FAQ - Shaolin Chi
Kung
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What ist Chi Kung?
Chi kung is the art of developing vital energy particularly
for health, vitality, mind expansion and spiritual cultivation.
What is Shaolin Chi Kung ?
Practised by Chinese emperors for centuries, authentic Shaolin Chi
Kung is now available thanks to Master Wong Kiew Kit, heir to this
tradition. It consists of a system of exercises that, through synchrony
of movement, breathing and awareness, produces a mental and physical
relaxation and actively influences the flow of vital energy or Chi.
Like Acupuncture, it is based on the paradigm of Chinese Medicine.
The first benefit derived from a regular practice of Shaolin Chi Kung
is to treat, with a high degree of success, various types of pathologies,
including so called degenerative diseases. Its efficacy has been proven
in the treatment of depression and insomnia, stress and related disorders,
back aches, cardiovascular problems, hypertension, diabetes, female
sterility, arthrosis and certain types of cancer.
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Simultaneously, Shaolin Chi Kung increases
vital force, expands intellectual potential, fosters mental serenity
and spiritual joy leading to a happy longevity. Therefore this practice
has not only therapeutic intents, but is also suited to all those
who wish to keep good health, increase vitality and fully develop
their own potential.
What is the difference between Qigong and Chi Kung?
They are merely different spellings of the same thing. Chi Kung is
the usual English spelling whereas Qigong is the Romanised Chinese
spelling.
Are there many types
of Chi Kung?
Depending on how we would define “types”, there are two,
three, four, five, six, hundreds of or thousands of types of chi kung.
Some people divide chi kung into two types: quiescent and dynamic,
or internal and external. Some into three types: quiescent, dynamic,
and quiescent- cum-dynamic. Others into four types: standing, sitting,
lying down, and moving. Still others into five types: Buddhist, Taoist,
Confucian, medical, and martial. Some add populace chi kung to the
five to make six types. There are various schools of chi kung, such
as Shaolin Cosmos Chi Kung, Shaolin Damo Chi Kung, Taiji Eighteen
Steps Chi Kung, Flying Crane Chi Kung, Fragrance Chi Kung and so on.
Sometimes, people may refer to different chi kung techniques as different
types of chi kung, in which case there are thousands of them. Hence,
it is understandable that there are also different levels of attainment
in the various types of chi kung.
Is
Chi Kung religious?
No, the Shaolin Arts are non-religious. Throughout history, Shaolin
masters have come from various religious backgrounds, including Buddhist,
Taoist, Confucian, Christian and Muslim. There also have been masters
who have claimed to profess no religion.
Is
Chi Kung the same as Tai Chi Chuan?
They are different, although Taijiquan (if it is practised the way
traditional masters practised it) makes extensive use of chi kung.
Basically, Taijiquan is a martial art, whereas chi kung is a collective
term for various arts of energy, which may or may not be used for
martial art purposes. The movements of some chi kung types resemble
those of Taijiquan, whereas many other chi kung movements are totally
different from typical Taijiquan movements.
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How can practising
Chi Kung cure so-called incurable diseases?
According to the Chinese medical paradigm, there is no such a thing
as an incurable disease, although a patient may be incurable if his
disease, even a simple one, has done damage beyond a certain threshold.
No disease is incurable because it is our natural birth-right to overcome
all types of diseases -- if our psychological and physiological systems
are working the way they should work. Illness occurs only if one or
more of these natural systems fail in their functions. When all our
systems are functioning naturally, the Chinese figuratively describe
this condition as harmonious chi flow, i.e. the energy flow that supplies
the right information to every part of our body (and mind), that provides
the right defence or immunity when needed, that repairs all our wear
and tear, that channels away toxic waste and negative emotions, and
that performs other countless things to keep as alive and healthy,
is functioning the way it should. If this harmonious chi flow is disrupted,
illness occurs. The forte of chi kung is to restore and enhance this
harmonious chi flow, thus overcoming illness, irrespective of the
labels one may use to define its symptoms, and promoting health, which
the Chinese have always considered to be more important than curing
diseases. It is significant to note that the claim of chi kung to
overcome illness and promote health is not based just on the above
philosophical explanation, but on thousands and thousands of practical
cases.
How is Chi Kung related
to Kung Fu?
All great kungfu makes use of energy training (which is chi kung)
to develop internal force, without which it remains at its external,
mechanical level. Hence, a kungfu master may look, and actually is,
gentle, yet with his internal force he can cause much damage to his
opponent if he wishes. Moreover, his internal force does not diminish
with age, and he can apply it for peaceful use in his daily living.
Kungfu training with chi kung enhances harmonious chi flow, thus promotes
health, vitality and longevity.
How
is Chi Kung related to Zen or meditation?
There are three aspects in all types of chi kung, namely form, energy
and mind. If you practise only the form, without the energy and the
mind dimensions, then you are merely performing physical exercise,
strictly speaking not chi kung, for there is no training of energy.
For an effective control of energy, you have to enter what is called
in modern terms "a chi kung state of mind". In the past,
this was called "entering Zen" or "entering silence".
When you are in Zen or a meditative state of mind, you can, among
other things, tap energy from the cosmos and direct the energy to
flow to wherever you want in your body. |
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