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Thank you again for teaching this marvellous course and agreeing to answer our questions! You taught us very deeply in skills using only one pattern, so I thought ask more widely about the combat applications involving Cotton Palm.
Could you please elaborate the differences in combat applications of the following Wudang Cotton Palm patterns that have at least superficial similarity: Wild Horse Chases Wind versus Open Window to Look at Moon; Lone Drake Leaves Crowd in comparison Whirlwind Cotton Palm; and Green Dragon Lifts Head compared to Poisonous Snake Emerges from Cave? Are there comparative differences in force also? I am thinking that out of the pairs Wild Horse Chases Wind, Lone Drake Leaves Crowd, and Green Dragon Lifts Head are comparatively harder but still as flowing as the corresponding pattern I suggested.
What distinguishes the force and combat application of the Wudang Cotton Palm set generally in contrast to Taijiquan sets and the Cosmos Palm set in our school?
Thank you for a wonderful bonus opportunity - this is the course that just keeps giving.
Dear Sifu,
It is with immense gratitude to you that we have so many treasures to choose from when we practice. You mentioned during the course it is important to practice at the level that will provide the best benefit which may not necessarily be the highest. One Finger Shooting Zen is good for consolidating force and Cotton Palm is good for developing flowing force and both can be practiced at various levels. I used to practise One Finger Shooting Zen daily, but after the course I practise Cotton Palm daily and have reduced the frequency of my One Finger Shooting Zen practice. I practice both arts separately.
Do the two arts complement each other when both are practised? Is it advisable to practise only one of the arts mentioned during a single session or on a single day? I recall that you mentioned that flowing force is most useful for practical daily life and so have began to practice Cotton Palm in the morning as a wonderful way to start the day. Is there a more beneficial time of day to practice Cotton Palm other than avoiding midday especially if it is practiced with One Finger Shooting Zen?
thank you for teaching the Cotton Palm. During the course, you frequently mentioned that having a foundation in Cosmos Palm would accelerate the attainment of Cotton Palm, but not vice versa. Usually, the benefits of different arts complement each other (such as the Iron Wire and the Yang Style Taijiquan). However, in this case, why does it complement unidirectional?
Consequently, if one did not have a foundation in Cosmos Palm before learning the Cotton Palm, would then the parallel training of the Cosmos Palm accelerate the attainment of the Cotton Palm? If yes, should one rather practice both in a single session or spread it out to two sessions?
Furthermore, should one (theoretically) learn the Cosmos Palm first and later progress to the Cotton Palm to accelerate progress?
You´ve mentioned that the Cotton Palm set was very advanced and even more suitable of spiritual attainment than the Wudang Taijiquan. Years ago you´ve mentioned that the most advanced sets in our school were the Dragon Strength, the Essence of Shaolin, the Seven Star Set and the Praying Mantis Crushing Fist. Would you place the Cotton Palm among them? And what are the most advanced sets in our School today?
Thank you Tim Siheng for providing another opportunity to ask Sifu questions on the Wonders of Wudang Cotton Palm.
Dearest Sifu,
You have mentioned that Bak Mei's speciality was in the Cotton Art including Cotton Palm and Cotton Belly. Could Sifu please elaborate on Cotton Belly and whether it can be achieved through the practice of Cotton Palm? and did Bak Mei use Cotton Palm for healing as well as in combat?
How effective is Cotton Palm in healing oneself and others in comparison to opening points and what is the best method in applying Cotton Palm for healing?
Are there any more 'secret' combat applications Sifu can kindly share? or applying spiral force in combat?
Does Wudang Cotton Palm relate to the Secrets of Wudang Kungfu course which is being offered at summer camp course in 2018 and could Sifu please tell us more about the Secrets of Wudang Kungfu?
Sifu can one master only the Cotton Palm set or is it more effective to learn a spread of Kung Fu sets?
Will Wudang Cotton Palm play an import role in spreading the genuine arts in the future?
Thank you Sifu for taking the time to read our questions and for this opportunity. I look forward to reading your answers to any questions answered.
Shaolin Salute,
Parveen
“So I say to you –
This is how to contemplate our conditioned existence in this fleeting world:” “Like a tiny drop of dew, or a bubble floating in a stream;
Like a flash of lightning in a summer cloud,
Or a flickering lamp, an illusion, a phantom, or a dream.” “So is all conditioned existence to be seen.”
Dear Sigung, my question is;
Where did the Cotton Palm lineage originate from, what was known of the set before Sigung learnt the Art and what insight/s has Sigung aquired since learning and passing on this unique set?
Added Comment
On learning the Cotton Palm I can say that there is something deeply embeded in this set. Personally I have never experienced such power and focus during a course before. The softness, force and expanding Shen were a gift worth waiting for.
Thanks to Sigung for teaching the Art of Cotton Palm and for giving us an opportunity to gain more insight into the Set through this Q&A.
Thanks also for Tim & Barry for the London Classes that encouraged and taught us the Cotton Palm in preparation for the Summer Camp.
Thank you for your questions so far, they have given a fantastic opportunity for insights of this great art.
Olli, thank you for your questions. Here is the answer to part 1:
Question 1
Could you please elaborate the differences in combat applications of the following Wudang Cotton Palm patterns that have at least superficial similarity: Wild Horse Chases Wind versus Open Window to Look at Moon; Lone Drake Leaves Crowd in comparison Whirlwind Cotton Palm; and Green Dragon Lifts Head compared to Poisonous Snake Emerges from Cave? Are there comparative differences in force also? I am thinking that out of the pairs Wild Horse Chases Wind, Lone Drake Leaves Crowd, and Green Dragon Lifts Head are comparatively harder but still as flowing as the corresponding pattern I suggested.
What distinguishes the force and combat application of the Wudang Cotton Palm set generally in contrast to Taijiquan sets and the Cosmos Palm set in our school?
How does the skill of Cotton Palm relate to Weave Flowers Cotton Palm pattern in Drunken Eight Immortals and Mien Shen's Cotton Palm technique in Praying Mantis Eighteen Collection? Are there other notable ways of bringing the best out of the Cotton Palm skill in combat application except open palm techniques?
Olli
Answer
Both “Wild Horse Chases Wind” and “Open Window to Look at Moon” are excellent methods to explode internal force, but the origin of the force is different. In “Wild Horse Choses Wind”, the origin of the force is at the wrists, whereas in “Open Window to Look at Moon”, it is at the abdominal dan tian.
Before one can explode internal force, he must have built sufficient internal force. He must also know the mechanics of the pattern he uses to explode the force.
Firstly, he builds up his internal force using the Horse-Riding Stance of the Goat Stance, Then he uses “Open Window to Look at Moon” to explode his force. He must start with his back leg, rotate his waist and end at his hands in one smooth continuous movement.
When he hears a “wom” sound while executing this pattern, it indicates that his internal force has flowed from his dan tian, through his body, through his shoulders, along his arms, and out of his palms. This is what masters meant by “keng thow ng kwan” (Cantonese), which means his internal force has passed through five gates.
It shows that his chi, or internal force, has filled up the meridians linking frim his dan dain to his palms. It is important to note that this chi is flowing, not stactic. Not only it enables him to have powerful palm strikes, but also makes all his organs strong, and gives him a lot of vitality.
He can then progress to “Wild Horse Chases Wind”. In this pattern, his internal force shoots out from his palms at his wrists. But the internal force is connected all the way to his dan tian.
Will he be depleted of energy when a lot of energy flows out? No, because he is both relaxed and focused, or in a state of Zen or Tao. Energy from the Cosmos will immediately replenish the energy he has just used in his strike. The more powerful his strike is, i.e. the more energy he emits from his palms, the more energy will replenish him from the Cosmos.
Eternal gratitude towards Fully Alive for organising these wonderful courses and to Sigung for sharing this art.
Dear Sigung, You told us and gave us an experience of all the amazing benefits that Cotton Palm can bring. My question is, how is it that Cotton Palm is so efficient in spiritual cultivation? Is it more beneficial than other arts in our school? How can we apply Cotton Palm to benefit our spiritual practices?
In “Lone Drake Leaves Clowd”, internal force is channeled to his front hand. Internal force will also flow to his back hand, though the focus is at the front hand. It is a diagonal strike or block, moving from inside out, using the side of the harm or arm, similar to a Mirror Hand.
“Whirlwind Cotton Palm” is softer. It is a palm strike, from outside in. There is also a reverse palm strike, using the back of the palm.
In both “Green Dragon Lifts Head” and “Poisonous Snake Emerges from Cave”, energy is channeled to the palm and fingers. “Green Dragon Lifts Head” is a close-body attack using the False-Leg Stance. You can also use the knees of the False-Leg Stance to hit an opponent’s groin. “Poisonous Snake Emeges from Cave” is a far-reaching attack. It may be used when an opponent tries to move away.
Cotton Palm force is alive, so you need not worry about any comparative differences in the application of the various patterns. Use the force for the combat situation. In other words in some situations “Wild Horse Chases Wind” may be harder than “Open Window to Look at Moon”, and in other situations, it may be softer. The same explanation applies to the other patterns.
The force in both Cotton Palm and Cosmos Palm is more powerful than the force in Taijiquan. I believe the difference is not just a matter of, but a matter of class. In other words, Cotton Palm, Cosmos Palm and Taijiquan Palm are of different classes, not that when the force is less we call it Taijiquan force, and when it is more we call it Cotton Palm or Cosmos Palm.
When an opponent is hit with Cotton Palm, he may not know it, but the injury, though insidious, can be very serious or fatal. When he is hit witl Cosmos Palm or Taijiquan Palm, he normally knows it.
The pattern , “Weave Flowers Cotton Palm”, in the Drunken Eight Immortal set uses the Cotton Palm force. The force is soft, flowing and insideious, similar to he force we developed in the Wudnag Cotton Palm set.
In the pattern, “Mien Shen’s Cotton Palm”, in the Praying Mantis Eighteen Collection set, the Cotton Palm force is hard. Uite unlike the Cotton Palm force we trained in the Wudang Cotton Palm set.
As far as I know, there are two types of Cotton Palm force, one from Wudang Kungfu and the other from Praying Mantis Kungfu. Both types of Cotton Palm force may have the same origin, i.e. from Shaolin.
In my younger days I learned a set of Cotton Palm from Praying Mantis Kungfu, called ?Mien Zhang”. I just learned the forms, and did not know how to develop Cotton Palm force. While it is softer than most Praying Mantis sets, it is much harder than the Wudang Cotton Palm set.
When one has developed Cotton Palm force, not only his palms but all parts of his body are powerful, yet soft and flowing. In other words, when you have Cotton Palm force, you can strike, kick, fell or grip an opponent better than had you not attained the Cotton Palm force. You will also have better health, more vitality and longevity as well as attain peak performance and spiritual joys.
Thank you Sifu for the insightful answer, it has been very interesting to read.
Thank you brother Ollie for asking great questions.
Thank you Tim Siheng for the post.
“So I say to you –
This is how to contemplate our conditioned existence in this fleeting world:” “Like a tiny drop of dew, or a bubble floating in a stream;
Like a flash of lightning in a summer cloud,
Or a flickering lamp, an illusion, a phantom, or a dream.” “So is all conditioned existence to be seen.”
Eternal gratitude towards Fully Alive for organising these wonderful courses and to Sigung for sharing this art.
Dear Sigung, You told us and gave us an experience of all the amazing benefits that Cotton Palm can bring. My question is, how is it that Cotton Palm is so efficient in spiritual cultivation? Is it more beneficial than other arts in our school? How can we apply Cotton Palm to benefit our spiritual practices?
Kind regards and many thanks,
Miguel
Dear Miguel,
We had a wonderful experience of Expanding into the Cosmos during Summer Camp, using Cotton Palm, but it is a great question, that might inspire the rest of the family. Very excited and looking forward to Sifu gracing us all with an answer!
It is with immense gratitude to you that we have so many treasures to choose from when we practice. You mentioned during the course it is important to practice at the level that will provide the best benefit which may not necessarily be the highest.
One Finger Shooting Zen is good for consolidating force and Cotton Palm is good for developing flowing force and both can be practiced at various levels.
I used to practise One Finger Shooting Zen daily, but after the course I practise Cotton Palm daily and have reduced the frequency of my One Finger Shooting Zen practice. I practice both arts separately. Do the two arts complement each other when both are practised? Is it advisable to practise only one of the arts mentioned during a single session or on a single day?
I recall that mentioned that flowing force is most useful for practical daily life and so have began to practice Cotton Palm in the morning as a wonderful way to start the day. Is there a more beneficial time of day to practice Cotton Palm other than avoiding midday especially if it is practiced with One Finger Shooting Zen?
Joel
Answer
Indeed, it is unbelievable we have so many treasures to practice. Even if this is not unprecedented, it is very rare. Many schools have only one treasure, like Eagle Claw or Five-Animal Play.
It is even worse that many kungfu practitioners not only do not benefit from their training, they even harm themselves, and many chi kung practitioners only perform gentle physical exercise. For example, many kungfu practitioners hurt themselves in free sparring, and many chi kung practitioners remain weak and sickly despite having practiced for many years.
Not only we have a great variety of arts, we also have become ridiculously effective. It is true that a typical Shaolin Wahnam student now can get in one month what I myself would need a year to achieve in my students’ days. Hence, over-training is an issue we must all guard against.
In most schools, dedicated practitioners want to get the best from their training. In our school, getting the best may be over-training, so we purposely perform below our level and obtain benefits that are best for our needs and aspirations. Getting too many or too intense benefits may be harmful. To other people not used to our philosophy, it may appear like a big joke.
You are right in saying that One Finger Shooting Zen is good for consolidating force and Cotton Palm is good for developing flowing force and both can be practiced at various levels. We must choose the level that is suitable for us, which is not necessary the highest level.
One-Finger Shooting Zen and Cotton Palm compliment each other when both are practiced at the same time or at different times. Of course, if one practices wrongly, it will be harmful.
However, wrong practice is not an issue in our school, but over-training is. Even when a Shaolin Wahnam student makes mistakes due to carelessness or forgetfulness, his subsequent chi flow will be more than sufficient to erase the harm done, and still give him a bonus.
Whether it is advisable to practice only one of the two arts during a single session or on a single day depends on various factors, like aims of the training, objectives of that session, and the developmental stage of the practitioner. But generally, it does not matter whether he practices them separately or at the same time. What he needs to be careful is not to over-practice.
Generally, flowing force is more useful for practical daily life, while consolidated force is more useful for combat. Practicing Cotton Palm in the morning is a wonderful way to start the day. It is probably the best time to practice. Another good time to practice is in the evening or at night.
Thank you Anton of this question. The other parts will follow:
Question 3
Thank you for teaching Cotton Palm. During the course, you frequently mentioned that having a foundation in Cosmos Palm would accelerate the attainment of Cotton Palm, but not vice versa. Usually, the benefits of different arts complement each other (such as the Iron Wire and the Yang Style Taijiquan). However, in this case, why does it complement unidirectional?
Consequently, if one did not have a foundation in Cosmos Palm before learning Cotton Palm, would the parallel training of Cosmos Palm accelerate the attainment of Cotton Palm? If yes, should one rather practice both in a single session or spread it out to two sessions? Furthermore, should one (theoretically) learn Cosmos Palm first and later progress to Cotton Palm to accelerate progress?
You´ve mentioned that the Cotton Palm set was very advanced and even more suitable for spiritual attainment than Wudang Taijiquan. Years ago you mentioned that the most advanced sets in our school were Dragon Strength, Essence of Shaolin, the Seven Star Set and Praying Mantis Crushing Fist. Would you place Cotton Palm among them? And what are the most advanced sets in our School today?
Sifu Anton Schmick
Answer
I am glad I taught Cotton Palm at the UK Summer Camp. This set brings our practice to a new and higher level.
Nowadays, internal force is very rare. However, all our students in Shaolin Wahnam have internal force. Further, our students are able to employ their internal force to contribute to their health, vitality longevity, and to enrich their daily lives.
If someone has internal force, these benefits mentioned above are spontaneous. In other words, if he has internal force, he will be healthy, full of vitality, have longevity, and be able to enrich his daily life.
However, if he is aware of these benefits, his internal force will enhance them. Further, if he is able to make use of these benefits to enrich his daily life, the benefits will even better. In other words, our students, being aware of the benefits and being able to employ the benefits to enrich their daily life, are two steps ahead of those who only have internal force.
It should be noted that some masters in the past, like Yang Deng Fu and Guo Yun Sheng, the great masters of Taijiquan and Xingyiquan, had a lot of internal force, but it could not be said that internal force had enriched their lives. Yang Deng Fu sustained injury for life; he did not know chi flow to clear his injury. Guo Yun Shen aas violent and spent 3 years in prison for killing an opponent, he did not use his internal force to balance his emotions. But there was no doubt they were great masters.
If one has Cosmos Palm, it is easier for him to learn Cotton Palm, but it may not be so the other way round. This is because both flowing force and consolidating force are necessary in the training of Cosmos Palm. Hence a practitioner who already knows Cosmos Palm just needs to develop flowing force in Cotton Palm.
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