Hello, A training partner and myself are looking to get into Chi Kung to help us relax, focus, and put power behind out strikes. I have heard that it deals with accumulation of chi, meditation, focus, basically all the things a good MAist needs. So if any of you out there have some good book recommendations it is greatly appreciated. Thanks Again, 8
A good film with Qigong and KungFu is "The 36 Chambers of the Shaolin." And I don't mean here the soft version with Bum Kun Chau and Marylin Chambers. My advice: first film or video, then a book and then a course with a teacher. Jimmy
Wow, are you really in Taijikistan ? Jimmy, How cool is that. Yeah I really like 36 Chambers of Shaolin too . http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0078243/ Isn’t it amazing that it was made in 1978 ? Have you seen parts2 and 3 ? I didn’t like them as much as the first one. The other excellent Kung Fu movie is “ Crouching Tiger HD” It makes reference to Meditation in the early part of the film Like you, I have a WC background and now into Bagua. Is it easy to get Kung Fu movies from where you are ? Yes I agree , you really need to have a competent teacher for Qigong, reading from a book will only take you so far.
Hi MaB, I didn't see the second and third part of the film. How should that make sense? The strong part of the film is his training in the monastery and that was done at the end of the first part. You're a bagua player? I'm not; I only know some applications, ie evade, sidestep, turn, punch, chaka....shagadelic Jimmy
I would be really careful about what kind of qigong you learn from a book or video. "Opening the energy gates of your body" by B.K. Frantzis is particularly good, as well as "the way of energy" by Lam Kam Chuen. Make sure you don't learn any hard gongs, iron shirt gongs, or vibratory gongs without instruction.
Very good advice, bravo!! Does anybody know a good book about sexual Qigong, or can explain the praxis? I know that people in US (with exception of California) are to shy for talking about this in a forum, but I don't ask for details, only some outlines; I say this because I know that the Americans know the most about this, so I hope that some of them will jump over their shadow. )
I would have to go with hwardo and recommend: The Way of Energy by Master Lam Kam Chuen This one might give you some ideas: Baguazhang: Emei Baguazhang by Dr. Yang, Jwing-Ming
Mantak Chia has several books about sexual qigong, and while he clearly knows his stuff, he often is willing to present material that is unsuitable to practice without the guidance of a teacher. "The Great Stillness" by B.K. Frantzis explores Taoist sexual meditation in more theoretical terms.
Thanks hwardo. What do you mean by 'the guidance of a teacher'? In a practice session or before that?
Rather in practice, or in the teaching of the material itself, some qigong requires fairly frequent feedback from someone who knows what kind of sticking points to look out for, mostly to maximize your progress, but in some rare cases it seems to be to protect you from harming yourself (see potential qigong dangers thread for debate on that.)
I recommend the following: Beginners: 1. A Complete Guide to Chi-Gung (Daniel Reid). This book is both theoretical and practical. Highly recommended. Also gives a view of common problems during practice and how to fix them. 2. Books 2, 5, 6 & 10 of this list: http://www.shop-fast-easy-books.com/books-mode-books-node-282936-locale-us.html However book 5 is a "gun in the hands of a child" for beginners if they try to advance the more advanced forms of qigong (like bow and arrow, one legged stances and so on) Advanced practitioners: Book 3 of that list and the following: Qigong, the Secret of Youth: Da Mo's Muscle/Tendon & Marrow/Brain Washing Classics (Yang Jwing-Ming). This is the best since it was originally developed by Bodhidharma. Daoist practice: 1. The Tao of Health, Sex, and Longevity : A Modern Practical Guide to the Ancient Way (Daniel Reid). Good book as it deals with sexual yoga (mainly for couples) For males, and in terms of sexual yoga also read: 2. A complete book of Chinese Health and Healing (Daniel Reid) 3. A Handbook of Chinese Healing Herbs (Daniel Reid) Anyone interested in TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) must read the Bible of TCM: 1. The Yellow Emperor's Classic of Medicine : A New Translation of the Neijing Suwen with Commentary (Maoshing Ni). Least accurate to the Chinese text but easier to understand. 2. The Yellow Emperor's Classic of Internal Medicine (Ilza Veith). More true to the original but harder to read Daoist philosophy: 1. I Ching (Book of Changes). Read the translation of Thomas Cleary (the best westerner and enlightened person in Asian philosophy) However this book is the hardest of all. 2. The Essential Tao: An Initiation into the Heart of Taoism through the Authentic Tao Te Ching & the Inner Teachings of Chuang-Tzu (Thomas Cleary). 3. The Book of Balance and Harmony (Thomas Cleary) 4. Understanding Reality the Inner Teachings of Taoism the Book of Balance and Harmony Practical Taoism (The Taoist Classics: The Collected Translations of Thomas Cleary, Vol. 2). This collection of four book ranks amongst my favourites. There are so many other books but I haven't read them yet Hui tou jian, Gerard.