Shaolin Chi Kung

Answers to some important questions.

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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.

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.

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.