zen-bear

Sorry to have missed answering your question the first time around, Badmonk. Answer: the FP Seated Meditations were created to be done in a half-lotus or full-lotus position and that's how they were taught to me. If one has a disability and cannot assume a half-lotus or seated cross-legged posture, then next best is using a thick meditation cushion that raises the body mass 6" or more above the floor, making it easier to cross the legs. If that isn't possible, then sitting in a chair with feet flat on floor and the back vertical is the next best thing. (On the other hand, if one just has very tight musculature in the legs and hips, one should work hard at daily stretching to assume the 1/2 lotus position, and develop the flexibility to sit in it for extended periods of meditation.) But it sounds like you have medical issues that prevent you from doing that. Regarding breathing from lungs or tan tien: This may surprise you, but in the case Flying Phoenix Chi Kung, the answer is: it doesn't matter! Just doing the FP Meditations consistently--each exercise with its own unique breath control sequence--over the long term will condition the breathing so as to cultivate the FP Healing Chi and impart rejuvenation and healing. If one is an experienced meditator or has done other Qigong methods, there's no harm in focussing the breathing in the tan tien. But it isn't necessary or mandatory. The requisite for success in the FP Chi Kung system is expressed in the early Nike ad campaign: JUST DO IT. Sifu Terry Dunn

Hi Hieronimous, No problem at all. I don't mind repeating. This is quite a long discussion thread and not everyone has time to read through it all--let alone by sheer luck find the key passages that answer their questions. And for wider perspective on the Bok Fu Pai tradition and other internal training methods, please consult with Sifu Garry Hearfield. We are in touch constantly, have an active exchange of BFP knowledge, and share a common philosophy when it comes to teaching the BFP arts. Enjoy your practice and we all look forward to your report on your experiences. Best, Sifu Terry Dunn

Hello Hieronimous: I've stated on this discussion thread several times during its first year that the Flying Phoenix Celestial Healing Chi Meditation system cultivates a distinctively tangible, healing energy that will even show up on a video camera once correct practice has been established. I have stated--and will state here again--that the Bok Fu Pai (White Tiger) Meditations--of which there are many organized into several sub-systems that are all under the White Tiger banner--cultivate a (1) vital-health AND (2) martial energy that is delivered through the Bok Fu Pai and Omei Bak Mei Kung Fu Forms and techniques that Sifu Garry Hearfield specializes in. Besides basic BFP forms, I was also entrusted by my teacher, GM Doo Wai, with two other complete martial qigong systems, one a complete martial art known as Eight Sections of Energy Combined ("Bot Dim Gum" in Cantonese),and the other the "10,000 Buddhas Meditations" (named after a location at Ehrmeishan) which consists of 48 martial Qigong exercises that also promote health. Each of these martial Qigong systems cultivate a rare "composite" internal energy that is distinguishable from each other and which are each entirely different from the Flying Phoenix Chi Kung's healing energy. The Flying Phoenix Qigong as a discipline is the "safety net" traditionally taught first in the White Tiger that enables the student to safely practice and apply the BFP Kung Fu training and the other martial and spiritual qigong systems. There is no "better" or "best" internal art within the Ehrmei White Tiger School. There is what there is and every White Tiger sub-system that has been preserved by six generations of the Doo family and now are being preserved by Sifu Hearfield and myself are cultural treasures from China's antiquity. There is, however, correct and incorrect practice, the later fallen into by the impatient or the stupid...such as those that believe there's anything to be gained by attempting to practice the Advanced (Level 2) Flying Phoenix Meditations without having first mastered the Basic Flying Phoenix Meditations as presented in my DVD series (which are not "basic" at all--when compared to all other widely published and taught Qigong systems). Hope this answers your question, H. Regards, Sifu Terry Dunn

Hi Charlie, Thank you for your good advice and guidance based on your solid experience with the FPCK Long Standing Meditation couched in your extensive Tai Chi Chuan background. It makes my job that much easier when readers/practitioners on this thread don't just have to take my word for it, but can rely on an independent third party such as you as well. It was great working with you these past two occasions. Please make family plans/excuses to come out to Los Angeles again! Best, Terry Dunn

Hello Badmonk, Yes, that's correct: to derive the full benefit of the Flying Phoenix Chi Kung system, you will eventually have to practice all the basic Standing FP Exercises in Vols 1,3, 4, and 5--for the Standing FP Meditations are more powerful than the seated ones. This was told to me by GM Doo Wai when he first taught the FPCK system to me in 1991; through 21 years or practicing the FPCK System, I found that what he told me was true. Then after that, if you want to complete the system, there are the Advanced Standing FP Meditations (not yet on DVD) that entail very flowing, more complex choreographies. But in the beginning, depending on one's preference, one can start with either the basic standing Meditations of Vol.1 and the Basic Seated Meditations of Vol. 2. Good luck in your training. Sifu Terry Dunn

Hello Cheya and Neiye, The second section of my Tai Chi Ruler book details Master Share K. Lew's final corrections of the 8 Tai Chi Ruler exercises that he taught. Many details such as the position of the thumb and index finger and the relative position/angle of the feet in all eight of the exercises are given, which are not on my DVD, which was produced in 1985, btw(!). Taken together, the DVD and the TC Ruler book accurately document how Master Share K. Lew taught the Tai Chi Ruler from 1977 to 1991 to his students in southern California. The second section's instructions of the Tai Chi Ruler constitutes a complete tradition. Information can be found here: http://taichimania.com/other_videos.html Regards, Sifu Terry Dunn

The Tai Chi Ruler system that I learned from Master Share K. Lew--first through his senior students John Davidson, Bill Helm, Carl Totton, and Bruce Eichelberger in the 1970's--and then directly from Master Lew--is a stand-alone Qigong system consisting of eight exercises. It cultivates an internal energy that can empower any Chinese martial art-- Tai Chi Chuan or Kung Fu art. GM Share K. Lew taught the Tai Chi Ruler as an adjunct to his Tao Tan Pai (Taoist Elixir Method) Kung Fu system. 'Hope this clarifies. Sifu Terry Dunn

Hi Kalidastony, Thank you for your short and sweet evaluation of Flying Phoenix Chi Kung and comparison with the other systems you have also practiced. There is nothing more gratifying for teachers like myself and Sifu Hearfield than to hear practitioners feel rejuvenated, get fast relief, conquer stress, heal from ailments, and otherwise derive the universally-experienced benefits of FPCK practice--for that means that the practitioner has done the work--the gong in the Qigong, and the Qi (in our case a very specific FP energy) has manifested and producing healthful, stress-eliminating results. Good work, Kalidastony,and keep us appraised of your new FPCK experiences, and of course, post any questions that might arise along the way. Pleasant journeying on the wings of the Phoenix. Sifu Terry Dunn

Hi Marcus, Thanks for your account of your experience with Flying Phoenix Qigong practice, with specific regards to physical shaking while doing the meditations. It varies from day to day, but there are certain times when I still vibrate (smoothly) while doing the basic FP Meditation exercises, including the seated Monk Serves Wine meditations. Of course shaking while in the FP Meditations is not a sign of poor health. (And as both Sifu Garry Hearfield have attested to on this thread, there other Qigong methods (sub-systems) in the Bok Fu Pai School that will cause one to gyrate and literally bounce across a room as if one were on carnival ride.) Sillum's earlier post was a quote of my teacher's observation in a one rare specific case that he took completely out of context, and then generalized as a universal phenomenon. As I wrote back then, anyone with even a basic foundation in the FP Qigong system or a foundation in any other authentic and complete Qigong system would never make such a ridiculous and erroneous statement. Thanks for chiming in with your report. Best, Sifu Terry Dunn

Hi Steve, Thanks for forwarding the info regarding Sri Bhagavan's Oneness Meditation and how he's proliferating its practice via webcasts. The quality of one's meditation, mind-body integration, level of elevated consciousness, and spiritual attainment (purification) varies from person to the next. Although Sri Bhagavan may be an avatar in the Indian tradition and a transcendent yogin who has attained God-Consciousness and Divine At-Onement, no one--but no one-- can possibly guarantee that every follower around the world watching his webcasts will experience Divine At-One-ment. An avatar of tremendous compassion, yogic power, and divine annointing might be able to enlighten, heal and transfer God-consciousness to persons immediately in his presence, and some masters can transfer energy and higher consciousness remotely to another single person a great distance away, but it would indeed be very, very rare for a spiritual master to affect a worldwide mass audience through the media. Besides each person's karma and capacity for or receptivity to the Divine, there are too many variables that can obstruct the "transfer" or blessing. With regards to the Flying Phoenix healing energy spontaneously "jumping off" the practitioner to someone he/she has positive regard who is in need of healing, I want to clarify that that occurs only when the two people are in physical proximity. The FP Healing Energy cannot spontaneously "jump" or transfer across a great distance...except in the case of two persons deeply practiced in FP Qigong who had prior physical proximity and familiarity and then became remotely separated, and except in the case of a high-level master such as GM Doo Wai consciously directing the FP healing energy to a particular person in any location. Final word related to the transfer of Higher Consciousness by avatars: high-level Tai Chi masters such as William C.C.Chen and other senior students of Cheng Man-Ching and masters from other Tai Chi lineages can imbue their students with what I call a "dynamic learning energy"--consisting of a slightly higher consciousness of the Tai Chi art combined with a temporary body memory--where the student is enabled to feel exactly what the next level of Tai Chi Form or Tui-shou technique should feel like--long enough to practice it in order to get it established. This type of energy+consciousness, when it is given, is a most profound and compassionate gift from truly great masters. And thank you, Steve, for your kind complements on my Flying Phoenix DVD series and my way of teaching this art and encouraging its proliferation. As I said on the thread several times in the past, I feel very fortunate by circumstance to be able to share knowledge of FP Qigong and offer guidance because the basic level of this art as taught in my DVD series cannot be used misused by the profane to recklessly harm others the way that all the Chinese internal martial arts can. Thus the tradition of secrecy and "never tell too plainly" doesn't have to apply to my teaching of FP Qigong. And as I think I also might have said before, if someone were to figure how to use the basic Flying Phoenix Celestial Healing Chi Meditations for martial purposes, that person is of such High Consciousness, that he doesn't need its martial function anyway. Best Regards, Sifu Terry Dunn www.taichimania.com/chikung_catalog.html

Hi Growant, The answer is "it all depends on each individual's cardio-vascular fitness and how fast one can recover from oxygen deficit (oxygen depletion in the cells due to strenuous exercise)." And it depends how much aerobic exercise one has done as well. If you've run steep trails for 3 hours straight, you might want to rest 20-30 minutes before practicing FP Qigong. Ideally, one should not be in O2 deficit when one practices a Qigong like Flying Phoenix. It's best to be fully recovered from strenuous exercise. For some, that means 5 rest is needed; for others less fit, 15 minutes. As described many times on this thread, the FP Qigong cultivates a fine, sublime, light (blue) healing energy. And to derive optimal benefits and get the most from FP Qigong training, one should be in a calm state of mind with the body relaxed and comfortable. One should not be panting and out of breath when one starts an FP Meditation. Because I have a busy schedule day to day and do lots of aerobic sports (running, cycling, trekking, ocean sports) in addition to all the Tai Chi, Qigong and gongfu I practice, I will occasionally recover from O2deficit from doing those sports by practicing certain Bok Fu Pai Meditations--but not Flying Phoenix. This may not be a very precise answer, but it's the best i can do! Best, Sifu Terry

Hi Growant, No, the 23-movement Seated Flying Phoenix Meditation does not subsume or replace practice of any of the FP Seated meditations,except perhaps for the first 3 "warm-up" meditation exercises on Vol. 2. It's considered another FP Seated Meditation to be done alongside all the other seated ones. If you've tried the Seated Monk Serves Wine Meditations, especially the ones in Vol.7, you'll come to know that each one has a very distinctive cultivational "path" through the mind-body. Once you do these Monk Serves Wine meditations long enough to get a "feel" for them, and then when you learn the 23-movement seated Med., you will instantly know for yourself that the latter cannot supplant the practice of the other Monk Serves Wine Meditations. And yes, I do plan to make a DVD program teaching the 23-movement seated FP Meditation. It's a very nice one. Best Regards, Sifu Terry Dunn

Hi Fu_Dog, Thank you for the over-flowingly generous praise for my way of teaching the arts, Flying Phoenix Qigong in particular. (In Chinese, the embarrassed response to such excessive, flattering lauding is: "guo-jiang, guo-jiang" = literally,"beyond-the-norm/excessive talk". But thank you again for your kind and glowing testimonial. It was indeed a pleasure to teach you in consecutive days and to cover a lot of material, including my "standard" warm-up sequence that I teach in all my classes. And I'm glad you were able to learn within one session the 23-movement, Long Seated FP Meditation (not on DVD series). Following-up your by-the-DVD practice with in-person corrections is the least I can do to thank you for starting this discussion thread back on 2009 that has led to introduction FP Qigong to so many people, enabled so much information exchange, the proliferation of FP Qigong practice worldwide, and has led to most joyous and productive associations, such as my connection with my school brother, Sifu Garry Hearfield in Australia. As I told you last week in person, you are about half-way there in becoming ready to qualify as an instructor in Basic FP Qigong. Continuing with the same level of practice coupled with occasional private corrections will get you there. The test, of course, entails not only performing the FP Chi Kung Meditations correctly, but also entails demonstrating effective healing of others with the FP Energy. Keep up the Great Work. Sincerely, Sifu Terry Dunn

Hi Charlie Ridingtheox, Thanks for the report on your presently felt ongoing long-term benefits from Flying Phoenix Qigong practice--in congruence with Fu_Dog's very detailed and generous posting. Because of your substantial and excellent Tai Chi background, all your posted descriptions of FP Qigong's benefits are terse and authoritative. I tend to be too wordy. You get the truth of the FP matter across mostly simply with fewest words. Thank you again. And see you tomorrow morning in Santa Monica. I'm glad you're in-state again to work-out. Warm Regards, Sifu Terry

Hello Dan, Yes, it is perfectly alright to start with the Basic Seated Flying Phoenix Meditations. They are all very pleasant to do and energize the body in a deeply tangible and profound way. Almost everyone who works a job has time constraints for Qigong practice. Fortunately, FP Qigong is a system where even a little bit of practice--as less as 15 minutes a day, done everyday--will after a certain time feel like the internal energy is cultivating/accumulating at a geometric rate. I just had the pleasure of meeting Fu_Dog (who started this discussion thread back in late 2009) in person here in L.A. giving him two days of private lessons. He is a very busy consultant who sometimes works 13 hours per day, and he squeezes in FP Qigong practice whenever he can. And he favors the seated FP "Monk Serves Wine" meditations, which is fine. However, to derive the full benefit of the FP Qigong system, one must at some point become thoroughly adept with the Standing FP exercises as well because they are more powerful than the seated FP Meditations, as I had mentioned very early on in this thread. Again, daily FP Qigong practice for short periods of time can up to a very beneficial cultivation. Hope this helps. Enjoy the seated work. Sifu Terry

Hello Jeffrito, There's no problem with alcohol consumption in moderation interfering with health and Qi cultivation. The key word that you used is, of course, moderation. It also depends on one's constitution and and blood chemistry. Some races have high levels of alcohol dehydrogenase; other's like Amerindian and some Asian cultures have much lower levels genetically, and thus don't metabolize alcohol as well. I can't really give you advice as to how much I think you should drink or that you should give up alcohol. I don't think that drinking in moderation, especially in Britain (one of my favorite countries, btw--I love London and the countryside) would adversely affect your cultivation using the Flying Phoenix Qigong. I myself am not a big drinker. I like good wines with dinner, and will have an occasional cocktail or a beer, but I don't have a habit of drinking beer. I am very sensitive,however, to the oxidizing effects of alcohol. If you didn't take organic chemistry in college, most people translate "oxidizing" as "aging". In my younger years, whenever I felt that I was drying up and my tissues were getting dry and "craggly", I would reduce sugars and of course alcohol, because there is plenty of sugar in alcohol. While drinking in moderation wouldn't hurt your FP Qigong cultivation, so long as your overall life-style is balanced in terms of work, sleep, and nutrition, if you wanted to maximize the "yield" or productivity of your FP Qigong training, curtailing alcohol consumption is an option. Remember that the FP Qigong comes from the monastic tradition at Ehrmeishan. If you want to replicate a more pure lifestyle as per that monastic tradition, cutting back on alcohol is an option. In conclusion, my answer is: it's totally up to you! Hope this helps. Terry Dunn

Dear Jeremiah Z., Thank you very much for the positive review of the Flying PHoenix Celestial Healing Chi Meditations...it means a lot coming from someone such has you who has practiced 20+ years of Qigong, knows what's out there, and is a dedicated holistic health professional. Yes, we are indeed all fortunate that Grandmaster Doo Wai's family acquired this remarkable art, preserved it so impeccably across six generations, and then passed it on to me and a few others in its original form such that practitioners can learn and retain this practice from the DVD media and enjoy its benefits without having a master instructor directly supervising them. There aren't too many systems that I know of that are so complete and self-contained. As for irrational critics and "bashers" as you call them, this is a public virtual forum, and there is the entire range of humanity reading the more popular threads on Sean Omlor's terrific site here. And within Chinese martial and yogic arts subculture, there are all kinds of folks. Some very dedicated practitioners with good values, common sense, good training under their belt, good teachers ongoing, and the right amount of respect for the traditions of Chinese physical culture, who are sincere and earnest about learning the complete truth of one or more Chinese yogic systems--and understand what is required in terms of dedication, practice, sacrifice ("ren"), and stewardship of the esoteric knowledge that is ultimately given to deserving and "proven" disciples. And then there always those looking for a quick fix or a quick buck, who have little discipline, no mental stabilization,who were never taught--or if they were taught, don't care one iota about--the traditions that preserve and transmit the complete truth of the various Chinese martial, yogic and healing arts across millenia, and who thus exhibit the characteristics of Gasan's "poor and mediocre disciples". Discernment of the types and worth of students is easy,and some of those detractors and obstructors of info-exchange on this thread have clearly revealed their true natures according to these standards, which I post again here for inspirational purpose: A. The poor student utilizes (exploits) his teacher's influence. B. The mediocre student admires his teacher's kindness. C. The superior student grows strong under his teacher's guidance. Thanks again very much for your kind words about my contributing to this thread, but moreover, thank you for weighing in on the effectiveness and what I'll call "high pedigree" of the Flying Phoenix Qigong system. Best, Sifu Terry Dunn

Hi Leviticus, You are experiencing typical energy awareness effects of Flying Phoenix practice for someone your age. It's especially good that you are feeling that the energy sticks with you throughout the day. The FP Healing Energy has a very distinctive, distinguishable feel and as you steadily practice, a reserve and superabundance of this energy builds in your system. It's very enjoyable feeling that at times approaches bliss. That 1-inch "pillow" of energy above your palms is just the beginning. As stated in earlier postings, the FP healing energy will show up on videotape in a specific color of aura. Later on, with advanced practice, when you apply the FP energy in hands-on healing, you (and others) will feel and see not just a thicker "pillow" in front of your palms, but also a long, almost limitlessly tall "shadow" of energy above the back of your hands when you work. Thanks for your progress report. Keep up the good practice! Best, Sifu Terry Dunn

You're welcome. Growant. And I look forward to those beers down the road. You are obviously a man of taste if Bass Ale was the first beer you ever tried! Unlike you, it took me a long, long time to discover that brew (--not that I was ever a big beer-drinker...(I'm not)). Best, Sifu Terry Dunn

Hello Growant, Sorry it took a while to get back to your question. I had to search back a ways to find it; it came at a very busy and hectic time. Regarding how to apply the FP Qi in healing applications after practitioners have established the Advanced Long Form Standing Meditation in Vol.4 of the dvd series: I can answer only generally because so much depends on (A) the level of Flying Phoenix energy cultivation that each individual attains and (B ) the fact the practitioner has thoroughly trained and knowledgeable in a system or method holistic healing. My experience may be one of great efficiency in using the FP Qigong for self-healing and other-healing because starting fifteen years prior to my learning this Flying Phoenix system, I was became competent in the healing methods (primarily Tui Na Acupressure) of the Tao Tan Pai system, whereas others without similar background may not experience the same immediate usefulness of the FP Healing Energy that's cultivated by this Qigong. The actual nuts-and-bolts of an energy healing system or a healing-with-the-hands system can't be taught or appropriately discussed on a public forum, as there's not a standard English vocabulary to describe hands-on-energy-healing methods but mostly because they all involve Chinese herbology. Moreover, the art of healing-with-the-hands in the Chinese tradition is the flip side of the martial arts, so I won't be disclosing anything about the particular methods of healing-with-the-hands that I practice and teach. That material is strictly passed on between master and student, or shared between master and equals such as classmates. I can, however, comment on how FP Qigong practice in my experience can support, complement and empower almost any type of holistic healing practice such as Tui-Na acupressure, acupuncture, or Chinese herbology. Charlie "ridingtheox" Thomas happened to bring up last Saturday morning when he visited my class in L.A., the general rule for quiet sitting (in half lotus) meditation to "ground","balance" and heal oneself after doing healing work: for beginners is 15 minutes for every hour of healing work. Read that as: 15 minutes of meditation or Qigong for every hour of healing work dealing with severely ill, psychologically impaired, or "toxic" people, or evil situations that drain ones' energy and life force, or depresses or otherwise negatively affects one's spirit. (Again, this ratio of 1:4 is the safety net for beginners in holistic healing.) In contrast, Flying Phoenix once trained properly is undoubtedly much more efficient and effective in "healing the healer" than quiet sitting (as in zazen). I have experienced on many occasions throughout the years where one round of the Advanced Standing FP Meditation (as taught in Vol.4)--even performed fast (less than 7 minutes)-- will completely renew me after a full 8-hour day or longer of healing work, and on rare occasions, doing one seated "Monk Serves Wine" meditation for just 12 minutes to completely discharge residue after working with very sick people. Any of the Advanced Seated MSW Meditations (on Volume 7] or any combination of them (practiced in complete sets of 7 repetitions) can be used for rapid recovery, self-healing or "polishing" after heavy healing work.) Finally, I can recount what I had stated earlier on this thread about advanced practitioners' abilities of spontaneously transferring the cultivated FP healing energy to others with just a thought and the lightest touch. Once the FP Qigong system is very well practiced and a "reserve" or superabundance of the FP healing energy is cultivated and present in the body, that healing energy will on occasion almost by itself spontaneously "jump off" the FP practitioner and transfer to any person he/she lightly touches for whom he/she has positive regard and concern. This was and is my personal experience. How effectively one uses the FP Meditations for self-healing and other-healing all depends on the quality of one's meditative focus and on one's (spiritual) nature. If one desires to provide healing services to others, one naturally needs to develop skill in some holistic healing art that can be empowered by the FP Qi. The most readily available and complementary healing arts are various systems of Tui-Na Acupressure (that all make use of Chinese herbology) found within many Chinese martial art traditions. Thanks for your question, Growant. Sifu Terry Dunn www.taichimania.com/chikung_catalog.html

Hi Leviticus, Welcome to the discussion. Thanks taking enough interest in Flying Phoenix Qigong to give it a try and thanks for your progress report. Ridingtheox offers best general advice for beginners: to let the tangible Flying Phoenix healing energy fill your body and extremities as you progress and expand your practice, and to enjoy the new awareness of this very unique Energy and its Qigong Method. With a little more practice, it will be quite self-evident how the FP STand Meditations of Vol.1 work in relation to your former hands-on healing of self. What you've just found out for yourself after 3 weeks is that if you do the complete practice on the DVD just before going to sleep you don't need to place your hands on your chakras as a pre-sleep practice. But there's nothing wrong ion continuing to place your hands before sleeping ...that won't hurt your FP practice at all. In fact, another FP Meditation you can do while in bed is Monk Holding Pearl (50 40 30 20 10 with Hands on tan tien in supine position). You can also run a control experiment and figure out the mutual effects of the FP Standing Meditations in Vol.1 and your hands-on evening practice: do 2 weeks of the FP Qigong before sleeping without the hands-on; then do 2 weeks of the FP Qigong followed by your hands-on. In almost every Qigong system and holistic Chinese martial art, the feeling of energy filling the arms and hands is the very first mark of progress. That's exactly where you're at and that awareness of internal energy will continue to spread and deepen with your FP practice. Next comes feeling of some energy circulation in the legs when practicing the Standing FP Meditations and usually at the same time, you'll experience energizing sensations throughout the torso and head. This definitely happens once you've practiced the Seated FP Meditations for a couple of weeks. The very last and very difficult energy connection is between the lower body's and upper body's energy at the waist. Integrating upper body and lower body energy pathways is a very long process for most practitioners of Chinese martial arts and yoga. This normally takes many years of dedicated Qigong, Tai Chi or Kung Fu form practice. After practicing all "basic" FP Mediations in Vols 1 thru 4 (which everyone of late has discovered are not that "basic" at all). I normally teach my students (who are all very busy working folks here in L.A.) to distill their practice down to 3-4 favorite standing FP Meditations and 3 favorite Seated FP Meditations every day. But since you are doing the first five Basic Standing Meditations of Vol.1 daily, just add one, then two and eventually 3 of the Seated Meditations to your daily practice. (No hurry to get up to 3 of the Seated FP MEditations per day, but I posted not too long ago that proper practice of 3 of the FP Seated Meds. back to back to back will almost guarantee what we call "allostasis" and its anti-aging effects.) Also you are lucky to start Flying Phoenix Qigong as a newbie with a "clean slate"--i.e., no previous qigong training whatsoever. For you will have the immediate benefit of cleanly experiencing the effects of FP Qigong and not have to sort out if whether such and such energy effects and rejuvenation is the result of the FP or the result of another practice. When you receive Vol.2 of my CKFH series, you should practice the first 3 "preparatory meditations" just as thoroughly and regularly as the following 3 "Monk Serves Wine" meditations. You should add the prep. seated meditations to your daily practice just like any other full-fledged FP Meditations. Enjoy your practice. Sifu Terry Dunn P.S. Be sure to refer to "Essential Guidelines For Flying Phoenix Qigong Practice" on my website and printed in my old video inserts when you have basic questions about how to practice the FP Qigong. http://www.taichimania.com/essentialguidelines.html

To All: Speaking of the Advanced Long Form FP Standing Mediation--and synchronicity: Yesterday, 71-year old Arizona cattle rancher and 20+ year Tai Chi practitioner Charlie Thomas (known to y'all as "ridingtheox") dropped in on my morning Tai Chi class in L.A. Charlie told me that he's been practicing the FP Long Form Meditation for more than one year now and that the energizing effects have not abated. Recall that he had posted on page 50-something of this thread that because had practiced Tai Chi for more than 20+ years, he started his Flying Phoenix practice with Volume 4 of my DVD series and the Long Form Standing Meditation and instantaneously experienced more intense energizing effects than ever before, which motivated him to practice only this advanced Flying Phoenix moving meditation twice a day, everyday. To welcome my enthusiastic proponent and spokesman, I had the class warm-up by doing two rounds of the Advanced Long Form FP Standing Meditation. The first round took less than 8 minutes; the second round took a little more than 15 minutes. I can now attest that "ridingtheox" has indeed painstakingly learned and memorized the Long Form Standing Meditation and does it from memory to very good effect. After warming up with FP Qigong, we did a slow break-down (applications) flow of the Yang Long Form, which took about 35 minutes, and then we practiced the Yang straight-sword form three times. And Charlie did very well in following the Tai Chi sword form for the first time. Sifu Terry Dunn

Hello Growant, Glad to hear that you're feeling good results from the Long Form Standing FP Meditation. It can take a long time to memorize and perfect this long moving meditation form. For best results, practice this relatively complex moving meditation as slowly as you can. And once you have attained a super-slow and even tempo in your practice, cut that speed in half--i.e., do it twice as slowly. You are welcome to take my FP Qigong class anytime you are in Los Angeles. And afterwards I'll let you buy me a Bass Ale. Regards, Sifu Terry Dunn P.S. Ok, let's hear from more FP Qigong practitioners about their experiences with the Long Form Standing FP Mediation seen on Vol.4 of the Chi Kung For Health series. I'll be glad to answer questions and respond to comments made by those actively practicing this advanced FP meditation. www.taichimania.com/chikung_catalog.html

Friend, No, that three-peat posting was due to a software glitch--and wasn't intentionally done out of anger. I had done two subsequent editings of what I originally written. But a glitch in the TTB "edit" mode or my all-thumbs typing hit some mysterious combo of keystrokes that caused each iteration to be posted individually, as opposed each new one completely replacing the previous one. At any rate, the first 2 iterations are now gone. Best, Terry Dunn