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Stages of cleansing, building and nourishing: 10 Questions to the Grandmaster

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  • #16
    Dear Sifu,

    Since practising I have had many benefits of practice like overcoming asthma, haven't been sick/had a cold for at least 8 years, much happier than before and having a lot of energy.

    Despite that, there are still some physical blockages which I wish to overcome.

    My practice in general is as follows. Sometimes I miss morning or night.
    Morning: Chi kung and chi flow 1 out of 2 times. Iron wire+ chi flow 1 in 2 or 3 times
    Evening: Chi kung chi flow, Stance training 20-30mins (All stances but I end when I start to feel more than minor discomfort and do some short chi flow in between), Chi flow, leg stretching, Sequences and sets 30 mins, end with chi kung chi flow.
    Night: 5-10 min of small universe and end with chi flow.

    I am training so I can use my kung fu for fighting and intend to enter competitions. I go to MMA class once a week to get used to sparring with and understand how the MMA people fight. I do feel that I need to increase my internal force/ presence of mind/ solidness and agility of stances/ stamina in order to win against good fighters.

    Can you shed some light to improve my practice? Should I practice less? Would I get more result from practising more? What type of practices/ skills should I focus on? To get more result in breaking through blockages and also sparring.

    Is training for fighting (especially force training) contradictory to breaking through blockages?

    I understand the past masters practised 8 hrs a day including 2 hrs stance training without chi flow . How can they manage such a thing? I understand there is gradual progress. But in the past I tried to increase my stance training for example by increasing by 1 minute per 2 weeks in order to stand in golden bridge for 20 -30 minutes. It seemed to aggravate blockages. Getting angry, tense and negative thoughts occasionally in daily life. Is it positive or negative? I discontinued that type of training just in case.

    Thank you Sifu and thank you Barry,

    Jas

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    • #17
      Dear Sifu,

      My experiences with cleansing lead me to understand that the pattern (Lifting the Sky) and the skill (generating a chi flow) are used to start the process, but the real "work" of cleansing takes place during the self-manifested chi flow. At the end, the standing meditation seems to help the healing set in and take hold.

      My experiences with building, however, are a bit different. With Iron Wire, my experience tells me that the "work" of building takes place during the pattern (Iron Wire) with the skill (Force or Flow method). Self-manifested chi flow, in this case, seems to be used as a safety valve to counter any blockages. Again, standing meditation seems to help the building set in and take hold.

      I do not have much direct experience of nourishing, so I cannot comment on that.

      Can you please elaborate on the roles of pattern, skill, self-manifested chi flow, and standing meditation during cleansing, building, and nourishing?

      -Matt

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      • #18
        Dear Brothers,

        Thank you for the questions. Hopefully, we will get a female perspective on this subject as well .

        Everyone,

        Please keep the questions coming in. As we said at the beginning Sifu will choose 10 to answer out of all the questions that come up.

        As you know Sifu takes a keen interest in the forum and has been following this and the Xingyiquan Q&A. I got this message from him:

        The questions on both Chi Kung and Xingyiquan are not just interesting but reveal an understanding as well as a perception of the two arts that even many masters in the past did not have. I am proud of those who have asked such perceptive questions.
        So, thanks again for the questions already asked and look forward to seeing what else comes up.

        With metta,

        Barry
        Profile at Capio Nightingale Hospital London Click here
        Chi Kung & Tai Chi Chuan in the UK Fully Alive
        Fully Alive on Facebook Fully Alive
        UK Summer Camp 2017 Click here for details
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        • #19
          Dear Sifu,

          You mentioned that Chi Flow is very important for cleansing and getting rid of blockages. Did many past masters realise the benefit of chi flow in their practise to cleanse blockages? How did past masters go through stages of cleansing, building and nourishing, if they did not have the (conscious) benefit of chi flow?
          www.shaolinwahnam.nl
          www.shaolinholland.com

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          • #20
            Dear Sifu,

            How are the stages of cleansing, building and nourishing different when performed individually compared to when done in a group?

            When an advanced practitioner practices together with a beginner, how would the chi flow of the advanced practitioner affect the stages of cleansing, building and nourishing of the beginner, if at all, and vice versa?

            Thank you Sifu for your generosity.

            Thank you Barry Siheng for this wonderful opportunity.

            With Shaolin Salute,
            Lee Wei Joo
            http://shaolinwahnammalaysia.com/

            Comment


            • #21
              Dear Sifu, thank you very much for generously offering to answer questions on this subject, helping us all to develop our understanding.


              We know the heart is the ‘emperor’ organ, its condition affecting all other organs. My own feeling is that just as cleansing is a lifelong process, so too is opening one’s heart.

              Can Sifu kindly explain the importance of an open heart during the stages of cleansing, building and nourishing?

              Are there any practical measures students can take to keep their hearts open during phases of difficult or deep cleansing, when they may not be able to smile from the heart as freely as usual? Or while building, to remain humble?

              Could Sifu also comment on the ‘heart of confidence’, as well as faith, in relation to cleansing, building and nourishing?

              Thank you Barry for starting this thread. Thanks to everyone for all the other great questions.

              With gratitude and best wishes,

              Fleur

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              • #22
                Really great questions, this thread will be an excellent support for everyone, especially us lone practitioners.

                Best,
                Andrew
                Love, and do what you will.

                - St. Augustine

                Comment


                • #23
                  Thank you so much for this opportunity Sigung! And thank you Barry Sipak for this great thread!

                  There are already a lot of great questions here and because of my own experience I would also be especially interested in the answer to Andrew Sipak’s second question:
                  2. The effects of cleansing can sometimes be quite strong. How can a practitioner know that such effects are caused by cleansing rather than deviation in their practice (and thus avoid worrying unnecessarily)?
                  And Sifu Leo’s second question:
                  Dear Sifu, would you please elaborate on the extremes of training, namely over-cleansing and over-training? How can a practitioner know which of the extremes he might have reached and how can they be overcome?

                  I hope this is the right place for some questions I’ve been asking myself these past couple of days. They are about Cleansing through Chi Kung Healing. As a medical student I was allowed this week to be present at the ward rounds and doctors conferences in a clinic for child and adolescence psychiatry.
                  During the past few months I have been going through major cleansing myself thanks to these wonderful arts and Andrew Sipaks incredible Healing skills and was now wondering while hearing a lot about these patients and the symptoms they experience (which are sometimes a lot like what I just relived during cleansing)…
                  1. Is it possible for the Chi Kung healers of our school to induce such an intense cleansing in a person who is not practicing the Shaolin arts?
                  2. Could they influence the “degree” of cleansing, so it wouldn’t be too much for them (especially for children)?

                  3. Is the conscious perception of symptoms during cleansing also part of the cleansing?
                  4. And if not, would taking western medicine (e.g. antidepressants against symptoms of depression during major cleansing) be counterproductive to the cleansing process?

                  I hope I was able to express myself clearly enough in English and that these questions are not out of place here.

                  Thanks again Sigung for this amazing opportunity and for sharing so much with all of us!

                  Best wishes,
                  Evelyn

                  Comment


                  • #24
                    Dear Sisters and Brothers,

                    Thank you for more wonderful questions. I will post the first of Sifu's answers tomorrow.

                    There is still an opportunity to ask more questions so please don't be shy. Remember, even if (maybe especially if) you are relatively new to Chi Kung your questions are valuable. If you take the risk to ask you will almost certainly be doing a favour to others who are silently asking themselves the same question.

                    If this is all whetting your appetite for the Summer Camp you can find out more details of the courses and how to book on this link.

                    Also, a reminder that the date for the Tribute to Sifu is now confirmed for Saturday 13th July. Looking forward to seeing you there .

                    Best,

                    Barry
                    Profile at Capio Nightingale Hospital London Click here
                    Chi Kung & Tai Chi Chuan in the UK Fully Alive
                    Fully Alive on Facebook Fully Alive
                    UK Summer Camp 2017 Click here for details
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                    • #25
                      First of Sifu's answers

                      Sifu has chosen the first question to answer and here is his reply.

                      Question 1

                      In the last Saint Valentines Course, I had really vigorous Chi Flows. Through the years, I have seen that they keep growing and being even more vigorous. In order to get the best benefits and development, is it better to let them being vigorous whenever I feel it or to keep some of them still?

                      Santiago


                      Answer:

                      A short answer is that you can either let the chi flows to be vigorous or you can keep some of them still.

                      Generally, to get the best benefits it is best to follow wu-wei, i.e. let the chi flows be whatever ways they naturally flow. But in special situations, it would be better to get them still. If you are not sure which to choose, then follow wu-wei.

                      A longer answer is as follows.

                      Whether your chi flows are vigorous, still or anywhere in between depends on a few factors, like the type of exercise you do, the needs of your body for good health, and your thoughts.

                      Presuming other factors being equal, if you perform Abdominal Breathing, for example, you chi flow will be still or gentle, and if you perform Fish Flip, you chi flow will be vigorous.

                      If you have much blockage all over your body or if you have deep emotional blockage, you chi flow will be vigorous. If you have little or no blockage, your chi flow movement will be gentle though the chi flow inside you body may be powerful.

                      Your thoughts, when you are in a chi kung state of mind, can influence your chi flow. If you think of your chi flow to be vigorous, it will be vigorous. If you think of your chi flow to be gentle, it will be gentle.

                      With this background knowledge you can manage your chi flow to attain the best development. If you know you have some deep emotional blockage to be cleared, you should let your chi flow to be vigorous. If you have little blockage and want to build internal force or increase your mental clarity, you should let your chi flow movement to be still.

                      If you are not sure, you should follow wu-wei, i.e. let the chi flow be vigorous if it is vigorous, and let the bodily movement of the chi flow be still if it is still. This is because chi will always flow in a way for your best benefits.

                      You will enhance the result by choosing the appropriate exercise and skill to generate the type of chi flow you want, and have the right mind-set. For example, if you want to clear deep emotional or karmic blockage, you would choose exercises like Bone Marrow Cleansing at the organ level, have a strong and vigorous chi flow, and a gentle thought that you are cleansing deep emotional or karmic blockage.

                      If you wish to develop mental clarity, you would choose exercise and skill like Carrying the Moon and Cosmic Shower, have a gentle chi flow (though the chi flowing inside you may be powerful), and gently realize that your mind is clear like crystal.
                      Thank you to Santiago for the question and to Sifu for passing on his 50+ years of experience.

                      Keep the questions coming

                      With metta,

                      Barry
                      Profile at Capio Nightingale Hospital London Click here
                      Chi Kung & Tai Chi Chuan in the UK Fully Alive
                      Fully Alive on Facebook Fully Alive
                      UK Summer Camp 2017 Click here for details
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                      • #26
                        Thank you :-)

                        Dear Shaolin Wahnam Family,

                        Thank so much Barry Sifu for bringing this questions and answer series. I am very excited about reading all the answers that Sifu is going to share with us. It is amazing how much wisdom Sifu can have.

                        Thanks Sifu from the heart. You are an enormous inspiration for my life. I always dreamt about having a master in my life. I was waiting for you my whole life. Finally, you have arrived and I won't miss this unique opportunity.

                        Everyday it passes I feel purer. For the Wahnam family, the act of becoming purer is a thing that we all have in common. That is why I am sure that, when I say that I feel purer, Shaolin Wahnam members feel the very same way.

                        Today, I went to a friend's house and he was watching a movie. The movie was so violent that I couldn't keep watching it. Though I am practicing martial arts in my daily life, it is quite amazing that, the more I practice, the less violent I feel. In fact, I feel a total rejection for violence. I don't see the need for it anymore. I feel like a peaceful warrior. I am not sure if Sun Tzu expressed what I am trying to say by using the following quote: "It is better to win without fighting."

                        Many of my friends don't quite understand how is it possible that I see the beauty of life wherever I look. Many of them are focused on the bad news, on fear and they try to convince me that this is the way the world is. Thanks to your teachings, I have learned how to see the wonder and beauty in every instant.

                        I feel like if I was becoming a child again but with a higher conscience about it. That is why I am enjoying it so much. I have recovered my passion for learning, my passion for playing and my passion for discovering.

                        I know that this is only the beginning and that there is still a long way to go. But, I have arrived into a moment where the way has became a joy and, the more I walk, the more joy I feel.

                        Sifu, I want to thank you one more time. You demonstrate me through your dedication that you love life and all beings included on it. That inspires me and highly contributes to my desire for offering the best version of myself to the world.

                        Something really wonderful in me is arising. I feel like if you have rescued me from the darkness. I am not quite sure what would have happened to me if it weren't from you. Thanks for being there and for being so patient and comprehensive with me. I am quite sure that your love have saved my life.

                        With love, care and Shaolin Salute,

                        Santiago

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                        • #27
                          Wonderful interview

                          I have just posted a 'don't miss' interview in which Sifu explains the roots and origins of Chi Flow and how it might develop in an individuals practice. It goes perfectly alongside this developing thread. It also hints at some of the skills that will be taught at the Summer Camp courses this year.

                          For those visitors who haven't practised Chi Kung or had the benefits of Grandmaster Wong Kiew Kit's teaching - Chi Flow is a, if not the, fundamental skill of Chi Kung. Without it Chi Kung is not really Chi Kung .

                          With metta,

                          Barry
                          Profile at Capio Nightingale Hospital London Click here
                          Chi Kung & Tai Chi Chuan in the UK Fully Alive
                          Fully Alive on Facebook Fully Alive
                          UK Summer Camp 2017 Click here for details
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                          • #28
                            If you want to share the link, either directly on facebook or by email, here is a direct link. These video interviews are quite amazing in terms of the detail they give people to understand the essence of Chi Kung. Anything you do to pass them on will benefit the people who get it and of course also the person passing it on .

                            https://www.facebook.com/FullyAliveA...64436563708117
                            Profile at Capio Nightingale Hospital London Click here
                            Chi Kung & Tai Chi Chuan in the UK Fully Alive
                            Fully Alive on Facebook Fully Alive
                            UK Summer Camp 2017 Click here for details
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                            • #29
                              I really love Sifu's contributions and copy them all to my iPod to listen to them more than one time - but I do not click Facebook (and, as I believe, a lot of people don't), for known reasons.
                              Wouldn't it be possible to get direct links to the videos?

                              Thank you, Siheng Barry!
                              ... alles, alles, alles ist doch auf Liebe aufgebaut ..." (Ellen Auerbach, 1997)

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                              • #30
                                Thank you Sifu and Barry for this thread!
                                I´m eagerly waiting for more answers.
                                Daniel Pérez
                                http://www.shaolinbcn.es

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