Flying Phoenix Chi Kung

[zen-bear]

14 hours ago, dlc123 said:

Beginners question:

 

When doing MGAM seated, Sifu Terry instructs us to do at least 30 repetitions of the hand supination/pronation. If I do these at a speed "slower than a sand dune", it takes 30 minutes. Is it okay to do less?

 

Thanks,

D

Hello D,

Yes, it's quite OK to less than 30 minutes of MGAM seated meditatoin (Vol.2).  But you are definitely getting optimal results from doing this meditation for that duration.  30 min. is how long we would practice all of the Monk Serves Wine seated meditations when we first learned them.  These days, when I teach classes and workshops, I spend 5 to 10 minutes on the 3 preparatory seated meds. on Vol.2.

Enjoy.

 

Sifu Terry Dunn

 

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

[Toni]

In wind above clouds you do the % breathing before each repetition, right ? So you do the 3 deep breaths plus the % breathing at the beginning of every repetition, and the 3 deep breaths at the end of every repetition?

[Earl Grey]

11 minutes ago, Toni said:

In wind above clouds you do the % breathing before each repetition, right ? So you do the 3 deep breaths plus the % breathing at the beginning of every repetition, and the 3 deep breaths at the end of every repetition?

 

As stated before, one breath sequence is one repetition before three closing breaths. If you want to do another rep, finish the first repetition including closing breaths, then do three opening breaths and breath control sequence, then do the  next repetition.

[Benbeastmode]

So I still have some problems with half lotus after all this time. My legs get a little sore, especially the inside of my left leg, which is something I used to get with TRE (trauma release exercises) and when I have them crossed like that my legs are just tense and I can't relax them. I have to switch it around a few times to try to get a comfortable position and just settle for the best one.

 

Sometimes I get pins and needles in my leg and feet too, it's doable, but still not comfortable after even like 8 months of doing it. Anyone else had this problem?

[Earl Grey]

1 hour ago, Benbeastmode said:

So I still have some problems with half lotus after all this time. My legs get a little sore, especially the inside of my left leg, which is something I used to get with TRE (trauma release exercises) and when I have them crossed like that my legs are just tense and I can't relax them. I have to switch it around a few times to try to get a comfortable position and just settle for the best one.

 

Sometimes I get pins and needles in my leg and feet too, it's doable, but still not comfortable after even like 8 months of doing it. Anyone else had this problem?

 

For those who sill have problems with half lotus, Sifu Terry teaches special warm up exercises that will open the hips greatly and make your practice better. Contact him for a session to address this.

[zen-bear]

On 5/18/2019 at 7:10 PM, Benbeastmode said:

So I still have some problems with half lotus after all this time. My legs get a little sore, especially the inside of my left leg, which is something I used to get with TRE (trauma release exercises) and when I have them crossed like that my legs are just tense and I can't relax them. I have to switch it around a few times to try to get a comfortable position and just settle for the best one.

 

Sometimes I get pins and needles in my leg and feet too, it's doable, but still not comfortable after even like 8 months of doing it. Anyone else had this problem?

Hi BBMode,

 

I don't know if you've tried this yet, but do your attempted half-lotus sittings with a booster cushion--like the one's sold by yoga supply companies--or any 3"-4" thick cushion or stack of cushions will do.  Start on a high stack of cushions and then slowly remove a cushion and gradually lower your seat...until finally after many weeks or months, your knees and seat are all at the same level.  the key is to get comfortable in the half lotus.  And if it means using a thick cushion all the time, that's OK.  Because that's still preferable to doing the seated  MSW Meds. seated in a chair.

 

Also, as Earl Grey mentioned, if you want customized coaching in order to open the helps and stretch the legs to more comfortably assume the half lotus, you can get that through a private online lesson.  If you're interested, can contact me at [email protected] for details.

 

Good luck,

 

Sifu Terry

 

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

[zen-bear]

22 days until my next workshop teaching the Tao Tan Pai  ("Taoist Elixir Method") Basic 31 Meditations at Eastover Estate in Lenox, MA.  The TTP-31 Meditations is the first level of the six-level Tan Tan Pai Nei Kung system, created more than 1,100 years ago during Tang Dynasty, and attributed to Taoist Immortal Lu Deng Bin.  The TTP-31 Meditations have been confirmed by FP practitioners as a superb foundational catalyst for enhancing the effects of Flying Phoenix Qigong.

 

 

http://www.eastover.com/workshop/tao-tan-pai-with-master-terry-dunn-2.html

[welkin]

Hi Sifu Terry,

 

I've been recommended Flying Phoenix as a starting point in energy arts. And have been practicing for a a couple of weeks now.

 

Already picked up lots of gold within the first 30 pages of this thread, and am sure i will find plenty more. Thank you to you and all the members for all the posts.

 

So i accidentally stumbled upon energy abilities such as throwing out energy from hands, and feet. And i can send energy to another person. I've already been warned to build my base first, before i even mess with these things. Though it's kinda unrealistic to tell someone to not do something if they did an incredible amount of work in acquiring it accidentally.

 

With this in mind, is Flying Phoenix effective in filling the dantien? if not, Would you recommend any other systems/practices that would serve more in doing this?

 

A second question i have is in specific movements of flying phoenix. For example something as simple as arm rolling. Is it okay to do this movement let's say past 15 minutes? Reason being is i like to perfect movements/feeling and think this would be the most optimal way learn memorize and feel. However, if it is more effective to do it all together, or if there are negative effects, i am happy do it all together

 

[Astral_butterfly]

I have grown addicted to Monk Holding Pearl because since a while, it gets me into very deep meditation instantly. It is the perfect aid to quiet sitting. Really, I need to do the other meds but I am not very motivated, as I get so much out of this one. I understand now what Sifu Terry said about the fact that after a certain number of hours, just the breath control sequence suffices in order to activate the med. 

 

I think I will do the same with each med one by one. I will go intense with MGM whilst keeping up Monk Holding Pearl a few times a week, till it gets me into deep meditation too, and then I will keep these two as I go intensely into Monk Holding Peach. 

 

I don't know if it is recommendable, but it feels right to me. It feels as if once I have done this, I will be more ready for the next stage. The upside about it is not having the stress of fitting in everything every day. I cope better with doing one meditation a day, and having one day for this one and one day for that one. I have DVD 2 but I am not in a rush to use it, as what I am doing now is extremely beneficial and my health and energy level have reached an incredibly good status. I am literally glowing with health and I can even see my aura's colour outside of meditation time when physically exercising, it looks great. I am regaining the stamina of my youth.

[Earl Grey]

2 hours ago, Astral_butterfly said:

 

I don't know if it is recommendable, but it feels right to me. It feels as if once I have done this, I will be more ready for the next stage. The upside about it is not having the stress of fitting in everything every day. I cope better with doing one meditation a day, and having one day for this one and one day for that one. I have DVD 2 but I am not in a rush to use it, as what I am doing now is extremely beneficial and my health and energy level have reached an incredibly good status. I am literally glowing with health and I can even see my aura's colour outside of meditation time when physically exercising, it looks great. I am regaining the stamina of my youth.

 

Very good. Like your signature says, an ant on the move travels farther than an ox at rest. I'll also add in that qigong development is a marathon, not a sprint. One writer on internal arts used to have his teacher remind him this: "Slow up, slow up! I'm in a hurry!"

[Toni]

50 minutes ago, Earl Grey said:

 

Very good. Like your signature says, an ant on the move travels farther than an ox at rest. I'll also add in that qigong development is a marathon, not a sprint. One writer on internal arts used to have his teacher remind him this: "Slow up, slow up! I'm in a hurry!"

Good advice for all of us. Can you tell us the name of the writer? Thks

[Benbeastmode]

On 21/05/2019 at 4:12 PM, zen-bear said:

Hi BBMode,

 

I don't know if you've tried this yet, but do your attempted half-lotus sittings with a booster cushion--like the one's sold by yoga supply companies--or any 3"-4" thick cushion or stack of cushions will do.  Start on a high stack of cushions and then slowly remove a cushion and gradually lower your seat...until finally after many weeks or months, your knees and seat are all at the same level.  the key is to get comfortable in the half lotus.  And if it means using a thick cushion all the time, that's OK.  Because that's still preferable to doing the seated  MSW Meds. seated in a chair.

 

Also, as Earl Grey mentioned, if you want customized coaching in order to open the helps and stretch the legs to more comfortably assume the half lotus, you can get that through a private online lesson.  If you're interested, can contact me at [email protected] for details.

 

Good luck,

 

Sifu Terry

 

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

 

Thanks Sifu Terry. I hadn't thought of something like that, but I do the sitting exercises with a blanket on the floor so the floor isn't cold and what i've been doing is rolling it up a bit and putting it at the back which helps a bit. I will see if I can find a cushion.

 

I may consider sessions at some stage, but at the moment i'm getting sessions in a few healing methods that is taking up a bit of time and money. How much are online sessions?

Edited May 24, 2019 by Benbeastmode

[Benbeastmode]

The other thing is, i've extended the steps of learning for a longer amount of time than in the training schedule. I'm upto 3 months of standing 1/2/3, sitting 1/2/3 in one session and I keep meaning to move on. It's about an hour for me.

 

The next step suggests to just start with standing 4 and sitting 4. But after all this time (about 9 months of practice) it feels like it might not be enough just doing 2 exercises, and I think for me it's best to keep up a similar amount of time, because lessening it sometimes I may have the tendency to then think "Oh I don't want to do the hour practice again."

 

So i'll most likely drop off the 1st exercises of each and add the 4th ones to the end. I assume that's ok?

 

And with the long form meditation (I haven't looked at the dvd yet) it says " Practice the standing long form meditation called "Flying Phoenix Heavenly Healing Chi Meditation" (on Volume Three) as regularly as you can for vitality and strong immunity. This long form meditation is the capstone to the system."

 

Does that mean after all the other steps, when i've practiced every exercise in volumes 1,2,3? Or does that mean I can do it now? I hadn't looked at it until now because I wasn't sure. If I can practice it now, would it be fine to do it on some days instead of the other exercises i'm practicing? I was doing like 2 hours of Qigong a day for a while, but I decided that for me mentally it was best to do lessen that to 1 hour.

 

The suggestion that the long form meditation will strengthen immunity is something I could use with the health issues i'm dealing with.

Edited May 24, 2019 by Benbeastmode

[Toni]

I would also like to describe my experience with Flying Phoenix Qigong after one month of practicing the level 1. Previously I practiced fragrant qigong for 7 months, and still previously several other styles. Fragrant qigong was very powerful,  but I think FPQG is still better. As another user said, it greatly improves your metabolism. I have always suffered from bad digestion, and I really feel FPQG helps with that. I also feel more strength in my whole body, and more energy throughout the day.

 

I am focusing on doing bending the bows, and I feel it is a great exercise on several accounts. I also love holding the peach and wind above clouds. However the great benefits it has had on me, I must say that my tinnitus, which started some 8 years ago, has not improved, as it neither improved with the other qigong styles. But I hope it will improve with time and with other levels of practice, which I expect to begin soon. (I train every day around 1.5 or 2 hours)

 

Thanks to Sifu Terry and to Earl Grey for sharing this great style!

Edited May 28, 2019 by Toni

[Shiva33]

Hi everyone. Just a short update on my practice. I recently restarted FP practice. I'm getting into the "flow" of it again. Currently doing Vol 1 first 2 meds and Vol 2 first 2 meds. By the end of the week I intend to go up to the full 18 rounds of BTB (legs are getting stronger with practice). Standing med 1 creates a lot of body shaking and heat. Today I will add Vol 2 med 3 (used to be my favorite "basic" seated med).

 

I'm doing standing practice in morning, after some yoga practice and seated FP in afternoon. If I do standing practice in afternoon, I usually struggle to fall asleep. Already my right shoulder, that's been giving me problems for many years (heavy school bag, tennis from grade 0 - 12 + professional training, some rifle target shooting and having my computer mouse elevated to high, causing me to lift my right shoulder for years), have improved so much during these few weeks. Great stuff!

[zen-bear]

Hi everyone, 

One more week until my 3-day, 20-hour workshop at the beautiful Eastover Estate in Lenox, MA teaching the Taoist Elixir Method Basic 31 Meditations, the powerful first level of the Tao Tan Pai Nei Kung tradition, which dates back 24 generations to its origin during the Tang Dynasty by Taoist legend Lu Deng Bin. As confirmed by many of my students to whom I've taught both Flying Phoenix Qigong and the Tao Tan Pai Nei Kung, the TTP Nei Kung, although a complete as powerful stand-alone Qigong system that provides health and empowerment for its integral kung fu system, the Tao Tan Pai 5-Animal based Kung fu (not the same as Shaolin 5 Animals), also serves as a excellent foundational catalyst for FP Qigong. Having learned and practiced the TTP-31 Basic Meditations in particular will greatly enhance your practice of FP Qigong and create even more amazing results.
 

Info and registration:

http://www.eastover.com/workshop/tao-tan-pai-with-master-terry-dunn-2.html

 

 

Sifu Terry Dunn

 

 

 

 

[emptycup]

On 5/23/2019 at 4:44 PM, Astral_butterfly said:

I have grown addicted to Monk Holding Pearl because since a while, it gets me into very deep meditation instantly. It is the perfect aid to quiet sitting. Really, I need to do the other meds but I am not very motivated, as I get so much out of this one. I understand now what Sifu Terry said about the fact that after a certain number of hours, just the breath control sequence suffices in order to activate the med. 

 

I think I will do the same with each med one by one. I will go intense with MGM whilst keeping up Monk Holding Pearl a few times a week, till it gets me into deep meditation too, and then I will keep these two as I go intensely into Monk Holding Peach. 

 

I don't know if it is recommendable, but it feels right to me. It feels as if once I have done this, I will be more ready for the next stage. The upside about it is not having the stress of fitting in everything every day. I cope better with doing one meditation a day, and having one day for this one and one day for that one. I have DVD 2 but I am not in a rush to use it, as what I am doing now is extremely beneficial and my health and energy level have reached an incredibly good status. I am literally glowing with health and I can even see my aura's colour outside of meditation time when physically exercising, it looks great. I am regaining the stamina of my youth.

Hi Astral_butterfly, may I ask how long you do Monk Holding Pearl daily? I want to restart my FP practice. I've stopped doing it consistently for months and your post encourages me.

 

My schedule is quite tight in the morning due to commute to work. I'm thinking what the minimum time can be? I'm thinking of maximum of 10 minutes.  Thank you!

[Earl Grey]

16 hours ago, emptycup said:

Hi Astral_butterfly, may I ask how long you do Monk Holding Pearl daily? I want to restart my FP practice. I've stopped doing it consistently for months and your post encourages me.

 

My schedule is quite tight in the morning due to commute to work. I'm thinking what the minimum time can be? I'm thinking of maximum of 10 minutes.  Thank you!

 

Any standard static meditation 

 needs a minimum of five minutes as stated on the DVDs. So ten minutes is a good start for anyone.

[zen-bear]

On 5/24/2019 at 2:24 AM, Benbeastmode said:

 

Thanks Sifu Terry. I hadn't thought of something like that, but I do the sitting exercises with a blanket on the floor so the floor isn't cold and what i've been doing is rolling it up a bit and putting it at the back which helps a bit. I will see if I can find a cushion.

 

I may consider sessions at some stage, but at the moment i'm getting sessions in a few healing methods that is taking up a bit of time and money. How much are online sessions?

Hi BBmode,

 

It sounds like your use of a rolled up blanket to support your half-lotus positions is sufficient.  And based on that, it doesn't sound like your hip/legs tightness is that severe...such that any reasonable type of stretching regimen should help, such as Yoga focused on lower body. 

 

FYI, what I have incorporated over the decades into my lower body stretching regimen (in order of when I learned them) are:  (a)  standard stretching I learned for track and field starting in jr. high school (7th grade)--LA. City Public schools were incredibly good in the 60's.

(b) conventional stretching methods in western gymnastics that systematically work towards and exceeding side splits and American splits (I was a competitive gymnast for 8 yrs--4 yrs high school and 4 yrs in college). 

(c)  the eclectic and rigorous, north-south Kung Fu stretching regimen developed by my first kung fu teacher, Sifu Douglas Wong (1973-1977) who taught So. Sil Lum 5 Animals Kung Fu and Yau Kang Mun (the stretching, however, was closer to the stretching found in Northern Shaolin schools,

(d)  the excellent standard wushu stretching regimen that I learned in 1980 from Master Bow Sim Mark in Boston, which is what tne national wushu team of China practiced for decades since the early 60's.

(e)  the many warm-up and stretching methods of Master George Xu of San Francisco, including the Qing Dynasty Imperial Guard Exercises, who we (Taoist Sanctuary) used to invite  down to San Diego to teaching during the late 1980's.

(e)  the stretching and warm-up regimen that i learned in the mid-1980's from Sifu John Bright-Fey, master of Chen Tai Chi Chuan, Bagua Chuan, and northern Shaolin.  Most effective methods that I presently actively teach are:  a particular Chen style kicking drill,  a very complete and comprehensive, hours-long set of Silk reeling (chán sī jìn; 纏絲勁) exercises, and the "Silk Weaver's Exercise" Qigong form (non-sectarian--i.e., unattached to any martial tradition; just a part of Chinese physical culture.).  First part shown here--and it's free(!):

(f)   the hip and let and root development effected by the entire FP Qigong system (the material on the DVD series).

(g)  the advanced stretching exercises within of 8 Sections of Energy Combined (Bat Dim Gum), a super-rare internal kung fu system consisting of 8 forms or "Sections", taught to me by GM Doo Wai froim 1991 to 1997, which develops fine control over the inner thigh muscles once the practitioner's hips are open and the basic "Monk Gazing At Moon" ("Golden Bell") posture has been established.

 

What I've described above is the whole repertoire of stretching methodologies that I acquired over the past 43 years that I draw from to coach students to assume half or full lotus position in order to more comfortably enjoy and benefit from the seated FP seated meditations, Monk Serves Wine. 

 

My private lesson fee (online and in-person)  is $110 per half hour.  (most students take 60 to 90 min. sessions.)

 

Good luck in stretching out.  I think it's only a matter of time before you get comfortable in the MSW seated meds.

 

Best,

Sifu Terry Dunn

[growant]

Thank you for your previous responses Sifu Terry and Earl Grey.  Still haven't replaced my broken DVD player : (    Resumed practicing the meditation from the Advanced Seated Monk Serves Wine DVD recently with breathings sequence 70 50 20 10, can someone please remind me- at the end of each repetition, when hands go from mudra on knees to monk serves wine position in front of face, at that point do they go down to the knees or down to the lap, palms up right hand over left? thanks-

Edited June 10, 2019 by growant
addition

[Earl Grey]

7 hours ago, growant said:

Thank you for your previous responses Sifu Terry and Earl Grey.  Still haven't replaced my broken DVD player : (    Resumed practicing the meditation from the Advanced Seated Monk Serves Wine DVD recently with breathings sequence 70 50 20 10, can someone please remind me- at the end of each repetition, when hands go from mudra on knees to monk serves wine position in front of face, at that point do they go down to the knees or down to the lap, palms up right hand over left? thanks-

 

Earth meditation, palms up right hand over left.

[BluePhoenix133]

I find the warm up exercises from  the standing meditations to sometimes be more powerful than the actual meditations, it seems to draw out the flying phoenix chi and i find myself enjoying it so much that i waste all my time doing the warm up instead of the actual meditation.

I would love to get more exercises like that, perhaps i should learn tai chi which i have tried to do before but it is far to travel and expensive but also a little boring too much talking you know and it never seemed to draw out the chi that same way these exercises do.

[ridingtheox]

On 5/18/2019 at 7:10 PM, Benbeastmode said:

So I still have some problems with half lotus after all this time. My legs get a little sore, especially the inside of my left leg, which is something I used to get with TRE (trauma release exercises) and when I have them crossed like that my legs are just tense and I can't relax them. I have to switch it around a few times to try to get a comfortable position and just settle for the best one.

 

Sometimes I get pins and needles in my leg and feet too, it's doable, but still not comfortable after even like 8 months of doing it. Anyone else had this problem?

I am now 78 + and no longer try to do seated meditations with lotus/ half lotus.  Simply find a straight back chair (Shaker chairs are nice).   Do not lean back sit forward on the chair with legs and feet straight forward and separated comfortably.   I believe I get complete benefits from the seated meditations. 

[Earl Grey]

On 6/10/2019 at 9:25 PM, BluePhoenix133 said:

I find the warm up exercises from  the standing meditations to sometimes be more powerful than the actual meditations, it seems to draw out the flying phoenix chi and i find myself enjoying it so much that i waste all my time doing the warm up instead of the actual meditation.

I would love to get more exercises like that, perhaps i should learn tai chi which i have tried to do before but it is far to travel and expensive but also a little boring too much talking you know and it never seemed to draw out the chi that same way these exercises do.

 

Or you can learn it all from Sifu Terry himself.

[Astral_butterfly]

On 08/06/2019 at 1:17 AM, emptycup said:

Hi Astral_butterfly, may I ask how long you do Monk Holding Pearl daily? I want to restart my FP practice. I've stopped doing it consistently for months and your post encourages me.

 

My schedule is quite tight in the morning due to commute to work. I'm thinking what the minimum time can be? I'm thinking of maximum of 10 minutes.  Thank you!

 

Well, I was previously doing between 1 and 2 hours daily (4 months). Since about a month, I have been starting with 30 minutes, then stretching my lower body (it is always much more flexible after the meditation) - front + side splits and lower back. Then another 30 minutes and more hip stretches, if I have time. Most often these days, it is not more than the initial 30 minutes. When I can, I do morning and evening in bed, but these days it is mostly only on week-ends, as daytime at home on Saturdays and Sundays  is problematic as a wife and mother.

 

• I totally agree with Sifu Terry that 20 to 30 minute sessions take you to a certain tipping point that you can actually feel, and

• I agree with Cihan that surpassing the 1 hour mark in one go is a phenomenal experience, which, once started, will make you want to lengthen each session to a maximum just to get those sweet benefits!

 

I would advise you to wake up earlier than necessary to get a half hour in, in the morning, and/or in the evening, going to bed early when you are not too tired yet. For relaxation, it beats the hell out of counting sheep  just not forgetting to do the closing breaths before sleeping though.

 

Extra thoughts:

 

Dreams are getting surreal, to say the least. They are very vivid and feel like real life (imagine large spherical, metal UFO's streaming through the sky at a few meters from you as if it were really happening, and seeing each glimmer of sunlight in the metal!). Lucidity in my waking state is so sharp that I have trouble not feeling that I am surrounded by "sleeping robots" (other people), in and out of home. I really feel extremely sharp mentally. It is amusing that I feel as mentally alert as my seven-year old child, we both feel as if others are sleepwalking, while we a bursting with energy and clarity. I firmly believe this to be due to FPCK.

 

I am still stuck on Monk Holds Pearl, can't seem to snap out of it. but I do feel that I need less of it to maintain my existing wonderful energy level.

 

My skin looks amazing. Everyone asks me what I have done to look life this, the other day my husband asked me what on earth I have done to my face, with a shocked look. He is not easily shocked.

 

Side note - paranormal activity at home has picked up significantly, reaching poltergeist level, but still playful and not harmful. 

 

Edit: to get those precious extra minutes in in the morning or evening, the lying down position is the secret. No motivation to get out of bed required, which is an obstacle for many of us - I for example know that if I am not next to my child when she falls asleep and she opens her eyes for some reason, my session will be spoilt. So supine has been my saving grace.

Edited June 13, 2019 by Astral_butterfly