Flying Phoenix Chi Kung

[rsalazar]

Kudos Fu Dog!

 

Nice to hear of your progress - I came to this shortly after you started this thread last year and began practicing around Jan 2010.

 

Although I have not been as diligent in my practice, I have noticed a big difference in my own tendency to catch colds since practicing FP for short periods of time each day - I usually go through 2-3 exercises at a time and doing this consistently yielded substantial results very quickly, I managed to go through last winter with not even a sniffle, which was shocking to me - the only time I got sick this year corresponds to the same period of time where I stopped practicing FP consistently - at this point, I was skipping several days and would lay off for a week - I noticed a difference being away from the practice and got back on the wagon.

 

Many thanks to Sifu Terry for sharing his knowledge here and thanks again Fu Dog for starting this thread.

All the best,

Rene'

 

After One Year

 

It was just a little over one year ago when I made my first post regarding the Flying Phoenix system. I would like to provide my observations after one year.

 

First a little background. In November of 2010 I arranged a call with Sifu Terry to discuss the system, as I felt it had promise, however there were some things I wished to have clarified and wanted to speak with him directly. My first impression, in addition to having some technical questions answered, was that Sifu Terry had a strong belief in the system, as passion for teaching it. I felt very good about this. I began to practice in earnest. By the way, please keep in mind that when I began practicing I had just celebrated my 55th birthday.

 

I practice FP on the average of 30 minutes per day, however, on the weekends I practice sometimes for 90 minutes to two hours, taking Sifu's advice to practice your entire routine in the sequence presented in his DVD's.

 

Here are my observations after one year:

 

(1) The energy I feel in FP is stronger than any other system I had practiced. I am convinced the breathing sequences to begin each exercise are a differential factor towards this energy generation. No other system I had practiced had this, and I had practiced a number of qigong systems prior to Flying Phoenix.

 

(2) The most tangible benefit to FP practice is my appearance. Most of the wrinkles on my face have receded to smooth, and I look noticeably younger. Some wrinkles that were on my face for 5+ years have nearly vanished. This, to me is amazing. Nearly everyone who knows me I comments on this.

 

(3) I now use the appearance of my face to gauge my level of practice. If I am practicing "enough", then my face looks smooth, younger as a general condition. If I am not getting enough practice, then the wear starts to show, and this tells me I need to practice more.

 

(4) My libido has increased. Nuff said. ;-)

 

(5) The practice of Flying Phoenix washes away built up stress. I work some long hours in a high pressure environment. The FP exercises just seem to clean away the stress.

 

(6) I sleep more soundly. The second of the Basic Seated FP exercises and the first FP Advanced Seated are especially good to do before sleeping.

 

(7) I have not been sick, except for one cold, and I got that in March of this year. Coincidentally, that came on the heels of the only period over the past year where I had gone for a little more week without practicing, due to a brutal work/travel schedule. Since then, I practice daily, and have had no hint of any illness. I honestly believe had I not had the lapse in FP practice, that there is a good chance I would not have caught that cold.

 

(8) After one year, the practice of FP has truly become a "moving mediation". With practice that is what it has become. There have been several questions on the board about the parallels between FP and meditation. I can tell you that with more practice, the FP exercises become quite meditative. There is a peace and calmness experienced during the practice that is really quite special, however, at the same time there is this really nice experience of the Flying Phoenix energy. It makes the FP meditative experience quite unique.

 

(9) During the movements, I feel as if I am moving my hands through a "thick" qi (that's the only way I can describe it), and this feeling, in turn, slows my movements. It's as if the Flying Phoenix energy itself provides me feedback as to the correct speed of my movements, which is quite slow by the way.

 

(10) I often feel during the seated FP movements, that the hair on my arms is standing on end. Other posters have mentioned this feeling as well.

 

(11) I have a mental calmness about me now that is more pronounced than a year ago. I am not sure if I would 100% contribute that to the practice of FP, however, I feel for sure that it is a significant contributing factor.

 

(12) As FP exercises are practice one after the other (with a small break in between as prescribed by Sifu Terry), the energy builds with each additional FP exercise practiced. At least for me, the Flying Phoenix energy doesn't peak and level out. I feel a cumulative energy with each successive FP exercise.

 

 

I will stop there for now. Perhaps in another 6 months I will provide another progress report. I still have not learned all of the exercises as taught by Sifu Terry on his DVD's, so there is much more to look forward to.

 

I would like to offer a special thanks to Sifu Terry and also to Sifu Garry for your contributions to this thread.

 

Warmest Regards,

 

Lloyd

 

Edited for spelling.

Edited November 22, 2010 by rsalazar

[zen-bear]

After One Year

 

It was just a little over one year ago when I made my first post regarding the Flying Phoenix system. I would like to provide my observations after one year.

 

First a little background. In November of 2010 I arranged a call with Sifu Terry to discuss the system, as I felt it had promise, however there were some things I wished to have clarified and wanted to speak with him directly. My first impression, in addition to having some technical questions answered, was that Sifu Terry had a strong belief in the system, as passion for teaching it. I felt very good about this. I began to practice in earnest. By the way, please keep in mind that when I began practicing I had just celebrated my 55th birthday.

 

I practice FP on the average of 30 minutes per day, however, on the weekends I practice sometimes for 90 minutes to two hours, taking Sifu's advice to practice your entire routine in the sequence presented in his DVD's.

 

Here are my observations after one year:

 

(1) The energy I feel in FP is stronger than any other system I had practiced. I am convinced the breathing sequences to begin each exercise are a differential factor towards this energy generation. No other system I had practiced had this, and I had practiced a number of qigong systems prior to Flying Phoenix.

 

(2) The most tangible benefit to FP practice is my appearance. Most of the wrinkles on my face have receded to smooth, and I look noticeably younger. Some wrinkles that were on my face for 5+ years have nearly vanished. This, to me is amazing. Nearly everyone who knows me I comments on this.

 

(3) I now use the appearance of my face to gauge my level of practice. If I am practicing "enough", then my face looks smooth, younger as a general condition. If I am not getting enough practice, then the wear starts to show, and this tells me I need to practice more.

 

(4) My libido has increased. Nuff said. ;-)

 

(5) The practice of Flying Phoenix washes away built up stress. I work some long hours in a high pressure environment. The FP exercises just seem to clean away the stress.

 

(6) I sleep more soundly. The second of the Basic Seated FP exercises and the first FP Advanced Seated are especially good to do before sleeping.

 

(7) I have not been sick, except for one cold, and I got that in March of this year. Coincidentally, that came on the heels of the only period over the past year where I had gone for a little more week without practicing, due to a brutal work/travel schedule. Since then, I practice daily, and have had no hint of any illness. I honestly believe had I not had the lapse in FP practice, that there is a good chance I would not have caught that cold.

 

(8) After one year, the practice of FP has truly become a "moving mediation". With practice that is what it has become. There have been several questions on the board about the parallels between FP and meditation. I can tell you that with more practice, the FP exercises become quite meditative. There is a peace and calmness experienced during the practice that is really quite special, however, at the same time there is this really nice experience of the Flying Phoenix energy. It makes the FP meditative experience quite unique.

 

(9) During the movements, I feel as if I am moving my hands through a "thick" qi (that's the only way I can describe it), and this feeling, in turn, slows my movements. It's as if the Flying Phoenix energy itself provides me feedback as to the correct speed of my movements, which is quite slow by the way.

 

(10) I often feel during the seated FP movements, that the hair on my arms is standing on end. Other posters have mentioned this feeling as well.

 

(11) I have a mental calmness about me now that is more pronounced than a year ago. I am not sure if I would 100% contribute that to the practice of FP, however, I feel for sure that it is a significant contributing factor.

 

(12) As FP exercises are practice one after the other (with a small break in between as prescribed by Sifu Terry), the energy builds with each additional FP exercise practiced. At least for me, the Flying Phoenix energy doesn't peak and level out. I feel a cumulative energy with each successive FP exercise.

 

 

I will stop there for now. Perhaps in another 6 months I will provide another progress report. I still have not learned all of the exercises as taught by Sifu Terry on his DVD's, so there is much more to look forward to.

 

I would like to offer a special thanks to Sifu Terry and also to Sifu Garry for your contributions to this thread.

 

Warmest Regards,

 

Lloyd

 

Edited for spelling.

 

 

Dear Lloyd,

Thank you for sharing with this forum your past year's experience with Flying Phoenix Qigong in such detail and clarity. There is nothing more gratifying for a teacher than to hear good results from his work such as your positively glowing progress report. I'm very glad to hear that you have been able to establish a very solid practice routine in your day-to-day life. Your practice schedule of 7 days a week averaging 30 minutes per day and then 90 to 120 minutes on weekend days is just a couple of hours (those extra hours per weekend) above the minimum required in order derive tangible and visible benefits from practicing the FP Qigong.

 

The disappearance of your facial wrinkles with daily FP practice is a definitive sign of allostasis effected by the FP Qigong's affect on the autonomic nervous system. (Also take note from time to time of the condition of the back of your hands.)

 

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

 

--allostasis, btw, is the most accurate and semantically correct scientific description of how GM Doo Wai described the effects and the workings of the FP qigong: "This qigong brings all the organ functions of the body under the regulation of the subconscious mind."

 

My teacher of this system, GM Doo Wai,told me as I was making the first videos of FP Qigong in 1995(VHS): "You will get a lot of response from people who try this."--and he said this based on his knowledge of what was being published and sold in terms of books and videos.

 

From your post, I assume that you haven't yet learned the long-form standing meditation that is taught on Volume Four. This long exercise is what GM Doo Wai, called "Flying Phoenix Heavenly Healing Chi Meditation." Once this exercise is memorized and well practiced, one can practice less of the basic meditations in Volumes 1-2. Although each movement of the FPHHCM is no more difficult than any Tai Chi posture/movement, it is relatively complex because none of the movements are repeated at different sections of the Form as in Tai Chi forms. Each section of the FPHHCM has new and diverse movements. But in the end, it is well worth the effort to learn and practice this wonderful "capstone" to the basic FP practice, because once it is established, your FP healing energy will be at a level that will start to affect others around you in most positive ways--as the subtle and sublime spiritual flavor of the FPHHCM will begin to reveal itself.

 

Based on your report at this juncture of one year of daily practice, I will encourage you to start working towards practicing the long standing meditation--at whatever pace you can manage. I realize you still may need to learn "Wind through Treetops" or "Moonbleam Splashes on Water" on Vol. 3 before you get to FPHHCM. One very astute reviewer like yourself (screenname "Njoku" from Philadelphia) said it best on an early amazon.com review: "Just Do It." Yes, it's the Nike shoes slogan, but it's most befitting to breaking upward through the layers the FP Qigong.

 

Then down the line, you'll have much more to talk about!

 

And thanks very much to Sifu Garry for his response, observations and compliments to you.

 

Much deserved. Good Work, Lloyd!

 

Sifu Terry Dunn

 

P.S. GM Doo Wai, like all high masters, had an inimitable way of getting certain points and nuances across without words when he was teaching.  But when he did use words, he was uniquely blunt and terse--especially when it came to the truth about his arts.  He once said to us after revitiating certain small creatures--that the Universe had provided him for an instance of miraculous teaching and cosmic initiation:   "The proof is in the pudding...My art produces results. The others don't." 

 

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

Edited March 15, 2016 by zen-bear

[Junbao]

I stopped FP for the last couple weeks as my energy was too intense for me and things normalized rather quickly. Now I am ready to restart but more slowly and in a more relaxed and less serious mental frame of mind.

 

So today I started the 108 days ginger meditation. I am putting all the other FP meds on hold. 108 days, once a day. One piece of ginger in the mouth and MHP while seated in a chair for about 5 min.

 

I will make reports when I notice something worth noting.

 

Thanks again everyone here for the input!

[DanC]

Sifu Terry,

I have been working with the Seated meditations for a few weeks again, I took time off to try another meditation system and regret it, nothing compares to FPCK, I have also just purchased vol 1 so I am looking to put a daily routine of FPCK together. My question is, am I better off doing 30-45 of seated meditations in the morning and then doing a standing 30-45 session in the afternoon or doing a combined workout of both seated and standing twice per day??

 

Thanks

 

Daniel

[zen-bear]

Sifu Terry,

I have been working with the Seated meditations for a few weeks again, I took time off to try another meditation system and regret it, nothing compares to FPCK, I have also just purchased vol 1 so I am looking to put a daily routine of FPCK together. My question is, am I better off doing 30-45 of seated meditations in the morning and then doing a standing 30-45 session in the afternoon or doing a combined workout of both seated and standing twice per day??

 

Thanks

 

Daniel

 

 

Hello Daniel,

It's pretty much up to you and it depends also on your lifestyle and daily routine.

 

I normally like to do the standing FP meditations in the morning shortly upon rising.

I generally like to the do the seated FP med's in the evening to wind down from the day.

but on some hectic days when I know I have critical meetings, when I want the extra calming effects, I will do a full set of one or two of the seated med's in the morning as well (15-30 min. or more).

I also practice outdoors a lot. when I'm outdoors, I do mostly the standing FP exercises.

 

Since you say that you can afford to practice 60 to 90 minutes everday and plan to do it in 2 sessions, I would experiment with all 3 ways to determine the best schedule for you by trial-and-error. Try it 3 ways, each way for a few weeks:

A) 30-45 minutes of Standing FP Qigong in the a.m.; 30-45 min. of Seated FP Qigong in p.m.

then the reverse for a couple of weeks or longer: 30-45 minutes of Seated FP Qigong in the a.m.; 30-45 min. of Standing FP Qigong in p.m.

 

C) Two 30-45 min.sessioins of mixed Standing/Seated FP

 

FP Qigong is so safe and beneficial that you really can't do any arm by trying it in all the above combinations.

 

let us know how you make out with the trial-and-error.

 

Best,

 

Sifu Terry

[zen-bear]

Sifu Terry,

I have been working with the Seated meditations for a few weeks again, I took time off to try another meditation system and regret it, nothing compares to FPCK, I have also just purchased vol 1 so I am looking to put a daily routine of FPCK together. My question is, am I better off doing 30-45 of seated meditations in the morning and then doing a standing 30-45 session in the afternoon or doing a combined workout of both seated and standing twice per day??

 

Thanks

 

Daniel

 

 

Hello Daniel,

It's pretty much up to you and it depends also on your lifestyle and daily routine.

 

I normally like to do the standing FP meditations in the morning shortly upon rising.

I generally like to the do the seated FP med's in the evening to wind down from the day.

but on some hectic days when I know I have critical meetings, when I want the extra calming effects, I will do a full set of one or two of the seated med's in the morning as well (15-30 min. or more).

I also practice outdoors a lot. when I'm outdoors, I do mostly the standing FP exercises.

 

Since you say that you can afford to practice 60 to 90 minutes everyday and plan to do it in 2 sessions, I would experiment with all 3 ways to determine the best schedule for you by trial-and-error. Try it 3 ways, each way for a few weeks:

A) 30-45 minutes of Standing FP Qigong in the a.m.; 30-45 min. of Seated FP Qigong in p.m.

Then the reverse for a couple of weeks or longer: 30-45 minutes of Seated FP Qigong in the a.m.; 30-45 min. of Standing FP Qigong in p.m.

 

C) Two 30-45 min.sessioins of mixed Standing/Seated FP

 

FP Qigong is so safe and beneficial that you really can't do any arm by trying it in all the above combinations.

 

Let us know what schedule works best for you--and how you were able to arrive at it.

 

Best,

 

Sifu Terry

[Christoph]

I'm recovering from knee surgery last week and can hardly wait to start practicing again.I can probably do some sitting in a chair in a day or two.

A few weeks ago I started taking some herbs and the FP had made me very in tune with my nervous system and I am having very noticeable benefits.

[VCraigP]

Sifu Terry

 

A follow on to the practice advice given above.

 

What does a 30-45 min practice session look like?

 

Lately practicing seated meditations from FPCK 2 I only have time to get through the first three and that takes about 40 min or more (haven't actually set a timer).

 

I get the impression that there is no such thing as going too slow in the movements, but is it OK to go a bit faster in order to fit all six seated meds into one hour?

 

As for the six standing meds I know for sure that it takes at least an hour to get through all 6 at the proper length because it takes over 50 minutes just for the DVD.

 

I think you mentioned earlier in this now monumental thread that it was an OK idea to alternate the qigongs over a couple of practices. It just seems like I would require at least two hours per day to get through all 6 of both the seated and standing of FPCK 1 & 2. So far that's the only drawback I see to the flying phoenix.

 

Other students please respond as well.

 

Craig

[zen-bear]

I'm recovering from knee surgery last week and can hardly wait to start practicing again.I can probably do some sitting in a chair in a day or two.

A few weeks ago I started taking some herbs and the FP had made me very in tune with my nervous system and I am having very noticeable benefits.

 

 

Hi Christoph,

Great that you are feeling the sensitized healing of the FP Qigong.

Recovery from surgery is a perfect application for FP Qigong. It will keep your entire system in tune, as you say, and it will accelerate the healing process by enabling and maintaining "allostasis"--something that not every qigong method can achieve. The smoothing out and disappearance of facial wrinkles that Fu-Dog reported from his daily practice is a definitive sign of allostasis. If you happen to reach a point in your recovery when you experience the same smoothing effects on skin, you can be certain that the healing of your knee is going well simultaneously.

 

All the best,

 

Sifu Terry

[zen-bear]

Fu_dog, thank you for your 1 yr. anniv. progress checklist. Great to hear of your tangible benefits.

 

I wanted to second one of your highlights:

 

 

 

My experience, after practicing Ya Mu's (Michael Lomax's) stillness-movement for 6 months, then attending a second workshop last weekend, I noticed the laugh lines around my eyes were no longer there. I was stunned.

 

And to Terry:

Thank you for pointing out the qigong's "affect on the autonomic nervous system." I have found this to be the case in other physiological areas as well (not just the wrinkles).

 

 

Best to everyone in their practices.

 

 

You're welcome, Rainbow!

I'm glad to hear that you have another system (Ya Mu's) to compare and contrast with the FP practice. If you have access to the knowledge, and time to practice more than one system, it's always good to "triangulate" with two or more arts to monitor the effectiveness of each system.

Best,

Sifu Terry

[zen-bear]

Sifu Terry

 

A follow on to the practice advice given above.

 

What does a 30-45 min practice session look like?

 

Lately practicing seated meditations from FPCK 2 I only have time to get through the first three and that takes about 40 min or more (haven't actually set a timer).

 

I get the impression that there is no such thing as going too slow in the movements, but is it OK to go a bit faster in order to fit all six seated meds into one hour?

 

As for the six standing meds I know for sure that it takes at least an hour to get through all 6 at the proper length because it takes over 50 minutes just for the DVD.

 

I think you mentioned earlier in this now monumental thread that it was an OK idea to alternate the qigongs over a couple of practices. It just seems like I would require at least two hours per day to get through all 6 of both the seated and standing of FPCK 1 & 2. So far that's the only drawback I see to the flying phoenix.

 

Other students please respond as well.

 

Craig

 

 

Craig,

30-40 minutes of FP practice covers exactly what you've experienced: 3 of seated Monk serves Wine meditations can be done in 40 minutes' time (7 repetitions of each). Maybe just 2 if you practice them at "shifting sand dune" speed. But that's fine.

 

In terms of doing all 6 seated exercises of Volume Two, that does take more than one hour because to make the DVD program move along and not drag out, in teaching each exercise, I just show the movements about 3 times and then tell the viewer to practice each one 7x.

 

True: there is no such thing as going too slow (or standing too long) in performing the FP exercises. But yes, once you are able to do the FP exercises at the slowest speeed that you can manage and practice long enough at slow speed (it varies for everyone depending on how much internal arts training you have under you belt), and your movements become totally effortless and automatically flow with complete relaxation, then you can do the movements at slightly faster speeds. And you can do the stationery exercises for shorter durations.

 

But establishing the FP System in your body takes prolonged regular practice (daily practice is optimum, and twice a day is optimal. That's how I practice).

 

As for two hours of FP practice a day being a "drawback"--while it's every effective and super-optimal to practice 2hrs a day, you don't have to practice 2 hrs a day to establish the FP system in you and create the eserve of FP energy. And as I stated before in response to Fu-Dog, his practice schedule of the past year is fine and effective: half-hour a day during the week and 90 minutes or so on the weekend days.

 

As Fu-Dog, Rainbow Vein, DanC, Baguakid, Christoph, Fachao, Sunshine, Rene, wtm, and others on this thread have reported, FP Qigong is one of the more powerful and fast-acting Qigong systems available. The fact that you can derive tangible energizing and rejuvenating benefits from 30 minutes a day is verifiable proof. (I don't want to name names, but there's an endlessly diluted system of calisthenics that's been spread by a particular TV venue that's been labeled as "qigong" that obviously doesn't do anything in terms of internal energy developmen--just by first glance.)

 

2 hours a day of FP practice is something many working people might find hard to manage. That's why my advice over the years is to try to do 3 standing and 3 seated meditations every day at least. That's about 70 minutes total: 45 min. for 3 seated execises, another 25 minutes for 3 standing meds.

if you are doing other Chinese martial arts at the same time (correctly)--kung fu or Tai Chi--that will only complement and further ground your FP practice.

 

In the greater scheme of things, if you want to master any Taoist or Buddhist martial,yogic and healing art, that will require more than 2 hours a day. Sifu Garry Hearfield will confirm this fact.

 

In my 20's I trained 6 days a week, six hours every weekday in kung-fu after my 9-5 job, and sometimes 8-12 hours on the weekends. When I learned one of GM Doo Wai's other internal arts, called 8 Sections of Energy Combined, after about 10 months of learning the 1st Section, which has very diverse movements, and takes about 20-25 minutes to complete, he had 2 other students and myself practice the First Section 18 times singularly--not all of us at the same time. We practiced and watched each other's Form from 8p.m. until 9a.m. the next morning. With that training, the basic foundational kung-fu of 8 sections was established in us.

 

When I studied Cheng Man-Ching's Tai Chi Chuan from Abraham Liu and Benjamin Lo (during the latter's summer retreats in la Honda, CA), the daily schedule during our weeklong retreats was 1/2 hr of Short Form and wu chi standing at 6 am to wake up. 3 two-hour sessions for Form Class at 9-11, 1-3pm, 7-9pm, with 3 hrs of push-hands from 3-6pm. That's 9.5 hours per day. Those of us fortunate enough to have attended these retreats--especially Mr. Lo's retreats found that that week of intensive training, was just barely enough to burn the Tai Chi Form and consciousness into you and get you through the entire year. In the first 6-7 retreats the only time one was not intensely sore in the legs was when you were in the TC Form. (Of course Benjamin Lo taught with the same rigor and discipline in all his San Francisco classes for 40+ years and those lucky students living in S.F. got the Tai Chi faster than other students if they had the dedication.)

 

When I first learned the FP Qigong, I practice it alone 2-4 hours a day, in addition to the White Tiger kung-fu forms and other internal arts that the GM was teaching us.

 

When I taught FP seminars in the late 90's in the midwest and New York, I followed a training schedule similar to that we did in Tai Chi retreats over 12 years: 6 hours of FP form practice a day in 3 sessions. and 2 hours of optional tui-na energy healing from 3-5. And that's how I will continue to conduct my workshops in the future.

 

Hope this gives you a good perspective on training, Craig.

 

Sifu Terry Dunn

[Fu_dog]

Sifu Garry -

 

Thanks for your good words on "Perseverance", because they motivate me to keep on keepin' on!

 

I decided to use the Chinese symbol for Perseverance as my avatar.

 

Best wishes,

 

Lloyd

[Fu_dog]

Sifu Terry -

 

Thanks for your thoughtful response to my "After One Year" post. There are several things I glean from your comments.

 

First, after one year, while guys like me and Rene have seen some very tangible benefits, in reality we just scratched the surface. You are correct I have not yet completed all of the exercises, including the long form. I am looking forward over the next 6 to 12 months to learning the complete Flying Phoenix system (at least as much as you present on your DVD's). Then perhaps as you suggest I will have *much more* to talk about.

 

The second thing I see is that 30 minutes is maintenance, and that real energy gains will happen with longer sessions. So for me, in addition to longer practices on Saturday and Sunday, I am going to try to have one long Flying Phoenix practice during the week as well. If I can do this, then that's 3 longer practices a week instead of two, and I have to think I will realize some benefits.

 

Also, the guidelines for practice time in your response to VCraigP are very good. As you stated, it's a challenge for some of us to find 2 hours per day to practice. That said, I appreciate the fact that you have given us this guideline. It's good to know.

 

Again, on behalf of those of us who are practitioners in search of some guidance on the practice of FP, I want to thank you and Sifu Garry for the time and effort you have put into answering our questions.

 

Lloyd

Edited November 24, 2010 by Fu_dog

[Fu_dog]

Rainbow Vein -

 

Nice comments on Michael's style and your laugh lines disappearing.

 

Like you, the first time I looked in the mirror and saw the tangible differences, i.e., the disappearance of facial wrinkles, after a long Flying Phoenix practice I was shocked as well. Those sorts of benefits are undeniable.

 

For people asking if qigong works, I will also chime in with Sifu Terry....."Just do it!"

 

Assuming style of qigong is legit, then the practioner will notice benefits.

 

Good luck as you continue your practice.

 

Lloyd

[Fu_dog]

Sifu Terry -

 

Nice picture on your website on your qigong catalog page of the temples and the god with four faces facing four directions. I am curious about the god.

 

There is a similar looking shrine in Bangkok (i.e., it houses the actual god) that looks similar to the one in the photo on your website. The name of the one in Bangkok called the Phra Prom. It is also called the Erawan shrine.

 

I consider myself quite a rational person, however, I can tell you the Phra Prom in Bangkok has some serious power. It is not to be toyed with and must be treated with due reverence. One can actually *feel* the presence of its spirit when you get close to it.

 

So, just curious, can you tell us a little about the god in your pic?

 

Link to pic

 

Thanks....

[VCraigP]

 

Hope this gives you a good perspective on training, Craig.

 

Sifu Terry Dunn

 

Sifu Dunn

 

Sorry I missed your reply til now.

 

You've surely defined what true Kung Fu looks like in practice.

 

Hard work, steady training, perseverance = achievement.

 

thanks for the detailed reply.

 

Craig

[VCraigP]

Sifu Terry -

 

Nice picture on your website on your qigong catalog page of the temples and the god with four faces facing four directions. I am curious about the god.

so, just curious, can you tell us a little about the god in your pic?

Link to pic

 

Thanks....

 

Fu Dog

Not really my place to answer this question, but...

 

Ehmeishan is a sacred place to both Taoists and Buddhists.

Flying Phoenix was developed by a Taoist.

Ehmeishan was sacred and occupied by Taoists first before Buddhists took it over.

 

That pic on Sifu's website is modern Ehmeishan with a Buddhist icon of quite recent vintage I would guess if Ehmeishan follows similar historical pattern as other sacred mountains of China in the last few decades.

 

Therefore I conclude from this that unless Sifu Dunn is also a buddhist scholar he might not know what that statue is which now sits there.

Then again, I don't know what he knows...

 

FWIW

 

Craig

[QGLover]

Hello Sifu Terry,

 

I am about to start practicing your video lessons (1 and 2), and I'd like to ask you something that is bothering me.

 

Well, as I am beginner, my questions are simple.

 

- Do I have to follow some specific diet some period, before practicing Qigong, or while practicing ?

- Is it better to exercise outdoor, or it has the same benefits as practicing indoor ?

- Does it matter if I do Qigong right after sleep ?

- What are the basic things I have to know about Qigong, and be aware to ?

 

This is all I can ask now, so.. if there are any other things like this, please tell me.

 

All the best, QGLover

[QGLover]

Anyone ?

[Junbao]

Hi QGLover

 

I'm sure Sifu Terry will provide better answers for you but in the mean time here are some short answers I can give you my opinion on...

 

1) Diet...your body should run better on better foods, but AFAIK Flying Phoenix does not suggest anything particular. At least from what I have gotten from discussion here. One thing I remember Sifu Terry mentioning was that eating to bad for too long with deplete some of the FP energy you have built up. (I think he said that)

 

2) Indoors is better when you are learning.

 

3) I think it's a great time to practice. If you are like me then your body should already be very calm and relaxed from a good nights sleep. Either way I think it's a good time.

 

4) Relax, breathe, relax

[zen-bear]

Sifu Terry -

 

Nice picture on your website on your qigong catalog page of the temples and the god with four faces facing four directions. I am curious about the god.

 

There is a similar looking shrine in Bangkok (i.e., it houses the actual god) that looks similar to the one in the photo on your website. The name of the one in Bangkok called the Phra Prom. It is also called the Erawan shrine.

 

I consider myself quite a rational person, however, I can tell you the Phra Prom in Bangkok has some serious power. It is not to be toyed with and must be treated with due reverence. One can actually *feel* the presence of its spirit when you get close to it.

 

So, just curious, can you tell us a little about the god in your pic?

 

Link to pic

 

Thanks....

 

 

Hi Lloyd,

 

Sorry to take so long to get back to you...it's been an unbelievable past 2 weeks.

 

The beautiful bronze statue at the top of Ehrmei Mountain is of the bodhisattva Puxian, or Samantabhadra, looking in ten directions. For the devout or the yogically well-calibrated, the spiritual power of Samantabhadra is palpable all around Ehrmeishan. As you know, a bodhisattva is a god-in-human-form, a completely enlightened and liberated spirit who has broken the chain of deaths and rebirths (transcended the samsara) but who choses to reincarnate and live (in this hell) only to liberate all other sentient beings. Because heavenly entities have no gender or race, earthly statues of Puxian and other bodhisattvas (made by those monks, priests, and advanced yogins who have literally seen Puxian from visitations) always look androgenous, and are sometimes referred to in the Buddhist and lay literature as both "he" and "she",interchangeably.

 

Ehrmeishan is very powerful. I have felt the same type of spiritual power although of a distinctly different flavor--and have seen it at work--at Jinshan, perhaps the most famous Buddhist temple in all of China, which is near my mother's hometown of Zhenjiang, about an hour from Nanjing. Jinshan is the site of the famous legend of Buddhist monk Fahai and the "White Snake Goddess", which he subjugated and imprisoned deep in a well in Leifeng Pagoda. But centuries later, the demonic spirit was was released when the temple mysteriously burned to the ground in 1948. Everyone in China new something really, really--and I mean REALLY--bad was going to happen to the country afterwards. And the rest is history.

 

I have not been to Phra Prom nor spent much time in Thailand. i just did a quick read about it on wikipedia and see that the Erawan shrine worships the Thai representiation of the Hindu creation god Brahma. The shrine was built to counteract very strong negative forces in that area and it seems to have worked.

 

The Teravadan form of Buddhism in Thailand and SE Asia has its very powerful centers and their bodhisattva's as well. I'd like to explore them once I turn a few more corners,finish most of my work, and am free to travel again.

 

Best,

Sifu Terry Dunn

 

P.S. While we're on this subject of holy sites, besides Jinshan and Ehrmeishan and other Buddhist and Taoist temples and monasteries, I have also experienced strong and palpable spiritual energy permeating western churches. One of my favorites is the Orsanmichele Chapel in the center of Florence, Italy. Built in 1349 The spiritual energy there is not have the same protective, martial-guardian flavor of energy as in Jinshan and other Chinese temples and monasteries, but was/is one of pure grace, Divine compassion, and miraculous healing--invoked and upheld by the devotional practices before the stone tabernacle enclosing Bernardo Daddi's Madonna and Child (completed in 1346). The tabernacle, btw, has a very prominent Star-of-David-enclosed-in-a-triangle at it's top and center. On the outside are statures of 14 saints and Apostles (today all replicas, as the originals are in other museums.) In the 1300's there was a very fervent Florentine cult towards the miracles performed by the Orsanmichele Madonna, which were ignored by the local Friars Minor (out of chauvinism and jealousy--no surprise.) The stained glass windows tell a complete cycle of the miracles of the Orsanmichele Madonna. For info about this spiritual enclave, google "Orsanmichele church" and Guido Cavalcanti who witnessed the miracles and wrote about them in his sonnets and Assertions. Better yet, go visit Orsanmichele and (regardless of your faith) light a candle and place it before the tabernacle.

Edited January 10, 2011 by zen-bear

[zen-bear]

[kata]

[Guliver]

Hi sifu Terry

 

I admire your inner skills, they are awesome I have some questions about FP:

What is the ideal temperature for doing the FP

Is it okay to do FP no matter what season is:winter,summer-etc

Sometimes I exercise yoga would it be good to exercise FP after yoga

[zen-bear]

Hi sifu Terry

 

I admire your inner skills, they are awesome I have some questions about FP:

What is the ideal temperature for doing the FP

Is it okay to do FP no matter what season is:winter,summer-etc

Sometimes I exercise yoga would it be good to exercise FP after yoga

 

 

 

Guliver,

a. You can practice the FP Qigong anytime of year--no matter what season it is.

 

b. It's fine to practice the FP Qigong before or after you do Indian yoga exercise--to the same extent that it's OK to practice FP qigong before or after any other type of kung-fu or Tai Chi practice.

 

Best,

Sifu Terry Dunn

 

P.S. Thanks for the compliment, but my neigung skill level in the Flying Phoenix system and other White Tiger internal arts pales in comparison to that of my teacher, GM Doo Wai, for his power in martial and healing energy arts is REAL Kung-Fu that is beyond description. I call this metaphysical skill level "Old School Kung-fu" because it is more rare than rare: see my website www.taichimania.com under "Favorite Links"--click Favorite Demonstrations at bottom and scroll down to "Old School Kung-Fu". There you will see GM Doo Wai, GM Ark Yue Wong, and GM Huang Hsing Hsien.

 

Besides so much ancient knowledge dies with grandmasters each generation because no student is capable or worthy of receiving the transmission, it's also very rare in the modern age for people to train 9-12 hours a day for years in order to develop the real kung-fu (assuming they have a teacher with the authentic high-level knowledge). I think my school brother, Sifu Garry Hearfield, who has also put in this time, has also attested in this thread to the fact of GM Doo Wai's profound and totally OFF-THE-CHARTS powers.

Edited December 20, 2010 by zen-bear