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

[barrys]

Question and Answer - 2

When I was preparing the video of the interview with Sifu yesterday a big grin burst out on my face as I realised how lucky we are

Question and Answer - 2

Question 2

There are many stages of development. At any point during his development, how can a practitioner know when or whether to cleanse, build and/or nourish?

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 his practice, and thus avoid worrying unnecessarily?

Sifu Andrew Barnett


Answer:

There are numerous ways to classify ones progress in chi kung training.

One helpful way is to classify the progress as cleansing, building and nourishing. The cleansing process clears blockage, overcoming pain and illness. The building process increases the volume and flow of energy, giving a practitioner vitality and longevity. The nourishing process enhances the quality of energy, giving a practitioner mental freshness and spiritual joys.

While the progress is in ascending order from cleansing to building to nourishing, all the three aspects also operate at the same time. In other words, when a practitioner cleanses, he also builds and nourishes, and vice versa.

Another way to classify the progress is medical and health, peak performance, and spiritual cultivation. This classification corresponds to the former classification of cleansing, and nourishing, except that the former focuses on the operation of chi flow whereas the latter focuses on its result.

As a result of cleansing, one overcome illness and has good health. As a result of building, he attains peak performance. As a result of nourishing, he accomplishes spiritual fulfillment.

These processes operate spontaneously, i.e.wu-wei, and in this order of development unless a practitioner directs it otherwise.

In other words, if a practitioner is sick but at the same time he wants to do well in his work, his chi kung practice will naturally enable him to overcome his illness first before enable him to attain peak performance, i.e.it naturally cleanses before it builds.

He may, if he has the necessary skills, direct his chi to build instead of to cleanse, i.e. for peak performance instead of for overcoming illness, but unless there is a good reason for this ad hoc purpose, is unwise to do so.

So, it is best to let chi do its work on its own, conceptualized as wu-wei or spontaneity, as it will always work for our best benefit.

We can also know whether chi is cleansing, building or nourishing from direct experience, just as when we drink water we know from direct experience that it is flowing down our throat, collected at our stomach or quenching our thirst. Someone who had no experience of chi, just as no experience of drinking water, would not know the difference.

There are also signs to indicate the processes. When chi is cleansing, we may feel it flowing inside us and we may sometimes feel some pain, which we call good pain as we know it is doing us good. When chi is building, we feel it charging up every part of our body, and we feel stronger and full of vitality. When chi is nourishing us, we feel it is soothing and sometimes expanding, and we become peaceful and happy.

However, if for some particular reasons he wishes to cleanse, build or nourish, he can tell the need as well as the result from direct experience. If he accidentally sustains a muscular sprain, for example, he knows from direct experience his need to direct chi to cleanse his blockage that causes the sprain. He also knows from direct experience that as a result of the cleansing he feels he has recovered from his injury.

The effects of cleansing can sometimes be too strong for comfort, in which case we refer to it as over-cleansing. While cleansing causes good pain, over-cleansing causes bad pain, which may be harmful. Again we depend on direct experience to tell whether a pain is good or bad, just as we depend on our experience to tell whether the sour taste of an orange is the result of its being delicious or rotten.

There is a thin line of difference between over-cleansing and deviation. Indeed, over-cleansing may be regarded as deviation, as the practice has deviated from being good to bringing harm.

Nevertheless, we can often tell whether a deviation is due to over-training even when the training is correct, or wrong training even when a practitioner has trained for a short time.

If he follows the instructions of the exercise carefully, like relaxing and not thinking of anything, but the effect is too strong for comfort relative to the time he has put into his training, it is over-training. If he ignores instructions, like keeping his mouth close and thinking of various thoughts, the effect is unpleasant even when he has put in a short time in his training, it is wrong training.

He may also tell the difference between over-training or over-cleansing from wrong training by examining the result of the training. If he has been feeling good all the way, then feels miserable as if with no reasons, it Is likely to be over-training or over-cleansing. Toxic waste is coming too fast than his body can dispose it. He should slow down his training. If he feels miserable right at the start or whenever he trains, and the pain is often sharp, it is likely to be wrong practice. He should correct his techniques and skills.

Despite the explanation here, most students may not have the knowledge and experience to tell the difference between over-cleansing or wrong practice, or whether his chi flow is deep rooted problem that he himself many not know. It is best to personally let a competent teacher see his practice and its result.

[DarkCosmoz]

Dear Sigung,

This may be a strange question to ask - but I hope this can shed some light on some questions I have regarding cleansing and karma.

As a result of cleansing blockages at the organ and marrow level (which is deemed to be the "karmic level"), can one's external life and circumstance change?

Hypothetically, could a job appear out of nowhere after a thorough cleansing of the stomach? Could a new relationship manifest as a result of cleansing the kidneys? Could a noisy neighbor all of a sudden move in next door to test your patience after you have cleansed your liver? Of course, these examples would be dependent on the individual's karmic standing since not everyone is the same.

Interestingly, Vedic astrology correlates each internal organ and body parts to a specific planet and deity. Each planet has its own karmic lesson to teach. These same planets and deities that rule the internal organs also rule other parts of life, including wealth, relationships, spirituality, etc.

Thank you,
Stephen

[Dorit]

Dear Sifu, dear Sihing Barry,

thank you for getting this wonderful possibility to learn and to share. The answers are really precious gems, for all of us!

I would like to ask a question too, hopefully I can express myself understandably in English ...

Is greater sensitivity, sort of "dense feelings", a stage of cleansing? I am experiencing this for some months now, together with vivid dreams (no nightmares - rather much like a second real world).
I am practicing Chi Kung regularly for almost 4 years now. Should I do anything besides practicing (and not unduly worrying ) to become stronger against empathic feelings, or should I just let go, and give way to Chi?

Thank you - and kindest Shaolin regards,

Dorit

[barrys]

Hi to everyone,

I have been rather busy the last few days - actually until about 10 minutes ago . I have got Sifu's latest answer and will post it tomorrow.

As I get to read these answers, in combination with the recent video on Sifu explaining Chi Flow, I am really blown away. It is all laid out in front of us.

If you know some beginners who haven't had a chance to look at these things yet then encourage them to read and view. If you know someone who is thinking about trying Chi Kung but is not taking the step, then invite them to read and view. The same for anyone with chronic conditions, invite them to read and view.

The experience I have is that when these things are explained clearly the average person 'gets it'. It is a relatively short step then to at least giving it a try - and that forms some the basis of Sifu's aims for Shaolin Wahnam

9. Obliged to be humane, compassionate and spread love, and to realize
everlasting peace and happiness for all people.

10.Obliged to be chivalrous and generous, to nurture talents and pass on the
Shaolin arts to deserving disciples.

With metta,

Barry

[barrys]

Question and Answer - 3

Question and Answer - 3

Question 3

At the Cosmic Shower course two years ago in Bern you went deeply into explaining that physical, emotional, mental and spiritual cleansing as a result of a good circulation of energy should in general have more importance or priority than the building of energy.

Interestingly and to many students’ surprise you would mention that the better a student cleanses or is being cleansed the more or better he/she also nourishes and builds up energy/internal force.

Could Sifu please elaborate more on the relation between cleansing and building the energy?

Sifu roland Mastel


Answer

Cleansing and building are two important processes in any chi kung training. These two processes correspond to the two dimensions in chi kung training, namely circulating energy or “yun qi” in Chinese, and nurturing energy or “yang qi”. (Please note that “yang” here is different from “Tang” in “yin-yang”.)

In other words, when a person practices chi kung, as long as it is genuine and even if it is low-level, he circulates his energy flow and increases his energy volume. Naturally, if the chi kung is of a low level, it will take a long time to have some result. If it is of a high level, it can give a lot of result in a short time. If it is not genuine, like practicing external chi kung forms as gentle exercise, it will not circulate or increase energy, it merely works on the physical body.

The circulating and the nurturing processes occur at the same time, though one process may be more pronounced than the other. Whether circulating or nurturing is more pronounced usually depends on the type of chi kung exercise a practitioner performs. But we in Shaolin Wahnam can influence it with our mind.

Exercises with dynamic movements, like Lifting the Sky and Carrying the Moon, induce more circulating than nurturing. As a rough estimate, Lifting the Sky would induce 70% cleansing and 30% nurturing. Exercise with very vigorous movement, like self-manifested chi movement, will have 90% cleansing and 10% nurturing.

On the other hand, quiescent exercises like Abdominal Breathing and Golden Dragon Tapping on Earth (Flicking Fingers) induce more nurturing than circulating. As a rough estimate, there is 70% nurturing and 30% circulating in Abdominal Breathing. In very quiescent exercise like Golden Bridge, there is 90% nurturing and 10% circulating.

As mentioned earlier, because we are skillful, we can use our mind to change the proportion between circulating and nurturing in any exercise. When performing Lifting the Sky, for example, we can have 10% cleansing and 90% nurturing, or 10% nurturing and 90% cleansing, or anything in between. However, unless there is a good reason for this modification, it is generally wise not to alter the natural proportion. In other words, we let the exercise to perform its natural processes to give us the best benefits.

If we classify chi kung training into two categories -- circulating which corresponds to cleansing, and nurturing which corresponds to building – then what about nourishing. Whether we classify into two categories – circulating and nurturing – or into three categories – cleansing, building and nourishing – it is for convenience and better understanding. If we use two categories, nurturing will include nourishing. In other words, the two categories are circulating (cleansing), and building (nurturing and nourishing).

When a practitioner circulates his energy, he cleanses. When he nurtures his energy, he builds (and nourishes). Thus, if he wishes to overcome illness, which means he has much blockage, he should choose exercises that focuses on cleansing, like Lifting the Sky and Carrying the Moon. If he wishes to become stronger, he should choose exercises like Abdominal Breathing and Golden Dragon Taps on Ground.

It is a common misconception that if one wishes to progress in chi kung, he should add more energy, i.e. building. This is unwise, as it not only slow down progress but also may bring harm.

For example, if a person practices Abdominal Breathing straight away, he may need one year to attain a reasonable amount of internal force. If he cleanses himself first, he may need only nine months, including the time for cleansing. If he is sick, and practices Golden Dragon Taps on Ground to become stronger, he will harm himself. He should cleanses first to become healthy, then proceed to strengthen himself.

The above examples apply to people who practice chi kung correctly, which is less than 20% of chi kung practitioners all over the world. More than 80% practice chi kung forms as gentle physical exercise.

The examples do not apply to us. Our students would be able to have a reasonable amount of internal force by practicing Abdominal Breathing in three months. Even if they practice Golden Dragon Taps on Ground when they are sick, they will not harm themselves. In both cases it is because of chi flow.

Cleansing as well as building occurs at all the physical, emotional, mental and spiritual levels, and can be effected by an genuine chi kung exercise. In other words, you don’t have to choose a particular exercise for physical cleansing, and another for emotional cleansing, etc, though certain techniques and certain skills are more effective for cleansing or building certain levels.

If a practitioner performs Lifting the Sky, for example, he can cleanse and build at the physical, emotional, mental and spiritual levels. But if he is sick and wishes to focus on cleansing at the physical level to overcome his sickness, employing self-manifested chi movement will be most cost-effective. If he wishes to focus on emotional cleansing, using Bone Marrow Cleansing at the Organ Level is a good choice. Abdominal Breathing and Cosmic Shower are excellent for mental and spiritual cleansing respectively.

If he wishes to build at the physical level, Separating Water is very cost-effective. For emotional building, Dancing Butterfly is excellent. Three-Circle Stance and Cosmic Breathing are very effective for spiritual building.

Besides being cost-effective in the above examples, these exercises also bring other wonderful benefits.

Why is it that the better a person is cleansed, the better he can build up his energy or internal force?

There are two main reasons:

1. If a person is sick, which means he has much blockage, building which
means adding more energy is harmful
2. If a person is weak, which means he has not enough energy, adding
energy is also harmful.
3. If a person has some blockage but is not sick and not weak, adding
more energy is not cost-effective for building.

Adding more energy when a person has a lot blockage may cause the added energy to be blocked, thus aggravating the sickness. He should, therefore, recover from his sickness first by clearing the blockage with cleansing before adding more energy.

If a person does not have enough energy, how would adding energy be harmful? This is because his bodily condition is not strong enough to accept the extra energy. An understanding of yin-yang harmony will make this clear. Here, yin represents his bodily condition and yang represents the amount of energy he has. His lack of energy is due not to insufficient energy entering his body but due to his body being unable to accept more energy. He now has yin-yang harmony that is why he is not sick but week. Because his bodily condition is week, it can only accommodate little energy.

If he builds energy, i.e. adding more energy to his body, it will cause a situation of excessive yang resulting in yin-yang disharmony which will make him sick. It is a case of a weak body containing too much energy, and can be dangerous.

This is a very important concept to know. When a person is weak he is often given stimulants to increase his physiological functioning. If his internal organs are not strong enough to accept the increased functioning, it may cause serious damage.

What should he do? He should focus on cleansing. In other words he should practice chi kung exercises that focus on circulating chi, like dynamic patterns, not on building chi. like stance training. His internal organs are blocked which result in their functioning below optimum level.

Suppose his organs are blocked to 70%, which means they function at only30%, and is able to hold only 30% of potential energy. Hence, he is weak although he may not be sick. This is the usual condition of most people.

If he cleanses off 20% of the blockage, he will be able to function at 50% and hold 50% of energy. Compared with most people, he will have much vitality although he is only functioning at half his potential. If he cleanses off another 20% of blockage, and functions at 70% he will be radiant with vitality.

It is worthy of note that his increase of energy and subsequent increase of vitality is not due to building but to cleansing. In other words, without purposely adding energy by practicing chi kung exercises that build, but by cleansing away blockage by practicing chi kung exercises that circulate, a practitioner can substantially increase his energy and vitality.

The same principle is frequently employed in traditional Chinese medicine. When a person is infected with a contagious disease, for example, there are three therapeutic approaches that can help him recover, namely restoring good, removing evil, and restoring good cum removing evil. Removing evil is considered third-class treatment, restoring good cum removing evil second class, and restoring good first class.

Removing evil is prescribing drastic medicine, sometimes called poison, to kill the invading agents. This approach is used only when the other approaches are ineffective. Restoring good is restoring the natural defence and immune systems of the patient so that they will naturally overcome the invading agents.

The third situation where cleansing first before building is better than just building is when a practitioner is not sick and not weak, but has some blockage in his body. It may not be harmful if he just build, but it is more cost-effective if he cleanses first. He will have better result in less time.

The blockage, thought not substantial enough to cause sickness or weakness, stills takes up space and reduces flow. If he cleanses away the blockage, not only he will have more space to hold more energy, he will also remove hindrance to flow, resulting in a bigger volume of energy and a more vigorous flow.

Energy flow is like cash flow. The bigger and more vigorous you cash flow is, the more cash will be attracted to you. Similarly, the bigger and the more vigorous your energy flow is, the more energy will be attracted to you. And like cash, we must use our energy wisely.

[barrys]

As well as Sifu's answers to these direct questions I have also been sharing some interviews done with him over the last year that you can see here.

I will be sharing another one tomorrow where he talks about the common mistakes people make in their Chi Kung practice.

With metta,

Barry

[Luo Lang]

Thank you Sifu for sharing your profound experiences, knowledge and wisdom.

[Kevin_B]

Dear Barry Sifu,

Thank you for facilitating this wonderful thread. Its another absolute classic in the making.

As I have not read a 'this thread is now closed for asking questions' I am going to post a second question on this superb topic. I hope it is selected to be answered by Sigung! This question floating into my mind last night at the end of a Chi Flow...


Dear Sigung,

Did St Francis of Assisi undergo cleansing, building and nourishing in his lifetime through prayer and sincere devotion to God?

Thank you Sigung.

[foxinsocks74]

Greetings to Sifu and my fellow Wahnam brothers and sisters

If it is not too late, I have a question, about 'letting go':

My understanding is that in the case of karmic or other long term blockages, (and perhaps all blockages), the root cause of continued persistence of the condition is the mind's subconscious attachment by habit to the disharmonious state. This is why following the instruction to 'let go' during chi flow is of the utmost importance. From my experience, I have found it generally quite easy to be aware of long term blockages, but often very difficult to really let go of them, even in very strong chi flow. Often, in chi flow, the blockage can even be more apparent to the mind than under normal everyday conditions. Sometimes there is even a temptation to become frustrated, which I know is completely counterproductive!

So my question is, firstly, is it the skill of chi flow, or the actual skill of letting go that is key to clear the blockage and, secondly, what can we do to get better at letting go and, if we did, would this potentially reduce the time required to clear long term blockages?

Many thanks!

Omar

[barrys]

Question and Answer - 4a

The just carries on. Here is the next answer

Question and Answer - 4a

Question 4a:

How do the different stages affect each other, especially in the reverse direction to our normal development? For example, does a lot of built up force enhance cleansing? Does a strong spirit enhance the development of internal force? How does a cleansed body improve the nourishment of the spirit?

Sifu Leonard


Answer:

Yes, cleansing, building and nourishing affect one another mutually.

All the three processes of cleansing, building and nourishing occur at the same time, but at any one time one process may be more prominent than the others.

Hence, when a practitioner focuses on cleansing by practicing a suitable exercise like self-manifested chi movement, he also builds and nourishes. Alternatively, when he practices Three-Circle Stance to build, he also cleanse and nourishes, and when he practices Cosmic Shower to nourish, he also cleanses and builds.

When a practitioner has a larger energy flow, he cleanses better than when his energy flow is smaller. However, if his blockage is thick, and his energy flow cannot clear it, a larger flow will cause more pain than a smaller one.

If he clears his blockage faster than his body can dispose off its toxic waste, a larger flow having cleared more toxic waste will result in more over-cleansing than a smaller flow.

Cleansing is better in a person with a strong spirit than in a person with a weaker spirit. The spirit is the real being, the energy and the body are possessions of the spirit, and they are constantly changing in quality and quantity though the change is usually too small to be noticed by the naked eye.

A stronger spirit will have better and more energy than a weaker spirit, and this will have better cleansing. If over-cleansing occurs, a stronger spirit will handle it more efficiently than a weaker one.

A person with meridians that are well cleansed will build more internal force than one whose meridians are blocked. This operates in two dimensions. His cleansed meridians hold more energy, and the energy flow is also smoother. As internal force is a function of amount of energy and its smoothness of flow, the increase of internal force is multiple.

Blocked meridians hold less energy as well as hinder energy flow. Not only his internal force is less powerful, a practitioner with blocked meridians is also more prone to over-training and over-cleansing.

A person in high spirit builds more internal force than a person in low spirit. He is also able to apply his internal force more effectively.

The energy in a person with blocked meridians will be focused on clearing the meridians first. Only when the energy is flowing smooth, does it focus on building and nourishing Hence, it is easier to nourish the spirit of a person with cleansed meridians than one with blocked meridians.

When a person has much blockage, his energy is weak. When the energy is weak, his spirit will be weak too. Chi kung training will clear his blockage and strengthen his energy, and then strengthen his spirit. Thus, a cleansed body improve the nourishment of the spirit. A person with stronger energy will nourish his spirit more effectively than one with less energy.

[barrys]

Question and Answer - 4b

And more . Thank you Sifu.

Question and Answer - 4b

Question 4b:

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?

As we are training high level arts, a lot of practitioners reach those points at some time of their development, so your answer will be highly appreciated.

Sifu Leonard


Answer

Over-cleansing is a result of over-training. Other results include feeling tired, feeling compressed, and in serious cases vomiting blood.

A practitioner can tell that he has over-trained from direct experience. In principle it is the same as a person knowing from direct experience that he has over-eaten. Initially he may not be very sure whether he has over-trained, or over-eaten, but with increased experience he will know.

He can also confirm his over-training with results. Usually there is pain. Initially the pain feels good as energy flow clears his blockage. But as he over-trains the pain turns bad as the excess energy tries to push through the blockage but has not succeed yet.

Understanding that over-cleansing is a result of over-training enables him to differentiate between the two. When he slows down or temporarily stop his training, the over-cleansing will slow down too and eventually cease, though this may take some time.

Over-cleansing may also be caused by other activities besides over-training. Initially his breathing was weak, but as a result of his training he improves his breathing. Improved breathing leads to better energy flow. But if his blockage is huge, increased energy flow results in it forcing on the blockage causing over-cleansing.

Good food which produces good energy flow may also cause over-cleansing or aggravate over-cleansing when it has started due to over-training. Even when a practitioner may not be consciously eating better food, his training has improved his digestive system and thus produces more energy even when his food intact remains the same.

The effects of these three causes, namely better breathing, better food and better digestion, are not crucial for us, though it is useful to take note of them. But they may cause much discomfort and even harm to others, especially those who are old and weak.

What should a practitioner do about over-cleansing?

He should slow down his practice on force training. We have become so effective that we can attain remarkable internal force in a few days when others, even masters, take months. It is a fact, though other people may think we are boasting – that, of course, is their business.

Our students now can develop the amount of internal force in just a few days when I myself would take a few months in the past. This is a great advantage to our instructors and students in our school, but they must remember to go slow.

Many of our students and some of our instructors must make this paradigm shift – a shift from the age-old tradition that kungfu and chi kung training takes years of hard work to our almost ridiculous privilege that our kungfu and chi kung training is fun and needs only a little time.

Secondly, a practitioner who has over-trained, and therefore experienced over-cleansing, should focus on performing his exercises on a more physical level, instead of on an energy or mind level. In other words, he should perform at a lower level instead of a higher level.

If he (or she) practices kungfu, he should focus on combat sequences and solo form practice. If he practices only “chi kung”, he should focus on dynamic patterns at a physical level. This will use up his excess energy and loosen his muscles and joints, facilitating better energy flow.

Interestingly, although he uses up his excess energy, which attempted to push through his blockage but not successful yet and thus caused over-cleansing, he will still end his exercise with more energy than before the exercise because he was relaxed during the exercise, resulting in energy flow instead of energy drain. This energy flow (in other parts of his body) will ease his over-cleansing (unlike the other energy due to force training which accumulated at the blockage).

Thirdly, instead of staying indoors and moan over the over-cleansing, he should go out and have fun. This has the same effects of practicing combat sequences, solo form performance and dynamic exercises at a physical level, i.e. using up excess energy and loosening joints and muscles to ease over-cleansing. Aren’t our arts wonderful?

Yes, they are .

[Leo Shaolin]

Thank you Sifu for your enlightening answers!

This thread turns out to be one of the best of our anyways amazing virtual kwoon.

It covers everything from basic to deep understanding of a practitioner’s progression in the arts.

I'm looking forward to the upcoming answers.

Thank you again for this gem and thanks to Barry Siheng for providing the opportunity.

Best wishes, o\

Leo

[barrys]

Question and Answer - 5 - Part 1

Dear Leo,

I agree. This set of questions and answers is amazing and it gets better .

Sifu has sent me the answer to the next question. He has sent it to me in four parts and, in this case, after reading through it I am going to post it in those four parts - one a day for the next four days. Hope you enjoy it .

Question and Answer - 5 - Part 1

Question 5

My limited understanding of cleansing, nourishing and building is that these processes are non-linear, dependent on many factors such as the individual, training practices and so on, and that as one develops they may experience cycles or spirals of these three stages, not necessarily in order.

Sigung, could you please illustrate the nature, cyclical or otherwise, of these processes as one develops with an example of how one possible path might unfold?

Matt


Answer

Your understanding is profound. It is modest of you to say your understanding limited.

Not many practitioners, including masters, understand these processes of cleansing, nourishing and building. Less people understand that the development of these processes is not linear, but cyclic or spiral. Even fewer people realize that the cyclic or spiral development depends on variables like different individuals, training practices and other factors.

Understanding the nature of these processes and its influencing factors not only gives us insight to what is happening to our practice but also helps us to avoid mistakes as well as increase the amount of benefits and speed up our development remarkably. This is one of many reasons that make us ridiculously cost-effect whereby others take years but we take only weeks to attain similar results!

If all other things were equal, a presumption that is never true in real life but is useful for philosophical understanding, our training will result in cleansing, followed by building and climaxed with nourishing in that order.

For example if a person is sick, by practicing chi kung his energy flow will clear the energy blockage that causes his sickness with the result that he restores his health. This is the process of cleansing.

As he continues to practice, he builds up more energy with the result that he has vitality to enjoy his work and play. This is the process of building.

His further practice enables the quality of his energy improves with the result that he becomes peaceful and happy. This is the process of nourishing.

If these were the only processes chi kung training would bring, then the development was linear. But this is not so in real life. After nourishing, cleansing may begin again, and the development continues in a cyclic manner. The amount and quality of cleansing, building and nourishing increase subsequently, making the development spiral.

Before we examine the cyclic and spiral developments in chi kung training with examples, it is helpful to know the following two important points.

While cleansing is going on, building and nourishing also occur, and vice versa. In the example above, while the sick practitioner is undergoing cleansing to restore his health, the same energy flow that operates the cleansing also builds and nourishes him so that even before he has completely recovered from his sickness, he has more vitality and is more peaceful and happier than before he started chi kung training.

Similarly, when his energy flow is building his vitality, the same energy flow also clears blockage (which may, if accumulated cause him illness in future) and nourishes his spirit (making him even more at peace and happy). Later, while his energy flow is nourishing his spirit, the same energy flow also cleanses his blockage and builds his vitality and longevity. For convenience, let us call this simultaneous developments -- at all their linear, cyclic and spiral levels.

The second point to note is that cleaning, building and nourishing in linear, cyclic or spiral developments occur in all chi kung, but if a particular chi kung type is of a low level, these developments may take a very long time. In practical terms, when one practices low-level chi kung he may not have the opportunity to experience cyclic or spiral developments.

Many practitioners, if they practice genuine chi kung but of a low level, only experience the processes in a linear manner. Most practitioners, because they perform chi kung techniques as gentle exercise, do not experience any of these processes.

This understanding alone makes us realize the big difference in benefit between practicing high-level chi kung and low-level chi kung. It also enables us to tell what is high-level chi kung from low-level chi kung. Development in high-level chi kung is cyclic and spiral, whereas that in low-level chi kung is only linear (though in theory the development is also cyclic and spiral but over a very long time).

We also can tell the difference between genuine chi kung and gentle physical exercise. The external forms performed may be the same, but there is cleansing, building and nourishing in genuine chi kung, but none in gentle physical exercise.

[Leo Shaolin]

Wow, one more great preface to another extensive and deep answer. Thank you, Sifu!

Thank you Matt Siheng for asking this profound question.

And thanks to Barry Siheng for giving us the chance to train our patience. grrrrrrrr

Best wishes,
o\

Leo

[Matthew]

Thank you Sigung for sharing your knowledge and wisdom, as always with such clarity and generosity. Thank you for answering my question and your kind comments.

I'm equally as excited as Leo Siheng to read the other parts, and the rest of this thread - it is such a wonderful thread!

Thank you Barry Sipak for the opportunity.