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Legacy of Ho Fatt Nam - 10 Questions to Grandmaster Wong Kiew Kit

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  • #61
    Sifu continues ....
    (continued from part 1)
    After learning his unforgettable lesson when he missed the chance of accomplishing the Art of Lightness, my sifu promised himself that if had an opportunity to learn from a great master again, he would just follow his instructions.

    Hence, when my sifu found my sigung, he just did what my sigung said. My sifu told me that my sigung taught him One-Finger Shooting Zen, and except for some occasional paterns, my sigung did not teach him anything else. My sifu had to attend my sigung’s class every night and practice One-Finger Shooting Zen for more than two years.

    He said, “Someone prcticing Taekwondo would have obtained his black belt by this time, but I had to practice just One-Finger Shooting Zen every night for more than two years. My friends teased me saying that again every night I had to go to piss.” (The shss sound in One-Finger Shooting Zen is like persuading a child to pee.)

    My sifu was richly rewarded in his diligent practice. Not only he had developed tremendous internal force, but also had inherited the almost-lost art of dim mak.

    My sifu’s kungfu was abundantly tested. You can read about his many combat experiences in my autobiograpny, “The Way of the Master”.

    The one that had the deepest impression on me was when more than 35 armed attackers wanted to burn his house and kill his family. He fought them off single-handedly with a spear. It was like a kungfu movie, but was recorded in offical police archive.

    (end)
    Sifu Andrew Barnett
    Shaolin Wahnam Switzerland - www.shaolin-wahnam.ch

    Flowing Health GmbH www.flowing-health.ch (Facebook: www.facebook.com/sifuandrew)
    Healing Sessions with Sifu Andrew Barnett - in Switzerland and internationally
    Heilbehandlungen mit Sifu Andrew Barnett - in der Schweiz und International

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    • #62
      Sifu,

      Thank you kindly for your answers. It is wonderful to learn more about Sigung Ho's training and early days.

      With gratitude,
      Markus Kahila
      Shaolin Nordic Finland

      www.shaolin-nordic.com

      Comment


      • #63
        Master of Energy, Master or Mind....
        Question 8

        I have heard Sigung state previously that Sitaigung Ho was a "Master of Mind".



        What were the relative contributions of Sitaigung Ho's (a) personal character, (b) Kung Fu practice and (c) innate capacity for spiritual development that Sitaigung Ho was born with, in achieving the extraordinary level of being a "Master of Mind"?



        Are there factors other that the three I have listed that should be considered when discussing the extraordinary level which Sitaigung Ho achieved? If there are, would SIgung be kind enough to elaborate on them?



        Sifu Kevin Barry


        Answer

        I am just a master of energy, but my sifu, Sifu Ho Fatt Nam, was a master of mind, which is of a higher level. My sifu was very highly accomplished in kungfu, chi kung as well as spiritual cultivation, and I am forever grateful to him for his kindness and teaching.

        As a person my sifu was an excellent model of clear conscience. Indeed much of my moral training was not from his direct teaching, but indirectly from his daily example.

        One of the deepest impressions his teaching has on my moral development was when he told me that we must always be very clear in our conscience.

        “Whatever we do,” he once told me, and my wife was with me at the time, “we must have a clear conscience towards all humanity.”

        “Even if we could cheat all humanity,” he continued, “we could not cheat heaven and earth.”

        On another occasion he told me in Cantonese, “khoi tau sam chet yau shen ming”, which word-by-word means “lift head three feet have divine beings”, which is figuratively, “there are countless divine beings all around us.”

        My sifu continued that “even if we cound cheat all divine beings, we could not cheat our own conscience.” This is a priceless lesson for me, and which we cherish in our school. It makes me fearless, not because of my combat efficiency but because I have done no wrong.

        My sifu’s kungfu was excellent. He once told me, in his typical humbleness, that he had defeated all challengers, and there was one occasion in a weapon combat where there was a draw. This was a friendly combat between him using a staff and a Punjabi master using an odd weapon that resembled a bunch of ribon-swords.

        The combat that most impressed me was when more than 35 attackers came to burn his house and kill his family. It was like a kungfu movie except that it happened in real life. Not only he fought them off using a spear, but also he had to defend his family and prevent them from burning his house.

        My sifu was so compassionate that he did not want to hurt them, but seeing that they refused to go away, he had to wound the leader to scarce them away. He thrusted his spear onto the side of the leader and blood gushed out. All the attackers then ran away. Had he missed by a few inches and pierced the leader’s liver or kidney, the leader would be killed.

        My sifu was a spiritualist by profession. People from all walks of life consulted first the Monkey God, and later Immortal Li, through my sifu as a medium, for advice. My sifu told me in secret that he was a reincarnation of Golden Boy, one of the two personal attendants of Guan Yin Bodh Satt, the Bodhisattva of Great Compassion, the other personal attendant being Jade Girl.

        Once my sifu had a fatal accident, and he actually died. But the Buddha saved and revived him. The Buddha asked my sifu to return to our phenomenal world to help people and save lives. Skeptics are of course free not to believe such amazing stories, but they were personally told to me by my sifu himseof, whom I know never lied. After completing his mission on earth, my sifu happily returned to heaven.

        We are indeed very privilleged and honoured to have such an amazing patriarch in our school.

        < End>
        Sifu notes "I am just a master of energy". Sifu makes it sound as if this is just a low level achievement when we all know what a very high level Sifu has achieved (even though most of us still have no real idea just HOW high Sifu's level really is). Just imagine Sigung Ho's level ....... if you can!
        Sifu Andrew Barnett
        Shaolin Wahnam Switzerland - www.shaolin-wahnam.ch

        Flowing Health GmbH www.flowing-health.ch (Facebook: www.facebook.com/sifuandrew)
        Healing Sessions with Sifu Andrew Barnett - in Switzerland and internationally
        Heilbehandlungen mit Sifu Andrew Barnett - in der Schweiz und International

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        • #64
          Wonderful stories

          I wonder which of these two is the ribbon sword weapon mentioned, the South Indian Urumi:





          or the North Indian Aara:





          This class of weapon is taught last of all Indian weapons, due to the difficulty in handling, and so is obviously the class of weapon of a master!
          Sifu Andy Cusick

          Shaolin Wahnam Thailand
          Shaolin Qigong

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          "a trained mind brings health and happiness"
          - ancient wisdom

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          • #65
            Thank you Sigung for these amazing answers. I am enjoying them immensely.

            Thank you Sisook Andrew for facilitating the thread. And all the best for the upcoming course in Zurich!

            All the best,

            Kevin

            Comment


            • #66
              A nice question from Anton had lead to another very interesting answer from Sifu...
              Question 9

              What did Sitaigug Ho look for in his practice of internal arts?

With kindest regards, 

              Sifu Anton Schmick


              Answer

              I did not ask my sifu this question when I was learning from him. So my answer here is based on my speculation, which in turn is based much on my conversations with my sifu.

              I guess my sifu just practiced diligently and delicately what my sigung taught him, especially after he had promised himself when he lost the opportunity to learn the art of lightness from another master that he would just follow his sifu’s instruction if he ever had a good opportunity to find an excellent one.

              I was not sure whether my sigh knew my sigung was the second generation successor from the Shaolin Monastery at Quanzhou when my he learned from my sigung, but based on the stories my sifu told me, he certainly treasured my sigung’s teaching dearly.

              At the time of his learning, my sifu, like most masters when they were students, might not have differentiated between external arts and internal arts. But there was no doubt that in his later years when I learned from him, my sigh knew clearly what was external and internal. This was because he often told me that external training concerned tendons, bones and muscles, whereas internal training concerned essence, energy and spirit.

              I would guess that in his later years what my sifu looked for in his practice of internal arts was to enhance his combat efficiency. This is also what most kungfu practitioners look for when they practice any internal arts. It was also the same with me when I was a student and in my early years teaching in Shaolin Wahnam Association, the fore-runner of our school, Shaolin Wahnam Institute.

              The concepts of practicing internal arts for spiritual cultivation and for peak performance in our daily life were not in my mind, nor in my sifu’s mind. It was only during my years of traveling and teaching that the ideas of internal arts for spiritual cultivation and for peak performance in daily life gradually materialised.

              Now these two concepts, together with the practice of our arts for good health, vitality and longevity, have become the hallmarks of our school, and they set us apart from all other chi kung and martial art schools.

              But this did not mean that our practice of internal arts did not contribute to my sifu’s and my spiritual cultivation, peak performance as well as good health, vitality and longevity. Indeed the internal training contributed greatly, but at the time of my sifu's and my training, we were unaware of these concepts and philosophy.

              My sifu was a spiritualist. But I believe this was due to his Taoist cultivation, and later his Zen cultivation, though practicing the internal arts must have contributed greatly.

              < End>
              Sifu Andrew Barnett
              Shaolin Wahnam Switzerland - www.shaolin-wahnam.ch

              Flowing Health GmbH www.flowing-health.ch (Facebook: www.facebook.com/sifuandrew)
              Healing Sessions with Sifu Andrew Barnett - in Switzerland and internationally
              Heilbehandlungen mit Sifu Andrew Barnett - in der Schweiz und International

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              • #67
                Dear Sigung,
                thank you very much for your kind and insightful answer!
                Dear Sisook, thanks for posting (and organizing )
                Anton
                Engage and maintain joyful practice!

                May all of you get the best benefits from what you do.

                Anton Schmick
                Shaolin Wahnam Germany Nord

                shaolinwahnamchina.com
                http://chikunghamburg.wordpress.com
                http://shaolinwahnam-nord.de
                http://kungfu-luebeck.de

                Comment


                • #68
                  ... and now the final question .... or is it ?
                  Question 10

                  You mentioned Sigung Ho replaced sleeping with sitting meditation in his later years. What was his goal? Was he aiming for enlightenment? 

Was Sitting Meditation taught to all students in Sigung's school? Or was it reserved for special students?
                  
Sham.

                  Answer

                  My sifu just told me that he didn’t sleep in his later years but performed sitting meditation, which was more than enough to replace his normal sleep. As it was a causal talk, I did not ask him why he performed sitting mediation instead or sleeping normally. At that time my understanding of spiritual cultivation and Enlightenment was nothing like what I know now. So the idea of asking whether his aim was for attaining Enlightenment was never in my mind.

                  Nevertheless, I could guess at his answers if I had asked him, but I didn’t. My answers were based on my knowledge of my sifu from my time spending together with him, including a lot of conversations. He would probably have said that it was not to aim at Enlightenment. He did sitting meditation instead so as to replace normal sleeping to be charged by cosmic energy.

                  Sleeping is the normal way of being charged with cosmic energy for most people. When people sleep, after a lot of tossing about and dreaming, much of which they could not remember, they remain perfectly still for about 15 minutes at dawn when the sun was about to rise. This was the time when cosmic energy is at its best. This is also the time when people are perfectly still in their sleep. So they are charged by cosmic energy, in the same way we charge our cellular phones. The amount of energy received by people in such charging will be enough for their daily use.

                  It is interesting that I also discovered independently that 15 minutes of daily chi kung practice would be sufficient for our students daily needs. It was because our students were in a chi kung state of mind, which was similar to people in their perfect sleep.

                  So instead of sleeping normally to attain the perfect sleeping state to be charged by cosmic energy, my sifu sat in meditation in a chi kung state of mind and be charged by cosmic energy. which would be sufficient for his daily needs.

                  I did the same thing for a month when I wrote my book, “The Art of Shaolin Kungfu”. When my publisher asked me to estimate the total number of words for the book, I placed it at 75,000 words. But when i completed the manuscript, it turned out to be 150,000. My publisher was kind enough to grant me a month to shorten the manuscript. But my writing was not verbose. To shorten 150,000 words to 75,000, I would have to leave out many passages that I would not like to miss in the book.

                  So I set to write a new book in one month. At that time I was still working as a school teacher. So apart from about 6.30 to about 2.30 for my school teaching, and apart from quick lunch, dinner and shower and 2 hours of nightly kungfu teaching, I worked at my new manuscript from about 2.30 in the afternoon to about 6.30 the next morning every day for a full month without sleep, but substituted by about 10 to 15 minutes of sitting meditation.

                  I managed to complete my new manuscript in time, and the manuscript was published as “The Art of Shaolin Kungfu”. The original manuscript, which was initially meant for “The Art of Shaolin Kungfu”, was later published as “The Complete Book of Shaolin”.

                  Not only I was not tired and I could maintain my sanity, I actually found that I had more mental clarity and energy. I could successful write an informative and readable book, and spar with my students like Mogan and Kowi Being who had a lot of internal force. It was an excellent testimony to our wonderful arts. It was also an excellent testimony that 10 to 15 minutes of meditation would provide us with sufficient energy for our daily needs.

                  < End>
                  Sifu Andrew Barnett
                  Shaolin Wahnam Switzerland - www.shaolin-wahnam.ch

                  Flowing Health GmbH www.flowing-health.ch (Facebook: www.facebook.com/sifuandrew)
                  Healing Sessions with Sifu Andrew Barnett - in Switzerland and internationally
                  Heilbehandlungen mit Sifu Andrew Barnett - in der Schweiz und International

                  Comment


                  • #69
                    Thank you Sifu for answering all our questions.

                    Comment


                    • #70
                      Dear All,

                      Thank you for a great thread, and thank you, as always, to Sigung for the insights.

                      Max

                      Comment


                      • #71
                        Amazing thread. Thank You Sigung for all the answers and stories. There are only 4 weeks left!

                        Comment


                        • #72
                          Sifu has generously answered an additional question
                          Question 11

                          Thanks so much for your immense generosity in sharing such marvelous treasures! Did Sigung Ho achieve Enlightenment?



                          Smiling from the heart,

                          Sifu Angel G. Perez Oliveras


                          Answer

                          The answers not only are beneficial to our instructors and students but also beneficial to me. They enabled me to crystallise my thoughts and present them in a coherent manner.

                          Without false modesty the answers are indeed marvellous. They reveal secrets that only enhance our arts but also enrich our lives.

                          I believe my sifu, Sifu Ho Fatt Nam did not attain Enlightenment when he left this world. It was not because he did not have the ability to attain Enlightenment but because he did not want to. He preferred to return to heaven to be the personal attendant of Guan Yin Bodh Satt, the Bodhisattva of Great Compassion, as Golden Boy.

                          My sifu had a special mission to reincarnate as Ho Fatt Nam in our phenomenal world. Besides saving countless people and giving invaluable spiritual lessons, he helped us to preserve the legacy of the Shaolin arts.

                          Enlightenment, with a capital “E” as used here, means perfect Enlightenment, i.e. the perfect merging with the Great Void without any differentiation.

                          If we use enlightenment with a small “e”, as many people use the term, my sifu was highly enlightened. He had cosmic wisdom, and knew exactly where he came from and where he would return to.

                          The term “enlightenment” as used in English and other Western languages, like the Age of Enlightenment, has another meaning. This period was from about 1620 to 1780. Here, enlightenment means reasons or intellectualisation. This was a period where reasoning, intellectualisation and analysis were emphasised as opposed to traditional authority. Some famous philosophers who promoted the Age of Enlightenment were Francis Bacon, Rene Descartes, John Locke, Voltaire and Immanuel Kant.

                          It is worthy of note that reasoning and intellectualisation were required to attain Enlightenment in the Western sense, but in the Buddhist and Eastern sense there should not be any reasoning or intellectualisation to attain Enlightenment. If reasoning or intellectualisation is present, aspirants remain in the phenomenal world, and will be thwarted from attaining Enlightenment.

                          Perhaps a major reason why so many Westernised people today, including modern people who live geographically in the East, have a lot of wandering thoughts, to the extent that they have become stressful, is the pervasive influence from the Age of Enlightenment. Hence, if you want to be at peace, to be free from unnecessary stress, you need to control your wandering thoughts. One excellent way is to enter into a chi kung state of mind, or to attain a Zen mind, which all instructors and students in our school, Shaolin Wahnam, can do very well.

                          < End>
                          Sifu Andrew Barnett
                          Shaolin Wahnam Switzerland - www.shaolin-wahnam.ch

                          Flowing Health GmbH www.flowing-health.ch (Facebook: www.facebook.com/sifuandrew)
                          Healing Sessions with Sifu Andrew Barnett - in Switzerland and internationally
                          Heilbehandlungen mit Sifu Andrew Barnett - in der Schweiz und International

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                          • #73
                            Thank you Sifu for your answers, and thank you Andrew Sihing for providing them to us.

                            Although parts of this is "old news" in our school for some, Sifu's newest version as usual gives you more depth and understanding then the previous time it was told.

                            Best,

                            Omar
                            When one door closes, another one opens.

                            Comment


                            • #74
                              ... and as if one bonus question and answer was not enough, Sifu has generously offered another....
                              Question 12

                              Is Sitaigung one of the Immortals? How does he became one of them? Is it possible that we, in our school, receive his blessing? Is it any way we can express our gratitude to Him?

                              Couchalot


                              Answer

                              If we use the term “immortal” to mean a heavenly being whose life span is “eternal” by human standard, as we normally use the term, yes, my sifu, Sifu Ho Fatt Nam is an immortal. His earthly life as Ho Fatt Nam was a reincarnation of the immortal, Golden Boy. On hindsight, now I realize why my sigh always looked so youthful even in his ripe old age.

                              Golden Boy is one of the two personal attendants of Guan Shi Yin Bodh Satt, or the Bodhisattva of Great Compassion. The other personal attendant is Jade Girl.

                              I don’t know how my sifu, in one of his early lives, became an immortal as Golden Boy. It must have happened long ago.

                              My sifu told me that he was a reincarnation of Golden Boy in his later years, and it was supposed to be a secret. He did not specify that I kept it a secret, but he asked me not to reveal it indiscriminately so as to avoid unnecessary criticism.

                              But now I feel it is only fair that our Shaolin Wahnam Family members know the truth. The truth is that my sifu personally told me he was a reincarnation of Golden Boy, and I knew for a fact that my sifu never lie. Of course, as it is a tradition in our school, no one is obliged to believe it if he is skeptical.

                              Criticism from other people is not my concern. It they do not even believe that kungfu can be used for fighting, chi kung can be used for overcoming so-called incurable diseases, and internal force is real, why should I be concerned if they do not believe that my sifu was a reincarnation of Golden Boy.

                              Actually I myself do not know much about Golden Boy. I also do not know whether Golden Boy was the same as Red Child who is often worshipped as a god of wealth. But I know that my sifu was not wealthy, despite his very high levels of accomplishment in kungfu and healing.

                              Yes, it is not only possible but we, in our school, do receive his blessings. Again, many other people may be cynical about this statement, but many divine beings, like the Bodhisattva of Great Compassion, Immortal Li, and the 18 Lohans, actually have come to our classes and courses to bless us.

                              It is legitimate to ask how we know of these blessings by divine beings. In principle it is the same as asking how do you know when a mentor has visited your house, or a doctor has cured you of an illness. The answers to all these questions are the same. We know from direct experience.

                              If a mentor has visited your house, you know it from direct experience. You also have the benefits bestowed by the mentor. If a doctor has cured you of an illness, you know it from direct experience, and you do not feel the sick symptoms you felt before. If divine beings have blessed you, you know it from direct experience, and you feel greatly blessed.

                              It is appropriate to mention that such blessings from divine beings are often not isolated happenings to a particular individual. Many people in the same class or course also have the same experience.

                              A good way to show our gratitude to their blessings is to live the type of life that they will be proud of us. Bodhisattva of Great Compassion is famous for her great compassion. Immortal Li is kind and helpful to others. The 18 Lohans are peaceful and happy. My sifu was outstanding for his clear sense of conscientiousness.

                              So if we exhibit these qualities in our daily life, like being compassionate, kind, helpful, peaceful, happy and have a clear sense of conscientiousness, we can express our gratitude to them. In practical terms we live by our Ten Shaolin Laws.

                              <End>
                              Thank you, Sifu, for your great kindness and generosity in sharing these answers, your wisdom, knowledge and skills with us.

                              Humbly,
                              Sifu Andrew Barnett
                              Shaolin Wahnam Switzerland - www.shaolin-wahnam.ch

                              Flowing Health GmbH www.flowing-health.ch (Facebook: www.facebook.com/sifuandrew)
                              Healing Sessions with Sifu Andrew Barnett - in Switzerland and internationally
                              Heilbehandlungen mit Sifu Andrew Barnett - in der Schweiz und International

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                              • #75
                                Originally posted by Andrew View Post
                                Thank you, Sifu, for your great kindness and generosity in sharing these answers, your wisdom, knowledge and skills with us.
                                Indeed
                                Sifu Andy Cusick

                                Shaolin Wahnam Thailand
                                Shaolin Qigong

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                                "a trained mind brings health and happiness"
                                - ancient wisdom

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