Flying Phoenix Chi Kung

[ridingtheox]

I have been a fraud all my tai chi teaching is invalid ... i am not a master nor interested in martial art  (Quaker, pacifist, Vietnam Veteran) ...

 

btw one of my students (78yrs) has been experiencing rotational qi in his solo practice of TCC  which I had never discribed to him ...

[ridingtheox]

also my experience of FPCH is probably suspect

[ridingtheox]

   

[ridingtheox]

btw  have had a bad lingering headcold ... but practiced daily   . Adv. seated 4, 5,  standing 1,2,3  some TCC   plus some wu xing  did not cure the cold but sure felt good to do these mediative arts ..   did not do the long form most days ...  that was disappointing as I had planned a 100 continuous period.  Now I have to start over  

[pitisukha]

As suggested by Sifu Terry I'll post here the original mail sent to him with my present feeling on FP, hoping to get some feedback.

 

 

Hello Sifu Terry,

 

I’ll be totally honest with you, I’m a bit discouraged. 

It’s been 2 years and half since I have started practicing with FP and practiced it almost everyday for at least 40 minutes. 

I have not seen any of the benefits or effects, like blue light, quieting of the mind, etc…, that everyone talks about on the Taobums forum.

 

I understand that in a large part I practice because unconsciously I’m suffering with the present moment, and qigong keeps with it a promise that by practicing it somewhat the future will be better than the present moment.

In the same way to some degree I’m still practicing because not doing so would be like admitting that what I’ve done for the past two years and a half was useless… and this create discomfort again, it is better to think that there are effects but I can not see them…

 

What’s more my mind would be eager of learning new forms, new styles and all that fantastic stuff, but this is mostly for the same reason, not accepting the present that is trying to express suffering, frustration, anger and subscribing to the promise of a better future.

 

Please notice that here what I’m talking about is totally my personal experience, I don’t want to be sound disrespectful about you and the arts you are teaching. On the contrary I greatly admire you and all other people that teach something that can benefit other human beings.

[John Reinhard]

I am doing Qigong for several years. Searching was my biggest problem. Searching for health, searching for miracles. I understand really what you are talking about. So I stopped searching. I don't talk very much about what I am training. I sit and stand every day not searching anymore. That what's my miracle about. Doing Qigong without expectation. Sitting and feeling but not searching. All day long I searched for the better (future, health) but accepting this is it that's for me the miracle that's the healing. When other people see energy it is okay for them but it no goal for me. Feeling how the body is moving, stopping when it is enough, trying on different moments on a day. Feeling how it works when you have no energy. That's for me what's in it

Thank you for sharing

[Leif]

I understand that in a large part I practice because unconsciously I’m suffering with the present moment, and qigong keeps with it a promise that by practicing it somewhat the future will be better than the present moment.

 

The trouble is that the quality of your presence in present moment has enormous effect on the outcome of your qigong practice.

 

What do you do besides your qigong practice? Some meditation or mindfulness practices (loving-kindness, gratitude, mindful breathing,...), some rigorous physical activity, what do you eat plays role,...

 

Once you are more in the present moment, you shall start reaping more benefits.

[cihan]

As suggested by Sifu Terry I'll post here the original mail sent to him with my present feeling on FP, hoping to get some feedback.

It works, don't give up. 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited February 10, 2016 by cihan

[pitisukha]

First of all thanks everyone for all the support.

 

The trouble is that the quality of your presence in present moment has enormous effect on the outcome of your qigong practice.

 

What do you do besides your qigong practice? Some meditation or mindfulness practices (loving-kindness, gratitude, mindful breathing,...), some rigorous physical activity, what do you eat plays role,...

 

Once you are more in the present moment, you shall start reaping more benefits.

 

I practiced martial arts since I was 7 years old, at present I'm practicing TangLang Chuan.

Also doing basic aerobic and some weight training...

 

As for diet, I follow an almost gluten free diet, no dairy products, very little yeast products, and since the last two month alchool free.

 

I'm practicing daily "advaita meditation", and started five weeks ago the Presence Process by Michael Brown (a very good book IMO).

The point is that is precisely through increased presence in the now that I'm becoming aware of unpleasant emotions, that for all my life have been managed in the ways, sometimes repressing them, sometimes projecting the emotion on other or on the circumstances but in most cases distracting with anything that catch the attention of the mind (as I wrote to Sifu).

 

I don't think any more that suffering should be avoided or ignored, as I said I've always done that and it has not worked. Those feelings keep manifesting in an almost regular pattern has someone that want to express something but is ignore in one way or another...

 

I hope my english is understandable...

[zen-bear]

Hello to everyone!

 

I am new to the Flying Phoenix.   Just started my journey yesterday.    I am excited to grow with it.   It  certainly feels different to that of the usual Qi sensation I have felt through different QiGong routines.   I like the post effect it elicits.   A very strong energy and one not to be taken lightly.  I can understand why a practice order is recommended.   Can't rush into this one.   

 

Anyway, a couple of quick questions.   I am sorry if these have been answered already.  I am slowly moving through the hundreds of posts LOL.   Crazy how long the thread is.   

 

Does it matter if I have my eyes open or close during DVD 1 exercises?   

 

Is the breathing pattern like an initiation to the energy to get the engine started so to speak?

 

I am sure I will be asking more and discovering more along the way.

 

Thank you.

 

Jeff C

 

Hi Jeff,

 

All the FP Exercises are to be done with eyes closed--except for "Monk Gazing At Moon" (60 40 20) on Vol.1.

 

This is most important discipline to observe.  Other practitioners can give share our their experiences to explain why eyes-closed is essential.

 

Enjoy the practice!

 

Sifu Terry

 

_{www.taichimania.com/chikung_catalog.html}

Edited February 14, 2016 by zen-bear

[cihan]

With closed eyes, we actually open them to inside. It is much easier to work with something we can look at.

Edited February 13, 2016 by cihan

[the fool]

pitisukha,

for some of us the extra ordinary affects do not occur. I believe in the Evan-Wentz (secret doctrines) it even mentions words to that affect, saying something like..we practice anyway, not for the powers but because it's who we are.

I believe that it is a true reflection of good soul, who endeavors to improve themselves on a daily basis.

In any case, you have lost nothing and stand to gain everything.

and I'm with you.

maybe in the next life (if you think that could occur), you'll take it back up and make further progress.

Or maybe, you're already there and you just can't tell.

 

thanks for the help.

[tao stillness]

You have discovered a valuable and misunderstood key to correct human functioning. Being aware of what is. If it is suffering, then  that is what we feel to the fullest ability and the mind will eventually lead back to the sources of the original pain. Fully accepting what is, regardless. That is  part of Oneness teaching/experience.

[Jeff495Caldwell]

Hello to everyone.

 

Question on Terry's Tai Chi DVD's.

 

I recently started the 108 Yang Long Form.   This is my first time trying Tai Chi.  Not QiGong however.    

 

What is the difference b/w the short and long form that Terry delivers?   Does the long form include the short?   Is it advantageous to do both?

 

Any feedback would be appreciated.

 

Thank you.

 

Jeff

[tao stillness]

Learning Flying Phoenix and tai chi at the same time?

[Jeff495Caldwell]

Yes.  Main focus is Flying Phoenix.  Learning the Tai Chi is done slowly.

[zen-bear]

Hello to everyone.

 

Question on Terry's Tai Chi DVD's.

 

I recently started the 108 Yang Long Form.   This is my first time trying Tai Chi.  Not QiGong however.    

 

What is the difference b/w the short and long form that Terry delivers?   Does the long form include the short?   Is it advantageous to do both?

 

Any feedback would be appreciated.

 

Thank you.

 

Jeff

Hello Jeff,

Given that Tai Chi is a nice complement to FP Qigong practice and will make the practice of the latter more effective--although it is a totally different tradition and holistic art-- I thought I would answer your question directly.

 

The  TCFH Long Form DVD teaches the classical 108 posture Yang Family Long form that was created by Yang Lu Chan and refined by three generations of Yang masters, ending with Yang Cheng Fu who passed in 1935.  There are Yang relatives and descendants alive day.  Yang Cheng Fu's 108 Form spread far and wide and was disseminated to the west first through the Tung Ying-Jie and his 3 generations of descendants and by Cheng Man Ching, who was one of the last students taught by Yang Cheng Fu. 

 

The Short Form DVD teaches the 37-posture Short Form that Cheng Man-Ching created by distilling the 108 posture Long Form that he had learned--in order to codify and convey his very unique and valuable secret contributions to Tai Chi and to make the art easier to learn by western students.  Cheng Man-Ching's evolution of Yang Tai Chi Chuan is so unique that many in the Chinese martial arts world don't consider it Tai Chi anymore, but a different martial art altogether because of it's initial and prolonged emphasis on the Yin aspect, softness and yielding.

 

Enjoy the practice.

 

Sifu Terry Dunn

[zen-bear]

Yesterday morning, before Tai Chi form practice, and after a sequence of 8 Qing Dynasty Imperial Guard Exercises, I taught the following sequence of standing FP Meditations to my class over the course of 40 minutes:

 

1.  Bending the Bows (18 slow repetitions)

2.  Wind Above the Clouds (2 rounds)

3.  Wind Through Treetops (one round)

4.  Moonbeam Splashes on Water (one round)

5.  Monk Holding Peach (5 minutes)

 

Then after a 10 minute break, we proceeded to practice the 60-part Yang Tai Chi form  twice and and straight sword form three times.

 

Hard to describe, but now as I write this post, I feel that the FP Qigong Meditation session had "reset" my circadian rhythms.  For the day went very smoothly and was most productive due to having a noticeably very high energy level regulated by a highly "polished" internal clock.

 

As I've recently been reviewing many Daobums' comments for the Q&A section of my forthcoming book on FP Qigong (with their approval), I chanced upon this very nice description by JustBHappy from March 27, 2013 (Post #1731) of what I experience as the very reliable and constant "cooling, smoothing, rounding" effects of the FP Qigong Healing Energy:

 

"...What I do know though, is that the FP has made an impact on my overall feeling. It's like it has put me in the "I don't mind" zone where I don't feel a need to react as strongly as before. For me, it has very cooling effect. I can train hard and long doing the FP meditations and not over heat like I do with other practices. I think the energy is still there, but the edges are rounded and softer, if that make any sense."

 

 

Sifu Terry Dunn

 

 

_{www.taichimania.com/chikung_catalog.html}

Edited February 14, 2016 by zen-bear

[zen-bear]

During my recent review of past postings, I came cross this post by "Shiva Shakti"  on March 20, 2013, which contains his nice Flying Phoenix-specific meaning of physical "bliss"...that I think beginners will find inspiring.

 

I will paraphrase Shiva Shakti's description as the feeling that your energy tangibly and undoubtedly extends beyond your physical body while moving the body and its limbs effortlessly.

 

Sifu Terry Dunn

 

 

Posted 20 March 2013 - 06:39 AM

cached-Sun, 07 Feb 2016 12:13:09 +0000

Hey Eugene,

 

So you want to experience bliss...

 

Here's a tip that maybe you can follow. This is the way, I do it BTW.

 

Do Vol 2 in the morning, 5,60,80,40,30 and 90,50,40,30,10

take a good nutritious lunch, on the afternoon, 5,60,80,40,30 and 90,50,40,30,10, and 90,80,50,20

eat nutritious at dinner. Evening 5,60,80,40,30 and 50,40,30,10

 

Do all these meds, everyday. You may experience some bliss/feel good/good mood on the third day. even in the first day if you've done them correctly/properly.

 

Now do these meds real slow, meaning be so mindfully engage in your hand movements. pay very close attention to your every movements. Now if you do this correctly/properly, you should notice that your awareness is expanded! if not, your not really paying much attention.

 

Now what is expanded consciousness like, or feel like? in this mind state, you perceive more "space", and so when you extend your arms, you can sense that your arms seems much "longer" (also when you raise your arms, they seems much higher). you don't need to visualize it, that your limbs are longer, you will perceive it automatically when you really become that fully engage in your hands movements and body sensations.

 

It this expanded state, you will also tend to enjoy your practice more, so longer hours tend to be enjoyable rather than to bore you to death

 

This is my usual time periods

 

5,60,80,40,30 = 7 to 10 minutes

90,50,40,30,10 = 30 min

50,40,30,10 = 50 min to 1 hour (this meds have lots of movements, so it is taking longer)

90,80,50,20 = 30 min

 

All of what I have said, is also the key to having penetrating eyes and having to experience a powerful personality change. also you can have insights.

 

Good luck to your FP practice and enjoy it!

 

Edited by ShivaShakti, 20 March 2013 - 08:41 AM.

[Aeran]

Hi Aeran,

I'll answer your compound question in two parts:

 

When you say they teach poorly, do you mean purely from a martial perspective (ie. what they teach won't result in any martial prowess)?

 

I meant that the quality of Tai Chi  instruction that I've seen given for health purposes only by teachers who are not well-trained by bona fide Tai Chi masters is generally poor.  This is because if one does not understand the martial focus and applications of each Tai Chi posture and technique and the internal body mechanics--which is NOT obvious from watching the external movements--then one cannot teach or impart the maximum health benefits of Tai Chi FORM practice.

 

It goes without saying that those who teach Tai Chi for health only but do not understand the martial art applications cannot teach anyone the martial applications.  They cannot teach what they do not know.

 

 

...or that their training not only does not offer martial prowess, but also won't result in any health benefits?

 

Again, their training cannot possibly develop martial prowess.  But some health benefits can be derived from practicing Tai Chi Form even if it's imperfectly taught or if it's taught without any of the martial focus.  Just relaxed slow-motion movement for one hour can accidentally become moving meditation and thereby impart health benefits through mind-body integration.   I am saying that this is sub-optimal, that's all.  I speak from experience because I actually learned from one Tai Chi instructor who did not know the martial applications of the art but who taught Tai Chi Form beautifully.  He was a successful Chinese character actor on American television named Chao Li Chi and he was affiliated with the Taoist Sanctuary of Los Angeles.  Besides being an actor, he was a trained dancer from New York City who had learned the 24-part Yang Tai Chi form from his mother when he was young and had practiced it for most of his life.  I learned my very first Tai Chi form from him around 1976 when Chao Li was in his mid-50's.  I practiced the 24 Form only sketchily--for I devoted 95% of the time to learning Tao Tan Pai and Sil Lum Kung Fu throughout the 1970's--until 1980 when I met Master Abraham Liu, a senior student of Cheng Man-Ching.  Then everything changed.  Then I discovered how profound Tai Chi Chuan was and how it's martial application was like no other martial art I had ever experienced in the preceding 6 years of intensive kung fu training.

 

Sifu Terry Dunn

 

 

_{www.taichimania.com/chikung_catalog.html}

 

Ok that makes sense - I know this is a really broad follow up question, but loosely speaking, if someone doesn't have a teacher trained in the martial application of Tai Chi currently available, do you think it would be better to start with a "health Tai Chi" teacher until a martial teacher can be found, or would doing so potentially form bad habits which would only have to be undone when a teacher who understands the full martial application is found?

 

Thanks for such an indepth answer - much appreciated

[cihan]

Can it be that we are invoking some positive elementals by breathing in a certain way at first and then energizing them by their corresponding forms ?

[BluePhoenix133]

Hi Cihan, watch this movie/documentary... i think about 2/3rds of the way in the guy describes an encounter with a being of blue light when him and his hippy esque girlfreinc make a stone circle.

http://putlocker3.com/movies/the-nightmare-2015/


Also interesting to note that the being is laughing allot and it makes his girlfreind laugh something i have noticed when i practice fp is that it makes me laugh and other have mentioned the same. Terry also mentioned that the fp was taught to a monk by a godess, makes me wonder if it is a similar being to the one they encounter, people who have near death experiences report beings of blue light.

[cihan]

Thank you BP for the link.

It might be of use to somebody, but I am in the process of sorting and privelaging my own experiences, I have a weak memory of such a spiritual encounter which lasted like a second, so I cannot comment on this constructively.

 

The reason I posted elementals entry is because the format of FPCK meditations is similar to praying. Also the energy manifests seems to be a flame of specific potential and feels intelligent.

I was wondering if any one else had similar experience. I also wrote a very detailed post about it, but my tablet refused to post it by freezing,

so I gave up commenting on this subject any more for now :-)

Edited February 16, 2016 by cihan

[BluePhoenix133]

''I have a weak memory of such a spiritual encounter which lasted like a second'' Thats interesting, as for me no i dont think i have had any such encounters the only ones i have had recently have been demonic and malevolent in nature and i probably have had them my whole life i think they have been subverting me. I would much rather encounter an elemental than wake up in sleep paralysis with a grey alien standing at the foot of my bed lol

However years ago i used to see a ufo/ball of white light in the sky i had a really strong spiritual experience with it in the fields behind my house...guess its what you might call a kundalini awakening, still dont know wtf that was really all about, it felt like it was me and the energy i felt felt like it was me...almost like a remembering and i have never laughed so deeply ever before or since.

[Joolian]

Thank you BP for the link.

It might be of use to somebody, but I am in the process of sorting and privelaging my own experiences, I have a weak memory of such a spiritual encounter which lasted like a second, so I cannot comment on this constructively.

 

The reason I posted elementals entry is because the format of FPCK meditations is similar to praying. Also the energy manifests seems to be a flame of specific potential and feels intelligent.

I was wondering if any one else had similar experience. I also wrote a very detailed post about it, but my tablet refused to post it by freezing,

so I gave up commenting on this subject any more for now :-)

Hi Cihan, I always love to hear about experiences regarding our FP practice! I hope you will reconstruct your detailed post some time

 

Regarding FP practice: I for myself am sometimes positively surprised by an automated FP energy activation, e.g. while sitting in a train or standing and watching a soccer game in a stadium. At my point of practice or constitution I feel the FP energy mostly and strongly in my arms. Is it just my particular case, to start strongly in the arms?

 

Best wishes,

Julian