mjjbecker

'Chidragon', You said: And Then you said: So I asked: I'm still waiting for you to answer this question.

Absolutely. The facts are there for anyone willing to see them.

It is always the danger of interacting with certain people that their 'qualities' might become contagious. Don't forget your shielding. You throw the offending person off the tall building, not yourself .

Why then did you title this thread 'The Chinese Definition of Chi Kung'? The reasons don't make sense because, either you've never been taught by someone who understands the subject or, you don't have the ability to understand them. Reading books alone? Hardly...Reading books is merely a start. You have to go and seek out teachers that understand and can pass on what they know. Like many who are ignorant of the facts and who have not gone out and educated themselves, you blame others for your ignorance. Because you don't understand something it must be wrong. You don't make the effort to seek out those who could help you and explain the terms. Instead you take the easy option and decide you must be right and the others are simply wrong. Since you are in the USA now, why don't you take the opportunity to go and learn about and experience what I have been writing about here? http://www.silkreeler.com/drupal/node/21 http://www.examiner.com/tai-chi-in-national/a-magical-qigong-moment-with-master-zhang-xue-xin Your choice.

It would seem certain types of qigong generate a lot of hot air also. Those of us here that have tried to help you have made the effort to learn qigong from legitimate masters and lineages. Whether you like this fact or not, we know more about the subject than you do. Your putting up a few Chinese characters and repeating some stuff you've read in books is a really pitiful effort in comparison. Some of us here have travelled thousands and thousands of miles to learn and spent many hours over the years practising. Your knowledge and understanding doesn't compare. That you assume you know more because you are a native of the culture is a common enough mistake-not just with Chinese people, but also those from other countries that assume non-ethnic people couldn't possibly grasp 'their culture'. Mistake it is though. You can chose to ignore other opinions, or you could go and actually educate yourself on the subject. Your choice. Just don't think that consistently repeating the same thing over and over is going to change anything.

Absolutely. Well said and I agree 100%.

You are most welcome. Both grand masters demonstrate a level of skill that is simply incredible.

It is a long way from being the worst thing I've been called. One eight year old student called me a motherf****r in the local lingo, not realising I understood what he said. The language children pick up from their parents...I threw the little bastard out of the window and that cured the problem It isn't simply about my mind being made up. I write from personal experience, not simply from what I have read. You could have said from your experience you disagree-that would have been fair enough. The impolite comments directed at my teachers were uncalled for. Frankly, bullshit. You have little knowledge of who I've learned from, what lineages or how correct or incorrect that instruction was. I have no doubt regarding what I've been taught because it has delivered results. In regards to the Hunyuan method, I have quoted the Grandmaster himself on this. I have learned it from direct family members and students. You have no right to be so rude about these people. Sharing is good and most welcome. I hope we can all do that and also be polite to each other while we do.

I've had the great honour of meeting Grandmaster Feng and being footswept by him when he demonstrated the correct use of 'energy' for me. Anyone who has been taught some of the techniques from his method should have no doubt about their effectiveness. It is designed to kill and maim-a true combat art. Combined with the neigong... There is a very good video of him demonstrating on Japanese TV a few years back. He would have been in his 70's at the time I think. On a similar level, the late, great, Wang Peisheng, head of the Beijing school of Wu taijian also had amazing ability. I never had the honour of meeting him, but have met a few people connected to his lineage. I had one teacher demonstrate the mechanics of this method. It is very effective at seemingly effortless power. The man was somewhat smaller and lighter than me, but was able to move me around using correct mechanics rather than muscle power. This is a great demonstration by the grand master. He was in his 70's also at this time I believe, and had also survived nearly 20 years in a Chinese prison during the Cultural Revolution.

No, natural breathing combined with the correct intent and method leads to non-forced 'early heaven' breathing. This I know not from reading Wikipedia, but from personal experience. Qi is not simply breath, it is not simply breathing. Real qigong is about energy. Not something vague or a play with Chinese characters. That you have no experience of this clearly is unfortunate for you. Perhaps you have not progressed beyond beginners qigong. Perhaps not much beyond Wikipedia, since this is the only source you seem to be able to reference. You presume that because people are not native Chinese that they clearly don't understand anything about qigong or its methods, or definitions as per the Chinese language. Some of us laowai know a good deal more about this than the vast majority of Chinese people. You take this further by attempting to belittle people because they post evidence that does not fit with your world view. That this evidence is from reliable sources is conveniently ignored. It must be wrong because it does not fit with your opinion. I think I will take the instruction of genuine masters over some anonymous internet person. In your attempts to belittle you presume people have no experience or ability in these things. Some of us have experienced high level teachings and experiences. Some of us have been accepted into authentic lineages. Some of us are more than competent at what we practice in these lineages and have official recognition from those lineages. I could not give a fig for your opinion on what is or is not 'qigong'. I only care that no one is mislead by your ignorance in these matters. There is no point in any further discourse with you, as you are incapable of acknowledging legitimate sources or of being polite. I wish you well in your breathing exercises.

You've clearly not read Grandmaster Feng Zhi Qiang's book on the subject then. Let me quote: "Forget about breathing. You will breath naturally." Now, just in case you are tempted to further claim I don't understand, let me point some things out to you. I live in China, and have done for several years. I have also been personally instructed in Hunyuan neigong by two members of Grandmaster Feng's family as well as a personal student. I am very clear in my understanding in regards to breathing using this method,( there is non, beyond natural breathing) and I am quite sure my teachers have not deliberately mislead me, or that I have misunderstood them. I will go further and say there are few men alive more respected that Grandmaster Feng on the subject of taijiquan or qigong. Grandmaster Feng's qigong teacher, Hu Yao Zhen, was one of the most revered masters of the 20th century. You are simply wrong, but by all means keep on digging...

See the attached screen print. From 'Qigong Fever: body, science and utopia in China by David A. Palmer. Introduction, page 8: "It was only in 1949 that qigong became a global category which aimed to include all Chinese breathing, meditation and gymnastic techniques."

Ah, life is too short...

How the term 'qigong' came to be adopted is detailed in the book 'Qigong Fever' by David A. Palmer-no need to go and learn how to read Chinese. The term 'qigong' was picked as a catch-all term for the various different traditional methods and schools that existed. These consist of a myriad of different methods. Does 'qigong' have to be a 'breathing method'? No. Hu Yao Zhen's practices are not based around conscious control of breathing, but breathing does change as a result of practice. One should not put the cart in front of the horse. I reference Hu as he was one of the key leaders in popularising qigong. I would also note that those who have passed down his teachings use the term 'neigong' rather than 'qigong'. Various traditional schools use their own specific terms still. Qigong simply provides a useful umbrella term. Just like running is part of athletics, neigong is part of qigong. If a person actually wants to gain true understanding, they would be better off not using the term qigong, and instead should look to and understand the traditional terms. Qigong is too vague, too general, and is not used by top level masters I have met. It would be fair to say that specific breathing methods are a part of the majority of qigong methods and so in general you could say it is a requirement. It is important to be aware though that it is not an absolute requirement of every school.

There is a link to the new book-on Pammachon-in another thread I started.

Regarding SD, see my previous post. The issue of the ping pong ball was covered in the second book from what I remember. I sold mine second hand on Amazon years ago so I couldn't check even if I was inclined to-which I am not. I'm more interested in the here and now rather than what is past and finished. Kostas was a student in the Tibetan methods (among others) and had access to these teachings also. I expect he sought and got the opinion of both John Chang and his other teacher. Possibly a few others as well. You perhaps missed the point Kostas made about knowing other remarkable teachers. He has been able to get information from some very well informed sources (grandmasters of other schools and of very high repute). In in answer to the question he was asked, he referenced his Tibetan teacher. That does not mean he did not ask John Chang or that he did not get the same or similar answer from John Chang. In regards to the levitation, I remember it being mentioned in the first book. Beyond that I can't recall anything, nor again do I care. I personally witnessed enough during my visit to Indonesia not to be concerned about such. I prefer to only consider what I witness in person, not what I read in a book, online or hear in an interview. On these things I have the direct experience of having met John Chang and of being a friend of Kostas. That is me at the top of the acknowledgements page in his new-free as an ebook-book. I also read 'Neikung' before it was published. My point being this. I've discussed personally and via email these things with Kostas a considerable amount. I likely don't know a lot of what Kostas knows, but I certainly know a great deal more than anyone basing their opinions solely from what they read in the books or what has otherwise been written on the internet. As for the money comment, Kostas is a sales manager for a multinational concern, dealing at the top end of international contracts. The kind of money earned from books relating to neigong, qigong, etc is peanuts. It certainly would not pay the bills. If he was about the money, do you seriously think he would have offered his latest book as a free ebook? Further to that, for teaching students Kostas never took payment from myself or other students. Students contributed towards the cost of running the school and that was it. The fact is that Kostas has spent huge sums of money to learn and then pass on-without charge-what he learned to his students. The time, effort and money he personally spent learning from all his teachers would be a lot more than anything recovered from the various books and articles he has written over the years. If there is one thing I would like to make clear it is this. Reading a couple of books, internet forums, listening to interviews, etc. does not make someone knowledgeable in a subject. Direct experience and study over a long period of time do. There are only a handful of people on this forum that have directly met John Chang and/or Kostas, but you would never think it to see the various opinions expressed.

Sean was a student-but far removed from my recollection. That Kostas didn't immediately remember the name is simply indicitive of that. Sean effectively had very little (maybe no) direct contact with Kostas. Kostas might have met Sean maybe once. May not even have been that. Sean was shown the initial training by one of Kostas American students-which suggests that maybe they didn't personally meet. I personally never met Sean in the times that I have been to Athens. Further to that, the subject of Sean Denty, David Verdesi, etc didn't come up in conversation either. I can assure you Kostas wasn't following any of the saga involving the above, being more concerned with persuing a professional career and family life.

Patient: Me. Problem: Rib injury, the cartledge having gone 'pop' due to an accident. Acute pain as a result. Unable to lie on back without severe sharp pain. Barely able to sleep, and having to lie on one side only while trying to do so. Treatment: Distance healing from Michael. Result: Sudden, substantial reduction in pain. Pain has now reduced to barely noticeable and I'm confident will clear up quickly in the very near future. Despite having experienced some amazing things, I was still very surprised at the effectiveness of the distance treatment, and the very quick change in the condition.

I just so happen to be re-reading this at the moment: http://www.amazon.com/Thief-Time-Terry-Pratchett/dp/0061031321/ref=sr_1_32?ie=UTF8&qid=1310194250&sr=8-32

I was talking with my mother this evening about a friend who is currently hospitalised as the result of a stroke. This friend's slow recovery has been very hard for the friend to deal with. Previously very active, she has been bedridden for several weeks now. Unable to rest mentally or physically, the doctors have resorted to giving her anti-depressants. I mentioned that in China, qi projection has been used with some success in the treatment of stroke patients and that it was a shame that this kind of therapy was not generally accepted in the west. With this in mind, after the call I did some Stillness Movement practice. Since January, and meeting Michael, I've noticed my energy is doing a lot of work on the heart. At times I can feel my laogong points burning as they project qi into my heart area. Yesterday my heart area itself was burning. Non of this from my own deliberate intent, but simply the practice following its own path. While the energy worked, I thought about my mothers friend, but also about others in hospitals. From babies, children and adults, to the dying. I pondered being present at the death of someone I love in the future, and what I could do to help them. Could I be strong enough and compassionate enough to help them way and not be caught up in my own attachment to them? I 'knew' I could help all of these people in some way. It all comes down to having the right knowledge and the wisdom to apply it. I'm currently re-reading John Blofeld's book on Guan Yin, and it struck me about the nature of compassion and the 'hearer of cries'. As I thought about these people and their suffering, and I thought about how I might be able to help in some way, I could feel the sorrow rising up from my heart. Not in some abstract manner, but ripples rising up my chest and then out. Here is the thing. The compassion I was feeling was not directed at myself, but towards others. Yet, here it was releasing my own sorrow. Ripples, rising then dissipating. The last time I remember this happening was three years ago, almost exact to the date. Then, under different circumstances, the energy crashed like Atlantic breakers on a cliff. Physically and mentally the pain was terrible. Now it was more like being a child again. Vulnerable, but protected within the loving embrace of a parent. Blofeld writes beautifully about the nature of Guan Yin and of Buddhism and of how nothing is separate from MIND. As always it is one thing to understand something intellectually and another to understand it from experience. This evening I felt a direct connection to why Guan Yin has vowed to stay and help all sentient beings to enter nirvana rather than simply seek this alone. For me, the path towards peace of mind comes from giving and service, not from taking and self interest. Compassion is all encompassing. There is no separation of what is within and without. Whatever we feel towards others sits also within us. It is often difficult to live by such feelings. Modern life and the struggles that almost everyone seems to bear in society makes us forget about this shared burden. We get fixated on our own problems and forget that others are struggling also. For a long time I felt overwhelmed by all of this. A sense of utter fatigue with life and what it entailed. While each day brings its own issues I no longer feel so drained over it. I have no doubt that my practice of Stillness Movement has helped with this. I noticed recently that I am able to let go of things that bother me much easier than before. The emotional charge is not as intense as it was. I still feel, and feel strongly at times, but I don't seem to crucify myself over it like before. It is all work in progress, but it is progress. I know a few people here have followed some of my posts across this and other forums over the years. Despite my previous experiences, I have no problem saying that for me Michael Lomax is one of the most remarkable people I have ever met. Stillness Movement AND Gift of the Tao are some of the most remarkable practices I have encountered. Energetically they are amazingly powerful, but unlike some practices, they are also amazingly healing with it. What's more, they bring on the potential to help others and not just the person practising them. I truly hope people will take advantage of any opportunity they get to meet Michael and experience what he has to offer. It is on a par with some of the most remarkable, profound methods to come out of China-energetically, spiritually and for healing. There is no 'perfect' time to go and meet remarkable people and to learn from them. There is only now and the opportunities that now presents. Be it Michael Lomax or any other teacher you feel compelled to meet, don't put it off. Go for it, and if it is mean't to be, fate will provide the means. Michael is holding a workshop in June. For anyone that feels this might be for them and can get there, don't pass up the opportunity. http://www.qigongamerica.com/

What are your expectations from your practice? Choosing the correct method for what you want is important. Meditative? Spiritual? Martial? Health? All or some? To what ratio? All of these questions, and the ratio, are important. How much time and effort, over how many years, are you willing or able to put in? Are you prepared to see things through or are you likely to jump between practices when the mood takes you? Can you 'eat bitter' and perhaps more importantly do you have the patience to see something through? It isn't wrong to change what isn't working, but is that change because it just isn't right for you, or because you are bored and/or impatient? I'm not judging you here but rather listing the thoughts and issues that I have had to ask myself, and still do, over the years. I've tried different methods and have questioned plenty of times what I do now. I have also had to contend with the 'end of the rainbow' mentality (chasing that 'pot of gold' 'perfect' method). One of the problems with choice is that it leads to confusion, indulgence and often dabbling. Just wanting an overview is fine, but to gain depth takes years and years of work and many hours over those years. In matters of energy work, mixing practices should not be done lightly, or without a solid understanding of what is being done. One final point, which is worth repeating due to the continued confusion out there is this. 'Qigong' is the term chosen by the Chinese government in 1949 to act as a catch-all title for different practices. That would include what different schools call 'neigong' (each school having its own particular meaning and method in using the name-they don't all claim it does the same thing). Prior to this, different families and schools used various different names. Qigong was chosen so that there would be less confusion. Some schools still use the traditional name, but they also use the term qigong. This is detailed in the book 'Qigong Fever', and the relevant parts can actually be read online with 'google books'. The various claims otherwise simply do not fit with the facts. To give an analogy. Athletics covers numerous disciplines. Each of these disciplines has its own particular name and method of practice. All of them though can be grouped under the term 'athletics'. Qigong is similar, though not as diversified. I know that Bruce Kumar Frantzis has claimed that qigong comes from neigong (before anyone tries to jump in here and tell me what Bruce has or has not said, I've been reading his interviews and articles-and those of his students-since the 1980's. I am quite familiar with what has been claimed over the years-and this is not a criticism of BKF or his methods). Perhaps in some cases it is true, but equally there are 'qigong' methods that came from other traditional methods that never used the term 'neigong'. There are simplified methods that work very well for people that are just looking for exercise and a means of maintaining good health. Nothing at all wrong with that, and I see people doing these methods in the garden areas around my apartment each morning. In short, pick the method that is best suited to you. Do not get tied up in the 'name'. The purpose and result are what count.

Read Michael's book.