Thank you for stopping by in my humble thread and offering kind words Santi Sisook! You are correct that journaling makes for excellent self-regulation and self-observance.
~ Lost and Found ~
A bit over two weeks since my trip to Dublin. Many had cautioned that training with Sigung would make me stuffed with energy, which I found to be true. However, Sigung's skills are great and I never felt like training excessively under his tutelage, unlike when doing the last lesson of Lohan Art on March 7th. Fortunately that sense of overloading dissipated very quickly, but it was good to have a gentle experience how overtraining will make you feel uncomfortable.
I felt a lucky chi flow in the second morning of Zen: something good was certainly coming. I had not expected that the Zen intensive would offer us the chance to Merge with the Cosmos. Total D-I-S-B-E-L-I-E-F! Tears are just flowing from my eyes when I recall what took place there on that day. Anyone who has practiced Chi Kung with Shaolin Wahnam but haven't experienced this skill with Sigung through his Intensive Chi Kung course, I say you are doing a disservice to yourselves. I can hardly contain myself to wait until the end of this month and experience that *unspeakable beauty* once again. What we were led to experience was not the whole story of it, not at all. How we were taught to access Satori as a simple skill is a treasure beyond any monetary value. How lucky are we indeed! I am looking forward to experiencing Sigung's marvellous teaching in his native Malaysia in the future.
While I was recently casually watching Intensive Chi Kung Course clips from Penang 2014, I found that just hearing again Sigung instruct makes chi inside me stir. He really has a voice that resonates within my heart. Of course, he was even more impressive in person. The moment he stepped into the room it felt like chi started flowing over to me and gently purifying my blockages. I have no regrets whatsoever over going to Dublin. It might be wrong to say that I became another person, but I definitely felt something move in my heart very profoundly. The timing was good for me and I keep on getting benefits from what we learned. Using the one-pointed mind and subsequent no-mind in preparing for university examinations has proven to be of great practical value, as I suspected it would.
In a previous post I mentioned that I was pondering about participating in the Five Animals course in Vienna. Tough luck! My experience with the Cosmic Shower was a surefire confirmation that I wouldn't be able to bear force training in the intensity and volume of Sigung's Kungfu courses. It's ok though, I was more looking into the opportunity of learning something nice than pouring my heart completely into it. So what's next on the menu?
I was looking at the four combat sequences of the UK Summer Camp Kungfu course, and alternating between feeling and analyzing them. The pummeling of Lohan Kungfu, the graceful simplicity of Taijiquan, the mystery of Baguazhang, and the profound linearity of Xingyiquan all impressed me very much. I liked the Taijiquan sequence greatly, and it seems to be the most obvious choice because of me having just started beginner Taijiquan. Soon after asking my Sifu about the Summer Camp participation I reviewed the sequences in greater detail and experienced something competely outlandish. Watching Baguazhang started to feel more pleasant than usual, and when I even turned my bare thoughts on its name or imagined performing its patterns, I would experience warm and subtle chi flowing up my back and shoulders. It's definitely not the usual chi flow because it seems to well from deep inside, unlike my regular and superficial chi flows, so I am thinking it might have something to do with the Merging with the Cosmos and some karmic bond untying. Who knows? All I can tell is that a few months ago I had a convincing thought out of nowhere that I should become an expert of open palms in Kungfu. The chi flow seems to have something dragonic to it, but I would leave that as speculation at this point. It's undoubted that my connection to it is very intimate, as I've tried disregarding Baguazhang, belittling it in favour of other martial arts, and even insulting it, but it doesn't seem to be a fancy that would go away when in fact all those negative actions immediately caused me to develop great sadness and break out in tears, so to my experience I should now treat the art of Baguazhang with uttermost respect. How unusual it is that a martial art chooses you and not the other way around? It feels very comforting to be able to receive such a blessing, as I have no doubt that it will bring me great results in due time. However, it is still open if I should learn Taijiquan or Baguazhang for getting the best benefit in the Summer Camp and becoming a better martial artist more efficiently.
I began Taijiquan two days ago on Monday. I immediately felt like having come home: relaxing into the Three Circle Stance was natural and activated a powerful chi flow into my dantien. The internal force training felt very flowing and soothing, but it definitely had high volume to it, much higher than what Lohan Art regularly would produce. Practicing the stances seems great fun, especially since my Bow-Arrow Stance had gotten much more pleasant and fluid just before Dublin.
Modest appraisal: This year might turn out to be my best so far. I have met so many incredible new people and learned so much in life-giving skills that I am speechless and in tears again trying to grasp a sober thought on how to express my feelings. Thank you everyone for having me among you with such kindness! My heart goes out for my Sifu and Sigung who have given new meaning to my life.
With sincere gratitude,
Olli
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My Ongoing Journal: the Intersection of Shaolin Arts and Life
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At first, I wrote it as way to show my gratitude to Sifu. Later, I discovered that I have been the one who has benefited most from writing it as I have learned immeasurable and beautiful lessons while doing so. Also, when I read it again I can see the amazing progress that I have had in my life thanks to the Shaolin Arts. That shows me how special these Arts are and how lucky I am to have them in my life.
Congratulations for starting yours!
With Love, Care and Shaolin Salute,
Santi
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~ Relax, Smile, and Let Flow ~
Today I wondered about smiling from the heart and had a question succinctly answered by my Sifu. I had mentioned in the Gratitude Thread that this foundational practice did not feel always that great to do, but now the problem seems to be easing if not figuratively melting away in warmth of my rekindled spirit. One candle lightning another, the world is becoming a sea of light in this school. Recently it has become daylight clear to me that both thankfulness and mercy are very powerful for opening the heart and its meridians. The indirect impact of gratitude is pronounced when in standing meditation my Zen mind has a subtle default state of thankfulness and open hearted satisfaction. Sometimes the sensation of subtleness has been sweet and strong, sometimes barely observable, but either way the practice stays the same and is equally good in my eyes. It was quite a discovery when in this morning's session I started to experience spontaneous smiling from the heart while completely letting go in Zen. In the evening it was even better, and in fact relaxing overall seems to have become a lot more effortless and joyful thing to do: just by letting go I am already getting the most of the benefit of relaxing physically, mentally, and smiling from the heart without having to apply these arts individually.
Relaxing mind is another skill that I have paid special attention every once in a while, and that too seems to be producing felicious fruit. Tonight evening's vigorous chi flow was simply outstanding. When I began my Chi Kung, I actually found Lifting the Sky a difficult practice in terms of benefit when compared to any other Eight Pieces of Brocade. There has been a lot of tension pain and discomfort in my hands, so maybe that is why it was not bringing the best out of me in terms of relaxation and chi flow. Now the situation is changing and Lifting the Sky is becoming my favorite Brocade movement: the relaxation, flow, and relief that it generates is starting to become really huge. Such profundity in so simple exercise and it will only get better as my skills grow!
It is clear that my heart is opening in a fast pace now. For the past three days I have had moments of tears of happiness running from my eyes and I am no longer making any effort to hide or shelter this wonder as I have done with my emotions in the past: these tears I will wear proudly. Today there was a nice moment when letting my heart speak I experienced Zen in brief action--a foretaste for Dublin, no doubt! In less than a week I will be generating an energy flow and experiencing the cosmic shower under the guidance of Sigung. Just the thought of that has tears well in my eyes. Maybe I shall bring with me a bunch of handkerchiefs just to be safe and able to mop the salty rain.
With sincere respect,
Olli
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I made a post in the Gratitude Thread about the greatness of gratitude and thankfulness, which makes excellent reading if you wish to understand how I supplement my Shaolin Wahnam Chi Kung and enjoy my life like never before. I'll quote myself here to arouse your interest:
Personally I believe that I have started to get at least three times more benefit from chi kung when I started to take gratitude and mercy as my moral beacons which I entertain habitually throughout the day.
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My Ongoing Journal: the Intersection of Shaolin Arts and Life
Hello and welcome to read my Shaolin journal! This was partially inspired by the beautiful thread of my Sisook Santiago, but then I have always entertained the thought of keeping a regular journal to keep a detailed watch over my "inner progress." Now there is no excuse of lacking utility, so I might share with everyone my personal experiences with regular practice. You can read my introduction thread here, where I briefly went over my practice highlights to this day.
~ Let the chi flow ~
On last monday I finally learned the Lohan Art that I had waited for the most: Golden Leopard Trains Claws. The experience was not what I had anticipated after the vigorous sweetness of the Big Bird Spreads Wings purifying my hands and fingers, as I had expected something in similar vein. Instead I got through-outly consolidated internal force, the strongest so far of seven exercises, with tremendous mental clarity that had a strong view of ponderousness to it. I can certainly understand why the Northern Shaolin monks used this exercise or something similar to train their chin-na and why Sigung says that training Tiger Claws helps grasping of intellectual concepts. Considering my student status and aspriration of becoming a world class mathematician, I am certainly most interested in detailing the progress of what doing this exercise once a week for a year might already grant me. Not to mention the problem solving aspects of the forthcoming Intensive Zen Course in Dublin, haha!
My Sifu (lovely and superbly competent Nessa, in case you didn't know) asked by the end of class if any of us had interest in learning the other half of the 18 Lohan Art in the next autumn. I think about half my Shaolin siblings (lovely term) raised their arms along with yours truly, so if everything goes fine with Sifu's scheduling, we will the opportunity to complete this training soon. There are so many interesting courses this year, and I can just amaze the range of regional courses: what a buffet! I had to pass the opportunity for the Legacy of Zhang San Feng this year in Dublin because I did not have enough of my health recovered so far for me to think it as a wise commitment. Sigung will be teaching the Shaolin Five-Animal Set in Vienna, but likewise it remains a question mark for me for now. I have been slowly warming up to the UK Summer Camp which could be the perfect complement to the Zen Intensive. Then of course, how could I ever miss the chance to learn from Sigung during the proposed King's Road series?
All these opportunities are wonderful beyond doubt, but the practical question of money is becoming a hot issue for me. I live a stingy life and spend fairly frugally, but that alone is not capable of granting me financial muscle. Luckily I had some savings and could ask a favor for this time for my Dublin participation. Filling into your job application that you have been years away out of workforce because of chronic pain and a variety of other ailments which modern medicine can't treat and that you are still kind of recovering is not exactly what the usual employer is gladly looking for. Applying for a loan will not do either without employment, as I have discovered. Hopefully after Dublin I posses the magic of transforming some of my chi flow into money flow. Or maybe I can find a pot of gold at the rainbow's end?
Really looking forward to see my luck change! Yesterday I skipped the morning session out of hurry, which was a bad idea. The whole day felt like I was constantly missing the beat for good things. Experiences like this illuminate how important it is to get the chi flowing the first thing in the morning or carry on with the consequences of not having nice chi flow carrying you through out your daily affairs. To this day I have not a single day without any practice, and only seldomly skipping one of the daily sessions, but I think at this stage when my health is still not completely recovered it is very important to do a complete session of chi kung twice a day. Hopefully I will not get up on the wrong side of the bed anymore!
With sincere respect,
OlliTags: None
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