Flying Phoenix Chi Kung

[fudomyostl]

Great, thank you!

I was wanting to ask what "markers" are there that practioners experience to know they have made progress, or that they are having effects?

For me, the meditative aspect is greater, and I have to say more in depth than my silent seated practice. I feel that by focusing on the movements (I'm on volumes 1-3 right now), my mind calms more and I have a more "zen" mind approach to the practice.

From practicing the forms in volume 3 my legs have gotten stronger and I'm able to get into a nice comfortable depth of horse stance. (before I could not)

I feel the energy right away, as well as feel really energized through the day.

Sifu Dunn, are there any points along the way to look for as a notice of growth or improvement?

Thank you

Edited May 22, 2014 by fudomyostl

[zen-bear]

Great, thank you!

 

I was wanting to ask what "markers" are there that practioners experience to know they have made progress, or that they are having effects?

 

For me, the meditative aspect is greater, and I have to say more in depth than my silent seated practice. I feel that by focusing on the movements (I'm on volumes 1-3 right now), my mind calms more and I have a more "zen" mind approach to the practice.

 

From practicing the forms in volume 3 my legs have gotten stronger and I'm able to get into a nice comfortable depth of horse stance. (before I could not)

 

I feel the energy right away, as well as feel really energized through the day.

 

Sifu Dunn, are there any points along the way to look for as a notice of growth or improvement?

 

Thank you

Fudomyosti,

 

The "points along the way" or benchmarks of growth and development in FP Qigong are in the beginning levels similar if not identical to the noticeable/tangible benchmarks in "form practice" in Tai Chi Chuan and other internal martial arts.

 

The most unique and totally different benchmark in FP Qigong training is the tangible cultivation of the FP Healing Energy, which I have described several times in this thread (at least once or twice very year) has its own unique qualities and very special characteristics and healing properties. When you experience these unusual healing effects--not just of yourself but of others in your vicinity-- you will know it to be the result of FP Qigong and of no there practice or source of energy in the Universe.

 

--Just like the deeksha energy of Sri Bhagavan's Oneness Meditation movement is unique, distinctive and unmistakably attributable to that tradition.

 

Sifu Terry Dunn

 

 

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

Edited May 23, 2014 by zen-bear

[zen-bear]

What if all business in America decided to do what Sifu Terry just did? Stop the price gouging and just offer products as a fair price instead of whatever the market will allow? I'm not sure if Sifu's price increase even matches the price hikes from the post office for shipping over the last 10 years.

 

Now I have to comment on what John has written about length of time doing Flying Phoenix. I think the most dedicated in this art, or any art for that matter, have a tad bit more of a perfectionism streak than most folks. That is what drives us to want to do it precisely and get the results. So that makes us put maybe more pressure on ourselves than is good for us. And then we get a bit unbalanced for awhile. I have been staying up till midnight each night for the past several months because I want to get in as much chi kung as possible but I also have other enjoyable things that I do after work. I know that I have not gotten enough sleep and this lowers my immune system. So no surprise that I came down with pneumonia a week ago. So this forces me now to adjust my practice and strive for what I can reasonably do instead of push it to the limit. That is why John's take on how long to practice this stuff really rings true for me. We're not in the Shaolin Temple where a new movement is practiced for 4 hours at one time. At the same time, I greatly admire you guys who want to go for the gold and put 45 minutes into one meditation just so you get the maximum benefit. It comes down to individual needs, desires and lifestyle. It's what works for the individual.

I found a little time to review past posts...and am now commenting on a few that I failed to respond to months if not years ago!: I agree in sentiment with Tao Stillness: I'm of course thrilled and gratified as an instructor--the sole instructor of FP Qigong as far as i know--each time I field questions or read comments by subscribers who are putting in 45 minutes or more per FP Meditation and thereby, as Steve has put it, are "going for the gold". If you practice each of the FP Meditations for 30 to 45 minutes at the outset (or at some stage of your practice) , and cover all the FP Meditations presented in the DVD series in that manner, over the long term, you will experience sublime health benefits and verifiable and repeatable rejuvenation by regularly attaining the allostatic state, and you will also continually experience an evolution of consciousness--and attain deep samadhic states or levels of absorption that for most people are quite ineffable.

 

(btw, recall that about 1.5 yr ago, there was lengthy discussion by many FP practitioners of the altered state of perception and sublime FP meditative effect of literally seeing gold light draping everything in one's field of vision.). The effect on one's vision (@Fudoymyosti) is another key benchmark of progress in FP Qigong.

 

Sifu Terry Dunn

 

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

[zen-bear]

Don't sleep on those basic seated exercises.

 

I have been busy and low sleep-high inflammation-chronic headache for the past few weeks and so I started doing the full 3 basic seated and 3 basic monk serves wine exercises, only about 40 minutes total, once yesterday and once today, and I notice significantly less adrenal fatigue and better mood and no headache after the 2nd session.

 

Have no idea how it works but standard breathing and yoga doesn't work that fast on a stressed nervous and endocrine system.

Hi Raynevin,

 

Yes, excellent healing effects attained from practicing the seated FP Meditations on Volume 2.

Congrats. Thanks for sharing your positive healing experience.

 

Tip: Continue to practice that regimen of 3 seated and 3 MSW meditations, shorten the time of the 3 basic seated warm-ups, and rotate in 2 or 3 of the Basic Standing FP Meditations (just 3-5 minutes each) to still fill a 40 minute practice session. And you will note more salient effects. More so if you expand to one hour total practice time.

 

Sifu Terry Dunn

Edited May 23, 2014 by zen-bear

[fudomyostl]

Sifu Dunn,

regarding the above post about seeing gold, I'm not there yet, but defnitely see the bluish energy at times while practicing, and at times while performing bodywork (massag therapist).

Regarding the deep states of altered perception; I noticed within a month or so of practice that my mind was calmer and in more of a relaxed state. As I made reference in a post or so back, this is deeper than when I just practice silent sitting.

The thing I noticed really quickly was the sudden "remembering" of past memories. good bad or indifferent, there would be long forgotten memories come out. Also, at times while meditating there has been some cool "imaginative" thoughts come through, specifically of being at the monastery as a monk learning the FP material ( I emailed you about it and will post your comments below for the benefit of the list):

Comments on your FP meditation experiences:
1) Time travel is not that uncommon once one attains facility for deep meditation. Before I learned the FP Qigong system in 1992, my classmates in Tao Tan Pai and Shaolin 5 Animals Kung Fu would effect time-travel through a physical induction method described in one of the Castaneda books. And the FP Meditations almost instantly take people deeper than any previous meditative state. They just do.

2) Old or even ancient memories surfacing during meditation is not just common to FP Med. practice but to all sustained practice of "quiet sitting" meditation. Even if one just kicks back and relaxes and slips into a daydream mode, old memories often surface.

3) Your vision of visiting monks although purposefully imagined, may not just be a superficial imagining. It may be a clear access to a past life event. The way to verify that it was a past life regression is to go back into the dream, and continue the conversation/communion with the monks...and in the process pay more attention and remember everything that you see and hear and feel in the dreamscape. If you want to work on lucid dreaming, I can also guide you in developing that skill.

[johndoe2012]

Both Flying Phoenix and Bak Fu Sunn Yee Gong makes one go into stillness faster than basic sitting.

 

It seems that the brain waves "jump" onto a carrier wave which is why it is effortless.

 

The carrier wave is getting activated by the breath percentages.

 

Just my observation/opinion.

[Fu_doggy]

Hi All - just checking in and am delighted to see the FP thread is going strong....stronger than ever it seems.

 

I have been dealing with a few issues (one more to go), but plan to become active on the board again in the near future.

 

A special thanks to Sifu Terry, as we all appreciate your invaluable contributions.

 

Best wishes always,

 

Lloyd

[Bubbles]

Hi Lloyd,

 

Good to see you back here! I am sure I am not the only one to miss you.

Hoping you have been well and that you are seeing the near-end of the issues you have been dealing with.

As the "father" of this thread, you have a special place here

Take care

[jdr19]

Hey everyone

5 days of learning the forms, i can finally do the hole SYG complete 1.
Did the first session and have some things to make clear. Sifu Garry goesn't go deep enough in "mudra" topic. For someone with no background, i need more information. I tried to watch and copy, and after i felt the pulsation, i was like "oh, so this is how i'm supposed to feel" I lost the pulsation after @5min into the meditation (sitting, also standing). It's normal or, am i holding the mudra incorrect? I paid attention to not press too hard, nor too little. I have some experience with self-hypnosis and mediation. And believe me, i can go deep under spell. Usually i get an anestesia in some parts of the body, like i can't feel if my hands are in my pockets or resting on the lap

And the breath % for the long form, it says "3 breaths 50% out, 10% out, etc." . So it's 3 breaths of 50%, or 3 deep ones + a 50% one, and after that 10%, and 5%?

P.S. very nice feeling i got doing the standing meditations, feeling that magnetic field around lower dan tien. When exhaling my hands holding the mudra come closer, and when inhaling, they are pushed away. Not much. 1cm or so. But nice feeling
P.P.S thanks for making it available on digital download. It takes around 1 month to get the dvd's in this corner of Europe. So i decided to start with this, and replace the 2nd practice in the day with FP when i get them.

Edit: i feel like intruding here I posted in here: http://thetaobums.com/topic/34067-bak-fu-sunn-yee-gong-complete-level-1-dvd/ . Many thanks

Edited May 27, 2014 by jdr19

[oreothecookie]

Hi Jdr19,

 

Welcome to the flying phoenix and other related arts of the White tiger family topic. I haven't practiced much SYG, but I did ask for clarifications to Sifu Heartfield about the breathing sequences. So I think it might be helpful, so for example for one of the seated ones, when you put your hands in the prayer position. The sequence is 1 breath, 90 70 50 30, and to go out of the meditation 1 breath 30. So it means you do the mudra so hands in prayer position, you relax for a while until you feel ready to start, you take 1 full breath (100% inhalation+100% exhalation), after you breath in 100%, then breath out 90%, you breath in to fill your lungs to the top (so the 90% you just expelled), then another you breath out 100% and breath in 100%, then you breath out 70%, fill your lungs to the top, breath out 100%, then breath in 100%; then breath out 50%, then fill your lungs to the top, then breath out 100% then breath in 100%, then breath out 30, then fill your lungs to the top, then breath out 100%....;;; AFTER that you do your meditation you stay as long as you want and to go out, you breath in 100%, then breath out 100% then breath in 100%, then breath out 30%, then fill you lungs to the top and breath out 100%. So it's basically almost the same than for FP with a little particularity in the way you go out of the meditation. and with you SYG you breath always through your nose to go out of the med, not like FP.

 

I hope it helps, but please don't hesitate to ask me again if it's not clear, I know it might be a bit confusing, and I agree with oyou that Sifu Gary should add a little explanation to the way mudras are being done,and the breathing sequence of course, because first if you don't do it properly you can harm yourself, and secondly well if you've got the moves but the not the secret alchemy "sauce" you have nothing more than just "normal meditation", I don't remember who on this forum first used this term sauce,but it was well found and really appropriate, it's like calling dry pasta, spaghetti bolognese, there is obviously something missing.

 

Enjoy your practice,

Oh and by the way when you will get into FP, there is a FP group online session if you're interested. The principle is to synchronize the time of our practices and to do the same meditation sequence with the same duration for each mediations. We don't see each others but it helps to build more enrgy with a synergy effect and it allows people following this topic to connect more. on another level. I happens every friday, I'll post a link about it don't worry =)

Best

Aurélien

Edited May 27, 2014 by oreothecookie

[oreothecookie]

I just had a skype session with Sifu Terry where we reviewed some of the meditations of FP in particular Bending the Bows. I thought I was doing it fine, but apparently I need to work on my horse stance, which wasn't low enough for me to be able to enjoy the more profound energizing and rejuvenating effects that this system has to offer. Sifu Terry was very clear in all its explanations, emphasizing on the fact that the stance was what gives the power to the form that is being done, the deeper the better, and it is as well a key element to derive maximum benefits in all chi kung systems, and once built it gives the practicionner a solid foundation to explore more advanced practices. So guys I don't know if you are doing it the way I used to do it, but in case you do try to pay attention to it, it's really important go as low as you can keeping your back straight, and tucking in he tailbone to smooth out the small arch of your back. you really have to have the feeling you're seated (by the way I think Sifu Terry in the video says, so I guess I didn't really listen to that advice), now when I do it I can feel a real tension in my tights (it makes me sweat much), and as well the way I do it now doesnt' hurt my left knee joint, where I'm little bit injured.So that's all good, I'm grateful for having the privilege to be a student of this highly sophisticated system with a good hearted teacher, that seems to care much of his students, answering most of the questions or doubts they may have and giving personal guidance if they require it.

Sifu Terry is as well a therapist having different tools under his grip, and we had a hypnosis session, it was the first time for me, starting with an induction using FP as a relaxation and deepening tool. I felt very relaxed, I don't know if I have reached that level of depth very often, I had very good sensations during and after the session. This hypnosis is aimed at helping me finding what is my genetic, predisposition/talent and help choose a path that I'd like to follow in a near future. Cause yeah, I'm kind of wandering around these days, not knowing exactly what I'm doing, and it causes a great deal of worry. So we will see what it will bring, I can keep you informed if you're interested. Sifu Terry said that it's usually being done several times to deepen and make the suggestion more effective to the subconscious mind, but he said that any practicionner of FP that has been doing it diligently long enough, might be able to get some results even with one session. So I'm really looking forward for what is coming. . So I invite any of the bunch of serious practicionners that start to have already several months of FP under their belt, to look for corrections in their form, in my opinion, the sooner it's done the better, it would be stupid to practice it like 2 years and realize that you were not doing it properly, and waste all that time where you could have enjoyed all that nice and blissful energy. Of course it's difficult to really too it wrongly, so even if you don't get a correction you will still get some results, but imagine what it could be if you not only wanted corrections, but you would like your form to be as good as it can be. Imagine the results. Anyway even you don't take a session with Sifu Terry, my advise would be for you to post at least a video of you practicing, it's already a good start, and it gives a good general overview of the way you practice, and some corrections can be doine.

 

Thanks for reading,

Best to all and enjoy your practice

 

PS: remember that there is the friday group session, everybody is welcome, beginners liek advanced practionners. Sifu Terry gave me a specific program for the next friday, he would like us to work a bit more on the standing ones, but there will be seated ones as well don't worry, we need to relax a bit after some tough work =)

Aurélien

Edited May 27, 2014 by oreothecookie

[pitisukha]

Hello everyone!

Welcome back Fu_doggy

 

I've made a video of my MSW1 practice this morning.

I've not a youtube account so I've uploaded it in my Dropbox, it's 300MB, but it can be viewed online (maybe I can try converting it with lower resolution)

 

If anyone can take a look suggestions are very appreciated.

 

here's the link https://www.dropbox.com/s/bnrc7krotehjum9/MSW1_270514.mp4

Edited May 28, 2014 by pitisukha

[ZiRan]

I ordered the flying phoenix DVDs yesterday, and before I get started, I really just wanted to drop by and say thank you to sifu Terry for being so generous with his time by answering all these questions. I'm reading through this thread (about 70 pages so far), and it is just such a treat to have access to all this knowledge being shared.

 

Looking forward to starting the meditations and postin my experiences!

[oreothecookie]

Hello everyone!

Welcome back Fu_doggy

 

I've made a video of my MSW1 practice this morning.

I've not a youtube account so I've uploaded it in my Dropbox, it's 300MB though.. (maybe I can try converting it with lower resolution)

 

If anyone can take a look suggestions are very appreciated.

 

here's the link https://www.dropbox.com/s/bnrc7krotehjum9/MSW1_270514.mp4

Hello pitisukha!!

 

Nice video =). I'm glad to see you gave it a shot. I'm gonna make some suggestions where I think you could improve, but take that with precaution right? cause I'm still a beginner too , but I'm sure more advanced practicionners will confirm or counter what I say later.

-So I would say that you speed is fine, it seems homogeneous along the whole form and the several rounds you did,

-when you rotate outward you hands near your heart, try to fold your hands and then unfold them as you rotate them outward, and you fingers unroll to make a nice and smooth transition to take a comparison like a bud of flower opening slowly, so first the size is more compact and progressively as it opens its volume expands. And before you start pushing outward make sure the palms of your hands are facing outwardly a little bit more, they shouldn't be totally parallel to your chest though, they you shape a small curve with the two thumbs almost touching each others along their sides. And when you push make sure your palms are perpendicular to the ground

-otherwise your form looks symetric. When you start to lower you hands after you reached over your head make sure that they stay close, to each others with fingertips almost touchingn and keeping the trinagle shape

I hope this helps =). Well done again keep up the good work .

 

Best,

Aurélien

[ridingtheox]

I had decided to document some of my practice and thoughts about practice. Having done it I thought it might be useful here to some others.

 

my take on it is to remember thought out we are cultivating qi and directing it to the dan tien as 'core' energy. We, humans, can and do distract ourselves even from our most central intent. Meditation is difficult, the mind wants to wander. Keep your focus, cultivate your focus ... FPCH is our path. The practice is the objective. It is the goal.

 

 

I have now been practicing FPCH Qi Gong for almost 3 years.

 

I try to do one form daily; the long Form Disk 4, 20 min. Recently I have been doing 2 repetitions, about 40 min.

 

I do one or more seated Adv. MSW from disk 7; occasionally I do the Short Standing at intervals when more time is available. My daily practice is about one hour minimum and may reach two hours.

 

I also am doing a long form Tai ji quan, yang style which has much in common with Sifu Terry Dunn's long form, but continues to be influenced by the form I learned 40 years ago while at UBC Canada. I also try to do 15 min of cloud hands or variations daily.

 

I have done and continue to do variations on the Ba Duan Jin, which I learned 35 years ago in New Orleans LA. Currently I am close to Faye Yip's form as found on youtube. Lately I have been able to do this form daily as well.

 

Finally, I am doing Zhan Zhuang 2- 3 times a week. 30-45 min, five variations.

 

 

After years of dabbling and intervals of lack of time, I am putting a great deal of practice into qi cultivation. And isolation in an off the main cultural highway, has most recently limited my contacts with Masters.. Sifu Dunn has been the only teacher I have had, other than youtube. LOL.

 

 

Current Observations:

 

Qi is present in all these practices now, thanks to FPCH and specifically the long form (LF), disc 4..

 

I do appreciate the breath regulation. My personal mantra at the beginning of LF is Y guides the breath qi moves the body. Thus I proceed slowly but with awareness that too slow often breaks the flow of qi for me. For months now a 20 min session is usual, occasionally it may reach 24 minutes. My mind still wanders but much less that ever before. I have learned to accept that progress is being made, but label wandering mind 'just thinking.' I continually focus on breath as the physical inhalation exhalation, but also as the cellular process of oxygen uptake from the blood and carbon dioxide waste removal from the cell as a by product of metabolism and 'life.' For me whole body breath is a real process that FPCH has opened my awareness. There is no mystery, that is unknowable, about qi at my level, and probably not in my lifetime.

 

For some time I have noticed that when arms rise up, body sinks slightly deeper into the stance. When arms move down sacrum, back, neck rise along with knees straightening … perhaps a couple of centimeters. Sometimes there is more the feeling than actual rising and sinking. There is also a small rotation of the head/neck when turning the torso. At 73 I have some stiffening in the neck and the slow rotational movement seems to relieve the discomfort of turning the head in normal, daily activity. I review the cd at intervals to assure myself that I am doing what the form is supposed to be!

 

The efficacy of the seated forms is much more variable for me. I enjoy them and continue to experience waves of qi while practicing.

 

My opinion regarding speed of form is that : the flow of qi defines slow.

 

Too slow exists just as too fast does, but persistence in seeking awareness of and storing of qi in the dan tien is correct.

 

Color and Synesthesia: I have never experienced color association. I remain open to it, but doubt it will occur. My understanding of seeing blue or gold, is by analogy to those who see color associated with numbers or letters. Vladimir Nabokov, one of my favorite writers, has a description of his synesthesia in Cyrillic and English alphabets in Speak, Memory. The recognition of the validity of that experience and acceptance that it just does not occur for me helps to understand the genetic and physiological variety of the human condition.

 

I do sometimes experience a whitening, brightening of the light, but that is almost always associated with Quaker worship. Quakers express holding people in the light and walking in the light as the presence of the divine.

 

Speaking of Quakers, Sunday's practice (a n example of my general description above) consisted of Seated MSW, Long form, ba duan jin, 45 min Zhan Zhuang and a 15 min practice of stationary low stance cloud hand movement. About 2-1/2 hours spread over 4 sessions.

 

Peace friends.

 

And thanks again to Sifu Dunn for his teaching

 

charlie thomas

[pitisukha]

I had decided to document some of my practice and thoughts about practice. Having done it I thought it might be useful here to some others.

 

my take on it is to remember thought out we are cultivating qi and directing it to the dan tien as 'core' energy. We, humans, can and do distract ourselves even from our most central intent. Meditation is difficult, the mind wants to wander. Keep your focus, cultivate your focus ... FPCH is our path. The practice is the objective. It is the goal.

 

 

I have now been practicing FPCH Qi Gong for almost 3 years.

 

I try to do one form daily; the long Form Disk 4, 20 min. Recently I have been doing 2 repetitions, about 40 min.

 

I do one or more seated Adv. MSW from disk 7; occasionally I do the Short Standing at intervals when more time is available. My daily practice is about one hour minimum and may reach two hours.

 

I also am doing a long form Tai ji quan, yang style which has much in common with Sifu Terry Dunn's long form, but continues to be influenced by the form I learned 40 years ago while at UBC Canada. I also try to do 15 min of cloud hands or variations daily.

 

I have done and continue to do variations on the Ba Duan Jin, which I learned 35 years ago in New Orleans LA. Currently I am close to Faye Yip's form as found on youtube. Lately I have been able to do this form daily as well.

 

Finally, I am doing Zhan Zhuang 2- 3 times a week. 30-45 min, five variations.

 

 

After years of dabbling and intervals of lack of time, I am putting a great deal of practice into qi cultivation. And isolation in an off the main cultural highway, has most recently limited my contacts with Masters.. Sifu Dunn has been the only teacher I have had, other than youtube. LOL.

 

 

Current Observations:

 

Qi is present in all these practices now, thanks to FPCH and specifically the long form (LF), disc 4..

 

I do appreciate the breath regulation. My personal mantra at the beginning of LF is Y guides the breath qi moves the body. Thus I proceed slowly but with awareness that too slow often breaks the flow of qi for me. For months now a 20 min session is usual, occasionally it may reach 24 minutes. My mind still wanders but much less that ever before. I have learned to accept that progress is being made, but label wandering mind 'just thinking.' I continually focus on breath as the physical inhalation exhalation, but also as the cellular process of oxygen uptake from the blood and carbon dioxide waste removal from the cell as a by product of metabolism and 'life.' For me whole body breath is a real process that FPCH has opened my awareness. There is no mystery, that is unknowable, about qi at my level, and probably not in my lifetime.

 

For some time I have noticed that when arms rise up, body sinks slightly deeper into the stance. When arms move down sacrum, back, neck rise along with knees straightening … perhaps a couple of centimeters. Sometimes there is more the feeling than actual rising and sinking. There is also a small rotation of the head/neck when turning the torso. At 73 I have some stiffening in the neck and the slow rotational movement seems to relieve the discomfort of turning the head in normal, daily activity. I review the cd at intervals to assure myself that I am doing what the form is supposed to be!

 

The efficacy of the seated forms is much more variable for me. I enjoy them and continue to experience waves of qi while practicing.

 

My opinion regarding speed of form is that : the flow of qi defines slow.

 

Too slow exists just as too fast does, but persistence in seeking awareness of and storing of qi in the dan tien is correct.

 

Color and Synesthesia: I have never experienced color association. I remain open to it, but doubt it will occur. My understanding of seeing blue or gold, is by analogy to those who see color associated with numbers or letters. Vladimir Nabokov, one of my favorite writers, has a description of his synesthesia in Cyrillic and English alphabets in Speak, Memory. The recognition of the validity of that experience and acceptance that it just does not occur for me helps to understand the genetic and physiological variety of the human condition.

 

I do sometimes experience a whitening, brightening of the light, but that is almost always associated with Quaker worship. Quakers express holding people in the light and walking in the light as the presence of the divine.

 

Speaking of Quakers, Sunday's practice (a n example of my general description above) consisted of Seated MSW, Long form, ba duan jin, 45 min Zhan Zhuang and a 15 min practice of stationary low stance cloud hand movement. About 2-1/2 hours spread over 4 sessions.

 

Peace friends.

 

And thanks again to Sifu Dunn for his teaching

 

charlie thomas

Thanks for your observations!

[ridingtheox]

Pitisukha:

 

nice practice! this is slower than I move, quite lovely .. the energy in the dan tien is not as obvious as if the lighting were more from the front and breath motion could be seen directly. On a subtle level it appears to be present to me even so. nice work.

 

one small observation thumb alignment. Fair lady hands. place your forearm and hand on a flat surface (table), relax let them sink onto the surface not pressing down just resting ... now lift the hand/forearm without changing alignment of fingers, thumb, wrist ... look at them feel them this is correct Fair Lady wrist/ hand. In your video the thumb alignment is 'lifted from the plane of the fingers'

 

it is a small thing, but you will also note that you have to shift the thumb position to get into correct earth mudra hand postion.

 

a subtle shift in energy

 

peace

 

charlie

Edited May 30, 2014 by ridingtheox

[pitisukha]

Thank you for taking the time to view my video and for your suggestions, however I'm not sure I get it right...

When you write about the table exercise, do you mean with the palms facing sky or touching the table?

should the thumb be on the same (or near so) horizontal plane of palm and other fingers?

[ridingtheox]

Thank you for taking the time to view my video and for your suggestions, however I'm not sure I get it right...

When you write about the table exercise, do you mean with the palms facing sky or touching the table?

should the thumb be on the same (or near so) horizontal plane of palm and other fingers?

resting palm down on the table ... not splayed flat, but resting . the hand itself is curve as if resting on a 'basketball', hence the palm is not flat on the table, the alignment of the finger tips, thumb, base of the palm and forearm lying on the table

[fudomyostl]

Sifu Terry I was wondering something about the FP system that I have been practicing since January. I am working volumes 2 & 3 now. I notice that in most other chi kung styles or energy cultivation systems there appear to be a method of collecting and storing the chi at the end of the exercise.

There doesn't appear to be a method with FP that I have discovered so far. So my complete 'newbie' question is, as we cultivate the FP system, how is it stored in our bodies, or what becomes of it after the practice? Mention has been made on this forum in the past of having built up a supply of the FP energy and the accumulating effects after a year, to years of practice. Would there be any benefit or need to do a chi storing motion at the end of the practice (e.g. palm circling at lower dan tien)

Thank you!

[zen-bear]

Sifu Terry I was wondering something about the FP system that I have been practicing since January. I am working volumes 2 & 3 now. I notice that in most other chi kung styles or energy cultivation systems there appear to be a method of collecting and storing the chi at the end of the exercise.

 

There doesn't appear to be a method with FP that I have discovered so far. So my complete 'newbie' question is, as we cultivate the FP system, how is it stored in our bodies, or what becomes of it after the practice? Mention has been made on this forum in the past of having built up a supply of the FP energy and the accumulating effects after a year, to years of practice. Would there be any benefit or need to do a chi storing motion at the end of the practice (e.g. palm circling at lower dan tien)

 

Thank you!

Hi Fudomyosti,

 

Here are answers to each of your questions in bold blue:

 

as we cultivate the FP system, how is it stored in our bodies(?)

That is an interesting and curious question that I really don't want to answer for you directly or too explicitly at this point because those are basic questions for you to answer through your own practice of the system. And they will be answered as you attain intermediate level in the FP Qigong system. The more you master the FP system, the more self-explanatory it becomes.

 

But i will provide a few partial answers just the same:

Even though I described in the first 4 years of this thread that the beneficial outcome of the dedicated FP Qigong practice is the cultivation of a "superabundance" of the tangible FP Healing energy, that can impart spontaneous healing to others with the slightest touch, I would say that the FP energy is not stored in the tan tien region like the energy cultivated in other Qigong and internal martial art systems.

 

In fact, most beginning FP partitioners rather quickly discover that the FP Qigong energy can be stored wherever you want to store it in your body! For everyone sooner or later discovers that each of the basic Standing FP Meditations--Monk Gazing at Moon, Monk Holding Peach and the 3 varieties of Monk Holding Pearl (standing, seated & supine)-- "stores" the FP Healing Energy at the head (third eye) , heart, and stomach chakras

 

I have experienced the FP Healing Energy spontaneously emanating from the fingertips and from the higher energy nerve plexuses or chakras--the heart, throat, brow and crown chakras. it is thus no surprise that many of my advanced FP students over the years have reported that the FP Qigong caused periods of clairvoyance and clairaudience, and high levels of absorption (jhanic states), which were accompanied by spiritual visions.

 

With advanced practice over a number of years, one will eventually feel the FP healing energy activating or manifesting in certain specific brain centers--besides imparting the feeling of "lightness" throughout the head region and also an unmistakable mental clarity. Thus, once one regularly experiences activation of the brain centers with every FP meditation session (especially from the seated Monk Serves Wine meditations), that would enable to say (figuratively) that the FP energy is stored in the brain.

 

or what becomes of it after the practice?

Your body uses it if it needs it for self-healing. If it doesn't, then it accumulates and provides a whole host of health benefits described in the FP literature (DVD packaging). Once accumulated to abundant levels throughout the body, the energy is available for healing other persons and organisms.

 

Would there be any benefit or need to do a chi storing motion at the end of the practice (e.g. palm circling at lower dan tien)

NO! The FP Qigong system is very complete. It does not need anything added. In fact, each of the three variations of "Monk Holding the Pearl" (standing, seated and supine) effectively returns the energy to the tan tien region. As explained several times in this thread, the yogic alchemy of FP Qigong is supremely sublime--and far from being so "mechanical" (as I had also mentioned here in the past ) so as to require any type of physical movements such as circling of the palm around the lower tan tien.

 

FYI, there is an advanced seated MSW meditation (not published in my DVD series) that begins with slow circular massaging of the abdominal area by alternating hands going in opposite directions (clockwise and counter-clockwise). The purpose of this alternating circular massaging of the stomach is not for the purpose of "storing"--but rather is for the purpose of "mustering" or "mobilizing" the energy from that region.

 

Fudomyosti: stay with the practice and every question you have will be answered by your cumulative experience.

 

Best,

 

Sifu Terry

 

www.taichimania.com/chikung_catalog.html

[zenyogi]

Hey everyone,

 

I just ordered the first 3 volumes of FP Qigong, super excited about it!

 

I was planning on printing the complete thread but after I realized it would be around 1800 pages I decided to just read over everything and only copy the good parts to a file that I'll print for reference.

 

Still a lot of work though! But definitely worth it.

 

I'm glad I've come here

 

-Zen

Edited June 17, 2014 by zenyogi

[zenyogi]

Dear all,

 

Whoever feels inspired to answer, please feel free.

 

I have looked at Sifu Terry's 2 Tai Chi dvd's and feel intrigued by maybe getting them one day.

 

How would that fit next to the FP qiqong? Would it be contradictory in any way?

 

How would the results be different compared to FP?

 

I'm fairly new to this, please forgive me for my ignorance.

 

BTW, I'm finally done with all 183 pages.. There was a lot of info to process.

 

Made a ton of notes

 

Be well,

z

[ridingtheox]

the tai chi dvd's are excellent .. i have recommended them to my students and friends ... so far I have had only very strong support for the efficacy of Sifu Terry Dunn's Tai Chi discs ( btw I always recommend the long form as I have direct experience with that. I expect the short form to be equally excellent)

 

Several students have tried other discs and report Sifu Dunn's to be very good teaching discs

 

I have used them for two decades so I am biased.

 

And I have found other forms of Tai Chi that i find very interesting ... exhibiting obvious mastery ... still as a place to start Sifu Dunn's are tops in my book.

[ridingtheox]

ok i should have addressed the former to zenyogi and it might have been appropriate to mention that my experience spans almost 40 years of tai chi and qi gong ... thus giving context to my appreciation for the Tai Chi taught by Sifu Dunn