Prince...

LOL not quite the way it went down. I just challenged MP & co. to back up their claims of super-powered martial arts ability (aka light or no-touch fajin) by showing clips of them doing it in either full contact fighting or in a fully controlled scientific environment.

 

Needless to say they cried foul and dumped their typically responses at me.

A serious question that should be raised: If they were able to support their claims, would you still accept it as being valid or would you be the one crying foul?

In the last month I have had everything I basically understood about Taiji and all this "energy cultivation stuff" turned upside down by 2 of my new teachers. Ironically one of them is a former student of Mr. Michael Phillips.

I am going to say this as it was said to me-- Michael can fight. All the 18 pages of posts saying he would probably get his teeth knocked out? Unless you have a higher level of skill than he has, I suggest not sharing your opinion with him. I interact with Michael Phillips, Adam Mizner, and a number of other people considered to be "high level instructors" all of the time on Facebook, and I've seen Michael get really nasty with people even for an old man with some injuries.

Is what he's doing real? He pushes people, they jump back...sure. How is he generating the power to do so? That is above my paygrade right now. Will it work on everyone? Not if you're above his paygrade or at least know how to neutralize what he's doing to issue his force.

I'll submit a video of me "trying" to push with one of the best people I've ever met. Physically I'm much stronger and faster than this person, but there was nothing I could do to him. His words were,"I'm only going to play at your level and not use any energy at all."

So this is just something for those people searching for answers concerning whether or not all of this "Taiji stuff" is real or not.

Had to laugh at this. This is absolutely hilarious. This is none other than Peter Yeung who hails from Newcastle in England. He is a FAKE. He is a master of having his photograph taken with respected martial artists and spiritual leaders and then making up titles for himself. He also used to beat up his students in his Wing Chun class. A bully,liar and a cheat. Stay well clear!! :lol:

 

Peace

http://www.thetaobums.com/index.php?/topic/4088-lama-dorje-number-two/

Meh, kinda of weak and designed for the mass market.

Sums up basically every Dr. Oz episode. My best friend graduates from med school in 2 weeks and begins residency. She gets her laughs listening to me talk about what was on Dr. Oz every day. I love that he tries to make people aware of alternative healthcare, but he goes too far to the point that sometimes I wish he would really just stop.

Thank you, chi2012. Hmm, I can't find much on Bapak Muhammad.

"Bapak Muhammad" is like saying Sigung Jeff-- it's just a title, not his actual name. You're probably not going to find anything about him on the net which is why I said to contact Santiago if you are interested in traditional Sufi healing/energy work.

So just a short anecdote-- a middle-aged Chinese guy comes to my Taiji class on push hands day to play with the club. He easily tosses my teacher around who easily tosses us around. No one can touch this guy, but he barely touches everyone and sends them flying. He says,"I'm just a student with very little skill compared to my teacher." Someone asks who his teacher is-- he says no one that anyone has ever heard of.

That's just something to think about whenever these posts come up about who is the best to train with/study under-- the best is probably someone not teaching big seminar/retreats in Hawaii and creating fancy websites to talk about what they have to teach.

If I had the money, I would check out some of the seminars held at Esalen in Big Bear, CA.

Or I would contact Santiago about going over to the UK to study with his Sufi/Silat teacher. One of Bapak Muhammad's students in the UK described him as,"Bapak has BIG energy...BIG!"

Wow, so you mean there are 3 books? I knew the ending was a bit abrupt. I read it on deployment when I was in the Navy. Wished I could help you because I want to read the other 2 books this summer, too!

There's really no need to go out looking for "original Gnostic" teachings or groups. Think about what Gnosticism actually is-- inner knowing/knowledge. Why do you need to be taught anything? Why does there need to be groups practicing? You can be in "The Church" and be a practicing Gnostic. Don't think it's possible?

When I was a 3.5 student at Seminary, I was studying Taiji from a Yang Family disciple, Yiquan, and taking KAP with Tao and Santiago.

I never exeperienced persecution-- it was more just bad experiences with some of my classmates. After awhile you get tired of being the "weird guy." Do you want to go to chapel and get hit with kriyas that last for hours? Try explaining to your classmates why your body is shaking uncontrollably.

Anyway, my original point-- when you notice trends that exist in all the contemplative traditions, you will realize that it's possible to do all this stuff within a Christian context. What is the difference between a Catholic praying the rosary beads, an Orthodox saying the Jesus prayer with their prayer knots, and a Buddhist meditating with their beads? There really is not a whole lot of difference.

Anyway, there are Gnostic groups out there, and there are Christian groups for opening up kundalini. I was contacted by a group in Cyprus which practices an early Byzantine form of Christianity. A lot of their practices are similar to things taught in KAP, but much more detailed. They even get into how to bilocate, healing the sick, and travelling to other dimensions (plane of emotions, spirit plane, etc.)

There is also Phillip St. Romain who has a book called "Kundalini for Christians" where he talks about his Kundalini Awakening that took place in the 80s following a Catholic Pentecostal Revival.

 

Also..does anyone know what type of breathing techniques were used in Liping's Dragon's Gate training?

 

It depends on what exercise you're doing. I tell everyone considering studying Master Wang's material to learn to sit and breathe naturally. If you can't do that, you really won't get much out of the other stuff. That bears repeating numerous times on this board for just about every practice worth doing.

I assume that you study Southern Preying Mantis? I did Jook Lum for a little while-- there is a lot of reverse breathing for power generation in this style. All the "suck & spit" stuff, developing the mantis body requires reverse breathing. It would make sense to me to practice this every chance I got... when I was doing Southern Mantis, my Qigong, my sitting practice, my standing practice--everything was done using reverse breathing.

If you just picked the name for no other reason, then my bad.

Rock on, man. My teacher said that standing is like writing a book. If you miss a day at the beginning, it's like starting over. It may be imperceptible at first, but pretty soon, as the daily practice adds up, bit by bit, day by day, the pages become thick and the practice takes on a strength and energy of its own. Every little bit adds up...

 

By the way, I saw that you have kettlebells down as an interested. I just started taking a class every Tuesday about a month and a half ago and I'm pretty blown away. I just purchased my first one. Do you work out with them often? How have you enjoyed them?

 

ben

It's been just over a year before I remembered to get back to your question, hope you're still around! I'm curious about what style of kettlebell lifting are you doing? I learned Hardstyle from a Master RKC in my city 4 years ago. I'm a certified Hardstyle Kettlebell instructor. I've spoken with a few martial artist who loved doing hardstyle, but it made things difficult when it came to practicing their art.

As it pertains specifically to Zhan Zhuang, it has been more difficult for me to not carry tension in my joints after really intense kettlebell workouts. I am recently experimenting with soft style and competition style lifting. The soft style swing isn't as explosive as the hardstyle swing where the hips and knees lockout at the top of the swing. I'm hoping to attend a seminar on softstyle and competition kettlebell lifting to get my mechanics down, but I will most likely focus more on softstyle lifts--although hardstyle has it's uses too as far as burning up calories fast and really elevating the heart rate.

Having said all that, I guess it's apparent that I enjoy training with kettlebells. I'm an NSCA certified personal trainer, and I hope to eventually train all my clients using only calisthenics and kettlebells-- unless I'm working with athletes, then I might require a few additional pieces of equipment.

Just my impression of Kostas from his writings: I don't think he gives a shit one way or the other what people on the net say about him or his writing. Isn't this the same guy who basically pissed off ninja fanboys and girls all over the world? Greece is in enough shit as it is already with the economic problems. Good on you for sticking up for your friend, though.

Thank you for announcing this. Me and most Master Wang students were still planning to be available to study with Master Wang in the US this December, so you are indeed correct to make this public. Thank you kindly for continuing to support Master Wang accurately. It is not fair to us students that Kathy has chosen not to announce this information. Why is she keeping this important information from us? We had expected her representation to be accurate and up to date.

 

Kathy, so really, when were you planning to tell us that Master is not coming?

 

This is a very simple announcement to let everyone know that the US intensive is not happening this year. So, prince, don't stray off on a tangent. You make it sound as if Kathy was going to teach all the students herself that were to show up for Master Wang's December Intensive. If that was the plan, I assure you it wouldn't fly. I for one would be deeply insulted and feel betrayed. I would demand a refund.

At no point have I ever made it sound as if Kathy was going to teach anything. The only thing I ever said was that it was announced that Master Wang might have a seminar in the US. There are a large number of things that may or may not happen. What HAS happened is an apparent misunderstanding by everyone who made plans in advance to attend a seminar which was never announced.

Of course I find it amusing that you're making demands on what Dr. Li ought to do on a message board where I see her being name bashed continuously. So yes, Dr. Li should take time away from training with Master Wang (since she's in China right now) to answer everyone's questions about a seminar they have been wanting to do for how many years now?

It seems like every time this happens it is a matter of somebody says we're trying to get this together for then, people in turn say wonderful, master wang is coming! yipeeeee!

Exactly, because this is exactly what happens. Dr. Sun said, "we hope to bring Master Wang here for a retreat next year." His wife posts online that there may be a retreat at a location that I may have helped pick while I was with Dr. Sun. Keep in mind that all of it is tentative-- what people who are not planning anything hear-- "Master Wang is coming in December!"

Guess what? I was planning to host Master Fong Ha for a seminar last Fall. I contacted him, informed him that he is kungfu brothers with my Sitaigung, he agrees to come. So we have an agreement on both sides for a possible seminar-- sometimes shit happens. Seminars are hard to plan.

Anyway, like I said in a previous post-- Ms. DragonGate, you need to meet with Dr. Li with some other teachers present and settle whatever issue you have face to face.

As for those of you who feel misled-- you only have yourself to blame. Until you know that Master Wang is definitely going to be in Columbia, New York, or somewhere in between you need to chill out and just make plans to go to Europe or China.

man...this is why I rarely come here anymore

I'd be pretty upset if I was told Wang Liping was coming and at the seminar it's one of his students and not him. Its false advertising.

I'd be pretty upset if I came to a seminar that hasn't been announced,too. Reading is a fundamental,but comprehension is even more important. I suggest you try it.

Let's get this straight here. Students are contacting me to register for this non event this December because no one has informed them that Master Wang will not be teaching in the US. Now WHEN was kathy going to announce that Master Wang is NOT coming? Is this fair to students who are looking forward to attending and making plans around this non intensive?

Students are contacting you about an event that Kathy is promoting...pause. Think about what you just said.

I'm a personal trainer. Some of my clients want to study Taiji with me, but don't want to train with my Sifu for whatever reason. If one of my classmates is promoting some seminar where my Sigung is supposed to be teaching, and these people studying under me ask about what my classmates are promoting, I send them to my classmates.

You see how that works?

If you want to clear some bullshit, then lets start right here with this intensive that is STILL being PROMOTED as a valid event. kathy continues to misrepresent Master Wang as she deems convenient.

 

NICE? You think conflicts arise because kathy has been an honorable person? You seem intelligent and reasonable; i recommend you do some research before you assume anything. Don't you deserve to know that Master Wang is not coming to teach this December, so you may allot your time more functionally?

If you want to clear up some bullshit, you need to have a meeting with Kathy and some of the other Longmen Pai "leaders" to get things out in the open. You don't act like a baby on an open forum where people you hope to recruit can see. This bickering online really is not professional.

How about Laozi Academy promoted a possible seminar in December 2012. The possible dates of a possible seminar would depend on Master Wang's Visa.

I've spoken with Dr. Li by phone and spent time with Dr. Sun last spring. They are nice people. It's not cool that your post is implying that they do things without the wishes of Master Wang.

Nashville is a small town compared to NYC, but there are a lot of people in my city practicing Taiji because of me.I know people with money totally committed to their Taiji, Mandarin lessons, and hillbilly Taoist retreats who could be practicing the Ling Bao arts, BUT when they see this back and forth crap, they lose all interest.

I'm only going to say this once...whatever beef exists between you and Dr. Li's group needs to be squashed. People on the outside (and inside for that matter) are getting tired of this bullshit, and I seem to recall Master Wang's real wish was to create interest in Taoism in the U.S.

Hello Prince,

 

If you're interested in studying under Sifu Lew, you might try contacting Bill Helm, Director of the Taoist Sanctuary in San Diego, to see if he can put you in touch with him. But I believe GM Share Lew has not been teaching at the Taoist Sanctuary for many years.

 

Regards,

 

Sifu Terry Dunn

Thanks for your reply. I'm actually friends with one of Sifu's students-- he is the person who introduced me to Qigong and Taoism! I used to email Sifu's wife regularly about his touring schedule, but I think the best thing for me to do is wait for an opportunity to attend one of his fall workshops that my friend advertises on Facebook.

It's cool to see that someone is here teaching the Tao Ahn Pai. I first came to TB when I was leaving California and hoping to find someone teaching Tao Ahn Pai. Unfortunately I never got a chance to meet Sifu Lew. A friend of mine is his student. Honestly, if I could train under anyone, it would be Sifu Lew. I hope he and Mrs. Juanita are doing well!

Do you like the tree energy exchange thing? All I could think about when I learned it was that I'd rather just be doing Yiquan.

I also attended the retreat with Dr. Sun last spring that Shawn mentioned. The best thing you can do to prepare to see Master Wang is to learn to sit. It doesn't have to be in full lotus. If you can sit and stand for long periods, you will be just fine.

I can't share details of the practices, but they require a lot of concentration. The longer you can sit without feeling pain and the ability to concentrate, the better prepared you will be. I would also doing something to keep yourself physically fit. Your body is simply more efficient when you are in good shape. This doesn't really have anything to do with the practices, but if you're a high risk of developing CAD, all the chi in the world won't save you from having a heart attack.

 

So just saying: How's a kung fu or tai chi or Jeet Kune Do or Karate master going to defend himself against take downs, leg locks, arm bars or even a body build up through western style dieting and fitness regimes? Gonna be tough and seemingly impossible at the highest levels.

How are they going to build a body up through western style dieting and fitness regimes? Well, I am a personal trainer. So if I ever teach students interested in competitions, they will be doing the same fitness regimes that MMA fighters are doing-- if not better. I'm HKC certified and training & saving money for RKC. I am studying for NSCA-CSCS. When it is all said and done, I will be qualified to train professional athletes anywhere in the world.

Not every traditional kungfu/internal MA school trains the same. In my school, we often do push hands looking to get into a clinch and throw the other person. Our Taiji has a strong Shui Jiao influence. We also do Sanda/SanShou. William CC Chen has produced a number of fighters, namely his son Max Chen and his daughter. I've taken lessons at an MMA school that is teaching Sanshou in place of Muay Thai because Sanshou includes takedowns so that the BJJ guys (this is mostly a BJJ school) can roll right into their ground game.

Isn't Cung Le a traditional kungfu guy? Isn't GSP a traditional karate guy? They seem to be doing well where they are.

As for the mixing kundalini, MCO, and all that other stuff with zhan zhuang-- my teacher would say,"sounds like a definite way to fuck yourself up." Personally, I would just refer a person to Santiago Dobles or Tao Semko to fix them...after they fuck their self up.

Bottom line is your uncle is disconnected( not moving from and with his center) in his movement and not that grounded.

BTW you must be pretty young to consider him an old man

If you feel that his form is bad, that is okay. I said that I have never met this man, nor do I even know who he is. The original poster called him an old man, not me. What he is doing is a variation on what we call "the young man's form." My form looks different.It is also possible that the other styles he does have some influence on his form. Guang Ping has elements of Yang style, Chen style, Hebei XingYi, and Bagua. My form has a strong XingYi influence because that is what I like. It's possible that he studied Master Guo's Shaolin material in addition to the internal styles.

Considering the age of most of the people who learned the "young man form" from Master Guo, this man would be old enough to at least be my father right now (making him 50+), so yes, I am pretty young compared to him.

If people don't like someone's form, my feelings won't be hurt. I like this style. It introduced me to Yiquan, and with some luck, I will be going to study it in China soon.

My teacher is top notch, a fighter with a powerful lineage but that doesn't mean I'm any good.

While it is true that it may not necessarily mean you are any good, but your teacher, as you've stated, is a top notch fighter. The statement was that kungfu/taiji guys cannot fight.

 

And who did Bruce Lee 'supposedly' get thrown about by?!

Kuo Lien Ying (1895-1985)- Guang Ping Taiji master, there are many stories of Kou accepting and issuing challenges. Kuo Lien Ying challenged Cheng Man Ching and was known to have thrown Bruce Lee out of his school in San Francisco. Security guard for some company in China/Inner Mongolia. He also reportedly challenged Joe Louis the boxing champ when he was in Taiwan. Louis never responded.

http://www.polariswushu.net/halloffame.html

Also the "long haired ballerina" is one of my kungfu uncles. I've never met him, nor do I know who he is. There are "Taiji" guys who I would not want hitting me. Does it mean they can fight? Not really, but would you want to pick a fight with an amateur boxer with great knockout power?

Don't know who the long-haired male ballerina is in the first video is but he's going to get his ass kicked when dancing with the guys in the second video. But I guess that's the case with all Tai Chi and Kung Fu boys...

I know quite a few "Kung Fu" boys who can hold their own in MMA fights. Did you know the top MMA fighter in China comes from an Yiquan school?

Also, the "long-haired male ballerina" comes from the lineage that actually brought Yiquan to America. His teacher supposedly tossed Bruce Lee out on his ass when he came to visit his school in China Town.

Isn't he considered the father of modern MMA?

Just sayin'...

I was just watching this exact video yesterday. Interesting variation of the Guang Ping form. I'd be interested to hear at what point he trained with Master Guo, and what age he was when he trained under him.

I see people, including but not limited to xabir2005, promoting their stuff which they wrongly think is Buddhism.

 

These are the principles of Buddhism. Anything more or added is wrong.

 

 

a. Everything appears as mere thoughtforms (conceptual constructs) designated upon causes and conditions. This applies to yourself, deities, time, the causes and conditions themselves, and even the principle of causality itself.

 

b. By its very nature conceptual thought is dichotomizing, yet "reality" (or lack of it) is free from all extremes. This is shown by specific Madhyamaka analyses which you can research on your own.

 

c. There is a primordial freedom distinct from grasping your mind. Mind being defined as the thing always on the Three Times (past, present, future).

 

 

Reference:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C5%9A%C5%ABnyat%C4%81

Have you ever stopped to consider that no one gives a shit about your opinion on who represents what is Buddhism and what is not Buddhism?

Here is some helpful information-- stop stalking people on forums and reading all of their posts. Sit your ass down somewhere, take a deep breath, and then take a long walk. It would be much more productive.