Issue 57 - Tse Qigong Centre

Qi MattersWhile books are informative andfine as reference manuals, theyare not satisfactory as the solemeans of learning. The reader has noconcept of what the movement shouldlook like in motion, especially if thefeatured skill is a form (a sequence ofconnected movements). He cannot seehow the Qi flows or the attitude of theoverall exercise. One problem withcollecting various books is that they oftengive conflicting views and offer differingmethods of practice. So for thenewly initiated it all becomessomewhat confusing.As Qigong is based onnature, the principle shouldalways be natural and themethod should always be simple.Many books on the marketcontain such complicatedmental exercises you can becertain that even the authorhimself is unlikely to practisethem. Also, some bookscan actually cause sideeffectsby offering misleadinginstruction. AChinese man oncewarned me of thedangers of Qigongpractice afterfollowing a book. Hehad endured an outof-body-experiencewhich left himpetrified. It is not Qigong which isaccountable but rather the student whodeviates from the teaching method,following an inadequate guide, or noneat all.The path of Qigong is an on-goingprocess. It demands constant correction,which is probably the most vital step inthe learning process. This is why it ispreferable to study progressively everyweek than to take scattered lessons. Evenfollowing a seminar, you should seekcorrection. Many people mistakenlybelieve they can acquire the correctprinciple of a movement instantaneously.This ability comes only after years ofpractice. Books and videos cannot correctthe student.What do you do if you are desperately keen to learn Qigong but there areno qualified teachers in your area ? Most people are prompted to take the onlyappropriate course of action - which is to purchase video tapes or books. Someappear satisfied with this method - for a while at least, until they becomebored, frustrated, or develop complications.The Failure of Media InstructionMany people would rather viewan instructional video for hours on endthan actually practise themselves.Eventually they will become bored andgive up altogether. The informationcontained on a videotape is limited andbecomes repetitious while learning in aclassroom environment iscontinual. Watchingnever replacesexperiencing asit is the bodyitself which mustlearn the technique.I knowpractitioners whospend hours on theinternet every daydiscussing theory and technique. If theypractised instead of chatting, they wouldall be masters today.Another problem with books andvideos is that they do not provide thestudent with the ‘human’ element.Human beings are sensitive creatureswho need physical contact with othersand interaction. We respond to words ofencouragement, nurturing, and humour,or psychological ‘stroking’. Books andtapes do not provide this stimulus so thehuman element is lost and there is littlefor the reader or viewer to respond to.This is why he will eventually lose interest.Qigong is an internal art and isdeveloped from ‘feel’. As the practitionerprogresses he will be deluged withquestions. If, after following the book ortape, he experiences some sensationswhich he naturally doesn’t understand(i.e. movement of internal Qi or ‘seeingcolours’) who does he turn to for answers- the video producer, the publisher, theauthor ? His only choice ultimately willbe to give up out of frustration.If you want to collect books on thesubject to increase your knowledge it isgenerally preferable to choosetranslations of Chinese texts fromcompanies such as The Publishing Houseof ShanghaiCollege of TCM,or The China,Shandong, andG u a n g d o n gScience andTechnology Presses,among others,which tend to bemore scientific anddependable than booksby (inexperienced)Western practitioners whichhave recently been flooding themarket.Despite the advent of videotapeor more recently advanced technology,such as video conferencing, which allowsmass learning in different locations at thesame time, there is, and never will be, abetter alternative to a qualified andexperienced flesh-and-blood teacher inthe room with you. So if you are fortunateto have access to a weekly class with agood teacher, attend it regularly (even ifit means travelling some distance) andpractise hard yourself to gain a goodfoundation, observe the teacher closelyat all times (even after you think you mayhave acquired the essence of themovement), pay strict attention tocorrections, and don’t be afraid to askquestions. This is the only way toprogress, as it has been for ages past.Skill can never be developed from booksand videotapes aloneBy Adam Wallaceemal adam@qimagazine.com“Some bookscan actuallycause sideeffects”Qi Magazine 44