Green Tiger

A recent study compared Tai Chi to walking, so far as their antioxidant effects are concerned. "Our findings suggest that the practice of Tai Chi produces a more effective antioxidant effect than walking." I personally don't put much stock in these kinds of studies, but I thought the community might be interested.

I think that's my feelings on 'trance' in general. A good instructor, I think, will listen to you recount your experiences and maybe offer some insight, but won't tell you what you should expect, per se.

Good point. It makes me wonder which is more beneficial: Tai Chi or Yoga? Yoga involves putting the body in a wider variety of positions and almost certainly works more muscle groups. Really though, what I would like to see are studies comparing two different styles of Tai Chi instruction. They never really even discuss what the students in these 6-month tai chi programs learn, only that they took a 6-month course. Even the time period isn't all that indicative of how intense their training was. Did they practice once a week for 6 months or every day? I suspect that, if someone were to compare the health benefits of my instructor's style of training and another instructor in my city, they would find a significant difference.

Worried about bone density, ladies? Put down that glass of milk and get yourself to your local Tai Chi school! Tai Chi. It does a body good.

Oral health. "Our findings suggest that the practice of Tai Chi has both antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects that are linked to the improvement of periodontal disease in older adults."

Also, Tai Chi is probably good for COPD patients. "Tai Chi enhances lung function, exercise capacity, and diaphragm strength. However, this is only preliminary research data and a larger trial is needed for more detailed results."

Hooray! Looks like a good set of questions. Very interested to see how he'll respond to them.

The debate about Jesus in Taoism was moved to this thread: http://thetaobums.com/topic/34524-is-jesus-legit-in-taoist-practice-or-no-off-topic-derail-from-the-jaj-neigong-book-thread/ Book is now here: http://bookstore.qigongmedicine.com/product/daoist-alchemy-nei-gong-wai-gong-training-final-edition/

Good advice! I'm officially anti-substance when it comes to cultivation, but that doesn't mean I always stick to that rule and I do feel like you can benefit from certain substances, but it is soooo unpredictable. It's too much of a crap shoot for me to recommend to anyone, but I will say that I've had some good experiences. Also some really unpleasant experiences. Your mileage may vary.

This one of the most brutal (and relatively beautiful) spinning back heels I've ever seen landed. Notice the right-side feint he uses to set him up.

Does he connect with the first kick? I couldn't really tell. It looked more like a feint to set him up, but he might have connected. Either way--vicious combo!

Are those deer antlers?

Another nice meditation infographic. . .

That is a most righteous shave. If this whole "corporate slave" thing doesn't work out for me, maybe I'll try my hand at barbering.

Good questions, thanks HE!

I have a cousin who's kind of like that. Did waaaay too many mushrooms back in the 70's and now he's super touchy feely and just a little bit off, but in kind of a good way. Like he gets too close to you when he's talking to you and the way he describes things can be hard to follow for someone who isn't used to him, but he's one of the most enthusiastic and selfless guys I know. I definitely prefer my cousin who did too many mushrooms to my old college roommate who did too much ecstasy. One is maybe a little over excitable/emotional and the other is completely without emotion or reaction.

What is the most remarkable recovery you have seen in a chi kung clinic?

From what I've read, your training began primarily with the internal martial arts and eventually gravitated more toward chi kung therapy. Do you think that training the internal martial arts is an efficient way to build chi for a chi kung therapist, or should a chi kung therapist spend most of their training time differently? What would you say is the most efficient practice for a chi kung therapist to maximize their healing ability? EDIT: I just realized this is very similar to the question EFS White asked. While I think his is more concerned with avoiding harmful side effects, the part about 'what would be the best practice for a healer' is still there. I do think the last line of his question should be "What would you say is the most efficient practice for a chi kung therapist to maximize their healing ability?" I just like the wording better.

Do you think chi kung healing is becoming more accepted by the western medical community? How would you like to see chi kung therapy evolve over the next ten years?

Dr. Johnson covers this in his Chinese Medical Qigong Therapy texts. I'm not familiar with the new ones, but I have the original Chinese Medical Qigong Therapy text, which was one volume. I'll quote from that book, pages 55 and 56. The emphasis on the last paragraph is mine. THE YIN AND YANG OF BODY ASPECTS

I'm hoping that means most folks, like me, don't actually think it really matters which deity JAJ crushes on.

Can I ask the yin qi question in this interview? I would word it something like this, though: Not long ago, I heard you tell a story in another interview about a martial arts instructor you encountered who wore rubber-soled shoes. You, at the time, felt that it was important to wear cotton-bottom shoes to increase your connection with the yin energy of the earth. In that story, you conceded to the instructor that there are far more impediments to perfect chi flow than just rubber-soled shoes (indoor plumbing and electricity and the like). We've had several debates on the forum about topics similar to the cotton-bottom shoe issue. One poinient example being a member who vehmenently asserted that, unless the hui yin was physically touching the ground or some grounded conducting wire, no yin chi could be cultivated in one's meditation practice. My question is: Do you think that our modern western lifestyle prevents us from levels of attainment that the ancient Chinese may have reached? Is our lifestyle/environment making it harder for us to become Daoist immortals, or do you think it is a relatively minor issue?

A follow-up to this question might be: Have you come across any schools where you felt the training methods were more like the ancient styles, as you perceive them? Also: What characteristics would you look for in a good school? What sorts of exercises would they do?