Flowing Zen

What do Cosmos Qigong, Shaolin Kung Fu, and Zen Meditation have in common? Sure, they’re all energy arts, and they all came from the Shaolin Temple. But did you know that they also came from the same man?

Twenty years ago, in the winter of 1992, I signed up for my first martial arts class. After growing up watching endless hours of Kung Fu Theater on Saturday morning TV, I finally decided to take the plunge.

The Ten Shaolin Laws are non-religious, and transcend cultural and linguistic differences. These simple laws promote values that are worthy and desirable in any culture. Laws, in the Shaolin tradition, are not meant to be restrictive; they are meant to help followers achieve set aims and objectives. In this case, the laws to help us to attain the best possible results in practicing Flowing Zen.

Can you spar with traditional Shaolin Kung Fu techniques? Or do you practice traditional techniques, and then abandon them once you start sparring? Sadly, most Kung Fu students today lack a systematic approach to sparring.  So it’s no surprise that they cannot use traditional techniques in sparring. If you watch them sparring, it is obvious