alleswasderfallist

I was doing MSW #2 last night, having a very nice experience. About 4 repetitions in, a gunshot went off not too far from my house (I live in one of America's less safe cities.) Needless to say, this was quite a shock, and I ended the meditation. I can't do anything about controlling outside noises (especially gunshots), but I'm seriously contemplating keeping my window closed and possibly doing my MSW meditations only early mornings. This is the first time a gunshot has interrupted me, otherwise I think this would be a no-brainer. Anyone else have similar experiences (perhaps with barking dogs, if you're from a safer neck of the woods?)

Ant, you are doing harm to yourself by continually disparaging those who are trying to help you (myself included, as you've accused me of trying to abuse you.). There are not only emotional barriers but also LANGUAGE barriers at work here. No one here has intentionally abused you. Your words are aggressive, whether you understand that or not. Please use discretion. FPCK, a very straightforward and down-to-earth system, doesn't seem to be what you're looking for presently. I hope you find something to meet your present state of mind, and I wish you well.

Hi all, a little FP related update: My father has been having a difficult time sleeping lately. Work related stress really taking its toll. He typically goes through periods of a week or so of sleep deprivation, over-the-counter drug dependency, and anxiety. I showed him how to do 'Bending the Bows' yesterday, and we did it together in the morning. He was very tranquil after the exercise. Today he told me that he slept 11 hours straight last night, which is really an anomaly for him. He did BTB on his own this morning, which really made me happy, and I showed him "Monk Paints the Garage" as well. My father is generally skeptical of qigong and the like, but he was desperate enough to try it (finally). More proof of the power of FPCK!

Nan-in, a Japanese master during the Meiji era (1868-1912), received a university professor who came to inquire about Zen. Nan-in served tea. He poured his visitor’s cup full, and then kept on pouring. The professor watched the overflow until he no longer could restrain himself. “It is overfull. No more will go in!” “Like this cup,” Nan-in said, “you are full of your own opinions and speculations. How can I show you Zen unless you first empty your cup?”

Awesome post Sifu Garry! Such in-depth history isn't available just anywhere.

I think we should try to keep this thread on topic. We don't want newcomers who come here to learn about this system to have to sift through countless irrelevant posts on transmissions, initiations, and the like - all of which might give the wrong impression that this is some sort of hocus pocus. This was not Sifu Terry's focus in the videos, so let's not make it our focus here. I don't know about anyone else, but I haven't mastered the material currently available on the DVDs. Therefore, I do not feel inclined to question what is beyond this - it's just none of my business. What Sifu Terry does tell us and what he doesn't tell us is for our own good. Let's trust the wisdom of the masters to know what we need as beginners. Distractions take us away from the experience of the Dao. We have a clear, concise way to follow the Dao. Let's do it.

No one is trying to sell you anything or convince you of anything. Answers to your questions from Sifus Terry and Garry are busy masters graciously taking the time to try and help you - not a business deal. I'm sure their answers to you are meant to help, even if they don't tell you exactly what you want to hear. Sometimes we don't ask the right questions in the first place. Our inquiry should be for progress, and all I see here is helpful masters trying to point you towards progress - which isn't the same as expounding on the deep theoretical principles of the art (something that disciples in earlier times would have found very presumptuous to ask of their masters... who is the master, if not he who knows better than ourselves?) You have the opportunity to practice an esoteric energy cultivation system that most people will never be lucky enough to hear of. Numerous masters have dedicated their lives to preserving it. What we are a part of is far more valuable than the small amount you pay for the DVDs, so let's at least agree to be more respectful to the masters who've helped make this possible and not act like they owe us anything. I feel it is the other way around.

Why worry about how many levels there are? You can do levels 1 and 2 for a lifetime and make huge progress - perhaps more than if you zipped through 18 or however many levels. I'm sure that anyone who adequately practices the first seven levels will understand what to do next. No need to worry about this stuff, it just gets in the way of real practice.

Hey Yondaime I haven't been following your posts, what sort of energy work do you do? What are your goals? Are you solely into the sexual side of qigong?

Thank you so much, bubbles. I'm a musician and I've been looking for a way to incorporate music into my spiritual practice. I also took a Sanskrit class in college and have been planning to relearn it. Seems like the perfect mantra to use.

I'll let you know if I find anything

SYG = Sunn Yee Gong http://www.warriorbodybuddhamind.com/wbbm/training/bak-fu-sunn-yee-gong/

Does anyone know if Tai Chi Bang can produce similar benefits? This practice looks great, but I don't have the money for another DVD now. There's a Jesse Tsao Tai Chi Bang DVD streaming on Amazon instant video.

sounds like you have some qi aptitude, you're lucky keep it up! it's great to have one more perspective on the benefits of the system.

Earlier you said you're not 100% honest. Actually I find your attitude extremely honest. It's very obvious to me that you really expect truth from your practice. We all have our faults - I'm sure a lot of mine are obvious in my posts. That can be discouraging. However, as Jesus taught, if we have faith like a mustard seed, we will move mountains!

Hey TaijiCat, does MSW #3 from volume 2 ever keep you up at night? After practicing FP for a little while, I became unable to do that one too late in the day.

Having not seen violence like you have, I find your experienced and balanced perspective refreshing. I have long been drawn to the martial arts; I feel that fighting is an important part of life, and ignoring it doesn't make it any less important. We fight continually... if we don't choose the path of progress and fight against ourselves, we will constantly be in conflict with the delusions of an inflated ego.

I know Flying Phoenix (and more Flying Phoenix) is the best thing for my health right now. However, I want to grow spiritually and have some extra time in my schedule. I thought it'd be a good idea to practice something somewhat related to FPCK? Unless you believe it would be counterproductive?

I love your updates Sifu, and I agree - FP is the fucking shit... haha. We sure appreciate your taking the time to answer our questions personally, and without pretense! I gotta admit, I enjoy seeing qigong masters use profanity (or at least repeating it, not pretending there's some absolute darkness to the words), there's something refreshing to it! It might turn some people away (including myself from five years ago, when I belonged to a puritan sect), but as the Dao de Jing says, great straightness seems crooked. As I practice FP and read more Daoist and Buddhist literature, I'm seeing that many things I took for crooked may have been straight, and vice versa! I feel very fortunate to be on this journey. I have one quick question: are there any mantras or chants that you would recommend for FP practitioners? I've been searching for mantras associated with Puxian (the same way the Great Compassion Mantra is associated with Avalokitesvara), to no avail.

Sifu Garry, your technique looks excellent. What is the relation of this sword set to Flying Phoenix Chi Kung, and can they be practiced together? Is this one of the fighting forms of Bak Fu Pai or is it specifically for internal development? Thanks

Sorry I guess I missed that. Either way, I don't think the way you are using the word 'sin' is the way it is meant in this article. It's not something that is part of your nature, as in Christian thought. You choose to identify yourself with it or you look for something beyond. Good luck.

I don't think anyone said that sinful people are rejected. Why are we talking about sin? The fact that the practice rejects the impure of heart shows the quality of the practice. We collect countless impurities along the way; and those things that are impure cannot survive the purification process. If you choose to identify yourself with those impure things you call 'sinful', that is your choice. I really don't like the word 'sin', it's stinks of condemnation. This is what I meant when I said that purity of heart is a choice. That's just the way I see it, maybe I'm wrong.

Sounds good Eugene, I didn't mean to imply anything personal, just wanted to wish you well. I'm glad you benefited from the practice at least some. Good luck in the future.

For me, the first three volumes alone are proving to be both beneficial and challenging. We all have our unique karmic makeup, and what does wonders for one person may not be suited for another; we all need medicine, and what turns out to be the most suitable medicine for our unique situations is often puzzling. If you decide FP isn't for you at this time, I hope you soon find a practice (if you so desire) that speaks to you in your situation Eugene! FP is this way for me, and I'm grateful for that. It doesn't matter which path we're on or what sort of opinions we have, there are no divisions for us who are blending matter with spirit. So please don't look at yourself as inadequate/sinful and therefore unsuited for one path or another. I'm sinful too, if we choose to look at that! I struggle with certain addictions still. But I choose to believe in something more transcendent than my fleeting desires - my deep, driving desire. That desire which led me to practice qigong, which makes me discontent with happiness based on the transient. “You are what your deepest desire is. As your desire is, so is your intention. As your intention is, so is your will. As your will is, so is your deed. As your deed is, so is your destiny.” Do you really believe that your deepest desire is impure? No way! Don't beat yourself up. Just enjoy. You are blessed to live a human life, and even more blessed to be a person who cares to discover truth!

I think it's most helpful to remember that being pure in heart is a conscious decision. Your primordial nature is pure, and it exists in reality, not in time and memory. No words, doctrines, or concepts can give you a better understanding of purity than a determined look inward. Sometimes the words of a realized person can help point us in the right direction, however. I've been reading Maharaj's I Am That, and this book has helped me a lot in cultivating a pure intent. I highly recommend it. It seems to me that the practice hasn't rejected you. You were willing to try FPCK for yourself. You are also persevering in your practice over a great length of time, which can't be said of everyone. I believe you are blessed to have received this practice, and you shouldn't worry about purity so much. The fact that you're striving for purity shows that you are not someone who is content with impurity - in other words, much of what you do, you do for purity's sake! I'm reminded of a section of I Am That: Questioner: My only complaint is this: why do I not see what you see, why your words do not sound true in my mind. Let me know this much; all else can wait. You are wise and I am stupid; you see, I don’t. Where and how shall I find my wisdom? M: If you know yourself to be stupid, you are not stupid at all! It's simple, but I think this is the most important truth. That purity which we are often seeking like it's somewhere far off turns out to be the very thing that is motivating our actions in the present!