Earl Grey

While you can theoretically start anywhere, it is optimal to learn Volumes 1-4 first, to get your foundation, especially Vol. 2 for the beginners' seated meditations. Then you can add on Vol. 7. 

Buy them off of the website www.taichimania.com directly from Sifu Terry. Do not get copies, especially pirated.

Sifu Terry, it's so nice to see you with Sifu Li. I had the opportunity to train with him once when he came back to Manila for a brief visit and his original first generation teachers invited me (as I am friends with them and their children) to meet him. That picture and your previous one with Eric Isen both make me smile widely from ear to ear. 

Someone please give silent thunder a drink and a round for all of us. That deserves a toast. 

23 hours ago, taoguy said:

 

Thanks for the MHP supine trick! It helped a lot. I'd also get into my car (in the carpark) and do a short MHP meditation during short breaks since there isn't any other place in the hospital which is a good place.

 

I have just learnt the Long Form FP and I can feel a very refreshing effect, wow. May I know if I need to learn the other previous meditations for a few months before I do the Long Form? I realized that I learnt the Long Form FP pretty quickly, just that I might have a few slight postural differences, which I'm slowly picking out and correcting by rewatching the videos repeatedly.

Another user here learned Long Form first, then went back and learned the earlier forms afterwards, feeling effects both times and loving the system still. You can learn in any order, but there's nothing wrong with sticking to the DVD order too. 

23 hours ago, taoguy said:

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One thing curious that I've noticed is that I actually feel the effects when doing the forms without even doing the breath percentages!! For example, just practicing the Long Form FP made me feel as if my body was flooded with a lot of cooling energy.

 

I'd also think of doing MHP and suddenly I'd get this wave of cooling energy again.

Sifu Terry has mentioned that FP energy is very cool. 

23 hours ago, taoguy said:

Of course it gets far more intense after doing the meditations with the percentages and all, but thought this was quite weird, given that I didn't do the breath percentages while learning but still got the effect. I noticed that when I was warming up by practicing the moves without the breath percentages, I had these effects.

 

I'd add that I always do the 3 breaths before and after without fail.

Excellent. Keep on it.

23 hours ago, taoguy said:

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Another thing is that I've realized I can see whitish tinges around people. I'm not sure if that's the aura or just light bouncing off them. The colors appear a little grayish on some people. But I'm not sure if it's just complementary color to the clothes they are wearing or the colours of the walls.

I'd say it's a sign of developing some sort of sensitivity to noticing qi fields. I can do this as well, and many practitioners report this too.

23 hours ago, taoguy said:

----

 

I'd add too that I've been doing Spring Forest Qigong for nearly a year before trying FP. The effects are slightly different but FP seems to have a very lasting effect. Both appear to have some kind of 'top-down bliss', if that makes sense.

Both are fantastic systems.

VLC can do the same thing whether it's DVDs, VCDs, or downloads. Just drag and drop the file to the VLC program or manually open it from the file tab. Definitely opening things up from the website via streaming or private Vimeo password access would be helpful for every release, and I would jump to get more there. 

Bringing this thread back on topic and avoiding the usual derailer of threads...

Some life experiences are easier to see as related to our practice, and other times, sensations in practice indicate the light and shadows. 

I'll give you an example: when I do mantra meditation, I usually feel my head congested with energy. But nothing else aside from emotions shifting, and then every time I finish a siddhi at 125,000 repetitions, a big karmic change comes, always for the better and often financial or in the form of new skills learned and friendships formed. It is also traumatic because the ego loses itself more when it finds its sense of self fundamentally changed and challenged--I have no idea how to describe it, but in one story, I found myself in more unpleasant social interactions with people, yet found myself patient and understanding instead of hateful. My Sifu told me that it's the subconscious ego pulling out that aspect of myself and putting it in others and testing me to outgrow it, and how to do so was compassion--whose mantra did I complete to have this happen? Kuan Yin, the Bodhisattva of compassion. Namo Kuan Shi Yin Pusa.

What I have to say is compassion isn't just towards others...it also includes self-compassion. Oh boy. That's a big one for me to accept at times, having gone from being a suicidal kid in high school to now an anachronistic "kid" with the face of a teen and the age of a Gen-Xer in both an era and a land too foreign to him. In other words, always the outsider, internally and externally, and still coming to terms with it.

"I'm bad, and that's good.

I will never be good, 

and that's not bad.

There's no one I'd rather be

than me." 

- The Bad Guy Creed from Bad-Anon, Wreck-it-Ralph

I wouldn't say FP is "useless" with lack of sleep, but its effectiveness does get impacted. 

If you already know the long form, try to do that at least once daily. If not, as Cihan said, MHP is great while supine. I'd add the flash meditations too if you have them. Just do as much as you can and don't rush--you'll develop and practice what you need over time. Don't force it (speaking from firsthand experience).

Qicat, whomever your teacher is, and lineage and ancestors are, please extend my thanks. I like the cut of your jib, and you are hilarious.  

On 6/28/2017 at 6:36 PM, pitisukha said:

Hello everyone,

After a long period of tribulations with his illness, my father is finally going to leave his physical body.

At present it his under sedation because the pain, caused by the cancer growth, was unbearable.

 

I'd like to ask to sifu Terry and to everyone who wants to answer (I don't know if this question was asked before):

Is it safe to practice FP in the same room where he is sleeping?

Can practicing FP in this way help him in passing away?

 

I ask this because when he was conscious he talked about some evil visions he had when he was next to death at some point during the long cancer progress

My condolences.

I personally haven't tried practicing in the same room as someone dying or with cancer, but in general, when I practice, people who aren't well feel better. I also visited someone's mother with Leukemia, and she reported that she felt better when I was around, which, coincidentally, was after I had done two hours of Flying Phoenix.

I'd also say when he passes, Om Mani Padme Hum is very, very helpful for penetrating the six realms and Om Namo Narayanaya will help him with oneness after too. Let me know if you want details in the event that this is too brief for you. 

11 minutes ago, Jeff said:

 

I think you raise a very good point.  It often seems like we start to develop almost a spiritual ego as we continue on the path. Often can come with almost a righteous belief that our method/path is the best, and often feel the need/desire to be a teacher.

God knows I won't ever say my path or what my teachers offer is the best. It's an option and it's not for those who fear discipline, and even then, I am training under four teachers (five if you count the one who died seven years ago but is succeeded by his widow) at once who just so happen to have a lot of extreme overlap without ever having met each other. It's my path, and I chose it, and I don't recommend it, because it's what I needed, since it speaks to my soul. 

"Laugh at yourself! I'm laughing at you! Laugh at yourself with me!" Sifu Eric said this to me once when I had thrown an ego tantrum of victimization and self-importance when I felt I wasn't being heard the umpteenth time about an injustice I had suffered years ago.

The ego is the butler, not the master, and it's a child that wants wants wants wants wants all the time. 

I thank these moments even when I embarrass myself on some threads here because it reminds me to hold nothing sacred and not take myself so god damn seriously, and I have a lot to learn. One way to slay the ego is to not feed the negative ego, and to instead remind it of its place, especially to connect to others on their ego level and ideally bring all of you up. 

I could only hope that in ten years, twenty years, fifty years--I have something to show for my progress, but for now, being in the realm of the shadows and dealing with personal demons, I can at least say it's not so bad and we are not alone in this self work. 

I find the ego becomes a bigger issue the deeper I go into practice. Recently, one of my teachers told me that and I thought it was just a cop out considering I have no problem being seen as a fool or being laughed at, and thought that I conquered my ego. 

Turns out he refers to the subconscious ego as well as the conscious ego. Meaning the things I don't even know that I believe, think, and feel, which only come up when people press my buttons.

There is one scene in the movie Revolver where Jason Statham's character slays the ego by doing exactly the opposite of what it's ordering him to do. I have come to a point where I do that 95% of the time at best, but now feel I have done it about 75% of the time now that I factor in subconscious ego. 

It's a scary thing knowing how much the ego tries to preserve itself, and when you mix in the Taoist alchemies out there, you become a beacon drawing in as much as you endure, which I will even include an argument that I had here on TDB the other week. At the same time, you are also transmitting that energy. 

The training I have received encourages all of this ego crushing, because Te needs to develop in order to have the qi have a natural place to express itself properly. It is akin to walking into a courtroom to argue your defense while dressed up as a clown and trying to be as serious as possible with your arguments without losing your cool as people listen to you and laugh or completely ignore you because you look like a clown.

I deal with anger, sadness, self-doubt, and outright despair at times because I come to a point where I say, "Boy, you are a little shit and everyone knows what an asshole you are." It takes the Te and the mandatory literature and guidance of my teachers to come and pull out those weeds while helping me cultivate a garden of virtue, and it's--please excuse my language--fucking hard. 

How it has manifested energetically outside of just ego challenges has also led to seeing bizarre things when I look in the mirror for one of our mirror meditations, and I no longer look at my face, but see my face, which is not the insecurities and judgments for what it should be, but rather, what is. It's scary. It's beautiful. It's haunting. It's familiar. It's vulnerable. It's hurting. It's fragile. It's durable. It's steadfast. It's...me. 

1 minute ago, taoguy said:

Thank you so much Sifu Terry. 

 

I apologise if this has been brought up before (still reading past posts) but how should I place my attention while doing the Flying Phoenix form to achieve the best effect? I've tried:

• Doing nothing
• Doing loving-kindness (without words), just good-will
• Light visualisation (I and the universe are one)
• Emptiness - vipasanya-like
• Focusing on the hands/chi

I ask this because I know Flying Phoenix works at the level of the subconscious - does this mean that it doesn't matter what the conscious mind does? Should I just do nothing? Guidance would be much appreciated. Thank you.

 

With palms together.  

Hope you don't mind me chiming in, but I have heard people on the thread focusing on either i) nothing, ii) daydreaming about whatever, iii) focusing on the lower dantian, iv) focusing on the form, v) focusing on their breathing (but not matching inhales and exhales to the movements). 

I personally just daydream, but not consciously, as any of the first four come up for me not by any will or intent. I tend not to focus on the lower dantian too much because I find that it causes me to do spontaneous movements (from another system I practice), which are a big no-no for Flying Phoenix, and Sifu Terry always emphasizes I-Ching hexagram 52: Keeping Still (like a mountain). 

On that note of keeping still, I can attest that Flying Phoenix helps me still my mind and jumps really far into my seated or standing meditations (zuowang and zhan zhuang). 

13 hours ago, zen-bear said:

Hi Earl Grey,

That is a pretty good and extensive minimum FP regimen that you've been practicing!  that that is your minimum practice is impressive!   Good emphasis on the intermediate and advanced standing meditations. Also a very good sampling of the seated MSW meditations. 

 

** I would suggest adding one FP Meditation to anchor that entire practice:  Bending the Bows.  It's one of the pillars of the system and after 25 years of practicing it, it still teaches me things and continues to transform.  You don't have to do it every day or even every practice session...but try doing it a couple of times a week.  Hint:  right before you do Moonbeam and Vol.4 FPHHCM.

 

Here are answers to your questions (in blue):

 

1) For the very first Skype session, what are the common corrections people typically find themselves going over? I'm guessing it's mainly the long form that needs corrections, or even Moonbeam and some of the seated MSW forms? 

 

Every student is different when it comes to the types of corrections to their FP Qigong practice because of a myriad of factors:  age, athletic ability, mind-body coordination, level of Tai Chi experience, extent of other Chinese martial arts experience, meditation experience, yoga experience, medical condition and injuries, mental health, how people have dealt with stress all their lives, natural talent, ability to work hard and persevere, ability to take instruction literally and easily (called "physical suggestibility" in my school of hypnotherapy).  But to give general answers, I would say the most common corrections for FP practitioners are the same corrections given to my Tai Chi students:    (A)  Foot placement, (B) Orientation of the hips/waist--the "gua",  (C)  proper roundness of the chest and arms (Wuchi is everywhere, almost, when it comes to FP and Tai Chi), (D)  total relaxation of all muscles with sinking of the joints, etc.

 

2) What is your bare minimum expectation in terms of how much practice we should have before contacting you for a Skype session? I ask in the sense that I have no problem with adding more time to my practice or waiting a few more months to even another year before contacting you for a Skype session...but if there's anything else you would hope for or expect from someone who wants to not just go the distance of an A+ student, but to go beyond and be an S student (108% instead of 100%). 

 

I don't have any bare minimum expectation in terms of practice under one's belt before contacting me for private lessons.  Since I started teaching FP in the mid 90's, I've taught absolute beginners with no background in any Chinese martial or yogic art.  But I will answer your question in terms of what gets the student the biggest bang for the buck:  one should have done all the Meditations on Volume 1 of the CKFH DVD series and also all teh seated meditations on Vol.2.  I have had many students come in from far out of town to get their first instruction on Vol.3 meditations Moonbeam and Vol.4 the Long Form Standing.

I have had one Skype student in Wisconsin, who is very private, lives like a hermit, and won't participate on this thread (although he had subscribed and posted about 2.5 years ago), who has been taking Skype  lessons from me every other week for the past 2.5 years.  And he is more advanced in the FP system than any of my local Los Angeles students.

 

I like the degree of "studenthood" and mastery that you say you're intent on attaining:  108%.

Remember, as my classmate Sifu Hearfield posted many years ago:  slow and even is the Way.

The "Gong" in Qigong is the same "Gong" in Gong Fu:  it means a fine diligent effort, day in and day out, without strain or obsession.  (Trying too hard because one is too attached to desired outcomes)

 

3) How else would you advise us to better advance not just in Flying Phoenix, but other forms we may be potentially interested in?  (There are a couple others you know that I am drawn to). I know you mention in our ongoing thread here that there is a required reading list, which I have purchased almost everything listed there and already read cover to cover those titles. 

Regarding other forms and arts that you're interested in, make sure you get to the source of the art as close as possible.  A bona fide master or a senior student very close to a bona fide master.

Excellent that you've read the entire recommended reading list.  One book series that is a wonderful roadmap for learning Taoist arts is the one written by Carlos Castaneda (The teachings of Don Juan:  A Yaqui Way of Knowledge, A Separate Reality, Journey to Ixtlan, Tales of Power, etc.). 

The most important bookd on the required reading list for all my Qigong students is 2 primary books:  "Secret of the Golden Flower" and "Tibetan Yoga and Secret Doctrines" by W.Y. Evans-Wentz.  If you've thoroughly read the both and understand them, then you can start teaching right away.  I'm not joking!

 

In short--how can I make your role as Sifu easier and more enjoyable as I aspire to climb to the top of the allegorical mountain with the intention of continuing to climb even after I reach the peak? How can I be what constitutes an overachiever student by the standards that you hold? 

You don't have to make my role as a teacher easier.  If you are the overachieving student that you say you want to be, once I see that, I'm sure that I will be pleasantly thrilled.

A student doesn't need to think that far ahead--i.e., to make the job of the teacher easier.

What I ask is that a student be a "good" student, as defined by Gasan:

 

           The poor student uses his teacher's influence.

           The mediocre student admires his teacher's kindness.

           The good student grows strong under his teacher's instruction.

 

My standards are very simple:  refine your practice of the FP Qigong art and avance through all the natural steps, learning the basic level of material on the DVD series...to the extent that one is fully self-healed, has cultivated a tangible reserve of FP Healing Energy, which can be seen and felt by me and advanced practitioners, and express (or not express) a predilection fo healing with the FP Healing Energy.  (The latter is totally up to you and your nature and won't affect the next couple of levels of instruction.)  If one develops naturally along those lines, then, when one is ready, the next level of Knowledge will be made available.  There are 9 advanced FP Qigong standing moving meditations that come next.

 

Thanks for your post.

 

Sifu Terry Dunn

 

Fantastic! Thank you Sifu Terry!

On the subject of Castaneda, who is quite a profound author, I recall discovering his work in a used bookstore/cafe during a storm years ago was no coincidence, because I could have easily spent all night (and I almost did) reading the first book (Don Juan) nonstop. The rest are in my library, and definitely among my favorites to read and re-read. 

I greatly appreciate the reminder of what "gong" refers to as it helps me not get too excited, which is quite hard with the practice due to how much joy I get from it. Moreso, the definition of the good student definitely is another great benchmark. 

I look forward to diligent practice and seeing you soon on Skype and in person for FP, and eventually, both BFP and BDG.

Many thanks again, with love and peace. 

Hey Sifu Terry,

I'm almost done with learning what's remaining on Volume 7 now. I do at least all of the following daily for my checklist of Flying Phoenix:

- Vol. 5 Flash meditations

- Vol. 4 Long Form

- Vol. 3 Wind Through the Tree Tops and Moonbeam Splashes on the Water

- MSW forms (50% 20% 10%), (90% 50% 40% 30% 10%), (50% 40% 30% 10%), (90% 80% 50% 20%)

- Monk Holds Pearl

After doing these as my bare minimum, I do anything else I feel like my body calls me to do for the day. 

Here's a few questions I have about moving forward by the time I finish Vol.7 and prepare to contact you for a Skype session: 

1) For the very first Skype session, what are the common corrections people typically find themselves going over? I'm guessing it's mainly the long form that needs corrections, or even Moonbeam and some of the seated MSW forms? 

2) What is your bare minimum expectation in terms of how much practice we should have before contacting you for a Skype session? I ask in the sense that I have no problem with adding more time to my practice or waiting a few more months to even another year before contacting you for a Skype session...but if there's anything else you would hope for or expect from someone who wants to not just go the distance of an A+ student, but to go beyond and be an S student (108% instead of 100%). 

3) How else would you advise us to better advance not just in Flying Phoenix, but other forms we may be potentially interested in?  (There are a couple others you know that I am drawn to). I know you mention in our ongoing thread here that there is a required reading list, which I have purchased almost everything listed there and already read cover to cover those titles. 

In short--how can I make your role as Sifu easier and more enjoyable as I aspire to climb to the top of the allegorical mountain with the intention of continuing to climb even after I reach the peak? How can I be what constitutes an overachiever student by the standards that you hold? 

Please excuse me if this is better meant for a PM instead of a public post, but I invite all criticism and constructive feedback or support from the rest of my fellow classmates here (if any amongst you all have any) for me being completely honest (however headstrong and foolish I may appear to be) as I ask these questions. 

1 hour ago, Joolian said:

Also sometimes after some practice sessions the outside world (my room) is a bit blue tinted for a while.

 

Wow, I experience this too. Whenever I open my eyes after any Monk Serves Wine meditation, there is a very blue tint around the world, and I wondered if it was just my eyes adjusting to the light again. 

Hi Earl Grey,

 

As you do mantric yoga, here is one mantra in Sanskrit that intone on special necessary occasions.  As a healer, you might know of it already.   It came to me about 7 years ago when I was in dealing with the most hopeless of souls that needed extreme healing and spiritual correction.  It is from the book, "Bodhisattva of Compassion: The Mystical Tradition of Kuan Yin."  I believe it's also on the Daily Pure Land Practice website with English translation.

 

I post it here for you and the FP community as it invokes the same compassionate spiritual force that engendered the creation of Flying Phoenix Heavenly Healing Chi Meditations.

 

Namo Ratna Trayaya Namah Arya Avalokiteshvaraya

Bodhisattvaya Mahasattvaya Mahakarunikaya Om Sabalavati

Shudhanatasya Namas Krivanimam Arya Avalokiteshvara

Lamtabha Namo Nilakantha Shri Mahapatashami

Sarvatodhusuphem Asiyum Sarvasada Nama Bhaga Mabhatetu

Tadyatha Om Avaloki Lokate Kalati Eshili Maha Bodhisattva

Sabho Sabho Mara Mara Mashi Mashi Ridhayum Guru Guru Gammam

Turu Turu Bhashiyati Maha Bashiyati Dhara Dhara Dhirini

Shvaraya Jala Jala Mama Bhamara Mudhili Edyehi Shina Shina

Alashim Bhalashari Bhasha Bhashim Bharashaya Hulu Hulu Pra Hulu

Hulu Shri Sara Sara Siri Siri Suru Suru Budhi Budhi Budhaya

Budhaya Maitriye Nilakantha Trisharana Bhayamana Svaha

Sitaya Svaha Maha Sitaya Svaha Sitayaye Shvaraya Svaha

Nilakanthi Svaha Pranila Svaka Shri Sidha Mukhaya Svaha

Sarva Maha Astaya Svaha Cakra Astaya Svaha Padma Keshaya

Svaha Nilakanthe Pantalaya Svaha Mobholishankaraye Svaha

Namo Ratna Trayaya Namah Arya Avalokita Ishvaraya Svaha Om

Sidhyantu Mantra Pataye Svaha!

 

For those inexperienced with mantric Yoga, as a beginner, one must be careful with the use of names.

This mantra above uses many names of Kuan Yin so it is very safe to use.  One should of course know the meaning of the mantra but one doesn't necessarily have to fluent in the original language it is written or spoken in.  But one MUST know its purpose and how it has been used throughout time.  If one's Yoga is advanced, one can instantly read the intent of any energy projected in any form, including sound energy, which is the easiest to feel and interpret.

 

Best,

 

Sifu Terence Dunn

 

 

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Thank you Sifu! How interesting! This is similar to a long-ish Tara mantra I have been observing recently, and have also done a lot of Green Tara and White Tara work too. 

Here's the long-ish Tara I refer to that this Kuan Yin mantra immediately reminded me of: 

Namo Ratna-Trayaya

Nama Arya Avalokiteshwaraya

Bodhi-sattwaya

Maha-sattwaya

Maha Karunikaya

Tad-yatha Om Tare Tuttare Ture

Sarva Dushtan Pra-dushtan

Mama Krite

Jam-bhaya Stam-bhaya Mo-haya Band-dhaya

Hum Hum Hum Phat Phat Phat

Sarva Dushta Stam-bhani Tare Swaha

Which loosely translates to:

"Salutations to the three jewels (Buddha, Dharma, Sangha). Salutations to the Great Avalokiteshwara, Bodhisattva, Great Being Greatly Compassionate, Tare Tuttare Ture all the sins and evils I have committed, please crush, purify, confuse, bind. Hum Hum Hum Phat Phat Phat, to Tara who purifies all, Swaha."

As explained by the late Guru Thomas Ashley-Farrand (Namadeva) in his book Shakti Mantras, it asks for purification, but also crushes and binds those who would stand in the way of sincere aspirants, with the spirit of the mantra being, "Please help and purify me, but also stand guard against those who might oppose my process."

I find that White Tara and Kuan Yin have once been argued to be aspects of the same being, according to one school of thought. One Divine Mother or two aspects of the same Divine Feminine, or two different entities altogether, insofar as I know, both REALLY resonate with Flying Phoenix. If I do Flying Phoenix before, their mantras are easier to chant, especially longer ones. If I do the mantras before Flying Phoenix, I enter a far more sublime state.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SHARING THIS KUAN YIN MANTRA SIFU TERRY!!!

Dear Sifu Terry

 

After my Monk Gazing at the Moon med, I always have the urge to do a "normal" sitting meditation. At this time, my mind it at its clearest and most favourable for a fantastic exercise of stillness and therefore connection to anything I want. In this time I can tune in to a person or situation with great clarity.

 

Could you please tell me what would logically be happening at this time? Being fresh out of FPCK, I am still in its energy. But am I still cultivating or am I circulating it? I ask this question because it feels like I am still cultivating it. Am I imagining this?

 

I also wanted to say that you mentioned a lady developing clair audience from FPCK. Well I was clairaudient before but now I am learning to "tune" it. It is quite remarkable that I should discover this ability that I never suspected myself to have. It appears that FPCK is teaching me to navigate states of consciousness that allow me to tap into various repositories of energetic information, from hearing.

 

I thought it would develop my ability to surf states of consciousness but I never knew it would start like this (from hearing) so it is a lovely and welcome surprise, thank you Sifu. This way I can also build connections that allow for healing energies to pass through me and be transmitted to the person of my choice, with the same channel used for hearing, as obscure as that may sound...

 

Once I feel the blissful love, it is not easy to come out and want to do any other med, so I try to get what I want done first and do MGM last, just to benefit from this sublime sitting meditation.

 

Thanks for any response.

 

With all my appreciation

 

A_B

Hey Astral_butterfly, I can't speak for the system itself or Sifu Terry, but I can answer my own experiences and maybe that will give you some insights. I don't believe you are imagining--I think you are still cultivating and circulating, because within two hours after practice (and always just after), if I do some of my harder physical practices like one style of Eight Pieces of Brocade, then I find it is like moving as if my body were clouds--there's no physical effort or difficulty, and no other Qigong I do makes my physical practices feel effortless. So I don't believe you are imagining it. 

As for developing ourselves like with clairaudience, I find Flying Phoenix unearths what is already there. Another Sifu of mine says that "When we practice The Work, the qi doesn't just flow through the meridians--it opens new channels, which in turn opens the way for our abilities [like clairvoyance and clairaudience] to develop." He also has very glowing praise for Flying Phoenix and sends his regards to Sifu Terry for gifting us all with it on the DVDs, tying me into the next point...

Earl Grey,

 

I echo Tao Stillness's thanks for sharing the "Video effects -- Geometry -- Transform -- Flip Horiz." pathway on VLC to allow FP Practitioners to get mirror image of my Flying Phoenix Qigong instruction.

 

Given that there was no video record when GM Doo Wai was learning this art from his father, and before GM Doo Wai ingeniously created the percentage breath-control formulas, every FP Qigong and BFP practitioner had to look at the teacher's body to try to figure out the breathing, the world is fortunate to have the FP Qigong recorded on any visual medium--in the first place.

 

Carry on!

 

Sifu Terry Dunn

 

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I am going to go out on a limb and say that Flying Phoenix is the best and only system available on DVD at this point that I trust and recommend. I've tried quite a few for educational purposes, and aside from a couple that I find okay, the majority of them are, well, cheese whiz. 

I'm answering because I realized it'll be really useful for all those who need mirroring help for the DVDs. 

Download VLC. It's a great program for PC or Mac (and Linux!). 

How I did it on Mac: from the VLC program, go to the Window tab and click on "Video Effects".

From there, go to Geometry.

Then click on "Transform".

Then, select "flip horizontally".

There you go! The video is mirrored! Follow it much more easily and let Sifu Terry relax and focus on the book and new DVDs...

PS: watching DVDs on VLC is awesome because the program overrides regional lockout! 

The long form on volume 4 is doable even without a mirror. A challenge, and I don't disagree that even an option to mirror it on the DVD would be nice. But there is software to mirror what you are watching.

I personally learned the long form not long ago without a mirror. The challenge for me was taking it all in, so I did one section at a time and spent a couple days memorizing it, finishing within a week and now I can't go a day without doing the long form at least twice. Trust me and everyone else: the long form is worth it to know. But it is also infinitely easier to do when you have the foundation of the earlier forms. 

Quick question to Sifu Terry (or anyone who can help answer this) regarding the 90-second Flash meditations on Volume 5:

As per post #440758, I saw that the fifth meditation is from Eight Sections of Energy Combined and not Flying Phoenix.

Direct question first to Sifu Terry: did you learn this as part of your training in the beginning when GM Doo Wai taught the flash meditations alongside the basic five in Volume 1? Or just the first four exercises on Volume 5?

I'm asking because I'm wondering if we need this fifth meditation or not if we're focusing on mastering the whole FP curriculum, since my understanding (or perhaps I'm just thinking too much) is that it isn't crucial for FP practice since it's not FP...but if it's crucial for your requirements to master the system, as I think I recall that you mentioned learning some basic Bok Fu Pai system as well was another requirement for those of us interested in mastering the whole FP system and eventually teaching. 

As someone who does a lot of mantra work, I can confirm from my experience that chanting "Namo Kuan Shi Yin Pusa" becomes faster and more natural after doing Flying Phoenix. I also learned the capstone long form celestial meditation just a week ago after I finished a recent mantra siddhi and began working on the Kuan Yin mantra intensely at least 10,000x a day. Took me just about a week to learn the form and I don't want to say anything else besides that everyone should experience it for themselves. 

What I will share, however, is that everyone who sees me doing the long form on Volume 4 (and even Moonbeam Splashes on the Water) not only feels calmer watching it because of the grace of the form, but feels qi penetrating them even before I stick needles for acupuncture or lay hands over for Reiki healing. We look forward to seeing your child's development from having very good prenatal qi and what a phoenix child will grow up into, especially when, not if, she picks up the practice.

Welcome! Looks like we will have one of our first Flying Phoenix babies because of the massive amount of qi that you and your child will cultivate over the next few months!

If you refer to Moonbeam, same thing...also same with Wind Above the Clouds on Vol.1. All there on the DVDs and clarified on this thread.  

From what I understand you need to do only one repetition. If more, do three closing breaths when in Monk Gazing at Moon and open the eyes and breathe out the mouth while straightening the legs.

To do another repetition, do the opening three breaths and then the breath sequence in Monk Begging for Rice again and begin the form.