zen-bear

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Everything posted by zen-bear

  1. Flying Phoenix Chi Kung

    Hello all Flying Phoenix teachers, practitioners, observers, readers and visitors to this thread. I want to deviate just for brief moment from discussion of the Flying Phoenix Celestial Healing Qi Mediation system in order to make you all aware of the immense legal battle I am engaged in against a large and famous Hollywood film studio. My preoccupation with this David v. Goliath battle is the reason why I can only periodically check in with this site (so far once a week) and try to catch up with answering everyone's questions to the best of my knowledge. And why even my teaching of FP Qigong and GMDW's arts in my Los Angeles classes has been severely curtailed in the last year and half. My legal case has evolved to the point where my intuition and the signs of the times told me that NOW is the time to make the revelation of TRUTH about this particular battle publicly available and on as widespread a basis as possible. My goal is to get this site to go viral worldwide. Hopefully the deeper issues of this Hollywood business dispute that I took to the Courts will reach the four corners of the earth. While this case matter doesn't involve FP Qigong or any particular Chinese art, it does involve the history of Chinese culture and the abuse and ridicule of certain facets of Chinese culture--its arts and oracles--by the West over the centuries that most people here in the States don't recognize at all. If you are of a deeply meditative, intuitive and cognizant mind, like Baguakid (as evidenced by his perfect comment about every person having their limitations of growth and learning--whether it's limited by ego, physical impairment, or whatever) , you will understand why I am coming out with this website and its contents at this time--in sync with the rioting and upheaval in Cairo, Egypt and the rest of that country. The democratic revolution in Egypt is obviously driven by socio-economic and political factors. Meditate deeply on the fact that all oracles and alchemic knowledge originated in Egypt (even GM Share K. Lew told us "Our knowledge (Tao Tan Pai) came from Egypt when there was land in the Atlantic" --FACT I witnessed :o ) , and you will see that very riled ancient spirits are propelling that uprising. Then you may also see how far-reaching this particular business dispute in a Los Angeles court may become because it involves the exact same type of abuse and ridicule that the West has perpetrated upon ancient Eastern traditions and oracles. If this doesn't make sense to you, don't worry about it, and take the above preface with 8 shakers of salt and take the following site's contents at face-value as a Hollywood industry expose: www.kungfupandalawsuit.com At any rate, if you're interested, please take a close look at the homepage, examine the Timeline exhibit and document evidence, and then vote in the fun Poll at the bottom of the homepage. You'll get a kick out of it. And then if you want to strike a blow for the far-reaching justice that I'm seeking, please forward this link to everyone that you know and can possibly think of. I waited nine (9) years before taking this action. This truth needs to get out now. Sincere thanks for your support. Sifu Terry Dunn
  2. Flying Phoenix Chi Kung

    Hi Ronko, Just work through it. Especially if you've just started and are 3-4 days into practicing the system. FP Qigong med's in Vol. 1 add nothing but positive,healing energy. What you are feeling is a healing process. Lots of deep, long-repressed , somaticized Pain previously unfelt can suddenly become felt due to FP Qigong's super finep-tuning of and its profound ability to enable one to feel the nervous system's regulatory function over the organs and orbs. Diet and blood chemistry may also have something to do with the "Pain all over" in the beginning. People who don't do much aerobic exercise and have poor diet and a sluggish metabolism will feel the gunk in their system as plenty of Pain--until the neigung component of the FP qigong kicks in after enough continuous practice and balances everything. When I first started FP Qigong, I personally ran into the a significant and surprising amount of pain throughout my entire back from the waist line up to the shoulders when I did one of the Seated Warm-up Meditations--not an excruciating pain, but it was intense and extraordinary pain I had never felt before (very deep and it was definitely neuro-muscular--not just muscular pain). The exercise was second preparatory seated warmup (on Vol. 2) with breathing 50 30 10 and where one lifts the extended arms from knees up to shoulder level and then lowers them very, very slowly like in Tai Chi's opening movement (take 12+ breaths to rais arms to ahoulder level and 12+ breaths to lower to knees again.) I had never before experienced that type of neuromuscular pain before. It took about 3-4 months for it to completely subside. But i was also practicing GMDW's BFP kung-fu forms and techniques, and learning two other internal systems. So I can't precisely pinpoint how the alleviation of the serious pain induced by that meditation was dissipated. Assuming that you have good form and posture and are doing the FP exercises correctly, my only advice is to rock-up mentally (because you have to maintain bodily relaxation to do FP) and work through it. Just work through the Pain. You are NEVER adding any negative or stressful energy when you do the Flying Phoenix Qigong. I'm certain that anyone on this blog who has tried the FPQ for about 6 mos. can attest to this fact. Perhaps other FP practitioners can chime in with their experience and advice? Good luck with it, Ronko. Sifu Terry
  3. Flying Phoenix Chi Kung

    Hello Shen555, Happy New Year. I don't believe that FP Qigong can do much to correct myopia. In the years that I studied with GM Doo Wai, he never mentioned any FP effect one way or another on myopia. Best, Terry Dunn
  4. Flying Phoenix Chi Kung

    Hi Lloyd, Great to see you give clear and accurate advice about FP practice based on your direct experience of your own practice. Yes, stretching in general will make any Chinese martial art training or yogic training more effective. The Chinese culture extols the theme of stretching and lengthening in many, many areas besides physical culture. Please continue to chime in with your feedback to all beginners' questions. And thanks! Best, Sifu Terry
  5. Flying Phoenix Chi Kung

    Greetings Da Le, Congrats on a good start of FP Qigong. Feeling lighter, buoyant, clearer, sparkling and slightly expansive beyond the body are all good signs of beginning FP practice. Keep it up and you'll feel the energizing effects go deeper and "accumulate" in a tangible reserve in your body. Best, Sifu Terry Dunn
  6. Flying Phoenix Chi Kung

    Hello Ronko, Yes, different. Although I haven't seen the DVD, I'm pretty sure it's different from the content of my DVD series, which is Level 1. btw, I think Sifu Garry Hearfield was told by GMDW the story behind that video/dvd. You might contact Sifu Hearfield through backchannel PM and see if he'll comment on them in more detail than what he's already said here on the thread. Regards, Sifu Terry
  7. Flying Phoenix Chi Kung

    Hi WTM and Chakra Illumination: I added the warm-up exercises just to prepare folks for easier and more comfortable practice of the Flying Phoenix Qigong. They are not part of the system. So if you're pinched for time, skip the warm-ups and get right to the FP Meditations with the breathe control sequences. They are what ah I think Fu_Dog once described as "the secret sauce". Happy New Year, Sifu Terry Dunn
  8. Flying Phoenix Chi Kung

    Hi Sifu Garry, Thanks very much for the clarification and direction for people who might be trying others' teachings of Flying Phoenix Celestial Healing Chi Meditations ('like to use the full name every now and then). Correctomundo, Y'all!: There is, of course, nothing wrong with practitioning to footage of GM Doo Wai practicing advanced Flying Phoenix exercises--especially if you're at an advanced level in any internal martial art or other Qigong system. But I can report that all of the students in Los Angeles that I observed GM Doo Wai teach FP Qigong to starting in 1991 learned the system in the exact order that I've presented in the DVD series. The GM taught the system to me first, and then I taught it to the rest of the group in Saturday morning private classes that were held in one of the nice studios at the Westside School of Ballet where I taught Tai Chi for 18 years. And that order of exercises is how I teach the FP system to this day (in my classes and on the media products). Likewise, in the Tai Chi for Health dvd's made way back in 1989, I teach the Yang Short and Long Form in manner and order of exercises that I was taught. By teaching the Flying Phoenix Meditations exactly how I was taught them, I'm preserving and passing on as closely as possible the method of my teacher. "The Secret is always taught in the Beginning" is a favorite lesson (clue) that GM Share K. Lew's senior student, John Davidson, impressed upon us throughout the time I was training in Tao Tan Pai kung fu and neigung. Likewise, I recall one day I was standing with GMDW and senior student Bob Eberhardt (who had at least 5-7 years of training under GMDW when I started my training). Then someone else in our group walked up asked the GM about an alternative breathing sequence for Monk Gazing At Moon. GMDW's spirit instantly shifted to "ancestral- authorative mode", looked at us with a puzzled-but-not-quite-annoyed look and said softly-but-sternly: "It is always 60 - 40 - 20". The GM spoke with a naturally deep, rooted energy that had the resonance of all his ancestors (five generations), with this telepathic meaning: "This is one of the pillars of the Flying Phoenix System from the very creation of the system." -- Hence, that is why Fu-Dog (and thank so much, Fu_Dog for being such a diligent long-distance practitioner!) has reported rejuvenating, facial wrinkle-removing effects during his first year of just practicing the Basic Standing Meditations of CKFH Vol. One. Thanks again, Sifu Garry. Your exact sentiment about the importance of learning a complete system was echo'd by Tolala Tower, the editor of the "Empty Vessel, Journal of Contemporary Taoism," when he gave the Flying Phoenix Chi Kung For Health dvd series this very nice commentary back in 2003 when it was published: "Because of the great interest in Qigong in the west, it is important to have bona fide teachings by bona fide teachers. Too often students wind up learning a little bit of this form and a little bit of another, while never learning any complete system. This series is a good example of a serious and gifted instructor who offers a complete system of healing qigong to the serious student." -- Tolala Tower, Editor, The Empty Vessel - Journal of Contemporary Taoism. Thanks again, Garry, for your support. I'm so pleased to know you through this site and discussion thread because no one else could have received the advanced Bok Fu Pai, Burning Palm, and advanced Ehrmei Bak Mei Kung-Fu arts from GM Doo Wai--because no one else had your advanced level in Yau Kang Mun Kung Fu to have been able to learn GMDW's family treasures as fast as you. What I mean is GM Doo Wai chose to transmit the highest levels of his Family's Kung-Fu within a limited window time. Only you had the right karma to receive that knowledge. And you have a tremendous body of high martial art to preserve and pass on. All the best, Si-Hing Terry
  9. Flying Phoenix Chi Kung

    Hi Rainbow Vein, Just pointing at what I've seen. I'm glad the observation is helpful. Best, Terry Dunn
  10. Flying Phoenix Chi Kung

    Greetings to all Flying Phoenix practitioners, followers, readers, and curiosity-seekers: HAPPY YEAR OF THE RABBIT!!! Health and Prosperity to All! from Sifu Terry Dunn P.S. I've surfaced for a quick breath and will try to catch up on answering all questions addressed to me since last time I contributed. Thanks to all regular contributors and to Sifu Garry Hearfield for responding to questions in my absence!
  11. Flying Phoenix Chi Kung

    Also, I've heard very good things about Michael Lomax and the qigong he teaches.
  12. Flying Phoenix Chi Kung

    Hello Flying Phoenix-reading taobums, I will be buried in tons of legal work (not pleasant at all... and no, I'm not a lawyer) from now until late February so please don't be a-wondering if I'm not able to respond to questions as promptly as in the past. I will try my best to be responsive, but my replies will be considerably slowed down. So in the meantime, post your questions and ask other practitioners for their answers and opinions. Also if you have general questions about Flying Phoenix, you can also ask Sifu Garry Hearfield, because he has mastered other of GM Doo Wai's internal arts created by Feng Tao Teh, and they all work similarly alchemically (yogically). Best to all. Terry Dunn
  13. Flying Phoenix Chi Kung

    Harry, Thanks for clarifying your question. In MSW 50 40 30 10, your middle fingertips can touch but they don't have to. It doesn't matter that much. Most people, including my teacher, do it with fingertips touching now and then. If it helps you keep the hands aligned with each other when they are moving,then let the fingertips touch. Best, Sifu Terry
  14. Flying Phoenix Chi Kung

    Harry, Again, it's better to learn Tui Na and energy healing from a high-level master near you than to ask detailed questions that seem to be out of any experiential context. But I will clarify this one time: Tui Na acupressure is both a physical massage method and a delivery system for any type or "flavor" healing energy (qi). Of course: if one is highly cultivated in any particular Qigong or Neigung system, then that particular energy is dispensed in whatever fashion you do your Tui Na. I learned a 13-Stroke Tui Na system taught by GM Share K. Lew coupled with his Tao Tan Pai Neigung in the 70's to mid-80's through his senior students at that time, John Davidson and Bill Helm. 10+ years later, I learned GM Doo Wai's internal systems (martial and healing) including the Flying Phoenix Qigong and his healing methods, which involves plenty of massage and hands-on manipulation of the physical body. The Tui-Na I learned from GM Doo Wai did not have a name nor was it organized like GM Lew's system. But it was just as complete and refined. The distinction I made between GM Doo Wai's White Tiger Family healing and GM Share Lew's Tao Tan Pai method of healing using the words,"We don't manipulate energy, we just pass our hand over" refers to doing energy healing at a distance without touching the body. Sifu Terry Dunn
  15. Flying Phoenix Chi Kung

    hi Harry, Sorry to take so long to answer your questions. It's been a good but very hectic start of the New Year. Answers are in bold italic below: Best, Sifu Terry You're welcome. Sifu Terry P.S. BTW, most of these questions are answered if you view and practice Volume 7, the more advanced seated MSW meditations. They actually follow directly from Vol.2 and are not that much difficult to do. They are slightly longer and more elegant in their yogic choreography designed by Feng Tao Teh 400+ years ago. I just organized the series that way, putting the advanced standing meds. ahead of the adv. seated.
  16. Flying Phoenix Chi Kung

    Christoph, Monk Gazing at Moon has basically the Wuchi foundation of the Flying Phoenix system. So it's down with "empty chest" (concave; stermum in) and back rounded (convex; scapula spread). In general, 20-30 minutes is adequate to complete 7 rounds of one of the basic MSW exercises taught in Vol. 2 of the CKFH series. It depends on how slowly you do movements. One can (whenever you can afford the time to do this experiment) spend 20 minutes doing just one round (!) --especially with the longer and slightly more complex MSW meditations in Vol. 7 of the series). Related story: Grandmaster Yip Man was said to have taken one hour to practice one round of the Sil Lim Tao (small idea form) in his Wing Chun kung-fu system. The rule for better cultivating MSW is: the slower and more relaxed, the better. Good luck. Terry Dunn
  17. Flying Phoenix Chi Kung

    Hello Growant, Fu-dog (Lloyd) gave you an excellent answer based on his 1.3 yrs of experience in the basic Flying Phoenix Qigong system. I will supplement his answer with a few more specific ones below (in bold): Sent you a pm, not sure if you saw it? A few questions about this practice- 1 Is it OK to practice when exhausted? YES, IT'S OK TO PRACTICE FPQ WHEN EXHAUSTED--BUT NOT WHEN ONE IS SLEEP-DEPRIVED. Flying Phoenix Qigong practice will NOT replace sleep--unlike some other qigong systems. And as I stated in earlier posts, best results are derived from FPQ practiced when one has very normal and restful sleep habits. 2 It was written that GM Doo Wai said the purpose of this chi qong is to get the internal organs under subconscious control- aren't they ALREADY under subconscious control?- I don't understand this YES AND NO: Yes: body's organs are regulated by the autonomic nervous system ("subconscious mind"). No: But you will not feel or experience this subconscious regulation until you practice FP qigong to an intermediate level. And one will not develop CONSCIOUS regulation of internal organs until one practices FP Qigong to advanced levels. 3 Its been written that the practice turns grey hair black, does it also help curing baldness? [/b]Regular FP Qigong will slow signs of aging like facial wringles and lines and gray hair, but it will not forestall or prevent or "cure" baldness, because balding is a genetic trait.[/b] 4 Can one with internal martial arts/chi qong experience begin with volume 4, skipping the first 3, and if so, would there be any loss or missed benefit by doing so? If you have a strong Qigong background, then YES, one can start with Vol.4 and derive some benefit. But it will not be the maximum nor optimal benefit because I don't know of any Qigong styles outside of the White Tiger Family umbrella that is similar to the FP system. As Fu-Dog put it in his post, you will probably miss out on a lot of foundation benefits by not doing the basics in Vols 1 and 2 and the Intermediate Standing MEditations in Vol. 3. 5 Does the chi kung help with releasing unresolved emotional traumas (recapitalution in Castanedan terms)? I can't speak for all Chi Kung styles or for Chi Kung in general, but FP Qigong in particular might help with release because it creates very, very high sensitivity of the body and deep, conscious awareness of its workings. But releasing unresolved emotional traumas is best handled in a counseling and psychotherapeutic environment...or by letting nature and time take its course. Or, depending on one's spiritual nature, spiritual strength, and availability of a true spiritual guide, such traumas might be resolved through spiritual channels. But resolution of emotional traumas through a spiritual path or process is even more rare a phenomenon than effective psychotherapy and it may take much longer. As Don Juan told Castaneda when the latter was steeped in self-pity, it all depends on one's personal power. If one's Spirit is strong enough, unresolved personal traumas--even emotionally catastrophic ones--don't remain repressed for long. They come to consciousness and are dealt with. I recall in one of the books Don Juan said that if a warrior needs solace, he can pick anyone to voice (vent) his pains to. The superior man confronts his problems; therefore he does not experience them. (i.e.,his life isn't degraded by the karma the unresolved problems create.) Some very powerful people (I am certainly not including myself here-- can take a highly traumatic event or a terribly devastating and painful, time-bound memory when it surfaces--something that weaker people might kill themselves over--and instantly turn it into "grist for the mill" and get on with their lives. Spiritually speaking, it depends on one's "predilection" and one's "personal power" (both as used by Castaneda). Since you mentioned Castaneda, he gives an account in his first 4 books his (or don Juan's) prescription for becoming a warrior (translate that as "superior man" in terms of the I Ching). And what are the elements of that Yaqui prescription?-- erasing personal history; assuming responsbility; disrupting daily routines; using Death as an advisor; stopping the world; claiming the totality of oneself; --and a couple more, right? Any one of those methods can enable "recapitulation" in order to resolve one's most traumatic memories. Or all of them practiced together for a lifetime may not change a thing. It depends whether the person has the "predilection of a warrior." e.g., some people have a near-death experience and live the rest of their lives fragile, or broken or paranoid; others have a near-death experience and get stronger and more enlightened. Whichever mode one takes to resolve the emotional trauma, Carl Jung put it best: "There is no coming to consciousness without Pain." It all depends on strength (personal power) of the person's karmic will and commitment (predilection) to to overcome Pain. If one's aware of severe emotional blockage that's crippling one's growth and evolution and wants to resolve it. Many people don't want to change or face their deepest most painful traumas so they find people, activities and lifestyles to keep them repressed. There's nothing wrong with that; repression is a healthy mechanism necessary for survival. It's only if one's neurosis or neuroses is preventing one from attaining their life goals--i.e., "Getting their cheese" --as the EST people put it back in the 70's. Over 37 years of training, I've observed plenty of people who gravitated towards kung-fu, Tai Chi, qigong, Indian yogas, spiritual movements, and everything else in the New Age barnyard of the past 40 years, and appropriate eastern philosophies and religions to insulate themselves and defend against the catastrophic realization of those unresolved emo traumas. And then other folks are clear and straight with themselves and can effectively use traditional and/or alternative paths of healing and growth to get healthier, stronger, empowered, wiser, fully self-realized, "individuated", and more spiritually astute. 6 Regarding sexual activity and Flying Phoenix, you wrote 'While we were practicing both basic standing and seated FP meditations (seated ones collectively called "Monk Serves Wine") in the early years, and then with the other more advanced martial qigong systems in later years, GM Doo Wai basically and jocularly told us to "knock ourselves out" when it came to sexual activity--because all the stuff in our training--including cooking with Chinese herbs (we made a training porridge or "jook" (IN Cantonese) constantly during our training) and ingesting of powerful herbs via alchohol tinctures and honey-based pills) kept that sexual component replenished and in balance.' From the above I conclude that for someone learning from your videos, without benefit of the chinese herbal and jook knowledge you learned, it may be harmful to 'knock yourself out' sexually? Is that correct? Also, the sexual activity can be harmful in two ways- 1) to the practice by hindering progress/energy development 2)to the individuals health/lifespan, by depleting the finite reserves of jing From what you wrote earlier, it seems GM Doo Wai was referring more to 1 than 2, is that correct? First of all, BALANCE AND MODERATION IS THE MAXIM IN TAOIST PRACTICES--and the answer to your question. Also, I must apologize for the way I wrote that description of our kung-fu, qigong coupled with dietary and herbal practices because it might have given you the impression that it was designed to allow greater sexual activity. that was not the case. The diet and herbal formulas we ingest is primarily to empower kung-fu training. After years of this diet and internal training, a side effect is higher energy levels in general, including sexual energy, jing. Now to explain what GM meant by "knock yourself out" (with sexually activityl). GM Doo Wai meant that as we learned his Bok Fu Pai internal arts (including the FP Qigong), we could continue with whatever our normal sexual activity was--for his internal training did not require the practice of celibacy. He gave a humorous and jocular answer in the context of a question I had posed about the celibacy that was required in another Neigung system I had trained in, Tao Tan Pai. The GM was being jocular to emphasize the contrast between his internal arts and GM Share K. Lew's internal system, Tao Tan Pai (Taoist Elixir Method). He wasn't advising us to go nuts (--with 3-week cocaine and hooker binge in Vegas ) and have sexual activity in excess that would cause "depletion of jing" as you put it--to an extent beyond the ability of our Qigong, diet, herbal supplements, Kung Fu practice, and normal lifestyle to replenish. All he meant was to continue our normal sexual activity. All Qigong and energy practices aside, one's lifestyle alone should be in balance and in moderation where one is not depleting oneself in anyway. Otherwise, one will die sooner. The diet, herbal supplements and Qigong are tools to enable development of supernormal levels of energy to practice healing arts and martial arts after perfecting one's own health. I will add that GMDW was quite active sexually during the years that I trained with him--which was from about age 63 to 69. ***Perhaps Sifu Garry Hearfield might share some of his conversations with the GM with regard to sexual activity.*** thanks- Hope this helps. Sifu Terry Dunn
  18. Flying Phoenix Chi Kung

    Hello Lloyd, Thank you very much for jumping in and answering Growant's question re: jumping into the practice with Vol. 4's Long Form MEditation. Very good answers. It also a great help since you are speaking from your experience as a beginner to the Flying Phoenix System whereas my answers as an experienced teacher might not be fundamental enough and as responsive. I appreciate it very much! Best, Sifu Terry
  19. Hello Pedro, You're welcome. Enjoy the FP practice. Sifu Terry
  20. Flying Phoenix Chi Kung

    Hello Lloyd, I don't recall exactly where in the thread I had written about it, but all I can say about advanced or "closed door" training in Flying Phoenix Qigong--or the other Qigong systems I teach-- is that it involves advanced meditations, ingestion of Chinese herbal compounds, instruction on how to refine one's mental and psychic control over the higher energy levels cultivated by the entire system including the advanced meditations, and most importantly, healing applications of the art. "Healing applications" means learning the skills to heal others with the FP energy and herbs; self-healing is a given at start of the advanced level of training.) How a teacher teaches the latter two types of knowledge is totally up to the predilection, experience and personal power of the teacher. Sifu Terry Dunn
  21. Flying Phoenix Chi Kung

    It's quite easy to quote the Buddha. Happy New Year, Fachao.
  22. Hello TTT: 'Just found this thread. I'm glad you were able to find the answer to your question with help from Fachao. yes, if you can't sit half-lotus, sitting in a chair is fine. and whenever tired, you can even lean against the vertical back of a chair. there's no problem using furniture to prop up your back. Best, Sifu Terry Dunn
  23. Flying Phoenix Chi Kung

    Dear Lloyd, You're very welcome. I'm glad you're enjoying your practice of FPQ over the past year and will expanding it in the new year. As I've suggested on this thread and in all my classes, at the outset, you want to find the FP meditations that have the strongest healing and rejuvenating effects and concentrate on those. Then once those favorite exercises are mastered, you can gradually work through the other FP exercises that did't have quite the same effect and through diligent practice, "make" them work for you. If one has the time, an alternative approach--just as effective--is to spend an equal amount of time in every practice session on all the FP meditations ("all" can mean all the exercises on volumes 1 & 2 of DVD series or can mean all the exercises in the FPQ system.) Again, the energy effects of the FPQ system are cumulative, and as long as you practice 3-4 or more of the exercises each day, the yogic cultivation will progress. And this progress--which you may not be conscious of on a day-to-day basis-- will from time to time reveal itself to you. Once you get deeper into the intermediate moving FP meditations in Vol.3 and beyond and form improves, you will not need to do as much of the basic sedentary meditations to maintain the same level of energy cultivation. Practice gets more fun in a sublime way. Happy New Year! Sifu Terry
  24. Flying Phoenix Chi Kung

    Dear Lloyd, Congrats. You've answered your own question correctly simply by practicing Monk Holding Pearl regularly for long enough a time. You can choose to (a) mentally focus on the tan tien and natal breathing or ( not to focus at all. As I stated very early in this thread, once you complete the breath-control sequence at the start of each of the Flying Phoenix Meditations and do the posture/movements with proper form and relaxation, the FP Energy cultivation will take place regardless of how you focus your mind. And if you choose to completely not-focus, and find that refreshing (most people do), then you've found an optimal state of self-healing. I repeat: while doing the FP Meditations, you can think about absolutely anything (--that isn't negative, morbid, evil, or destructive, of course) and still get profoundly energizing, healing, and rejuvenating results. Happy New Year! Regards, Sifu Terry P.S. Tip: if one is spiritually inclined, the FP meditative state is a fine vehicle to deliver one's prayers to the One God--be it called Jehovah, Allah, Ahura Mazda, the Holy Tao, the Buddha, the Baby Buddha, or the Great Syrian Sage.
  25. Flying Phoenix Chi Kung

    Daniel, Best of luck on your full recovery. Thanks for sharing the cause of the relapse. One can actually drink to such an excess (I don't know if you did) as to create alcohol poisoning, which is very serious and can cause immediate coma and death. That happens with binge drinking: drinking too much too fast. But since you survived that night out a year ago, you might have come close but you probably didn't cross the threshold of alcohol poisoning. But your alcohol intolerance means that alcohol affects your heartrate, breathing, alters your blood chemistry and begins to damage organs starting with the liver, of course. Because alcoholism affects brain function, it will naturally degrade one's immune system (far beyond motor skills) and make one more susceptible to other diseases. Hope you fully recover and then can enjoy the full fruits of FP Qigong practice. It's a wonderful experience. Best, Sifu Terry