standing Meditation
Sitting Meditation
All these exercises + the exercises:
Plucking Starts
Circulating Head
Merry-Go.Round
Big Windmill
Hula-Hoop
Deep Knee Bending
Circulating Knees are found also in Sifu's book:
Chi Kung for Health and Vitality - http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/AS.../shaolinwahnam ( I looked just to the exercises that have figures in the book, so the are others exercises too! in the book, Chi Kung for Health and Vitality by Sifu like to example: Self Manifested Chi Movement that is also call Induced Chi Flow and extra exercises!

In The art of Chi Kung you found also extra exercises like for example:

Universal Chi Flow
Submerged Breathing
Wheel of energy Flow for Erotic Delights
Touching the toes
Nourishing the kidneys
Sounding the heavenly drum
Drawing the Moon
Separating Water
Circular Chi Flow in Motion
Long Breathing
Flicking Fingers
Clenching Fist
Golden Bridge
Cosmos Stance
Gentle Small Universe
Big Universe and many others of other Chi Kung schools like some ones of Tai Chi etc

In the book Chi Kung for Health and Vitality by Sifu all the exercises are from our School Shaolin Cosmos Chi Kung ( except 2 exercises in chapter 12) and all can be trained whiteout a Master ( except 2 exercises in chapter 12), and Sifu have put the best exercise of our school for health and vitality, leaving the other exercise of our school concerning Martial Art and Spiritual development and exercises that should not be practice whiteout a Master like for example Forcefull Small Universe, Gentle Small Universe Big Universe etc that are found in the other book: The Art of Chi Kung by Sifu!

Sifu said itself that while the first book ( The Art of Chi Kung by Sifu) is a comprehensive, philosophical book to the wonders of Chi Kung the other book ( Chi Kung for Health and Vitality by Sifu ) is a practical guide!

This is my personal advise, so you should follow your heart, which book you should chose!

I belive the first thing a beginner can do if the beginner have enough money if to forget the books, but go to the Chi Kung Course of Sifu right away, there you get the philosophy and all you need to know about Chi Kung special the Skills ( meaning that you train the forms and get what you usually get in practicing many days whit a book) and heart to heart transmission ( meaning for me or in my words: that Sifu speak to your soul things that can not be found in books, yes a feel that it can not be explained in words) But if you have money enough to even buy a book before going to the courses the you should buy The Art of Chi Kung and if you have money or want to buy a book after the course you should buy Chi Kung for Health and Vitality by Sifu!

But if you have get much information about the history and philosophy of Chi Kung in the Internet like for example here : http://www.literati-tradition.com/qi...t_sources.html ( This Master of This Homepage are writing a book of all the exercises found in The Taoist Canon!) or if you have read other books of Chi Kung not by Sifu like for example: http://www.alibris.com/search/search...wbzVeA&qsort=p in spanish or in English: http://www.alibris.com/search/search...*listing*title ( Master Jwing-Ming Yang is also writing books of Tibet Chi Kung and Health)

Then you should buy Chi Kung for Health and Vitality by Sifu! If a Shaolin Wahnam Student ask me which only book should I buy about Chi Kung?

I say then whiteout question:

You should buy the book by Sifu: Chi Kung for Health and Vitality!

I myself going to buy it, I have no books of Sifu right now, because like i have say before, I have give all the 4 books that I had of Sifu, to the library here in Sweden ( The Art of Chi Kung, The Complete Book of Tai Chi Chuan, The Complete Book of Zen and The Complete Book of Shaolin + other books of other Chi Kung authors,) I give them long time before I meet Sifu, I was just recollecting information!

Yesterday I borrow this book: Chi Kung for Health and Vitality by Sifu from a library long from my Hometown!
And now as a Shaolin Wahnam Student, I want to buy it (I never had buy it before) because is really a gold treasure to me, and I feel to all Chi Kung practicers, special Shaolin Wahnam students. And this book is also in Spanish!

Chi Kung for Health and Vitality and The Art of Shaolin Kung Fu I going to have for ever I belive(Well after buy it them very soon)

Regards,

Hugo Darien.