Flying Phoenix Chi Kung

[zen-bear]

Hello,

 

Maybe I can help you as I am a teacher of Doo Family arts also. Usually there is 3 full breaths before and after the meditations, those 3 full breaths is for you to understand your full 100% capacity of your lungs. So when you do those breaths you are fully aware of your breathing and percentage of the lung capacity.

 

Hope that was of some help?

 

Ape

 

 

Garry,

 

Thanks for helping out with additional good advice. I forgot to mention that the three full "priming" breathes at the start of every one of GM Doo Wai's meditations (including all of the Flying Phoenix meditations) gives one the "reference" for 100% breath capacity.

 

Terry

[Spirit Ape]

You most welcome my friend!!

[rsalazar]

Hello Sifu Dunn,

Many thanks for all the fascinating information on this system - I was especially interested on the effects on body luminosity that is a side effect of the Flying Phoenix system. Has anyone documented this on video or with any instruments? That would be very cool to doc this - I was also wondering if you could comment on the differences between the Flying Phoenix system and the taichi ruler system.

All the best,

Rene'

 

Garry,

 

Thanks for helping out with additional good advice. I forgot to mention that the three full "priming" breathes at the start of every one of GM Doo Wai's meditations (including all of the Flying Phoenix meditations) gives one the "reference" for 100% breath capacity.

 

Terry

[Spirit Ape]

GMDWhas documented it and I believe some news station did back in the 80's?!

[zen-bear]

Hello Sifu Dunn,

Many thanks for all the fascinating information on this system - I was especially interested on the effects on body luminosity that is a side effect of the Flying Phoenix system. Has anyone documented this on video or with any instruments? That would be very cool to doc this - I was also wondering if you could comment on the differences between the Flying Phoenix system and the taichi ruler system.

All the best,

Rene'

 

 

Hello Rene,

 

I recognize your name from one the orders we recently received. Your DVD's are on their way.

 

to answer your question, as I mentioned I think in a prior posting, I have video footage of GM Doo Wai finishing the 14th seated meditation in the series called "Monk Serves Wine", which is part of the Flying Phoenix system. At the end of exercise, as his forearms swing forward toward the camera and his palms turn upward, all the space around him turns a bright luminous blue, the normal background of the shot (wall behind him) cannot be seen. Then the blue lifts like a cloud--but not like a cloud. It just lifts off and the normal background is seen again. GM Doo Wai regularly told us that the blue auric luminosity is just a side effect of FP practice... that it's nothing special--just practice daily for a few months and then videotape yourself. But to me, whether you see it or not, it feels absolutely divine.

 

Last year i was introduced to a renowned auric energy researcher at UCLA named Dr. Valerie Hunt who's in her 90's. But our meetings and conversations haven't developed into any study that makes sense and that I believe would benefit the art or society in general.

 

Yes, Sifu Garry Hearfield is correct, GMDW has been studied and measured with medical instruments over the years. The GM told me that he wasextensively monitored by the head of the Naval Hospital in Long Beach I think in the 1980's. One demo GM said was monitored: GMDW had consciously stopped his earth rate for 20 seconds. I don't know what else was studied by the Navy's doctors. On a different occasion, GMDW's San Diego student, Kevin Ulmer, now living in Tennesee, told me that the GM had Kevin reach in with his fingers around his sternum and left rib cage and then the GM stopped his heart so that it rested like heavy lump on Kevin's fingertips. This of course totally, totally freaked Kevin out. [such feats of stopping normally involuntary organ functions at will is a well-documented capability of all masters of high yogas, and is talked about matter-of-factly by W.Y. Evans-Wentz in his classic 1935 tome "Tibetan Yoga and Secret Practices"--see chapter on "Yoga of Psychic Heat."

GMDW is/was definitely a high master of Chinese yoga, because he could recognize another kung-fu master's art and power level from seeing how he breathed. Which further shows the timeless truth of: If you've masted one Yoga, you've mastered them All. (91-yr old Taoist Master Share K. Lew is the same way: he can look at how a person walked and know whether he practiced kung-fu or not; he could also tell whether the art he practiced was northern or southern kung-fu--just by seeing his posture and how he walked.)

 

To answer your question re difference betw Flying Phoenix and Tai Chi Ruler:

they are very, very different arts.

GM Doo Wai's oral history tells us that the FP was created by Feng Tao Teh in the early 1600's. what arts he derived FP from and how old they were, no one knows.

 

TC Ruler was purportedly created by the same yogin, Chen Hsi-I, who created 6Harmonies/8methods Boxing, and a powerful "sleeping yoga" during the Sung Dynasty (11th century).

 

There's no relation whatsoever. Or very much similarity. TC Ruler is very much shen-cultivating as one's eyes are focussed on the center of the ruler throughout practice; FP practice is 99% done with eyes closed.

TC Ruler breathing can be done with inhalation through nose and exhalation thru mouth (for cleansing); FP breathing is always through the nose (except for the last final (3rd) exhalation taken to end practice of an exercise).

TC Ruler practice goes about 1/3 speed of Tai Chi Chuan practice; FP movement can be as slow as the human body can possibly move: following the oral teaching: "move at the speed of a shifting sand dune."

So they are very, very, very x 10 very different!

 

Enjoy your FP practice, Rene!

 

Sifu Terry Dunn

[rsalazar]

Hello Sifu Dunn and Sifu Hearfield,

Many thanks for all the great information - I just got the dvds and I have a lot to learn - I look forward to learning and practicing FP.

All the best,

R

 

Hello Rene,

 

I recognize your name from one the orders we recently received. Your DVD's are on their way.

 

to answer your question, as I mentioned I think in a prior posting, I have video footage of GM Doo Wai finishing the 14th seated meditation in the series called "Monk Serves Wine", which is part of the Flying Phoenix system. At the end of exercise, as his forearms swing forward toward the camera and his palms turn upward, all the space around him turns a bright luminous blue, the normal background of the shot (wall behind him) cannot be seen. Then the blue lifts like a cloud--but not like a cloud. It just lifts off and the normal background is seen again. GM Doo Wai regularly told us that the blue auric luminosity is just a side effect of FP practice... that it's nothing special--just practice daily for a few months and then videotape yourself. But to me, whether you see it or not, it feels absolutely divine.

 

Last year i was introduced to a renowned auric energy researcher at UCLA named Dr. Valerie Hunt who's in her 90's. But our meetings and conversations haven't developed into any study that makes sense and that I believe would benefit the art or society in general.

 

Yes, Sifu Garry Hearfield is correct, GMDW has been studied and measured with medical instruments over the years. The GM told me that he wasextensively monitored by the head of the Naval Hospital in Long Beach I think in the 1980's. One demo GM said was monitored: GMDW had consciously stopped his earth rate for 20 seconds. I don't know what else was studied by the Navy's doctors. On a different occasion, GMDW's San Diego student, Kevin Ulmer, now living in Tennesee, told me that the GM had Kevin reach in with his fingers around his sternum and left rib cage and then the GM stopped his heart so that it rested like heavy lump on Kevin's fingertips. This of course totally, totally freaked Kevin out. [such feats of stopping normally involuntary organ functions at will is a well-documented capability of all masters of high yogas, and is talked about matter-of-factly by W.Y. Evans-Wentz in his classic 1935 tome "Tibetan Yoga and Secret Practices"--see chapter on "Yoga of Psychic Heat."

GMDW is/was definitely a high master of Chinese yoga, because he could recognize another kung-fu master's art and power level from seeing how he breathed. Which further shows the timeless truth of: If you've masted one Yoga, you've mastered them All. (91-yr old Taoist Master Share K. Lew is the same way: he can look at how a person walked and know whether he practiced kung-fu or not; he could also tell whether the art he practiced was northern or southern kung-fu--just by seeing his posture and how he walked.)

 

To answer your question re difference betw Flying Phoenix and Tai Chi Ruler:

they are very, very different arts.

GM Doo Wai's oral history tells us that the FP was created by Feng Tao Teh in the early 1600's. what arts he derived FP from and how old they were, no one knows.

 

TC Ruler was purportedly created by the same yogin, Chen Hsi-I, who created 6Harmonies/8methods Boxing, and a powerful "sleeping yoga" during the Sung Dynasty (11th century).

 

There's no relation whatsoever. Or very much similarity. TC Ruler is very much shen-cultivating as one's eyes are focussed on the center of the ruler throughout practice; FP practice is 99% done with eyes closed.

TC Ruler breathing can be done with inhalation through nose and exhalation thru mouth (for cleansing); FP breathing is always through the nose (except for the last final (3rd) exhalation taken to end practice of an exercise).

TC Ruler practice goes about 1/3 speed of Tai Chi Chuan practice; FP movement can be as slow as the human body can possibly move: following the oral teaching: "move at the speed of a shifting sand dune."

So they are very, very, very x 10 very different!

 

Enjoy your FP practice, Rene!

 

Sifu Terry Dunn

[zen-bear]

Hello Sifu Dunn and Sifu Hearfield,

Many thanks for all the great information - I just got the dvds and I have a lot to learn - I look forward to learning and practicing FP.

All the best,

R

 

 

You're very welcome, Rene.

 

Tip: In the beginning, try to practice each DVD's entire series of exercises in one sitting--or standing . Each DVD program 9 except for Vol.2) takes about 50 minutes. This Qigong practice is cumulative. Within a matter of days or less, you will feel tangible results. (Vol. 2 will take longer as each of seated meditation is done in sets of 7 repetitions. With Vol. 2, practice all the warm-up meditations regularly and then one or two of the Monk Serves Wine mediations at a sitting.)

 

A lot of people using my DVD's try one or two exercises and not do them for 5 minutes each or not do the seated ones in sets of seven, and then skip around the program...and they ask me why they don't feel anything!!!

No, that produces results very slowly--about 10x more slowly. Or even no results at all.

 

In the beginning, try to do each FP exercise (both standing or seated) for at least 10 minutes. Once you cover all the exercises this way, then let the exercises "grab" you. there will be certain ones that you just cause you to naturally resonate more and then you can focus on this favorite ones intensively. it's different for every practitioner.

 

In my Qigong classes in Los Angeles, we cover all the basic seated (6) meditations and all the standing med's in Vols. 1 and 3 (sometimes 4) in about an 1 hour 45 minutes--with very short if any breaks.

 

ALL IS MIND.

Edited January 15, 2010 by zen-bear

[rsalazar]

Hello Sifu Dunn,

Many thanks for all the valuable tips, I will definitely keep these in mind as I start the practice. I had a general question: in your experience, do different qigongs cultivate intrinsically different qis or energies? I have heard about different categories of qi, like pre- and post-natal, yin, yang, etc. Does the spectrum of qi energy also span something similar to that of the electromagnetic spectrum?

All the best,

R

 

You're very welcome, Rene.

 

Tip: In the beginning, try to practice each DVD's entire series of exercises in one sitting--or standing . Each DVD program 9 except for Vol.2) takes about 50 minutes. This Qigong practice is cumulative. Within a matter of days or less, you will feel tangible results. (Vol. 2 will take longer as each of seated meditation is done in sets of 7 repetitions. With Vol. 2, practice all the warm-up meditations regularly and then one or two of the Monk Serves Wine mediations at a sitting.)

 

A lot of people using my DVD's try one or two exercises and not do them for 5 minutes each or not do the seated ones in sets of seven, and then skip around the program...and they ask me why they don't feel anything!!!

No, that produces results very slowly--about 10x more slowly. Or even no results at all.

 

In the beginning, try to do each FP exercise (both standing or seated) for at least 10 minutes. Once you cover all the exercises this way, then let the exercises "grab" you. there will be certain ones that you just cause you to naturally resonate more and then you can focus on this favorite ones intensively. it's different for every practitioner.

 

In my Qigong classes in Los Angeles, we cover all the basic seated (6) meditations and all the standing med's in Vols. 1 and 3 (sometimes 4) in about an 1 hour 45 minutes--with very short if any breaks.

 

ALL IS MIND.

[Spirit Ape]

Love these stories keep them coming Sifu Terry??

 

Thanks

[Fu_dog]

Sifu Terry -

 

Your stories add a tremendous amount of color to the Flying Phoenix system, as well as your own background! Thanks so much for sharing.

 

Also, I appreciate your suggested practice routine. To be honest, I have not done more than 3 seated FP exercises at a time because of the tremendous energy they generate. I do each slowly, and the 3 usually take me around 45 minutes. I find you are so right when you say slower is better, stronger!

 

I am taking this conservative approach to allow my body to adjust, get used to the energy. I am planning to work my way up to 4, 5, 6 seated exercises in one setting.

 

I can say that after approximately 90 days of practicing FP, I have had several people tell me I look younger, more rested. I'm 55 years old, so this is a good thing. ;-)

 

So, from a practical standpoint, I have tried a number of systems of qigong, but have experienced nothing like Flying Phoenix.

 

Again, thanks for your stories and insight!

[zen-bear]

Hello Sifu Dunn,

Many thanks for all the valuable tips, I will definitely keep these in mind as I start the practice. I had a general question: in your experience, do different qigongs cultivate intrinsically different qis or energies? I have heard about different categories of qi, like pre- and post-natal, yin, yang, etc. Does the spectrum of qi energy also span something similar to that of the electromagnetic spectrum?

All the best,

R

 

 

 

 

hello Rene,

You're welcome. Enjoy the practice. Again, the Flying Phoenix Qigong is very easy to do yet fast-acting in its sublime healing and energizing effects. Particularly the seated mediations. make sure you review the Guidelines for Practice on my website (under "freebies").

 

Answer to your question: First of all, qigong is the secret engine the empowers Chinese martial and healing arts. Some spiritual arts, too. Within Chinese martial systems, qigong is an advanced practice that comes after many years of training in forms, combat, weapons, etc. So anything published on Qigong is not going to be very advanced or powerful because no Kung-Fu style is going to reveal to the masses it's "family jewels" and highest secrets that initiates throughout the generations have jealously guarded and some had died protecting.

 

I guess there are some very basic exercises from broken traditions of qigong that cultivate a "generic", non-differentiated vital energy in the body. A lot of these are basic natural calisthenics that the central government of China started disseminating starting in the early 1970's through tens of millions of those printed pamphlets with line drawings. A lot of these Qigong systems I call "pedestrian" systems. Unfortunately, quite a few of them have been translated over the years by self-proclaimed experts/fast-buck artists and peddled in America as all there is to Qigong. There is no generic form of Qigong in my book, but you could never tell that by all the bland books that have been written that mostly all style and feeble substance: all kinds of flowery philosophical talk but no real transformative chi kung.

 

The Flying Phoenix Healing Qigong is unusual because while it's a simple and basic practice, it imparts energy and rejuvenating effects that you wouldn't expect from a basic level qigong. It's energy is first of all very tangible; you can feel it within a couple of weeks of regular daily practice; some students in my workshops and classes feel it within minutes. Especially when they get to the mediation with the 90 80 50 20 breathing sequence. And FP qi feels distinctively different from other energies cultivated by other qigong systems. Especially the seated exercises in Vol. 2; they effect very pleasant sensations in your brain matter, inside your skull. Try them and find out for yourself.

 

My strong advice is to find out through your own experience how different qigong methods cultivate different types of qi. You do this by mastering one system thoroughly and then maybe mastering another. Then go visiting other masters and schools. Once you attain a certain proficient level in kung-fu, or tai chi and qigong, then you can share information with other stylists, train with them, spar with them, and experience how their cultivated Qi feels and functions in comparison to yours..

 

Enjoy your practice!

 

Terry Dunn

 

P.S. Regarding various types of Qigong-cultivated Qi correlating to electromagnetic spectrium:

That's a very wierd question.

 

since qi means energy, and all electromagnetic radiation is energy, then you can say that every form of electromagnetic radiation measurable by man can be regarded as "qi."

And obviously, not every form of electromag radiation can be cultivated through qigong.

 

Then there are some very esoteric forms of Qigong that cultivate energies that I wouldn't begin to know where they would fit on the electromag spectrium--or if they even fit at all!!!

 

It's a wierd and tricky question because you're mixing apples and oranges:

apple: electromag spectrum is scientifically measured by wavelength and frequency of the energy;

orange: the whole art of Qigong is premised on the fact that energy--and therefore the laws of physics--are on the plane of mental control. Once you introduce Mind, you are in the realm of alchemy--metaphysical science as opposed to physical science.

Edited September 25, 2013 by zen-bear

[zen-bear]

Sifu Terry -

 

Your stories add a tremendous amount of color to the Flying Phoenix system, as well as your own background! Thanks so much for sharing.

 

Also, I appreciate your suggested practice routine. To be honest, I have not done more than 3 seated FP exercises at a time because of the tremendous energy they generate. I do each slowly, and the 3 usually take me around 45 minutes. I find you are so right when you say slower is better, stronger!

 

I am taking this conservative approach to allow my body to adjust, get used to the energy. I am planning to work my way up to 4, 5, 6 seated exercises in one setting.

 

I can say that after approximately 90 days of practicing FP, I have had several people tell me I look younger, more rested. I'm 55 years old, so this is a good thing. ;-)

 

So, from a practical standpoint, I have tried a number of systems of qigong, but have experienced nothing like Flying Phoenix.

 

Again, thanks for your stories and insight!

 

 

You're very welcome and

thanks for the positive feedback on your practice, Fu Dog!

GM Doo Wai's ancestral spirits are happy that their art is thriving and doing its thing.

It's always gratifying for me to hear someone get benefit from the FP practice.

 

I'm also 55 yrs. old; so, yes indeed, it is a good thing ;0)

 

Great that you're working up to doing doing 4-6 seated exercises in one sitting. For beginners, as I recently advised Rene Salazar on this Forum, I recommend doing the whole Volume One program in one session and in a different session do all the seated med's of Volume Two in one sitting, taking breaks in between each different exercise (put the DVD player on pause). The goal is to keep doing all the FP meditations until your favorite ones "find" you. Then you can focus on them for 6-7 months. After mastering those and creating a solid foundation and reserve of energy, then go back to the ones that aren't your favorite and force yourself to do them until you make them yours as well. It may take months or even years, but once you get familiar with all the FP meditations and can do all of them from memory, you will have mastered a lot of qigong. As long as you do them at the very, very slow speed of "a shifting sand dune", you will get ever increasing benefits by doing 2 or 3 standing meditations a day and 1, 2 or 3 Monk Serves Wine seated meditations at each sitting. But it's quite okay to give yourself nice 10 min. breaks in between each one and do quiet sitting.

 

Be sure to read the "Guidelines for Qigong Practice" on my website under "freebies".

 

Best,

 

TD

[j.fachao]

 

"We don't manipulate energy...we just pass our hand over." [/b]

(Tao Tan Pai practitioners effect healing by reinforcing the energy circulation of the patient with chi projected from the palms moving over the person's aura in the direction of the meridians' energy flow, especially the Jen Mo and Tu Mo, and then (usually using finger-toe diagnosis if one cannot "see" the imbalance), re-circuit energy from the bolex of energy at that particular time of day into the appropriate orb/meridian in order to heal and strengthen the weak or diseased organ/orb/meridian. Flying Phoenix healing, if one has practiced it correctly (and it doesn't even take that long compared to most other systems) is effected by passing the hand over the person. Period. Once I had completed the second level FP meditations, I would regularly be in the presence of friends and family members who were ailing or were suffering from serious disease. It surprised me at first, but I got used to it: when all I would do was focus my attention on a person in passing (who happened to be ill) or just touch him or her, the FP healing energy would spontaneously "jump" off of me and into them, causing a profound healing and rejuvenating experience. They would completely light up and feel well--to their great surprise and amazement.

 

Note: I'm not here to contest or argue or gossip. The preceding is an account of the effects and the ability gained from my practice of the Flyiing Phoenix Celestial Chi Meditations from 1990 onward. As I said in an earlier posting, normal practice of Flying PHoenix Qigong will cultivate a reserve of healing energy in the body that within a couple months will show up on videotape as an particularly colored aura. And this was the basic "safety net" healing art that GMDW had taught to all his students that I knew in the 90's.

 

If anyone cannot understand the distinction that GM Doo Wai made in comparing his healing method to Master Share K. Lew's, then he or she does not have the level to judge the validity or effectiveness of any internal system. (Because TTP is somewhat of a "standard" Taoist-Buddhist healing system based on finger-toe diagnosis, yin-yang theory, and 5 -element theory.)

 

 

 

Terry Dunn

 

Hello Sifu Terry,

 

I was reading again the thread and this passage in one of your answers raises a question. I hope my question is not untimely. If so, feel free to discard it.

GM Doo Wai makes a difference between what you called "standard" Taoist-Buddhist healing system and the FPCCM. The first one involves manipulating chi to cure a specific imbalance whereas FPCCM let the chi find its way to the areas where a cure is needed. I know that the context of your answer is about healing others.

 

My question changes the context and is about practicing both FPCCM and another neigong explicitely based upon standard Taoist system (yin-yang theory, wuxing etc ) and involving some concentrations, visualizations.

 

Is it possible? Does it spoil in some way the effects of FPCCM? Generally speaking, how do you see relationships/compatibility between FPCCM and these others systems (given that they would be genuine and authentic ones)?

 

Thank you

Fachao

[zen-bear]

Hello Sifu Terry,

 

I was reading again the thread and this passage in one of your answers raises a question. I hope my question is not untimely. If so, feel free to discard it.

GM Doo Wai makes a difference between what you called "standard" Taoist-Buddhist healing system and the FPCCM. The first one involves manipulating chi to cure a specific imbalance whereas FPCCM let the chi find its way to the areas where a cure is needed. I know that the context of your answer is about healing others.

 

My question changes the context and is about practicing both FPCCM and another neigong explicitely based upon standard Taoist system (yin-yang theory, wuxing etc ) and involving some concentrations, visualizations.

 

Is it possible? Does it spoil in some way the effects of FPCCM? Generally speaking, how do you see relationships/compatibility between FPCCM and these others systems (given that they would be genuine and authentic ones)?

 

Thank you

Fachao

 

 

Hello Fachao,

 

Sorry to take an extra day to get back to you. (Very busy schedule this week.)

But it was good that I delayed because I'm now able to give you a better response after thinking more about your question.

 

My answer to your question, if I understand it correctly, of whether it is possible to practice the FPCHCM concommitant with another neigong system (in my case, that of Tao Tan Pai) based on "classical" Taoist and TCM principles (Yin-yang theory, wuxing, etc.) with degrading the effectiveness of either system is: Yes. It is possible. But it depends on what the other neigung system is. But I would not advise learning FPCHCM at the same time that you're learning another neigung system.

 

When I began learning the FPCHCM and other internal arts from Grandmaster Doo Wai in 1991, I showed him the other internal systems that I was trained in and not only did he immediately recognize those other traditions, he told me that there's no problem with me practicing his internal along with the others. He told me that I could practice both and "mix the energies..." My personal experience since that advice was given has obviously proven to me that the GM was correct.

 

However, If I take your question to mean whether one can practice FPCHCM within a mental context/construct of classical Taoist cosmology (yin-yang, wuxing, etc.), my answer is that one can do so but it would do him no good. It would indeed degrade the effectiveness of the FPCHCM practice because "the map doesn't fit the territory." So I would strongly advise against it. Imposing Taoist theory and philosophy on the practice of this particular high yoga would be totally unnecessary and counter-productive. It's what the Zen people would call: "gilding the lily" (which would kill it) or "putting legs on a snake" (which goes against mother nature.).

 

When I first starting learning FP and other internal arts from GMDW, I naturally would ask questions about the training based on the Taoist principles and "set theory" that I had underpinned my earlier training in TTP. Every answer GMDW gave me boiled down to: "just do the practice."

 

And this is how I teach his BFP arts today: No preceding theory or philosophy. I just teach the Qigong (as on the DVD's) and once the students start feeling the profound results, then we talk about the benefits--and celebrate them in Taoist cosmological terms if they want to. The yoga of FPCHCM in itself is sufficient and complete. It doesn't need any kind of "map".

 

But I think what you meant by your question was whether you can practice FPCHCM and another classical taoist neigung system at the same time. In my specific case, the answer is "Yes" since the other system was one that my teacher was familiar with.

 

But if you want a specific answer relevant to what you're doing, I would need to know what the other neigung system is that you are practicing. And even then, if I am not familiar with it, I may not be able to give you a definitive answer.

 

I hope this helps a bit.

 

 

Sifu Terry Dunn

[Spirit Ape]

Hi Sifu Terry,

 

Did Sifu ever tell you not to practice more then one BFP internal method (neigung/hei gung)at the same time? He was very particular with me learning Burning Palm not to be mixing other BFP material unless he has other specific systems that can go with it and that the Burning Palm was developing before trying any other stuff. I also found that it enhanced all my other internal arts.

 

Garry

[j.fachao]

Hello Sifu Terry,

 

Thank you very much for taking the time and making the effort to give a complete answer. I am very grateful for that.

There is no problem with what you call a "delay" in responding, everyone has his own schedule; so far so good !

 

Actually, I was not practicing special neigong explicitly based upon Taoist concepts/ mapping. I started with Sifu Lam Kam Chuen books (the Way of Energy) which doesn't emphazise in any specific breathing technique, guiding qi technique etc.. But I also have a book you might know called Qigong Empowerment by Master Shou Yu-Liang and Wen-Ching Wu. In this book, they give some techniques for microcosmic circulation (Xiao Zhou Tian) and macrocosmic circulation (Da Zhou Tian), extraordinary vessels circualtion etc... I have never attempted those kind of practice so far but I was wondering if they could be practiced alongside with FPCHM.

 

The Taoist Cosmology is so rich and so fascinating! I recognize exactly my feeling in the word you have used: "celebrate". I have some religious feelings and sometimes feel frustrated in not been able to express them formally. I am in Europe quite far from any Taoist temple!

I was just having a kind of romantic and deluded thought about having a practice in which I could enjoy both the map and the territory- which would give me an occasion to celebrate the beauty and profundity of Taoist Cosmology as far I have understood it.

 

Let me know your thoughts,

Warm regards,

 

Fachao

[zen-bear]

Sifu Terry -

 

Your stories add a tremendous amount of color to the Flying Phoenix system, as well as your own background! Thanks so much for sharing.

 

Also, I appreciate your suggested practice routine. To be honest, I have not done more than 3 seated FP exercises at a time because of the tremendous energy they generate. I do each slowly, and the 3 usually take me around 45 minutes. I find you are so right when you say slower is better, stronger!

 

I am taking this conservative approach to allow my body to adjust, get used to the energy. I am planning to work my way up to 4, 5, 6 seated exercises in one setting.

 

I can say that after approximately 90 days of practicing FP, I have had several people tell me I look younger, more rested. I'm 55 years old, so this is a good thing. ;-)

 

So, from a practical standpoint, I have tried a number of systems of qigong, but have experienced nothing like Flying Phoenix.

 

Again, thanks for your stories and insight!

 

 

Fu Dog,

 

Just got back on the Forum after a week+ of travel for work...

 

Speaking of color, you can make your own aura a visible color blue (that will record on videotape, especially with today's new and affordable HD cameras) by regular practice of the Flying Phoenix Qigong. As I've said in my many postings regarding this system, the coloration of one's aura is a side effect of practice.

'Makes the practice all the more enjoyable.

 

Terry

[zen-bear]

Hello Fachao,

 

You are very welcome. I enjoy giving advice in response to serious practitioners.

 

Since you are not learning Qigong directly from a teacher, I would strongly advise that you try to find a live teacher. I know you're in Europe and there's few teachers...but that is the best way to proceed.

 

As I've posted before, Qigong is a the traditionally secret, esoteric engine that empowers Chinese martial and healing arts to supernormal levels that is normally slowly meted out towards the end of a student's training. Besides the systems that I have learned, most Qigong systems that been exposed to by fellow teachers (by comparing notes and exchanging demo's with them) are high yogas that are taught to students as the capstone to their training. I think that Sifu Garry Hearfield would agree. He didn't come to be accepted by my teacher (of FP and other internal systems), GM Doo Wai, until he had shown him his mastery of Yau Kung Mun Kung-fu.

 

What is published in books and videos are very basic introductions to Qigong. The Flying Phoenix is an exception because my teacher, GMDW, authorized me to disclose the breathing sequences for each exercise.

(there are two secrets to Chinese martial and qigong arts: breathing and footwork (stance)).

Without the breathing techniques, the FP would be like most other qigong systems that have been published.

 

There are very few complete Qigong systems that impart much benefit if practiced out of the context of martial or healing art. My experience over the last 30 yrs. has shown me that practicing Qigong before the Kung-fu never leads to wholesome results. It creates imbalance and delusion on many levels. If one isn't practicing kung-fu, teaching it, or doing holistic healing work, the energy cultivated by qigong practice isn't being channeled into the most natural applications--i.e., it has nowhere to go. With some Qigong systems, after they are mastered, the effects of their practice automatically "kicks in" when one practices martial art or does healing. One is self-renewed just by teaching or healing--without the actual practice of the original Qigong exercises. But this comes after mastery. It is also what Carlos Castaneda's teachers meant by "not doing."

 

If you practice an authentic qigong system properly (i.e., in martial/healing context with superior instruction) then you will eventually be able to draw your own map of Taoist cosmology and call it whatever you want. The Taoist cosmology is just a "map" that some wise old rice bags drew up once they clearly saw Ultimate Reality--the nature of the Universe. e.g., one of the true Taoist geniuses in Europe was Hildegard Von Bingen, the Abbess of two Benectine monasteries in Germany during the 12th century. If you look at her art you'll see that her high visions that came through her contemplative practices are identical in theme and celebration to the best Taoist artworks in China throughout the ages.

 

Like kung-fu systems, the complete truth of a qigong art is never taught in class, never completely recorded in writing, but transmitted to advanced students through oral teachings, symbols, and other telepathic means, depending on the teacher.

 

If you want to learn qigong correctly, find yourself a good kung-fu master with a solid lineage and stick with the training. Eventually, you'll get there.

 

All the best,

 

Sifu Terry Dunn

 

 

 

 

If you are practicing the Qigong

Hello Sifu Terry,

 

Thank you very much for taking the time and making the effort to give a complete answer. I am very grateful for that.

There is no problem with what you call a "delay" in responding, everyone has his own schedule; so far so good !

 

Actually, I was not practicing special neigong explicitly based upon Taoist concepts/ mapping. I started with Sifu Lam Kam Chuen books (the Way of Energy) which doesn't emphazise in any specific breathing technique, guiding qi technique etc.. But I also have a book you might know called Qigong Empowerment by Master Shou Yu-Liang and Wen-Ching Wu. In this book, they give some techniques for microcosmic circulation (Xiao Zhou Tian) and macrocosmic circulation (Da Zhou Tian), extraordinary vessels circualtion etc... I have never attempted those kind of practice so far but I was wondering if they could be practiced alongside with FPCHM.

 

The Taoist Cosmology is so rich and so fascinating! I recognize exactly my feeling in the word you have used: "celebrate". I have some religious feelings and sometimes feel frustrated in not been able to express them formally. I am in Europe quite far from any Taoist temple!

I was just having a kind of romantic and deluded thought about having a practice in which I could enjoy both the map and the territory- which would give me an occasion to celebrate the beauty and profundity of Taoist Cosmology as far I have understood it.

 

Let me know your thoughts,

Warm regards,

 

Fachao

[zen-bear]

Hi Sifu Terry,

 

Did Sifu ever tell you not to practice more then one BFP internal method (neigung/hei gung)at the same time? He was very particular with me learning Burning Palm not to be mixing other BFP material unless he has other specific systems that can go with it and that the Burning Palm was developing before trying any other stuff. I also found that it enhanced all my other internal arts.

 

Garry

 

 

Hi Sifu Garry,

 

Sorry to take so long to get back to you. I was out of town for a week on business and just got back.

 

I understand why GMDW had you practice his Burning Palm system exclusively...and mixing it with practice of other BFP material. It also makes perfect sense since your background is in a different system and you probably learned some internal from your Yau Kung Mun master and other teachers.

 

But to answer your question:

No, because GMDW taught us in person during those years and we were seeing him every week, he did not tell us not to practice more than one BFP internal method at the same time. The fact was that I was learning and practicing four of his systems at same time, after I had learned them in this sequence:

1. Basic BFP kung-fu drills and forms and Flying Phoenix HHCM (for about 6-9 months).

2. then added to the BFP forms and FP was the Eight Sections Combined.

3. then added to these 3 systems was the 54-exercise internal system that he called

Wan-Fuo (10,000 Buddhas) Meditations, which are for both health and martial.

4. Once 3 of us started the second phase, Eight Sections Combined, GMDW also taught us one of his D.M. arts.

5. From the very start of training til the very last day, GMDW was demonstrating and teaching his high level healing methods, with herbs, jiao, and energy on all of us, our family members and a few select friends.

 

So to answer your question, I was practicing 3 and 4 of the BFP systems at the same time.

 

But as told you in my PM account of the "misfire" accident, that happened precisely because we were practicing both very powerful martial and healing qigong systems at the same time. But GMDW was present so that he could immediate fix us and correct the conditions whenever the energies got "crossed."

 

But if I were to teach what I know of the BFP system, I would not teach both martial and healing internal arts at the same time because I honestly don't have the skill of GMDW in "fixing" energy accidents. I would teach the healing system (FP) first for 1-3 years at least, depending on the background of the student. Once that Flying Phoenix foundation was laid along with Forms and fighting techniques, then I would teach the "martial qigong/hei gung."

 

All the best,

 

Terry

 

P.S. I'll disclose these training experiences pertaining to your question in this public forum as a further testimonial to GMDW's high mastery and vast knowledge:

 

•I recall that there were a few exercises in the powerful Wan-Fuo system where each of us (3) had to do the exercise alone while the others watched--i.e., only one person could do that exercise in the room at the same time because otherwise there would be mixing of personal energies that would make everyone sick.

 

•When 3 of us were learning the 8 Sections Combined, each time we practiced the martial application of the energy, we would regularly get energy sickness (not every time, but pretty frequently). It was absolutely no fun. But it was all part of the training--for the GM also taught us how to take the sickening energy off of ourselves. It was just like getting hit hard and physically beat-up and bruised in sparring with the GM and then learning to take healing measures using dit da jiao. **One time, he had the 3 of us (in turn and alone) repeat a certain martial movement a certain way until each of us had given ourselves a really nasty energy sickness. Then he taught us how to take that energy off the body. GMDW's high mastery of so many BFP internal arts was just staggering. And he loved them so much.

 

I can tell you some more experiences later on via PM.

Edited April 29, 2013 by zen-bear

[j.fachao]

Hello Sifu Terry,

 

Thank you very much for your answer.

I am grateful for receiving your advice. I understand what you are saying.

Your reference to St Hildegarde de Bingen is superb. My acupuncturist- who has a profound Christian faith- already told me that her works were very accurate. I guess that when one reaches some high level of contemplation, regardless of the tradition, one can access to the same high knowledge expressed in different ways.

As for the kung-fu teacher,I will do my best. In the country where I live, I can't think of anyone so far who seems to have a strong lineage, but I will dig. Maybe in some nearby country but it will limit the possibility to learn. Anyway I am glad to be able to benefit from your guidance on this. I will definitely do my best to create opportunities to learn.

 

Deep bows of gratitude,

Fachao

 

 

Hello Fachao,

 

You are very welcome. I enjoy giving advice in response to serious practitioners.

 

Since you are not learning Qigong directly from a teacher, I would strongly advise that you try to find a live teacher. I know you're in Europe and there's few teachers...but that is the best way to proceed.

 

As I've posted before, Qigong is a the traditionally secret, esoteric engine that empowers Chinese martial and healing arts to supernormal levels that is normally slowly meted out towards the end of a student's training. Besides the systems that I have learned, most Qigong systems that been exposed to by fellow teachers (by comparing notes and exchanging demo's with them) are high yogas that are taught to students as the capstone to their training. I think that Sifu Garry Hearfield would agree. He didn't come to be accepted by my teacher (of FP and other internal systems), GM Doo Wai, until he had shown him his mastery of Yau Kung Mun Kung-fu.

 

What is published in books and videos are very basic introductions to Qigong. The Flying Phoenix is an exception because my teacher, GMDW, authorized me to disclose the breathing sequences for each exercise.

(there are two secrets to Chinese martial and qigong arts: breathing and footwork (stance)).

Without the breathing techniques, the FP would be like most other qigong systems that have been published.

 

There are very few complete Qigong systems that impart much benefit if practiced out of the context of martial or healing art. My experience over the last 30 yrs. has shown me that practicing Qigong before the Kung-fu never leads to wholesome results. It creates imbalance and delusion on many levels. If one isn't practicing kung-fu, teaching it, or doing holistic healing work, the energy cultivated by qigong practice isn't being channeled into the most natural applications--i.e., it has nowhere to go. With some Qigong systems, after they are mastered, the effects of their practice automatically "kicks in" when one practices martial art or does healing. One is self-renewed just by teaching or healing--without the actual practice of the original Qigong exercises. But this comes after mastery. It is also what Carlos Castaneda's teachers meant by "not doing."

 

If you practice an authentic qigong system properly (i.e., in martial/healing context with superior instruction) then you will eventually be able to draw your own map of Taoist cosmology and call it whatever you want. The Taoist cosmology is just a "map" that some wise old rice bags drew up once they clearly saw Ultimate Reality--the nature of the Universe. e.g., one of the true Taoist geniuses in Europe was Hildegard Von Bingen, the Abbess of two Benectine monasteries in Germany during the 12th century. If you look at her art you'll see that her high visions that came through her contemplative practices are identical in theme and celebration to the best Taoist artworks in China throughout the ages.

 

Like kung-fu systems, the complete truth of a qigong art is never taught in class, never completely recorded in writing, but transmitted to advanced students through oral teachings, symbols, and other telepathic means, depending on the teacher.

 

If you want to learn qigong correctly, find yourself a good kung-fu master with a solid lineage and stick with the training. Eventually, you'll get there.

 

All the best,

 

Sifu Terry Dunn

 

 

 

 

If you are practicing the Qigong

[zen-bear]

Hello Sifu Terry,

 

Thank you very much for your answer.

I am grateful for receiving your advice. I understand what you are saying.

Your reference to St Hildegarde de Bingen is superb. My acupuncturist- who has a profound Christian faith- already told me that her works were very accurate. I guess that when one reaches some high level of contemplation, regardless of the tradition, one can access to the same high knowledge expressed in different ways.

As for the kung-fu teacher,I will do my best. In the country where I live, I can't think of anyone so far who seems to have a strong lineage, but I will dig. Maybe in some nearby country but it will limit the possibility to learn. Anyway I am glad to be able to benefit from your guidance on this. I will definitely do my best to create opportunities to learn.

 

Deep bows of gratitude,

Fachao

 

Hello Fachao,

 

Best of luck in your search to find a teacher near you. As the I Ching says, "Perseverance furthers." the same advice in Christian terms gives you the A-B-C's of manifesting what you need:

 

"Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you"

--Matthew 7:7.

 

--But you when it comes to finding a source of Truth in the Chinese martial and yogic arts, you have knock HARD to get the Universe to send you a good teacher.

 

Best,

 

Sifu Terry Dunn

[jinjujitsu]

Dear Sifu Dunn,

 

This has been the best source of information on FP Qigong. Can you please clarify some doubts?

 

 

Flying Phoenix is purely a medical qigong system that cultivates a sublime healing energy, that's "lighter" than the energy of his other systems.

 

FP is like the foundation or safety net that one needs (or is nice to have) before learning GM Doo Wai's other heavy-duty internal systems. The 3 other systems I learned are what you might call "martial qigong." And the energizing effects are even more profound...

 

Does this mean FP is not a complete alchemy in itself? You say it is a medical qigong, so external health benefits are the only goal? Is that the reason why you also trained in other systems? I am eager to understand from you the objective and scope of FP. So, is FP just the starting step of a larger hierarchical ystem?

 

 

Bottom line: as "broken traditions" go, the John Davidson version of the TC Ruler seen in the first pictorial section of my book (and on my 1985 video) is still an effective physical training regimen that strengthens legwork,stances and posture, and does cultivate chi to a certain extent by coordinating eyes, mind, movement and breath. But it is NOT the correct Tai Chi Ruler art. The correct version is seen in the back pictorial section of the book only.

 

Does the video have the correct version? I am hoping to get the video alone and learn the correct art. Please advise me here.

 

5) My teachers always emphasized--and I continue to teach my students to this day--this maxim:

"No matter what you do, you must do Quiet Sitting".

 

Does zazen work here?

 

 

There's no relation whatsoever. Or very much similarity. TC Ruler is very much shen-cultivating as one's eyes are focussed on the center of the ruler throughout practice; FP practice is 99% done with eyes closed.

TC Ruler breathing can be done with inhalation through nose and exhalation thru mouth (for cleansing); FP breathing is always through the nose (except for the last final (3rd) exhalation taken to end practice of an exercise).

TC Ruler practice goes about 1/3 speed of Tai Chi Chuan practice; FP movement can be as slow as the human body can possibly move: following the oral teaching: "move at the speed of a shifting sand dune."

So they are very, very, very x 10 very different!

 

Sifu, what are the applications of the two? One is a medical qigong and the other is for? Are they compatible to be practiced together? I would like to understand what Tai chi ruler is all about. Is it a short version of Tai chi as in giving same benefits?

 

Finally, I see that you have seven volumes of FP dvds. Is the ideal way to start with vol 1, practice a bit, stop vol 1 and move to 2 and so on? Or are there overlapping exercises between the volumes (may be old and new editions of the video or something?)

 

 

The production, instruction and the technique in your video is the best I have come across. Many thanks for the videos and for participating here.

[zen-bear]

Hi Jinjujitsu,

 

My answers are below in bold:

 

Dear Sifu Dunn,

 

This has been the best source of information on FP Qigong. Can you please clarify some doubts?

 

 

 

Does this mean FP is not a complete alchemy in itself? You say it is a medical qigong, so external health benefits are the only goal? Is that the reason why you also trained in other systems? I am eager to understand from you the objective and scope of FP. So, is FP just the starting step of a larger hierarchical ystem?

 

**FP health benefits are not "external" but come from the unique and tangible internal energy that it cultivates. The Flying Phoenix Celestial Healing Chi Meditations is a complete system of medical Qigong that can be practicee for a lifetime as a stand alone system. It just happens that the source of this knowledge, Grandmaster Doo Wai, is master and preserver of a vast codex of very powerful internal systems. And GMDW wanted to teach me a lot of knowledge base that he felt suited me. Before I started training from the GM in 1991, I had already been certified in 1983 in 2 Kung-fu systems, and had beenintensively practicing Tai Chi for 12 yrs. So i had the background to learn as fast as the GM would teach me. (Without asking him for anything in particular--for I didn't know how much he knew, the GM selected arts that he thought "fit" my nature and "tonal".) So besides FP, I learned several other complete arts from him.**

 

Does the video have the correct version? I am hoping to get the video alone and learn the correct art. Please advise me here.

 

**Yes, the DVD's teach the FP exercises exactly as I was trained. Again, I don't know of any published Qigong system where the breathing method that has been disclosed--i.e, anything that's advanced and beyond the usual, pedestrian forms of "natal" tan tien breathing.**

 

Does zazen work here?

 

Wow, I have to completely update and add to my answer here because this question is too general and therefore a little loaded"--so I will break down the question and qualify my answers so as not to over-generalize:

 

*If you mean traditional Japanese Zen seated meditation as in either the Rinzai or Soto sects, I would say that it works to varying degrees anywhere depending on the cultural background of the practitioner, the environment where one practices zazen, and whether or not one has an authentic Zen master supervising the practice who can make the proper corrections to practice on every level.

 

If you mean the zazen (zuo chan) of the older Chinese Linji and Caodong schools that gave rise respectively to the Rinzai and Soto sects, I would say, yes, Chinese zazen that utilizes "The Circulation of the Light" or "Turning the Wheel" in its practice will be more effective than the zazen practices that do not. Of course, Zen meditation utilizes meditation concentration, the working out of koans, or "just sitting" (quiet sitting) to become aware of the nature of existence and thus attain enlightenment. Zazen as a meditative vehicle practiced within a monastic tradition to attain enlightment and spiritual liberation has always been effective throughout history. But as a yogic practice, zazen is very basic.

 

I have first-hand experience doing body work over several years on the Japanese monks at the Los Angeles Zen Center in the 70's and early 80's who visited us at the Taoist Sanctuary during our annual Open House's. I have worked on some of the toughest, densest psycho-somatic processes in humans, but I have never encountered anything more granite-hard than these Japanese Zen monks, who I very quickly learned had been spending many hours every single day in zazen but obviously wound up spending so much of that time meditating exclusively on their Pain--thereby becoming walking bundles of time-bound, somaticized Primal Pain.

These monks appreciated all the work we did for them, for they got some relief, but we all knew it wasn't long-lasting. We all concluded that they didn't need zazen--but some really good psychotherapy that could effect emotional release of the cathartic-abreactive type if they wanted to survive to a ripe age even in a monastic setting with relatively light obligations to outside civilization.

 

As for zazen working "here"--

If you're asking, "Does zazen work with the FP Qigong system, my answer would be: (A) If zazen is not working for one before one starts FP Qigong training, then zazen will work profoundly better after one practices FP for 6 months--or even just 3 months;

( btw, Zazen as practiced in Japanese Zen sects doesn't have to work here because Flying Phoenix Qigong training subsumes zazen 100%. FP very rapidly brings into awareness the energetic workings of the entire body and reveals the control that the mind can exert on the cultivation of a specific and tangible healing energy and on the use of this healing energy. That FP Seated Meditations ("Monk Serves Wine") subsumes the effects of zazen in the same way that the basic standing FP Meditations (Vols. 1,3,4,5) subsumes the effects of Zhan Zhuang--as Sifu Garry Hearfield pointed out (in a later posting, btw.)

 

http://www.taichimania.com/chikung_catalog.html

 

But in general--i.e., using a liberal, expansive definition of zazen to mean "quiet seated mediation" that's not attached to any particular Zen center's teachings--I would say that zazen can work very well in conjunction with FP Qigong.[/i]

 

If I further qualify zazen to mean the "quiet sitting" in the Chinese Chan and Taoist traditions that follow the Circulation of the Light, then the answer is: Yes, zazen will work EXTREMELY well alongside Flying Phoenix practice. Because any meditation that utilizes this simple "Secret of the Golden Flower" will ground everything that needs grounding and ultimately effect cosmic consciousness--enabling the practitioner to "embrace the One."

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Secret_of_the_Golden_Flower

 

"The Secret of the Golden Flower" is a quintessential manual on Taoist meditation attributed to Lu Dongbin (Lu Tung Pin in Wade-Giles), who happens to be the patron saint of the Tao Tan Pai system.

 

That is the reason why early in my training in Master Share K. Lew's Tao Tan Pai (Taoist Elixir Method) nei-gung, we were all taught "if you do anything at all, you must do quiet sitting." When I next asked, "Is quiet sitting more important to do than the Yoga (meaning the entire codex of TTP neigong)", I was taught, yes, "It is more important than the Yoga."

 

But back to answering your question:

If one practices FP for several months, one's zazen--no matter where it comes from or if it has been variegated to any degree--will be greatly enhanced. In the late 90's, I did a series of long weekend workshops in Minneapolis and New York (Long Island). All the attendees who practiced other meditative systems wrote to me for weeks and months after each seminar saying that their practice of their martial arts and other meditation arts was enriched and very positively affected.**

 

 

Sifu, what are the applications of the two? One is a medical qigong and the other is for? Are they compatible to be practiced together? I would like to understand what Tai chi ruler is all about. Is it a short version of Tai chi as in giving same benefits?

 

There is no historic relation between Tai Chi Chuan and the Tai Chi Ruler system that I learned. TCC is a complete internal martial art has a history that's widely published, with 2 popular versions: (a) Chang san-feng created it and ( A general in the Chen Family devised the first Tai Chi Chuan in the 14th century. The Tai Chi Ruler that I learned is a complete system of qigong (or Chinese yoga) that was originally created by Chen Hsi-I during the Sung Dynasty, in the 11th century. (There may be other systems of Tai Chi Ruler that evolved within the Tai Chi Chuan, but I've never heard of one. Many teachers of Tai Chi Chuan also know Tai Chi Ruler.)

 

TCC is a complete martial art. TC Ruler is a qigong, energy-cultivation system that does not come with martial applications. But Tai Chi Ruler is typically practiced to empower other internal martial arts--not necessarily Tai Chi Chuan. I learned the Tai Chi Ruler from a senior student of Taoist Master Share K. Lew and from Master Lew directly. (Master Lew is grandmaster of Tao Tan Pai Kung-Fu) .

 

 

Finally, I see that you have seven volumes of FP dvds. Is the ideal way to start with vol 1, practice a bit, stop vol 1 and move to 2 and so on? Or are there overlapping exercises between the volumes (may be old and new editions of the video or something?)

 

It's best to practice the Flying Phoenix Qigong in the order that they are presented in the DVD series. Start with Vols. 1 and 2. Then add 3, 4, 5, etc. All the CKFH DVD volumes are easy to learn except for Vol. 4, the Long Form STanding Meditation, which is a longer and more complex moving meditaiton and requires a lot of memorization--equivalent to learning a Tai Chi Form.

 

The production, instruction and the technique in your video is the best I have come across. Many thanks for the videos and for participating here.

 

**Thanks for the compliment. You're welcome. Good luck in your practice.**

 

Sifu Terry Dunn

Edited October 1, 2010 by zen-bear

[jinjujitsu]

**Yes, the DVD's teach the FP exercises exactly as I was trained. Again, I don't know of any published Qigong system where the breathing method that has been disclosed--i.e, anything that's advanced and beyond the usual, pedestrian forms of "natal" tan tien breathing.**

 

Dear Sifu Dunn,

 

A million thanks for the helpful answers.

 

In the above case, I forgot to mention that I was talking about the Tai Chi ruler DVD. You said earlier that the Tai Chi Ruler book had the incorrect/corrupted set of steps in the earlier section whereas the later pictures were the correct ones based on what the grand master actually taught.

 

So, does the accompanying video have the right set of steps? Would I be okay just getting the ruler and the DVD and skipping the book?

 

Best Regards,

Zara

[zen-bear]

Dear Sifu Dunn,

 

A million thanks for the helpful answers.

 

In the above case, I forgot to mention that I was talking about the Tai Chi ruler DVD. You said earlier that the Tai Chi Ruler book had the incorrect/corrupted set of steps in the earlier section whereas the later pictures were the correct ones based on what the grand master actually taught.

 

So, does the accompanying video have the right set of steps? Would I be okay just getting the ruler and the DVD and skipping the book?

 

Best Regards,

Zara

 

 

Hi Zara,

 

Yes the latter section of the TC Ruler book has the corrected version given by Master Share K. Lew.

 

But the video only contains the first version that we were all doing unwittingly for 10+ years in the 80's, which is a "broken" tradition.

 

Still, as far as martial exercises go, the video version is still a good practice. It's just not totally correct.

 

 

Bottom line answer: You can skip teh video and just use the wooden TC ruler with the book.

 

Regards,

 

 

Sifu Terry Dunn