Qi Magazine 73

Cover: Qigong & Longevity Mr Ho Gwan Luen
Qi Magazine is published by the Tse Qigong Centre. Its aim is to bring you information not readily available in the West. Editor: Michael Tse Deputy Editor: Darryl Moy Assistants: Martin Gale Caroline Garvey Bernard Li Sarah Moy Claire Spruce Mike Stenson Legal Adviser: Marketing/Distribution: Sweden: Tony Walsh Jessica Blackwell Barbro Olsson
Consultants Grandmaster Yang Meijun Grandmaster Ip Chun Grandmaster Wu Chun Yuen Grandmaster Chen Xiao Wang Columnists: Peter Andersen Martin Gale John Hayes Sihn Kei Julian Wilde Kate Britton Glenn Gossling Helen Massy Adam Wallace
Readers may contact any of our contributors c/o Qi Magazine. We encourage all our readers to contribute articles, letters or questions for possible inclusion in future issues of Qi Magazine. Articles appearing in Qi Magazine do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editor. Adverts appearing in the magazine are not necessarily endorsed by it or the editor. Exercises appearing in Qi Magazine are for reference purposes only. Thus anyone wishing to study should seek qualified tuition.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored or transmitted in any way without the written permission of Michael Tse. Advertising: Qi Magazine has proved to be an effective way of reaching a wide variety of people. All enquiries welcome. For UK call: 0161 929 4485 For USA call: (808) 528 8501 Subscription: Costs per year: UK 20 inc p&p. USA $35 inc p&p Europe 25 (airmail) inc p&p. Worldwide 35 (airmail) inc p&p.
Michael Tse 2004.
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ISSN 1358-3778
nce upon a time there lived a very wise White Elephant. He was the leader of all the other animals living at a time when animals could speak with each other and also with humans. One day, the White Elephant was out walking through the far reaches of his kingdom where no one lived and it was still a wild and remote land. In the distance he saw a group of humans walking together. Even from this far away, he could see that they were struggling underneath the afternoon sun. Knowing they must be hungry and thirsty, he went to meet them. He asked what brought them to this land. Elephant, they said, we are the old, or sick and outcasts from our tribe and we are no longer wanted. We have been walking for many days looking for food and water. The White Elephant said to them, Humans, if you keep walking in the direction so the sun is at your back, you will come to a tall hill where there is a steep cliff. There you will find food. From this place, walk to where there is a stunted tree and behind the rocks there, you will find water. If you keep walking further another two days, you will find a place where you can shelter and make your homes and live in peace for the rest of your days. It is a long journey, but once there you will find what you need. I wish you well on your journey. As the exhausted villagers sat down together, the White Elephant left them and walked away. Soon they carried on their journey, the promise of water and food giving them new strength. After two days walking, they came to a steep hill, but still they did not see any food, just more rocks and sand. They
sent the strongest of them to climb to the top of the hill. When he got to the top, he shouted, Come, hurry, there is food below! They hurried as best they could and joined him at the top of the cliff and looked down to where some kind of animal lay dead below, with black birds flying overhead in a circle of death.
They did not see any food, just more rocks and sand.
One by one the humans started to descend to the valley below. The rocks were quite sharp and they had to help each other as they climbed downwards. At the bottom, they all gathered and looked upon the animal that lay there. The leader started to go forward to harvest the food when one of the men said Stop! Dont you realise that this is the White Elephant that helped us. How can we eat it?
Continued on page 9 Qi Magazine Oct/Nov/Dec 2004 page 1
1 4 10
Editorial
with Michael Tse
PO Box Accepting the Gift

Life has many ways of presenting things to us, sometimes we see them as tests, burdens, good things or bad things. Either way, if they improve us they are a valuable gift.
By Julian Wilde
12
Distancing and Wing Chun

Wing Chun is a very sophisticated martial art. Last issue we saw how there are some very misconceived ideas about the art, and here we look at another.
By Michael Tse
based in the USA. In this exclusive interview he shares some of his thoughts, theories and memories of his teacher.
By Glenn Gossling
24
Book Review
A set of new DVDs featuring the complete Healthy Living Gong exercises.
14
Self Massage for Insomnia

How many times have you found that counting sheep just does not work? Well, here are some simple massage exercises that can help to balance your Qi for a good nights sleep.
By Zeng Qingnan & Lin Daoqing
26
Chi Sau Games

One of the hardest things to work out is how to learn Chi Sau. What should you concentrate on and how should you look at it. The best way is to treat it like a game.
By John Hayes
17
Paint the Clowns Nose Red (part 2)

Last issue we began to examine the way Chen Taijiquan punches. It is important to realise that only a small part of the power actually comes from the arm.
By Glenn Gossling
32
Residential Courses Summer 2004

The annual Tse Qigong Centre residential courses are always eagerly awaited and people come from far and wide to study. Many people enjoy the atmosphere as much as learning new skills.
By Jessica Blackwell
18 19
Spicy Szechuan Noodles

A simple recipe to try at home.
Cover Feature...Cover Feature...Cover Feature...

28 Longevity and Qigong
In China the search for longevity has been going on for thousands of years. Longevity though does not just mean living longer, it also encompasses good health in both body and mind. In a recent trip to China, the author met many people who had achieved longlife and good health, and although they would not describe themselves as immortals, they certainly enjoy their old age.
By Jessica Blackwell
Instructor Insight
A profile of one of the Tse Qigong Centres instructors.
20
Walking Up Wudang Shan

There are some famous landmarks in China. One of the most well known is Wudang Mountain. You may have seen it on Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon. If you ever get a chance to go and see it, dont miss it.
By Peter Anderssen
21
Baguazhang of Park Bok Nam

Baguazhang or Bagua Palm is a famous Internal martial art. Park Bok Nam is one of the most prominent teachers who is
page 2 Qi Magazine Oct/Nov/Dec 2004
Cover Feature...Cover Feature...Cover Feature...
34
Wing Chun Self Defence Escaping a Tight Spot

You cannot choose when you have to defend yourself, so you should have an idea of how to get out of many different situations.
By Darryl Moy
48
Qigong Confusion
Qigong has a very mysterious past, so it is not surprising that there is some confusion about what it actually is, but having said that, we should not perpetuate it.
By Adam Wallace
35
Letting Go of the Past

We need to let go of the past so that we can move on. Many of us cling on to good times that are gone and this can stop us enjoying what is happening right now.
By Kate Britton
49
Quality of Presence
Often we live in our minds and are thinking about either what we need to do, or things that we have done. But remember, to get the most out of life, we should not forget the here and now.
By Helen Masssy
38
Onwards and Upwards

Continuing her adventure travelling around China, the author, having fought for her bus ticket now has to get through the journey.
By Sihn Kei
50
Hard Lessons
Life can be hard, but we can make it harder for ourselves. Often we fight against our assumptions and preconceptions, rather than deal with reality.
By Darryl Moy
40
Filling Time
Whenever you spend a lot of time doing something, you can feel stuck in a rut. Martial arts training is no different. So how can you keep your mid fresh?
By Martin Gale
51
Feng Shui of the Childrens Room

Good Feng Shui is important for everyone, including the children in your household. Qi affects them as much as you.
By Michael Tse
44
Healthy Living Gong Part III

Two more exercises from the Qigong set that develops the body and the Qi.
By Michael Tse
52
Liao Fans Four Lessons

Continuing the serialisation of Liao Fan.
Traditional Chinese Weapons
Longquan (Taiji) Dragon Sword

Double edged straight blade, engraved & finished with brass and copper. Comes with scabbard and tassel.
Length 81cm. 90 (members Tse Qigong Centre) / 100 (non-members)
Kang Li Telescopic Practice Sword

Well-balanced, steel practice sword. Comes with carrying case and tassel.
Length 78cm. 41* 36 (members Tse Qigong Centre) / 141 (non-members)
Longquan Dragon Knife (Broadsword)

Engraved blade finished in copper. Includes engraved lacquered scabbard with brass finish.
Length 77.5 cm. 95 (members Tse Qigong Centre) / 105 (non-members)
Chinese Spear
Chrome plated spearhead with white wax wood shaft and red ying (hair). Requires cutting to size.
s r iou se the e r! r Prices include UK p&p and are by express courier service. *telescopic sword includes UK p&p by standard post. Fo ctitio n Please make cheques payable to Michael Tse. p ra Specifications may vary. Prices valid for cover dates on
this issue only. Please see the latest issue for up to date prices.
Hand made in China
White Wax Wood Staff

Wing Chun Knives (Baat Jam Dao)

Length 45cm. 108.95
95 (members Tse Qigong Centre) / 115 (non-members) 130 (members Tse Qigong Centre) / $160 (non-members)
For orders or more information contact: Tse Qigong Centre PO Box 59 Altrincham WA15 8FS. Tel. 0161 929 4485. Fax. 0161 929 4489. Email. tse@qimagazine.com.
Qi Magazine Oct/Nov/Dec 2004 page 3
30/31 Oct - Wild Goose Qigong Healing Seminar

taught by Michael Tse
POBox POBox POBox...
his month we have a letter that asks about healing. Healing is one of the most compassionate things you can offer another person, but you should first make sure that you are healthy and have enough Qi. People working in hospitals, like nurses and doctors, or other caregivers often feel exhausted at the end of the day. This is because they are giving away more Qi than they take in. It is the same as if they are giving away their meals even though their body is hungry. The most important thing for healing is to make our selves healthy. Throughout history, China has developed many self-massage techniques for stimulating the acupuncture points and opening the channels and cultivating longevity. The Wild Goose Qigong system also has its own skills and principles for healing illness and promoting good health. Master Tse knows that there are many people interested in this topic and so he will be personally teaching a two day seminar on Wild Goose Qigong healing. He will talk about how to recognise good health and how to work on being
healthy. If a healer is not healthy, then what they offer is like offering a friend a loan when they already have an overdraft at the bank themselves. However, if you are in credit for your Qi, then even just being near to an ill person will benefit them because we are all the time exchanging Qi through telephone conversations, looking at each other, touching. One of the first things to learn is how to recognise illness but also how to recognise good health. Many people say, I am healthy, but I have high cholesterol, diabetes, high blood pressure, etc.. Good health is when the whole body is balanced inside and out. So we will discuss how to recognise people who are healthy and how to work on good health through Qigong massage, Qi transmission and Qigong. Diagnosing illness is the next step. If you can find out your own problems and then make yourself healthy, then this is a good healer. If you heal others but are not healthy yourself, what will people think? The two days will be very busy and will also cover some of the foundation principles used in Chinese medicine, like the Five Elements and Yin/Yang theory.
Xmas Party
London:
Friday 17 December, 7.00pm New Loon Fung Restaurant, Gerrard Street, China Town, London. Cost 20 per person.
As this is the last issue for 2004, we need to turn our attention towards Christmas (even though we are only in September). As is now the tradition, the Tse Qigong will be holding its Christmas parties in London, Manchester, Birmingham and Hawaii. Everyone in the Centre is welcome and you do not have to be a member of these particular classes. Last years parties were a great success and even had students attending all of the UK ones as they enjoy them that much! It is also a chance to get together with old friends and meet many new ones. As ever there will be the usual party games (and no doubt some surprises in store) and demonstrations by instructors and seniors. The details are as follows:
Manchester:
Saturday 18 December, 7.00pm. New Hong Kong Restaurant, Faulkner St, China Town, Manchester. Cost 20 per person.
Birmingham:
Sunday 19 December, 6.00pm. Chung Ying Restaurant, Wrottesley St China Town, Birmingham. Cost 20 per person.
Hawaii:
Friday 10 December, 7.00pm Kaimuki Chop Suey, Wailae Ave, Kaimuki.
To book contact the Centre - UK: 0161 929 4485, email tse@qimagazine.com USA: (808) 528 8501, email tse@wildgooseqigong.com We hope you will be able to make it and are sure you will have a great time. So may we be the first to wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
My Own Teacher
Dear Master Tse, I have been trying to learn Qigong by myself. I have found that in doing the diaphramic breathing (belly breathing), that if I do this alone, I feel a lack of air & must also do chest breathing together with it. Is this correct or is this a stage in the learning/progress or is something wrong? Also do you know of a certified/reliable teacher here in Israel, preferably the Jerusalem area. Thank You Y.B. Dear YB, Thank you for your letter. If you are unsure or are having problems with practising breathing exercises, the best is to just let yourself breathe naturally. The Kunlun Dayan system of Qigong which I teach uses movement to lead the body in the right kind of breathing. For instance, in the first two movements of Balancing Gong, the breathing is what we call reverse breathing. This is where the lower part of the tummy goes in when breathing in and expands when breathing out. In normal breathing, it is just the opposite. This reverse breathing helps to create warmth and stimulate the circulation in the body. However, if you do this kind of breathing all the time, you can over excite the body and create an imbalance. So in my experience, it is best to do Qigong movement and let the breathing happen naturally. I talk about this in further detail in my new book, Qigong for Healing and Relaxation. Unfortunately, we do not yet have any instructors there in Israel but it would be possible to follow along with my Balancing Gong video or the new dvds of Healthy Living Gong which will be released in October. Although this is not the ideal situation, I think you will be able to understand more about the Qigong and get benefit from practising some of the simpler movements and meditation. Yours sincerely, Michael Tse
More Training
Dear Master Tse, I am only 16 years old and I would like to devote my life to martial arts. However, I can only go once a week to Burnley because my club is only open one day a week, for less than two hours. This slows my learning down a lot and the discipline is only jujitsu. I would like to learn the more complete Chinese Martial Arts, but Manchester is too far away. Please could you tell me is it possible for you to heal a person who is missing a pectoral muscle? Thank you, RA England
hearing is about the tortoise and the hare. Although the tortoise was slow and no one thought that he could win the race, he still kept going and eventually won through his persistence. For anything in life to be achieved, you must decide what it is that you want and then find the path to reach that goal. When I was younger than you, just 14 years old, already I knew I wanted to be a martial artist. Bruce Lee was my hero and I would imitate him and do all kinds of training, like running and press-ups. Eventually, through an accident, I met my uncle who was my first Wing Chun teacher and then after he died some years later, I went on to study with Grandmaster Ip Chun. The Chinese saying that applies to this is, Ride the cow until you find the horse. Sometimes we only think of perfection wanting the best job, the best car or house, but if you cannot get the best, then settle for the second or third step and work on getting to the first. The way is not to get yourself into debt by borrowing lots of money that you cannot pay back to have the best when you cannot afford it.
Ride the cow until you find the horse.

Dear RA, Thank you for your letter. I think many people would like to devote themselves to the martial arts or Qigong but think once a week is not enough and then they end up doing nothing. Chinese people have many stories to tell about situations in life and I think also in the West you have these. One that I remember So because you are still living at home and at school, you can still train once a week and then keep practising everyday what you have learned. This training on your own will help build up your discipline and commitment and loyalty and patience. If this is not the right skill for you, then find what is right and work on this, even if it is once a month or
even once a year. This is how you develop. There are no overnight successes. There is always a lot of hard work leading up to a good position, otherwise it is all dependent on fate and luck and that is something that can end at any time. However, if you work hard and plant the right seeds and take care of things, then even when the weather is bad and hard times come, you still have something left and can carry on. So it is more important to carry on step by step and then the right opportunity will come when the time is right. About healing, Qigong can help many things but sometimes if someone is born with one kidney, it does not mean that the body will grow a new kidney. However, the Qigong will make the one kidney much stronger as well as all the other internal organs. So if you practise Qigong properly, then it can help those areas in the body where there is a problem, but for the body, the most important thing is that the Qi can flow and the channels are open and the internal organs have enough Qi to function properly. Best luck to you in your martial art studies. Michael Tse
It does not mean that the body will grow a new kidney.
Qigong, the more conscious I am of developing my energy and also conserving this to develop my health. A. Many people think that when they do healing that they do not take on any of the other persons energy, but are acting as a channel for the universal energy. Actually, when sharing energy with the young man, you took his energy because he was younger and healthier. He also took on your Qi and I expect afterwards that he may have felt slightly tired rather then experiencing the same exurberance that you yourself felt. When you did healing on the lady who had cancer, you also took on her Qi but because she was ill, you did not feel good because she gave you her ill energy and you gave her your healthy Qi. She felt better afterwards, but you did not. Healing is the same. Some people say that our
bodies can act as a channel for universal Qi and so we are not using the bodys own Qi. However, if you drink a cup of hot chocolate and then pour water in the cup, is the water clear or cloudy? Of course, even if you drink every last drop of hot chocolate, there is still some residue left and this will affect what you put into the cup next. We are transmitting Qi through our bodies and whatever passes through is affected by the vessel that is being
Conserving Energy
Dear Sigong, I have a question about healing that I have wanted to ask for a long time now. Some time ago I shared some healing with a young man at a special gathering in which he was being honoured. I do not usually do this but in these special circumstances, I opened myself to share my energy. Afterwards I felt very good and full of energy. However, at another time when I shared my energy with a friend who had cancer, I felt very tired and cold but she felt better. Why is this? This experience made me think about how healing works and perhaps there is a special way of using healing in the Dayan system. The more I practise the Wild Goose
used to transfer that Qi. In the Kunlun Dayan system, healing is one of the 72 forms and methods developed over 1,800 years ago. However, one of the first rules of the system was that you could not pass on the skill until you reached the age of 70. This allowed a person a sufficient time to build up postnatal Qi in the body and store it. If you start healing when you do not have enough Qi, then you will use your life or prenatal energy and eventually exhaust yourself. However, the more healthy you are, the more Qi you have. The more Qi you have, the more Qi you can store. Eventually, you will have enough Qi to use for healing and then the healing skill be easy to develop because it uses principles of all the Qigong skill you have been practising.
The Right Way?

Dear Sifu Tse, Are there two different versions of Wild Goose taught? I have recently seen three other senior students of Yang Mei Jun, that said they learned under her and all three of the forms have considerable differences in the form like in the first 36 movements of 1st form. Was there a national form version being taught as well as closed door forms? Just curious as I do not want to waste time on the wrong path. Thanks, William Dear William, Your letter is very interesting. There is only one version of the Wild Goose Qigong form, no national version, and there was no such thing as an indoor/outdoor Wild Goose Qigong version taught. However, some students can develop their concentration on the form in a different way to their Sifu, but as long as they understand and have kept the principles, the form is essentially the same. If the person is healthy and they can move without stiffness or illness, then this is good. Sometimes, though, there may have been cases where someone did not learn the movement correctly and because of this, their form has evolved to be something quite different entirely. The other day I went to the park and saw a couple practising together. At first I thought that they were doing Taijiquan but then after a few minutes, I saw them do some movements which looked like Wild Goose Qigong. When they had finished, I respectfully asked them what it was they were practising. He said that he had learned Wild Goose Qigong with a teacher in California and then had created a new form mixed with his Wu Style Taijiquan. I did not say that I practised the Wild Goose form myself as it would have only been embarrassing for them. I believe that this is the way society is going and that in the future there will be less and less traditional skill. This is because traditional skill also means having a traditional relationship with your teacher. In the past, no student would teach until they were told that they were ready by their teacher. A teacher was respected very highly and listened to by their students. In Chinese culture in the martial arts and Qigong and even Daoism and Buddhism, the proper title for teacher is Sifu. Si means teacher and Fu means father, so together this means teaching father. In the past, a relationship with your father was based on love, loyalty and respect. A father would usually be stricter than the mother because he would be responsible for educating his offspring on how to behave and to be a good person in society. For traditional martial arts and Qigong, the Sifu plays this same role and will not just teach you skill. If you know how to behave, then it means you also will respect the skill you are learning and also respect your skill ancestors who created the skill. Keeping a good relationship with our teacher means that we also can keep developing both ourselves and the skill. If they are a good Sifu, they will also be developing themselves and coming to a higher understanding of life and the forms. Sometimes people come for just a few seminars and then will go away and teach without permission and never see the teacher again. If this happens, then the person has very little to teach and develop and eventually they will have to add other things or will create new ideas. If we respect our parents, we always want to do our best to please them, but somehow, I do not think my Sifu, Grandmaster Yang Meijun would be happy for her Qigong skill to be mixed up with Taijiquan. Many years ago, not too long after Yang Sifu opened the Wild Goose Qigong skill, she travelled to many different parts of China to teach Qigong seminars. There were many, many people who came to these seminars and studied, but they did not have a relationship with her outside of a weekend or two of study but went to teach without her permission and they never came back to polish. One of these people after learning the Wild Goose 1 st 64 used the movements to create a form very similar. It was so similar that the movements were just like a shadow. He gave the form a different name but even the name was very similar. Sifu was so upset about this and it caused a big stir and the person lost any chance of learning with her again in the future. Traditionally, just because you study with someone in a seminar, it does not make that teacher your Sifu. If you ask the teacher whether they know such and such and they do not even know that persons name, then how close do you think they are to this teacher? Aside from those people who came and went after a few lessons, I can still remember all my Wing Chun brothers and all the Qigong brothers and sisters who were close to Sifu and still have a relationship with many of these people as well. If you read more about my Sifu and the Wild Goose Qigong history, then I am sure you will choose the right path. Best wishes Michael Tse
News::::: Demos & Seminars News::::: Demos & Seminars

New Zealand
The Maori people of New Zealand have a long tradition as warriors. In their traditional welcoming dance the Hakka they show their power and warrior attitude. On my recent trip to New Zealand, I was invited to a Maori school and they per-formed the dance for me both to wel-come, scare and challenge during the summer when there is 24 hours of sunlight. It did feel a bit strange trying to sleep with the sun shining on my bed. My visit was organised by my student Margit and she did a very good job. I taught Healthy Living Gong Part I. Everyone enjoyed it very much. Some of the students had studied some Taiji or Qigong before, so they found it a little easier than those who had never studied before. One thing I have come to notice was that many people who do Taiji and Qigong do not know that Qigong is for health. Many of them concentrate on the feeling of Qi. So on the course, I clearly explained that Qigong is for good posture will help to stop create blockages. However, once I explained most people under-stood very quickly. There were some questions that were asked at the course. When we practise Qigong we concentrate on health, but what about enlighten-ment? Some people who have good health, also come to understand enlightenment. I believe many people have the wrong concept of enlightenment. Enlightenment is not magic. Once we have become enlightened, it does not mean that we can see energy and peoples auras. It does not mean that we can heal people or feel other peoples energy. This is not enlightenment. A simple explanation of enlightenment is understanding. You can say understanding the meaning of life. Some people might study Buddhism, Daoism or some other philosophy Norway - students had a picnic for lunch to help them see things more clearly, then they health and that will see things without good health, further ahead you have nothing, and so have more even if you can feel wisdom. For Qi. Feeling Qi is not example, somethe most important one might steal thing. some money. Another thing I However they noticed was that many will realise that people do not get their posture right. They eventually people will find them out and do not know that a good posture is the so they will have a big problem. So they structure which allows the Qi to flow will stop. That is wisdom, that is better through the body and a good enlightenment.
Michael Tse with Maori students
me. I was told not to be afraid and of course I would not be afraid of a traditional dance, but some of Neale Svensons students, my grand-students, did feel a bit uncomfortable as some of them, even though they live in New Zealand, had never seen the dance before. The performers, all bare chested, wore traditional clothing even through it was cold and their warrior dance involved a lot of chanting and shouting. I was calm and relaxed and treated everything normally. At the end they laid a small branch as a sign of friendship, which I picked up to show I was not their enemy. It was a great occasion and afterwards we were all very happy. This was all organised for me by my student Neale and his students. Seeing the Maori dance made me think even more that we need to preserve a lot more traditional skills to keep our society balanced and this is good for the next generations. During my time in New Zealand I did a lot of teaching and a gave a demonstration in Wellington. This was all due to the hard work and organisation by Neale Svenson and his students.
We need to preserve a lot more traditional skills.
Everyday we receive many letters from people all over the world, sometimes asking for advice, sometimes just sharing their experience. Unless specifically asked otherwise, we will consider these letters for possible publication in Qi Magazine. In this way, we all come together like a family and share and help each other. That is the reason I began Qi Magazine and particularly the PO Box. - Michael Tse If there is anything you wish to share with others, any news or any announcements you would like to make, send them to us. We also welcome articles (800 - 1000 words in length) on topics appropriate.
Please write to:
UK
Qi Magazine PO Box 59, Altrincham WA15 8FS. UK. email tse@qimagazine.com
USA
Tse Qigong Centre PO Box 15807, Honolulu, HI 96830. USA. email tse@wildgooseqigong.com
Norway
Norway is a very beautiful country. I was lucky enough to visit Tromso, in Norway,
Someone might understand that death is part of life. They accept that everybody will die and so they are not afraid of death, that is enlightenment and wisdom. Someone might feel energy which allows them to predict the future, but this does not mean they have enlightenment, it just means they have some psychic ability. With a good heart you can use these abilities to see energy, predict the future and heal people. But without a good heart you can use these abilities to cheat innocent people. How should we breathe when we practise Qigong movements? When we move we should breathe naturally through the nose and not breathe through the mouth. Only with certain, special Qigong exercises do we breathe through the mouth, but in normal circumstances, we should breathe through the nose. The nose is for breathing and the mouth is for eating and we should not mix things up.
Rome
Rome students with Michael Tse
This summer was very busy with many seminars and I also enjoyed to go to Rome to teach for the first time for my student, Guiseppe Siani. He organised both a Qigong and Chen Taijquan seminar and also a talk on Feng Shui for one of the Italian universities. Italian people are very socialable like to talk a lot and very fast and this brings up their energy. I found everyone very open and welcoming. Some of the people had already studied some Qigong before but it concentrated too much on visualisation. They were very happy to learn some Qigong that used good posture and good attitude to let the Qi develop in a natural way. It was good to introduce more Qigong to the students and see more people enjoy the skill and have benefit. Guiseppe has many good students who are very loyal and eager to learn the traditional Chinese skill.
Then one of the elder ladies who was one of the wise ones said with tears running down her cheeks, If we do not eat this White Elephant, then we will have made his sacrifice mean nothing. He knew that without food we would all die and so he did not want us to harm any of the other animals in his kingdom for our food. He offered himself in their place. With his flesh, we can eat. With his bladder, we can make a container and hold water. This will sustain us until we come to the place he directed us to live. In old Chinese education, we were always taught that the difference between human beings and animals is that humans have the following five elements: compassion, wisdom, courtesy, loyalty and trust. Animals do not know these things (they may have one or two, but not all). Usually they react depending on what they need and this comes from instinct, so they cannot consider things as we can. Of course, the White Elephant had all these five elements because he was not just a simple elephant. According to the story he was the Buddha Shakyamuni before he was reincarnated as a human. You can see that even when he was an elephant, he had all of these elements, so that after he died and was reincarnated, how could he not have a better life? It does not matter whether you believe in reincarnation or not. What is important is that in order to be a good person, you need these five elements. If you look at the elephant, he had compassion for those people. He had wisdom to protect the animals in his kingdom and so he sacrificed his life. When he met the people, he was courteous in his talking with them and he was also loyal to the animals in his kingdom, sacrificing himself so that none of them would be harmed. Whatever he said, he meant. Because he kept his word, he was believed and trusted.
Of course, the White Elephant had all these five elements.

Today we degrade ourselves and can act like animals by doing what we think is good for ourselves, instead of considering others first. Of course, we have freedom to do whatever we want but we must also respect other peoples freedom and not put our freedom before other peoples. This means we should not affect their choices. If we always consider other people, then the world all over would be a better place and we would create heaven. If we do not consider other people then heaven can turn to hell. It all depends on us.
When our hearts are open and our skill level high, the arts we teach almost become secondary to the process of unfolding, self-cultivation, for ourselves and for those we teach.
Accepting the Gift

I had another student, a good teacher in her own right, approach me because she was having a few problems with one of her senior students. Actually there was no real problem of attitude on either side, they were just both very different personality types and perhaps couldnt understand each others needs. I had sympathy for both of them but although it was a good opportunity for both of them to heighten their sensitivity, the onus was more on the student to find out how not to annoy the sifu! Actually, I know a few students of Taijiquan, Qigong, Kung Fu etc, (and quite a few teachers) who have an incredible resistance to actually learning something about themselves as opposed to accumulating new tricks to protect their image of themselves. Some students are
ecently, one of my senior students was gently complaining that she wished she could teach more Qigong. But as shed spent a great part of her life learning, perfecting and teaching yoga, naturally most people know her as a yoga teacher and seek her out for that purpose. But Ive always felt that when you reach a high level of your chosen skill and can help others it doesnt really matter what activity you teach, you can still mentor and be a force for good in peoples lives. If we wish to serve others we have to use the talents we have. Albert Schweitzer said it best To serve the common good is the greatest creed. So I pointed this out to her and urged her to accept and use the gift that her hard work had brought about. As soon as she decided to do this, accept the fact of her talent, and allow her mind to let go of her overview of the situation, it changed and she got the opportunity to teach more Qigong! (And actually shes a good Qigong instructor too).
Sometimes our own vision of the world can blind us.

When our hearts are open and our skill level high, the arts we teach almost become secondary to the process of unfolding, self-cultivation, for ourselves and for those we teach. I say almost because the skill is still important, its the language the teacher and student use to communicate with one another.
ever eager to learn new forms to cover up the fact that theyre lacking a good grounding in the basics. Some exhibit the opposite, they want to stay on the basics a) because it makes them look conscientious or b) because theyre afraid that they ll have trouble learning anything more complicated. I see this in Buddhism as well some practitioners are always busy learning Pali or memorising prayers to keep themselves occupied, to disguise their monkey mind. Others become very stickin-the-mud, unable to imagine or visualise anything that isnt in their (self) authorised prayer book. All these activities and attitudes are simply the self defence mechanism of the ego. We carefully cultivate a self image and hope that we can project it well enough not to be found out, to be found wanting. This, though a natural process, is damaging if we sincerely want to grow. Sometimes our own vision of the world can blind us.
Both of the individuals concerned, the teacher and the student, were in my class that evening so, on the spur of the moment, I decided to assemble everyone in a circle and ask them, What is a sifu? The various answers were very interesting and perhaps revealed quite a lot about
We all get the teacher we deserve at any given moment.

each student. Among the most significant responses were A sifu represents the path were taking. A sifu is head of the immediate (ie - class) family. A sifu is someone who wants the best for you. A sifu is a teacher, both in and out of the classroom. And best of all, for me that evening, Sifus been a better father to me than my own ever was. What I wanted to happen was for each student, especially the ones with the
problem, to realise that being a teacher is a great responsibility. Students place their trust in a mentor and need to feel that theyre listened to. But also, having a teacher is a great gift and should be appreciated. Sometimes we may have a difference of opinion or we may feel were not getting taught as quickly (or as well) as someone else. But actually, we all get the teacher we deserve at any given moment and we should learn to accept the gift of their praise, their suggestions and very, very occasionally their criticism with gratitude and a determination to improve. In our daily lives, sometimes we find ourselves in a situation not to our liking. Instead of running away, avoiding or trying to bully or flannel your way through it, treat it like an unexpected lesson. Look for your own faults first. Its like our teacher trying to tell us something. Accept the gift. Listen to it
by Julian Wilde. jules @qimagaz ine.com
Tse Qigong Centre UK PO Box 59 Altrincham WA15 8FS 0845 838 2285 +44 161 929 4485 tse@qimagazine.com
Wing Chun is only good for short distances. This is something one student said to me recently on a Qigong course. This is totally wrong. Maybe you can say that Wing Chun is very good when there is a short distance between you and your opponent, but it is good at any fighting distance.
hen fighting, there is basically no short distance or long distance. If your opponent can reach you then if you can use your skill to defend yourself then you have a good skill. When you are fighting, if someone gets close to you and you panic and become confused about what to do, then your skill is missing something. Wing Chun is very good at teaching us how to deal with this. Wing Chun covers long and short distances, but Wing Chun teaches us not to waste our energy on things that are not important. When the student said that Wing Chun was not good at long distances I asked him to show me. I stood still and told him to attack me. He started to move towards me and as soon has he reached a position where my leg could reach him, I had already kicked him before he realised he was in danger. I asked him, Is this what you mean about long distance? and he replied that he was not looking for a fight. I told him that Wing Chun does not allow people to get close to you, but once they are close enough to harm us, then we will react, either by kicking or moving forwards. If people think that Wing Chun does not consider long distance, then they have the wrong concept. Any good martial art that has a long history will consider all circumstances and will not favour one skill. Generally, in reality, fighting distances are very short. It is important that you can handle this as you are also in more danger so that you will not get hurt. Any fight that starts at a long distance will quickly close to a short distance, so that one opponent can finish the other. So long distances are normally at the start of a fight. Wing Chun teaches us that once your enemy is close enough to strike then you attack first. Each time you attack, you go for the centre of your opponents body, as this will damage his structure and break his centre of gravity rather than just punching and kicking him. When you break the centre of gravity, the body will be weak, so a high level martial artist will only need to use one or two strikes to defeat their opponent. This is because in reality fights are short and should be finished very quickly. You should not get tangled up with your opponent and see who can stand the more punches and kicks. A good martial artist should be calm, clear, fast and strong when they fight. They should not be emotional and will move without hesitation or doubt when they need to fight. No matter what happens they will deal with it without fear. So a high level martial artist will be calm and show no fear, this is a spiritual level of skill and a simple martial artist might find this hard to understand
by Michael Tse
New Official
Tse Qigong Centre Clothing

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Embroidered with the Chinese characters (Gee Hun Fa Ta) and Tse Qigong Centre, this is a high quality, durable fleece, with full zip and hood. Ideal for leisure wear and training in cooler weather. The material is breathable, light and warm. Colour Red with Yellow Embroidered logo Sizes: S/M/L/XL Cost: UK 29.95 (inc UK p&p )
TSE QIGONG CENTRE CHUN YUEN QUAN T-SHIRT

A heavy weight 100% cotton t-shirt with a full colour design on the back, showing Grandmaster Wu Chun Yuen and Sifu Michael Tse. The front feature the Tse Qigong Centre logo on the left breast. Colour White with full colour logo on back & black Tse Qigong Centre logo on front. Sizes: S/M/L/XL Cost: UK 15.95 (inc UK p&p )
To order contact:
UK/Europe: Tse Qigong Centre PO Box 59, Altrincham, WA15 8FS, UK. Tel:0161 929 4485 Fax: 0161 929 4489 email: tse@qimagazine.com For USA/Canada: Tse Qigong Centre PO Box 15807, Honolulu HI 96830 USA Tel: (808) 528 8501 Fax: (928) 441 6578 email tse@wildgooseqigong.com
Self-massage for Insomnia

a) Excessive mental strain causes loss of both vital energy and blood, insufficiency of the heart and spleen, impaired nourishment of the heart, and wandering of the mind, thus leading to insomnia. b) Deficiency of blood in the heart, failure of the blood to nourish the heart, and uneasiness. Once you feel uneasy, you cannot fall asleep at night. c) Depression, imbalance of liver energy and disturbance of the mind causes irritability and insomnia. Nervousness and fear cause deficency of energy in the gallbladder, and insomnia. d) Improper diet impairs the spleen and bones. Indigestion disturbs sleep. e) Excessive endogenous dampness and retention of phlegm disturb the mind, thus causing insomnia and dreams. In short, excessive tension, execessive use of the brain, physical weakness, improper diet and indigestion all impair vitality. Uneasiness is the key to insomnia. There are many ways of treating insomnia in traditional Chinese medicine. The easiest and simplest of these is self-massage. Following is a description of some self-massage exercises for the treatment of insomnia: i) Massage the head: Warm the hands first by rubbing the palms, then use the palms to rub the face as if washing it. Do this 10-20 times. Use the cushions of the middle fingers of both hands to massage the Yingtang acupoint between the eyebrows from below to above alternately 30 times. Finally, massage the ridge and temples along the eyebrows 30 times each. Massage continues till you feel sore at the acupoints. (Fig.1) ii) Massage the ears: First use the thumbs and index fingers to massage the auricles from above to below 20 times placing the thumb behind the ear and the index finger in front of the ear. Then massage the earlobes in the same way 30 times. Continue to massage until the ears feel warm. iii) Massage the neck: Press and knead the Anmian acupoints at the depressions behind the ears (Fig. 2) with the cushion of the index fingers. Do this 15 times. Then massage the outer side of the sternocleidomastoid muscle with four fingers from above to below 20 times with slight force. Do not massage too quickly and continue massaging until the neck feels pressure. iv) Massage the abdomen: The most appropiate time for this exercise is before sleeping. Lie on the back, rub the hands until warm and use the palms to massage the abdomen clockwise 20 times. Then rub counterclockwise 20 times (use both hands alternately). This not only helps treat insomnia, but also invigorates the stomach and promotes digestion. You might do more exercise more often if you suffer stomach trouble along with the insomnia. v) Massage the feet: Massage the Yongquan acupoints on both soles with the cushions of the thumbs 90 times. This helps regulate the function of the liver, invigorate the spleen, promote sleep and improve physical fitness.
According to traditional Chinese medicine, there are 5 factors which cause insomnia:
Yintang Taiyang
Fig 1
Anmian
Fig 2
Of the five exercises, the first three can be done in the day, and the other two more conveniently before going to bed. When massaging, remember to count the number of times which will help you concentrate your mind. As long as you persist in doing these exercises daily, insomnia will eventually be alleviated. In order to improve the curative effect, you should also pay attention to your mood, diet and living habits. Do not let yourself be overcome by fatigue or heavy burdens or worry about things too much
by Zeng Qingnan & Lin Daoqing
Tse Qigong Centre UK PO Box 59 Altrincham WA15 8FS 0845 838 2285 +44 161 929 4485 tse@qimagazine.com
Healthy Living Gong Part I Wall Chart

Two Colours Large Scale
Includes movements and Acupuncture Meridian charts!
Charts are a great way to be able to learn a form or set of exercises as you do not need to keep referring back to a book each time you change to a new movement. This two sided chart has both movement and descriptions on one side and full set of all the main channels in the body as well as the acupoints used in Part I of Healthy Living Gong. The size of the chart is 841 x 594 mm (just over 33 inches by 23 inches).
UK 15.95 / Europe 17.45 USA $19.95 / Worldwide 18.45
To order contact:
UK/Europe: Tse Qigong Centre PO Box 59, Altrincham, WA15 8FS, UK. Tel:0161 92 9 4485 Fax: 0161 929 4489 email: tse@qimagazine.com For USA/Canada: Tse Qigong Centre PO Box 15807, Honolulu HI 96830 USA Tel: (808) 528 8501 Fax: (928) 441 6578 email tse@wildgooseqigong.com
One of the most profound aspects of Taijiquan is the way that it works as a fully integrated system. There are a few key principles and these are at the heart of every technique.
Paint the Clowns Nose Red
(A speculation on Taijiquans punch)

punching. The simplest of the spirals is the turning of the arm as it is projected. The hand starts palm up by the Dantian and it ends palm down at the point of impact. Thus it spirals out rather like the rifling in the barrel of a gun. The second spiral is a relative one. Although the hand travels a straight line from the body to its target, while it does this the body is rotating around its vertical axis. Thus in philosophy there are a number of aspects to the mind. Ideas start in the xin (heart mind). At this point they are vague and nebulous, often lacking clear definition. For them to manifest they need to transfer to the Yi (the aspect of the mind associated with the spleen and stomach). Thus for Taijiquan all movement is made manifest through the movement of the Dantian.
he movement of the Dantian is also a key principle of Taijiquan. All movements come from the Dantian. Thus you find that there is a settling (or chambering) before the punch. The body sinks slightly as the hands twine inwards. If you are punching with your left hand (as in the nineteen step) you bring your weight into the right leg. As you settle you bring your attention to the Dantian and centre yourself. The energy of the punch should be generated by a rotation of the waist rather than a shift of weight or a rise of the stance. Thus when punching your centre of gravity remains centred as the movements of the arms counterweight each other. It is much better when punching to focus on the yin hand - the hand which is drawn inwards. If the mind follows this hand it will tend to place your centre of gravity at the centre rather than the circumference of the circle. It is also the case that the yin hand is the more damaging to your opponent. If you just punch someone, chances are they will be able to roll with it or parry it. If, quite literally, on the other hand you pull them in as you hit them the force of the punch is doubled, more importantly you also break their centre of gravity - even if you dont hit them. The punch can be used to understand about the relationship between circle, straight line and spiral. In Taiji all movements are said to be circular. Yet clearly a punch needs to be fast. To do this it travels the shortest distance between two points - a straight line. So how can it be both straight and circular? The answer is a spiral. Chen Taijiquan uses spirals in a number of planes, simultaneously, when
It is much better when punching to focus on the yin hand.

relation to the body t h e hand is mov i ng in a spiral from the Again as you get better at Taiji and more aware of the movements you will notice further subtleties about the punch. The movement should travel in a wave from the Dantian to the point of extension. In the new frame this wavelike movement is emphasised more than the old frame. The punch becomes like flicking a towel and the hand like an iron ball at the end of a chain. The emphasis is on the whip rather than the power. This gives an additional flexibility in that with very small nuances the punch can land either as a straight punch or as an uppercut with the back of the fist. Or again, it can unfurl into a finger strike. Until it hits you, you just dont know, and thats as it should be
by Glenn Gossling. glenn@qimagazine.com
inner to the outer circle. It is this spiral that connects the movement of the Dantian to the movement of the fist. In Chinese
Spicy Szechuan Noodles

INGREDIENTS
Serves 4 12 ounces thick noodles 6 ounces cooked chicken, shredded 2 ounces roasted cashews
For the dressing

4 scallions, chopped 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro / coriander 2 garlic cloves, chopped 2 tablespoons smooth peanut butter 2 tablespoons sweet chilli sauce 1 tablespoon soy sauce 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar 1 tablespoon sesame oil 2 tablespoons olive oil 2 tablespoons chicken broth or water 10 toasted Szechuan peppercorns, ground
1: Cook the noodles in a saucepan of boiling water until just tender, following the directions on the package. Drain, rinse under cold running water, and drain well. While the noodles are cooking, combine all the ingredients for the dressing in a larger bowl. Whisk together well. Add the noodles, shredded chicken and cashews to the dressing, toss gently to coat, and adjust the seasoning to taste. Serve at once.
2: 3:
Variation
For a change, you could substitute cooked turkey or pork for the chicken.
Instructor Insight Peter Baird - Kensington London
was drawn to martial arts through an enjoyment of Kung fu movies and the desire to improve my health. After briefly trying a few different styles I chose Wing Chun because I was intrigued by the emphasis placed on developing the skill and the fact that the system does not rely on strength and size to be effective. I then started Qigong in order to recover from a clumsy bicycle accident in which I fractured the Skaphoid bone in my hand. Not satisfied with the doctors recommendation to rest and twiddle my thumb & wrist I decided to learn Qigong to help the whole body and prevent me from cycling in such a stupid manner in the future. My hand is now fine and my cycling is a little improved and I have continued to practice both Qigong and Wing Chun. Regular Qigong practice is more than health it has had a simple and gentle affect on the improvement of the quality and outlook in all aspects my life. I will always be grateful to Sifu for creating the centre so all the treasures may be passed on and kept intact for the future. Now I look back I have been practicing for some time and have the honour of Peter is qualified to teach the Dayan being an instructor of the Tse Qigong Centre and now the enourmous honour of Q igong syllabus and W ing Chun Kung being asked to teach at the High Street Kensington class on Wednesdays. This felt Fu. For information about classes like a daunting task at first but thanks to support from lots of people it has very contact 0161 929 4485 quickly become like daily practice. The friendly support and help given by all senior and junior students is for me the reason the Tse Qigong Centre is so special. There is such a deep level of skill held by so many people who are all willing to help you. I would like to say thank you to everyone and especially thank Chi Man Tang for all his patience and attentiveness. I think the best way to show my appreciation is to continue practicing and to teach other people so more can benefit in the future.
It wasnt far away by Chinese standards but getting to Wudang Shan, one of the legendary birthplaces of Taijiquan, wasnt easy. The only train from Wuhan travelled there slowly and uncomfortably, overnight.
Walking up Wudang Shan

D
eprived of sleep we spent most of the day trekking uphill, returning to the train station at the end of the day for another overnight train ride back to arrive home early the next day only to fall into bed and instant sleep. We awoke many hours later uncertain we hadnt dreamt the whole experience. Certainly it did cross my mind that the transport arrangements had been deliberately organised to lend the whole experience a dream-like quality. If so, this is all about to change. The small down at heel town at the base of Wudang Shan is waking up to the tourist dollar. New pavements, shops and hotels are sprouting everywhere. There is a chunky entrance fee at the foot of the mountain and a charge to enter most of the temples on the way up. Vendors line the pilgrimage route all the way to the top. The old steps up the mountain that have been worn into a smooth u shape by pilgrims past are being replaced by a new
The whole experience had a dream-like quality.

staircase complete with balustrade. You can pay porters to carry you to the top or just take the cable car. Of course we hadnt travelled all the way to China to sit in a cable car so we walked, stopping to visit temples on the way.
Some of the shrines and temples are truly spectacular, clinging impossibly to the side of the mountain for centuries and, perhaps more miraculously, surviving the Cultural Revolution mostly intact. Wudang Shan is famous for its sword play and in one of the main temples we stopped to watch students preparing to do a demonstration for the National TV network. The hours went by and the mist rolled in, closely followed by light rain, and still the top of the mountain did not materialise. I dont know if it was the lack of sleep, the physical exertion or the sudden quiet as pilgrims and tourists tried to conserve what was left of their energy, but as we finally rounded a corner and saw the red-walled temple in the distance, perched at the top of the mountain, I had a strange light feeling. Relief at seeing an end to the trek, perhaps. The last third of the journey to the top was lined with beggars. Whether this was supposed to be symbolic or not, I dont know, but by the time I reached the top I was clean out of change. Apart from this the end of our ascent had been almost solitary, so when we arrived at the top it was a surprise to see it teeming with people. I couldnt but help feel purer of soul than such cable car users. Suddenly the heavens opened. The rain was so heavy we could only see a few yards; in seconds we were drenched to the bone and freezing cold. We stared at each other
Wudang Shan is famous for its sword play and we stopped to watch.
miserably, looked at the now glacial stone staircase down and were unified by one thought. We decided to be total hypocrites and take the cable car down. Big mistake. Half way down the deluge turned into an electric storm, the cable car jolted to a stop and we were left swaying helplessly 100ft above the laughing, craggy jaws of Wudang Shan with only the sound of creaking metal and chattering teeth to comfort us. We agreed it was a sign. The gods were angry. We should have walked. For a ten minute eternity we mumbled prayers of deep apology and shame for being such easily defeated, spineless, less-than-human beings. The cable car
lurched forward ten feet and stopped dead. I dont remember the moment too clearly but I think I probably screamed. Five hour/minutes later, shivering and soaked and thoroughly traumatised, we finally arrived at the foot of the mountain and scurried off towards the train station. It was several hours before the train was due so we rented a room in the seediest hotel in the universe and tried to catch up on some sleep, which we failed to do, despite several bottles of yao jiu (medicine wine) a local shop keeper had guaranteed would do the job while preventing us from catching cold. It did help us to forget about the dampness of our clothes... In my experience Chinese trains are generally on time (being British I notice these things) and thankfully those from Wudang Shan were no exception. In eight hours we were back in Wuhan and shortly after that we were dry again and fast asleep back in our flat.
When I woke up I was amazed to discover that I hadnt caught some sort of a cold and I did wonder if I hadnt dreamt it all. If so, it is a dream I shall never forget!
by Peter Anderssen. petera@qimagazine.com
Park Bok Nam

Earlier this year Sifu Park Bok Nam visited the UK to give seminars on Ba Gua Zhang (Eight Diagram Palm). Sifu Park Baguazhang (Eight Diagram Palm). Sifuis a Park is a famouswho established his famous teacher, teacher, who established reputation in in 1980s because of of his reputationthe the 1980s becausethe the regular success of his teams at full contact competitions in Hong Kong and Taiwan. In 1987 Sifu Park moved to the United States and opened a school in Richmond. He also teaches around the world, visiting Britain each May and November.
Bagauzhang of
ifu Park is the senior lineage disciple of Lu Shui-Tian, with whom he studied for seventeen years. Lu Shui Tian (1894 - 1978) was born in the Chinese Town of Ching Tao in Shantung Province and originally studied what he called the farmer style of martial arts. The farmer style was made up of a combination of local family styles and various bits of knowledge gleaned from travelling martial artists who were occasionally paid to teach. The farmer style emphasised practical fighting because there was no police and villagers had to look after themselves. After a number of years of studying farmer style Lu decided that he wanted to study Bagua, so he began to travel. He found his first and most important teacher Li Qing-Wu in a town about
two days horse ride to the North of Ching Tao. Lu frequently made the journey to study, sometimes staying months and even years at a time as Ba Gua became the focus of his life. Li Qing-Wu was extremely selective about who he taught. Traditional skills are not for everyone. Throughout his life he only had ten students, whom he taught individually. He taught each student aspects of the art that suited their body type and aptitude and then sent them away to practice for a year. When they came back they would immediately be tested, told what they needed to work on and shown new skills. Lu Shui-Tian had other Ba Gua teachers during his life, including lineage inheritors, but it is Li Qing-Wu who
he credited with having the most complete and comprehensive method, because it incorporated both straight line and directional footwork with the circle walking forms. As well as studying with high level teachers Lu ShuiTian built his own reputation as a fighter during the SinoJapanese war. Lu was a member of a group of guerrilla fighters who would hide in the mountains during the day and infiltrate Japanese camps during the night. They only used bare hand techniques and traditional weapons so that they could carry out their operations in silence. Lu became so well known for his skills that the Japanese put a price on his head. As a result he moved his family to Inchon in Korea to keep them safe. Lu and his wife regularly went back to carry on the fight but on one such mission she was killed. After this Lu remained in Korea in the Chinese community where he began teaching Baguazhang. With such a teacher it is no surprise that Sifu Park has a no nonsense approach and little time for what he calls bullshit. His emphasis is very much on the practical and on what works. At this years seminar he taught the Ba Gua staff, but began with a talk on energy and principle. For Sifu Park the principles for using weapons are no different to those of the empty hand, just an extension of principles in the same way that the weapons are an extension of the arm. Almost all styles of martial art teach the staff. All martial arts are based on attack and defence. The difference lies in how principles are used and in Ba Gua the principles are
He goes on to explain that Ba Gua training is not just about fighting.
drawn from nature. Human beings live in nature, we complete nature. Nobody is teaching detail, says Sifu Park. His point is that we need to understand the point of what we are doing to get the maximum benefit. There are, he says, two energy systems that control life - one that is physical and the other that is internal. We need both but the question is - which is more important? The detail of this question is which kind of energy is expended in modern life. If you work in construction then chances are you will use more physical energy. Physical energy is a food/blood energy. You burn it up and replace it by eating. Two hundred years ago most people worked on the land so physical energy was most important. Nowadays most people work with their brains, using computers. The muscles never work but at the end of the day you still end up exhausted. This is because the brain expends internal Qi. Therefore nowadays knowing how to replenish internal energy is most important. This is why it is important to understand the detail. Shops can sell all the food in the world but if you dont know how to cook youve got a problem. In self-defence you have two arms
and two legs. These are your weapons, says Sifu Park. Some people never train the martial arts but still fight well. Martial arts training just makes people more organised in how they fight. He goes on to explain that Ba Gua training is not just about fighting, because if you dont want a short life, if you dont want to be sick you must practise. You can get food delivered take-away pizza right to your front door, but internal energy you cannot get delivered. So the question is how do we build up more internal Qi? Physical energy comes from food. If we use too much physical energy we can replace it by eating more and resting more but where do we get internal energy? Internal qi comes from breathing. All energy comes from outside the body all the holes of the body (pores, nose and so on) are used to absorb new energy and expel old energy. Each day we breathe and get 100% of our qi. If we only use 80% there is no problem, but if we get stress - girlfriend, wife, job maybe we use120% so where do we get the other 20%? Chinese people have 60 different kinds of breathing. You need to know which kind you need. That is why you need to know the detail. Sifu Park then explains, Cleansing breathing is especially important in the morning. Even if you wake up with a beautiful woman in your bed, in the morning her mouth smells bad. When we are asleep
our tongues dont move enough so bacteria grow. This is why we should clean our teeth and mouths as soon as we get up. The same is true of the rest of the body and that is why cleansing breathing is especially important. Breathing makes energy. Movement does not make energy. You need to think a little deeper, says Sifu Park. Movement helps to circulate energy, but which kind of movement is best? There are, he explains, two ways of moving - yin and yang - slow and fast. Slow movements are a little heavy while fast movements are lighter. Yin movements are internal and slow while yang movements use more external energy. Both kinds of movement use the same muscles and the same joints but have different effects. Thus the same exercise can be done in two ways. You need to understand the reason why you are doing what you are doing to get the right benefit. Fast is for physical energy while slow lets the Qi go very deep. Inside the body is very complex. The channels have branches, from big branch to smaller branch, to smaller to very small. Fast movements only use the main channels and so are quite superficial. Slow movements use the finer channels and send the Qi deeper. By sending Qi deeper qigong makes the body healthier. Breathing and movement need concentration to make the energy go deep. If we never walk backwards and then do it, it is uncomfortable - no co-ordination - the same is true with weapons. There are 360 joints in the body and 650 muscles. If you exercise the muscles, you just exercise the muscles, but if you exercise the joints you automatically exercise the muscles. This is principle. When exercising the joints we need to focus on the ligaments. Joints connect to the ligaments just like muscles are connected to the tendons. When we work the ligament we automatically work the tendon. The two kinds of qi: nei qi and wei qi (internal qi and external qi) must work together as one, just as ligament and tendon work together. If you dont use part of your body, the brain forgets about it and it gets weak. The detail is very important. You must consider what kind of breathing, what kind of movement and what kind of concentration are needed to make your exercise good. Without principle - no benefit. Even simple exercises for warming up - if you do them slowly with concentration, you will find them very different. We can do
the same exercises two ways for two results - two different tastes. Just as you need to know the detail for health so you also need to know the detail for martial arts. In the forms some movements are good for health and conditioning and others are good for fighting. Spinning the staff is good for strengthening the wrists but not for fighting. You have to know what you need because in a real fight you have just one chance. You cannot always use techniques that are nice. For Sifu Park the question is about which attack does the most damage. If you are going to kill someone you stop them breathing, but in modern society this is not a good idea. The best target for attack is the legs so they cannot move. For self-defence you stop them using their weapons (their legs and arms), therefore you attack the joints. If you are using your hands you attack joints with the fist - the palm is for softer parts. The other essential element of any attack is Sifu Parks trinity of speed + power + root. With the staff you use soft power - all the movements are soft. The hand controls the staff but the power comes from the body. Everything must be relaxed so that you can transmit fajing to the end of the staff. The tip and first foot of the staff are used for attack. The middle of the staff is for attack and defence, while the bottom is also for attack. All attacks are delivered along the eight directions to three areas of the body: low - knees, middle - waist and elbows, upper - shoulder and head. Speed comes from the shortest distance and the shortest angle of degree. Big movements might look good on film but it is not good for fighting. Having elaborated such clear principles it is not surprising that Sifu Parks training method follows these same principles to make everything clear. Thus the staff training begins with basic exercises to train the techniques of defence. Only once these are understood and performed to a good standard are they put together in a form. Thus the meaning of the form is clear whether it is used for fighting or health. During the training Sifu Park related one final story about his teacher. When he was learning the staff Lu Shui Tian told him to train his aim by thrusting at leaves on a bush. Sifu Park went out to do this, but it was very difficult because it was a windy day, when he told Lu Shui Tian about his difficulty he was simply asked, Do you expect your enemy to stand still for you?
Inter vie w by Gle nn Gos sling
Healthy Living Gong Part I, II, and III. on DVD
ilmed in the awesome bontanical gardens of Hawaii, Michael Tse teaches Healthy Living Gong, a family of exercises that he created in 1996 based upon his many years of Qigong and martial arts training and Qigong healing skill. He created the Healthy Living Gong to help prepare beginning students to learn the
more advanced forms of Qigong, like Wild Goose. Healthy Living Gong covers movements from the more simple and gentle to the more Yang. Each dvd has an introduction to each movement and a chapter for doing the movement continuously without stopping, useful for following once you have learned the exercises. They
conclude with a chapter on meditation, each dvd covering a different style of Qigong meditation. Good for beginners and experienced practitioners alike. Contains clear explanations of each movement and step by step instructions on how to learn from basic to more advanced.
Part I Healthy Living Gong
Part II Healthy Living Gong
Part III Healthy Living Gong
This set of movements is for balancing and relaxing the body, working on such problems as insomnia, digestion, asthma, urinary tract problems, blood pressure, arthritis, dizziness, poor memory and too much worry, weak kidneys and stiff joints. Making a useful accompaniment, is Michael Tses new book, Qigong for Healing and Relaxation, which talks in detail about the history of the Healthy Living Gong Part I and how it was developed. The book also offers a great deal of information about Qigong history, philosophy and breathing and meditation which supplements the dvd nicely.
Price incl p&p 27 UK / 29 E urope $ 30 USA /30 Worldwide
This second set of exercises develops overall fitness and coordination through such movements as Wuji Creates Taiji, Pointing to the Middle of China and Pulling Sprouts from the Field. This set of movements help to make the body more flexible and will improve posture and make the legs and spine stronger. They can improve circulation, make the waist more flexible and hips stronger, develop stamina and help with weight loss.
This third set of exercises is very interesting and will develop strength and power. Although these are Qigong movements, many of them are based upon the principles of the martial arts of Wing Chun, Chen Taijiquan, Chun Yuen Quan and Hard Qigong. Once you have learned the movements and practise them altogether without stopping, you will feel very warm and even sweating. This is the Yang side of Qigong movements whereas the movements in the first set are more gentle and Yin.
To Grandmaster Ip Chun
Happy 80 Birthday!
th
Wishing you Good Health & Long Life!
Thank you for sharing your skill, knowledge and wisdom with us!
From Michael Tse and all the students at the Michael Tse Wing Chun Kuen Association and the Tse Qigong Centre
Michael Tse Wing Chun Assoc. UK: PO Box 59. Altrincham WA15 8FS. UK. Tel +44 161 929 4485. USA: PO Box 15807. Honolulu HI 96830. USA. Tel +1 808 528 8501.
tse@qimagazine.com www.qimagazine.com
Learning to Chi Sau successfully follows a process that is not too different from learning other martial skills. First you have to master basic techniques and then progress to gain greater skill employing principles that lead to improvement in accuracy, control, speed, power, positional awareness, footwork and timing.
s time progresses you develop more awareness confidence clarity of intent and a more innate decisiveness in application. This last point is very important as everything can be learned and understood in isolation with no pressure and a compliant partner but to apply what you know on the move and in an instant takes many hours and years of practice. If you use your training time with your classmates wisely there are ways in which you can improve once you know the basics. To achieve a good level of skill you have to learn to make the best use of your abilities and bring them together when needed. You have to pick an approach that suits you personally and physically and then you have to learn to deal with opponents of all shapes and sizes. Chi Sau practice challenges your skill, wit, determination and cunning often becoming like a game of physical chess that can become very absorbing. Sticking to basic principles the objective is to take advantage of any weakness seen or sensed in your opponents defense and if none is apparent then disguise your intent to draw them into a situation so your attack can have maximum effect. The ideal is to be able to anticipate and counter your opponents challenge mid-flow which often yields better results than simple direct attacks. Which is why sometimes it becomes a game of watching and waiting. To discover your strengths and weaknesses you have to try different things. The more things you try and the more people you try them with, then the quicker your progress will be in the long term. To develop your defensive abilities
Chi Sau Games

stay connected to your training partner but use your footwork instead of retaliating to the attack with your hands, try changing direction moving sideways, backwards, forwards even, whilst staying connected and working alternatively with the right hand, left hand and then both hands. Working this way in Chi Sau improves your footwork faster than any solo practice especially if your partner realises you are not retaliating then the
at the door with this one as you will get tagged a lot at first but it pays dividends in the long run. Once you have done this try a more advanced game, which involves not moving from the spot and dealing with your partners attacks, this will improve you ability to turn and will further develop your footwork and teach you to deal with pressure. This is the same as the game we play by practicing on a table.
Training this way will help you to judge distance and increase positional awareness
There is an old expression the essence of which is keep your friends close but your enemies closer that lends itself well as a principle in Chi Sau practice. By staying close and sticking you can neutralize your opponent by sensing his intentions. Try the game where you stick to his arms regardless of what happens dont let him pull away under any circumstances. Youll learn a lot about energy and going with the flow and quite a lot about your opponents level of skill with this activity. Be careful with this one because if you try to use too much strength you become an easy target. It is probably worth remembering another expression, which
attacks will become more insistent. Training this way will help you to judge distance and increase positional awareness and further develop your ability to move from one situation to another without compromising your position. It is important to leave your ego
is he who rides the tiger can never dismount! Knowing when to strike effectively without compromising yourself takes a lot of practice, trial and error and when your opponent is good, a lot of patience. The safest way is to start by putting your hand out each time you feel no pressure on your arm aiming at the centre of your opponents chest. Start this slowly because moving too fast when you are unsure can cause your opponent to overreact. You can build your skill and confidence from this point and if you adhere to the principle of aiming at the centre line you will develop good timing, which is at the heart of good striking ability. This will get you into situations where you have to try different things, which will improve your versatility and your ability to flow from one situation to the next and test your skill under pressure. The things I am suggesting relate to the principles of good Wing Chun practice and working them into your training will help your progress,
so keep revisiting them especially at times when you feel you are getting nowhere. Your solo forms practice is important for training your technique and practicing stillness with the first form (Siu Lim Tao), will help you to develop stability which will improve your physical performance and more importantly you will learn to relax as you cannot become perfectly still if you are tense. When you find yourself becoming good at one aspect concentrate on other areas and do not always rely on your strongest techniques, in fact try not use them for whole sessions as this will help you to build on your weaknesses. Improving your skill comes from developing as wide a range of technique and blending them together so that your movement becomes natural, smooth and efficient. After a time you will build a natural response to each situation, which is what makes Chi Sau such an effective training method. Two pieces of advice. The first is, never be afraid to try something when training with your classmates, and the second, practice makes perfect. Always take the chance to Chi Sau
by John Hayes. john@qimagaz ine.com
YOUR CHINESE HOROSCOPE

FOR HEALTH & LIFE
Your Chinese horoscope can help you learn more about your family, children, your personality and your health. It can tell you which career or studies which would suit you most, even the numbers, directions and colours which are favourable or not. Most people have similar things they want to know from their horoscope, so Michael Tse is offering an opportunity to ask five specific questions about your horoscope, for instance, when you will get married, how many children you should have. The fee for this would be 50 (GB pounds) and $75 (US dollars) and can be sent to the appropriate Tse Qigong Centre office.
To Place Your Horoscope Order :- 1.
Enclose address or email where your answers are to be sent. If it is a gift for someone, please provide their name & address clearly. List the five questions. Try to be clear and concise in your questions. Include Birth Details. Please spell month, do not use numeric. Order should be: Year, Month, Day, and if possible, the time of your birth and also the country in which you were born. Forward payment by either cheque or credit card to appropriate Tse Qigong Centre office. 50/$75 USA
For UK/Europe Tse Qigong Centre PO Box 59 Altrincham WA15 8FS UK Tel:0161 929 4485 Fax: 0161 929 4489 email: tse@qimagazine.com
2. 3. 4.
For USA/Canada:
Tse Qigong Centre PO Box 15807, Honolulu HI 96830 USA Tel: (808) 528 8501 Fax:(928) 441 6578 email tse@wildgooseqigong.com
& Qigong
Longevityit is one of the main tenets of Daoism and has resulted in the creation of many self-cultivation exercises that later evolved into Qigong. Today, longevity is on the rise but not necessarily in the way envisioned by Daoists.
aoist longevity meant keeping the body in harmony with nature and preserving and also increasing the body s vital energy to prolong life. Through movement, meditation, moral cultivation and diet then one could retain the complexion of youth, being able to move without pain and hindrance, able to eat sparingly but without worry and to live fully, not growing old and more ill. Daoists of high cultivation could even pass on when they found they had completed their journey, choosing the time of their demise. How different it is today. In the West, people are living longer but not necessarily healthier and there are more chronic
diseases in America than anywhere else in the world. In my own family, longevity seems to run well for the ladies. My maternal grandmother lived to nearly 90 years and was still walking to her part time job in the bank at the age of 70. My paternal grandmother is still going at 83 and her sister, my great-aunt Delia, is 95 now. They are quite strong considering and able to get around on their own and think clearly. All of their lives they have been very active and spent a lot of time outdoors doing gardening or other work. They still find themselves useful in their families. However, generally, elderly people in the West do not have good mobility or balance, moving about much less than
The park in the morning
Turning th e playground into an outdoor gym
One man badminton
their counterparts in China. In China, movement like Qigong or Taijiquan is still recognised by much of the older population as the foundation for a healthy body and mind. Despite often very poor living conditions and air quality of even worse proportions, multitudes of young, middle and elderly aged people get up at dawn to do movement to rid the body of the stale hei or Qi in the body. Parks are a virtual playground of activities and nearly every square foot is utilised. What you take to be childrens play equipment is actually used by adults for stretching, exercising joints or massaging the body. When I was in Southern China, I enjoyed visiting the parks every morning. My favourite was a park that was built over the top of a small mountain. It was very large for a city park, covered many acres, and it still had a lot of forest in parts. Slender footpaths are worn into the undergrowth between trees as people secret themselves behind trees to do simple Qigong movements or meditation. I always tried to get to the park quite early because it was a world unto its own at that time of the morning. Because it was much cooler at this time and the air fresher, there were also more people about. There was nearly every activity you could think of although badminton seemed to be very popular with people playing even two handed which was amazing.
Stretching in the playground
Go ahead and take my picture and make me famous to all your Western friends!
One elderly man made it like a dance, twirling up and down and even backwards to hit the shuttle back to his partner and yet he was over 70 years old. When I walked up to the top of the mountain, I would be passed by people walking backwards or swinging their arms while chatting away to friends. Walking backwards is a very good way to train the brain by making the body work in ways it does not normally do. For instance, if you are right handed, we all know how hard it is to try and write something with the left hand, but if you want to train your brain more, then try and write with both hands. Swinging the arms helps to rid the body of negative energy. There was one man who would walk through the park collecting rubbish that others had carelessly thrown down. All the while he would be shouting, Keui, hai keui! (You! Its you!) Although it was nonsense talk, in the Cantonese dialect, the sound must come from the Dantian and can only be pronounced correctly when the Chong Channel is clear. Shouting this helped him exercise his lungs and make them stronger, using the same principle healing sounds as Qigong. One lady said to me as we both passed him, He used to be very fat but he is always walking around the mountain now and he is thin now. I liked seeing him and could always hear his voice in my head when I went back home. One day when I saw him I asked if I could take his picture and he said to me with a laugh, Go ahead and take my picture and make me famous to all your Western friends! This was getting old in a good way and not an image we often have in the West when thinking of elderly people.
Its him! By the lake in the morning
Everything has more than one use
It was while walking through the woods on one of these mornings that I came across Mr. Ho Gwan Luen practising Qigong. I sat down to watch him and enjoyed his concentration as he practised. It made me feel very relaxed and peaceful. When he moved, his body was very supple and loose. His skin looked like butter, very soft and smooth. His balance was very good as he stood on one leg to do kicks or stretching and it was obvious he did not have any problems with a stiff back or joints. Later, when I spoke with him, I knew that he was a very happy and cheerful person. He said that he started studying Yang Taijiquan when he was in his twenties, but he had to stop because he became very busy with his work. It was only when he retired that he found his teacher and began to study his Taijiquan again. He also learned some simple Qigong (Taiji Qigong) from his Sifu which he now uses as a warm up to keep his joints flexible and open the channels and then he will practise his Taijiquan. His routine is to go to the park for his practise every morning, and then after his practise he goes to have Yam Cha (breakfast Dim Sum) at one of the local restaurants. Now that he is retired, he really enjoys his life and even his daughter sees a difference in him. She said that he now looks and acts much younger than he did even ten years ago because he does not worry about anything. She said, My father is always laughing and joking. Mr Ho said, I do not go to the doctor for anything, except maybe once a year for a check-up. I prefer to use Chinese medicine if I have a problem. I eat anything. A person should not just eat one or two things because if you ever have a problem with them, you will have a lot of trouble. My wife loves the Lau Lien (Durian fruit) but when it came into season one year, she ate too much of it and her body could not digest it. Afterwards she developed diabetes. But if you balance your eating, and are not too strict for things, then this is much better for the body. It can handle everything then. I noticed that he did not have on any glasses and asked if he wore any. He said, I do not have any eye problems anymore. as he does eye exercises everyday, moving the eyes up, down and sideways. This is very good for strengthening the eye muscles that get lazy as we get older. As we parted, he invited me to have Yam Cha with him when I came back to China and he set off at a brisk walk, sure footed and full of energy. This is the ideal of the Daoist longevity, living longer with good health and a happy and contented heart
by Jessica Blackwell
No stiffness at a ripe old age.
A high forehead is the sign of an immortal!
This summer I was indeed blessed and able to spend exactly 15 days on all of the three residential courses offered by the Tse Qigong Centre, starting with the Wild Goose Qigong Instructor Course.
Residential Courses
he Instructor Course is always enjoyable and always varied, with no one except Tse Sifu knowing the schedule for that year but despite this, it seems the Qi seems to flow more smoothly each year. This year there were several new invitees as well as many familiar faces and as everyone polished and tested, many new friendships were formed. Marie Ball said it very well when she said, To return to the course it was, as usual, a great learning experience for me. It is very stimulating and also humbling to be surrounded by people who have achieved such a high level. It inspires me, motivates me. I continue to feel that the more I commit myself to Qigong, the more I enjoy it and the more I receive from it. For everything I am immensely grateful. It is a wonderful experience to be where there has been such a gathering of like minded hearts and spirit of helping each other. It was the same spirit that prevailed in the Green Dragon Sword course. This is the first Chun Yuen form ever offered as a residential course and so it was an experiment of sorts, but one that proved all the elements were in harmony. Personally, I consider myself quite fit and was surprised at how much energy it took to wield both sword and the special long tassel that characterises this special form. However, by the end of the second day, I was astounded how extraordinarily well everyone was doing, particularly those who had never handled any weapons or even learned any Chun Yuen forms at all. Learning to swing the long tassel, which is quite heavy in comparison to other sword tassels, was challenging, especially as you had to learn the moves of the form at the same time. The long tassel is not just decoration, it also can be used as a weapon, which you realise after a few times of whacking yourself across the face by accident! Tse Sifu, noting throughout the course how everyone had the experience of having their tassels tangled around heads and torsos and bodies, left us with words of wisdom on our last day. He said that the tassel is Yin like a lady and so you have to know how to handle her. If you try to use too much energy, she will just slap you and tangle you up. She is like a decoration on the sword and looks good on you. The sword is Yang like a man. If you do not handle well, it will make you tired and can even mark and cut you, but if you handle well, it can do so many things. For those of you who missed out, there may be another opportunity to learn begin this form in 2006 at another residential while the rest of get the opportunity to carry on to learn more of this utterly addicting sword form. As Sifu said, Once you play with a sword and long tassel and then go to a form that has no tassel, you feel like something is missing.
Wild Goose Instructors Course

Listening intently Auctioning Tse Sifus Calligraphy for the scholarship fund
Sifu demonstrating Rotating the Qi Ball
Polishing movements together A gentle stretch
Talking over tea
Seeing more detail
Craig Wallace goes through Dragon Tunnelling Under the Sea

Green Dragon Sword

Sifu puts a group through its paces Rick Charles untangling his tassel What comes next?
Earl Gotshalk & Glenn Gossling
The Green Dragon Sword group and the Wild Goose Qigong Group aka very happy people
Jeremy Dallow gets his head adjusted
Wild Goose Qigong

Following Sifu on the 2nd 64
Laura Tam Grasps Qi
Following Sifu on the 1st 64
Jon Leland from Seattle and Yvonne Dixon
The Wild Goose Residential 1 st & 2nd 64 course was like revisiting an old friend for me but this time I was being asked to help with the cooking and dishes as family rather than sitting on the side and being served as a guest. Instead of being a participant, I was a helper and so was able to see how well everyone progressed throughout the course. It was the first time we had ever offered the courses simultaneously and it was interesting to see how the form can evolve with mistakes over long time practise without polishing. Those learning the 1st 64 for the first time were often more accurate in their movements than those who had already learned as they were like a blank page in which no bad habits had crept in. For the 2nd 64, it was easy to see how they are sister forms but also how much more subtle the energy flows through
the second form. There are many more details to assimilate in the 2nd 64 than in the 1st 64, where the movements are larger and less complicated. By the time the courses were finished, I had so much stored energy from being outside for several hours a day practising Qigong or Chun Yuen Quan. I could see the difference in the way I moved and slept and ate. My eyes were so bright and my skin felt soft and full of oil. But I think the most noticable was my mind. It felt so clear with nothing to think for the most part but physical movement. It was even more noticable how little we move each day after I got back to the office and sat down at my desk for the first weeks work. My eyes could feel the strain of the computer and I felt heavy when I moved
by Jessica Blackwell
Escaping a Tight Spot

Two ways to escape when you are pinned against a fence or a wall.
The Yin Way
When you need to defend youself, your aim should be to just get enough time to be able to make your escape. If possible you should make sure that you can get away cleanly, but you should never try to stand your ground and fight it out. i. A is standing minding her own business when B approaches. Fig 1 ii. B suddenly lunges forwards and pins A against the fence and threathens her. Fig 2 iii. It is important not to try and fight against Bs strength. Instead A attacks Bs chin pushing his head back and up using the fence as support. Fig 3 iv. B is pushed back and this allows A to find her feet and follow through with a knee strike. Having broken his grip and delayed him, she then makes her escape. Fig 4
Wing Chun Self Defence
Fig 2
Fig 1 Fig 3 Fig 4
Fig 5
Fig 6
Fig 7
Fig 8a
Fig 8b
Fig 8c
The Yang Way

In this scenario A is strong enough to subdue the attacker completely before getting away. You should work to your own strengths, put remember never to pit your strength against your attackers. i. A is waiting to meet someone, when B spots a possible chance and plans to strike. Fig 5 ii. B pins A to the fence. A acts passively and allows B to lean right into him. Fig 6 iii. A strikes Bs chin , Fig 7, and then quickly slaps (Pak Sau) Bs elbow. The combination of the strike to the chin and the Pak Sau, causes B to spin and loose his balance. Fig 8 iv. A follows this movement, turning B and throwing him into the fence. Fig 9 v. He then knocks him to the ground by kicking Bs leg. Fig 10
Fig 9
Fig 10
It is the law of nature that our lives will change with the passage of time. Nothing stays the same forever, although often we expect it to
Letting Go of the Past

S
ometimes when things are particularly good we try to hang on to them even though their time has passed. We make repeated efforts to recapture something that has gone, and stress ourselves out in the process. We think we have failed because we cannot regain what we once had, but there comes a point when we have to accept that we must leave the past behind us. It is a mistake to try to go backwards in life. At the very least no experience will be the same second time around, because the circumstances will have changed. We must look for the good in the present, rather than compare what we have now with what we once had. Lets face it, if things lasted for ever, we would eventually get bored with them. It is the transient nature of life that makes it so interesting. I remember as a young adult, trying to recapture the magic of Christmas, and being very disappointed when I failed. But even if you maintain the same traditions each year, you will never relive the innocence and awe that is an integral part of childhood. Often our first experience of something is the best, not because the event itself is better, but because we are seeing it with new and inexperienced eyes. The first never done it before. That does not mean we were not going to enjoy subsequent walks, as long as we did not expect them to be the same as the first. Sometimes we are forced to let go sooner than we would like when, for example, a friend or family member moves away, gets sick or even dies. No matter how much we wish things
Our first experience of something is the best, not because the event itself is better.
were the way they were, we cannot move on in life until we have let go of what has been before. There will be new experiences to love if we allow ourselves to. If we move forward with life we will grow, however hanging on to a past that is no longer there will only cause us to stagnate. As it says on a fridge magnet I once had, If you cannot be a good example, youll have to be a terrible warning
by Kate B ritton. kate @qimagaz ine.com
time I went to a large garden show I was blown away by the spectacle of so many unusual plants, and the beautifully designed show gardens. The first long distance footpath I walked with friends was the most magical, because we had
Continuing her jouney in China, the mode of transport changes to the bus. But will our travel-weary adventurer reach her destination intact? In a last ditch effort she is forced to reach for a secret Chinese remedy!
Onwards and Upwards?

provide a change of air and so I mimed for my seatmate to rub it on his temples and under his nose. He smiled a weak smile of thanks and then lay back and went to sleep. I tried to do the same, counting backwards in my head, wondering sickly what would happen if a person were to have a desperate need of a non-existent toilet. Would it mean a roadside port of call? I imagined a bus load of Chinese men, noses pressed to the bus windows watching the foreigner crouched in a scrub of sad looking Chinese bushes, trying to maintain some decency as they pointed and laughed. I decided then and there that no matter what I could hold on. In fact, it was only a half an hour journey, not an hour. Even then I was unsure we had arrived until all the passengers started to disembark at what looked to be a dusty and abandoned petrol station. I shrugged into my rucksack and grabbed my other small bag and step-lunged my way off the bus. I had the business card of my hotel gripped in my teeth so that I could have it ready to present to a taxi, but before I had even managed to step off the bus, a taxi tout had grabbed it from my mouth and tried for my bags and myself next, being highly proactive in trying to get my business for his taxi. I shifted my bags and promptly grabbed back my card and made a bee line for the one person I had earlier spoken a bit of simple Cantonese with and asked him for help with a taxi. He looked at the touts and asked how much for the journey (two of them were now jostling me for business) and told
aving found the train was a non-starter, I was grateful to be standing in line for my bus, but I was feeling decidedly poorly by this time. As I waited (this time at the head of the queue), I was imagining myself reclining in the relative comfort of an air-conditioned coach with spacious seats, curled up to sleep. Therefore, imagine my surprise when I found myself walking down the stairs to join one of the ill-fated minibuses. It was battered, dusty and tiny, holding less than 16 passengers and the aisle way was so narrow that I had to squeeze sideways with my small backpack banging against each seat at each step. Having got in, I wondered if I was going to be able to squish myself out again. Still, I was gratefulI had a seatI could try to sleep. Then a young Chinese boy sat down beside me and all around us the bus was getting fuller and fuller. The doors banged closed and the engine revved and it swung full out into the city traffic in a spurt of dust, bumping and rollicking us all up, down, left and right. My tummy was now in full rebellion and considering the green face and head-down posture of my fellow seatmate, he did not look as if he felt so good himself. Thinking fast, like a passenger in a sinking plane, I dry swallowed two vials of Chinese tummy rescue pills and then set out to offer comfort to the boy beside me. I knew that if he lost his dinner, it would all be downhill from there. I quickly rummaged around in my rucksack and pulled out one of the three treasures that all Chinese women are rumoured to carry in their bags. It is called Baak (White) Fa (Flower) Yau (Oil) and is medicated oil good for motion sickness, headache, insect bites, upset tummy, etc. Whether it helped any or all of these things did not really matter. I figured that the menthol smell alone would help cover the aroma of unwashed bodies and
me Hou gwaai ah! (too expensive). So my saviour and I walked towards the road but literally saw no taxis in either direction (quite amazing for China). In fact there was little in the area at all except the highway in front of us. Then, looking over his shoulder, he motioned for me to follow him. When I looked around, all I saw was a motorcyclist pulling a battered rickshaw on wheels. It had a sort of army green canvas canopy stretched over a bamboo frame which was settled over a two seater buggy of sorts. The paint had seen better days as had the faded and torn vinyl seat. My saviour walked over to ask the cyclist how much to take me to my hotel and he seemed to think the price was okay (equivalent to 1) and motioned for me to get in. WHAT! I thought to myself! I had no idea where I was or how far it was to my hotel and I was supposed to trust my limited Chinese vocab to riding in this tiny, little contraption? Then I saw the two taxi touts walking down the hill towards us and decided to take my chances and squeezed myself and my bags inside and away we went. It was not tall enough for me to sit up straight, catering for a smaller stature clientele and there was nowhere to put my bags except inside with me. Therefore, I had to clutch my rucksack backwards onto my chest, and wedge my little carry-bag on the seat beside me with its handle wrapped around my thigh. Hands, knees
and feet were busy bracing myself into the buggy as it was a fairly major highway we puttered onto and the whole carriage shook with the passing of each bus, lorry and car whizzing by at very close range. I had just decided to try and relax when it started to rain. I tried to squeeze myself further into my little nest and hope that it did not let loose like it had a few days before in Guangzhou where I experienced the heaviest downpour I had ever seen. My trouser legs were already getting doused from the runoff, so I leaned over precariously to roll up trouser legs and felt smugly Chinese as I sacrificed fashion over convenience. We turned off onto a shopping avenue of shops displaying dismantled motors, oil covered engine parts and other car oddments and were jostling through puddles big and small when all of a sudden my driver stopped alongside the road. I still did not know where we were in the city and was a trifle worried. That worry grew when without a word, he dismounted and walked back to me and motioned for me to move, brushing
I knew that if he lost his dinner, it would all be downhill from there.
me towards the opposite side of the seat. I thought, My goodness! He means to put me out! I froze with the idea of being dumped and then immediately started considering all my option. Then I realised that the driver just wanted me to move over so he could get out his rain poncho from behind my seat. Whew- sign of relief. Once he had donned his purple cape, off we set again and I briefly wondered what my mother would think if she could see me in my most unusual transport. Now that she is reading this, I think I know what she would have thought. If I were still ten years old, she would have said, Youre grounded from China! but then mothers always worry. I have found in my life that my good intuition has saved me more than once from sticky circumstances. Growing up in the countryside made me more aware of things in nature and changes in atmosphere and environment. In the past, a farmers livelihood depended on how he predicted the oncoming spring and future weather. On a lesser scale, I also learned to use this fine-tuning system for many situations. When walking through the woods, I learned to be sensitive to where I stepped, watching for snakes or unsafe terrain. I also had to observe the trees, the way the light fell through them in order to know our direction and to be able to find our way back out. Being quite shy, I probably learned to observe more than most and it is this sensing of people that has helped me many times. In China, I would check my inner radar before heading down alleyways and side street markets. If a beggar asked me for money, I tried to decide in my heart whether they were sincerely poor or just part of a beggar gang drumming up funds.
to be continued...by Sihn Kei. s i hn ke i@ qi ma ga z i ne .c om
At the moment it is supposedly summer and all the children are on holiday, for about six weeks. I remember at the beginning there was always loads to do. But as the days rolled by I started to get bored.
Filling Time
good and well, until you meet someone with more strength than you. So why not try being softer. Also if you find yourself stepping back all the time, why not try to see how much your Gong Lik has developed. Gong Lik is the strength you have developed through persistent training and dedication to your skill, but dont get carried away, as theres always someone out there with more than you, as I mentioned earlier. Sometimes when practising Chi Sau, we keep our partner too far away, probably because we are nervous or dont want to get hit. So bring them closer to you, and as long as you keep your elbow space, there is no need to be nervous; its just a case of practice and getting familiar with something new. Vice versa, if you want to get closer to your opponent you can almost try the same procedure. Again maintain your elbow distance, (one fist distance from the body). Then move towards your partner. But with little steps and smaller waist movements so as not to force them backwards, defeating the
not only had to find something to do to amuse myself, but also an activity to keep my three younger brothers from going up the wall. Generally, although the plan was to head for the park, often we didnt actually get there, the reason being there was a variety of distractions along the way. First you had to go past the shops, and then through onto the harbour where you could find yourself watching the boats coming and going, or bumping into friends fishing on the swing bridge, with the crabs that they had fished up from the muddy waters. Once you got across the bridge, there was the slipway to skim stones off or hit bobbing tin cans in the estuary. If we did ever manage to hit the playground, then there was something to suit everyone. My youngest brother would like the baby swings, my next brother preferred the slide, and my other brother, well he was a mystery: I think he used to slide into a parallel universe, because his stories never tally with mine. And me, well I liked to climb up the steep sandy bank up through the trees and come skidding down on my haunches. When we are trying to achieve something or get somewhere it can be quite easy to get stuck or distracted along the way. You seem to have tried everything and now youre a bit lost. This can be the same in your Wing Chun practice. You seem to have tried everything, its not working, and now youre out of ideas. It might not be the fact that youve tried everything; but youre just doing the same things over and over again, and forgetting what you have learnt along the way, and have lost sight of the ball park. So what you need is a trip to the playground, that is Wing Chun, and see what it might have to suit you. For instance, maybe you like to use your strength to push forwards and squeeze your partners space. This is all
you up in knots? Something else you can try. When you Chi Sau just defend, dont think about attacking; you can try this idea in several different ways: one way is to try defending without moving your legs, just like if you were training on the table, and you cant step backwards because you are already on the edge. Training like this means, you will really have to think about how much you turn your waist and how much you change your hands, to defend the centre line. This idea can help you to develop your rooting and how to minimalise your movement. If you practice your Chi Sau, in many different ways, rather than sticking to the same old
It can be quite easy to get stuck or distracted along the way.

object. Again alter your forearm angles in conjunction with smaller steps and waist movements to enable you to absorb any forward pressure caused either by you or by them. Bringing your opponent closer to you, or you getting closer to them is not only something to try, it may be a necessity. For instance, if some one has got long arms, how do you get closer into them, or if you have long arms, how does the person with shorter arms always manage to tangle thing, then this will give you the ability to change and adapt your skill. So when you Chi Sau with a wide number of people, with a variety of Chi Sau styles due to different strengths such as longer arms or greater weight, or things that you might consider a disadvantage to yourself or an advantage to them, then you will be able to assimilate, and find something to suit you
by Martin Gale. martin@qimagazine.com
Healthy Living Gong Part III

Angry Man Kicks the Door
Fig 1
Fig 2
Fig 3
i.
Stand still with you legs together and your hands at your sides. ii. Step forwards with the right foot and bring it across in front of the left foot. Meanwhile cross the arms with the left over the right. Fig 1. iii. Open the arms bringing the right hand forwards and the left hand backwards. The right hand should be palm open, with the fingers up and the thumb closed and the left hand's fingers should touch together to form a hook. As you open the arms, lift up your left leg and kick to the left side. Fig 2-3. iv. Let the left foot come down in front and across the right leg and cross the arms with the right arm over the left arm. Thus your position is opposite to part ii. Fig 4. v. Repeat the kicking and opening for the right side. Fig 5-6. vi. Repeat the entire movement three times.
Fig 4
Fig 5
Fast Version
The movements are the same as before, only this time kick and open quickly and as you kick shout Ha making sure that the sound comes from the Dantian and not the lungs.
When we do this exercise quickly, we should make sure the sound comes from the Dantian. You do not need to kick high. It is important to get the movement correct and be able to balance. Of course, as you get better you can kick higher.
Benefit
Tiger Pushes the Mountain lets us develop the strength of the arms. Angry Man Kicks the Door is the way we develop the strength of the legs. Our legs are bigger than the arms and, of course, they will be more powerful than the arms. So, if we need to use more strength, the legs can be very useful. However, if we do not know how to use the strength properly, as I said before, we can easily injure ourselves. If you want to kick something, you must first learn how to balance on one leg. Standing on one leg and balancing the whole body is a very healthy way of training. It is not just good for the legs it is good for the brain and the coordination as well. By doing this we also understand the body and the limbs and how they relate together with each movement. We must understand how to move them together with the body in a balanced way. Both arms open, one forwards and one backwards and this is to balance the kick. The body should be as straight as possible. When the body is straight, it will be able to support the strength when we use the kick. It will also mean that we will not damage the back or the knees. With the hands, one is an open palm and the other is a hooks so one is open and one is closed therefore one is yang and the other is yin.
Fig 6
Breathing
When you cross the arms and leg, breathe in. When you open the arms and kick, breathe out.
Concentration
When we kick we must look in the direction of where we are kicking. When we kick, both arms should open to balance the kick. When you cross the arms, make sure that when you are kicking with the left leg, the left arm is over the right and when you kick to the right, the right is over the left.
Bagua Step
i.
Stand still with your feet shoulder width apart and your hands by your sides. ii. Step forwards with your left foot and begin to rotate a Qi ball in your hands, away from you, as we did in the exercise Rotating the Qi Ball. Continue rotating the ball and step forwards with the right leg. Fig 7-8. iii. Walk in an anticlockwise circle taking eight steps to complete the circle and the eighth step bringing you back to the original starting point. Fig 9. iv. On reaching the original starting point, walk in a clockwise circle again taking eight steps to complete the circle and bringing you back to the original starting point. Thus you have walked a figure 8. Fig 10. v. Start a second figure 8, but this time change the rotation of the Qi ball to roll towards you. vi. When you have completed the second figure 8, stand with your feet shoulder width apart again, and bring your palms in to your Dantian to collect the Qi.
Fig 7
Fig 8
Fig 9
Fig 10
Breathing
Breathe naturally all the time.
Concentration
As you walk, you should keep the toes down as much as you can, then you can keep the sole of the foot on the ground and so the foot slides over the ground and this is not the normal way of stepping. At the same time as stepping we must rotate the Qi ball releasing negative Qi in the first figure 8 and gathering fresh Qi in the second figure 8. The stepping and rolling of the hands do not need to be in time with each other, i.e. when the left foot is forward the left hand does not need to be forwards or when the right foot is forwards the right hand is forwards. The hands and feet move independently and so the hands rotating the Qi ball do not stop and the stepping is also continuous. You walk and carry the Qi ball and at the end, you bring the hands back to the Dantian so the Qi is collected and is not wasted.
internal energy and balances the body. No matter what problems we have we get the solution from the external environment. I remember once when I had the flu I just did the Bagua Step and walked the figure 8 and my strength began to build up. It was quite amazing and made me realise why in the Dayan System we walk so many circles using the Bagua Step, front, back, left and right, clockwise and anticlockwise. All can help balance and heal the problems we have and develop good Qi. So if we have a weak body, feel dizzy and have other problems we cannot put a finger on, just keep walking in a figure 8 and it will slowly help the body. Holding the Qi Ball and rotating it is good for opening the internal organs so that we can clear up the blockages and balance the energy in the organs, then they will not be too hot or too cold. At the end we bring the Qi back to the Dantian after we have finished walking so we do not waste any Qi.
Benefit
Bagua Step has tremendous benefits for your health, it is also easy to do so everyone can do it without any excuses. If I feel weak, I like to do Bagua Step. The secret of the exercise is the figure 8. Many people do not understand why 8 is so important. As a human being, wherever we stand, we are always affected by the four directions, East, West, South and North, whether you are standing in your home or sitting in your couch, at your desk in the office at work, or even waiting for a bus. Each direction actually gives you different energy to balance your body, health and even your future. Chinese philosophy tells us that one divides into two, two divides into four and four divides into eight. Eight means eight direction or Bagua (Ba means eight and Gua means situations). The eight directions cover everything and so if we can balance everything around us we will be happy and healthy. Walking in a circle is a way to balance these eight directions and eight energies. The outside energy is connected with our
Background
Bagua Step is based on the forms Twining Hands Bagua and Nine Qi Balls Walking which are advanced exercises in the Dayan Qigong system. Ba means eight and Gua means situation. The Bagua originally came from the Yijing (Book of Changes). Every Chinese skill is based on the principles of the Yijing. Chinese philosophy says that everything is a cycle, which we go around again and again, like day and night, Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter, every year you see them come. It is the same with our own lives, good and bad, bad and good, birth and death etc. The Bagua tells us there are eight situations in our lives and our health. To totally understand the meaning of life you have to understand why things happen, because everything happens for a reason. Things happen as something causes them to happen, nothing in the universe can avoid this. Bagua Step is one of the Bagua walking skills and is just the beginning of these skills as there are so many of them in the Dayan Qigong system.
to be continued... by Michael Tse
As Qigong becomes more well known you would naturally assume that the level of understanding would also increase. However, there are still too many misconceptions among the general public regarding Qigong.
Qigong Confusion
Q
igong is not a martial art. Traditionally it was linked with Chinese martial arts because it enhances physical performance and mental focus, and heals the body, but it isa health exercise. Qi relates to energy and gong means work. Qigong is not Taijiquan. With the Pinyin romanisation of Chinese you have Qi, Qigong, and Taijiquan; and with Wade Gilles you have Chi, Chi Kung and Tai Chi Chuan. The word Chi ( Ji, meaning limited or ending) in Tai Chi Chuan is written the same as Chi (Qi, meaning energy) in Chi Kung, and therein lies the confusion. The soft watered-down Taijiquan for health promoted today has, in essence, become similar to Qigong, but not quite in the same league for health. Qigong is not a warmup exercise. Many Taijiquan teachers include basic Qigong as a warm-up to their practise but it is no substitute for deep stretching. Qigong is not a quick-fix. I once overheard two ladies discussing classes they had taken and one said to the other, I did Qigong last Monday and it set me up for the entire week. The effect may be immediate but it does not last indefinitely; good results only come from cumulative efforts. A Grandmaster in New York guarantees that results can be achieved from mere minutes of practising his Qigong every day, and brandishes scores of written student testimonials as proof. But, it is really simple common sense - the more you put in the more you get out!
Quality Qigong is never tedious. Generic Qigong taught today tends to be of the static variety and overly simplistic, for relaxation only, which is why its considered monotonous . (To be honest, I would probably not practice it myself either!) With limited movement
etc. to release negative Qi, as well as balance and co-ordination exercises for the brain. Qigong is a Chinese skill. This may sound painfully obvious but people are currently creating (trademarking) and promoting their own Western versions.
Traditional Qigong was designed as a total balanced system of training the body and mind.
Syner Chi Sculpt (a combination of Qigong, Yoga, and weightlifting) and Aqua Chi Kung (performed in chlorinated indoor swimming pools), among others, are continually emerging. Traditional Qigong was designed as a total balanced system of training the body and mind. When teachers must combine their Qigong with other exercise either their own studies are incomplete or else their Qigong is deficient. Mixing up disciplines without internal knowledge and experience can be hazardous to health. Qigong is not a religion. It is based on the principles of Daoism (following nature) and Buddhism (enlightenment); the philosophy is an education in morality and does not cause conflict with any religious faith.
the body becomes yin and stiff, Qi becomes blocked, joints become weak and muscles atrophy. Traditional Qigong includes dynamic movement for development of fitness and strength, jumping to make the body light, shaking
Qigong is not a political movement. When Qigong is combined with activism here is a dichotomy as the student cannot relax, let go, and forget when so passionately involved in a cause. Qigong is not a selfempowerment/goal-achievement method. It was created for health, vitality, and longevity by Daoists and Buddhists, and not by 21st Century selfhelp gurus. Certain people are actually marketing Qigong as the means to cultivate financial success, land a dream job, or find ones soul-mate. Qigong is not a substitute for psychotherapy. As a mind-body exercise practice balances emotions, far better than merely talking endlessly about oneself and being medicated, but certain masters promise a lifetime
of anger or depression can be eliminated in one or two treatments. A doctorate in Traditional Chinese Medicine is not indicative of Qigong skill. Knowledge of herbs and acupuncture does not replace experience with internal training, i.e. Chinese movement and deep meditation. Surprisingly, most Western TCM doctors today do not actually practice Qigong (despite having learned elementary skill as a course requirement), or have any active interest whatsoever. Qigong has nothing to do with feeling Qi. This is no more indicative of good health than not feeling Qi being indicative of illness. Certain teachers so impress the need to feel the energy that students either begin to imagine this or else are left feeling inferior to those who can (or claim to) feel Qi sensations.
What accounts for all this confusion? Unqualified low-level teachers not fully comprehending Qigongs capabilities who remain confused themselves, and authors writing on the subject in complete ignorance with zero experience. For example, New Yorks Time Out magazine featured an article on Qigong in July 2004. The author recommended a yoga-qigong hybrid class (that she had attended) as an easier entry point over Qigong in its purest form (as in Wallaces Dayan class) where postures are often excruciatingly slow and it can be a challenge to stay focused. Dayan Qigong is nothing like this! Mistaken perception or deliberate deception? The author wrote these comments without even visiting the class!
by Adam Wallace . adam@qimagazine.com
To be able to judge clearly you have to be able to see clearly. This is were the problem lies.
Quality of Presence
Sparkling Wine or Bitter Medicine?
ecently, whilst meditating after Qigong practice, I realised the truth that my mind was preoccupied with thoughts of the past. Hence projecting that into thoughts of the future wishful thinking! It meant that I was not actually taking in anything from the present or in fact bringing myself totally into the present. When we are busy thinking about things, we actually bring past associations and feelings into the picture. We do not see things clearly as they are . . . unless we start paying attention. Giving full attention to the present includes the extraneous thoughts as they pass through the mind. Often, when I practise Qigong, I notice that I am having conversations with myself. Remembering things that were said, perhaps about the form or else in relation to recent events. The face of a friend may come to mind, with the thought of needing to phone him. Yet gently I remind myself that I am here to practise the form and release the thought.
Initially, I saw the form simply as a way to health to make me feel better, with a sense of inner peace, harmony and appreciation of my situation. I wanted to get something from the practice. Now, I can see that the practice is what I make it. What is important is what I bring to the form. It is like a receptacle for my being and energy. As I observe what is happening, I can sense my quality of being. Sometimes, it is bubbly like sparkling wine at other times it is more like a bitter tea. When I feel resistance to the practice or carry some resentment, I taste the bitter brew. It could be that I have allowed myself to forget that I have the choice to practise and to decide to let go. Regardless of the nature of my
thoughts and the quality of my energy, there is always that extra dimension, which embraces all of this; nonjudgmental, loving awareness, which simply accepts and allows it all to be. Healing comes when I allow myself to be touched by this and the past ceases to exist.
I remind myself that I am here to practise the form.

Applying these insights to daily life, means bringing full attention to everything not just the practice time. It is like being witness to your life and yet paradoxically forgetting who is witnessing just being. I imagine that is what is meant by being yourself
by Helen Mas sy. he le nm@qimagaz ine.com
By their nature, hard lessons are not easy to take. A lot of the time we make them harder by getting in the way of ourselves.
Hard Lessons
Chan nodded, Yes, he said, and the point was not about your losing money, but organising things better. Have you ever lost your purse? Ma shook his head. And have you lost any more money? again Ma shook his head. So you have learnt the lesson, said Chan. So what is the lesson here? asked Ma. I think you make too many Ma nodded, Then what should I do? he asked. Chan patted him on the shoulder and said, You should accept what is going on. The fact is Wan makes you struggle and you make him struggle. Accept that this will be the case when you practise and then you will find the way to deal with it. Remember it takes two people to use strength. If you push my hand, I will only feel it if I push back. If I dont resist I will not face your strength, and will find the way to avoid it. But if I push back and we both resist each other, who is using strength? When you practise with people more junior everything is clear, because you can see what is really happening, because they do not make you struggle. When you practise with more senior people, you accept they will control you, so again you do not struggle. When you struggle, it means you are not in control of yourself. If you are not in control of yourself, how can you control your opponent? So you should not think about what you will do to your opponent, solve what your opponent is really throwing at you, not what you think he is throwing at you. With that Chan stood up and said, Dont worry Little Brother, youll work it out, and began to stroll off. Ma knew he was right. Do things keep coming back to teach you? he called after Chan. Chan looked back, All the time! he said with a grin
by Dar r yl Moy. dar r yl@qimagaz ine.com
You are fighting your assumptions not your opponent.

He told me to get a purse and put my money into it and remember where I put it, but I was afraid that I would lose the purse and all my money.
han was walking around the courtyard when he came across Ma, who was sitting looking at the ground, deep in thought. Whats the matter? he asked. Ma was reluctant to say, but Chan kept asking. In the end he relented, Well, I dont like to say, but I was just practising with Wan and it felt like he was really trying to hit me. Chan nodded, So what did you do? he asked. I just tried to get out of the way and show him that I could get through to him as well. Chan sat down. Do you know something, he said, I just saw Wan and he said the same thing. He felt like you were trying to beat him and that he was trying to get out of the way, but any time there was an opening he said he tried to show you he could strike. Ma looked up and said, Its like that all the time. Chan smiled, Yes, he said that as well. Now dont get upset. There is obviously a lesson here for all of us to learn. The question is, do you know what it is? If the same thing keeps happening, then you have not learnt the lesson and it will keep coming back until you have. Once you have learnt the lesson, it will automatically go away. Remember when you kept losing your money? What did Sifu tell you to do? asked Chan.
assumptions when you practise with Wan. Chan replied, First you assume he is really trying to hit you. Then you assume he is wrong and also that you can show him he is wrong. This means you are fighting your assumptions not your opponent, and he is doing exactly the same thing. You are both dealing with what you think is happening and not with what is really happening.
All parents want their children to be healthy and have a good future. In particular they want them to do well at school and with their studies. Here are some Feng Shui suggestions to help you as a parent.
Feng Shui of the Childrens Room

1. 2. 3. The childs room should be next to the parents. Then the relationship between them will be good. If the childrens room is a long way from the parents then their relationship will be distant. If the childrens room is close to the main entrance, then they will leave home often or leave their parents very early. If the childrens room is at the back of the house, then they will like to stay at home. If the childrens room is next to the kitchen, the children will get fat very easily. If the childrens room is next to the TV room the children will not be good at studying and they will not be able to concentrate. If the childrens room is next to the bathroom they will like to look good, be fashionable and very selfconcerned. If the childrens room is next to the library, then they will be very good at school and at their studies and education. If the children and parents sleep in the same room, then their relationship will be very close, even when the children are grown up. If the children do not stay in the same house as the parents, then their relationship in the future will easily have a big problem. If their room is next to the garden and they can go out into it easily, then they will be healthy and be good at sports. If the children live in a big house, then they will have lots of dreams and think too much. If the children live in a small house, they will be good at communicating with other people.
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14. If the children live in the basement, they can easily become depressed. 15. If the children live on the top floor, they will like to be successful people. 16. If it is quiet outside the childrens room, they will be smart and clever. 17. If it is noisy outside their room, they will have difficulties with their studies and be naughty. 18. If the childrens room is next to the sea, they will be very active and when they grow up they will travel a lot. 19. If the childrens room is next to a mountain, they will be very special and powerful in the future. 20. If the childrens room is next to a church, they will be very spiritual and like religious study in the future.
by Michael Tse
Liao Fans Four Lessons:
The Second Lesson -
Ways to Reform D
uring the Spring-Autumn Period, China was divided into several small nations. Many prestigious advisers of these nations were able to accurately predict whether a persons future would be fortunate or unfortunate based on their observation of that persons speech and behaviour. Many of these are recorded in Spring and Autumn Annals. As a rule, there are signs that signal impending danger or the coming of good fortune. These signs rising from within are due to ones thoughts and feelings being revealed in his or her behaviour. Usually a person is more fortunate when tending toward kindness but invites trouble when tending toward cruelty. Ordinary people often do not know what is really happening. It is as if their vision were blurred. Since they cannot see the truth, they claim that good fortune and misfortune are unpredictable. When we are sincere and honest, our hearts will accord with the will of Heaven. By observing our goodness, others will be able to foresee the coming of good fortune; and by observing our immorality they will foresee approaching misfortune. If we wish to gain good fortune and avoid misfortunes, we first need to reform before we even talk about doing good deeds. There are three ways to reform our faults. First, we must be able to feel ashamed. Think of all of the ancient sages and virtuous people whose names and teachings have lasted for hundreds of generations. They were people just like us, but why is my name worthless like a broken roof-tile? We are clinging to worldly desires. Secretly, we do many improper things while thinking others will not know about
them and then are shamelessly proud of ourselves! One day, we will be born as an animal without realizing it. There is nothing else in the world that calls for more shame and remorse than behaviour such as this. Mencius once said, Shame is the most important word in a persons life. Why? Because one who knows shame will put forth his or her best efforts into correcting faults and will eventually attain sage hood or become a virtuous person. One who does know shame will be just like an animal: unrestrained and immoral. This is the key to correcting our faults.
By observing our goodness, others will foresee the coming of good fortune.
The second way to reform is to know fear. Celestial beings and earthly spirits hover over our heads in observation. There is no way for us to deceive them. Even when my wrongdoings are done in a concealed place, the beings and spirits of Heaven and Earth are present and see all my faults. If my bad deeds are serious, then all kinds of adversities will befall me. If my fault is minor, it will still reduce my current good fortune. How can I not feel fear? Even when we are alone in our room, the beings and spirits watch us very carefully and record everything. Even if we try to conceal our improper acts with clever speech, the spirits and celestial beings can see into our hearts as clearly as seeing into our lungs or liver. Ultimately, we cannot deceive ourselves. If others were to see our behaviour, we would find ourselves ashamed? So, how can we not be constantly cautious of our every action and not be fearful of the consequences they might evoke?
However, as long as we still have one breath left, we have the chance to regret even the worst deeds. There are cases in history where people who had committed numerous bad deeds but who later deeply regretted them during their dying moments were able to pass away peacefully. If a person can have a determined and courageous kind thought at the most important moment, it can cleanse away hundreds of years of accumulated offenses. This is like only needing one lamp to bring light into a valley that has been dark for a thousand years. It does not matter how long one has been committing misdeeds.
to be continued... The above is a selection from Liao Fans Book of Four Lessons, written in the Ming Dynasty for his son on how to become a better person and change his destiny for the better. This book is available free through the Centre by request. Please write or call for your copy, however, please note: There may be a delay in sending as supplies come from abroad and is dependent upon available stock.

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