True Freedom: You Already Have Everything You Need

Martial Arts is a way of being in life. It's very difficult in the beginning to make your practice into a habit and even when you've been doing it for many years, there can still be a struggle. But this is good because it shows your practice is constantly challenging you. The key to rising to the challenge is to make a strong commitment to your martial arts practice from the very beginning. This commitment automatically makes you practice, and any thoughts that go against your practice can be more easily dismissed.

In order to gain something you have to give up something. For example, you can't eat chocolate cake every day and lose weight. It's true that a martial artist does not have as much "freedom" as a non-martial artist because so much of your time is taken up with the practice. But what exactly is freedom?

Martial Arts helps us to be. If you can just be then you don't have so much desire for external things. If you can be, the Buddha says, all of your good qualities are already there. You don't need to try to do something to make yourself happy because your happiness will manifest by itself. This to me, is true freedom.

Shifu Yan Lei is a 34th generation fighting disciple form The Shaolin Temple in China, he offers a graded path in Qigong and Kung Fu:
http://www.shifuyanlei.co.uk/dvd_latest_release.html

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Shaolin Xi Sui Jing and Ee Jin Gong Qigong

The most famous Qigong forms that come from the Shaolin Temple in China are called Xi Sui Jing and Ee Jin Gong. Ee Jin purifies the muscles and tendons and Xi Sui purifies the bone marrow. Shaolin monks have trained in these two forms for thousands of years and they continue to train in these forms because they know that this Qigong enables them to be their best at kung fu.

Two wings of a bird

I am always emphasising how important it is to train in both Qigong and kung fu. Or internal and external. Even if you are not a martial artist, for good health and longevity you should train in Qigong. It is like the two wings of a bird. Qigong helps you to stretch better, kick better and punch better. Not only does it increase your speed, power, and stamina but it also increases your concentration and balances your mind and body. It gives you the strength and foundation to practice intense physical training without the fear of burn out. Qigong insures our internal organs work properly, only when our internal organs work properly can we be at our most efficient. The Shaolin monks used Qigong to help them gain enlightenment, the Taoists to live the longest life possible. We can use Qigong to stay healthy and maximise the power of our martial art. You don’t need to do Shaolin kung fu to practice Qigong, you can do Karate, Muay Thai, Taekwondo, what ever martial art’s you do, Qigong will take you to the peak of your power.

Shaolin Energy Massage

One important aspect of Xi Sui Jing and EE Jin Gong is the self-massage that we do when we’ve finished the form. At first we use a bamboo brush which has a hundred and eight bamboo rods. Massaging with the Shaolin energy brush create vibrations which relieve stress and tension in the muscles, assist in unblocking the  channels, and help the body to detox through the stimulation of the lymphatic system. It cleans the skin and helps the Qi and blood to flow properly. It acts as a natural battery charger for the body. If we are only interested in health then we continue to use this bamboo brush but if we are a martial artist then - when we move to Volume 3 of The Way of Qi Gong - we begin to use the metal brush.

Massage for fighters

When you get to this stage, it means you can use power to hit yourself and the power of vibration goes inside your bone marrow. This is one of the reasons why it cleans your body. If you want to be a fighter then you must use the iron brush to hit yourself. The stronger you are, the harder you can hit yourself and your body will feel happy. If your body can’t take the pain then it means there’s something wrong. You have to be very careful with this training as you don’t want to risk damaging your internal organs. There should never be any feelings of pain. If there are this means that your internal organs are not strong enough and you need to slow down, check your training programme and see where you are going wrong. You should never hit use the metal brush unless you are under the supervision of a qualified master.

Body of stone

The combination of Qigong and self-massage is enough to make our body strong like stone but a stone isn’t a weapon. So how do we go on to use our body of stone and turn it into a weapon? I come back again to the two wings of a bird. We need both internal and external. In this modern world, I feel that some people have lost the true meaning of Shaolin. They believe that all they need to do is focus on their fighting skills to be a good fighter, or they believe that all they need to do is focus on their Qigong and forget all about external. Or they think of Shaolin as something that looks nice but is useless. Shaolin does have performance in it but it should never be reduced to that or it becomes little more than a dance. A dance is not a martial art. A dance can not help us in the ring, it can not help us to defend ourselves, and neither can it help us to live a long and healthy life. But authentic Shaolin can. All we need to do is step onto the path and follow the steps that your master shows you or I demonstrate on my Shaolin Warrior series of DVDs.

House of health

Qigong is not a secret. It just takes practice. Focus on the breathing with the movement together. This is the key to unlocking the door. The Qigong forms are the blueprint for you to build your house with. Day by day, moment by moment your practice is the bricks that build your house of health.

It takes time and patience. When you master Qigong, your Qi begins to circle around your body from your head to your feet and back again.  You can then use your internal organs and your Qi to lift weight that wouldn’t be possible with muscle alone. This increases the feeling and power of the Qi just like we need water pressure for water to run through our taps, we practice with weights to increase the power of our Qi.

But this level of training can never be practiced alone but only with a qualified master where as Xi Sui Jing and EE Jin Gong and the Shaolin Energy Massage can all be learnt and mastered directly from my books or DVDs. These Qigong’s are not only safe but powerful. Even if done wrong, they can’t harm the body, it just means they are little more than a stretching exercise.
 

I believe that the practice of Qigong is as vital as eating and now that I’m thirty-six it’s only through my Qigong practice that I can continue to train in kung fu and keep my power, stamina and fitness level at a high level. If you are skeptical, then don’t take my word for it but discover for yourself  and see what Shaolin Qigong can do for you.

The Power of Desire: How To Find A Way To Love The Things You Hate

In order to shoot my book: Instant Health: The Shaolin Qigong Workout For Longevity, I had to train harder than I usually train because I knew that I had to climb mountains with heavy camera equipment and lights and when I got to the top I had to perform Shaolin movements and jumps and kicks over and over again so it would look perfect for the book.

Before I left for China, as well as my regular Shaolin training I stepped up my stamina training. At six am in the morning there I would be on the treadmill running for one and a half hours. I began to dread the treadmill and half-way through my training I really felt sick at the sight of that treadmill!

In order to continue my training, I had to find a way to replace hate with love. I did this is by setting daily challenges for myself to run faster or further and when I achieved them I felt happy. If I had kept up the "I hate the treadmill" attitude then I would have lost my physical strength and energy. From this experience I realised an important lesson. My desire to make a good book over-ruled any objections that I had to training hard and that is the reason I found ways to keep going.

We are ruled by desire. Desire is a powerful energy which we can use in our training. Whether you are a serious martial artist or you have just picked up my martial art's DVDs with a vague interest in Qigong or getting fit, the desire is the same. We all want to live long, healthy and happy life. Shaolin training helps us to achieve this.

You may have other goals: self-defence, lose weight, get fit or be a great martial artist. Shaolin can help you do this too. But these are long term goals and we need to use the energy of desire that is right here now.

Utilise this energy into small goals and achievements. Replace negative self-talk with positive attitudes. Try swapping " I hate" to "I love" and let your mind find a way to love what you hate. Let your mind be as flexible as your body. Challenge yourself. Even if you only practice a little Qigong every now and again, begin to see yourself as a true Shaolin warrior and keep in touch with the real warrior not only when you train but when you are at work or with your family or at play.

Shaolin Qigong and Kung Fu is not just for martial artists but for anyone who wants to live a long and healthy life. e>

What is Qigong Chi Gong?

Qi Gong Chi Gong For Health And Longevity
What is Qigong Chi Gong?

Qi Gong (sometimes spelt Chi Gong and pronounced Chee like cheese) is a simple, natural and powerful set of breathing exercises that originate from the Shaolin Temple of Zen in China. Qigong taps into the inner reservoir of energy and restores our body to its original programme of health

In China, Qigong is called the secret of youth and longevity because it slows the ageing process down and promotes health and longevity from the inside out. Time-tested for thousands of years, studies today have found that Qigong exercise can boost levels of one of the most important ‘anti-ageing’ enzymes in the body.

Qigong History

In the past Qigong was passed down secretly from generation to generation at the Shaolin Temple in China. Bodhidharma (the founder of Zen) was the 1st generation and I am one of the 34th generations. In 1985 the Chinese government granted its approval of Qigong and I now have permission to teach what I learnt at the temple.

Qigong Exercise

A set of Qigong exercises is called a form. There are thousands of Qigong exercises (forms) but the Shaolin Temple believe that the most powerful Qigong exercise for health comes from the Yi Yin Jing (Muscle/Tendon Changing Classic) and Xi Sui Jing (Bone Marrow Cleansing Classic).

Muscle Tendon Changing and Bone Marrow Cleansing Classic

When the Bodhidharma came to the Shaolin Temple he found the monks were weak from sitting meditation. Just as the Buddha had realised the health of the body was as important as the health of the mind in order to gain enlightenment, the Bodhidharma developed a unique system of Qigong to energize the monks and help them gain enlightenment.

The Yi Yin Jing Xi Sui Jing taught the monks how to use Qi to clean the bone marrow and strengthen the blood and immune system, as well as how to energize the brain. This helped them to attain Buddhahood.

Eight Simple Qigong Exercises

The Eight Treasures (sometimes called Eight Pieces of Brocade and in Chinese Ba Duan Yin) are the eight most powerful movements from the Yi Yin Jing Xi Sui Jing. This form is possibly the most popular Qigong in the China. There are many different variations of this form but in The Way of Qigong Volume 1 and my Insant Health book, I teach the original Buddhist Qigong exactly as it was taught in the temple.

Eight Great Exercises: Eight Great Reasons To Do Qigong

Regulate blood pressure
Boost the immune system
Ease the stress and strain of working at a computer
Optimize energy
Turn back the clock
Harmonize the mind and body
Help with co-ordination (therefore preventing falls later on in life)
Prevent illness and promote good health

Qigong Training

Qigong training can be done by adults of all ages. The healing exercises can even be done in just a few minutes a day so you can easily fit them into your hectic lifestyle. Please take a minute to raise your arms to the sky, then stretch them out in front of you, and finally stretch them out to the side, this is the only space you need to begin your practice. The only equipment you need is an Insant Health Massage Brush.

Qigong Massage

An important part of the Qigong Workout Program is the self-massage with a bamboo massage brush. The 108 bamboo rods in this massage brush create vibrations which relieve stress and tension in the muscles, assist in unblocking the acupuncture channels, and help the body to detoxify through the stimulation of the lymphatic system. Students have reported that if used directly on the skin (rather than through clothing) it has helped them to reduce and prevent cellulite.


Learn Qigong Now

I provide a very simple introduction to a sitting Qigong which you can start practicing with right now. Whether you want to learn Qigong in the UK, the USA or whatever part of the world you are in, I provide three simple ways for you to learn Qigong so that you can start right now.

Qigong Book

Instant Health: The Shaolin Qigong Workout For Longevity is a step-by-step guide to increasing your health and longevity. As well as teaching The Eight Treasures Qigong, I also guide you through Qigong Breathing, Qigong Stretching, Qigong Meditation and Qigong Massage.

Qigong DVD

In The Way Of Qigong Volume 1 I teach the same form of Qigong that is taught in Instant Health: The Shaolin Qigong Workout For Longevity. In The Way Of Qigong 2 & Volume 3, I teach Yi Yin Jing (Muscle/Tendon changing classic) and Xi Sui Jing.I also goes into more detail about the Qigong massage.
Both the books and the DVDs work as stand alone products on their own. It is not necessary to purchase both but students have found that they do compliment each other.

Qigong Class

You can also do a private classes with me. I teach in London UK and Los Angeles USA. Qigong is a powerful form of self-healing which works directly with the bodies own medicine. The goal is for our body to become its own doctor. The Qigong exercises that I teach in my books and DVDs are safe and highly effective. However, there are some forms of Qigong which cannot be taught correctly or safely in a book or a DVD. These include all of the 72 styles such as Iron Shirt, Iron Leg, and also some of the more potent Healing Qigongs such as the secret Shaolin Temple Bone Marrow Qi Lifting Qigong.
Bone Marrow Qi Lifting has both a Taoist practice and a Buddhist practice. I teache the Buddhist practice which is significantly different from the Taoist practice. This can only be transmitted master to student. The female Bone Marrow Qi Lifting is taught by my female student.

Qigong Questions

Once you begin your Qigong program, you become my student and if you have any questions which aren’t answered in my books or DVDs, you can email me and someone from his team will do their best to help. If they can’t answer, your enquiry will be passed directly to me.

Frequently Asked Questions About Qigong

How many times a week should I practice?

Regular practice is necessary. Like all things, it’s best you do a little every day rather than once hour a week. The minimum is three times a week, if you can practice Qigong once a day then that is ideal. The quality of the practice is more important than the quantity. If you sign up to the newsletter you will receive monthly training tips and regular guidance from Shifu to help you stay motivated to train.

What is the difference between Tai Qi and Qigong?

Qigong is solely about internal training. It focuses on the breath with the movement. Tai Qi also includes self-defence. Tai Chi movements are flowing like water while Qigong movements use a dynamic stretch.

What is the difference between yoga and qigong?

Qigong is sometimes described as Chinese Yoga but this description is not entirely accurate. There are many yoga practioners who find that finishing of their yoga practice with Qigong helps to deepen their practice because the kind of stretching we do in Qigong is a different type to that done in yoga.
Only when sunlight is focused on a small area of glass can it start a fire. Qigong is the same. The only focus is on our Qi. This narrow focus gives Qigong a different kind of power and energy.

Is there a Qigong for women?

All of the Qigong Forms that Shifu teaches in his books and DVDs are suitable for women and men. Latest research shows that practicing Ba Duan Jin can prevent bone loss in middle-aged women.
Bone Marrow Qi Lifting is a secret Qigong from the Shaolin Temple. One of these Qigongs is specifically for women. This Qigong can only be taught privately. It is necessary to learn The Eight Treasures Qigong Form before beginning this secret Qigong practice.

How does Qigong manage stress?

Hormone levels, heart rate and blood pressure increase when a person is under stress. Researchers have found that the nervous system becomes highly active. Research has also found that Qigong reduces activity in the nervous system. The Qigong movements help to harmonize the mind and body, regulate blood pressure and reduce the level of stress hormone. Qigong helps to bring about a state of deep but alert relaxation.

Is Qigong safe to learn from a book or DVD?


There are some types of Qigong  which are not safe to learn from a book or a DVD such as hard Qigongs like Iron Shirt, or some of the more potent medical Qigong's such as Qi Lifting. These Qigong Techniques can only be transmitted master to student and I only teach these on a one to one basis. The Qigong Forms that I teach in my book and DVDs are safe and effective.  Once you've finished The Eight Treasures Form from Instant Health and The Way Of Qigong or any of the other Qigong Forms on my DVDs, you will feel calmer, more expansive, your face will look relaxed and more alert. As you continue, you will have more energy and your sleep will be deeper. You will feel more at peace with the world because you feel more at peace with yourself. If you listen to your body, it is wise and has its own instincts. Trust it.

Qigong Empowerment – Yin and Yang

Modern science is discovering that the mind and body are not separate from each other but interdependent, and a mind at peace with itself protects the body’s health. In order to maximize our health and longevity we need to do not only Qigong but also a form of weight bearing and cardiovascular exercise such as Kung Fu

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