Flying Phoenix Chi Kung

[tao stillness]

Subscriptions are always much more expensive than DVDs. 

[-ꦥꦏ꧀ ꦱꦠꦿꦶꦪꦺꦴ-]

9 hours ago, tao stillness said:

Subscriptions are always much more expensive than DVDs. 

 

I prefer it over DVD because I can quickly look at the video on a phone/laptop to refresh my memory when I’m away from my living room or house. Price isn’t really an issue over convenience for me plus it is a good way to support Sifu Terry’s hard work. 

 

 

[Summer]

Edited January 28 by Summer

[Miffymog]

36 minutes ago, Summer said:

@zen-bear The testimonials in this thread have me interested. What is the time commitment required to practice this form please? I'm aware it comes on many DVDs but an overview of the foundational practices and how long it takes would be appreciated.

 

Some kind of Quick Start guide which covers the important pointers from this thread with tips and info would be nice or can just following the DVD get the chi flowing perfectly? Others who have practiced are welcome to share their insight in this question as well.

 

Hi there Summer,

 

The time commitment is roughly 30 minutes as a minimum, but as the whole practice is quite relaxing and enjoyable, after time you may find the duration naturally increases.

 

Here are some links that can give you a pretty good overview of the requirements and what’s involved.

 

https://taichimania.com/essentialguidelines.html

 

https://taichimania.com/trainingschedule.html

 

And this link will give you a lot of very well structured information on the practice.

 

https://forum.alchemical.garden/branch/zenbear/
 

[zen-bear]

On 10/15/2023 at 8:22 AM, EFreethought said:

 

Does this mean when someone does the Vol.4 Lnog Form Standing Meditation that they can stop doing the preceding 7 standing meditations?

 

Hello EFT:

 

The answer, as I've explained in past postings over the course of this long thread, is Yes--if one has systematically practiced and thoroughly establishedº the preceding 7 standing meditations--normally over the course of 9 to 18 months, after one has learned the Vol.4 Long Form med., that practice subsumes or can replace the practice of the 7 preceding meditations.  As one will experience if one has learned and practiced the system correctly,  just practicing the Long Form Meditation twice in one day and on a regular (daily) basis  is enough to derive a median level of the health and immunity benefits of the whole FP Qigong system.

 

That's the short answer.

 

This is the long qualified answer:  But to attain maximum health benefits--that marked by the forming of the tangible reserve Flying Phoenix Healing Qi, one should continue to practice the entire system:  All 7 standing meditations in rotation, day to day--while practicing Long Form Capstone meditation as regularly as possible.  AND practicing one to three of the seated MSW meditations on a daily basis.

 

For example, in last Tuesday night's Intermediate class, after warming up with Tao Tan Pai Short Form Power Yoga, I taught in all the moving standing FP meditations followed by 2 stationary standing meds. in this order:

      1.  Bending the Bows  (12 of the normal 18 rounds)

      2.  Wind Above the Clouds ( 2x) 

      3.  Wind Through Treetops  (2x)

      4.  Moonbeam Splashes On Water (2x)

      5.  Long Form FPHHCM  (2x)

      6.  Monk Gazing At Moon

      7.  Monk Holding Peach

 

[ --observing students and giving corrections after the 2nd round of each Meditation.]

 

B.   Then I led practice in MSW #6 (the 2nd MSW on Volume 7 that has breathing seq. 80 70 50 20)

 

This type of orthodox training regimen leads to optimal results.

 

But as i said, in a pinch for time, just practicing the Long Form FPHHCM twice a day will suffice to maintain good vitality and strong immunity.

 

Carry On!

 

Sifu Terry

 

---------------------------------------------------------------

ºBy "establish", I mean that one can use any one of the first 7 meditations to access or "ignite" the tangible FP Healing Qi and bring on the  relaxed and healing "zone" or what western doctors call parasympathetic tone.  (There are a few exceptions, of course, such as those with extensive background in Tai Chi or other interal arts--e.g., ridingtheox who had 25 yrs of Tai Chi bakcground and was able to jump right into the Long Form Capstone meditation at age 71 and make spendid use of it to fuel his day to day life in retirement as a cattle rancher.)

Edited December 10, 2023 by zen-bear

[zen-bear]

On 11/7/2023 at 5:11 AM, Summer said:

@zen-bear The testimonials in this thread have me interested. What is the time commitment required to practice this form please? I'm aware it comes on many DVDs but an overview of the foundational practices and how long it takes would be appreciated.

 

Some kind of Quick Start guide which covers the important pointers from this thread with tips and info would be nice or can just following the DVD get the chi flowing perfectly? Others who have practiced are welcome to share their insight in this question as well.

Hi Summer,

 

The best Quick Start  available is simply to follow the training on Volumes 1 and 2 of the DVD series.  FP Qigong is powerful in its simplicity.  In early years of this thread, regulars and veterans told beginners,  "Just do it".   Just start it and I think you'll find the FPCK system to be remarkable and quite amazing compared to any other type of qigong, yoga or meditation that you've done.   That's because 1/2 of the FPCK  system are the esoteric breath control formulas that precedes each and every one of the FP Meditations (8 standing; 24 seated (of which I've published 8 on DVD).  The  breath control formulas make up the "secret sauce" that makes this system so effective.  

 

You can be assured by the longevity of this discussion thread (now approaching its 15th year) and the scores of testimonials on it, that FP Qigong works--and works to impart great health and wellness benefits without any  use of visualization  whatsoever and without complicated instructions--do this and do that--that inflict the type of brain damage represented by the 9 of swords in the Tarot.

 

There is no written  Quick Start Guide yet because my book on Flying Phoenix Qigong is still in the computer, delayed by tons of other business and media projects.  That that will come. 

 

In the meantime, two of my very dedicated FPCK students in June of 2018 built an alternative blogsite called Alchemical Garden Forum that hosts its own FPCK thread because this one here at Daobums was being heavily trolled by scamsters trying to divert traffic to scam sites selling videos at out-of-this-world prices (up to $10,000 !!!) purportedly of advanced teachings by my teaching, Grandmaster Doo Wai, such that the discussion was getting derailed on a daily basis and the  moderators here were going out of their minds tracking down these trolls and expelling them, only to have them come back and don new sockpuppets.  [I look at all this trolling as another big testimonial that FP Qigong works like very few systems out there!! ]   At any rate, on the Alchemcial Garden Forum (henceforth, "AG")--very nicely created and moderated by  "Roots of Virtue" and "Earl Gray"--and now Pak_Satrio"--you will find well-edited and organized topical pages that provide good starting advice for beginners--such as what appear on this page:

type in alchemical.garden.forms  (forward slash( threads (fwd slash) 48.

 

And you'll find a large batch of FPCK-related  topics under this tab:

alchemical.garden.forms   (forward slash) branch (fwd slash) zenbear

 

Happy Explorations!

 

Sifu Terry Dunn

 

 

^{www.taichimania.com/chikung_catalog.html}

^{terencedunn.substack.com}

Edited November 16, 2023 by zen-bear

[EFreethought]

1 hour ago, zen-bear said:

That's because 1/2 of the FPCK  system are the esoteric breath control formulas that precedes each and every one of the FP Meditations (8 standing; 24 seated (of which I've published 8 on DVD).  The  breath control formulas make up the "secret sauce" that makes this system so effective. 

 

So if someone does FPCK, should one refrain from doing other breathwork? Or is it okay if there is a span of an hour between?

 

I have been looking into some YouTube channels by some Wim Hof instructors (although they seem to have made some changes), some freedivers and pranayama people, and doing some breathwork and some breath holds.

 

Thanks for the response on the long form meditation.

[zen-bear]

On 11/7/2023 at 9:10 PM, EFreethought said:

 

So if someone does FPCK, should one refrain from doing other breathwork? Or is it okay if there is a span of an hour between?

 

I have been looking into some YouTube channels by some Wim Hof instructors (although they seem to have made some changes), some freedivers and pranayama people, and doing some breathwork and some breath holds.

 

Thanks for the response on the long form meditation.

Yes, refrain from doing other types of breathwork when learning FPCK for at least the first month--or at least until one has learned the system and can do all the meditations on the DVD series from memory--including the breath controls.  That's a lot of memorization by body and mind.  But that's how FPCK works best.

 

You can do other already established and familiar practices on the same days that you do FPCK.  But  keep the FPCK practice sessions separated from other practices by a good 3 hours.

Mixing into one's FPCK practice any other type of meditation, yoga or qigong with its different method of breathwork, mental focus, and/or visualization(s) --other than simple quiet sitting--only distracts from the FP Healing Qi cultivation and dilutes the effects of the FP exercises.  

Bottom line:  when starting to learn the FPCK system, separate other practices by 3+ hours--because the profound deep healing effects of FPCK will often set on again 3-4-5 hours after your practice has ended, as a good number of practitioners have described on this thread.  And you don't want to miss that resurgence of  FP Healing Qi...because it's a pretty blissful, startling experience in a delightful way.   And doing another type of practice right on the heels of FPCK might prevent or block this resurgence.

 

The exception to this rule is if you already have an established practice like Tai Chi Chuan or Kung Fu forms.

Also, as I mentioned, the Tao Tan Pai kung fu system and first level Nei Kung, the Tao Tan Pai 31 Basic Meditations are perfectly fine to do before FPCK  practice because the TTP-31 (a Qigong system that's as different from FPCK as night and day) just happens to act as a foundational catalyst that enhances and prolongs all the health benefits of FP Qigong.

 

But the basic answer is:  yes, refrain.

 

Sifu Terry

 

 

^{www.taichimania.com/chikung_catalog.html}

^{terencedunn.substack.com}

 

 

Edited November 22, 2023 by zen-bear

[EternalStudent]

On 11/4/2023 at 10:57 AM, Pak_Satrio said:

I agree, this would be my preferred method of learning over DVD. It would also be a good way to reach younger practitioners who have never seen a DVD or a DVD player in their life 😂

 

That sounds like an amazing experience! I wonder how you managed to reach him.

Exactly! While DVDs are still very much usable…they limit where you can train. For most people (especially the younger crowd) their main media device is going to be their phones. Not so much by choice but by convenience. 
 

Not the most optimal way to train, of course. But it’s still feasible. 
 

I would seem the FPCK energy brought me there. It was pretty obvious my intrusion wasn’t expected…haha. 

[whitecrane]

I've been enjoying my daily practice of the FP meditations, but I have a quick question. Is it ok to get acupuncture while practicing FPCK or will it interfere with the healing qualities of the meditations? 

 

I presume it would be best to separate FP from an acupuncture session by several hours, but will this be adequate to keep these two different healing modalities from interfering with one another?

 

[-ꦥꦏ꧀ ꦱꦠꦿꦶꦪꦺꦴ-]

On 17/11/2023 at 4:34 PM, whitecrane said:

I've been enjoying my daily practice of the FP meditations, but I have a quick question. Is it ok to get acupuncture while practicing FPCK or will it interfere with the healing qualities of the meditations? 

 

I presume it would be best to separate FP from an acupuncture session by several hours, but will this be adequate to keep these two different healing modalities from interfering with one another?

 

It’s fine, just keep a few hours between FP and acupuncture 

[Maddie]

On 11/17/2023 at 10:34 AM, whitecrane said:

I've been enjoying my daily practice of the FP meditations, but I have a quick question. Is it ok to get acupuncture while practicing FPCK or will it interfere with the healing qualities of the meditations? 

 

 

Interesting I've never done acupuncture on somebody while they were practicing Qigong 🤭

[Cobie]

.

Edited November 22, 2023 by Cobie

[-ꦥꦏ꧀ ꦱꦠꦿꦶꦪꦺꦴ-]

19 hours ago, Maddie said:

 

Interesting I've never done acupuncture on somebody while they were practicing Qigong 🤭

Oh shit I read it wrong, didn’t realise he meant literally at the same time!

 

20 hours ago, Pak_Satrio said:

It’s fine, just keep a few hours between FP and acupuncture 

 

No it’s not fine

[zen-bear]

On 11/19/2023 at 8:02 AM, Maddie said:

 

Interesting I've never done acupuncture on somebody while they were practicing Qigong 🤭

Hi Maddie,

 

When practicing FP Qigong and especially while learning it, you don't want any type of interruption of disturbance of any of the FP meditations.  You can certainly do FP Qigong before or after an acupuncture treatment, but under no circumstances should you have acupuncture done to you while you're practicing FP.   ABSOLUTELY NOT!   

Not only is any type of needling or touching of the body interruptive of the sublie state of consciousness induced by each FP Meditation, but as I've stated here on this thread dozens of time, FP Qigong does not follow or apply the laws of TCM--the princples of acupuncture do not apply at all to the Flying Phoenix Healing Qi cultivation.  FP Qigong and the entire Ehrmei Mountain Bok Fu Pai tradition is founded and premised on a totally different cosmology that TCM--one that utilizes the positions of the sun and the moon.  (Those curious about this distinction can confirm with my school brother, Sifu Garry Hearfield in Australia.)   TCM is valuable and effective and works just fine.  But FP Qigong and the Bok Fu Pai arts does not in any way utlize the cosmology and set theory of TCM.  As demonstrated and explained by GM Doo Wai when he taught us healing with the FP Healing Qi (in comparing it with Tao Tan Pai Energy Healing--of which I am thoroughly trained and ordained overall since 1981):  "We don't manipulate energy;  we just pass our hand over."

 

So keep your acupuncture treatments totally separated from your FP Qigong practice.

And, if you are an acupuncturist, NEVER give a treatment to someone who is doing an FP Meditation!!   NEVER.

 

Your's is one of the most interesting questions posted here, though.

 

Enjoy your exploration of FP Qigong.

 

Sifu Terry

 

P.S.  Here again is synoptic video showing lots of advanced FP seated Monk Serves Wine Meditations, followed by numerous scenes from my workshops of the standing FP Meditations and even one ultra-rare  10K Buddhas Ascending Meditation:

 

 

Edited November 22, 2023 by zen-bear

[Maddie]

7 minutes ago, zen-bear said:

Hi Maddie,

 

When practicing FP Qigong and especially while learning it, you don't want any type of interruption of disturbance of any of the FP meditations.  You can certainly do FP Qigong before or after an acupuncture treatment, but under no circumstances should you have acupuncture done to you while you're practicing FP.   ABSOLUTELY NOT!   

Not only is any type of needling or touching of the body interruptive of the sublie state of consciousness induced by each FP Meditation, but as I've stated here on this thread dozens of time, FP Qigong does not follow or apply the laws of TCM--the princples of acupuncture do not apply at all to the Flying Phoenix Healing Qi cultivation.  FP Qigong and the entire Ehrmei Mountain Bok Fu Pai tradition is founded and premised on a totally different cosmology that TCM--one that utilizes the positions of the sun and the moon.  (Those curious about this distinction can confirm with my school brother, Sifu Garry Hearfield in Australia.)   TCM is valuable and effective and works just fine.  But FP Qigong and the Bok Fu Pai arts does not in any way utlize the cosmology and set theory of TCM.  As demonstrated and explained by GM Doo Wai when he taught us healing with the FP Healing Qi (in comparing it with Tao Tan Pai Energy Healing--of which I am thoroughly trained and ordained overall since 1981):  "We don't manipulate energy;  we just pass our hand over."

 

So keep your acupuncture treatments totally separated from your FP Qigong practice.

And, if you are an acupuncturist, NEVER give a treatment to someone who is doing an FP Meditation!!   NEVER.

 

Your's is one of the most interesting questions posted here, though.

 

Enjoy your exploration of FP Qigong.

 

Sifu Terry

 

P.S.  Here again is synoptic video showing lots of advanced FP seated Monk Serves Wine Meditations, followed by numerous scenes from my workshops of the standing FP Meditations and even one ultra-rare  10K Buddhas Ascending Meditation:

 

 

 

That was a joke 😉🤭

[zen-bear]

On 11/17/2023 at 11:34 AM, whitecrane said:

I've been enjoying my daily practice of the FP meditations, but I have a quick question. Is it ok to get acupuncture while practicing FPCK or will it interfere with the healing qualities of the meditations? 

 

I presume it would be best to separate FP from an acupuncture session by several hours, but will this be adequate to keep these two different healing modalities from interfering with one another?

 

Hi White Crane,

Ooops.  I quoted  "Maddie"'s post above to answer your question.  Here is my answer again, nor properly addressed to you.

 

Yes, keep FP Qigong practice completely separated from receiving acupuncture treatements.

 

When practicing FP Qigong and especially while learning it, you don't want any type of interruption of disturbance of any of the FP meditations.  You can certainly do FP Qigong before or after an acupuncture treatment, but under no circumstances should you have acupuncture done to you while you're practicing FP.   ABSOLUTELY NOT!   

 

Not only is any type of needling or touching of the body interruptive of the subtle state of consciousness and physiological allostasis induced by each FP Meditation and each meditation cumulatively, but as I've stated here on this thread dozens of time, FP Qigong does not follow or apply the laws of TCM--the principles of acupuncture do not apply at all to the Flying Phoenix Healing Qi cultivation.  FP Qigong and the entire Ehrmei Mountain Bok Fu Pai tradition is founded and premised on a totally different cosmology than TCM--one that utilizes the positions of the sun and the moon.  (Those curious about this distinction can confirm with my school brother, Sifu Garry Hearfield in Australia.)   TCM is valuable and effective and works just fine.  But FP Qigong and the Bok Fu Pai arts does not in any way utliize the cosmology and set theory of TCM.  As demonstrated and explained by GM Doo Wai when he taught us healing with the FP Healing Qi (in comparing it to the Tao Tan Pai Energy Healing--of which I am thoroughly trained and ordained overall since 1981):                                                                        "We don't manipulate energy;  we just pass our hand over."

 

So keep your acupuncture treatments totally separated from your FP Qigong practice.

And, if you or any reader out there are an acupuncturist, NEVER give a treatment to someone who is doing an FP Meditation!!   NEVER!

 

Thanks for your interesting question here, though.

 

Enjoy your further exploration of FP Qigong.

 

Sifu Terry

 

P.S.  Here again is synoptic video showing lots of advanced FP seated Monk Serves Wine Meditations, followed by numerous scenes from my workshops of the standing FP Meditations and even one ultra-rare  10K Buddhas Ascending Meditation towards the end:

 

 

 

Edited December 3, 2023 by zen-bear

[zen-bear]

19 minutes ago, Maddie said:

 

That was a joke 😉🤭

Still, White Crane's question was interesting and worth my response.  One has to be very careful in practicing FP Qigong in seclusion and with no possibility of interruptions of any kind.    

Edited November 22, 2023 by zen-bear

[daokedao]

Hey everyone,

 

I've still been practicing consistently. A lot of new benefits:

-improved libido

-further relaxation

-improved ability to clear thoughts from my head

-coordination and connection

 

The last one deserves some explanation. After I practice, I feel like I have a strong awareness of my body. This happened too with other qigong, but as Sifu Terry and others have mentioned, the energy moves in a completely different way than other types, and this is giving me a lot of new tactile awareness and coordination.

 

In fact, I think the effect is so strong that I had some trouble adjusting to it! For a few months, I felt clumsy and uncoordinated after practice, and I suspect it's because I had to re-learn how to use this new awareness.

 

I also feel this "reserve" of energy just like others describe it. It's like a 5th gear I can shift into if I'm tired or need the inner calmness/strength to do something. And like mentioned before in this thread, it feels distinct from the regular "qi" built up from other qigong. I'm just in the beginning stages, but it feels more like an ocean, whereas in other qigong it feels more like a torrent.

 

So far I've also only practiced the first 4 standing meditations (no WAC yet), and the first 3 sitting (so just the warmups, not MSW yet). I'm already awestruck and I'm very excited for how much more I have ahead of me.

 

I do have some further questions for Sifu Terry:

1. Is there anything specific that could help with acid reflux? I get it at night and it interferes with my sleep. So far I've been practicing Monk Holding Pearl and the first seated warmup meditation before bed, but it doesn't help much with this.

 

2. I know the system is different from Chinese medicine, but does FP also indirectly improve the organs from a Chinese perspective? If I were to get my pulse taken before/after a few months of FP practice, would there be a difference?

 

3. How did you discover that Tao Tan Pai serves as a catalyst for FP? And could this hold true for other forms of Daoist neigong as well? I've learned some neigong from another qigong master and I'm wondering if I could try doing it before FP to achieve a similar effect. (and whether there are any signs that this is a bad idea and I should abort)

 

4. Besides slowing down my progress, are there any other negative consequences to doing some meditations disproportionately? I've been doing Monk Holding Pearl a lot more than the other exercises.

 

Thanks,

Alex

 

 

Edited November 26, 2023 by daokedao

[zen-bear]

On 11/26/2023 at 3:09 PM, daokedao said:

Hey everyone,

 

I've still been practicing consistently. A lot of new benefits:

-improved libido

-further relaxation

-improved ability to clear thoughts from my head

-coordination and connection

 

The last one deserves some explanation. After I practice, I feel like I have a strong awareness of my body. This happened too with other qigong, but as Sifu Terry and others have mentioned, the energy moves in a completely different way than other types, and this is giving me a lot of new tactile awareness and coordination.

 

In fact, I think the effect is so strong that I had some trouble adjusting to it! For a few months, I felt clumsy and uncoordinated after practice, and I suspect it's because I had to re-learn how to use this new awareness.

 

I also feel this "reserve" of energy just like others describe it. It's like a 5th gear I can shift into if I'm tired or need the inner calmness/strength to do something. And like mentioned before in this thread, it feels distinct from the regular "qi" built up from other qigong. I'm just in the beginning stages, but it feels more like an ocean, whereas in other qigong it feels more like a torrent.

 

So far I've also only practiced the first 4 standing meditations (no WAC yet), and the first 3 sitting (so just the warmups, not MSW yet). I'm already awestruck and I'm very excited for how much more I have ahead of me.

 

I do have some further questions for Sifu Terry:

1. Is there anything specific that could help with acid reflux? I get it at night and it interferes with my sleep. So far I've been practicing Monk Holding Pearl and the first seated warmup meditation before bed, but it doesn't help much with this.

 

2. I know the system is different from Chinese medicine, but does FP also indirectly improve the organs from a Chinese perspective? If I were to get my pulse taken before/after a few months of FP practice, would there be a difference?

 

3. How did you discover that Tao Tan Pai serves as a catalyst for FP? And could this hold true for other forms of Daoist neigong as well? I've learned some neigong from another qigong master and I'm wondering if I could try doing it before FP to achieve a similar effect. (and whether there are any signs that this is a bad idea and I should abort)

 

4. Besides slowing down my progress, are there any other negative consequences to doing some meditations disproportionately? I've been doing Monk Holding Pearl a lot more than the other exercises.

 

Thanks,

Alex

 

 

Hi Alex,

 

Sorry for delay in answering.  I've been unpacking after a 3-week move from Connecticut to a new abode in upstate New York.
I'm very glad to hear that you've experienced those 4 new health benefits in addition to the initial ones.

-improved libido   

-further relaxation

-improved ability to clear thoughts from my head

-coordination and connection

 

All 4 of the above are commonly occuring benefits from regular FP Qigong practice.

The "mind clearing" and ability to mentally focus is a benefit that I chalk up under what the late Master T.K. Shih defines as Qigong's 4th essential benefit:   (4) "improves intelligence".  See his book Qigong Therapy (Station Hill Press), which is required reading for all my students for the past 30 years:

https://www.thriftbooks.com/w/qi-gong-therapy-the-chinese-art-of-healing-with-energy_tsu-kuo-shih/842730/item/6841578/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=pmax_high_vol_scarce_%2410_%2450&utm_adgroup=&utm_term=&utm_content=&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAiAvdCrBhBREiwAX6-6Uj5-zSRSccZniyaJxeHsIveH7weMFcVH3omf4NRsercLQn5bfYK0dBoCDEoQAvD_BwE#idiq=6841578&edition=1105957

 

ANSWERS to your questions:

1. Is there anything specific that could help with acid reflux? I get it at night and it interferes with my sleep. So far I've been practicing Monk Holding Pearl and the first seated warmup meditation before bed, but it doesn't help much with this.

No, unfortunately, I'm not aware of any specific FP Qigong exercise  or combination that would help with that.  But right offhand, I would advise you to consult a good holistic nutritionist, if you haven't already.

 

 

2. I know the system is different from Chinese medicine, but does FP also indirectly improve the organs from a Chinese perspective? 
Of course it does.  As I explained early in this thread by quoting Grandmaster Doo Wai:  
"Flying Phoenix Qigong activates the self healing faculties of the body by bringing all the organ systems under the regulation of the subconscious mind."

 

If I were to get my pulse taken before/after a few months of FP practice, would there be a difference?

It depends on your lifestyle--on your balance of diet and exercise.  How active and/or athletic you are, and it depends on the quality of your diet.

 

3. How did you discover that Tao Tan Pai serves as a catalyst for FP? 

ANSWER:  after practicing Tao Tan Pai kung fu and Nei Kung for 40 solid  years (1973 to 2013) and teaching it for 30 years (since 1983), and while I was practicing and teaching FP Qigong for 20 solid years--from 1993 to 2013--those 20 years overlapping the last 20yrs of TTP practice,  I directly experienced the catalyzing, accelerative effects that TTP Qigong (starting with its basic level, the Tao Tan Pai Basic 31 Meditations) had on Flying Phoenix Qigong's cultivation.

 

And could this hold true for other forms of Daoist neigong as well? 

I don't know.  I can only speak from my experience of Tao Tan Pai nei Kung in relation to my practice of FP Qigong.

 

I started my training in Tao Tan Pai in 1975 at the Taoist Sanctuary of Los Angeles and received instructor's certification in the system in 1983 after learning its 5 animal kung fu forms and it's very powerful and esoteric Nei Kung system that has 6 distinct levels--7 levels if one includes the Tai Chi Ruler system that GM Share Lew also taught (but which we know comes from Huashan Taoism).  I began learning FP Qigong in early 1991 from GM Doo Wai and was teaching it on my own by late 1992.  In fact, GM Doo Wai had me teaching FP to the rest of the class immediately because I was picking it up so fast.  When I was learning the FP Qigong, I showed GM Doo Wai several levels of the Tao Tan Pai Yogas.  Because he was friends with and a peer of Taoist priest Share K. Lew and clearly understood what Tao Tan Pai Nei Kung was and could "see" how it worked,  he told me that it was fine to "mix the two energies."  Even so, over the years, I have kept my practice of TTP separated from my practice of FP Qigong and Bok Fu Pai internal arts by a minimum 2-3 hours because the two schools of nei kung are as different as night and day in terms of yogic methodology.

 

By 2013, after having taught Tao Tan Pai Basic 31 Meditations  (first level of TTP) alongside TTP Kung Fu for 30 years (since 1983) and after having taught FP Qigong for 20 solid years, when I began teaching both arts regularly every week in NCCAOM-accredited courses at Emperors College in Sant Monica (the No.2 acupuncture/Chinese medical college in America), I directly experienced the catalyzing and enhancing of the FP Qigong health benefits by the Tao Tan Pai Qigong--in every cell of my body.  If one masters the TTP system, which is extremely shen-driven, and then masters FP Qigong (and other Bok Fu Pai arts), which are mysteriously breathe-driven by virtue of their breathe-control formulas and posture-driven--all the while being very shen-passive , then one has the chops to note any synergies between the two systems.  And the synergies between Tao Tan Pai and FP Qigong happen to be directional:  TTP catalyzes, accelerates and enhances FP Qigong cultivation and its health benefits.  So technically speaking,  the effect of previous TTP training on FP Qigong really isn't "synergy" --but "catalyzation" of the FP Qigong cultivation by the Tao Tan Pai conditioning.

 

I've learned some neigong from another qigong master and I'm wondering if I could try doing it before FP to achieve a similar effect. (and whether there are any signs that this is a bad idea and I should abort).   

It depends on what the other system is and whether you have the complete system under your belt.

I would suggest  first mastering the other system in its entirety before juxtaposing its practice with FP Qigong practice and trying to compare the effects and note any interactions/synergies.  

 

4. Besides slowing down my progress, are there any other negative consequences to doing some meditations disproportionately? I've been doing Monk Holding Pearl a lot more than the other exercises.

No, there are no negative consequences by emphasizing one FP meditation over another or over others.  There's nothing wrong with doing Monk Holding Pearl a lot more than other meditations.  It also depends on your goals in FP practice and how fast or slow you want to learn the whole system.  Some people can learn it in 9 months.  Others prefer to take 3 years.  But ultimately, to derive the full potential benefits of FP Qigong, one must become proficient in the Long Form Meditation on Vol.4 that bears the name of teh system, "Flying Phoenix Heavenly Healing Chi Meditation."   
**As GM Doo Wai told me in 1992 --and I have this in videotape that will post on Vimeo or Youtube some time: 

                 "JUST ONE of the Flying Phoenix sequence will allow you to "bring them back".

                  JUST ONE of them will do it.   

                  Combine them all together and you'll do even more amazing things."

 

Enjoy your practice.  Practice correctly.

Put the time in and achieve the "gung"...

Then you will answer all your questions yourself.

Flying Phoenix Qigong is SELF-EXPLANATORY--because the system is so easy to practice while  its effects are so profound.

 

 

Sifu Terry Dunn

 

P,S.  December Newsletter is published -- with schedule of Zoom classes in Tao Tan Pai + FP Qigong, Yang Tai Chi Chuan 60-part Form, and Advanced FP Qigong:

terencedunn.substack.com

 

 

 

 

^{www.taichimania.com/chikung_catalog.html}

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited December 10, 2023 by zen-bear

[-ꦥꦏ꧀ ꦱꦠꦿꦶꦪꦺꦴ-]

Hi Sifu Terry @zen-bear,

 

This might be a silly question but I’ll ask it anyway. I’ve recently bought a smartwatch that can record pulse, breathe and other functions of the body. Is it safe to wear it while practicing Flying Phoenix or will the electronics etc interfere with the FP energy?

Regards,

 

Jonathon

 

 

 

[senseless virtue]

39 minutes ago, Pak_Satrio said:

This might be a silly question but I’ll ask it anyway. I’ve recently bought a smartwatch that can record pulse, breathe and other functions of the body. Is it safe to wear it while practicing Flying Phoenix or will the electronics etc interfere with the FP energy?

 

This is what Sifu Terry had to say about jewelry over a decade ago:

 

On 3/26/2011 at 6:29 AM, zen-bear said:

Flying Phoenix Qigong is so benign and very accommodating that one can wear rings, watch, bracelets (for the ladies) and all the neck jewelry and bling that one cares to while practicing. Normal jewelry will not interfere with the process of cultivating the FP healing energy. (I am excluding, of course, esoteric types of crystal jewelry created for alchemic purposes.)

 

I say this based on two levels of experience:

 

(1) In the years that I trained with GM Doo Wai, he only took his watch off for one purpose: to spar or to demonstrate martial techniques. When he practiced and demonstrated Flying Phoenix Qigong and other Bok Fu Pai (White Tiger) meditations--much of which I videotaped,the grandmaster never took off any of his jewelry. And he would wear rings, pendant on chain, and also certain pins on his clothing that signified his standing in the Chinese healing/herbalist community.

 

(2) Other forms of qigong and neigong are better practiced without jewelry or without clothing for that matter. For example, some of the advanced neigung exercises of Tao Tan Pai ("Taoist Elixir Method" Kung Fu) of Grandmaster Share K. Lew are best done without clothing. They just work better that way. Another reason is that one "sees" better if one is practicing in front of a mirror.

 

But that is not the case with FP Qigong: one's normal jewelry that one wears on a daily basis--and which carries one's energy anyway--is not a problem to wear while practicing.

 

Sifu Terry on electronics a few years ago:

 

On 12/12/2021 at 3:22 AM, zen-bear said:

Also, while we're on the topic of earphones filling the human auditory channel--and as a basic healthcare tip:  remember NOT to have an active smartphone next to your head or on your body for any extended period.  While there has been no definitive science that has proven any trends of increased head and neck injuries due to cell phone use over the past 20+ years, I believe,  based the science I've read to date, that smartphones today emit more low-frequency non-ionizing radiation than ever before because they are transmitting and receiving more complex data than ever before.  So to be safe, always turn on the speaker mode of your smartphone when conversing or use wired or Bluetooth earphones or  headsets instead of putting the phone next to your ear.  If you have to talk directly into a smartphone, tilt the phone away when you speak and bring it closer when you listen.  That's because a phone emits more radiation when its transmitting data than receiving date.  And every millimeter counts; the emitted radiation  decreases logarithmically the farther away you hold the phone.  [Flashback:  moreover, my accidental research in a Las Vegas hotel casino  back in the early 1990's had me observing hundreds of people coming out of a huge cellphone manufacturers' convention put on by Motorola, Nokia, Samsung, Apple, etc....and practically every single person with a visible phone was wearing wired headphones.  I figured then that that  industry knew something about dangers of cellphones that we consumers didn't. ] I still feel the same way today.

 

At any rate, to play it safe, make sure that you practice FP Qigong free of any radiation-emitting electronic devices.

Also, do not practice FP Qigong in any location that is spiritually active--unless you know with absolute certainty that the place is sacred!

 

 

On 3/5/2019 at 6:32 PM, zen-bear said:

It would make sense if you said not to do it at home, because I have a lot of difficulty doing it there, it just seems to be more awkward generally, either I get interrupted by my child, or I get distracted by sounds like someone being there, or whatever the obstacle may be on any given day. It may look like coincidence, but it may be because I should not?

••  You've pretty much answered your own question about whether you should practice FP Qigong at home or not.  Co-habitating spirit(s) aside, because your practice is generally more distracted, awkward, and interrupted at home, unless you can secure your abode and shut out any and all forms of mundane interference, you would be better off practicing in a more quiet, comfortable and secluded setting.  If you have no other alternatives to practicing FP at work in a room with a lot electronic equipment, then that will have to suffice.  It is certainly not ideal, but at least you won't be interrupted.  Everyone has to cope and make do with their environments in order to practice FP.  Over the years, I've practiced countless times in spaces with turned-on electronic equipment and/or machinery not in operation.  And as a matter of  fact, when GM Doo Wai taught me and the circle of students I had formed in the early 90's, about 80% of training was in a hotel room with the television turned on.

 

Hopefully this helps while Sifu Terry's answer is still pending.

Edited December 11, 2023 by senseless virtue
quoting Sifu Terry

[-ꦥꦏ꧀ ꦱꦠꦿꦶꦪꦺꦴ-]

Thanks for the detailed answer @senseless virtue!

[zen-bear]

On 12/11/2023 at 5:05 AM, Pak_Satrio said:

Hi Sifu Terry @zen-bear,

 

This might be a silly question but I’ll ask it anyway. I’ve recently bought a smartwatch that can record pulse, breathe and other functions of the body. Is it safe to wear it while practicing Flying Phoenix or will the electronics etc interfere with the FP energy?

Regards,

 

Jonathon

 

 

 

Hi Jonathon,

 

Thanks to Senseless Virtue for answering your question and citing my past posting about cell phones and their electromagnetic radiation.

 

I don't believe that a major brand smartwatch would interfere with  Flying Phoenix Qigong practice and cultivation--unless it somehow physically unbalances your postures and movement.  But I say this without any knowledge about the electromagnetic radiation emitted by a smartwatch (if any).  I don't know if the EM radiation emitted by a smartwatch is greater or comparable to that emitted by cell phones.  I would guess less, but that's purely a guess.

 

I do know this much:  radiation issues aside, because FP Qigong does NOT require active visualization (mental imaging), one's mind can be anywhere/thinking about anything once one has completed the breath-control formula for each meditation.  So if you're thinking about how the smartwatch is monitoring your vital signs, etc., that's not a problem!  

 

Enjoy your practice and your smartwatch --unless you start feeling weird!

 

Sifu Terry

 

P.S.   Cell phones:  With regards to cell phones, I had posted on 12/11/21 (cited above) that it's best to play it safe and not have a cellular phone on your body or too close to you when practicing FP Qigong or any type of meditation.  While long-term studies by medical science have shown that the radio frequency (RF) emitted by cell phones has not caused measurable increase in cancers of the head and nervous system, cell phones have been known to interfere with pacemakers.  Based on the pacemaker issue alone, I would say, keep the cell phone a good distance away while practicing FP Qigong, even if you don't have a pacemaker(!)  Also, the ring or vibration from an incoming call can often be quite jarring  and very disruptive of FP Qigong cultivation.  No sudden interruptions is an essential safeguard for FP Qigong practice.

 

 

^{www.taichimania.com/chikung_catalog.html}

terencedunn.substack.com

 

 

Edited December 14, 2023 by zen-bear

[zen-bear]

HAPPY WINTER SOLSTICE to all.

 

Here is my demonstration from 4 years ago of "Moonbeam Splashes On Water" (on Vol. 3) --the second most advanced moving meditation in the FP Qigong system--done at the proper slow speed.  This is an advanced meditation that I know is not practiced enough by FP enthusiasts and practitioners because I don't get very many questions about it. 

All I can say is, "JUST DO IT."     And you'll be glad you did!

Sifu Terry

 

^{www.taichimania.com/chikung_catalog.html}

terencedunn.substack.com