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Shaolin Greetings to everybody 
I have been a little slow to write MY STORY here for the past few weeks as I am sure that many of you already know it off by heart by now!! But a few nights ago, a friend of mine pointed out that not everybody may know it, especially those of you who haven’t been on the Irish website or are new to the forum.
By writing this, I wish, (as I am sure Andrew and Anthony wish) to help people who suffer from chronic conditions to know that you DO NOT have to live with it (unless you want to) and that there can be an end to suffering, pain, hopelessness, despair and feelings of unworthiness. In my experience, Sifu did not just teach me on the days that I attended his courses, he offered support to me when I really needed it, even months afterwards and now five years later, he is still as supportive as that first day. No amount of money can pay for that.
And so to the story………..
On March 23rd 1994, I attended work as a Psychiatric Nurse, a day like any other day or so I thought. Yet, this was the day that changed everything!
Without going in to too many details of what actually happened that day, suffice it to say that I injured my back twice and that by 7pm that evening at the end of duty, I could hardly turn my neck and had severe pain in my upper back.
I followed the routine of what most people who injure their backs do……GP, painkillers, anti-inflamatories.
After six weeks off work, I thought that this must be all in my head, and went back for two days. By the second day, the weight of my uniform on my shoulders was unbearable! It was then that I realised that something more was wrong.
So followed the next round of : physiotherapy, orthopaedic consultants, rheumathology consultants, steroid injections, MRI scans (finally!) and then…….acupuncture, sitting meditation, yoga, osteopathy, home traction etc.
The MRI results showed four protruding discs in my upper back and two fused in my neck. Now, I felt that I had something to work with….the problem had been diagnosed, so now we fix it, right?!!!! How naïve!!
After visiting a number of consultants of various qualifications, the answer that was coming through was the same………….because of where the problem was, the risk of surgery was too dangerous, I could end up qualriplegic ( like a stroke victim). So after five and a half years, the advice was……’Try and live with the pain as best as you can, you will not work again and will probably end up in a wheelchair in time.’
I remember feeling so frustrated with the medical system, especially as a nurse. The system that I had trained and worked in for 12 years was letting me down very badly. I was angry, depressed, in constant pain and couldn’t see a way out.
Fortunately, the osteopath that I was attending twice weekly was a great lady for self- help books and she was the one who introduced me to many of the books that helped me in those days. The first book on ‘energy’ that I read was ‘The celestine prophesy’ from there I read more and more and even attended a local class on Chi Kung and Tai Chi Chuan, despite the pain, I loved that class! The teacher, whetted my appetite for more Chi Kung and although he often mentioned in class about people doing many ‘crazy’ things during their chi kung practice, he admitted that he couldn’t teach it. So when I read Sifu’s book on Chi Kung for Health and Vitality, I guess the seed had already been sown.
I contacted Sifu around November 1999, we had just been connected to the internet! And Sifu kindly responded very quickly. I remember the excitement of getting that email!!
After securing a loan, I was accepted on the January 2000, Intensive Chi Kung course in Malaysia. I always believe that there was a higher power looking out for me on deciding to go to Malaysia. For those of you who don’t know me, I live in a very rural area in Ireland. The thought of going so far and not even knowing who I was going to, was scary. Sifu wasn’t teaching as much in Europe that time, so I was only going by his emails and website and a lot of instinct!! My family were very worried, but I was determined to go. What had I to lose!
By this time, the pain resembled having two toothaches on a constant basis. It affected my upper back, neck and I also suffered from many headaches and migraines. My mind was not clear, from a combination of medication and pain. I had begun the slippery slope of despair as nobody could do anything to help.. At the time that I went to Malaysia, I was on home traction, physiotherapy and at least eight painkillers a day. I was also attending an osteopath twice weekly. I couldn't even lift a 2-litre milk carton. I lost many of my friends during this time, as I had to move back home and just wasn’t in the mood for socialising nor indeed could I afford it.
After a journey that seemed ‘so easy and effortless’ to Malaysia . I was especially struck by how approachable, generous, kind and happy, this gentle Master was when first introduced. I really didn’t know very much about a ‘Grandmaster’ and am sure that I made many mistakes, all I really wanted was somebody to take away the pain. What Sifu taught me there (the contents of the Intensive course), I came home and practised. I was so afraid coming home that I would forget everything, but the worry was needless, as it usually is. The whole setting in Malaysia was beautiful and everybody was so kind and helpful. The great thing that I found initially, was that, I was able to get more pain relief by practising this gentle art, than I was getting from the other treatments. I stopped going to the Osteopath and only took pain relief when the pain was really bad- (this varied but perhaps twice a month- a lot different from taking eight everyday). This in itself was a miracle to me. I had been getting constant colds and flus and after the first day, the flu that I had arrived with disappeared. The best was yet to come, by September of that year, I was totally pain free and I also felt a more content and happy person. Now the pain was gone, I had hope again and felt that I could do anything.
I was really amazed that this could happen and vowed that I would invite Grandmaster Wong to Ireland as soon as was convenient for him to hold a w/e course on Shaolin Chi Kung. I thought that, even if only one person on the course overcame the illness that he presented with, it was worth a try. Well the rest, as they say, is history. Sifu did arrive in Kerry in February 2001 and helped many people, he has been coming back here twice a year since then.
But just let me finish the story…………
Three weeks after coming home from Malaysia in January 2000, I felt a very strong urge to go to the local Bingo, of all places !! I begged my sister to go with me and borrowed the money from my brother. We had a good laugh as we hadn’t been there for at least a few years and weren’t able to keep up with the marking (well we were greedy and had two books each!). Finally the jackpot sheet came up and I was keeping a close eye on my sister’s sheet, she was getting very close. Suddenly I looked down at my own and found that I was waiting only for number 71! Next thing I heard was …………71 and yes! I had won the jackpot, which hadn’t been won for months. It was the exact amount of the loan that I had taken out to go to Malaysia! Good chi flow or what?
I owe Sifu my sanity and my life as do so many people here in Ireland.
Mile Bhuiochas,
Joan.
I have been a little slow to write MY STORY here for the past few weeks as I am sure that many of you already know it off by heart by now!! But a few nights ago, a friend of mine pointed out that not everybody may know it, especially those of you who haven’t been on the Irish website or are new to the forum.
By writing this, I wish, (as I am sure Andrew and Anthony wish) to help people who suffer from chronic conditions to know that you DO NOT have to live with it (unless you want to) and that there can be an end to suffering, pain, hopelessness, despair and feelings of unworthiness. In my experience, Sifu did not just teach me on the days that I attended his courses, he offered support to me when I really needed it, even months afterwards and now five years later, he is still as supportive as that first day. No amount of money can pay for that.
And so to the story………..
On March 23rd 1994, I attended work as a Psychiatric Nurse, a day like any other day or so I thought. Yet, this was the day that changed everything!
Without going in to too many details of what actually happened that day, suffice it to say that I injured my back twice and that by 7pm that evening at the end of duty, I could hardly turn my neck and had severe pain in my upper back.
I followed the routine of what most people who injure their backs do……GP, painkillers, anti-inflamatories.
After six weeks off work, I thought that this must be all in my head, and went back for two days. By the second day, the weight of my uniform on my shoulders was unbearable! It was then that I realised that something more was wrong.
So followed the next round of : physiotherapy, orthopaedic consultants, rheumathology consultants, steroid injections, MRI scans (finally!) and then…….acupuncture, sitting meditation, yoga, osteopathy, home traction etc.
The MRI results showed four protruding discs in my upper back and two fused in my neck. Now, I felt that I had something to work with….the problem had been diagnosed, so now we fix it, right?!!!! How naïve!!
After visiting a number of consultants of various qualifications, the answer that was coming through was the same………….because of where the problem was, the risk of surgery was too dangerous, I could end up qualriplegic ( like a stroke victim). So after five and a half years, the advice was……’Try and live with the pain as best as you can, you will not work again and will probably end up in a wheelchair in time.’
I remember feeling so frustrated with the medical system, especially as a nurse. The system that I had trained and worked in for 12 years was letting me down very badly. I was angry, depressed, in constant pain and couldn’t see a way out.
Fortunately, the osteopath that I was attending twice weekly was a great lady for self- help books and she was the one who introduced me to many of the books that helped me in those days. The first book on ‘energy’ that I read was ‘The celestine prophesy’ from there I read more and more and even attended a local class on Chi Kung and Tai Chi Chuan, despite the pain, I loved that class! The teacher, whetted my appetite for more Chi Kung and although he often mentioned in class about people doing many ‘crazy’ things during their chi kung practice, he admitted that he couldn’t teach it. So when I read Sifu’s book on Chi Kung for Health and Vitality, I guess the seed had already been sown.
I contacted Sifu around November 1999, we had just been connected to the internet! And Sifu kindly responded very quickly. I remember the excitement of getting that email!!
After securing a loan, I was accepted on the January 2000, Intensive Chi Kung course in Malaysia. I always believe that there was a higher power looking out for me on deciding to go to Malaysia. For those of you who don’t know me, I live in a very rural area in Ireland. The thought of going so far and not even knowing who I was going to, was scary. Sifu wasn’t teaching as much in Europe that time, so I was only going by his emails and website and a lot of instinct!! My family were very worried, but I was determined to go. What had I to lose!
By this time, the pain resembled having two toothaches on a constant basis. It affected my upper back, neck and I also suffered from many headaches and migraines. My mind was not clear, from a combination of medication and pain. I had begun the slippery slope of despair as nobody could do anything to help.. At the time that I went to Malaysia, I was on home traction, physiotherapy and at least eight painkillers a day. I was also attending an osteopath twice weekly. I couldn't even lift a 2-litre milk carton. I lost many of my friends during this time, as I had to move back home and just wasn’t in the mood for socialising nor indeed could I afford it.
After a journey that seemed ‘so easy and effortless’ to Malaysia . I was especially struck by how approachable, generous, kind and happy, this gentle Master was when first introduced. I really didn’t know very much about a ‘Grandmaster’ and am sure that I made many mistakes, all I really wanted was somebody to take away the pain. What Sifu taught me there (the contents of the Intensive course), I came home and practised. I was so afraid coming home that I would forget everything, but the worry was needless, as it usually is. The whole setting in Malaysia was beautiful and everybody was so kind and helpful. The great thing that I found initially, was that, I was able to get more pain relief by practising this gentle art, than I was getting from the other treatments. I stopped going to the Osteopath and only took pain relief when the pain was really bad- (this varied but perhaps twice a month- a lot different from taking eight everyday). This in itself was a miracle to me. I had been getting constant colds and flus and after the first day, the flu that I had arrived with disappeared. The best was yet to come, by September of that year, I was totally pain free and I also felt a more content and happy person. Now the pain was gone, I had hope again and felt that I could do anything.
I was really amazed that this could happen and vowed that I would invite Grandmaster Wong to Ireland as soon as was convenient for him to hold a w/e course on Shaolin Chi Kung. I thought that, even if only one person on the course overcame the illness that he presented with, it was worth a try. Well the rest, as they say, is history. Sifu did arrive in Kerry in February 2001 and helped many people, he has been coming back here twice a year since then.
But just let me finish the story…………
Three weeks after coming home from Malaysia in January 2000, I felt a very strong urge to go to the local Bingo, of all places !! I begged my sister to go with me and borrowed the money from my brother. We had a good laugh as we hadn’t been there for at least a few years and weren’t able to keep up with the marking (well we were greedy and had two books each!). Finally the jackpot sheet came up and I was keeping a close eye on my sister’s sheet, she was getting very close. Suddenly I looked down at my own and found that I was waiting only for number 71! Next thing I heard was …………71 and yes! I had won the jackpot, which hadn’t been won for months. It was the exact amount of the loan that I had taken out to go to Malaysia! Good chi flow or what?
I owe Sifu my sanity and my life as do so many people here in Ireland.
Mile Bhuiochas,
Joan.
, although I really can't see any of you going off down to play with your little hardboards and pens 
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