Issue 49 - Tse Qigong Centre

Cover: Wen Shan QuanQi Magazine is published by the Tse QigongCentre. Its aim is to bring you information notreadily available in the West.Editor:Michael TseDeputy Editor: Darryl MoyEditorial Assistants: John HayesSarah BloomfieldSimon BedfordCaroline GarveyMike StensonMarketing/Distribution: Jessica BlackwellSubscriptions: Jayne RowlandsSweden:Barbro OlssonConsultants (Listed in alphabetical order):Columnists:Grandmaster Chan Chi HoGrandmaster Chen Xiao WangGrandmaster Ip ChunGrandmaster Yang MeijunGlen GosslingJ. Reynolds NelsonDr. Shulan TangTse Sihn KeiAdam WallaceReaders may contact any of our contributors c/oQi Magazine.We encourage all our readers to contribute articles, lettersor questions for possible inclusion in future issues ofQi Magazine.Articles appearing in Qi Magazine do not necessarilyreflect the opinion of the editor.Adverts appearing in the magazine are not necessarilyendorsed by it or the editor.Exercises appearing in Qi Magazine are for referencepurposes only. Thus anyone wishing to study should seekqualified tuition.Michael Tse 2000.All rights reserved. No part of this publication may bereproduced, stored or transmitted in any way without thewritten permission of Michael Tse.Advertising: Qi Magazine has proved to be an effectiveway of reaching a wide variety of people. All enquirieswelcome.For UK call: 0161 929 4485For USA call: Jessica Blackwell (425) 823 0199Subscription: Costs per year:UKUSAEuropeWorldwide£20 inc p&p.$35 inc p&p£25 (airmail) inc p&p.£30 (airmail) inc p&p.For UK/Europe/WorldwidePlease send payment in Pounds Sterling. Payment can beby Credit Card or Cheque, drawn on UK bank, payable toQi Magazine:Qi MagazinePO Box 59 Altrincham, WA15 8FS, UKTel:0161 9294485 Fax:0161 9294489email: tse@qimagazine.comFor USA/CanadaPlease send payment in US Dollars. Payment can be byCredit Card or Check payable to Qi Magazine:Qi MagazinePO Box 2697, Kirkland WA 98083Tel:(425) 823 0199 Fax:(520) 441 6578email tse@wildgooseqigong.comhttp://www.qimagazine.comISSN 1358-3778Today many people who study martialarts are just interested in the fightingside. They want to be Bruce Lee, JackieChan or Jean Claude Van Damme andlook cool, so other people will be afraidof them. If they can have big muscles,fast punches and high kicks, then theywill be very happy. These people thinkthat fighting is just like in a computergame such as Street Fighter or MortalCombat where the opponents usewhatever techniques they can to hurttheir opponent. Although these gamesare entertaining with their exclamationsof “Ah!”, “Shu” and “K-O”, where exactlyis the martial art discipline and tradition?Where is the meaning of the martial arts?People who want to use martial arts justfor beating poeple up, miss the point.There is no respect for either the skill orSifu. The new generation studyingmartial arts misses the point.Did you know that in the old times,you could not study martial arts easily?This is because the Sifu would not teachanyone until they knew the person wasgood. The student also needed to treatthe teacher like their father and take careof them when they were old. Manyteachers inherited their skills from theirfamily and were not allowed to teachoutside the family. Inside the family, theywould force the children to study, evenbeat them and punish them, makingthem repeat the techniques over andover until they became perfect.Otherwise they would not be given theirdinner or alllowed to go out to play.Sometimes they were even made to standfor hours in a particular posture. This kindof attitude was very normal in the past.If you have seen the film, FarewellMy Concubine, then you can see howhard the children studied their skill. Theteacher could even kill their students ifthey did not listen. Even Jackie Chan andhis Beijing Opera brother, Samo Hung,were trained very strictly and could bepunished severely. If at that time Jackieor Samo had given up and run away, theworld would not have these great actionstars. They paid a very hard price in thebeginning, but at the end they both gotthe good result. Fortunately, at thatmoment China was not influenced by thewest in trying to spoil the children.Chinese say “A strict father willhave a good son. A kind mother will haveprodigal son.” So historically fathers werevery strict with their children and whenthe children grew up, they would lovetheir parents even more. When we trainour pets, like dogs or horses, we are strictwith them in the beginning. Then whenthe animal knows how to behave, youcan be more relaxed and easy.I remember when I was 14 andstudying Wing Chun with my uncle (whowas Ip Man’s student). I was really afraidof him. He did not smile easily and I hadlittle money as well, so I could not payhim too much money. Instead I helpedhim to plant and prepare herbsfor his patients. Sometimes, Ilearnt nothing new for a coupleof months and I had to keepdoing the same techniques overand over again. However, Ialways found I was very lucky tohave the chance to learntraditional martial arts skill,instead of joining basic schoolclasses like karate or other sports.My uncle was very strict with meand would make me practise atechnique again and again untilit was right. I remember thathaving the opportunity to studywas a treasure for me. I practisedeven when I walked, sat and laydown, going through a techniqueuntil I knew it was right.It is rare to find this kind ofattitude today because children havebeen spoilt. If they stand too long, walktoo far or have too much study, they willcontinued on page 7Qi Magazine 1

1 Editorialwith Michael Tse.3 PO Box 1168 Starting Martial ArtsPeople are attracted to martial arts and Qigong for many differentreasons. In this month’s instalment, Glenn tells us why he started andwhat keeps him going.By Glenn Gossling9 TCM and VitiligoVitiligo is a skin condition that many people suffer from. It causesdistress and depression, but TCM does offer some relief.By Dr. Shulan Tang10 Dayan Gong 2 nd 64: Acupuncture Points and ChannelsContinuing our look at the acupuncture points and channels that areworked in this famous Qigong exercise.By Michael Tse13 The Centre Line - Part 2 MisconceptionsLast time we defined what the Centreline was and also introduced theMeridian Line. This time we take a look at common mistakes that canbe made when training.By Darryl Moy14 Rough PeasantsA fascinating look at the last days of the Qing Dynasty and theincredible detachment the Empress Dowager had with the real world.By Nick Battersby16 The Right HouseIn Feng Shui the shape of the house you live in is very important. Itwill effect the energy of those who live there, some for the better andsome for the worse.By Michael Tse18 What Value in PractiseIn your studies, do you know what you are doing and why you do itlike that? If not, then you will be lacking a great deal. Why is this?By Bok Nam Park25 Moving On and Beginning ChenTwo poems to make you laugh.By Sylvia Royle22 Wen Shan Quan: Harmony of Yin &YangWen Shan Quan is an internal skill that dates back to the SongDynasty. Compared to otherstyles such as Taijiquan, it isquite rare, however, likeTaijiquan, it is verybeneficial to your health,with some of its practitionersliving to over 100 year ofage. It combines movingexercises and static exercisesbalancing Ying and Yang.By Gerhard Milbrat26 Healing and MedicineHealing and taking medicine are not the same things. How youapproach someone’s illness is the key to true healing.By Shifu Nagaboshi30 Xingyi Five Elements SpearA two man exercise that develops skill with the spear.By Guo Ron Jun35 Coping with InjuryWhenever you do physical exercise, there is always the chance ofinjuring yourself. So how should you deal with this? The author tellsus his way.By J. Reynolds Nelson36 Origins of the Five ElementsMany people are confused when it comes to the theory of the FiveElements. Often, knowing how something came about helps.By Tse Sihn Kei38 Stealing the BellAn Amusing story of a foolish man.39 Siu Lim TaoContinuing our examination of Wing Chun’s first form. Here we lookat the second section for developing Fa Ging.By Michael Tse42 Scenes From a Monastic RetreatSometimes we all need a little time to detach ourselves from the chaosof everyday life. However, attractive it sounds, sometimes the mindneeds a little persuading.By Julian Wilde44 Qigong and SupernatureQigong often attracts those who are looking for something. Sometimesit is good health and sometimes it is for something more.By Adam Wallace45 Palm ReadingWhen reading palms, you need to know what the different linesrepresent. Here we look at one of the most important lines, the HeavenLine.By Michael Tse

providing the posture and techniques arecorrect. It also develops the stance,creating internal energy (like Qigong)and quiets the mind, just like a meditation.Taijiquan also has many forms whichdevelop internal energy and ZhanZhuang, a standing posture, which is usedto develop the legs and sink the Qi to theDantien.Children can practise Qigong ifthey are settled enough to follow themovements and listen to the instructorwithout disrupting others. It depends onthe individual case. As in anything youwish to study properly, you should findan instructor who is qualified to teach andwho is healthy themselves.WIth kind regards,Michael TseWhat is the Sky-Eye?Dear Sir,In reading the literature you sent me on Qigong, I was very interested to seereferences made to the Sky Eye. I am currently studying the points of the MicrocosmicOrbit (the Small Heavenly Cycle - acupuncture meridians Jen Mo and Tu Mo) and Ihope to have opened the Orbit before I begin classes. I note that the Third Eyepoint corresponds to the yoga system’s Ajna Chakra, and I was wondering if the SkyEye had anything to do with this. Can you tell me any more? Are Qigong exercisesfor developing the Sky Eye taught to responsible and long-standing students?What little I have heard about the Sky Eye makes me think of psychicfunctioning, which comes into being if one does Extended Remote Viewing for along time. I would be interested in anything you can tell me about the Sky Eye.Thank you, TB, ManchesterGood or Bad?Dear Sir,I’m currently studying your book,Wing Chun: Traditional Chinese Kung Fu ForSelf-defence and Health. I have severalquestions. I am begining to follow yourdescriptions/pictures to learn Wing Chun.I have no martial arts experience. Am Idoing moredamage thengood byworking on myown? If not,when is a goodtime to find aSifu? This maybe a slowprocess as thefirst two I foundhave closed theirstudios. If I can’t find a Sifu that teachesWing Chun is there another form of KungFu that you would recommend? If not, istheir another martial art that you’drecommend?Thank you, JSDear JS,Thank you for your letter. If youcan follow the descriptions in the book,there is not too much that can go wrong.However, do make sure that your postureis correct as incorrect posture can lead toback problems in the future. Siu Lim Taoshould be practised with the Baihui andHuiyin points in a straight line. Thesepoints are located, one on the top of thehead and the other between the legs. Theweight should rest solely on the thighs,Dear TB,Thanks for your letter. There are two things you have mentioned, one isMicrocosmic Orbit and the other is Sky Eye. First, in Chinese we call the MicrocosmicOrbit, “Xiao Zhou Tien”, which means “Small Heavenly Circle”.These are combined with two channels, one is at the front of the body named,“Ren Mai”, and other is at the back of the body named, “Du Mai”. When you areborn, these channels are separated. So many people who practise Qigong, yogaor other alternative exercises want to join them back together, so they will be veryhealthy and achieve longevity. When the Xiao Zhou Tien is formed, all the other 12main channels will be opened as well. These 12 channels are liver, heart, spleen,kidney, lung, gall bladder, small intestine,stomach, urinary bladder, pericardium and“Are exercises fordeveloping the Sky Eyetaught to responsible andlong-standing students?”triple warmer. At the same time, if theXiao Zhou Tien isformed you will findthat your breathing willslow, and you will startto breathe throughyour skin through theacupuncture points.You will be able to feelthe Qi going all over thebody. The whole bodywill open and close when you breathe. However, this breathing is not through thenose. When this happens, your Xiao Zhou Tien is formed.As to your second question about the Sky Eye. Indians call it the Third Eyebut it is the same. You cannot make it open. It will only open if you have thatpotential, for instance inherited. To open the Sky Eye we stimulate the front of thebrain, at the middle of the forehead, between the two temples. The Sky Eye is likean antenna and can receive information from outside. For example, you suddenlythink of a friend whom you have not seen for long time and then later, youunexpectedly receive a letter from him. Another example is before you say something,your friend has already said what you wanted to say. This is because you receivetheir message. This is very natural and common. At a higher level, you will even seethe images and some even can see through other people’s bodies to their internalorgans and channels. That is the function of the Sky Eye. However, not everyonehas this potential and so your Sky Eye might never open.When we practise Wild Goose Qigong, many people are able to open theirSky Eye, because there are so many movements to stimulate this area. The Kunlunsystem also has a special, high level exercise called Long Vision Dan Gong whichcan also help us to open the Sky Eye. However, the more you want it to open, thenit is usually the case that it will not be opened. It must happen naturally.Yours sincerely, Michael TseQi Magazine 4

with the knees slightly bent and“grasping” slightly inwards. There shouldbe no tension on the back at all.Sometimes, beginners will find their legstire easily and may even find the musclestrembling. This is normal and all part ofdeveloping your stance and internalenergy. If you find this happening, thenyou should try to sink your weight slightlymore on the thighs as it is easy to try tostraighten the legs when this happens.Often times, Siu Lim Tao can be neglectedas students are so keen to develop theirfighting techniques. However, if your SiuLim Tao is good, then it will be easier foryou to develop your Chi Sau skill in thefuture when you do find a Sifu. Siu LimTao not only develops internal energy, italso makes the mind calm, so that youcan “see” and react to the Chi Sautechniques more clearly.Best wishes, Michael TseEverToo Old?Hello Master Tse,I am 17 years old and live inMalaysia. I am Chinese, too. I am veryproud of your Wing Chun guide book:very attractive. Actually I’m training inTaekwondo and have my red black beltwhich means the highest belt. I want totrain in Wing Chun because this form ofmartial arts is very powerful, especially thefist. Hopefully, Sifu can explain moreabout the training and the ranking. I amvery interested in Wing Chun. I have aquestion to you, Sifu, am I too old to trainin this Wing Chun? Can I catch up in thisWing Chun skill in this period of time?Bad QigongDear Sir,I am writing to ask for some information on Qigong exercises. I have beenpractising Tai Chi for four years and enjoy every minute of it. Our class routineconsists of a Qigong exercise routine, followed by the Yang style short form.Having read several books, (Qigong for Health & Vitality being the latest), Ihave experienced both the physical and mental effects over this period, and I am ofthe opinion that the whole thing is good for you. I have heard, however, that someinstructors do not teach Qigong because they believe it to be harmful. Also, I havenoticed on three occasions (over this four year period) that a person has felt faint -possibly a lowering of blood pressure?Can you give me any information on this? Is there evidence to show thatQigong is “bad” for some people. Do you recommend any exercises that wouldcounteract this feeling? I am sure you are extremely busy in your work but wouldappreciate it greatly if you could answer my questions or perhaps point me in theright direction. Thank you in anticipation.Yours faithfully, GCDear GC,There are many, many Qigong styles and there are even more Qigonginstructors. However, for both of these, time proves everything. If a skill has beenpassed down for many generations and those who have studied it have had goodresults, ie. good health and longevity, then we would consider this to be a safe andhealthy Qigong style. However, sometimes, it is not the style of Qigong that is atfault for causing problems but the instructor. Sometimes they have not been qualifiedto teach and therefore they may not understand fully the principles of the skill. Inaddition, if an instructor does not have much experience, they may not know howto handle such a case as you mentioned, where a student felt faint.People who come to study Qigong are of varying levels. Some are young,some are old. Some are quite healthy while others may be quite ill. If someone hashigh blood pressure, for instance, then postures where they have to bend over orsquat in a low position may be very difficult and cause them to feel faint. In this thecase, the instructor should show them the way in which to do the movement withoutcausing more problems. Another person may have a back injury which causesthem great pain and so they should take it easy until they become more flexible.Each student is different.It is for this reason that I am very strict for persons not teaching the skill thatI have taught them until they have been properly qualified as my instructor. If theyteach without permission and cause someone problems, then it reflects badly notonly on them but on myself and my teacher, Grandmaster Yang Meijun. So justlike we are careful of the food we buy in the super market, making sure it is freshand safe, we should also make sure that the Qigong we study is proper and theinstructor has been qualified to teach and that they understand the skill which theyare passing on to their students.Yours sincerely, Michael TseHopefully, Sifu could answer my specificquestion. I hope I can hear good newsfrom you.See you in the future.CK, MalaysiaDear CK,Thank you for your letter. Actually,any good martial art, you should be ableto practise at any age. My Sifu is nearing80 years old now and is still very healthyand strong. You should not, however, bein a hurry to “catch up”. A martial artshould be a life journey which iscontinually developing, exploring andlearning to understand. With each levelyou progress to, you will see somethingcompletely new or come to understandsomething on a different level. The mostimportant thing is to keep practising andin the proper way.Best wishes,Qi Magazine 5

Too Bigto be Good?Hello,I own both your books. In theWing Chun book it has been hinted that alarger person may be at a disadvantagewhen it comes to learning this style. Is thattrue? The reason I ask is that after yearsof studying an Okinawan system I becameinterested in Chinese martial arts, and Ibelieve one’s choice should be based onone’s body type and how one prefers tofight. (In my case mostly hand movementswith all kicks being below the waist.) WingChun was an obvious choice or so Ithought. Im 6ft. 1inches tall and weigharound 250 pounds. Am I looking at thewrong style? Please help.Thanks for your time,EAP.S. Loved your book!!!!!!!!!!!Dear EA,TraditionalChun skill uses theprinciple of usingQi Magazine 6Wingthe least amount of energy to defend orattack an opponent. That is why it isconsidered a good martial art for smallerpeople. However, someone who is talleror larger is not at a disadvantage,provided that they do not use theirstrength to achieve results. This can be ahard habit for some people to break, butif you train properly and use sensitivityrather than strength when doing Chi Sauwith your opponent, then there is noreason why you can develop yourself toa high level.Best wishes,Michael TseLegExercisesDear Mr Tse,I have watchedyour video, Balancing Gong,and found it veryinteresting. I thinkQigong may besomething that I canmanage. However, Ihave a question as towhether these exerciseswould be suitable forme as I have aprothesis in my right“I believe one’schoice of sytle should bebased on one’s body type”leg, about one and a half feet in length,no knee cap but an artificial knee. I wouldbe most grateful for your reply. Also, Iwould like to know if the movements areto be done exactly in the length of timeshown on the video.Yours sincerely,If there is anything you want to discuss, if there is anything you want to share withothers, any news or any announcements you would like to make, send them to us. Wealso welcome articles (800 - 1000 words in length) on topics appropriate toQi Magazine.Readers in the UK can write to:Qi Magazine, PO Box 59, Altrincham WA15 8FS. UK.email tse@qimagazine.comReaders in the USA can write to:Qi Magazine, PO Box 2697, Kirkland, WA 98083. USA.email tse@wildgooseqigong.comMG, MiddlesexDear MG,Thank you for your letter. Qigongdeals with the whole body and isconcerned with balancing the Qi and theblood flow internally. If you can managethe movements standing oreven from a sittingposition, you willgain benefit. Qigonghelps the circulation,breathing and makesthe mind morerelaxed. So, whateveryou can manage, willbe suitable, just listen toyour body and how youfeel after you havepractised the exercises.As for how long youshould practise, the videois only a guideline andintroduction. Some peoplewill want to practise longer,some may even like topractise two or three timesa day. It is up to you howmany times and for howlong you shouldpractise. The mostimportant thing is torelax and enjoy whenyou do themovements.Yours sincerely,Michael TseTheFingerSwordDear Mr Tse,Please can you enlighten me as tothe intention of your hand posturefeatured on the cover of your BalancingGong video. I have understood that whenusing Qigong to build up energy, that thehand posture pointing with the middleand index fingers and linking to the thumbcreates a greater circulation.Yours sincerely,CDear C,The purpose of the movement isto transmit Qi to the sky. There are manydifferent hand and body postures withinthe Kunlun Dayan system of Qigong andthis is just one.Yours sincerely,Michael Tse

Dayan Gong 2nd 64 Dayan Gong 2nd 64 Dayan Gong 2nd 64 DayanDayan Gong 2 nd 64acupuncture points and channelsContinuing our look at the acupuncture points and channels used inthe 2nd 64 of Wild Goose Qigong.14. ChengfuChengfu means supportingby hand. This point belongsto Urinary Bladder Channel andis located midway at the bottomof the buttock. This acupunturepoint is good for circulation onthe lower part of the body,arthritis, pain in the legs,constipation and releasingtoxins from the body. In theDayan Qigong movement 13“Rubbing legs”, when our handsrub down the back of the legs,our Laogong points go thoughthe Urinary Bladder Channels,this releases toxins from thebody.15. WeizhongWeizhong means poplitealcentre. It belongs toUrinary Bladder Channel and islocated in the middle at the backof the knees. This acupunturepoint is good for releasing theexcessive heat from the body,blood circulation, kneeproblems, swollen legs andarthritis. It is used in the sameway as the last point Chengfuon the movement 13 “Rubbinglegs”16. ChengshanChengshan meanssupporting hill and this pointalso belongs to Urinary BladderChannel. It is located in themiddle of the calf muscle. Thisacupunture point is good forreleasing the excessive heat,toxins and relieving swollenstomach and intestine problems.ChengfuWeizhongWeiyangChengshanIt is used in the same way as the last two points Chengfu andWeizhong on the movement 13 “Rubbing legs”. When we dothat movement we must rub with both hands from the top tothe bottom of the legs, at least from the Chengfu to Chengshanpoints. If your flexibility is good then you can go further downto the Kunlun point at the ankles.17. JiquanJiquan means originof the spring and this pointbelongs to heart channel.It is located at the middleof the armpit. This point isgood for blood circulation,heart pain, dry throat,shoulders, arm pain,nausea and chest pains. Inthe movement 15 “Rubhands”, after clapping thehands together, wesmoothe the Qi down fromthe hand to the armpit andJiquan point with thepalms. This goes throughthe heart channel.18. DabaoJiquanDabao meansgeneral control. This pointis on the Spleen Channeland is located at the sideDabaoof the body, in the gap ofthe sixth rib. This point isgood for easing bruises inthe body, weak body,triedness and hardbreathing. In themovement 16 “Hit points”,we stimutate seven pointswhich connect to the triplewarmer. For the UpperWarmer we hit the Qihupoints, Middle Warmer theDabao points and the Lower Warmer are the Daimai and Qihaipoints. This balances the whole body with Qi.Qi Magazine 10

Last time we looked at the Centreline and found that there werein fact three Centrelines to consider, the Jik Sin (Centre Line), Ji NgSin (Meridian Line) and the Centre of Gravity. Now we will look athow Centreline theory is commonly misunderstood.The Centre LinePart 2: MisconceptionsSomeone once made a passingcomment about Wing Chun. It wentsomething like, “Wing Chun onlyblocks attacks that come in along thecentreline”. This statement implies thatunless your opponent attacks you alongthe centreline then you will not botherdefending yourself against this attack. Sofor example, if your opponent were toattack you with a hooking, circular punch,then you would not bother to block them.This is of course nonsense. Who will allowsomeone to hit them just because theyattack you in a different way?If you are in a situation where youropponent uses a very long circular punch,then so long as you are quick enough,you can step in along the meridian lineand strike first. Although his arm may hityou, his power is focused at his fist andso you will avoid this. Also if your punchis good enough, you will disturb hisbalance and so he will be furtherweakened. This however, will only workwhen he is preparing to throw the punchor the punch is just beginning. As yousee him preparing to punch you counterattack. Is this blocking or just reading thesituation well?However, not all swingingpunches are so long. For example, acommon hook punch is a compact punch,is very powerful and used at quite closerange. In order to prevent this punch fromhitting you, you need to meet the insideof your opponent’s arm. This helped byturning your stance (so your shouldersface more towards the punch) and thiswill give your defending technique muchmore leverage and so you will not berelying on the strength of your arm butusing your entire body together. At thesame time you can attack back by strikingat your opponent along the Ji Ng Sin.In order to become accustomedto defending against circular attacks thenyou should practise with someone untilyou feel comfortable with how the attacksmove and work. Stepping and turningyour stance will giveA Byou more leverageand so you can useless energy.When attacking,you shouldattack along the JiNg Sin. This brings usto another commonmistake. As we havealready seen, whenyour opponent isdirectly opposite andfacing you, youshould strike directlytowards his Jik Sin orfor example his nose.If you were to turnand punch you willbe correct inpunching towards hisnose. When you havean opponent this isquite obvious.However, whenpractising alone, infront of a mirrorerrors can arise.When standingsquare on to themirror you punchtowards your ownnose. If however youturned your stanceand punched, thenyou should no longerbe punching towardsthe reflection of yournose. Why is this?Turning yourstance will actuallymove your Jik Sinand so change the JiNg Sin (as of coursewill stepping). Whenyou turn your stance 45 degrees, forexample to your right, your Jik Sin willalso move to the right. This is becauseyour weight shifts over to the right andyour head also moves to theright. However, in this exercise,your imaginary opponent hasnot moved and so you shouldpunch to where your nose usedto be, not at where you see itin the mirror after you haveturned. If you continue topunch towards your nose afteryou have turned, then you aremissing your target. It helps ifLine B marks Grandmaster IpChun’s Jik Sin (Centre line)after he has turned his stance.Line A repreasent his Jik Sinbefore he turned and punched.If he were facing a mirror andaimed his punch at the reflectionof his nose he would not beaiming at the correct place. Youcan see this from the drawingsbelow.you draw a vertical line downthe mirror and then use this asyour opponent’s Jik Sin. Nowyou should punch along the JiNg Sin towards the line on themirror. In the old days, WingChun practitioners did nothave mirrors and so wouldplace a stick vertically in theground and use this forreference. This way they alwaysknew where their target was.The same principle isalso true when practisingdefensive techniques in front ofa mirror.If this all seems verycomplicated, don’t worry,unlike most things wheresaying is easier than doing, thisis a case of doing is easier than saying.Try it for yourself and seeby Darryl Moyemail Darryl@qimagazine.comWing Chun KuenQi Magazine 13

The Warring States period was a time of great turmoil, rivalry, alliances and brokenalliances, beginning almost 500 years before the birth of Christ. Out of this maelstrom of conflictrose a dominant, warlike people ruled by a ruthless man who through force of personality andarms created the first empire from the states he defeated. He was Qin Shi Huangdi, first emperorof the Qin dynasty, which gave us the name of his country - China. Too hard for the people heruled and too enthusiastic for grand projects, he had the Terracotta Warriors built to guard histomb, rebellion broke out when he died, his short-lived dynasty crumbling into the history books.China has a satisfyingly neat cyclical history, unity fallinginto disunity, then a dominant state rising once again.From the chaos following the disintegration of the Qinrose the glorious Han to rule the country for fourhundred years before, in turn, falling in strife. The nexttruly dominant force was the resolute but short-lived Sui which,like the Qin, was too tough for its own good and gave way tothe cultural flowering of the Tang. So the history continues,endlessly turning, cyclical.Let us leap over ancient history. The Middle Kingdomhas new rulers, the Manchus of the Qing Dynasty, and theyare threatened by fresh enemies, ruthless in the best traditionsof players on the Chinese stage, but their motives are different.Oddly they have not come to conquer and rule, as the Manchusthemselves had done, but to trade, and if they find a countryunwilling to trade, they are quite prepared to force it. We arenearing the start of the twentieth century, and there is anunseemly scramble by technologically and militarily advancedRoughPeasantspowers, to grab influence in a world rapidly running out ofplaces not already seized for strategic or economic reasons.From Russia to Britain, from America to Japan, everyone wantssome of the action and China, for all its size, sophisticatedbureaucracy and wealth of culture, is in no position to argue.China is ruled by the remarkable, and inevitably ruthless,Empress Dowager Cixi who was born in 1835, grasped powerin her youth and did not let go until her death in 1908. Shebecame a concubine to the emperor, bearing him his only sonand, when the son became the new emperor at the age offive, she contrived to become co – regent. After the death ofthis boy emperor, she maintained her influence through herinfant nephew who she manipulated to be the next emperor.She was the original power behind the throne, issuinginstructions to the child whilst concealed by a curtain.Qi Magazine 14

If Cixi had used her great influence tostrengthen the empire and resist the incursionsof the colonial powers, who were biting greatchunks of annexed territory from the borders andforcing China into trade agreements, includingthose following the despicable opium wars, wecould cast a forgivingly understanding eye overher actions. Unfortunately she lived in a world ofterrified sycophants, corrupt and avariciouseunuchs, and military ineptitude. A world partlyof her own creation, and certainly of hermaintenance. A world divorced from the realityof everyday life, where she watched stage playsfor days and nibbled at great luncheon banquetsof over one hundred courses. She was a tiny eaterbut she did like choice. A world where, withavaricious colonialists beating on the borders sheexpropriated funds designated for the rebuildingof the navy, in order to construct a splendid palacefor herself on the shores of a huge manmadelake.However, even Cixi was forced torecognise that something was seriously wrongwhen the colonial powers set up legations in the capital, Beijing.She truly hated these outsiders who brought their barbarianways into her civilised life style, but what to do about them?Her army was useless against their weapons and moderntactics, whilst her navy, well, enough said about that. She coulddo nothing, and feeling powerless was not something sheenjoyed, then help came from an unexpected area, the Boxers.The name was given by the western press to northernmilitia groups who united with peasants in their hatred ofcolonialist aggression and who called themselves ’The Fists ofRighteous Justice.’ Rampaging through the country, killingforeigners, Chinese Christians and anyone suspected of linksto foreigners, the Boxers finally reached the capital, Beijing.Cixi now had a problem. She wanted to be rid of thecolonialists but she despised and mistrusted the rough peasantBoxers. Chinese history is, as we have seen, punctuated bypeasant uprisings accompanied by the fall of dynasties andCixi had no intention of becoming an historical exclamationmark. Also, who would win? If she backed the Boxers and theylost she would incur the indignant wrath of the colonialists. Ifthe Boxers won and they turned on her? How she must haveshivered with horror when she imagined lunch without lark’stongues. Faced with a difficult decision she opted for doingnothing. She let the Boxers lay siege to the legations, who builta rough defensive ring in the centre of the city, but she did notassist the rebels with imperial troops. She was hopeful andfearful of a Boxer victory.The Boxers, believing themselves to be immune to bulletsthrough the use of charms, assaulted the legations with ill-ledand poorly conceived attacks. This gave the colonialists, whohad been busy squabbling about who should be in charge ofthe compound, the British and French were never going to agreeover that one, time to build their fortifications. Their successfuldefence was achieved largely through the dynamism of anAustralian adventurer who had the twin benefits of commonsense and no breeding. The military ineptitude of the Boxers,though almost matched by incompetence within the perimeter,allowed the western powers beyond the borders time to mounta relief column and after several months a combinedinternational force of British, French, German, Japanese,Empress Dowager Cixi being carried through the streets in a sedan chairRussian and U.S. troops lifted the siege. Within the ImperialPalace of The Forbidden City, Cixi examined her options as aresponsible ruler and fled to Xian.With her empire facing possible destruction, and certainupheaval, she now faced a highly unusual situation on theroad to the ancient capital, she was hungry. She could rant asmuch as she wished and threaten her servants with death untilthey shook in their slippers, but there was still nothing to eat.The servants also remembered past rages directed towardschefs who had produced food which had not pleased her andhad paid for their culinary deficiency with their lives. They wereunderstandably unwilling to return with rough peasant farewhich might provoke similar results for themselves. Sharp eyedCixi, however, caught sight of refugees eating something andordered it brought to her. It was a steamed, cone-shaped breadmade of corn meal which Cixi tasted and declared to bedelicious, much to the relief of her servants.Back in Beijing things were beginning to calm down andthe Allied force, now not quite as allied as it had been, wasstarting to think about important things like peace, trade andreparations. For this they needed the emperor, and that meantThe Empress Dowager Cixi. It was safe for her to return.One of the first things Cixi did on her reappearancewas to order some corn bread to be baked for a meal,remembering how delicious it had been. When it was broughtto her she found it horrible, tasteless and rough textured. Sheflew into one of her famous rages and had several chefsexecuted. The remaining chefs were terrified; agreeing thatnow she had the finest food in the empire and she was nolonger hungry, peasant bread was never going to please her.What could they do? Then one chef had an idea, proposing arecipe for a smaller cone of bread mixed with chestnut mealand brown sugar. They tried the recipe, she tasted it anddeclared it to be delicious, though not as good as the breadshe had eaten on the road to Xian. The chefs were relieved,they were happy with mild criticism, and commented that whilstcorn meal is as sweet as honey when you are hungry, evenhoney loses its sweetness when your stomach is fullby Nick BattersbyQi Magazine 15

How many people believe that the shape and the position of yourhouse is more important than the furnishings inside the house? Actually,anyone who knows Feng Shui, will know that this is very true.The Right HouseFeng ShuiIf the shape of your house is wrong orif the position outside is wrong, theneven if the inside is furnished verynicely, it is still bad Feng Shui. Bycomparison, it is just like a healthy personwho lives in a very polluted area.Eventually he will be ill as well. I havetried to help some people who have caseslike this. Once someone asked me tocome view their new house. However,when I saw it, I knew it was not a goodbuy, because it was in a cul-de-sac. I saidto him that it is not too good becauseany benefit in the area will have to beshared with others. Another case, I knewthat the person would be ill living there.However, many people when they decideto buy or rent a house have already fixedtheir mind and are already thinking ofhow it will be to be living there. So eventhough they ask my advice because Iknow Feng Shui, I know that they willstill go ahead, even if the result will notbe so good.As a Feng Shui advisor you usuallydo not say, “Don’t buy it.” It is a bit tough.So we just advise. After telling them theproblem, most people will say, “Can youdo something for it?” So we just try ourbest, but in the end the problem is stillthere. Maybe it will not come straightaway, but when the person is weaker orhaving difficulty, then they will be moreaffected. Sometimes the environment Qiis stronger than the inside Qi. It is justlike in the winter, when the weather isvery cold, we can put on more clothes tokeep us warm. However, if the weatheris too bad, even more clothing cannotstop you from catching cold.Here is some traditional ChineseFeng Shui knowledge that will be veryuseful so you can check the position ofyour own. It might help you tounderstand your house condition andwhether you need to change or not.In the house in Fig 1, the left handside is longer than the right hand side.This means this house will be good forFig 1the man, good for his career and hisbusiness. However, this house will not begood for ladies Fig 1.In Fig 2 the house has the righthand side longer than the left. This housewill be good for ladies. She will be verysuccessful in her career and her business.However, this house is not good forchildren and the people living here willnot have many.Fig 2So when looking for a house, acouple should consider who brings in themost income into the house.The house in Fig 3 is verybalanced. It is good for money andFig 3Fig 4children and everything will grow verysteadily.Fig 4’s house is missing thesoutheast corner. It is good for familyand finance.If there is a house that you haveto look up at all the time it will make theowner famous and successful in theircareer. Fig 5.A house that stands above all thehouses surrounding houses will bring theowner wealth and success in theirbusiness. Fig 6.If your house has a road crossingit at the north and crossing to the westthis will mean at the beginningeverything will be very successful.Qi Magazine 16

Fig 5Fig 9“In a balancedhouse everythingwill grow verysteadily.”Fig 6Fig 10Fig 7However, at the end you will loseeverything. Fig 7.If a house is built on the edge ofa cliff by the sea the people living therewill have health and finance problems.Any animal like cows and sheep will dievery easily. Fig 8.If a house has a narrow entrance,but inside is wide, it means at thebeginning things will be hard, but goodin the end. Fig 9If a house is has a wide entrance,but is narrow inside then it has theopposite effect, Fig 10. Thing will be easyat the beginning, but bad in the endto be continued...by Michael TseFig 8Qi Magazine 17

WhatValue inPractice?I was fortunate to study with my teacher,Lu Shui-Tian, for seventeen years. Over thattime, he taught me many important lessonsconcerning Bagua Zhang (Pa Kua Chang).However, one of the most important things hedid was to develop within me the wisdom to seewhat is really important and to understand whatis really valuable in the study of martial arts.Ask yourself why you practise the art or arts you haveselected? And ask yourself, what is the value youhave obtained from your studies? Do you study anart because of its reputation or because it looks good?Is it the lineage of an art or reputation of the teacheror students that is important? Do you study an art simplybecause it is the latest fad? Is it theforms, techniques or training thatcomprise the art that are important? Doyou practise martial arts for sport, forhealth, for fitness, for self-defence, etc.?I hope with this brief article to inspireand challenge you to think about someof these questions, as Lu Shui-Tianinspired and challenged me.Lu Shui-Tian taught me to thinkdeeply about martial arts and to not beenticed by merely what is seen on theoutside or surface of an art. He did this by asking thought -provoking questions that would force me to reflect on the ideaor concept he was trying to impart. He often used analogiesto illustrate his point. One analogy that he used with regardsto the martial arts was that of a cup. Consider that you havetwo cups. One is a gold cup that is very expensive and beautiful,but it is empty. The other is a simple wooden cup, plain andsimple, but it is brimming with water. Consider that you arethirsty, having not drunk for some days. So, which is the morevaluable cup? The gold cup, no matter how expensive orbeautiful, will never quench your thirst because it contains nowater. The same holds true for a martial art. An art that looks“An art that looks goodbut has no depth willprovide little true orlasting value.”good but has no depth will provide little true or lasting value,no matter how many years you practise.There are many good martial arts, but today’s martialarts society is very different than in the past in many ways.Qi Magazine 18

Lu Shui-TianQi Magazine 19

Some ways it differs is in the way martial arts are practised,the way they are taught and the things that are emphasised.Also, the relationship between the student and the teacher isdifferent. Although some change has been for the good, I seea lot of evidence that the content or depth of many good martialarts has been lost or watered down.This is a very sad statement for me to make but it isbased on many years of travelling and talking with martialarts practitioners from around the world. I have met manymartial artists, including instructors and students of BaguaZhang who havehad numerousyears of trainingand experience intheir chosen arts,some even morethan I. But, it hasbeen a surprisefor me to discoverthat these experiencedpractitionerscannotanswer evensimple questionsas to why theyperform theirmoves or exercisesin thespecific ways thatthey do.When Ihave asked themwhat they havelearned, sometell me that theyhave studied foryears, decades and even longer. Some tell me they have studiedmany martial arts, that they have learned many forms or thatthey have won many trophies. They may tell me that theyhave studied in China or that they have studied with this famousperson or that famous person. But, they cannot tell me “why”they do what they do. They say that it is the way their teachershowed them or that it is just the way it is done. Ask yourself,is this a good answer? Does this indicate true understanding?It is clear that many practitioners have spent a lot of time andsome have spent many thousands of dollars in their studiesbut to what end.Practitioners who do not understand the “why” behindthe requirements of their arts have little true understandingand have obtained little lasting value from their practice. Isthis the fault of their art or the the fault of their teacher orteachers. Or maybe it Is their own improper approach to theirart or a lack of dedication? Every serious practitioner must lookwithin himself or herself and face this question. You must allask yourselves, “What have I really learned that is of truevalue?”I often speak to my students, as Lu Shui-Tian spoke tome, about the importance of understanding the differencebetween the surface of a martial art and the depth of a martialart. A martial art in the traditional sense is more than just acollection of forms and techniques. There is more to martialarts than mere choreography. A Bagua Zhang form is not BaguaZhang. A Taijiquan form is not Taijiquan. An Eagle Claw formis not Eagle Claw. Martial arts forms represent only an aspectof the total art. They are a training device and a referencetool. I have said on many occasions that far too manypractitioners in today’s martial arts’ society focus just onlearning forms - thinking that more forms mean greaterexpertise or greater credibility as a martial artist or teacher.This view is flawed and misguided. Forms, exercises, andtechniques mean little if the practitioner does not understandwhat is underneath within the depths of the art.Anyonecan learn orcopy any formbecause a format its most basiclevel, is simply aLu Shui-Tian and his studetn Bok Nam Parksequence ofpostures andmovements. Itmust be understoodthat this isjust the surfaceof the system. Itis the principlesbeneath theform, beneaththe techniquesand beneaththe methods,that are the keyto deeperunderstandingand mastery ofany martial art.The secretsin themartial arts do not lie in the forms. The secrets lie in thefundamental ingredients and the understanding of how tocombine or cook them properly. Let me give you another of LuShui-Tian’s analogies. At a grocery store, there are many kindsof food available. You can pick and choose whatever you like.But when you get home, if you do not know how to combinethe ingredients properly and how to cook the ingredientstogether, how do you think your meal will turn out? It is likelythat the meal will turn out badly and you will not eat it. Perhapsthe meal will taste okay, but later, it may even make you sick.Either way, you will not be nourished. Ultimately, you will starve.Without proper experience, you cannot and will not be able tochoose the correct ingredients and without a proper recipe youwill not be able to combine and cook them in the proper way.A single mistake or omission at any stage can ruin the finalresult.Many people in the martial arts world community todayare just following someone else’s recipe without any real ideaof whether the recipe is good or bad, whether it is complete ormissing critical elements. They do not consider whether it willhelp them or hurt them or ultimately accomplish nothing. Oftenthere is an assumption that because the teacher is famous orhas won many awards or indeed is instructing at all, that theymust be good. However, without a true understanding of theunderlying principles, how can anyone judge? This is a seriousissue.Qi Magazine 20

There are martial arts, martial arts instructors, andmartial arts publications that focus strictly on the mechanics offighting to the exclusion of everything else. They practise orteach methods to improve fighting skill that do not properlyaddress or account for the health of the body. At the otherextreme, there are instructors and publications that remove allaspects of fighting skill from the arts that they teach. Here,they state that their focus is strictly on fitness, or health orsport. There are also numerous variations and approaches thatlie between these two extremes. Whether due to a lack ofunderstanding, a lack of proper instruction, training orexperience, or some inherent deficiency or flaw in theirapproach, training methods are promoted that ultimatelyaccomplish nothing. In many instances, their methods canactually cause harm to the body - leading to serious injury,crippling arthritis, high blood pressure, or some other seriousproblem in later years. What is the value here? Of course,there is none. Characteristic of these situations is a lack ofnatural balance in the training focus, method or approach.Balance is an important aspect of the physical universe.It has been recognised as a fundamental principle ofnature and the human condition and has beendescribed by Chinese scholars as theprinciple of Yin and Yang. This is justone of a number of universal naturalprinciples that must be fullycomprehendedunderstood. They must beunderstood not only in themind. These concepts aremore than just intellectualexercises.It is extremelyimportant that they arecompletely assimilatedand understood in thebody as well. The BaguaZhang of Lu Shui-Tianandrecognises this fact. Itrecognises that skill in selfdefenceprovides littlewithout health. Withoutgood health, progress is slowor may not even be possible.Also, without the continuedpursuit of good health, whateverskill a practitioner achieves will notlast. Conversely, health without skill inself-defence is not a martial art. Propertraining in both the fighting and healthmaintenance is essential for the full development of anyserious martial art practitioner.We all desire good health, whether we practise martialarts or not. In the west, many people perform physical exerciseat home, at the gym and in the park to achieve and maintaingood health. Proper physical activity will definitely raise yourlevel of fitness. However, it must be understood that this is notthe same thing as attaining good health. Fitness and healthare two different things. Fitness is related to the ability toperform physical activities, play sports and carry out physicalwork. Health, on the other hand, is related to longevity andthe condition of the body’s organs, nerves and energy systems.Even today, many people in the west do not understand thisdistinction. Both good fitness and good health are requiredfor one to excel in the martial arts.More importantly they are both required for one toachieve a long and happy life. The Chinese recognized thisimportant fact a long time ago and developed methodsspecifically designed to promote good health. These practiceswere called Qigong and are based on the cultivation andmanipulation of Qi. Qi is an essential element of Bagua Zhangtraining. Qi is not supernatural and Qigong training is not basedon mysticism. As I explain in my lectures and seminars, Qi isnot a gift from the gods and does not work by magic. It is truethat Qi is invisible and cannot be seen. But, just like the air,which is also invisible, the presence of Qi can be felt and has aprofound effect on the body.Qi is in fact a part of the natural world and a part of thehuman condition. It is governed by the laws of science andhuman physiology. We all have some level of Qi in our bodiesfor without Qi there is no life. To attain good health andmaintain it throughout our lives, we must learn how to increase,cultivate, and control the Qi in our bodies. Thiscan only be done through proper trainingthat is based on the correct naturalprinciples.For Qigong practice towork, three elements mustalways be present and“Many people arejust followingsomeone else’srecipe withoutany idea whetherthe recipe is goodor bad”properly integrated.These are breath, mindand form (or movement).I see manypeople practisingand teaching Qigongtoday who donot understandeven this basicfundamental requirement.Thisimportant characteristicis exactlywhat sets Qigongtraining apart frommere physical exercise.Proper Qigong practicecan promote a high level ofhealth. By the same token,improper Qigong practice cancause great harm. One must becareful and educate oneself about theunderlying principles in any skill theyundertake to study. It is risky, even foolhardy, to becomeinvolved in any form of serious Qigong training with a teacherthat does not have the proper experience and cannotdemonstrate that he or she understands the correct underlyingprinciples. In Qigong practice, what is good for one personmay be inappropriate or harmful for someone else. A teachershould be able to guide his students and understand thisTo be continued...by Bok Nam Park(Note: This article presents a summary of Master Bok-Nam Park’s views onwhere true value lies in the study of the martial arts. It is based on a number ofrecent discussions that Francis Hriadil had with Master Park and has recordedinto article format).Qi Magazine 21

WenShanQuanQi Magazine 22

In the past few years it seems people havediscovered that though Taijiquan is good for the health, itis also a martial art and other martial arts have beenshown to also be good for one’s health. For centuriesChinese martial arts have always been practised for theirhealth benefits. Today, this is becoming more and morepopular here in the west.The Chinese martial arts are very rich and diverse.There are many different systems and styles, howeversince they all developed with the same culturalbackground they have very similar properties. Wen ShanQuan is one such skill.Wen Shan Quan was founded by Gao Jan Guo whodeveloped it by incorporating the essence of both Qigongand Laohong Quan. Gao was a descendant of EmperorTai Zu of the Northern Song dynasty and he began hisstudies of martial arts from a Daoist priest. By combiningboth the martial art and Qigong skill that he had learned from the Daoistpriest, he wanted to promote not only physical development, but mentaland spiritual.There are seven hand forms in the system and also include trainingin Dao Jien (sword), Liu He Chiang (spear), Quan Dao (broadsword)Harmonyof Yin & YangQi Magazine 23

“The relaxationbalances Yin andYang and regulatesthe Qi and blood”and 3.3 metre long Yao Bu Qispear. The system is based uponthe theories of Yin and Yang andthe five elements. The practicebegins with meditative, staticexercises. The more dynamicmovements are practised afterboth the body and mind haverelaxed so that all Qi and bloodcan flow more freely in the bodyand the mind is free fromdistractions. Once themovement exercises arecompleted, then the staticexercises are done again. ThisSong Chuan Pingsettles the Qi at the Dantien andso cultivates Qi and improves health.In principle, Wen Shan Quan is divided into two typesof practice, that of Wen Gong (stationary exercises) and WuGong (Movement). During the static exercises, the breath isregulated to achieve a relaxed focus which nurtures the vitalenergy (Qi) and strengthens the will. These exercises are doneeither sitting or lying. The relaxation achieved during practicebalances Yin and Yang, regulates the Qi and blood, clears themeridians and revitalises the internal organs.The main emphasis of the dynamic exercises is theharmonisation of the Yin and Yang and to learn to use hardand soft correctly in co-ordination with the will, Qi andbreathing. This involves correct instruction, patience andperserverance on the part of the practitioner. Using both stillnessand movement follows the principles of Yin and Yang, the useof opposites to create a balance.Song Chuan Ping, Song Ru Yi, Song Lian HongWen Shan Quan has been found to be effective for thetreatment of illnesses and prolonging life. Studies show thatthose who practise regularly, can easily reach an age of ninetyor even one hundred years. Song Chaun Ping, who learnedWen Shan Quan from his father, lived to be over 103 yearsold. The system has been passed down in his family for fourgenerations, to include his son, Song Ru Yi, (aged 79) and hisgrandson, Song Lian Hong, (aged 40).Although very popular in the province in which they live,Wen Shan Quan was only recently demonstrated and openedto the public for the first time at a martial arts conference inJinan, Shandong in 1993by Gerhard Milbratrevised by Michael TseTranslated by Vera ExternastQi Magazine 24

Moving OnI keep trying to retire –Put my feet up; watch the birds.Then along comes inspiration –Someone’s laughter, someone’s words.I keep trying to retire –Plant delphiniums, stroke the cat.Whoops! Another invitationLands curled-fingered on the mat.I keep trying to retire –Sometimes the time feels right.But when I practise my Qigong,The feeling’s put to flight.I keep trying to retire –No new things to begin.But, wait a minute, that looks good –Could try a bit of Chen.I keep trying to retire –Watch some expertly showThe Sword Form (such precision)I just might have a go.I keep trying to retire –Sit quietly watch the worldGoing past me through the windowIn a rush; a twist; and a twirl.I keep trying to retire –Let my working life be done.But the dance gets too invitingAnd I have to join the fun.Poems toAmuseby Sylvia RoyleBegining ChenThe exercise was quite extensiveHard Work for the legs: they seemed sore.“We’ve done it! (though it was intensive.)“Oh! That’s just the warm-up-there’s more!The Chen form, well just the beginning,Adjustments to hands, back and arms.But look here, the legs are demandingWe’re stuck here just bending and sendingalarms.It’s all right for you up there learningDelightful defence applications.It’s just plain old pain for us legs here –No fairly shared application.There’s so many intrusive tremors,Its surely can’t be what’s right.We’ll make you suffer for all this abuseAnd keep you awake in the night.Some muscles have been re-invented,And others have been newly bornThere’s lots of complaining and groaning“What’s happening? Leave us alone.”The legs are beginning to shout now,Their message is loud and so clear.They’ll put in for permanent transferAnd strike ‘till new management’s here.Just wait ‘till tomorrow, they threaten,If you think it’s bad enough now.We’ll feel like we’re made out of lead then:No movement at all we’ll allow.Qi Magazine 25

Healing, Health and Medicineare all quite different things. How wesee our health and the healing processtoday, is quite different from the viewstaken in the past. This in itself affectsthe way we treat our illnesses and seeour healers.Healing& MedicineIn the Wu Hsing (Five Element) system of Buddhist healingthe state of illness (byada) is represented as being atotality of conditions in which various characteristicelements (laksanadhatu) of the body (rupakaya) havebecome unbalanced and disharmonious (asama). Suchimbalance has ramifications in all the activities of the psycho/physiological organism (namarupa) and at many levels. Usuallyone or more of these ramifications demands our attention bymeans of pain or impairment, in other words we experience itssymptoms. Illness can be addressed via its three aspects namely,its symptoms (byadalaksana), its causes (byadahetu) or acombination of these. For most of us the symptoms of an illnessconstitute the actual illness itself. Due to this we often see itscure as being the blotting out, or putting away, of its symptoms.We thus endeavour to suppress such symptoms by all meansat our disposal. With such suppression, illness and its resultantpains and discomforts become ’manageable’. If we cannotsucceed in such endeavours we usually go and see our doctorwho, more often than not, does the same thing using morepowerful medicines than we can obtain ourselves. Hismotivation for doing so lies in his or her sworn duty to relievea patient’s suffering.Symptoms are not difficult to recognise but causes oftenare. The art of healing itself must always revolve around thedevelopment of skill in the art of diagnosis for such diagnosisdetermines what and how all subsequent treatments will be.The method employed in this diagnosis usually determines justwhat art or aspect of healing we are involved in.Qi Magazine 26

Skill in the art of knowing how to suppress symptoms,however noble it may seem, does not constitute a skill in healingnor are they (skill in healing methods and healing itself)necessarily found together. To suppress the symptoms ofdisharmony and regard this act as being a cure for illness is avery limited approach for a doctor to take as it can only everachieve exactly what it sets out to do namely the eradicationof symptoms. Another danger of such an approach lies in themethods used as a result of such a view. The development ofnew and more devastating forms of illnesses has brought evermore terrible sufferings in its wake and their symptoms requireeven more powerful drugs to be developed, manufactured andadministered. All too often a patient suffers more from theresults of a ’therapeutic’ chemical process than the illness it isheld to cure.What we experience as the symptoms of an illness aresimply the apparent effects of a more general state ofill health manifesting in a particular manner, or in aparticular place within the body. What we regard asits causes (if at all known) are usually theantecedents of the symptoms themselves ratherthan anything else. Orthodox preventativemedicine encourages us to understand and avoidsuch causes in the future. But of course if suchcauses are simply the causes of symptoms aloneillness will always arise anew. That such a stateof affairs is commonly understood to exist bythe orthodox healing professions can be seenin the fact that there is no general viewamongst them that such causes could everbe made to cease for ever. Nor is itconsidered a real possibility that a personcould ever attain a state in which theynever develop or ‘catch’ an illness. Suchconcepts or situations within peoplewould obviate the need and reasonfor the art of medicine to exist. Wecan see here that the danger ofdeveloping an inherentlypessimistic orientationfor theart of medicine isgreat and onebased upon whatare considered tobe the exper-“Patients could trusttheir doctor to beimpartial, honest andconfidential”iential inevitabilitiesexistingwithin a continualstate of struggleto be free fromillness. Insurancecompanies andthe commercialmanufacturers ofmedicines grow wealthy from such ideas and views.That the state of illness has been with us a long time isknown by the very ancient accounts of healing and medicinein all the civilised nations of the world. Some of them howeverdid consider illness with a more positive outlook particularly inthe case of Buddhism and Hinduism. Both these systems hadvery advanced concepts and theories about illness and itscauses. What is especially interesting is how they viewed thenature of illness itself. Their views resulted in very differentforms of diagnosis and from this the very therapies theypractised. In general both these great traditions of healingregarded many more factors than mere outward symptoms intheir evaluation of the nature and treatment of illness. Theyalso regarded understanding the nature and interaction ofmind/body complex as fundamental to evaluating both sicknessand health. Long before people such as Freud, Harvey, Pasteur,or arts such as psychiatry and chemotherapy, they had evolvedsophisticated ways of determining the nature of both mentaland physical illness as well as what are now called infections.Treatments arising from these ideas consisted of a wide varietyof therapeutic endeavours and practices many of which wouldnot nowadays be connected to the art of medicine at all. Thetypes of treatment applied by the ancient Buddhist and Hindudoctors involved practices which are still very new in moderntimes.T h ep r a c t i t i o n e r sthemselves werealso different inthat, in commonwith the ancientGreeks andEgyptians, the art ofhealing was regardedas religious practice andan exalted profession fitonly to be studied andperformed by priests orrenunciates. We can seefrom this fact that the healingart was considered to requirea special type of person, onenot involved or attached to thematerialistic aspects of life. Sucha requirement guaranteedpatients that they could trust theirdoctor to be impartial, honest andconfidential in histreatment of them.Echoes of such a bondbetween patient anddoctor can be found inthe wording of theancient oath ofHippocrates, the fatherof the ancient Greekforms of healing. Onesection especially,namely that relating tothe acceptance ofmoney in return fortreatment, has longbeen ignored in modernmedicine although a shortened form of this very oath is requiredof every practising doctor. The ancient Hindu equivalents ofHippocrates, namely Susruta and Caraka formulated similarethical guidelines.The healing of bodies and the healing of minds gonaturally together and for a person who is involved in studyingand applying both of these aspects an inner balance of each isessential. Such balance is achieved through spiritual practicesQi Magazine 27

and both Hinduism andBuddhism fully recognise thisfundamental fact. Whatconstitutes the make-up of ahuman being determines howand what they become, theirdistinctive temperament andhabit. It is within these that illnessstrikes. If we live a healthy,peaceful and ’good’ life weexpect not to be ill. If welive in the opposite mannerillness does not surpriseus, it seems to be theresults of our ownexcesses. Althoughthere may notalways be agreementas to what isand what is not an’excess’, a broadrange of activities isagreed by most of us tobe acceptable andanything beyond that is regarded asasking for trouble.Whilst some forms of illness anddisease may have quite rational anddeterminable causes, at least from thematerialist point of view, others do not.The ancient healers were veryfamiliar with geneticallycaused disorders, they alsowere far more aware thanmodern doctors concerningnatural poisons and pollutants.Despite this knowledgeillnesses still arise. It oftenstrikes when weh a v e n ’ t“If we livea healthy,peaceful & ‘good’life we expect notto be ill.”done anything to justify it and in orderto explain such occurrences the ancientteachers quite wisely sought answers inboth the physical and spiritual realms.Unlike their later western counterparts’answers’ were forthcoming for it was inthe understanding of what actuallyconstituted the human being that the keyto illness was found. If one took thematerialist view that humankind was alland only physical being than one had toaccept the injustice of disease andsickness. Therapeutic endeavour wasthus strictly limited to what could beexperientiallyevident. Everynew diseasebegan a flurryof research andexperimentationuntil some solutionto it wasunearthed. Inthe meantimethe poor patientsimply hadto bear his lotand trust thatsomeday thiscycle of subsequentand retrospective discovery wouldeventually come to an end. Such a dayhas not arrived and, due to its retroactivebasis, never couldTo be continued ...by Shifu NagaboshiTraditional Chinese WeaponsHand made inChinaAll prices are subject to postage and packing.Please enquire for current postal rates.Please make cheques payable to ‘Michael Tse’.Specifications may vary.For orders or more information contact:“Fortheseriouspracitioner!”Tse Qigong Centre PO Box 59 Altrincham WA15 8FS.Tel. 0161 929 4485. Fax. 0161 929 4489. Email. tse@qimagazine.com.Longquan (Taiji) Dragon SwordDouble edged straight blade, engraved & finished withbrass and copper. Comes with scabbard and tassel.Length 81cm. £70Kang Li Telescopic Practise SwordWell-balanced, steel practise sword. Comes with carryingcase and tassel.Length 71cm. £30Longquan Dragon Knife (Broadsword)Engraved blade finished in copper. Includes engravedlacquered scabbard with brass finish.Length 77.5 cm. £75Chinese SpearChrome plated spearhead with white wax wood shaftand red ying (hair). Requires cutting to size.Length 215cm. £35White Wax Wood StaffLength 200cm. £25Wing Chun KnivesSteel Blades and Brass Handles. Made to GrandmasterIp Chun’s Specifications.Length 47cm. £78Qi Magazine 28

Xingyi Quan was createdfrom spear techniques. Thereforeif you have more experience ofspear applications, it will improveyour Xingyi Quan skill. In theChe family Xingyi Quan theyhave a spear training techniquewhich called the “Five ElementsSpear”. This was one of thefamilies secret forms. It has notbeen passed outside of the familybefore.Xingyi FiveElements SpearFig 1Fig 6The Five Elements Spear is a veryeffective martial art skill. If practised alot and you become very familiar withthe skill, you can pick up any stick orbranch of a tree and apply thetechniques.Fig 1A: Hold spear vertically, and stand still.B: Do the same as A. Both stand so thereis a spear widths distance between.Fig 2A: Strike B’s knee.B: Do the same as A. So both spearsmeet at a low level.Fig 3A: Strike B’s throat.B: Do the same as A. So both spearsmeet at a high level.Fig 4A: Attack low to B’s left leg.B: Lift up the left leg to avoid the attackmeanwhile turn the spear verticallyto block the attack with the head ofthe spear.Fig 5B: Straight away step forward with theleft foot and hit A’s head with the endof the spear.A: Step back to avoid the attack.B: At the sametime, on missing B’s head,follow through to hit left A’s handwhich is holding the spear.A: Release the left fingers so they areno longer holding the spear.Fig 2Fig 3Fig 4Fig 5Fig 7Fig 6B: Sweep A’s spear away in case heattacks back. Then turn the spear toattack A’s chest.A: Step back and block B’s attack withthe middle of the spear.Fig 7B: Step forwards, meanwhile swing thespear and use the other of the end toattack. Make sure to step and swingthe spear at the same time.A: Turn the body to the left side to blockthe attack with the middle of thespear. Keep the spear head towardto the ground at 45 degrees.Fig 8B: Swing the spear and then change thegrip. Attack A’s head from above.A: Step back and lift up the spearblocking the attack with the middleof the spear.Fig 9B: Keeping the spear in contact with A’sspear, sweep it to your right to cut A’sleft hand, aiming for his fingersholding the spear.A: Let go the left fingers but keepsupporting the spear with the palm.Qi Magazine 29

Fig 8Fig 14Fig 19Fig 9Fig 15Fig 20Fig 10Fig 16Fig 21Fig 11Fig 12Fig 13Fig 17Fig 18B: Straight away bring down the spearto attack A’s legs.A: Jump up to avoid the attack.Fig 10A: On landing on the ground,immediately attack B’s head.B: Shift the weight back to block theattack.Fig 11 to 16Repeat on the other side. A attacksand B changes to defend.Fig 18 to 21These are closing movements, lowattack and high attack, then step backto the original place.This Five Elements Spear is a veryinteresting training skill. If you areinterested in the spear you can try andfollow the instructions. Maybe one dayyou will be a high level spear master.by Guo Ron JunQi Magazine 30

Chinese philosophy is based upon the theory of Five Elements and thedual forces of Yin and Yang. The Five Elements and Yin/Yang theory can berelated to all areas of life, thinking, nature and even our bodies and health.Origins of the Five ElementsLife TrainingThe Five Elements are the basis ofChinese horoscopes, Feng Shui,Daoism, martial arts and Qigong,and is a concept which pervades all ofChinese society. It is as common asunderstanding how to drive and operatea car in the West. To understandthe Five Elements, it is usefulto know how this conceptcame about.Many thousands ofyears ago, Chinawas like an islandwith little contactfrom other countries.They hadeverything theyneeded, having theirown agriculture, art,education and a sophisticatedsystem of governmentwith an Emperor as head. Theyhad already invented gunpowder, the process of making silk, themaking of bronze utensils (16 th centuryBC/Shang Dynasty), astronomy andwritten language. It was also at this timethat Chinese mediccal theory wasdeveloped.China seemed to have everythingand so they saw themselves as the centreof the world. So in the Five Elementtheory, they became the centre. Thecentre of anything also representsstablility, a place of resting or foundation.Centre is the earth where everything iscreated and nourished. This is the role inwhich China saw itelf.Rice or steamed buns were astaple diet in varying parts of China. Itwas seen that when they boiled rice orsteamed something over a fire, that thesteam producedfrom the“China seemed tohave everything and sothey saw themselves asthe centre of the world.”water rose into the air. Thus fire wasconsidered a rising heat and so wasplaced above the centre. We can also seethat the sun’s hottest point is when it isdirectly above the earth, at midday. Sosouth became positioned above thecentre (earth). Looking at the sun again,we can see that as it rises, flowers openand warmth begins to permeate theground. With this warmth, things of theearth such as trees, grass and plants arenourished and begin togrow. East then becameassociated with the elementwood.As the sun travelacross the sky, it reaches itszenith at noon andcontinues onto thewest. West representsmetal,but can alsorepresent laterdevelopments ofsociety, such asthings createdfrom the earth.China’s bronzeage had flourishedand it wasfrom the earth thatthis precious metalhad been harvested.So following theopposite traverse of the sun,west then became associatedwith the element metal. Looking atNorth America today, can see that as aWestern country that their element isproven in that they create guns, weaponsand are one of the biggest manufacturersof cars and appliances. Metal also relatesto things being organised and this canbe represented by the straight, grid-likepattern of roadways that make up NorthAmerica.Lastly we have the element water.Water flows downwards, from waterfalls,streams or when poured from a cup.Water also can freeze to become ice. Sowater relates to someplace where it iscold. The place where it would be thecoldest, would be where it is furthest fromthe sun’s hottest point. This point wouldbe directly opposite and so in the lowestposition on the Chinese compass.When we think of the humanbody, it too can be looked at in terms ofQi Magazine 36

the Five Elements and Yin/Yang. In fact,it is this philosophy that has been thefoundation of all traditional Chinesemedicine. Traditional Chinese Medicine(TCM) sees the body as a universe. If allis in harmony, then everything will flowsmoothly and there will not be illness.However, when one element becomestoo strong or too weak, then this affectsthe flow of Qi (energy) in the body. It isthe same with nature, when one elementbecomes too strong, there will be ananswering consequence. So in the sameway that the Five Elements can supportand nourish each other, there is also anopposite which will deplete or destroy aparticular element.Therefore, we can see earthnourishes metal, metal nourishes water,water nourishes wood, wood nourishesfire, fire nourishes earth. Sometimes it isuseful to think about the image of theseto help us remember. Earth has manyminerals and useful things which oncemined can be used. Metal is one of thesethings. Metal in turn nourishes or attractswater. When we leave metal outside, itabsorbs water as evidenced by rust.Water nourishes wood by helping it togrow. Wood in turn feeds fire. We canalso see the opposite of this in that eachelement also has an opposite which it candestroy.When I first began to studyQigong, I found the idea of the FiveElements and Yin/Yang theory somewhatconfusing. Now I understand moreclearly the essence of the Five Elementsand how they relate to everything thatwe do. It can also help us deal with manysituations. For instance, if someone isangry, using the five element principle,we can meet their fire with water insteadof more fire (anger). This way it helps tocool the situlation down instead ofcreating more heat.Understanding the Five Elementscan also help us choose a potentialpartner or spouse who is fit for us. If weknow our weaker or missing elements,then we can find someone who will giveus that missing element. Knowing thiscan also make us know ourselves andpotential better. Most importantly,understanding the Five Elements canhelp us understand life and death andnature. When winter passes away, theearth reawakens and new life is born.So we can see, life is ever-changing andevolving and that everything is interconnectedby Tse Shin Keiemail Sihnkei@qimagazine.comQi Magazine 38Stealing theBellOnce upon a timethere was man who lovedbeautiful things. However,this man was very lazy andhe did not want to goout andget a job to pay for thosethings he liked. So instead, hespent his free time makingelaborate plans of how hecould steal something. Oneday when he was walkingthrough his village, he sawa beautifully engraved bellhanging in the raftersabove his neighbour’s door.He walked by itmany times that day andthe next. Each time he heardthe clear sound of the bell ringing, he coveted it even more. He setabout thinking of a way he could take the bell without being caught.He knew it would be tricky because as soon as touched the bell, itwould ring and he would be caught. He worried and worried aboutthis, so it even affected his sleeping at night. How could he stealthe bell, he asked himself again and again. Finally he came up witha plan. He thought to himself, “If I put some cotton in my ears toplug them, then I won’t hear the bell ring when I take it.” So excitedwas he with his plan that he could not hardly wait until darknessfell.That night, he took some cotton and stuffed it into his earsand then he sat down to wait. It was well after midnight whensnuck out of his home to his neighbour’s home. Slowly crept thoughthe shadows until he stood beside the house with the bell. He lookedaround to make sure no one about and then he hastily grabbed thebell and began to run back towards his home.Of course, the bell clanged with every step the man ran, buthe could not hear it so he felt quite safe. That was until he felt ahand grab his shoulder and he found the neighbour shouting at himas to why he had stolen the bell. This story is an example of how afoolish man tried to trick others, but only tricked himself instead.Stealing the Bell

Siu Lim TaoThe Second SectionThe second part of Siu Lim Tao is FaGing training. Fa means “release”,Ging means “power”. It meansrelease power. This part is training howto use proper energy when you are usingpower and so is much faster than the firstpart of training Siu Lim Tao.The very famous Long Distance FaGing (most people call it one inch punchbecause of Bruce Lee demonstrations),is an example of how to use power whileapplying the principles of Wing ChunKuen. This is that you do not use theenergy until you really want it. So whenwe study Wing Chun Kuen, we shouldnot use too much energy and never usestrength against strength. Therefore, onall the attacks we must relax until the timewe are sure we want to commit to anattack and then it is only used at the pointof contact, not before. In the entiresecond part of this training, we must relaxuntil the last moment and only thenrelease the power. Many of themovements in this section are traineddouble handed. However, we canactually use one hand and it is in factmore common than using the techniquewith two hands.Yan Jeung1. Open the palm of your left hand,rotate it to face the floor, and thenpush downward using the energy onlyat the last moment. (Fig.49)2. Keep the left arm in the sameposition, repeat the previousmovement with your righthand.(Fig.50)3. Relax both hands and bring them upto the lower back. Now push bothhands downward with the sameenergy as before.(Fig.51)4. Bring both hands up to both sides ofyour waist, push them out in front ofyour body at your stomachlevel.(Fig.52)Yan means “Stamp”, Jeung means “Palm”.Yan Jeung means “stamping palm” and toattack with the palm. However, in thissituation, the strike with the palm is in a lowerdirection. The application on the lower YanFig 49 Fig 50Fig 51 Fig 52 Fig 53Jeung is that when someone grasps your hand,you strike down to get rid of the grasping.Remember to only use the energy at lastmoment. Do not try to use the energybeforehand. Usually, in most situations whenwe use the lower Yan Jeung, we need to do itwith footwork together. If your opponent isstronger than you, you need to use stepping inorder to change the grasping energy. This willalso help make your opponent confused.However, there can always be someone who isvery strong and in this case, then you wouldhave to use another method instead of YanJeung. In Wing Chun there is always a solutionfor all kind of situations, but there is not oneabsolutely killing technique.(See Wing ChunKung Fu Traditional Chinese Kung Fu forSelf Defence and Health pages106 & 107)Qi Magazine 39

Wan Lan Sau1. Bring your arms directly up to themiddle of the chest, so that yourforearms are at shoulder height witheither left or right arms on the top(this is not important). Your armsshould be folded over each other butnot touching.(Fig 53)Wan means “horizon”, Lan means “block”.Wan Lan Sau means “horizontal blockinghand”. Wan Lan Sau is not used very often.Because it is difficult to use, you need to usestrength to press your opponent’s arm to thechest, and in most situations, you will need tograsp their other hand as well, so that they willnot have a place to move. Sometimes you makeyour Wan Lan Sau higher or lower or eventurn to the side as well. This all depends onthe height of your opponent. (Wing ChunBook page 108)Pek Jeung1. Extend your arms outward so thatyour hands follow a straight line outfrom the body. Just before your armsare fully extended, release the energyin your wrists as if chopping anopponent’s throat. Your body shouldremain still, only your armsmove.(Fig.54)Pek means “chop”. Pek Jeung means “chopwith palm”. The application of Pek Jeung isthat when you chop your opponent with theFig 54 Fig 55palm, it is using the lower edge of the palm.This is similar to the method of using a Chinesecleaver. The energy is used in the same way asin other techniques. Pek Jeung is fast andunexpected, like holding a Chinese bamboostick. When you hold the pressure on one sideof stick, then when it is released, it will springout fast and hard. (Wing Chun Book page109)Wan Lan Sau1. Return your arms to the previousposition.(Fig.55)Double Jum Sau1. Let both of your elbows sink down sothat they are on either side of yourcentreline. Your palms should berelaxed and extending slightlyoutward2. Now sharply sink both wrists downso that your palms are facing eachother. The forearms hardly moveduring this movement.(Fig.56)Jum means “rest your weight on”. Jum Saumeans “rest your weight on hand technique”and it means to put your pressure to block ahand technique. Jum Sau is used when youropponent attacks you and then you block itfrom the top. In most cases, Jum Sau is usedwhile you are contacting with your opponentwhile your hands are on outside or on top. Mostof time, you will be in the Fuk Sau positionbefore using this technique. Remember thatwhen you are using Jum Sau, that you shouldnot go lower than horizontal level. Once youFig 56 Fig 57 Fig 58stop the attack, do not carry on using energy,otherwise you will be hit back by use of toomuch energy. (Wing Chun Book page 110)Double Tan Sau1. Turn your hands so that your palmsface upward.(Fig. 57)We have mentioned Tan Sau in issue 48.Double Fuk Sau1. Relax your hands and turn them sothat your palms are facingdownward.(Fig.58)Qi Magazine 40

Fig 59 Fig 60 Fig 61Fig 62We also have mentioned the Fuk Sau in theprevious issue of Qi Magazine. However, thisFuk Sau position is slightly different from theone before. The Fuk Sau we learned before isfor the situation when your opponent is slightlyweaker than you and you are able to stop theirenergy with your forearms. This one is for whenyour opponent is stronger than you. Thereforeyou contact them with your palm to feel theirenergy instead of trying resist their energy.When they try to attack you, you can thenrespond immeditately(see Wing Chun KungFu - Traditional Chinese Kung Fu for SelfDefence and Health page 111).Double Jut Sau1. Jerk your hands backward and slightlydownward, along the line of yourforearms, in a small movement.(Fig.59)Jut means “Jerk”. It means “jerking hand”.When your opponent’s arms are very tense, andyou are contacting them with your Fuk Sau,then you can use Jut Sau. If used properly,then your opponent will lose their balance.However, do not use when their hands are soft,only when they are using energy (see WingChun Kung Fu - Traditional Chinese KungFu for Self Defence and Health page 111).Double Biu Jee1. Thrust your hands forward at eyelevel, as if you are attacking youropponent’s eyes. Push energy to yourfinger tips at the last moment.(Fig. 60)Biu means “strike”, Jee means “fingers”. Itmeans “strike with fingers”. Biu Jee is a highlevel of Wing Chun Kuen skill. In Chinesemartial arts training, we allknow that the fist is verypowerful, but it is not aspowerful as the palm. The palmis not as powerful as the fingers.Therfore if we attack with thefingers, it will do more damagethan by using just a fist. Thisis because when we use the fingersto attack, we attack the weakerareas of the body, not the hardpart of the body. Because ofthis, it is very hard to recover.In the form, we use Biu Jee toattack after we have brought ouropponent’s balance forwardusing Jut Sau. When they areleaning forward, they will have little defencewhen you attack their eyes. However, intraditional Wing Chun training, the Sifuusually does not teach the Biu Jee Form untilthey trust their students. Bui Jee is also used toattack the weaker acupuncture points in thebody.Double Lat Sau1. Keep your arms straight, push thehands downward with force until youreach the waist level. (Fig.61)Lat means “force goes downward”. It means“force down hand”. Lat Sau is not usedcommonly, because it uses strength. In theprinciple of Wing Chun, we use as little energyas possible. So Lat Sau is for covering a BuiJee attack which fails. In case your opponentblocks your Bui Jee attack with their hands,then you can push them down again. It issimilar to Jut Sau (Wing Chun Book page111).Withdraw the fists1. Bring up both hands to the shoulderlevel with both wrists upward.(Fig 62)2. This part we have mentioned beforein issues 47 and 48. This time we dothem with both hands together.(Fig.63 & 64)Remember that Siu Lim Tao is basic WingChun Kuen skill. If you want to develop goodWing Chun Kuen, you spend the time on SiuLim Tao to make your skill good.to be continued ...Fig 63 Fig 64Qi Magazine 41

October, and the year was closing in. The morning training sessions were takingplace in increasingly darker and colder conditions and the trees were beginning to losetheir leaves. In the Norfolk countryside, the fields had been harvested, dug over andleft for the winter. I’d been growing tired and feeling crowded-in as the daysshortened. It was time to get back to Amaravati and take stock.On the first night, I stand in the field behind the retreatcentre, in the gathering darkness. Even the frequentroaring and blinking of planes taking off and landingat nearby Luton Airport can’t disturb the tranquillity ofAmaravati, the deathless realm. Nevertheless, I sleeplittle this night, lying wide-eyed in the packed male dormitory.The evening’s meditation session had seemed to go on forever,my tired, aching but restless body protesting at being made tokeep still and pay attention to its own discomfort and my mindstirred up by its own aversion. I’m glad to get up at 5.30am andgrab a quick shower before the morning meditation.Ajahn Jutindharo and the Venerable Sacciko initiate themorning chanting, the inspiring words lifting the heart andreminding me of the feeling that I’d ”come home” to somethingreal, valuable and lasting in this place. Ajahn Jutindharo is a tall,thin, scholarly looking monk who leads us gently and patientlythrough the sitting and walking meditations every morning,afternoon and evening. The Venerable Sacciko is a younger,energetic monk, always seen with his sleeves rolled up, eager totackle any task that presents itself. He collects us from the fieldafter the walking meditation sessions by banging a gong with hiscustomary vigour and leading us back to the shrine room like thepied piper in the children’s stories.This time round I’m finding the meditation sessions difficult.The formal sitting is drawing attention to some old injuries I’dmanaged to forget about, setting off negative thoughts andreactions, and the walking meditation, in that bleak, wind-tossedfield, trudging backwards and forwards between a small stuntedtree and a fence post covered in bird droppings (very romantic,eh?), that’s bringing up a lot of different emotions to be examinedand assimilated. I remember at one point looking up and watchingall these people walking with their heads bowed,and thinking tomyself, ”This is like a lunatic asylum! All we have to do is changethe monks robes to white coats!” Just then it started to rain. I’mnot having a good time!The enforced silence also has the effect of driving oneinwards – the energy usually expelled by talking goes straight tothe head, making one much more aware of the thoughts andemotions that flicker across our awareness like summer lightning.Most of these thoughts seem quite trivial and inconsequential.I’m saved from further depression by the Venerable Sacciko ringingus into the shrine room. We sit in silence waiting for the AjahnScences from aMonastic RetreatAT AMARAVATI BUDDHIST MONASTERYQi Magazine 42

and at that moment a rare ray of sunlight bounces off the goldenBuddha, surrounded by white and peach-coloured carnations,highlights the drifting incense smoke and the patiently waitingfigures. The whole scene is suddenly transformed into somethingmagical. Purpose and optimism returns with that moment. As ifreading my mind the Ajahn brings the retreat into context. It’sonly a little time to reflect compared to the vast amount of timewe’ve spent creating and nurturing our mental and emotionalhabits. He uses the analogy of a vast ship like an oil tanker. Eventhough the captain rings the engine roomand the motors are cut, it’s still sometime, some distance, before the shipactually slows and stops. We’vestarted the work on this retreat, theengines are slowing. Now we haveto be patient and wait for results.As it’s an observance daythere’ll be no afternoon orevening meal today. AjahnJutindharo has to join othermonks in the temple tochant the Vinaya(monastic precepts).However, we do get to dosome basic qigongstretching and breathingwith Venerable Sacciko.It’s all very simple stuff,nowhere near the qualityI’m used to enjoying withTse Sifu, but it’s entirelyappropriate for thisoccasion. I’m a bit miffedat not being able to goround the roomcorrecting people’sposture, though! Iconsole myself with apre-dawn trainingsession in the field thenext morning. It’s verysilent and I realise I canhear frogs croaking inthe long wet grass, like tiny motorbikes revving up.Sunday lunchtime arrives. The volunteer filling VenerableSacciko’s alms bowl has been a little over-enthusiastic with thebean sprout and watercress salad and it’s hanging over the edgeof the bowl like some luxuriant pot plant. Sacciko knows there’sno room for the chocolate pudding but he’s shaking his head andlaughing...One evening, the Ajahn has offered a dasana (dhammatalk). Before he commences I distinctly hear the words ”The fivehindrances” spoken aloud in my head so it’s no surprise that thisdoes indeed turn out to be the topic for the evening. The fivehindrances or obstacles to spiritual practice are dullness,restlessness, doubt, aversion and attachment. I’m loaded with allthose so the talk should do me good!In meditation, as in daily life, we encounter these obstaclesconstantly. We often use dullness or restlessness to avoid actuallyexperiencing a situation, such as having to communicate withsomeone profoundly boring. We either want to fall asleep or westart fidgeting. However, we often employ these two obstacles orunskilful mental states to cover up or avoid deeper problems anddissatisfactions. Anyone who’s unhappy with their job or arelationship will experience lack of energy or too much of it, dueto dullness or restlessness. They are also likely to see-sawbackwards and forwards between aversion and attachment –”Don’t want this, I want that.” ”Don’t like this food, this person,this job, this jacket, this teacher, I would rather have that kindinstead.”Some of the time this picking and choosing is fairly banalbut it does further condition us and makes our happiness andwellbeing more and more dependent on certain conditions beingfulfilled. We need more and more ideal conditions before we feelthat things are just right. But that ”just right” never happens, sowe keep trying to change the conditions instead of our reactionto them. A correct balance between the acceptance of asituation and the changing of it is more likely to be of longerlasting benefit than always trying to find the ideal conditionsto marry, to train, to retire etc. If we go down that”external” road we’re going to create more sufferingfor ourselves, The Ajahn reminds us of the centralpremise of Buddhism, ”Suffering is to beinvestigated and understood.”As he speaks I’m remindedof something Ajahn Sumedho, theAbbot of Amaravati said once.Using his customaryunderstatement, he told us of atime in the jungles of Thailandwhen he was living on top of amountain to meditate insolitude. Eventually, throughsome kind of animal or insectbite he developed an infectedleg (which still troubles him tothis day). Apparentlyhe often used to enda meditation sessioncovered in bees,who seemed to likethe taste of hissweat. Anyway,the leg got worsebut he refused alloffers of help untila nearby temple employed some villagers to forcibly carrySumedho, who was quite ill by now, down the mountain to theirvillage. Unfortunately they placed him in a small hut with acorrugated iron roof and over the next few days Sumedho wasalternately baked and frozen every day and night. His fever gotworse and flies would block his nose and mouth every time hebreathed. ”It was at this point,” Sumedho said smilingly, ”That Irealised I had a complaining mind.” He decided to ”stop feelingsorry for himself’ and crawled out of the hut to resume hismeditation practice. No matter the man’s a legend!What Sumedho was saying there, and what Jutindharo wasconfirming, was that we create so many problems for ourselvesby falling prey to greed, hatred and delusion in so many ways,both subtle and gross. A little bit of detachment, clarity andgentleness go a long way towards freeing ourselves from our selfcreatedconditions. I realise how lucky I am to have qigong tohelp my body, meditation to help my mind and Buddhism andsome wonderful friends to help my heart. The retreat is turningout to be a productive time after allby Julian WildeQi Magazine 43

There are many human abilities we deem paranormal, orsupernatural, which the Chinese respect and term ‘potential’, and regardworthy of scientific enquiry. Qigong follows nature’s principles so anyuncommon skills developed through practice are perfectly natural.Qigong & SupernatureQi MattersSome styles of Qigong claim to offerspecial abilities including healingpowers, aura diagnosis, astraltravelling, mind-reading and futureprediction, etc. but these are actuallygenetic. The pursuit of these skills shouldnot be the goal of practicing Qigong buthealth and longevity. The greater yourdesire to develop these skills the moreelusive they become, and the morementally unbalanced and unhealthy youwill be, everything should be allowed tohappen naturally.We are conditioned to believe thatthe universe operates in a certain wayand that anything unexplained inscientific terms is ‘supernatural’ andshould be treated with suspicion, eventhough our science is still young. Ourrational mind inhibits us from being opento possibilities and if allowed to dominateit is a barrier to our own potential andthe truth.There is a Chinese fable about ahunter who sees a deer in the woods.He fires an arrow through the bushes butthe deer bolts. As he setsforth to retrieve the arrowhe discovers it embeddedin a boulder. Confounded,he returns to his originalposition and fires at the rock.This time the arrow does notpenetrate. Previously the hunterheld no preconceived ideas regardingwhat had happened but when heintellectualised the improbablility ofthe situation he subconsciouslydecided the outcome.Everyone has heard the truetale of the woman who lifted atruck to save her child trappedunderneath. In that instant hermind (intent) and bodyconnected to harness‘supernatural’ strength.She did not stop torationalise what was possible and hadshe done so she would undoubtedly havefailed. This clearly demonstrates thatwhen our Qi, mind, and body areconnected, focused and concentrated weare capable of a great many things.Qigong renders many seeminglyimpossiblefeats possible and thedifficult seem effortlessbecause it connectsthe mind, body, andspirit.A n i m a l spossess greatinstincts andhe i g h t e n e dsenses as theylive closelywith nature.We are nod i f f e r e n texcept thatwea l l o w e dourselveshaveto become dulledand go to waste as weseek to remove ourselvesfrom nature and become ill,physically and mentally,from the stresses ofliving and competingwith one another.The humanbrain only uses a smallpercentage of itscapacity. We developour intellectual sidebut not the intuitive,spiritual side. Thereare many instanceswhen we think ofsomeone and eitherthe individual issuddenly phoning us orwe run into him or herlater that day.Sometimes thetelephone ringsand we know whoit is before pickingup. Most people explainthis as mere coincidence but actually it isbecause there is a ‘connection’ betweenthe two people and the ‘Sky-eye’ is open.Messages and information are constantlyaround us but mostly we are unable toreceive them because our minds aredistracted or blocked by trivial thoughts,like static radio waves. The mind needsto be relaxed and clear to receiveinformation and then it ispossible to know others’thoughts, their state of health,their problems and othersuch knowledge. Qigongdevelops this ‘hidden’ partof the brain.Sometimes youmeet people whom youinstinctively mistrust. Othersmay be blinded by theirgregarious and effusivenature, fashionable style,affluence, wit or physicalappearance but you see their truenature with the ‘Sky-eye’. You can readthe person’s unconscious messageswhich remain undetected by others.Other times you may be somewhere andsuddenly ‘feel’ uncomfortable. You arereceiving the message that somethingbad may have previously occurred at thatlocation or it may be a warning ofimpending danger. You must learn totrust your instincts and follow yourintuition to avoid mistakes. Failure to doso is to embrace danger.The China Qigong ScientificResearch Association, in addition toinvestigating Qigong’s effect on ESP andthe like, and medical usage, has firmlyestablished that in the field of academicstudies Qigong improves concentrationand memory, in sports it raises physicaland psychological conditioning forcompetition, and in the military fieldQigong raises endurance, focus, stressthreshold, and overall combat capability.Qigong does not endow individuals withany ‘special’ abilities which were notpresent within them latently from birth.Whatever hidden talents you possessQigong enables you to realise anddevelop this ‘potential’by Adam Wallaceemail adam@qimagazine.comQi Magazine 44

In studying palm reading, there is so much knowledge involved. We willnever be able to know everything. Even if we have read over hundreds ofbooks and have read over a thousand palms of all kind of people, we will notbe perfect and know every single detail for everybody.Palm ReadingHowever, there are many peoplewho have written books abouttheir experience and these can bevery helpful, but from my experience, ifyou just believe what you read frombooks, then basically, you will be moreconfused than if learning by yourself. YouFig 1 Heaven Line, Man Line & Earth Line represent Man and Natureshould refer to other people’s experiencewith your own judgement and this willhelp you to find the proper way to readpalms. So experience is more importantthan just reading books in palm reading.In any kind of studying, we needknowledge from ourseniors and theirexperience. Then wecan work with this toprove the knowledge iscorrect. Once youunderstand more, youcan see if what you aredoing is working andhas good resultes. Inthis skill and understandingcan beimproved with everygeneration.Fig 2.A Good Clear Heaven LineThe following are some examplesof traditional Chinese palm reading skills.In my experience, I find that they arequite precise.When looking at teh palm themajor lines in the palm are the mostimportant. The upper line is called theHeavenFig 3.Short Heaven LineManHeaven Line, the Middle Line is calledthe Man Line and the lower line is knownas the Earth Line. Heaven also means“Weather” and the weather affects ouremotions. So some people call this linethe Emotional Line.The positioning of these linesreflect how we live in nature, Fig 1. Wecannot live without any of them.If these three lines are clear withno other lines interrupting them then thisperson is clear and can be successful. Ifthese lines are not clear and have otherlines interrupting them, then this personwill have more difficulties and not be sosuccessful.A good Heaven Line should bedeep and clear, Fig 2. It should also belong enough. Usually it should reachEarth “Otherpeople’s experience &your own judgement willhelp you to find the properway to read palms.”Fig 4.Broken Heaven LinePalm ReadingQi Magazine 45