Earl Grey

Sifu Terry, I do a lot of training outside of FP and honestly recovery is better, yes, but can you please elaborate more on how FP affects our physical activity or how our physical activity affects FP?

I grew up playing the original Street Fighter before there was even a Street Fighter 2 and played the first two Bioshocks because I no longer have a PS3 or a gaming PC, I just have a Switch and PS4 now. The Street Fighter comic series by Udon and manga aren't bad either. Most of those related games are right up my alley, and I find it's easier to use popular media of the like when giving examples of Taoist philosophy. Hell, before I got good at Zhan Zhuang, I used to watch playthroughs or tournaments of Street Fighter IV and Tekken 6 while standing. The Street Fighter 2 Animated Movie is a totally different experience after having watched it first in the English dub with the hard rock soundtrack to the original Japanese and music. On topic: I myself have had moments of disappointment, so I do resort to consuming video games, comics, and reading my wall full of speculative fiction paperbacks going back to the 1950s. My take is that I don't need to always get it or be in the flow, sometimes I just need to sit back and be a wanker at times because I don't have or want all the answers. Sure I get moments when I'm down, but I think a couple stories like this summarizes my view: A kid I knew was a very passionate and fundamentalist Bible thumper. He saw a guy in his 60s buying a Nintendo 64 and a stack of games on a Sunday afternoon. Brice, the kid I knew, told him off and said he should be in church and studying the Bible. The old man replied, "Son, I have been a missionary for over 40 years and a pastor. The time for church and studying has already been a done deal for me. Now's the time for me to enjoying my video games. Word of advice: don't judge or think you know as well as you do with what you think you see." Brice has since been a very reserved boy since then. Similarly, I remember a Zen story where a monk said he finds enlightenment equally in the brothel and in his wine as he does in the temple and his tea because it's all around us.

Yes, I do see this often too.

Where did everyone go? To practice more of course! I am not posting much as I have been taking more classes with Sifu Terry, although I should probably update everyone here and in my own ppj too because of a lot of development. Coming soon!

I'm really hoping you're just taking a breather and not actually saying farewell. I also hope that this is either Mercury Retrograde stirring up things that aren't normally affected and we are temporarily out of sync, or that this is just a parallel universe I woke up to this morning reading this and the other thread where something like this is what I would never imagine.

Nothing on my part indicates I am trying to alienate you, but good luck with what you are working on.

For your information, I initially didn't plan on posting what I shared earlier on the main thread, but after an e-mail exchange with Sifu Terry, I was encouraged by him to post it here for him to respond and share some insights that he wanted the group to know about. I personally find no problem with people getting different results and I don't see what I do as boasting or showing off. If anything, I feel it's celebrating the joy of our discipline and development. Some feel good, some see strange but wonderful things, and others just don't have health insurance anymore due to their confidence in their practice. Who else can we talk to who also practices Flying Phoenix and with perhaps parallel sensations, confirms we are not crazy? Isn't that what this thread is for? To connect us with each other? My own personal practice journal was quite helpful for a few people, and not just for Flying Phoenix. We experience what we are meant to experience. That's all I have to say on the matter as I could very easily be jealous of others who describe things I have yet to encounter in my own work, but I am not, I am quite happy for them since their enjoyment does not take away from my own, and what I share should not discourage anyone else. Storytelling is a medium that has shaped our realities throughout myth and time, so why deprive the world of tales of wonder and awe? My stories and others' own stories have made me feel more part of this community and school, and those who read what we share and call it "boasting" and "hypocritical" probably don't grok the same reality. To each their own, I guess.

The other week, I learned the long form Monk Serves Wine in what began as a one-hour session that quickly became two hours because of the awe-inspiring turn of events that transpired in my session with Sifu Terry. It was just after he had posted to do the flash meditations as slowly as possible, which I had begun doing weeks before. We began our session and he was delighted to see how quickly I picked up on the form, but no more than I was due to the immense bliss (as Tao Stillness would describe) that I experienced doing the form, even before learning the breath control sequence and divided by sections at a time. Upon learning the form, we practiced several times with the breath control sequence and on the last one, something wonderful happened. I saw a blue sapphire gem and golden chains around it, then afterwards, a Buddhist stupa similar to the ones outside of the Javanese temple of Borobodur, and outside in front of it was either White Tara or Kuan Yin standing in a pillar of light. Sifu Terry said I just may very well have been initiated, but I do not know into what, and he recommended I reconnect with the being who came during our session or to talk with Eric Isen to see who this is and what this means. Since that session, my average for the flash meditations slowed down, and now is anywhere from 4-6. There is also now a sphere or egg-shaped object I feel energetically that automatically corrects my form in Flying Phoenix and I see it carry over to my Tai Chi and Liuhebafa training. It is as though I am manipulating a sphere within, around, and in front of me at all times whenever I move. Also, during Temple Guardian Standing at Entrance (a Bok Fu Pai form for those who don't know), a friend came by and saw me standing there and began doing Zhan Zhuang Embrace the Tree in front of me, then said something strange about me was going on as he observed. My skull became deeper and face became wolf-like, as my eyes were closed but looked like they were open and piercing him. How interesting. In previous sessions when we would all stand in a circle for basic Zhan Zhuang, he and another student would observe things like my hair becoming golden (not blond, but gold) and eyes and face changing or body size increasing, or seeing my body look like it was the cosmos, as though they could enter my body and float amongst the stars. This time in particular was interesting because it wasn't even 15 minutes, and the things he and everyone else would see would be around the one hour mark. This now more than ever makes me want to learn more Bok Fu Pai from Volume 6 (and the whole system while I am at it) and both versions from BFP and FP of the form with the same name Child Praying to Goddess for Mercy. I was also excited because I did the fifth flash meditation that was the Bat Din Gum form and after doing it for six minutes it felt like my body hardened and had been doing Iron Shirt Qigong. Yesterday, I also reached a milestone for practice of the long form. I began my afternoon session after a long nap with Basic Seated Meditation 5% 60% 80% 40% 30% (which I nicknamed "Tuning The Universal Intellect") for about 10 minutes. Afterwards, I did the flash meditations from volume 5 in order, and averaged 4.5 minutes to 6 or 7 minutes each. I then did long form MSW at about 11 minutes, then for standing long form from volume 5, I thought I would get a good 10-12 minutes for my average before my afternoon appointment, as I wasn't sure if I would move slow enough to beat my best previous time of 16 minutes. I opened my eyes after moving as slowly and gracefully as possible while allowing the form to do itself, and found myself shocked to see that I did the form in 24.5 minutes. I am about ready to consider draining my credit cards and sell things I have to get more sessions with Sifu Terry and keep learning more advanced practices.

The point WW was referencing in the last page replying to joeblast is my university class in Southeast Asian history which had scholar Geoffrey Robinson who is also a human rights activist. He also raises a very good point that Southeast Asia as a regional whole has had more female leaders than the West in the 20th century but that’s an entirely different point and doesn’t account for elements of nepotism and cronyism. The Philippines has more female leaders and business leaders in general, but by and large a very patriarchal mindset still, which is often attributed to the Catholic Church. Interestingly enough, it’s a society that has more male infidelity than average globally, a study I believe came from the Ateneo de Manila University. When I find the study I will post if anyone is interested but I am not certain it’s relevant here.

It’s been 12 years since I was in that class, so I do not remember if it was brought up, but if you want the information of my professor I will post it here for you to contact him. Just say so and you can email him to ask.

Good book recommendations are in my view a gift in of themselves, not because of new titles to consider, but because they give you insight on the person who enjoys those titles. The websites we consume are also what influence us. Everyday Feminism and Art of Manliness are among my daily reads. Old saying my family on the Chinese side reminded me of: trouble comes from the mouth and through the mouth, from what we say and eat, and what we eat is what we read, what cuisine we devour, music we listen to, and people we engage with, and I am a lot happier on this site more often than not compared to years ago on social media because of the openness and challenging ideas such as this thread on matriarchal cultures. Back on topic: Can't remember, but there was an old Balinese cultural group (or a few) I learned about in my university class with photos of how the warriors were women and leader was also female, because they believed that "the men were just not as trustworthy as warriors and women were just better fighters" in that particular group. Imagine the raised eyebrows as the professor talked about that.

My answer was posted in response to your prior unedited reply and so your question was not answered initially. The men were content because most did not know better and had never known life outside of their small village for generations while the women who had encountered volunteers for brief periods were the ones who actively wanted change since they were the ones who wished to provide better lives and futures as they often were in the managerial roles of the family while the men took the decision making roles. One must understand the formal and informal organization in cultures outside his or her own often do not align with their own experiences and expectations. Read “Cultures and Organizations: The Software of the Mind” by Geert Hofstede.

You did not question what I wrote. You presumed and made ridiculous conclusions and then failed to engage then the responsibility solely on me for communicating ideas when this is a forum for dialogue between and with people, not for your own entertainment. Have a good day, sir, for I have spoken my piece and have been thoroughly bored by your remarks, especially since it is highly likely you are not here to engage, but to present yourself as a sophisticated contrarian who fails spectacularly at doing so and only elicits the common and rational response to disengage entirely from such unfruitful labor. And what labor it is, for to talk sense to a fool is to be called foolish by that fool, says Sophocles. I shall take my leave now, for this thread is on matriarchal cultures and none of what you seek to scrutinize contributes to this thread in an enlightening or respectful manner. "Barba non facit philosophum" - a beard does not make one a philosopher.

In the words of Luke Skywalker from The Last Jedi, every word in that sentence (or rather, in this case, your entire post) was wrong. Nobody "failed" to identify anything, it was a matter of implying not to rely on such static definitions that are culturally biased based on the spirit of this thread and the arguments people made against matriarchal cultures and for patriarchal cultures. As for how I interacted with the men there, not only were these lessons already what has been observed and taught by Tanzanian staff from the capitals and American and European scholars about cultural norms and preferences there, but an experience that is replicated time and again by generations of volunteers since 1963. My own personal experience living and working in 13 countries might also lend some authority to this observation as well. Quoting you specifically here, "Reads like a very condescending view point, you expected the men to do what? Maybe in their eyes you you did not meet the requirements to be considered a man..... " ad hominem attacks mind you do not fit the rules and regulations to be a member here.

SandrofV I think you may want to go through this thread and see some of the outlines Sifu Terry made of what he practiced that week for a class. You may notice he doesn’t practice everything, and his students still benefit from doing whatever form in no particular order. Even if you don’t see the unique benefit of each meditation, it’s your task as a student as well to keep practicing and discover while engaging in dialogue here. There are several students with practice journals here who you may read and note their reactions. While it’s good to compare notes you can also focus more on your own diligence.

Perhaps the way you might understand practice is this: learn the forms and practice them and gradually learn new ones. Do not give up older forms, but do not obsess and do all forms every day. I do six forms on average a day rotating between each volume and just doing what I feel like doing that day due to the unique effect of each meditation. If anything my practice of long form makes me appreciate the basic forms in the earlier volumes and doing the earlier volumes helps me understand the long form.

Fragrant Qigong, or Xiang Gong. I practiced it before Flying Phoenix and haven't gone back because they are incompatible to be done together due to the restriction of Xiang Gong that states no abnormal breathing techniques, which would include the breath control sequence of our practice. There are a few threads I've posted in about the matter, but feel free to PM me if you want to know more.

I haven't heard any sort of issue in this thread nor have I and my local community of practitioners, but I certainly don't believe it's an issue and Sifu Terry will likely better explain.

Welcome. I know a few people who are devout Catholics and have no problems with Flying Phoenix (they make it their daily practice), so there is no issue unless you believe there is something to worry about. It has been covered in this thread multiple times that one does not need to be a Buddhist or Taoist but to just enjoy the practice and understand that only positive can come from the form when practicing correctly. In my encounters with people from the Catholic faith, some are very suspicious of Qigong and call it "Satanic" and can never entertain the idea of anything outside of the church. Others, priests included, have no problem with it so long as adherents to the faith remember all things come from their God and that the practice strengthens their connection to their church. As for Duan Zhi Liang, he practiced Primordial Chaos (Hun Dun) Qigong and was indeed from a Catholic family, and very devout as well. Enjoy your practice and don't feel shy about being a non-Taoist or non-Buddhist--we are here to practice Flying Phoenix Qigong and have a pleasant community, not to falsify and mock other faiths.

Posting another review of my second one-on-one class with Sifu Terry: It is very hard to not get excited about stories of the martial and Taoist world and applications of Flying Phoenix, to the point I nearly crossed into double lesson territory but was graciously pardoned for this lapse in discipline by Sifu Terry and balanced the time difference with a small compensation. The level of familiarity that builds up is great and one must always remember to be consciously disciplined to remember that it's class first--which is a lot harder than it seems because for me, stories are a way of giving life to the practice and inspiring more and more effort. We went over more martial applications from Sifu Terry's other traditions and corrections for the long form on volume 4 which has me emphasize that while you can easily learn the form from the DVD, it will take much effort and work directly with Sifu Terry in order to truly master its subtleties. Other noteworthy points were being able to discover how one's form shows the tension in our bodies (common with many high-level masters) and its relationship to primal therapy with the onion layers of anger, frustration, pain, and unmet needs and how grit and grace are the two words that summarize the cathartic nature of Flying Phoenix. For those who find unexplored depths in the psyche and reminders of the skeletons in our closets that we try to hide, you can't hide from reality or yourself when doing the Work, for the Work itself will tap you on the shoulder to help you remember that you still have much to work on and can't hide. Anger, anxiety, despair, and fear? You can't hide behind a stiff upper lip. A great career with great income and online profile will also never compensate for a tumultuous inner life. You can't escape--you have to confront it and grow out of it. As I confront my inner child's needs through the practice, I remind myself again it's not about me and remind everyone to always invoke those four words when faced with trials and tribulations, including but not limited to those of the physical, financial, social, emotional, and mental variety. Don't wait and don't let the price of lessons dissuade you--you will grow exponentially whether in person or on Skype, Flying Phoenix-related or not. Don't be scared--healthcare and psychiatric care will cost you and taxpayer money far more than $220 USD an hour, but you will still get infinitely more value through the DVD series and personal instruction with Sifu Terry.

I have to second this. I don't get a good read of Jeff and his material is overpriced for what he teaches, which also does not appear to be very accurate. Notice he is primarily marketed towards neophytes rather than experienced practitioners. Suggestion: split this out of the Flying Phoenix thread so that we remain on topic.

I'm posting to share my very first Skype class (of many more to come and eventually in-person training) with Sifu Terry on Friday in Manila and Thursday night in Massachusetts. This review/critique/feedback is something I have spent the past several nights sitting on to find the words and state of being to accurately convey the joy, the delight, the wonder, the pleasure, the privilege, and honor of training with Sifu Terry for furthering my studies of Flying Phoenix and several other practices such as Bat Din Gum, Bok Fu Pai, and the unexpected addition of future studies in more forms such as Tao Tan Pai cane form and even some introduction to new stances from Yi Quan. To begin, it is very, very hard to believe the vast and encyclopedic knowledge that Sifu Terry has as an individual--some may argue that he is not a real person, but a committee. Thankfully this is not the case, for he is not only a genuine sage, but a humble and exceptionally pleasant human being whose understanding of everything he teaches is matched only by his eagerness to share and uplift every student whom he encounters. If one asks how he has both depth and vastness of knowledge and skill in the healing and martial arts, I am reminded of an old Zen parable where a sage teaches his student that the universe exists within a seed, and the seed exists within the universe, and therefore there is no surprise or mystery when we ask how one man can contain the knowledge of an entire library in his head. While I was originally planning to wait for some things to align both financially and emotionally (as well as Mercury Retrograde, which fouls up communications), I decided in the midst of some personal chaos in my life to seek out Sifu Terry for inaugural lessons. I couldn't have made a better choice, and like the other internal arts I have learned, it is not the form I seek out, but I am drawn to the teacher and their character, for they are the mark of the lineage, the system, and personal achievement, and meeting Sifu Terry was like meeting an old friend again. After acquainting ourselves with one another, it is very hard to see at times where the border of friendship and instruction lies, for nothing felt like a chore or a class, it simply flowed naturally from instruction to story sharing and a perpetual state of wonder and discovery. The level of dedication to each student, the generosity of time, openness to everyone and kindness in the individual known as Sifu Terry Dunn is what compels me to say that he just may be a living treasure for all of us. General comments aside, we specifically started with some Yi Quan postures, then from there, I was playfully brought into my first experience practicing a Bok Fu Pai form, feeling the immense difference in energetic frequencies between BFP and Flying Phoenix (FP). We then reviewed my FP long form from volume 4, then had a display of the complete Bat Din Gum form without the uneven terrain that was showcased in Glacier National Park in a Youtube video earlier this year. As instruction and conversation went on into the night, I rediscovered that childlike amazement and wonder that drew me to my teachers and their practices. Sifu Terry has immense patience as well, for my Internet connection in this country is not known for quality--we had many, many moments where mid-sentence would be cut off for an average of 30 seconds and Sifu Terry was neither irritated nor prevented from saying what needed to be said and imparting what was meant to be learned. I'm eagerly awaiting further instructions and encouraging everyone who loves the Flying Phoenix DVD series to have a one-on-one session with Sifu Terry. You won't regret it and like any true adept, cost is irrelevant for such immeasurable value for priceless gifts of both the teachings and to befriend a genuine sage. If the universe has aligned to push us where we need to be, then I am rejoicing in knowing that what drew me to Flying Phoenix's DVD series and this thread and now tutelage with Sifu Terry is where I will continue running towards. I look forward to learning and eventually representing the systems I am seeking to learn under Sifu Terry and continuing to share them with the world, and hope to not only teach, but to have the mastery that allows very few individuals like Sifu Terry to both teach well and connect to everyone studying under him. I don't usually make such glowing testimonials contrary to popular belief, but I have definitely been privileged to be mostly exposed to the great ones. In conclusion, I leave with the last line of Casablanca: "This is the beginning of a beautiful friendship". I hope you all take a moment to widen and deepen your practice through a one-on-one session with Sifu Terry.

Thank you Sifu Terry. I wasn't sure because of how it was worded in an earlier post, but glad that it's clarified to one repetition per breath control sequence. Hope you had a great time at Eastover Estate. Happy Holidays and looking forward to beginning training with you in 2018!

Reposting this question to Sifu Terry or anyone who can answer: From a question that Cihan mentioned in an earlier post about the Five Flash Meditations on Vol.5, the last one coming from Baat Din Gum: it can be done again and again repeatedly much like Bending the Bows, after one breath control sequence, yes? If so, how many repetitions do you recommend, 18 like in BtB?