If you’ve ever watched a kung fu movie…

…now hang on a minute!

Are there people reading this who haven’t watched a kung fu movie?

If so, then stop reading right now, go rent Drunken Master with Jackie Chan, and then report back to me when you’re finished.

Okay, now where was I?

If you’ve ever watched a kung fu movie, then you’re probably familiar with this line:

“Right then! What’s your style?”

You’ll often hear this just as one of the bad guys strikes a fancy schmancy kung fu pose. It’s time for kung fu fighting!

What’s all this talk about “style,” and what does it mean for the modern practitioner of qigong or tai chi?

I’m going to clear that up for you.

By the end of this article, you’ll understand what a qigong style is (and isn’t), and whether or not any of this stuff even matters to you.

What IS My Style? 

Here’s my dilemma.

Imagine the scene above, with the bad guy striking a kung fu pose in front of me and saying, “Right then, what’s your qigong style, Mr. Anthony!” 

Now imagine me responding not with a kung fu pose, but by stroking my beard pensively and saying: “That’s a really good question, Mr. Bad Guy!”

For years, whenever someone asked what style of qigong I teach, I always answered as follows:

Shaolin Hunyuan Yi Qigong (少林混元一氣功, Shaolin Cosmos Qigong).

But there’s a problem with that answer: It’s no longer accurate.

If you want to understand more about the nature of qigong “styles”, then keep reading. My own journey will help you to see things clearer.

Style vs. Lineage

The truth is that I’ve learned and practiced many styles of qigong (more on that below).

Yes, Shaolin Hunyuan Yi Qigong is the style that I studied deepest. It’s also the only style that I claim lineage too.

But is it really the style that I teach?

(The subject of lineage is closely connected to the subject of styles, so bear with me.)

If you’re new to Flowing Zen, then you need to know some quick history. 

In 2014, I “divorced” my Sifu after 17 years of discipleship.

For the record, I didn’t just divorce him. I was the main whistleblower for a sexual abuse scandal in his organization, perpetrated by one of his certified instructors.

I left — and not quietly — because I believe that his organization condones sexual and emotional abuse. Hundreds of students and many instructors also left for the same reason.

The Politics of Lineage

So what happened to my lineage after my divorce?

Some people will tell you that I no longer have lineage because of my divorce.

They will actually try to convince you that my 17 years of discipleship and my 11 years as a chief instructor just magically disappeared the moment I left.

If you believe that, then you are in the wrong place, my friend.

The ugly truth about lineage is that it’s actually quite political.

And speaking of politics, if I were still in the organization, if I were still an inner-chamber disciple, if I were still the chief instructor in the U.S. — then I would have no choice but to say that I teach Shaolin Hunyuan Yi Qigong.

In other words, I would be required to downplay all the other styles that I learned, and push my lineage’s style to the forefront.

And I would be allowed to write this article.

But now that I’m free, I’m no longer beholden to a master or a lineage.

In other words, I’m no longer obligated to say that I practice and teach Shaolin Hunyuan Yi Qigong.

FREEDOM!

For the first time since I began this amazing qi journey in 1992, I’m totally free.

My freedom is a beautiful thing, and not just for me.

I believe that my freedom makes me a better teacher, and a better artist. In other words, I think that my freedom is a beautiful thing for YOU.

But I want you to know that I’m not just some crazy, rebellious American thumbing his nose at tradition.

Okay I am a bit crazy. And I’m also rebellious. And yes, I’m American.

That’s all true. But it’s also true that there is a long tradition of leaving one’s master, studying other styles, innovating, and then creating a new, modern style of qigong or kung fu!

So I’m in good company.

The Structure of a Style

What does it mean to create a new style?

First we need to figure out what a style actually is!

To understand this, let’s look at the basic building blocks for all styles of qigong and kung fu (including tai chi).

The structure is as follows:

pattern —> set —> style

Let’s start with the most basic unit in qigong (and tai chi): the pattern.

Structure 1: Patterns

A pattern is a single, distinct qigong or tai chi move. Usually, a pattern will have a poetic name.

For example, Lifting The Sky is a famous qigong pattern, and Single Whip is a famous tai chi pattern.

With tai chi, this can be confusing. Beginners often have difficulty seeing where one pattern finishes and another begins.

That’s because tai chi is characteristically fluid, unlike karate, which is much more linear and choppy.

To help you understand this, think of tai chi like cursive writing, and karate like block writing.

Cursive letters are designed to flow together. Once you learn to read cursive, it’s easy to see where one letter stops and another begins.

The same is true in tai chi.

Now that you understand the basic units (patterns), let’s move on to sets.

Structure 2: Sets

A set is an intelligent combination of patterns.

Some people refer to a “set” as a “form.”  For example, the Tai Chi Short Form should really be called a set.

I think the word “form” muddles the distinction between a set and a pattern.

In fact, some people refer to a pattern like Lifting the Sky as a form.

Confusing, right?

The word “set” is better.

Here are some examples of sets:

1. Yi jin Jing (Sinew Metamorphosis) is a famous qigong set,
2. The Tiger-Crane Set is a famous Shaolin Kung Fu set,
3. The 24-Pattern Short Form is a famous Tai Chi set.

Sets are intelligently arranged for various purposes, like easy memorization, energy flow, or in the case of Tai Chi and Shaolin Kung Fu, self defense.

Now let’s move up the structure to a style.

Structure 3: Styles

A style is a comprehensive methodology that includes several different sets, as well as specific training theories.

Think of a style as a curriculum.

For example:

1. Shaolin Hunyuan Yi Qigong includes the sets: The 18 Luohan Hands, Yi Jin Jing (Sinew Metamorphosis), One Finger Zen, Golden Bridge, Cosmos Palm, Small Universe, and Big Universe.
2. Yang Style Tai Chi typically includes the sets: The 24-Pattern Short Form (or the 108-Pattern Long Form), Pushing Hands, one or more weapons forms (like the sword), and auxiliary qigong techniques (like the 8 Brocades Qigong set).

If you can understand this basic structure of pattern, set, and style, then you should find it much easier to navigate the confusing world of qigong (and tai chi).

How Many Styles Are There?

The short answer is: It depends on how you count them.

Part of the problem is that many people don’t understand the hierarchy of pattern, style, and set that I described above.

For example, some people think that Ba Duan Jin (The 8 Brocades) is a style of qigong. It is a qigong set, not a style.

Another problem is that the Chinese tradition of secrecy makes historical study more difficult.

It’s hard to count the number of qigong styles out there, but it’s easy to count the ones that I myself have learned!

Over the last 24 years, I’ve studied and practiced the following styles of qigong:

1. Shaolin Hunyuan Yi Qigong
2. Chu Style Nei Kung
3. Yan Xin Qigong
4. Yi Quan
5. Cosmic Freedom Qigong
6. Wild Goose Qigong
7. Primordial Qigong
8. Dragon and Tiger Qigong
9. Zhineng Qigong
10. Spring Forest Qigong
11. Holden Qigong

Note that I did not study all of these styles as deeply as #1. I did, however, practice far more than the average student. 

Although this post is mainly about qigong, it’s worth talking briefly about kung fu as well.

What About Kung Fu?

Historically, some styles of qigong were embedded within (and kept secret by) styles of kung fu or karate.

For example, until the 20^th century, you couldn’t learn Shaolin Hunyuan Yi Qigong without also learning Shaolin Kung Fu (at least not in my lineage).

So for the sake of clarity and transparency, let me quickly list the major styles of kung fu that I’ve practiced (including my first karate style, which had some Japanese Qigong embedded inside)

1. Goju-Ryu Karate
2. Northern Shaolin Kung Fu
3. Southern Shaolin Kung Fu
4. Tai Chi Chuan
5. Baguazhang
6. Wing Chun Kung Fu

If you didn’t get the memo, all styles of tai chi are actually just sub-styles of kung fu. You can read more about that here.

If I were forced to give an answer to the question of how many qigong styles still exist in the 21^st century, I would estimate that there are about a dozen well-known styles, plus another 2 dozen lesser-known styles, plus an unknown number of highly-secretive styles that will gradually emerge over time.

And don’t forget that there are over 100 different kung fu styles!

Yikes!

Why So Many Styles?

I know what you’re thinking. Why are there so many frigging styles?!?

To me, the answer is simple: Artistry.

Name one art that has remained unchanged over a period of a hundred years, let alone 1000! Artistry — real artistry — involves creation. And creation involves innovation.

Take Mozart. Sure, he’s a “classical” composer, but in his time, he was a major innovator.

So was Picasso. So was Jane Austin.

Qigong is an art. And like all arts, it is alive. It is not the same art today as it was 1000 years ago.

In the final analysis, this is the most satisfying answer to the question about why there are so many different styles of qigong.

In other words, there are many styles because, in the history of qigong, there have been many, many artists.

The Ironic Truth 

In truth, the style of qigong that I inherited wasn’t really Shaolin Hunyuan Yi Qigong.

My ex-Sifu heavily modified the qigong that he learned from his teacher.

And guess what? His Sifu did the same thing.

It’s also worth mentioning that, in the 21^st century, there is widespread resistance to innovation in traditional Eastern arts when that innovation is done a Westerner.

People don’t even blink when a Chinese master makes changes to a qigong or kung fu style — but when a Westerner like me does the exact same thing, they get all huffy.

For example, I recently received this message in my inbox:

“I find it outrageous and disrespectful that you invented your own style of qigong and call it Flowing Zen Qigong. Only an arrogant American would do such a thing. No thank you! I’ll stick to traditional styles like Chilel and Shibashi.”

If you don’t get the joke, here’s why this is so funny:

• Chilel Qigong was invented in 1995.
• Shibashi Qigong was invented in 1979.

Both of them are modern styles based on traditional lineages — just like mine!

Oh well. People will always find something to be outraged about. 

Meanwhile, I’ll continue to master my art, and also the art of teaching.

Taking the Good, Discarding the Bad

Back in 1992, I learned a life-changing lesson from my first karate teacher, Sensei Bonnie Baker.

“Take the good, discard the bad,” she said, over and over.

That advice has turned out to be a godsend. Today, it’s helping me more than ever.

It means I’m free to take the good and discard the bad — and that’s precisely because I am no longer beholden to any lineage or master.

And that, my friends, is a beautiful thing — especially when you live in the information age!

The Information Age

The information age can be problematic for beginners. How do you sift through so much information? How do you tell the good from the bad? Who do you trust?

(My advice is find someone you trust, and then follow them for at least 6 months.)

For someone like me, the information age is a bonanza.

By “someone like me,” I mean someone who has already completed a 17-year apprenticeship, learned face-to-face from a dozen masters, and put in well over 10,000 hours of deep practice.

I’m in a fantastic position to take take the good and discard the bad.

With so much information at my disposal, plus the ability to sift the good from the bad — ask yourself this question:

Why on earth would someone like me NOT incorporate new ideas into my traditional style of qigong?

Or as T.S. Eliot put it:

Immature poets imitate; mature poets steal; bad poets deface what they take, and good poets make it into something better…. 

No Really, What’s Your Style?

Okay, so after all this — what style of qigong do I teach?

At this point, it feels disingenuous to continue saying that I teach Shaolin Hunyuan Yi Qigong.

What about all the stuff that I’ve learned from other teachers that I now incorporate into my teaching?

What about the stuff from Shaolin Hunyuan Yi Qigong that I’ve discarded?

The truth is that you could go learn Shaolin Hunyuan Yi Qigong from 4 different teachers, and none of them would teach what I teach.

I’m finally ready to admit what I’ve known for years:

I no longer teach Shaolin Hunyuan Yi Qigong!

Boy, that felt good to get off my chest!

Oh wait, I still didn’t answer the question, did I!

Introducing My New Style!

I’ve thought long and hard about what to call my style of qigong, and I’ve come up with the follow name:

Big Tony Qigong!

Okay, I’m just joking.

But actually, that’s exactly what some masters have done. They just have cool Chinese names. I’m a bit jealous.

Since my website is Flowing Zen, I think it’s logical to call start calling my style Flowing Zen Qigong.

It fits. My teaching emphasizes the importance of a Zen state of mind, and also the importance of energy flow.

Also, the name “Flowing Zen” is fluid enough to allow for evolution over time. Because, as you can probably guess, I’m not done evolving.

I’m an artist, and I will continue to deepen my mastery of qigong until the day I die.

And thanks to qigong, I expect that day to be at least 70 years in the future!

Summary

• We’ve seen that there are countless styles of qigong, and kung fu. 
• We’ve seen that styles are composed of qigong sets, which are composed of qigong patterns. 
• We’ve seen that masters in many lineages innovated, gradually creating new styles of qigong. 
• We’ve seen that I’ve learned many styles of qigong, and that I’ve also learned to take the good, and discard the bad. 
• And we’ve seen that I’m ready to start calling my style Flowing Zen Qigong.

So what does all this mean for you? What’s your takeaway?

It depends on how you reacted to this post.

Were you nodding while reading it? Did you resonate with my ideas of innovation, artistry, and mastery?

Or were you shaking your head the whole time? Were you offended, like the guy who sent me the angry email? Do you prefer strict traditions that (supposedly) remain unchanged over time? Do you want to learn the “original” or “orthodox” style of qigong?

If it’s the latter, then I’m probably not the teacher for you. I wish you the best of luck in your search. (And if you come full circle ten years from now, I promise to welcome you back with open arms!)

Either way, I hope that you learned something useful in this article, and that you have more clarity now!

I’d love to hear from you. What do you think about all this talk of style? Do you think I made the right choice? Or should I have stuck with “Big Tony Qigong”? 

From the heart,
Sifu Anthony

The post How to Invent Your Own Style of Qigong appeared first on Flowing Zen.

On January 13, 2015, 90 different Zen teachers and community leaders signed an open letter confronting the issue of abuse in the larger Zen community.

After the letter was was published, 9 more Zen teachers asked to have their names added to the list.

I was one of the teachers who asked to be included. (I’m #93 on the list).

You can read the full letter here: http://www.lionsroar.com/openletteronabuse/

Here’s an important quote from the article:

“As Zen Buddhist community leaders we are committed to changing the culture of silence and the idealization of the teacher’s status that has been so detrimental to students.”

I am proud to stand in solidarity with these other Zen teachers and leaders.

The abuse of power in the student/teacher relationship must not be tolerated. As we move forward into the 21st century, we must make massive efforts to prevent this kind of abuse. And if abuse does arise, then we must deal with it openly and effectively.

My school is non-religious, and is thus not strictly a Zen Buddhist community. However, we are connected to an ancient Zen lineage, we practice Zen meditation every day, and we are part of the larger Zen community.

Scott Edelstein is the author of an insightful book called Sex and The Spiritual Teacher: Why It Happens, When It’s a Problem, and What We All Can Do. Although the book is specifically about sexual abuse in spiritual communities, it does a great job of outlining the general characteristics of a healthy spiritual organization.

The two essential principles of healthy spiritual communities, according to Edelstein, are as follows:

• Spiritual teachers are normal human beings. They may be wise, but they are not infallible.
• Community members are responsible to one another. They trust and respect each other, and agree to not harm one another.

Healthy organizations, according to Edelstein, also have the following attributes:

• Transparency and openness.
• Recognition of each member’s humanity— and their individuality.
• A willingness of all members (including the teacher) to be respectfully challenged, questioned, and criticized— and to respectfully challenge or question others.
• A willingness of all members (including the teacher) to be wrong, to admit mistakes, and to learn from those mistakes.
• A willingness of all members (including the teacher) to change and grow.
• A clear, simple mission that is reflected in what community members actually do and say.

As I move forward with my own teaching, I want all of you to know that I am 100% committed to creating a healthy organization based on the principles outlined by Edelstein above.

The traditional Chinese structure, where the master is always right and must never be questioned, has no place in the 21st century because it creates an environment that is ripe for abuse.

Thus, I am completely reexamining all of the Chinese traditions that I’ve inherited, especially those connected to the teacher/student relationship.

Traditions that I feel are no longer appropriate for 21st century students will either be modified or left behind.

In the spirit of openness, I’d like to start a dialogue with you. Which traditions do you feel we should keep? Which ones should we leave behind? What is your vision of the future of qigong and tai chi?

We’d love to hear from you in the comments below. Help us to shape a safer and brighter future for these arts! 

From the heart,
Sifu Anthony

The post How I’m Taking A Stand Against Abuse (And Building a Safer Future Too) appeared first on Flowing Zen.

You’ve probably heard it a billion times from your teacher:  “Don’t use strength!”

But did you know that this phrase originally comes from a famous Tai Chi master named Yang Cheng Fu?

And did you know that there are 9 more of these important points?

In part 1 of this series, we talked about the Tai Chi Classics.  Now we’ll talk more deeply into one of those classics:

The Ten Essentials of Tai Chi Chuan (太極拳十要) by Yang Chengfu (楊澄甫)(1883–1936) This text is super useful for Tai Chi students because it distills the most important points found in all the other classics.

In other words — if you’re only going to study one of the Tai Chi Classics, then make it this one.

The great thing about Yang Cheng Fu’s text is that he didn’t just list the 10 principles, as was the custom. Instead, he explained each one in detail, and also talked about common mistakes that students make.

I love this aboutYang Cheng Fu. He had a teacher’s heart, and he obviously cared about his students’ progress.

Yang Cheng Fu had vision. He knew that, at some point in the future, lots of people would be practicing Tai Chi Chuan, including people he had never met.

For traditional teachers at the time, this was almost inconceivable!

In the 21st century, Yang Cheng Fu’s points are still amazing useful.

But in order to fully appreciate his 10 points, we might need a little help.  And that’s exactly what I’ve attempted to do in this article.

Below you’ll find not only a translation of Yang Cheng Fu’s text, but my own commentary as well.  Hopefully, my comments will help to make The Ten Essentials more intelligible to the 21st century reader.

Note: This article is LONG!  Don’t worry if you can’t read it all in one sitting.  Think of this article as a free resource that you can refer back to over and over as you practice Tai Chi Chuan.

#1 – Head Upright, Spirit Rising

虛 靈 頂 勁

xū líng dǐng jìng

Yang Cheng Fu’s comments:  To enable shen to rise to the top of the crown, the head must be upright.  Do not use strength.  Although your head can be upright if you use strength, blood and qi cannot flow smoothly.  So although there is the will to let shen rise to the top, if it is forced, there is no shen rising, and you will not attain mental clarity.

My comments: Shen is a difficult term to translate.  It is usually translated as “spirit”, but that can be a confusing word in English. A better translation, in this context, might be “focused awareness.”

A lack of shen is probably easier to describe.  You can tell when someone’s shen is dull because they can’t focus on the conversation, they are easily distracted, and their eyes look dull and lackluster. 

We want the opposite of that. Think of an athlete who is totally in the zone. Or think of a Zen archer, completely focused, and yet totally relaxed. That’s what we call a “bright shen”. Usually, you can see the brightness of a person’s shen reflected in the clarity of their eyes.

In many ways, this is the first thing that I teach to my qigong and tai chi students. But I say things a little differently.

“Stand upright and relax.” That’s the feeling of “Head Upright, Spirit Rising”. When you stand upright, but also relax, when the head feels like it is being gently pulled upright, as if by an invisible string — then the mind will be clear. And that’s the first of the Ten Essentials.

Later, you can get the same feeling throughout the various tai chi postures.  But for new students, it’s easier to feel this principle by simply standing upright and relaxing.

2. Sink the Chest, Raise the Back.

含胸拔背

hán xiōng bá bèi

Yang Cheng Fu’s comments:  The chest is drawn in to enable the qi to sink gently down to dantian.  Do not expand the chest.  If you do, then qi will rush to your chest resulting in “top heavy, bottom light”, and your heels will float up.  Raising the back means qi focusing on your back.  If you can raise your back, you can emit internal strength from your spine, enabling you to be victorious in combat.

My comments: Cheng Man-ch’ing, a famous Tai Chi master and a student of Yang Cheng Fu, once said the following: “Sink the chest means that one must not stick out the chest, but also not allow it to cave in. Rather, the chest should be relaxed. Only this is the correct method.”

In my classes, I usually say the following: “Soften and open the chest.” Don’t sink the chest so much that you look depressed. Just relax it a bit, until you feel that your breathing gets nice and soft.

In my experience, it’s best for beginners to forget about raising the back. Many beginners exaggerate this, and it can cause big problems later. You see some tai chi practitioners who almost look like hunchbacks because they take this point to an extreme. This will cause long-term blockages in the qi. Don’t make that mistake.

Yang Cheng Fu warns against becoming “top heavy, bottom light”.  This is actually the reverse of what we want, which the classics describe as “top light, bottom heavy.”  When you relax fully, then you start to experience the feeling of the feet being incredibly rooted and heavy, but everything above the feet feeling light and relaxed. That’s “top light, bottom heavy.”

3. Loosen the Waist

鬆腰

sōng yāo

Yang Cheng Fu’s comments:  The waist is the commander of the whole body.  Loosening your waist enables your feet to be strong so that your stance is stable. All the variations and interactions of empty and solid are executed from the waist. Thus, there is the saying, “The will of life has its source at the waist.” Those who fail to acquire power in their combat should remedy the situation at the waist.

My comments: The “waist” is a confusing word for many Westerners. In Tai Chi, when we refer to the waist, we mean the entire area from the hips up to the belly button.

Watch a pro golfer. Or a pro baseball player at bat.  Or a basketball player doing a crossover. All of them use the “waist”. Their power comes from the hips.

In Tai Chi Chuan, when the waist is loose, the belly button will naturally turn left and right as you move, and the hips will “fold”. If there were a beam of light shining out from your belly button (this is not something you should visualize; it’s just a teaching tip), then the beam would sweep left and right like a lighthouse.

The waist is what allows us to deliver power in Tai Chi Chuan. It’s what enables a small-sized woman to hit like a truck. It’s also what allows her to neutralize a punch, a kick, or a grab. (We’ll talk more about this topic below.)

4. Differentiate Between Empty and Solid.

分虛實

fēn xū shí

Yang Cheng Fu’s comments:  Differentiating between empty and solid is the first fundamental of Tai Chi Chuan. If the whole weight of the body is over the right leg, then the right leg is solid, and the left leg is empty. If the whole weight is over the left leg, then the left leg is solid, and the right leg is empty. When empty and solid can be differentiated, movement becomes agile, as if effortless. If not, then your movements become heavy, and stances are unstable and can be easily exploited by the opponent.

My Comments:  This is hard for beginners to learn, which is probably why Yang Cheng Fu called it the “first fundamental”. I joke with students that if they can walk, then they can learn to differentiate between empty and solid.

When you walk, there is a moment when one leg is 100% empty, and the other is 100% full.  If you can walk slowly, carefully placing the foot down rather than letting it drop, and if you can change direction gracefully, then you’re differentiating between empty and solid.

Later, when the legs become stronger and more flexible, you’ll be able to do the same thing, but in the tai chi stances. And the real trick is to keep the waist loose (see Essential #3) while differentiating between empty and solid. It takes practice, but in my experience, almost anyone can learn to do it.

5. Sink the Shoulders, Drop the Elbows

沉肩垂肘

chén jiān chuí zhǒu

Yang Cheng Fu’s comments:  Sinking shoulders means that both the shoulders are relaxed and dropped down naturally. If the shoulders are not sunken, but raised, then qi rises and the whole body will lack power. “Drop the elbows” means that both the elbows are relaxed and dropped naturally. If the elbows are raised, the shoulders will not sink, and the flow of qi will not be far-reaching. This weakness is similar to the weakness in external kung fu known as “interrupted power”.

My comments: Just relax! That’s basically what Yang Cheng Fu is saying here.

It’s very common for tension to accumulate in the shoulders and arms, especially with people who have done other martial arts. As a result, the shoulders rise a bit, and the elbows flare out. This is a telltale sign that you are not relaxed.

No matter what tai chi posture you’re doing, dropping the shoulders and the elbows will help you to relax.  Even if one hand is above the shoulders (for example, see the pattern White Crane Spreads Wings), you can still drop the shoulder and sink the elbow!

When you relax, when you sink the shoulders and drop the elbows, then the qi will flow more easily. And vice versa, if you don’t relax, then the qi will not flow.

By “external kung fu”, Yang Cheng Fu is referring to styles of kung fu that don’t emphasize relaxation and the flow of qi. Although external martial arts can be powerful, the power is what we call “interrupted” because it does not flow continuously (see Essential #9).

6. Use Will, Not Strength

用意不用力

yòng yì bù yòng lì

Yang Cheng Fu’s comments: The Tai Chi Chuan classics say:  “All this means use will and do not use strength.” When you practice Tai Chi Chuan, your whole body must be relaxed. There must not be even one ounce of strength in the sinews, bones, and blood vessels, or it will result in self-restriction. When you have attained complete relaxation, you are able to be flexible and agile in your movements. You will be able to move freely any easily.

Some people may wonder: “How can we develop power without using strength?” This is because our body possesses meridians, just as the earth possesses ditches and channels.  If the channels are not blocked, water flows smoothly. Similarly, if the meridians are not blocked, qi flows harmoniously.

If the whole body is tense with strength, qi and blood flow are blocked, and movements become awkward. Even if you pull a hair, the whole body moves.

If you use will instead of strength, then wherever your will directs it, the qi will follow.  Thus, you must have your qi and blood flowing smoothly every day, all over your body, without interruptions at any time. If you do this persistently, then you will develop true inner strength.

The Tai Chi Chuan classics say, “When you are extremely soft, then you become extremely hard and powerful.” The arm of a Tai Chi Chuan expert is like iron wrapped in cotton and is extremely powerful and solid. For those who are trained in external martial arts, they are powerful when they use strength, but light and floating when they do not. Using strength without using will easily results in instability, which is not a complete art.

My comments: Whew! This is a long one! But it’s important, so let’s analyze it carefully.

In my classes, I usually say “use qi, not strength.” But the classics often use the word yi (意) instead of qi (氣). Yi can be translated as “will” or “intent”. Where the yi goes, the qi will flow.

For example, if you’ve been practicing qigong or tai chi for a while, then if you bring a focused awareness to your index finger, you will naturally feel the qi flowing there. That’s yi.

But if your muscles are tense, and more importantly, if your mind is tense — then the qi will not flow. That’s what Yang Cheng Fu means by “strength”. Don’t muscle it. Relax, and then the qi can flow.

Yang Cheng Fu’s hypothetical question about how we can develop power without using strength is an important one. This gets us into a discussion about internal strength (nei jin), which is beyond the scope of this article. Please to my article on the subject: Internal Strength: What It Is (and Isn’t).

7. Coordinate Top and Bottom

上下相随

shàng xià xiāng suí

Yang Cheng Fu’s comments: The meaning of coordination between top and bottom is revealed in the Tai Chi Chuan classics: “The root is in the feet, released through the legs, controlled by the waist, and materialized in the hands and fingers.”

From the feet, to the legs, to the waist, the action is complete “in one qi”. Hand movements, waist movements, leg movements, and even the eye movements — all are in one unified movement.  Only this can be said to be top and bottom coordination. If there is one movement lacking, if there is any interruption, the unified movement becomes disorderly.

My comments: First of all, the phrase “in one qi” basically means to perform an action continuously and spontaneously within the time of one comfortable breath.

Imagine that your car dies, and you have to push it out of the road. Do you push it with your arms, or your legs?

If you said “with my legs!” then you’re only half right.  Actually, you push it with a coordinated effort between the legs, which do most of the work, and the arms, which deliver the effort of the legs.

In Tai Chi Chuan, you shouldn’t punch or block using only the arms. Instead, your power should come from the legs, up through your hips, and then out through your hands. Like the analogy of pushing a car, the hands only act to deliver the power of the legs.

This is the great equalizer for smaller and weaker people, like myself.

I’m 5’7″ (on a good day) and 145 pounds. I can’t hope to compete with the big boys when it comes to size and strength.  My arms will never be as strong nor as long as theirs.

But what about my legs? Well, now we’re talking! My legs are stronger than just about anyone’s arms. When I coordinate top and bottom, when I make full use of my legs — then I can punch and block with surprising power.

This is one of the reasons why I think Tai Chi Chuan is the perfect art for women. What applies to me as a small-sized man also applies to women. Tai chi is designed to help the weaker overcome the stronger, the smaller to overcome the taller. It plays to our (internal) strengths rather than our (external) weaknesses.

8.  Harmonize Internal and External.

内外相合

nèi wài xiāng hé

Yang Cheng Fu’s comments: The focus of Tai Chi Chuan is the training of shen.  Thus the phrase:  “The shen is the commander, the body is the agent.” When the shen is trained, movements and actions become naturally light and agile.

Tai Chi Chuan patterns are none other than movements of solid and real, opening and closing. By opening is meant not only the hands and legs are extended; by closing is meant not only that the hands and legs brought back — but also that the mind and will are brought back. If the internal and the external can be united into one qi, it means there is no separateness in the cosmos.

My Comments: Once again, we have to contend with the word “shen”. Earlier, I translated it as “focused awareness.” This time, we probably need to translate shen as “spirit”.

A violinist can play all of the notes perfectly, and yet still lack soul or spirit. The notes are there, and yet the music does not move the soul.

What’s lacking is spirit, or shen. Playing all the right notes is important, but it’s only one aspect of playing the violin — the external aspect. To be a great violinist, you must play all the notes AND play with spirit.

In other words, you must harmonize internal and external.

Like the violinist, your Tai Chi Chuan movements might be technically correct, but if they lack spirit, then, as Yang Cheng Fu, says, there will be “separateness in the cosmos”.

The physical movements are only the external aspect of tai chi.  You must coordinate the movements with the internal aspects. When you move, the spirit and the energy must move too. When everything moves together, when there is no separateness in the cosmos, then tai chi starts to really come alive.

Personally, I also take this one step further than Yang Cheng Fu. A violinist must still practice her scales, and a Tai Chi Chuan practitioner must still work on her fundamentals.

For example, Tai Chi Chuan practitioners sometimes neglect the more physical aspects of strength and flexibility. If you are weak and stiff, then you are not harmonizing internal and external.

9. Move with Continuity.

相连不断

xiāng lián bù duàn

Yang Cheng Fu’s comments: In external martial arts, power is the result of brute force. Thus, there is beginning and completion, continuity and then interruption. When the old strength is spent, and new strength has not been generated — that is the instant to take advantage of them.

Tai Chi Chuan uses will, not strength. From beginning to end, it is continuous, without any break. After each cycle it starts again, circulating without end.

The original classics say that it is “like the continuous waves of the Long River”, and that the circulation of power is like “drawing silk from a cocoon.” The above conveys the idea of stringing the movements together into one harmonious qi.

My comments: External martial arts, like Western boxing, rely on strength. That’s why you have different weight classes in boxing. Heavyweights hit harder because they are bigger and stronger.

A boxing punch does not have continuity. It fires like a cannon. But after the cannon fires, it needs to be reloaded.

This is what Yang Cheng Fu means when he says “the old strength is spent”. When a boxer is reloading his cannon — that’s when you want to take advantage of him or her.

Tai Chi Chuan, on the other hand, uses a different power mechanism. It is not like a cannon. Although we still punch and kick with 2 legs and 2 arms, we don’t have to “reload” the same way a boxer does.

And that’s because the power in Tai Chi Chuan is continuous, without any break.

The slow and flowing movement of Tai Chi Chuan is probably its most easily recognizable feature.  It’s what makes it so beautiful to watch, what makes it so good for the health, and also what makes it a formidable martial art!

Yang Cheng Fu reminds us of two analogies from the classics. First, Tai Chi should be like the continuous flow of the Yangtze river, which twists and turns and yet flows with power. And secondly, the power circulation should be smooth, like the act of drawing silk from a cocoon (which I’ve never done, but I hear requires a consistent pull that is neither too hard nor too soft).

10. Seek Stillness in the Movement.

动中求静 

dòng zhōng qiú jìng

Yang Cheng Fu’s comments: External martial arts stress leaping and bouncing as desirable. Much strength is expended, thus the exponents pant for breath after training. In Tai Chi Chuan, stillness controls movement. When one moves, there is also stillness.  Therefore, while practicing Tai Chi Chuan, the slower the movement, the better. When the movements are slow, breathing becomes deep and long, and the qi sinks down to dantian. Naturally, this keeps the pulse from elevating.  If the student practices carefully he may be able to comprehend the meaning behind these words.

My comments: Tai Chi Chuan training is very different from the way a Western boxer trains. In boxing, it’s desirable to bounce around, and it’s okay to get out of breath. But not in Tai Chi Chuan. 

We practice slowly so that our qi can flow (and sink to dantian). We also practice slow so that we can train the nervous system to relax. (See my article about stress inoculation for more info.)

To me, this point also reminds us that Tai Chi Chuan is a form of moving meditation. There is a stillness, a meditative aspect, even while we are moving. Or perhaps I should say — ESPECIALLY while we are moving.

Sitting meditation is wonderful, but for me and many students, the flowing movements of Tai Chi provide easy access to surprisingly deep states of meditation.

If your monkey mind is jabbering while you are doing tai chi, if you are constantly thinking about the next move, or the placement of your foot — then you are not seeking the stillness in the movement. You must go deeper, into the wonderful stillness.

Conclusion

If you made it this far — congratulations! Like I said, there’s a ton of information in this article. I hope you’ll refer back to it often, and that it will help you to get more out of your Tai Chi Chuan practice!

A lot of my students are also interested in applying these 10 Essentials to their daily life.  They can be applied to everything from relationships, to business negotiations, to playing the violin.  If this topic interests you, then let me know in the comments below, and I’ll write a follow-up article.  And as always, if you have any questions, don’t hesitate to post them below!

From the heart,
Sifu Anthony

The post Tai Chi Students — Don’t Make These 10 Mistakes appeared first on Flowing Zen.

Don’t try to be smarter than the master!

Respect the master!

Do as the master says!

Hopefully, you would tell me to get lost if I said those things.  If not, if you would blindly follow me no matter what — well then I’m probably not the teacher for you.

Faith is important when learning Qigong (I’ll explain why later).  But it’s certainly not blind faith.  Here’s a quote that sums up my philosophy on faith: “Believe nothing, no matter where you read it, or who said it, no matter if I have said it, unless it agrees with your own reason and your own common sense.” – Buddha

This is my approach to teaching. It’s the only piece of dogma that you’ll find in my school. In other words, if anything I say doesn’t agree with you, then go find something that does.  I mean it.  I just want people to be happy and healthy. Although I’m a passionate believer in the effectiveness of Flowing Zen, maybe it’s not for you.

But maybe what I say resonates with you.  Maybe you’re ready to give Qigong a shot.  Maybe you even want to learn from me.

If so,  then you should follow my instructions.   Follow because you consider me an expert in the field.  Follow because I’ve gotten great results for myself, and because I’m able to reproduce those results in my students.  Most importantly, follow because you believe that I can help you to do the same.

That’s the kind of faith that is important for learning Qigong.

Healthy Skepticism

Maybe you want to learn Qigong, but you’re still a bit skeptical. You don’t know if you believe in this stuff.  To the skeptics out there, I have this to say:

Good for you! 

I was skeptical in the beginning, and believe it or not (see what I did there?), I want you to be skeptical too!   Just make sure that you’re what is known as a “healthy skeptic”.

If you’re a healthy skeptic, then you are filled with curiosity.  You want to know about things.  You are willing to explore, and experiment.  And you enjoy getting clear answers about whether or not something works.

But if you’ve already made up your mind without doing any investigating, then you’re not a healthy skeptic.  You’re dogmatic. It’s your choice, but please don’t pretend that this  scientific. It’s not.

“Condemnation without investigation is the height of ignorance.” – Albert Einstein

Bad Science

Science should be about inquiry, investigation, and experimentation.  That’s exactly what the ancient Chinese masters have been doing for thousands of years – investigating and experimenting with the art of energy cultivation for health, vitality, and spirituality. And that’s what I’ve done since 1992.

So let’s agree to something:  If you don’t follow my instructions, and if you don’t practice daily for about 15 minutes, then you aren’t allowed to say that this stuff doesn’t work.  Okay?

Years ago, I was talking with a woman about Qigong.   “Oh, that stuff doesn’t work,” she said to me (not knowing who I was).  When I inquired further, I found out that she had never tried the art, hadn’t done any research, and didn’t know anyone who had done it.  And yet, somehow, she was able to conclude that the art doesn’t work!

In other words,  a woman with zero experience in Qigong was trying to tell me (of all people) that the art she has no experience in doesn’t work.

That is not healthy skepticism.  That is not science.  That’s dogma.

The Qigong Experiment

At this point in my teaching career, I’ve got a reputation for getting powerful results in students.  So it may be tempting to just follow me based on my reputation.  But I’m specifically asking you to resist that temptation.

My reputation may be deserved, but you don’t know that yet.  And you won’t know it until you run the Qigong experiment on yourself.  Only then will you know based on your own, direct experience.

If you want to run the Qigong experiment on yourself, then it makes sense to follow an expert’s instructions.  It’s really that simple.  Follow his or her instructions sincerely, and find out whether or not this stuff works.  (Just make sure it’s a good teacher because that is a critical part of the experiment.)

My upcoming ebook will be a great chance for people to put Flowing Zen to the test.  Does it work?  Well, if you follow my instructions, you’ll find out!

Drop me a comment below if you have questions. And if you’re interested in my upcoming book, then make sure to get on my mailing list.  You’ll get a bunch of free stuff in the process too.  Sign up here.

The post Is Blind Faith Important in Qigong and Tai Chi? appeared first on Flowing Zen.

I figured it was worth a shot. I didn’t get a cosmic latte, but I did get a delicious cup of chai tea, which was almost as good.

If you don’t get the joke, then keep reading. You will soon. Along the way, you’ll also learn about the difference between qigong and tai chi. As a bonus, you may also develop a taste for chai tea.

If you’re confused about the difference between tai chi and qigong, don’t fret. You’re not alone. Even among tai chi teachers, there is a ton of confusion and misunderstanding. So grab a cup of chai tea, relax, and read on. You’re sure to learn a few things.

Definitions

Let’s start with some working definitions so that we have a good springboard to jump from:

• QIGONG is the ancient Chinese art of energy cultivation.  It is especially beneficial for boosting health, vitality, and mental clarity. Alternate spellings include: qi gong; chi kung; chi gong.
• TAI CHI is a form of Chinese Kung Fu.  It is a martial art that emphasizes softness, internal energy development, and spiritual cultivation.  It also happens to be good for the health. Alternate spellings include: tai chi chuang; taijiquan; taiji.
• CHAI TEA is a delicious, spicy beverage from South Asia. It can be enjoyed with or without milk.

So why is there so much confusion out there? Why, for example, does WebMD get it wrong? Perhaps they need a delicious cup of Chai Tea to help clear their minds?

Terminology

Before we go any further, we need to fix some terminology.  When people say tai chi, what they really mean is the art called Tai Chi Chuan.

The word “chuan” (拳) means martial art. So Tai Chi Chuan really means Cosmos Martial Art. In other words, it is a martial art that follows the natural laws of the cosmos.

Most people leave off the chuan, especially in America. The term tai chi has become ubiquitous. It has gotten to the point where if you say Tai Chi Chuan, people look at you funny. After scratching their heads for a minute, they eventually say, “Oh, you mean tai chi!”

When you say “tai chi”, it’s technically incorrect.  But that’s the phrase in common usage, so good luck trying to change it.  Believe me – I’ve tried. If you can’t beat ’em, join ’em.

In an effort to better educate people about these arts, I myself have adopted the term tai chi. That’s the only way people understand you. And if they don’t understand you, then you’ll never be able to educate them, no matter how much free chai tea you offer them.

Nevertheless, it’s important for us to understand the difference between tai chi (a philosophy) and Tai Chi Chuan (an internal martial art).  I’ll explain more about this in a bit.

Spelling

But first, let’s talk about spelling. Chinese is pretty confusing for Americans. The fundamental problem is simple. How the heck do you spell a word that looks like this:

Well, there’s more than one way to skin a cat, and there’s more than one way to spell a Chinese word in English. Over the years, there have been different attempts at phonetically spelling Chinese words.  The two most widely known spelling systems are called Wade-Giles, and Pinyin.

Pinyin vs. Wade Giles vs. Starbucks

The Pinyin spelling system was developed in the 1950s. Today, it is the official way to transcribe Chinese characters into Western writing. But it didn’t become the official system until the 1980s.

Before the 1980s, other systems were also used, notably the Wade-Giles system.

If you know both systems, you know that Pinyin is the superior one. (I talk more about this in my book.)

Nevertheless, people typically just use what they are familiar with. And in America, people are more familiar with Wade-Giles. That’s why you’re used to seeing the spelling “tai chi” (Wade-Giles) as opposed to “tai ji” (Pinyin).

If you write an email to a friend and say that you’re taking tai ji, she probably won’t understand what you mean. There’s a good chance she’ll think you’re at Starbucks drinking chai tea. In that case, she’ll probably be wondering why you didn’t invite her to join you.

If you write that you’re taking tai chi, she’ll immediately have a clearer picture of what you mean. Most Americans, without even knowing it, recognize the Wade Giles spelling for tai chi.

What about qigong? The Wade Giles spelling is Chi Gong. But today, the Pinyin spelling (qi gong, or qigong) is more widely recognized.

Why? Probably because the art of qigong didn’t make it to America until much later than tai chi. Whereas tai chi came here in the 1960s, it wasn’t until 20-30 years later that people started to hear about qigong.

Although qigong is more widely recognized, it is also more widely mispronounced. Actually, tai chi is also widely mispronounced. Chai tea, thankfully, is usually pronounced correctly.

Dialects

Before we talk more about pronunciation, let’s quickly talk about dialects.

There are dozens of them in Chinese, but the two main dialects are Cantonese and Mandarin. Of the two, Mandarin has been adopted as the national dialect of China, and it is becoming the worldwide standard for speaking Chinese.

I’ll use the Mandarin pronunciation for that reason, and also because it’s the one that I speak best.

Keep in mind that it’s only the dialect that varies; the writing remains the same. For example, if you had a newspaper article in Chinese, both the Cantonese and the Mandarin speaker would be able to read and understand it. But if they read it out loud, it would sound completely different.

There is no perfect comparison for English speakers. The best comparison would be someone with a thick Scottish accent who you could hardly understand. You could both read the same books, but reading those books out loud would sound pretty different.

Pronunciation

Here are the correct pronunciations using the Mandarin dialect:

• QI is pronounced “chee” (rhymes with “free” and sounds like the word “cheese” without the ending. )

• GONG is pronounced “gung” (rhymes with “hung”, and sounds a bit like the word “gunk”)

• TAI is pronounced like the English word “tie” (the thing men wear around their necks).

• CHI is pronounced like the English word “gee” (as in “gee whiz”).

Don’t make the mistake of saying “key gung” for qigong. The first word should sound like “chee”, not “key”.   This one annoys me to no end when I hear it from instructors. I would rather them say “chai gong” than “key gong”.  At least chai is tasty.

Most people also mispronounce the “chi” in tai chi. It should sound like the letter “G”.  It should NOT sound like the “chee” from Qi Gong. But, since it’s already in common usage, it’s a tough battle.

Translation

If you thought that the chi from tai chi meant energy, then prepare to have your mind blown. The “qi” (chee) from qigong does indeed mean energy; but the chi from tai chi does not.

Don’t worry. You’re not alone if you thought this. I would venture to guess that 50% of people who practice Tai Chi are misinformed. Unfortunately, the same is true of many tai chi teachers.

In fact, I once met a Tai Chi teacher who tried to argue with me on this point. He thought I was crazy to suggest that the “chi” from tai chi didn’t mean energy.

He’s entitled to his own opinion, of course, but not his own facts:

• The Chinese character qi (氣) means energy. That much is simple.

• The Chinese character ji (極,) means ultimate. That’s a literal translation. When combined with the word Tai (太), the two then mean “Cosmos”.

So technically, tai chi (or Tai Ji in the Pinyin spelling) means “Cosmos”.

Grand Ultimate Fist?

The typical translation of Tai Chi Chuan is “Grand Ultimate Fist”. It’s an awful translation and I’m not sure where it came from. It shows a lack of understanding of classical Chinese, as well as Chinese philosophy. As I said earlier, the translation should be Cosmos Martial Art or even Cosmos Kung Fu.

Of course, Tai Chi Chuan is based on the flow of qi (energy), hence the confusion. To eliminate the confusion, a new spelling of Tai Chi Chuan is often used: Tai Ji Quan. This is more correct, but as I said,  it’s not widely recognized by Americans.

What about chai tea? Well, be prepared to have your mind blown AGAIN! Guess what the Hindi word for tea is? Yep. It’s chai!!  

So when you say “chai tea”, you’re actually saying “tea tea”. Which is fine, since tea is so delicious.

The Philosophy of Tai Chi

The Chinese philosophy of tai chi is an ancient one, and it predates the art of Tai Chi Chuan by many centuries. This philosophy permeates Chinese culture and history. The symbol for this philosophy is one that you instantly recognize:

This symbol is called the tai chi tu (tu just means “symbol” or “diagram”). This concept was adopted by the founder of tai chi, not invented by him.

So technically, if you use tai chi without the chuan at the end, then it’s not clear if you’re referring to the philosophy, or to the martial art. And since Tai Chi Chuan incorporates the philosophy of tai chi, it gets even more confusing for many people.

But now that you understand the difference, you can educate them, perhaps over a delicious cup of chai tea.

Which One Do You Want?

What if you wanted to order a delicious chai tea latte, but you didn’t know what it was called? Even worse, what if you didn’t know that such a thing existed! This is exactly what happens to a lot of tai chi students.

Many people go to learn tai chi, but what they are really looking for is qigong. They just want some simple, enjoyable exercises to improve their health. They want results, and fast. They don’t want to learn long, complex routines, and they certainly aren’t interested in martial arts. But that’s exactly what they’ll get if they go learn tai chi.

Qigong is a better option for most people, especially in the beginning. A simple qigong exercise like Lifting The Sky gives you a powerful tool for cultivating health, without all the difficulty of tai chi. This is why all of my students begin with qigong. No exceptions.

But later, after practicing Qi Gong for a few months, you may change your mind. You may want to learn something that builds strength, flexibility, and balance in addition to health. You may also want to have the option of blocking a punch or neutralizing a grab should you ever need it.

The Beauty of Tai Chi

Why might you want to learn a martial art like tai chi? In my experience, tai chi is the perfect martial art for people who think they’re not interested in martial arts. Why? Because it emphasizes using internal power rather than external strength; because it teaches you to use softness rather than aggression; because it teaches you to relax rather than tense.

These skills are not only useful in fighting, but also in daily life. For example, being able to relax under pressure is something that could easily save your life on the highway. In fact, it saved mine years ago when it helped me to avoid an oncoming truck that was trying to pass a tractor-trailer on a small, country road.

If you’re already thinking that tai chi sounds like the perfect art for women, as well as non-aggressive men, then you’re exactly right. As a small-sized man (I’m 5’7″ on a good day and 145 lbs), this is why I finally settled on tai chi as the perfect martial art for me. After trying just about every martial art under the sun, I finally accepted that I would never be able to compete with big strong guys when it comes to strength.

Luckily, I don’t have to.

Many of my students are bigger, stronger, and younger than me. Why do they have so much trouble handling me in sparring? Because I don’t play their game.

I don’t use strength. I use tai chi.

I can handle a bigger and stronger attacker despite my small size. And more importantly, because tai chi makes me relaxed and peaceful (as opposed to tense and aggressive, like some martial arts), I can still sit down, relax, and savor a delicious cup of chai tea.

Drop me a comment below if you have any questions. And if you haven’t already gotten your free e-books and your free lesson, then make sure to grab them here.

The post The Difference Between Tai Chi, Qi Gong, and Chai Tea appeared first on Flowing Zen.

In the 6th Century AD, Bodidharma taught 3 different sets of qigong exercises to the monks at the Shaolin Temple:

1) The 18 Luohan Hands
2) Sinew Metamorphosis
3) Bone Marrow Cleansing

Bone Marrow Cleansing

This article will discuss the history, philosophy, and practice of the Classic of Bone Marrow Cleansing.  Click on the links above for information about the other two sets.

In romanized Chinese, the Classic of Bone Marrow Cleansing is written Xi Sui Jing  (洗髓经), which is pronounced as follows:

• Xi (like the word “she”)
• Sui (like the word “sway” )
• Jing (rhymes with “ring”)

Unlike the other two qigong sets that Bodhidharma taught, there are no written records of the techniques for Bone Marrow Cleansing.  Some people think this means that the art has been lost.

What if the reason there are no drawings or descriptions of Bone Marrow Cleansing in the classics is because the art is formless?

We’ve seen this phenomenon before.  Many classics mention Flowing Breeze Swaying Willow, but it is never described or pictured.  For those who know it, the reason is clear — there’s nothing to draw.  And the description is already imbedded in the name!

If we apply the same theory to Bone Marrow Cleansing, then it all makes sense!  The art that Bodhidharma taught was more of a skill than a technique.  But what was that skill?

The Five Levels

Qigong masters have long known that Qi flows at five different levels:

1. The Skin
When you perform Lifting the Sky, you may feel like there are tiny insects crawling on your skin. This is the qi flowing at the skin level.

2. The Flesh
As the qi goes deeper, it flows along the flesh and the muscles. The Shaolin art called Golden Bridge has this effect, making your arms solid and powerful like iron.  Although you may or may not feel the energy in your muscles, your sparring partner certainly will.  Years ago, my classmates nicknamed me “Iron Arms” because I practiced a lot of Golden Bridge.  They said that my arms felt like iron when we sparred.  My qi was probably at the muscle level.

3. The Meridians
Then the qi flows through the 12 Primary and 8 Extraordinary Meridians.  These meridians, which are invisible, form a complex energy network through the body. The Small Universe Circulation and Big Universe Circulation bring qi to this level.

4. The Organs
From the meridians, the qi flows into the internal organs.  Certain exercises from the 18 Luohan Hands, like Separating Water and Nourishing Kidneys, bring qi to the organs.

5. The Bones and the Marrow
And finally, the qi flows to the deepest level — the bones and marrow (which also includes the nerves, according to Chinese medical theory).  The exercise Turning Head has this effect when practiced at an advanced level.

Bodhidharma’s Marrow

Records show that Bodhidharma also talked about 5 levels of attainment.   He told some of his disciples that they had attained the “skin” of his teaching, and others that they had attained the “flesh”.  Only to Hei Ke, his best disciple, did Bodhidharma say, “you have attained the  marrow.”

Is it a coincidence that Bodhidharma’s five levels of attainment correspond exactly to the five levels of Qi flow? Bodhidharma was a powerful qigong master as well as a Zen master.  It makes perfect sense that he was able to perceive the Qi flowing at the five levels levels.

Skills vs. Techniques

To understand Bone Marrow Cleansing, you have to understand the difference between skills and techniques.  Lifting the Sky is a technique.  But using this technique to send Qi to the skin is a skill.  The same technique can be used to generate a spontaneous flow of Qi through the body.  Different skills; same technique.

This explains why Bone Marrow Cleansing was thought to be lost — because most people can’t differentiate between skills and techniques.  If I tell the average person that I can use Carrying the Moon to induce a spontaneous energy flow, or cleanse my organs, or create an internal shower of cosmic energy, they won’t understand.  How can the same technique do 3 different things?

It’s not the technique.  In fact, I can do the same things using Lifting the Sky instead.  But I prefer to use Carrying the Moon because it facilitates the skill.  In other words, certain techniques make the skill more accessible.

Maybe an analogy will help.  Kicking a soccer ball in a certain way is a technique.  But scoring a goal requires skill.  Maybe you have a favorite technique for scoring a goal, but if you are skillful, you can use also use other kicks.  You can use also use your favorite kick to pass the ball to a teammate, or even to play another game, like Rugby.

Bone Marrow Cleansing

To direct chi to the different levels, we use selections from the 18 Luohan Hands.  Why not use Sinew Metamorphosis?  If you are skillful, then you can.  In fact, if you are very skillful, you need not use any techniques; you can just go straight to the skill.

But certain exercises from the 18 Luohan Hands are better, especially for students.  We’ll use the following techniques:

1. The Skin Level – Lifting the Sky
2. The Muscle Level – Lifting the Sky
3. The Meridian Level – Pushing Mountains
4. The Organ Level – Carrying the Moon
5. The Bone Marrow Level – Turning Head

Actually, we can use other techniques too.  For example, depending on which organ we want to direct the Qi to, we might choose Separating Water, Nourishing Kidneys, or Plucking Stars.  Or we can use Carrying the Moon.  It depends on our skill level.

How do you direct the qi?  Easy. Learn from a great teacher. When you learn from a great teacher, these skills are not just demonstrated, they are transmitted.  Even if I described the steps in detail, it wouldn’t do you any good unless you already have the skill.  And if you already have the skill, then you don’t need my description.

Also, it’s unwise to start sending qi around the body unless you’ve spend a lot of time with Flowing Breeze Swaying Willow. Actually, one reason my students are able to grasp Bone Marrow Cleansing so easily is because they’ve spent years letting their Qi flow freely.  By doing this, they clear a ton of energy blockages.  They also learn to go deeper into the Zen mind, which is critical for success with arts like Bone Marrow Cleansing.

Bai Hui

Bai hui (百会) is an important energy point located at the top of the head.  In Chinese, the word bai (sounds like “bye”) means “hundred”, and hui  (rhymes with “way”) means “meetings”.  In Chinese classics, they often use the number 100 to signify “many”.  So this point is the meeting place of many meridians — specifically the 6 yang meridians.  Interestingly, it’s also a convergence of the cranial faults.

Before doing Bone Marrow Cleansing, remember to open bai bui using your Zen mind.  It is located at the intersection of a line drawn up from the nose, and a line drawn from ear to ear.  Don’t worry about getting the exact spot.  If you’ve been practicing regularly for some time, you should be able to feel this point pulsing with energy.

This is another reason students shouldn’t rush to practice Bone Marrow Cleansing.  If you have no idea what I’m talking about when I say, “open Bai Hui with your mind,” then you aren’t ready for this art.  Go back to basics, like Lifting the Sky and Flowing Breeze Swaying Willow.

Benefits of Bone Marrow Cleansing

Why practice Bone Marrow Cleansing?  It’s a good question.  Since students get such good results with the basics, why would they need more advanced techniques like this.

Using Bone Marrow Cleansing is a thematic approach to Qigong, as opposed to Flowing Breeze Swaying Willow, which is holistic.  In other words, Bone Marrow Cleansing moves the Qi according to certain areas, whereas Flowing Breeze Swaying Willow moves the Qi wherever it needs to go.

Of the two, the holistic approach is much, much more important. This is ironic because most Qigong schools focus on the thematic approach.  If you understand Chinese medical theory, then you know that it’s insufficient to simply direct Qi to an area that hurts.  The root of the problem may be in a totally different area.

For my students, the thematic approach is a useful compliment to the holistic approach.  It helps to “force” the Qi to areas where it is not yet flowing freely.  If you’re going to use only one approach, then definitely use the holistic one.  But if you have the opportunity to use both, then they compliment each other nicely.

For example, let’s say that you’ve been practicing the 18 Luohan Hands and Flowing Breeze Swaying Willow for 2 years.  You’ve gotten great results in many areas, but you still have some lingering health problems.  After seeing a master diagnostician like my wife, you find out that the root of the problem is in the Liver Meridian.

In this case, it makes sense to use the 4th Level of Bone Marrow Cleansing to direct Qi to the Liver.  But how often?  This is a good question.

Practicing Bone Marrow Cleansing

Don’t practice these techniques too often.  They are more powerful than you think.  You should treat them as if they are an acupuncture session — something that you get 1-3 times per week.

The rest of the time, you should be doing other exercises, like the 18 Luohan Hands, Sinew Metamorphosis, and of course Flowing Breeze Swaying Willow or the Five Animal Play.  In other words, keep your practice varied, but also balanced.

Whether or not the art is exactly what Bodhidharma taught doesn’t really matter.  What matters is that it is useful.  And it is.  Students practicing this art are able to improve upon already amazing results, making Flowing Zen even more powerful medicine than it already was.  It’s another tool in our already well-stocked tool box.

Drop me a comment below if you have something to say.  (Really, it’s that easy.)  Or if you haven’t already gotten your free ebooks and free lesson, then make sure to grab them here.  

From the heart,
Sifu Anthony

The post History of Qigong: Bone Marrow Cleansing appeared first on Flowing Zen.

In the 6th Century AD, Bodidharma taught 3 different sets of qigong exercises to the monks at the Shaolin Temple:

1) The 18 Luohan Hands
2) Sinew Metamorphosis
3) Bone Marrow Cleansing

Sinew Metamorphosis

This article will discuss the history, philosophy, and practice of The Classic of Sinew Metamorphosis.  Click on the links above for information about the other two sets.

In romanized Chinese, The Classic of Sinew Metamorphosis is written Yi Jin Jing (易筋經), which is pronounced as follows:

• ee (rhymes with “see”)
• gin (rhymes with “pin”)
• jing (rhymes with “sing”)

Yi Jin Jing is sometimes translated as The Tendon Changing Classic.  I prefer the translation Classic of Sinew Metamorphosis, or simply Sinew Metamorphosis.  In the qigong community, the term Yi Jin Jing is also widely used, even in the U.S.

Actually, the word jin refers not only to the sinews, but also the bones.  This  is a good example of how tricky it can be to interpret classical Chinese.

When writing, scholars would often leave out words that would be obvious to other scholars.  For example, the scholar who translated the Heart Sutra in the 6th Century,  Xuan Zhang, abbreviated many Buddhist terms because he knew that the they were understood by other scholars.  (To see what he left out, click here.)

In Bodhidharma’s time, scholars would understand that jin refers to jin-gu.  Unfortunately, not all modern scholars still know this.  So Yi Jin Jing is an abbreviation of Yi Jin-Gu Jing, or The Classic of Sinew and Bone Metamorphosis.

But it gets even more confusing! Jin-gu means more than just sinews and bones.  In Chinese medicine, jin is related to the muscles, and is closely connected with the Gall Bladder Meridian. Gu refers to Internal Force, which is the internal power that manifests when you develop an abundance of Qi, especially through Tai Chi Chuan and Shaolin Kung Fu practice.

Inside the gu is the sui (sounds like “sway”), which is literally translated as “marrow”.  But in Chinese medical theory, sui is more than just the bone marrow.  It also refers to the nervous system.  In other words, training gu also trains sui, which benefits the nervous system.

The Benefits of Sinew Metamorphosis

Thus, Sinew Metamorphosis is not just a set of calisthenics to develop tendons, muscles, and bones (which is how some people view it).  It is a set of powerful qigong techniques that bring a wide range of benefits:

• It nurtures the tendons, muscles, and bones.
• It develops fast reflexes.
• It develops courage and righteousness
• It develops Internal Force
• It clears deep-rooted emotional blockages.
• It is wonderful for spiritual cultivation.

Interestingly, when a Chinese person says gu qi (literally “bone energy”), he means “integrity and righteousness.”  And when he says da dan (literally “big gallbladder”), he means “courage.”  So we can see how qigong and Chinese medicine have influence the Chinese language over centuries.

The spiritual side of Sinew Metamorphosis is simply amazing.  In Zen terms, it helps you to see your Original Face.  What is your Original Face?  It’s your face before you were born, before the stars were born, before the galaxy was born.  In other words, when you see your Original Face, you catch a glimpse of timeless, cosmic reality.  I will say that this is one of the most beautiful and indescribable experiences I’ve ever had.

Hard Qigong?

The 12 postures of Sinew Metamorphosis involve subtle, internal contractions.  This is why they are sometimes classified as “Hard Qigong”.   It’s true that these techniques involve slightly more tension than other techniques, but “hard” isn’t quite the right word.  If your contractions are too hard, you’ll miss the essence.  On the other hand, if they’re too soft, you’ll also miss it.

In most of the postures, there is hardly any visible movement at all.  To a casual observer, it might look like the technique is static. Those who haven’t spent time with the basics like the 18 Luohan Hands and Flowing Breeze Swaying Willow probably won’t be able to appreciate Sinew Metamorphosis.

It’s too subtle, and too advanced.  Even if you mimic the postures perfectly, it won’t work, just like mimicking a perfect lotus position won’t automatically make you a meditation master.  You need real skill to appreciate Sinew Metamorphosis.

How Does it Work?

For those with skill, Sinew Metamorphosis is surprisingly powerful.  For me, even after years of practicing these techniques, I still get a kick out of how powerful they are.  With hardly any movement, and with just a dozen repetitions, suddenly there’s a ton of energy surging through my body.  Cool!

How does it work?  I can only speculate.  My best guess is that the subtle contractions stimulate the energy meridians in the body, as if plucking a string on a guitar.  Because the string has some tension in it, when you pluck it, the string resonates.  It’s not a perfect analogy, but it’s probably the best we can do to explain what’s happening with Sinew Metamorphosis.

How to Practice

It goes without saying that you can’t learn Sinew Metamorphosis from a blog post like this.

Because these techniques are so powerful, we do less of them. Typically, we do about 8-12 repetitions that takes roughly 1 minute.

Think of these exercises like that super-concentrated laundry detergent which requires a smaller amount.

Duration: 10-20 minutes.

1. Opening Sequence
2. Choose 1 technique x12 repetitions (1 min)
3. Flowing Breeze Swaying Willow (2-3 min)
4. Choose another technique x12 repetitions (1 min)
5. Flowing Breeze Swaying Willow (2-3 min)
6. Choose another technique x12 repetitions (1 min)
7. Flowing Breeze Swaying Willow (2-3 min)
8. Stillness (2 mins)
9. Closing Sequence (2 min)

If you are new to Sinew Metamorphosis, don’t practice it every day.  Do it once or twice a a week for starters.  If you enjoy it (like many people do), then gradually work up to every other day, and later every day if you like.

The 12 Postures

Historical records give descriptions, but no names for the postures. Years ago, one of my teachers created his own names in the classical Chinese style. Personally, I think they are great, and I use them myself:

The post History of Qigong: Sinew Metamorphosis appeared first on Flowing Zen.

So in this  post, I’d like to define Chinese terms and names in a way that you can easily understand.  Click on each term below to see the definition.  If you have questions, please post them in the comments section below.

The Chinese character Qi (氣) means energy.

The character Gong (功) means cultivation.

Qigong is the art of energy cultivation.  It is sometimes spelled Chi Kung instead.  Both spellings refer to the same Chinese characters.

Qigong is an ancient self-healing art. It was a well-kept secret for centuries and was virtually unknown in the US until recently. The exercises involve simple physical movements, gentle breathing techniques, and a relaxed, meditative state of mind.

Qigong is also a branch of Chinese medicine, along with acupuncture, herbal medicine, and Chinese massage.

Tai Chi Chuan is an ancient Chinese martial art that was developed by hermits and monks for spiritual cultivation, health, and self defense.

The Chinese character Tai (太) means great.

The character Chi (極) means ultimate.  (Note that it is a difference character than Qi, or “energy”.)

A third character, Chuan (拳) is often forgotten.  It means “fist”.  This is an abbreviation of an older term, Chuan Fa, which literally means Fist Art.  A modern translation would be Kung Fu, or Martial Art.

Together, Tai Chi means Great Ultimate and refers to the ancient Chinese philosophy of yin and yang.  A better translation of Tai Chi is Cosmos.Putting all three words together, we get Great Ultimate Fist Art.  A better translation would be Cosmos Kung Fu.

Tai Chi is often considered a branch of Chinese medicine, along with acupuncture, herbal medicine, and Chinese massage.

The word Zen is actually a Japanese word that comes from the Chinese word Chan (禪).  In both languages, it means meditation. Zen can also refer to Zen Buddhism, a branch of Buddhism that began with Bodhidharma in the 6th Century AD.

Zen can have other meanings depending on the context.  If you say “I need more Zen in my life,” then it means that you need more peace, balance, and harmony.  If a practitioner says, “I had a glimpse of Zen,” then it means that she had a deep experience in meditation where she caught a glimpse of Enlightenment.

The Chinese word Shaolin (少林) refers to the Shaolin Temple.  Built in 497 AD, the Shaolin Temple became famous not just in China, but around the world.  The great Bodhidharma arrived at the temple in 527 AD and began teaching.

Thanks to Bodhidharma’s influence, the Shaolin Temple is recognized as the birthplace of Zen, as well as Shaolin Kung Fu and Shaolin Qigong.  Many martial arts trace their lineage back to the Shaolin Temple, including Tai Chi Chuan.

The Chinese word Sifu (師父) means “teacher and father”.  It is pronounced “see foo” using the Cantonese dialect, or “sher foo” in Madarin.  Traditional Chinese masters regarded teaching as a heavy responsibility, like the responsibility of a father toward his children.  Thus, a Sifu is both a teacher and a father to his students, which means that he (or she) does not merely teach them skills and techniques, but also ensures that they lead meaningful, rewarding lives.

Bodhidharma (達摩, or Da Mo, in Chinese) was a crown prince in the ancient kingdom of Kanchiporam (in present-day India) who renounced the throne in order to spread the highest spiritual teachings to the East  (which is present-day China).

In 527 AD, the great Bodhidharma, arrived at the Shaolin Temple in China.  When he arrived, he found that the monks were weak, sickly, and unable to concentrate on meditation.  To remedy the problem, he taught them 3 sets of Qigong techniques:  The 18 Luohan Hands, Sinew Metamorphosis, and Bone Marrow Cleansing.  These arts later evolved into Shaolin Kung Fu, as well as Tai Chi Chuan.

To read more about Bodhidharma, read my popular article, The Man Who Made Shaolin.

Zhang San Feng (張三丰) is the patriarch of Tai Chi Chuan.  He was a legendary Taoist priest who lived in China in the 13th Century AD.  After graduating from the Shaolin Temple, he went to Wudang Mountain to cultivate spiritually.  It was there that he developed the art that is now called Tai Chi Chuan.

The Chinese word Luohan (羅漢) is a translation of the Sanskrit word Arhat (अर्हत ).  All of these words refer to a highly developed spiritual practitioner.

At the Shaolin Temple in China, Bodhidharma taught a Qigong set called The 18 Luohan Hands (十八羅漢手).  The word Luohan continued to be used for centuries, inspiring various forms of Qigong and Kung Fu.

In romanized Chinese, The Classic of Sinew Metamorphosis is written Yi Jin Jing (易筋經), which is pronounced as follows:

• ee (like the letter “e”)
• gin (rhymes with “pin”)
• jing (rhymes with “sing”).

Sinew Metamorphosis is not just a set of calisthenics to develop tendons, muscles, and bones (which is how some people view it).  For us, Yi Jin Jing is a set of powerful Qigong techniques that bring a wide variety of benefits: fast reflexes, Internal Force, courage, righteousness, and spiritual cultivation.

Click here to read more about Sinew Metamorphosis.

The Chinese word dantian (丹田) literally means “elixir field”, but a better translation would be “energy center”.   It is located slightly below and slightly behind your belly button.  The traditional measurement, which uses the width of your own thumb, is 3 thumb-widths below and 2 thumb-widths behind.  But this is a rough guide, and in reality, dantian can be in slightly different locations for different people.

Qigong, Tai Chi, and Shaolin classics consistently refer to dantian, specifically to a golden, pearl-sized ball of energy.  When you cultivate dantian long enough, you will feel exactly what the classics describe.

Check back often.  More coming soon…

The post It’s All Chinese To Me! appeared first on Flowing Zen.

What is the most widely practiced Tai Chi form in the world? Depending on who you ask, the answer would be The 24-Pattern Form, The Peking Form,  The Short Form, or The Simplified Form.

So which is it? Any of the above, really.  All of these names refer to the same Tai Chi form developed in 1956 by the Chinese Sports Committee.  Sadly, one of the most elegant forms ever invented also has some of the most awkward names ever conceived.

Whatever you call it, this is the most widely practiced form around the world.  There are many variations, but most schools follow the same basic steps.  My version has 2 extra steps — the Elbow Strike and the Shoulder Strike.  This is so that the form contains all of the Original 13 Techniques of Tai Chi Chuan (a subject for a future article).

A Short History of the Short Form

Four Tai Chi masters — Chu Guiting, Cai Longyun, Fu Zhongwen, and Zhang Yu — collaborated to develop this form. The goal was to create a shorter version of the Yang Style 108 Pattern Long Form, one that could be taught easily, practiced by the masses, and performed in a relatively short period of time.  Considering that they were effectively forced by the Chinese government to create the form, the masters did a surprisingly good job, not just in terms of reaching the government’s goals, but also in producing an amazing legacy.

It would have been easy for the four masters to create a form that satisfied the government, but was nevertheless missing the essence of Tai Chi.  That they didn’t do this is somewhat remarkable considering the longstanding tradition of secrecy among Chinese masters.  The final product was a masterpiece.  It not only contained powerful techniques for building Qi and internal force, but also all of the footwork, strikes, kicks, throws, and locks that you would need to handle virtually any combat situation.  Talk about comprehensive!

The Essence of Tai Chi

The essence is there, but that doesn’t mean everyone can see it.  For a Tai Chi master, the secrets are easy to see.  For anyone else, they’re virtually impossible.  Millions of people all around the world practice this form, but few of them know the secrets. Remember that this form was original designed for the masses, so it should be no surprise that most people don’t know the secrets.  I’ll quote a famous Tai Chi master on the subject:

If there are a million people doing Tai Chi in Tiananmen Square, you can be sure that 999,999 aren’t doing a damn thing.

When you know the secrets, this form really comes alive!  Personally, I love this form for its combination of simplicity and profundity.  Unlike the 108-Pattern Long Form, stuff isn’t repeated over and over.  The form acts as a succinct, living encyclopedia of the essence of Tai Chi.  If I had to pick one form to teach for the rest of my life, it would be this one.

The List of Traditional Patterns

Traditionally, there are 24 patterns listed for the form, but this is misleading because some of the patterns contain several movements.  For example, Grasping Sparrow’s Tail consists of several movements.  Personally, I find it more productive to name each individual movement, and that’s exactly how I do it in my school.

It’s also traditional to list patterns only once, leaving repeated patterns unlisted.  Once again, this gets confusing for students (and me too!), so I prefer to list the patterns as they appear chronologically  in the form, whether they are repeated or not. For some of the patterns, I’ve chosen to use alternate traditional names that are, quite frankly, more poetic.

As I said earlier,  two patterns have been added to the form — the Elbow Strike, and the Shoulder Strike — so that it would include all of the original 13 techniques of Tai Chi Chuan (a subject for another blog post).  Click below for the complete list of the pattern names as it is practiced in my school.

1. Wuji
2. Lifting Water
3. Carrying the Cosmos
4. Wild Horse Separates Mane
5. Carrying the Cosmos
6. Wild Horse Separates Mane
7. Carrying the Cosmos
8. Wild Horse Separates Mane
9. White Crane Spreads Wings
10. Green Dragon Shoots Pearl (Brush Knee Twist Step)
11. Green Dragon Shoots Pearl (Brush Knee Twist Step)
12. Green Dragon Shoots Pearl (Brush Knee Twist Step)
13. Playing the Lute
14. Step Back & Repulse Monkey (Reverse Reeling Forearms)
15. Step Back & Repulse Monkey (Reverse Reeling Forearms)
16. Step Back & Repulse Monkey (Reverse Reeling Forearms)
17. Step Back & Repulse Monkey (Reverse Reeling Forearms)
18. Carrying the Cosmos
19. Immortal Waves Sleeves (Ward Off)
20. Double Dragons Play with Pearl (Roll Back)
21. Push Boat According to Current (Press)
22. Black Bear Sinks Hips
23. Open Window Look at Moon (Push)
24. Fisherman Throwing His Net
25. Single Whip
26. Carrying the Cosmos
27. Immortal Waves Sleeves (Ward Off)
28. Double Dragons Play with Pearl (Roll Back)
29. Push Boat According to Current (Press)
30. Black Bear Sinks Hips
31. Open Window Look at Moon (Push)
32. Fisherman Throwing His Net
33. Single Whip
34. Wave Hands in Clouds
35. Wave Hands in Clouds
36. Wave Hands in Clouds
37. Wave Hands in Clouds
38. Single Whip
39. White Snake Shoots Venom (High Patting Horse)
40. White Horse Presents Hoof (Cross-Hands Thrust Kick)
41. Double Bees Drink Pollen
42. White Horse Presents Hoof (Cross-Hands Thrust Kick)
43. Snake Creeps Down
44. Low Single Whip
45. Golden Rooster Standing Tall
46. Snake Creeps Down
47. Low Single Whip
48. Golden Rooster Standing Tall
49. Jade Girl Threads Shuttle (Fair Lady Works Shuttle)
50. Jade Girl Threads Shuttle (Fair Lady Works Shuttle)
51. Needle at Sea Bottom
52. Elbow Strike
53. Shoulder Strike
54. Fan Through Back
55. Reverse Hanging Golden Lotus (Swinging Fist)
56. Punch Below Sleeves
57. Like Taming Like Closing (Withdraw and Push)
58. Cross Hands
59. Flowing Breeze Swaying Willow
60. Wuji

Down the road, I’ll be adding more posts on the amazing martial applications of this form.  If you think that this form is too flowery for fighting, wait and see!

The post The World’s Most Popular Tai Chi Form appeared first on Flowing Zen.

What do Shaolin Qigong, Shaolin Kung Fu, and Zen Meditation have in common?

No, this isn’t the start of some sort of Zen joke. I’m serious!

Not only did these arts all come from the famous Shaolin Temple, but they also came from the same man!

If you practice any of these 3 arts, then like me you belong to the legacy of Bodhidharma.

Today, Bodhidharma is recognized as the 28th Patriarch of Buddhism, the 1st Patriarch of Zen, the 1st Patriarch of Shaolin Qigong, and the 1st Patriarch of Shaolin Kung Fu.

Not a bad résumé!

The Indian Prince

Bodhidharma was born into Indian royalty in the 5th Century AD.  After renouncing his royal life, he decided to travel to China in order to teach Buddhism. His long journey eventually brought him to the Shaolin Temple in Songshan province.

Long before Bodhidharma arrived, Buddhism was already spreading through China. (Remember that Buddhism was already 1000 years old by this time.)

In 497 AD, the Chinese emperor had the Shaolin Temple built in order to promote Buddhism in his empire. By the time Bodhidharma arrived at the temple in 527 AD, there were already many monks living there.

What Bodhidharma found at the temple was disheartening. The monks were weak and sickly, they were falling asleep during meditation, and they lacked the vitality needed for deep meditation.

This was not Bodhidharma’s vision of spiritual cultivation.

Bodhidharma believed that physical, intellectual, and spiritual cultivation were an indivisible whole. If you are sick or in pain, then how can you hope to achieve enlightenment? If you lack mental clarity, how will you endure the intensity of meditation?

To work successfully towards enlightenment, one needs to also cultivate health, vitality, and mental clarity. This was Bodhidharma’s philosophy.

It’s clear that Bodhidharma was a powerful master, full of health, vitality, mental clarity, and internal force. We know that he learned Buddhist meditation from his teacher, Prajnatara.

But where did he learn Qigong?

We can only speculate, but it is likely that Bodhidharma, a crowned prince, was well trained in elite arts befitting royalty. In addition to various scholarly arts, it’s likely that he learned ancient Indian martial arts, as well as some form of yoga.

The yoga of Bodhidharma’s time was likely to be a powerful energy art.

Bodhidharma knew that, in order to help the Shaolin Monks reach enlightenment, he would need to help them to cultivate health, vitality, and mental clarity.

The Birth of Shaolin Qigong

What Bodhidharma did next changed the course of history.

Rather than teach the monks the various yoga and martial arts exercises that he had learned, it seems that he decided to develop a completely new set of exercises.

For the next 9 years, he lived in a cave near the Shaolin Temple and practiced in seclusion. When he left the cave, he brought three new sets of exercises with him:

1. The 18 Luohan Hands
2. Sinew Metamorphosis
3. Bone Marrow Cleansing

These exercises were specifically designed to prepare the monks for the rigors of deep, Zen meditation. And they worked like a charm. The exercises transformed the monks physically, energetically, mentally, and spiritually.

Over time, thanks to the success of these exercises, the Shaolin Temple became one of the most powerful spiritual centers in the history of the world.

Now, 1500 years later, Bodhidharma’s legacy is alive and well in countless schools of Zen, kung fu, and qigong.

The basic philosophy in my school is the same as Bodhidharma’s — health, vitality, and mental clarity are prerequisites for spiritual cultivation.

Thus, I teach the same exercises that Bodhidharma taught. The first technique that my students learn is usually Lifting The Sky, which is the first of the 18 Luohan Hands.

Over time, students progress to learn all 18 of the techniques, all 12 Sinew Metamorphosis exercises, and all 5 Levels of Bone Marrow Cleansing.

What about Shaolin Kung Fu?

Actually, Bodhidharma never taught Shaolin Kung Fu. He’s widely recognized as the 1st patriarch of Shaolin Kung Fu because the arts that he taught provided the foundation and the inspiration.

It’s likely that 18 Luohan Hands gradually developed into Luohan Kung Fu. Over the centuries, these arts developed into the many different styles of Shaolin Kung Fu.

There is even a saying in China that “all martial arts come from Shaolin.” Many Japanese Karate schools trace their lineage all the way back to the Shaolin Temple.

It’s difficult to imagine how different history would have been if Bodhidharma had stayed in India instead of traveling to China. Would we even know about the Shaolin Temple, or would it have disappeared into obscurity centuries ago? How many martial arts would be completely different without the influence of Shaolin Kung Fu? And what would the world be like without Zen?

The Man and The Mystery

Little information has been passed down about this incredible man, which only adds to the mystery. Today, it’s difficult to separate fact from legend.

But we know from both Chinese and Indian sources that he did exist, and that he did travel to China to teach at the Shaolin Temple.

As far as we know, Bodhidharma never wrote anything down. But neither did Jesus or Buddha.

One of the fundamental texts attributed to Bodhidharma is a stanza that says:

A special transmission outside the scriptures;
Not founded upon words or letters;
Pointing directly to the human mind;
Seeing into one’s nature and attaining Buddhahood.

Reading this, it’s easier to see why he didn’t write anything down. Bodhidharma wanted the monks to practice, not just read scriptures.

And I want you to do the same. You’ve read enough for today. Now go practice some qigong!

If you don’t know any qigong, then click here to learn Lifting The Sky. And don’t forget to feel grateful to Bodhidharma for giving us this wonderful exercise 1500 years ago!  

From the heart,
Sifu Anthony

The post The Man Who Made Shaolin appeared first on Flowing Zen.