Flying Phoenix Chi Kung

[zen-bear]

Sifu Terry -

 

Ralis asked a good question and you provided an excellent answer. Net-net, the material on the Flying Phoenix DVD's represent only a portion of the FP system. There are additional meditations, herbal recipes, etc.

 

So, I have some questions on behalf of all of us who are "distance learners": After we have finished learning all of the FP meditations on your DVD series, and after we are practicing them for a sufficient period of time to gain proficiency with them, what do you recommend as a next step in our learning process? Or, do you recommend a next step? And if yes, how would we proceed? Are you planning on adding any additional advanced FP meditations to your DVD series?

 

Thanks,

 

Lloyd

 

 

Hi Lloyd,

 

Yes, I plan to produce 4 more volumes of the Chi Kung For Health DVD series. One of the new volumes will be the long, 24-movement seated Monk Serves Wine meditation. One will be the re-release of a new Volume 6, which has 5 advanced White Tiger meditations (Non-Flying Phoenix). The final 2 volumes will be slightly more advanced FP Meditations.

 

My suggestion as the next step in training after one has learned all the Flying Phoenix exercises taught on the DVD series is to get instruction from me either at ongoing my classes in Los Angeles, through private lessons, or later through FP Qigong workshops that I will conduct throughout the country once again after I've completed the Kung Fu Panda litigation against Dreamworks. Over the past year, I found from my experience teaching several "long-distance" FP Qigong practitioners (using the DVDs) who came to L.A. for follow-up private lessons that they all needed important form corrections, for none of them had intermediate or advanced level in Kung Fu. (Good level in Kung-Fu and/or another Qigong complete system facilitates proper FP Qigong practice in order to derive maximum benefit.) When one has learned the FP meditations as taught on the DVD series,the corrections are very therapeutic due to the profound healing potential of exercises. And most out-of-town beginning students also needed a bit of guidance and a "boost" in terms of how fitting in FP Qigong practice in their day-to-day lives. Also, on a one-on-one basis, each student at some point needs very specific corrections of their FPQ practice that address their bodies' unique response to the FP energy cultivation.

 

Regarding FP Qigong workshops, in 1997-1999, I gave very successful FP Qigong workshops in Santa Fe, NM, Minneapolis, MN, NYC, and Long Island, NY.) I look forward very much to resuming this seminar work as soon as I get justice done. One of my favorite sites where I taught FP Qigong seminars, covering everything on the present 6 volumes of the DVD series was the Benedictine Center of St. Paul, a beautiful former training center for Benedictine nuns built by a Russian architect in the 50's, more recently used as a retreat and retirement center for the Benedictine order. We had large turnouts from first-time practitioners all over the northern midwest states and from the east coast. Btw, I respect Minnesotans a lot; those who attended my workshops were very focussed, hard-working and serious about training.) If you think the FP Qigong is powerful and fast-acting when one practices to a CKFH DVD in front of the TV or computer screen, wait till you feel the group energy of 40 practitioners doing the seventh round of Monk Serves Wine #3 (90 80 50 20) in the same room

 

Thanks for your questions.

 

Sifu Terry

Edited March 18, 2011 by zen-bear

[Fu_dog]

Sifu Terry -

 

Thanks for your excellent response. It's very exciting to learn you are planning not only to add to your Chi Kung for Health DVD series, but also to do some seminars in selected cities. VERY COOL! Actually, after I asked the question it occurred to me than any of us can double the benefits of the FP practice simply by doubling the hours we practice. Input = Output.

 

Regarding coming out to LA to work with you privately, that would work for me. My brother in law lives in Orange County, so on my next visit out to SoCal, I would love to come out to do just that. That would be really a highlight and of course I would give you as much heads up time as possible.

 

In the meantime, I wish you all the best as you work your way through the legal battles you are in the midst of. Hopefully you prevail sooner rather than later.

 

Best wishes always,

 

Lloyd

[Fu_dog]

Sifu Terry -

 

This is a tangential question, however, one I want to ask. Please give your opinion on practicing FP with jewelry.

 

Do you recommend removing all? Some?

 

When I practice, I always remove all from hands/wrists, but often leave on a gold necklace.

 

Your thoughts?

 

Thanks,

 

Lloyd

[zen-bear]

Hello Lloyd,

 

Flying Phoenix Qigong is so benign and very accommodating that one can wear rings, watch, bracelets (for the ladies) and all the neck jewelry and bling that one cares to while practicing. Normal jewelry will not interfere with the process of cultivating the FP healing energy. (I am excluding, of course, esoteric types of crystal jewelry created for alchemic purposes.)

 

I say this based on two levels of experience:

 

(1) In the years that I trained with GM Doo Wai, he only took his watch off for one purpose: to spar or to demonstrate martial techniques. When he practiced and demonstrated Flying Phoenix Qigong and other Bok Fu Pai (White Tiger) meditations--much of which I videotaped,the grandmaster never took off any of his jewelry. And he would wear rings, pendant on chain, and also certain pins on his clothing that signified his standing in the Chinese healing/herbalist community.

 

(2) Other forms of qigong and neigong are better practiced without jewelry or without clothing for that matter. For example, some of the advanced neigung exercises of Tao Tan Pai ("Taoist Elixir Method" Kung Fu) of Grandmaster Share K. Lew are best done without clothing. They just work better that way. Another reason is that one "sees" better if one is practicing in front of a mirror.

 

But that is not the case with FP Qigong: one's normal jewelry that one wears on a daily basis--and which carries one's energy anyway--is not a problem to wear while practicing.

 

Tangential questions are OK, Lloyd.

 

Best,

 

Sifu Terry

 

 

 

 

 

Sifu Terry -

 

This is a tangential question, however, one I want to ask. Please give your opinion on practicing FP with jewelry.

 

Do you recommend removing all? Some?

 

When I practice, I always remove all from hands/wrists, but often leave on a gold necklace.

 

Your thoughts?

 

Thanks,

 

Lloyd

Edited March 27, 2011 by zen-bear

[Shen555]

I have a question, I read in a few places that high qigong entails high morals and vice versa, could you please explain a thing or two about what this means if you've heard anything about it Sifu Terry? Is it true?, or is it something the masters of old made up to ensure they only had good hearted students?

 

Warmest regards from the cold, cold north,

 

Shen

Edited March 27, 2011 by Shen555

[rsalazar]

I have a question, I read in a few places that high qigong entails high morals and vice versa, could you please explain a thing or two about what this means if you've heard anything about it Sifu Terry? Is it true?, or is it something the masters of old made up to ensure they only had good hearted students?

 

Warmest regards from the cold, cold north,

 

Shen

 

Hello Shen,

This is a really good question which I believe was already addressed by Sifu Terry very early in this thread - go back through this whole thread for the full reply, I'm sure Sifu Terry will fill in any extra points later.

Cheers,

Rene'

[Shen555]

Ah, okay thank you...

[Aki-Dan]

Hi: I am not sure if I am doing this right. I have a question about CKFP and was hoping someone could help. I found almost everything I needed in the FP forum. After the inital 3 breaths and doing the proportion breaths the instructions are to breath normal but does that mean take as many breaths as you want to do a move. I no you are suppose to go slow I don't no if that means take 2-6 breaths. I am starting on vol1-2 and don't want to start off wrong. Thank You

[Leif]

After the inital 3 breaths and doing the proportion breaths the instructions are to breath normal but does that mean take as many breaths as you want to do a move. I no you are suppose to go slow I don't no if that means take 2-6 breaths. I am starting on vol1-2 and don't want to start off wrong.

I believe sifu Terry says somewhere that you should follow your own natural breathing pattern, anyway just found and copied the instructions from his website:

"Once this initial breathing sequence is completed, breath naturally and evenly as you do the rest of the exercise. Do not hold your breath or strain your breathing! "

 

(If you wish to work on your natural breathing pattern (as I have found out during FPCK that I sorely need) for example the taoist breathing program from Bruce Frantzis seems good to me.)

Edited March 28, 2011 by Leif

[Fu_dog]

Aki-Dan -

 

I agree with Lief and will also add a little more from my own experience. You completely disassociate your breathing from the movements, such that after the breathing sequence to start each exercise, you can effectively forget about your breathing if you wish and simply concentrate on the movements.

 

If you have taken tai chi, which coordinates breathing and movement, you'll find this to be quite a departure. So, it may take a little getting used to, however, the effects are quite strong. And, I believe you'll find they become stronger with each successive FPCK exercise.

 

After practicing regularly for a month or two, I found the sensation of qi on my hands and arms to be quite extraordinary. Hopefully you will soon enjoy similar experiences with practice (if you haven't already).

 

I wish you well with your journey with your Flying Phoenix practice!

[Aki-Dan]

Thank You Fu and Leif. I intend to reread the forum one more time as I read thru it pretty fast the first time. I am amazed at the amount of info in the forum and thank all who posted there.

[zen-bear]

I have a question, I read in a few places that high qigong entails high morals and vice versa, could you please explain a thing or two about what this means if you've heard anything about it Sifu Terry? Is it true?, or is it something the masters of old made up to ensure they only had good hearted students?

 

Warmest regards from the cold, cold north,

 

Shen

 

 

Hi Shen555,

 

I'm not sure what you mean by if "high qigong entails high morals". Qigong, whether it's high or low, is a system of hygienics and energy cultivation. "High morals" I would define as being constant in one's understanding of the distinction between right and wrong and acting always in the right. Quite an ideal character trait.

 

Morals are principles of right conduct. Qigong as a discipline in and of itself of course can't dictate or enforce moral behavior. So high Qigong cannot "entail" high morals unless the teacher instills the high morals in the student(s). And that's up to each teacher.

 

One of the traditional means by which Chinese masters attempt to develop morality is to severely test and test and test and test the character, morals, mettle, and capacity to persevere and to sacrifice ("ren") of the student over many years before teaching him advanced knowledge.

 

I also take "High qigong" to mean advanced qigong methods that have the potential to enable one to cross the threshold of human experience into the spiritual realm by cultivating the structural sensitivity of the body and psychical powers of the mind so that one is able to literally "see", recognize, commune, and otherwise wrestle with supramundane energies and spiritual entities. While being highly cultivated through Qigong can enable one to see and commune with spirits, whether one chooses to commune and work with spirits in any manner and to any frequency is totally up to the predilection of that person. Most of my teachers in Kung Fu and Qigong avoided contact with spirits at all costs because they were afraid of spirits--even though they had the tools to work with them. One exception, of course, was Taoist priest Share K. Lew, who was monastically trained in China.

 

One truly has to be "called" to become a spiritualist.

 

Stay warm up there with the FPQ!

 

Sifu Terry

[zen-bear]

Aki-Dan -

 

I agree with Lief and will also add a little more from my own experience. You completely disassociate your breathing from the movements, such that after the breathing sequence to start each exercise, you can effectively forget about your breathing if you wish and simply concentrate on the movements.

 

If you have taken tai chi, which coordinates breathing and movement, you'll find this to be quite a departure. So, it may take a little getting used to, however, the effects are quite strong. And, I believe you'll find they become stronger with each successive FPCK exercise.

 

After practicing regularly for a month or two, I found the sensation of qi on my hands and arms to be quite extraordinary. Hopefully you will soon enjoy similar experiences with practice (if you haven't already).

 

I wish you well with your journey with your Flying Phoenix practice!

 

 

Hi Lloyd,

 

Thanks for making an excellent recapitulation of the general breathing method of the Flying Phoenix Qigong for Aki-Dan. Your perspective as a student of FP Qigong with 1.5+ years of experience is perfectly accurate, valuable and is nicely articulated.

 

'Makes my job much easier. Many thanks!

 

Best Regards,

 

Sifu Terry

[zen-bear]

Hi: I am not sure if I am doing this right. I have a question about CKFP and was hoping someone could help. I found almost everything I needed in the FP forum. After the inital 3 breaths and doing the proportion breaths the instructions are to breath normal but does that mean take as many breaths as you want to do a move. I no you are suppose to go slow I don't no if that means take 2-6 breaths. I am starting on vol1-2 and don't want to start off wrong. Thank You

 

 

 

Hello Aki-Dan,

 

I just complemented Fu_Dog for his very good explanation of the breathing method in Flying Phoenix Qigong. He is accurate in his clarification that after you do the initial breath control sequence of each exercise once, you simply breath naturally and do not make any attempt whatsoever to synchronize any part of the breath cycle with any particular movement in the FP exercises. Just breath naturally and move as slowly and smoothly as you can--aiming towards "the speed and smoothness of a shifting sand dune."

 

Enjoy the practice.

 

Sifu Terry Dunn

[Aki-Dan]

Thank You Sifu Terry. This a little hard for me to get concidering I studied Aikido for so long. The mental visualization used to cultivate ki forces thought. I am having trouble making my mind still. Do you not think of anything when moving. If you are not thinking of your breath, then what? I have watch your dvd's and your facial expressions change durning meditation. Thank You ...

[Shen555]

Thank you for your patient answer Sifu Terry. I actually haven't begun yet so I'm still chilling, got side tracked a bit for awhile but I will be starting very soon, sometime this month possibly, with the first two volumes. With spring starting to roll around I should be a lot warmer from that at least in the mean time. I read so many good things about these meditations that I think I really must give them a shot. (Finished reading the whole forum.)

 

Warmest Regards from a place that's slowly getting warmer,

 

Shen

Edited April 2, 2011 by Shen555

[ralis]

FP vol. 1 is wonderful!

 

Thanks Sifu Terry

[Fu_dog]

Ralis -

 

Vol 1 *is* wonderful. That said, as you progress you'll find that only scratches the surface of this qigong.

 

You are in for a treat as you continue.

 

Fu dog

[Aki-Dan]

Fu Dog: If you don't mind I'll ask you the same question.When you are doing the movements where does your mind go? When you first started out did you think of the movements as you were doing them or did you calm your mind.And if so how. And one more question, I plan to start monday and will do dvd 1&2 for the first week or two with my eyes open while watching then after that with my eyes closed but I have read on this site that one or two standing and maybe one or two seated were a good way to start. Is there any combination you might suggest for a newbe. Thanks

[Fu_dog]

Aki-Dan -

 

I am happy to answer.

 

Starting with eyes open is fine. It won't take you very long to do the meditations comfortably with eyes closed. Take your time. Learn one at a time. When you are completely comfortable, and can do it eyes closed then you can begin learning a second one.

 

For me, actually, I started by purchasing Vol. 2. I had done lots of standing qigong over the years and was really interested in a seated qigong. I learned one at a time. I was not in a hurry. I learned about meditation per week, so the six Seated took me about six weeks.

 

That said, you may learn faster. Just go with what feels right for you.

 

Question: When I first started did I think of the movements or calm my mind?

 

Answer: When I first started and always, after the initial breathing sequence I try to allow my mind to go to a state of calm. As clear and calm as possible will still doing the movements.

 

Now, for me in the beginning this was much easier because I started with the seated FP in Vol. 2. Seated for me was very comfortable and calming. After I finished Vol 2 began Vol 1, I found while doing the standing FP my mind could only get so calm because after several minutes my legs will begin to scream they are tired.

 

It has been my experience with each passing month of practice, my mind became calmer, calmer while doing Flying Phoenix.

 

Now, after 16 months of practicing FP, my state of mind becomes almost wu-ji, meaning completely "empty". The link to consciousness is only the movements themselves. The state of mind is a little hard to describe, but it is indescribably wonderful.

 

So where does my mind go? To nearly a "no mind" state, with consciousness linking only to the FP movements.

 

Question: Is there any combination I might suggest for a newby?

 

Answer: Yes. Do Standing FP followed by Seated FP. I still do that now. The Standing are more energizing, the Seated more calming. That works really well for me.

 

A little more advice:

 

Sifu Terry recommends once a week or so, do *all* the meditations in Vol 1. Another day (or session) do *all* the mediations in Vol 2. This is a powerful thing to do. I still do this also. Sifu has said, and I can completely agree from my own experience, that the "basic" FP meditations really are not so basic.

 

 

OK, you didn't ask but I will share a little more about the path I have taken. I must admit I learned the FP Volumes a bit out of order. Here is my sequence of learning:

 

Vol 2 - Six Seated

Vol 1 - Five Standing

Vol 3 - Two Standing

Vol 7 - Five Advanced Seated

Vol 4 - FP Celestial Healing Meditation

 

I have just finished Vol 4. I found the FPCHM to be something *really* special. I have become absolutely hooked on it. I do FPCHM every night, and I find myself very much looking forward to it every day. I won't describe what happens on this post....one day you will get to experience it for yourself.

 

After FPCHM, I do some seated FP.

 

All this said, I still consider myself a beginner. The Flying Phoenix system continues to reveal things to me, continues to refine itself as I practice. Sifu Garry had said this would happen. I have found FP to be very good for health. I have not gotten sick in a long time now.

 

In a few weeks I will begin Vol 5 - Five 90 Second Power Meditations. This is the last available FP Volume.

 

Hope this helps. Any other questions, please feel free to ask.

 

All the best with your practice.

 

Fu dog

[Aki-Dan]

Thank You Fu-Dog: I plan on starting only 1&2 for a couple month then adding #3. Due to back issues I will only be able to the seated meds in a chair.lotus positions are no longer possible. When you started did you use a clock to time the lenght of your meds? I no that might sound strange but i want to start with 3-5 min for the standing, I don't want to over due it and I no I will wonder about how long I'd been doing the meds instead of trying to calm my mind? If I run into any more questions would you mind? Thanks Again Dan

[Fu_dog]

Aki-Dan -

 

To estimate time when I was beginning my FP practice, I counted my breaths. When doing qigong I take about 3 breaths per minute, so that was easy for me to estimate time that way. A typical timer beeps, and I found that to be too disruptive to the peaceful state of mind created by FP. Counting breaths for me was much better.

 

Over several months of practice, however, I got away from counting breaths as I got a better feel for the passage of time while doing FP. And, as I mentioned in my last post I eventually forgot about breath altogether while doing FP, after the initial percentage breath sequence to start the meditation.

 

As for practicing the FP Seated meditations in a chair, last year I had to do that for a few weeks because of a knee injury that would not let me sit cross legged. I got good results from that also.

 

All the best,

 

Fu dog

[zen-bear]

Thank You Sifu Terry. This a little hard for me to get concidering I studied Aikido for so long. The mental visualization used to cultivate ki forces thought. I am having trouble making my mind still. Do you not think of anything when moving. If you are not thinking of your breath, then what? I have watch your dvd's and your facial expressions change durning meditation. Thank You ...

 

 

 

Aki-Dan,

 

I think that you will discover--as almost every FP Qigong practitioner does at some point--that when you practice the moving meditations as slowly as possible, you will find that the process and the attempt to move at "the speed of a shifting sand dune" alone will create the unique and sublime state of "no-mind" where your mind is empty while you are "not-doing" the movements (that Fu_Dog very nicely described in his posting).

 

Unlike many other styles of Qigong and unlike Aikido, the cultivation of the tangible Flying Phoenix healing energy entails/requires no mental visualization whatsoever. All you do is perform the breath-control sequence once at the start of the exercise and then hold the posture and do the movements (if there are movements in the particular exercise). And as I've said in earliest posts: while it is ideal to attain the state of no-mind through concentrating on the super-slow movements, as long as you do the breathing sequence correctly and assume the posture correctly, the FP Meditation will generally impart the same energizing and rejuvenating effects whether your mind is empty, you are calculating your income taxes, composing a melody, or reciting the Magna Carta.

 

Quick diagnosis: your statement that "The mental visualization used to cultivate ki forces thought." indicates two things to me:

 

1) The mental visualization you are using alone cannot cultivate ki or chi.

 

I've never trained in Aikido--but have only watched and studied numerous Aikido masters, and watched several friends of mine get tested for their black belts by the phenomenal Chiba Sensei (in San Diego in the 90's). I can only speak from my experience that all Chinese, Indian and Tibetan yogic (alchemic) arts that cultivate or generate internal energy always coordinate four (4) vital functions in an esoteric manner: eyes, mind, movement, and breath.

 

2) You are trying too hard to cultivate Ki using the mental visualization that you were taught.

Chi or ki cannot be forced--mentally or otherwise. It can only be induced.

 

The martial ki cultivated through Aikido practice is very, very different in quality from the Flying Phoenix healing energy. The Ki developed in Aikido is more akin to (but in the end is still not the same as) the jing that is cultivated through advanced Tai Chi Chuan.

 

It may take you a while to let go of the rigid approach to energy cultivation that you have been used to. But I think you will be pleasantly startled at how fast and relatively easily the FP Qigong works.

 

Good luck,

 

Sifu Terry Dunn

Edited April 4, 2011 by zen-bear

[Aki-Dan]

Thank You Sifu Dunn: I apprecite the comments. You know the old saying, It's hard to teach an old dog new tricks LOL. but it can be done. Due to a hip injury I can no longer sit in lotus. Is there a problem doing the meditation from a chair and again Thank You

[zen-bear]

A question to any who are willing to answer and I'm not sure if this has been asked already... But has anyone ever used these meditations to generate the neccessary qi to enter the astral plane?, I know relaxation is important but I read that to make it that much easier a good wellspring of spiritual energy helps maintain ones form in that plane as well. This is just a curiousity of mine as I've always been fascinated by that realm, mainly just as a means of learning more about oneself and the world, and I've been trying to find a way to generate the neccessary power to achieve this end. Anybody?

 

My thanks in advance,

 

Shen

 

 

Hello Shen555,

 

Sorry, I missed this question back when you posted it and have just now read it.

 

"Entering the astral plane" is not merely a matter of generating "necessary" or sufficient qi." Qi alone does not necessarily enable one to access the astral plane.

Astral projection and skrying or whatever you want to call one's experience on the astral plane is a function of mind--more than anything else. How the person deals with what he or she encounters on the astral plane depends on the strength and quality of his soul and his spirit. But it is the mind that "enters" the astral plane. Some people are born with the gift of access. Others find means to condition the mind to enable at-will access to the astral plane.

 

The importance of mind-power is easiest to understand given the fact that in all ancient yogic traditions, the dreamstate is one modality of "entering the astral plane," and the skill of "lucid dreaming" is a sometimes the essential first step towards entering the astral plane. As an excellent exercise in lucid dreaming, Castaneda passed on to his readers how he was taught by Don Juan to look for his hands while dreaming. And then to carefully expand one's vision once he found his hands in the dreamstate. All this is basic exercise of the mind.

 

So mind is what accesses the astral plane. For a good handbook on developing one's mind to access higher states of consciousness, one can read the Castaneda books (the first seven titles in order of their publication.) They are an invaluable roadmap written in English to explore the astral terrain that is perfectly compatible with training in Taoist (and Buddhist) martial and yogic arts.

 

One of the richest, best-written, and most condensed resources that one can use to develop the ability for skrying and astral projection is W.Y. Evans-Wentz's "Tibetan Yoga and Secret Doctrines." (One of 2 required readings for all my students.)

 

To further understand that the mind is all-important (more important than Qi or anything else) in accessing the astral plane, read the Gospel of Mary (Magdalene) in the Gnostic Bible (Nag Hammadi Library) to see Christ's own words about "seeing".

 

And there are, of course, tons of other literature that describe the esoteric rituals, symbolic formulas and yogas that enable the mind to access supramundane realities in Taoist, Buddhist, Tibetan Buddhist, and western hermetic libraries--and also in the biographies and writings of more modern prophets and psychics such as Nostradamus, Edgar Cayce, Sylvia Brown, and even John Edwards (who constantly taps the astral plane to do his grief counseling.)

 

Flying Phoenix Qigong is first and foremost a yogic system of energy cultivation and hygienics. By my experience, FP Qigong's sublime meditative state of self-healing can be used as a vehicle to access the astral plane. But that totally depends on the mind and the predilection of the practitioner. (As posted early on in this thread, first-time practitioners of FP Qigong have reported experiencing visions of Buddhist dieties and iconography at the very onset of practice. Whether this is astral visitation or memory-access I don't know...'would have to ask the contributor.)

 

 

Sifu Terry Dunn

 

P.S. No doubt that contributor "Dale" has such a predilection as he explained in a posting not too long ago that he had been communing with Puxian (patron saint of Ehrmeishan) in meditation, and then a few weeks later discovered for the first time the DVD series teaching Flying Phoenix and this discussion thread.

Edited April 5, 2011 by zen-bear