CFQ Healing or Standing Chi Kung?

[ToP-fan]

I've been doing standing still chi kung from Master Lam Kam Cheun's "Way Of Energy" on and off for a few years now..............Every now and then, I'll miss a few days, but overall I've been pretty consistant with it and have gotten good results..............My stamina and circulation are better..........I sleep deeper and feel more centered.......................For awhile now, I've heard very good things about CFQ Healing and a few months back when I inquired about CFQ on this site, Ian was gracious enough to provide info since it is a practice that he's done......................Here's my conflict.........I would love to learn CFQ and even contacted an instructor in Canada........I told him that I do a standing practice and he said that if I were to learn CFQ I would have to give up the standing................Why?............Because according to the CFQ system, other types of qigong such as storing qi, internal obits, standing etc all cause tension and will cause blockages........While CFQ is about relaxing and dropping tension out through the body enabling better meridian flows........................Has anyone done both and continued to do so? Thanks

[SifuPhil]

Well, this is just me talking, and I can't speak for Ian's practice since I don't know the gentleman...

 

But it's been my experience that any mind/body or martial art teacher that requests you discontinue your present practice in order to learn theirs is slightly suspect. I'm not saying that CFQ isn't the real thing - I'm sure they have their share of success stories - it's just that your comment set off the warning bells in my little bald head.

 

That being said - it's also just possible that they see the need for you to "empty your cup" before they can fill it.

 

I'd look at it this way - if your present practice is giving you benefits, why stop it? If you wish to supplement it, why? Have you fully explored all possible paths through "The Way of Energy"? I take it you're referring to the video/DVD version of that qigong - and I'm sure you also realize that, no matter how diligently practiced, you still can't reach the highest pinnacle of achievement from a tape - you need that "direct transmission" of a teacher's hands on yours, the wisdom gained from a lifetime of experience, and the tricks of the trade that aren't usually found in books and tapes.

 

Or is that why you're checking out CFQ?

 

*end of me talking*

[...]

pfft. I remember when I explored falun gong, and they said that I would have to stop all other spiritual practice If I were to try falun gong.

Of course I didn't. I would be betray any instructor before I would betray myself.

 

There is no reason, (I know of,) why you should not supplement your standing with CFQ... If this instructor is an ass like that, simply lie to him and tell him you're not doing it anymore. This way, you can learn CFQ, maintain your standing practice, and further enrich your spiritual practice.

[SifuPhil]

pfft. I remember when I explored falun gong, and they said that I would have to stop all other spiritual practice If I were to try falun gong.

I've always thought that falun gong was a weird duck - one of the few mind/body techniques with such strong personal ties to politics and such. The movements themselves are great (although a collection of what was already in existence elsewhere), but some of the philosophy - ehh, isn't my cup of tea. Perhaps if I was born and raised in China, I might feel differently.

 

... If this instructor is an ass like that, simply lie to him and tell him you're not doing it anymore. This way, you can learn CFQ, maintain your standing practice, and further enrich your spiritual practice.

I'm not sure that lying will aid your spiritual advancement, but I think I understand your point.

Edited August 17, 2006 by SifuPhil

[Ian]

Funnily enough, Sifu Yap is now encouraging most of his students to do their meditation standing. This is relatively recent, as of about February.

 

I can't speak on behalf of the Canadian instructor, nor on behalf of Sifu, but I would imagine that the point of what you've been told is not so much that you "can't" do standing (i.e. it is forbidden) but that it would be pointless to do cfq if you're simultaneously doing something else that works in an opposite direction.

 

My experience of CFQ continues to be extremely positive to the point that I have no other practice now. It has the most down-to earth, functional and least cult-like atmosphere I have encountered.

 

The theory behind the practices is such that it is incompatible with many other practices. I'm not going to try and convince anyone that it is right or better. If you meet Sifu Yap you'll either be convinced or you won't.

 

There is a cfq forum on the cfqmalaysia site where you can ask questions if you want to. I personally find it the forum structure mildly confusing and not entirely user-friendly, but it can be done!

[...]

Level 6 (Prerequisite: Invited candidates only)

 

Objective: Toward realization of Nirvana: Training and a further retreat.

 

Contents: The ultimate goal: Nirvana in Theravada, Middle Carrier and Mahayana doctrine: Examining past and future lives, Transcending or jumping out from the cycles of Samsara.

------

 

If someone is teaching this level-- does this mean that there is someone who has achieved this level involved in this training?

[Pero]

If someone is teaching this level-- does this mean that there is someone who has achieved this level involved in this training?

 

 

Good question. This is interesting also:

 

 

"Level 5 (Prerequisite Level 4: Practice for a minimum of one year)

 

Objective: Insights into self-realization: Samadhi, Sunyata & Siddhis. The training for Level 5 is to be conducted in a CFQ retreat of 7 days.

 

Contents: Perfection of radiant body equals Emptiness; Perfection of Detachment (possible only if there is Emptiness) is samadhi. Moving out from Emptiness to examine truth (siddhi)."

 

Does this mean realization of emptiness?

[thaddeus]

I told him that I do a standing practice and he said that if I were to learn CFQ I would have to give up the standing................Why?............Because according to the CFQ system, other types of qigong such as storing qi, internal obits, standing etc all cause tension and will cause blockages........While CFQ is about relaxing and dropping tension out through the body enabling better meridian flows........................Has anyone done both and continued to do so? Thanks

I don't know anything about CFQ, but I would have to agree with that statement. I think standing for the majority of folks makes them more tense. If your goal is to remove tension and play with meridian flows, then corpse pose or the constructive rest position or some kind of sitting posture is better.

T

[mYTHmAKER]

I don't know anything about CFQ, but I would have to agree with that statement. I think standing for the majority of folks makes them more tense. If your goal is to remove tension and play with meridian flows, then corpse pose or the constructive rest position or some kind of sitting posture is better.

T

 

I do standing in wuji - arms relaxed at sides

allowing qi to do whatever it wants to.

I find it very relaxing and rooting.

Tension melts away.

I used to do hugging like a tree or arms in other

positions. In these postures you have to hold through

the pain of muscle tension- at some point the muscles give up

relax and let go. Now I can hold these postures as long as I want to.

 

I prefer the wuji standing.

It aligns everything, teaches patience and relaxation.

[thaddeus]

I prefer the wuji standing.

It aligns everything, teaches patience and relaxation.

 

Alot of tension is insidious and becomes part of one's natural way of being. Many people grip their stomachs hips and pelvis so much they have lost all discernment. I think standing in those cases can make one worse and more stiff. I think the alignment stuff is pretty advanced, imho.

T

[ToP-fan]

Thanks folks for all the great imput........Ian, thanks for dropping by with the info on Master Yap......Though I don't have the opportunity to study CFQ within a seminar or retreat setting,not yet anyway, ...........I do have a few of the books and an old VHS tape (circa 2000) of Chok Hiew doing the 7 hexagram dance movements that can get me started.

[mYTHmAKER]

Alot of tension is insidious and becomes part of one's natural way of being. Many people grip their stomachs hips and pelvis so much they have lost all discernment. I think standing in those cases can make one worse and more stiff. I think the alignment stuff is pretty advanced, imho.

T

 

In my experience I found it more difficult to do sitting meditation half lotus as

my legs were hard to relax and also to keep the spine straight

from head to kua. Same for a chair.

Practicing standing made it easier to do the sitting meditation.

I think one really needs a teacher for correction to learn standing properly.

Sitting will not ground - root - you like standing will

[thaddeus]

In my experience I found it more difficult to do sitting meditation half lotus as

my legs were hard to relax and also to keep the spine straight

from head to kua. Same for a chair.

Practicing standing made it easier to do the sitting meditation.

I think one really needs a teacher for correction to learn standing properly.

Sitting will not ground - root - you like standing will

true, on the sitting stuff, use your sitz bones as virtual legs/feet. Many taiji masters, including chen xiao wang, demo fajing and other things sitting on a chair.

T

[mYTHmAKER]

true, on the sitting stuff, use your sitz bones as virtual legs/feet. Many taiji masters, including chen xiao wang, demo fajing and other things sitting on a chair.

T

 

I'm not quite at their level yet

[Smile]

Because according to the CFQ system, other types of qigong such as storing qi, internal obits, standing etc all cause tension and will cause blockages.......

They are either inexperienced, stupid or intentionally providing misinformation. I think it's rather the later. I've met quiet a few Chi kung /meditation teaches that claim that their system is the most powerful system on the planet and in order for you to get all the benefit you should drop everything else.

 

I say if it works for you, do it. Dedicate yourself to it- not because it's the best system but because it actually moves you to practice every day. Anything, even raising your arms up and down slowly, can become something really powerful if you believe in it and practice every day.

[Ian]

They are either inexperienced, stupid or intentionally providing misinformation.

 

I can personally attest that none of the above are true. Sifu Yap has been a practitioner for over 30 years, has done 50-60 thousand hours of meditation, (work that out in terms of a forty hour week!!) is highly intelligent, and scrupulously honest, even if people don't want to hear it.

 

I've met quiet a few Chi kung /meditation teaches that claim that their system is the most powerful system on the planet and in order for you to get all the benefit you should drop everything else.

 

Bodri?