Why Meditation is Important to the Martial Arts

Why Meditation is Important to the Martial Arts

by Jáchym Jerie, January 24, 2011

Disciple of Dr. Yang, Jwing-Ming at the YMAA CA Retreat Center

Also featured in the Spring 2011 Issue of Qi-Journal: http://www.qi-journal.com/

To reach the full potential as a martial arts practitioner, you must begin by training your mind. One way to accomplish this task is through sitting meditation. Through meditation your awareness, calm, and focus will increase. These are all very important factors in martial arts. Without awareness, you will not be able to fight in a battle without getting hit or even killed. Without focus, you will not be able to catch the right opportunity to strike or defend, which could be disastrous. Without calmness, you will not be able to focus or relax. If you tense up out of fear, you will burn out quickly. You must learn how to manipulate your energy, which will be referred to as Qi (氣) of the body so it will not disperse unused. Also you can activate more energy when it is really necessary.

All these benefits can be gained through embryonic breathing, which is the type of meditation focused in this article.

Embryonic Breathing Theory

To understand the concept of embryonic breathing, you have to know the basic energy system of the body. The human body has two polarities, one resides in the brain, and the other is in the abdomen region. The latter is called the real lower Dantian (丹田), while the former is known as the upper Dantian. There is another Dantian positioned at the solar plexus area, but not covered in this article. The lower Dantian is the battery for the whole body. It resides in the abdomen region. The structure of the abdomen allows Qi to be stored to a high level and from there it can supply the whole body.

The upper Dantian is in the limbic system located between the ears. Some Qi Gong (氣功) practitioners believe that this is the residence of the spirit and your true self.

The lower and upper Dantian communicate through the spinal cord. The communication occurs here because the spinal cord is composed of material highly conductive to Qi. This enables the two brains to act as one. Physically, they are two, but in action, they are one.

Yin and Yang

The energy of the Dantians has two polarities; the lower Dantian is the Yang (陽) side, and the upper Dantian is the Yin (陰) side. The two polarities regulate the whole energy system of the body. The Yang side supplies the quantity, while the Yin side supplies the quality. The quality of the energy will improve as the practitioner learns how to focus better. However, it is not a task that can be finished since there are unlimited levels of focus. Only through practice can you attempt to achieve a level of focus where outside distractions will not register. To improve the quantity, you have to condition the lower Dantian. For further information please refer to the book Qigong, The Secret of Youth—Da Mo's Muscle/Tendon Changing and Marrow/Brain Washing Classics, by Dr. Yang, Jwing-Ming.

False Dantian

The whole abdominal area is called false Dantian and can store energy to some extent, but once it is full, the energy will be distributed and consumed. The energy that is stored there comes from fat conversion, which happens as we move our abdomen, in normal or reverse abdominal breathing, which will be discussed later in this article. About one and a half inches below the navel, there is a cavity which is called Qihai (氣海) or false Dantian. Through this cavity one can lead Qi into and out of the real lower Dantian.

Semi-sleeping State and the Mind

The Chinese believe that human beings have two kinds of minds. One is called Yi (意) and the other one is called Xin (心). Yi is steady like a horse and represents wisdom. Xin is like a monkey and represents the emotional mind. To calm down the emotional mind, you should focus on your breathing. The semi-sleeping state is very important for meditation. Once we get to the semi-sleeping state the subconscious mind starts to wake up. The control of the conscious mind gets thinner and thinner. Once you meditate for a while, you might experience the surfacing of emotions such as anger or sorrow. Those feelings are most likely trapped emotions from the past, and you should release them.

Despite this, the semi-sleeping state is a condition in which we can best concentrate. When we are in the conscious state, our mind registers a lot of things and gets distracted by the outside world. Once we reach the semi-sleeping state, those distractions from outside fade away. Of course it is not easy to keep the semi-sleeping state without falling into the sleeping state. Through regular practice you will be able to do so.

Normal Abdominal Breathing

As you inhale, the diaphragm drops down and the abdomen pushes out. The Huiyin (會 陰), located between the anus and the testicles (essentially the perineum), also pushes out. As you exhale, the abdomen withdraws and the diaphragm moves back up to push air out. The Huiyin also gently pulls in.

This breathing technique is mostly used for relaxation purposes and is a very natural and familiar way to breathe. Babies instinctively use abdominal breathing. However, most people develop the habit of breathing with their ribcage as they grow older.

Reverse Abdominal Breathing

Reverse abdominal breathing is the opposite of normal abdominal breathing. As you inhale, the Huiyin and abdomen draw in. As you exhale, the Huiyin and abdomen push out. This breathing method helps to lead and build Qi more efficiently and should be used during meditation. Reverse abdominal breathing occurs naturally quite often, such as when laughing or crying. Reverse abdominal breathing also helps to energize muscles to a higher level, so it also occurs without thought when power or strength is needed, for example, when pushing heavy objects.

Embryonic Breathing

Embryonic breathing is the foundation for many kinds of meditation and Qigong exercises. Please note, it is very important to establish a good foundation before you can move onto any advanced exercises. If you want to master embryonic breathing, you have to practice the normal and reverse abdominal breathing techniques.

Embryonic breathing itself is basically the reverse abdominal breathing exercise with the mind placed into the lower Dantian. A step by step approach is discussed below. When the mind is placed into the center, one stores the energy there, since the mind and Qi are connected.

How does Meditation Work?

To get a deep understanding of meditation requires time and a lot of practice. To achieve success, you need to be patient and have perseverance. If you would like to start meditating, think about an available time in your schedule. It is preferable to meditate at the same time each day. This will establish a routine, and will make it easier for you to settle your mind faster.

Meditation can be practiced in almost any position. Here, at the YMAA Retreat Center, we like to sit on a cushion with crossed legs. This is practical as we will do further exercises in this position. You may prefer to sit on a chair or even lay down. The first step of embryonic breathing is to calm down your emotional mind. You do this by focusing on your breathing and relaxing your body. In the beginning, you might get distracted and think about other issues instead of paying attention to your breathing. If you get distracted, simply bring your mind back to your breathing. It will take some time until you feel comfortable with focusing inward and pushing external thoughts away.

Benefits Gained Through Meditation

As you progress, you will naturally start to inhale into your abdomen and this will have a great effect on your health. The diaphragm drops down as you inhale which massages the organs that are below it, in particular the kidneys, liver and spleen. The kidneys produce hormones and through the massage, the production goes up. These hormones are a bio-catalyst which helps make chemical processes in the body run more smoothly. As we age, the hormone production goes down; therefore it is important to keep the hormone production at a proper level.

Through proper, relaxed, and smooth breathing, you take in a lot of oxygen. This will ensure that the practitioner has a faster metabolism. Only with air are we able to change food into energy, therefore, it is extremely important to build up the right breathing habits.

In addition, you will learn how to manipulate your energy. Using the correct technique of breathing, you can manifest more energy or store it in the center and in the bone marrow. That’s why you can store energy when there is abundance, and manifest it when it is really necessary. Through meditation, the mind calms down and becomes more focused. This is crucial since focus is needed for all the tasks we face in daily life. It helps to solve them efficiently and thoroughly. You will find a solution to a problem faster when you are focused and calm, rather than when you are distracted and agitated.

Often we read that our life will get easier through meditation. This is only partially true. Meditation is hard work and it requires a tremendous amount of discipline. It will bring you to the point where you face your true self, and this might not be an easy task.

I believe that one of the reasons why we have so many things that keep us occupied is because we don't want to listen to our inner selves. No one really likes to look into a mirror and see all the flaws you have. But this is the only way we can evolve. As you meditate, you might feel emotions coming up without any apparent reason. Those emotions are the ones which we hold back. The only way to deal with them is to let them out. Mediation can be a very powerful tool in your life for improving mental well being as well as physical health.

Jáchym Jerie is a disciple of Dr. Yang, Jwing-Ming at the YMAA CA Retreat Center, which is located in Humboldt County, CA. Jáchym grew up in Switzerland and has been training Kung Fu since he was 17.

For more information: www.YMAA.com

Relax your Mind, Establish Root, Cultivate Qi.

Qigong General Training by Dr. Yang, Jwing-Ming

Every qigong form or practice has its special training purpose and theory. If you do not know the purpose and theory, you have lost the root (meaning) of the practice. Therefore, as a qigong practitioner, you must continue to ponder and practice until you understand the root of every set or form. Remember that getting the gold is not enough. Like the boy in the old Chinese story, you should concern yourself with learning the trick of turning the rock into gold. You can see that getting the gold is simply gaining the flowers and branches, and there can be no growth. However, if you have the trick, which is the theory, then you will have the root and you may continue to grow by yourself.

In Chinese qigong society, it is commonly known that in order to reach the goal of qigong practice, you must learn how to regulate the body (tiao shen, 調身), regulate the breathing (tiao xi, 調息), regulate the emotional mind (tiao xin, 調心), regulate the qi (tiao qi, 調氣), and regulate the spirit (tiao shen, 調神). Tiao in Chinese is constructed from two words, "言" (yan, means speaking or talking) and "周" (zhou, means round or complete). That means the roundness (i.e., harmony) or the completeness is accomplished by negotiation. Like an out of tune in piano, you must adjust it and make it harmonize with others. This implies that when you are regulating one of the above five processes, you must also coordinate and harmonize the other four regulating elements.

Regulating the body includes understanding how to find and build the root of the body, as well as the root of the individual forms you are practicing. To build a firm root, you must know how to keep your center, how to balance your body, and most important of all, how to relax so that the qi can flow.

To regulate your breathing, you must learn how to breathe so that your respiration and your mind mutually correspond and cooperate. When you breathe this way, your mind can attain peace more quickly, and therefore concentrate more easily on leading the qi.

Regulating the mind involves learning how to keep your mind calm, peaceful, and centered so that you can judge situations objectively and lead qi to the desired places. The mind is the main key to success in qigong practice.

Regulating the qi is one of the ultimate goals of qigong practice. In order to regulate your qi effectively you must first have regulated your body, breathing, and mind. Only then will your mind be clear enough to sense how the qi is distributed in your body and understand how to adjust it.

For Buddhist and Daoist priests who seek enlightenment or Buddhahood, regulating the spirit (shen) is the final goal of qigong. This enables them to maintain a neutral, objective perspective of life, and this perspective is the eternal life of the Buddha. The average qigong practitioner has lower goals. He raises his spirit in order to increase his concentration and enhance his vitality. This makes it possible for him to lead qi effectively throughout his entire body so that it carries out the managing and guarding duties. This maintains health and slows the aging process.

If you understand these few things you can quickly enter into the field of qigong. Without all of these important elements, your training will be ineffective and your time will be wasted.

Before you start training, you must first understand that all of the training originates in your mind. You must have a clear idea of what you are doing, and your mind must be calm, centered, and balanced. This also implies that your feeling, sensing, and judgment must be objective and accurate. This requires emotional balance and a clear mind. This takes a lot of hard work, but once you have reached this level you will have built the root of your physical training, and your yi (mind) can lead your qi throughout your physical body.

Regulating the Body (Tiao Shen, 調身)

When you learn any qigong, either moving or still, the first step is to learn the correct postures or movements. After you have learned the postures and movements, learn how to improve them until you can perform the forms accurately. Then you start to regulate your body until it has reached the stage that could provide the best condition for the qi to build up or to circulate.

In still qigong practice or soft qigong movement, this means to adjust your body until it is in the most comfortable and relaxed state. This implies that your body must be centered and balanced. If it is not, you will be tense and uneasy, and this will affect the judgment of your yi and the circulation of your qi. In Chinese medical society it is said: “[When] shape [body’s posture] is not correct, then the qi will not be smooth. [When] the qi is not smooth, the yi [wisdom mind] will not be peaceful. [When] the yi is not peaceful, then the qi is disordered." You should understand that the relaxation of your body originates with your yi. Therefore, before you can relax your body, you must first relax or regulate your mind (yi). This is called "shen xin ping heng," (身心平衡) which means "body and heart [i.e., mind] balanced." The body and the mind are mutually related. A relaxed and balanced body helps your yi to relax and concentrate. When your yi is at peace and can judge things accurately, your body will be relaxed, balanced, centered, and rooted. Only when you are rooted can you raise up your spirit of vitality.


Three Levels of Qigong Relaxation

Relaxation is one of the major keys to success in qigong. You should remember that only when you are relaxed will all your qi channels be open. In order to be relaxed, your yi must first be relaxed and calm. When the yi coordinates with your breathing, your body can relax.

In qigong practice there are three levels of relaxation. The first level is the external physical relaxation, or postural relaxation. This is a very superficial level, and almost anyone can reach it. It consists of adopting a comfortable stance and avoiding unnecessary strain in how you stand and move. The second level is the relaxation of the muscles and tendons. To do this your yi must be directed deep into the muscles and tendons. This relaxation will help open your qi channels, and will allow the qi to sink and accumulate in the dan tian.

The final stage is the relaxation that reaches the internal organs and the bone marrow. Remember, only if you can relax deep into your body will your mind be able to lead the qi there. Only at this stage will the qi be able to reach everywhere. Then you will feel –transparent—as if your whole body had disappeared. If you can reach this level of relaxation, you can communicate with your organs and use qigong to adjust or regulate the qi disorders that are giving you problems. You will also be able to protect your organs more effectively, and therefore slow down their degeneration.

Rooting

In all qigong practice it is very important to be rooted. Being rooted means to be stable and in firm contact with the ground. If you want to push a car you have to be rooted; the force you exert into the car needs to be balanced by the force into the ground. If you are not rooted, when you push the car you will only push yourself away and not move the car. Your root is made up of your body's sinking, centering, and balance.

Before you can develop your root, you must first relax and let your body "settle." As you relax, the tension in the various parts of your body will dissolve, and you will find a comfortable way to stand. You will stop fighting the ground to keep your body up and will learn to rely on your body's structure to support itself. This lets the muscles relax even more. Since your body isn't struggling to stand up, your yi won't be pushing upward, and your body, mind, and qi will all be able to sink. If you let dirty water sit quietly, the impurities will gradually settle to the bottom, leaving the water above it clear. In the same way, if you relax your body enough to let it settle, your qi will sink to your dan tian and the bubbling wells (yongquan, K-1, 湧泉) in your feet and your mind will become clear. Then you can begin to develop your root.

To root your body you must imitate a tree and grow an invisible root under your feet. This will give you a firm root to keep you stable in your training. Your root must be wide as well as deep. Naturally, your yi must grow first because it is the yi that leads the qi. Your yi must be able to lead the qi to your feet and be able to communicate with the ground. Only when your yi can communicate with the ground will your qi be able to grow beyond your feet and enter the ground to build the root. The bubbling well cavity is the gate that enables your qi to communicate with the ground.

After you have gained your root, you must learn how to keep your center. A stable center will make your qi develop evenly and uniformly. If you lose this center, your qi will not be led evenly. In order to keep your body centered, you must first center your yi and then match your body to it. Only under these conditions will the qigong forms you practice have their root. Your mental and physical centers are the keys that enable you to lead your qi beyond your body.

Balance is the product of rooting and centering. Balance includes balancing the qi and the physical body. It does not matter which aspect of balance you are dealing with; first, you must balance your yi, and only then can you balance your qi and your physical body.

Qigong has always been an important part of Chinese martial arts training. Without qigong training, a martial artist will have lost the origin of martial power, and what he or she uses will be only muscular power. This will make Chinese martial arts no different from the Western fighting arts. The most unique elements of Chinese martial arts are in qigong training and the buildup of internal energy (i.e., qi). From this, you will begin to understand the way of your life more deeply.

Dr. Yang, Jwing-Ming, is a renowned author and teacher of Chinese martial arts and Qigong. Born in Taiwan, he has trained and taught Taijiquan, Qigong and Chinese martial arts for over forty-five years. He is the author of over thirty books, and was elected by Inside Kung Fu magazine as one of the 10 people who has "made the greatest impact on martial arts in the past 100 years." Dr. Yang lives in Northern California.

Dr. Yang's Twenty-Four Rules for Qigong Practice

24 Rules for Qigong Practice
The Root of Chinese Chi Kung, The Secrets of Chi Kung Training

by Yang, Jwing-Ming

When I began studying Qi Gong (Chi Kung), one of my classmates who had been at it for a while, said that when it comes to feeling your Qi moving within your body, it will take two years to feel anything, and five years to believe it. 

While taking two years to feel the Qi wasn't exactly right, the essence of his comments are still very true. Qi Gong is a path, not a destination, and along that path are many signposts that you will pass. Feeling the Qi, believing you feel the Qi, learning to direct it with physical movements, learning to direct it with just your mind's intent, directing it somewhere in the future, in the past, etc... are all steps along a never ending path.

The article that follows is designed to prepare you for a life of discipline, not instant gratification. The only true gratification that comes from doing Qi Gong is to enjoy the activity while your doing it, no matter what your level. Gratification that is dependent on obtaining any sort of power will only get in the way of the most sacred of all side-effects of Qi Gong, and that is enlightenment itself.

In this section we will list the twenty-four rules which have been passed down by generations of Chi Kung masters. These rules are based on much study and experience, and you should observe them carefully.

1) Don't be Stubborn about Plans and Ideas

This is one of the easiest mistakes for beginners to make. When we take up Chi Kung we are enthusiastic and eager. However, sometimes we don't learn as fast as we would like to, and we become impatient and try to force things. Sometimes we set up a schedule for ourselves: today I want to make my Dan Tien warm, tomorrow I want to get through the tailbone cavity, by such and such a day I want to complete the small circulation. This is the wrong way to go about it. Chi Kung is not like any ordinal-v job or task you set for yourself -- YOU CANNOT MAKE A PROGRESS SCHEDULE FOR CHI KUNG. This will only make your thinking rigid and stagnate your progress. EVERYTHING HAPPENS WHEN IT IS TIME FOR IT TO HAPPEN. IF YOU FORCE IT, IT WILL NOT HAPPEN NATURALLY.

2) Don't Place your Attention in Discrimination

When you practice, do not place your attention on the various phenomena or sensations which are occurring. Be aware of what is happening, but keep your mind centered on wherever it is supposed to be for the exercise you are doing. If you let your mind go to wherever you feel something "interesting" happening, the Chi will follow your mind and interfere with your body's natural tendency to rebalance itself. Do not expect anything to happen, and don't let your mind wander around looking for the various phenomena. Furthermore, don't start evaluating or judging the phenomena, such as asking "Is my Dan Tien warmer today than it was yesterday?" Don't ask yourself "Just where is my Chi now?" When your mind is on your Chi, your Yi is there also, and this stagnant Yi will not lead the Chi BE AWARE OF WHAT IS HAPPENING, BUT DON'T PAY ATTENTION TO IT When you drive a car, you don't watch yourself steer and work the pedals and shift gears. If you did, you'd drive off the road. You simply put your mind on where you want to go and let your body automatically drive the car. This is called regulating without regulating.

3) Avoid Miscellaneous Thought Remaining on Origins

This is a problem of regulating the mind. The emotional mind is strong, and every idea is still strongly connected to its origin. If you cannot cut the ideas off at their source, your mind is not regulated, and your should not try to regulate your Chi. You will also often find that even though you have stopped the flow of random thoughts going through your mind, new ideas are generated dung practice. For example, when you discover your Dan Tien is warm, your mind immediately recalls where this is mentioned in a book, or how the master described it, and you start to compare your experience with this. Or you may start wondering what the next step is. All of these thoughts will lead you away from peace and calm, and your mind will end up in the "Domain of the Devil." Then your mind will be confused, scattered, and very often scared, and you will tire quickly.

4) Hsin (Shen) Should not Follows the External Scenery

This is also a problem of regulating the mind (Hsin). When your emotional mind is not controlled, any external distraction will lead it away from your body and to the distraction. You must train yourself so that noises, smells, conversations and such will not disturb your concentration. It is all right to be aware of what is happening, but your mind must remain calmly, peacefully and steadily on your cultivation.

5) Regulate your Sexual Activity

You should not have sexual relations at least 24 hours before or after practicing Chi Kung, especially martial or religious Chi Kung. The Essence-Chi conversion training is a very critical part of these practices, and if you practice Chi Kung soon after sex, you will harm your body significantly. Sex depletes your Chi and sperm, and the Chi level in the lower portion of your body is lower than normal. When you practice Chi Kung under these conditions, it is like doing heavy exercise right after sex. Furthermore, when your Chi level is abnormal, your feeling and sensing are also not accurate. Under these conditions, your Yi can be misled and its accuracy affected. You should wait until the Chi level regains it normal balance before your resume Chi Kung. Only then will the Essence-Chi conversion proceed normally and efficiently.

One of the major purposes of Chi Kung is to increase the Essence Chi conversion and use this Chi to nourish your body. Once a man has built up a supply of Chi, having sex will only pass this Chi on to his partner. As a matter of fact, many Chi Kung masters insist that you should not have sex three days before and four days after practice. During sexual relations the female usually gains Chi while the male loses Chi during ejaculation. The woman should not practice Chi Kung after sex until her body has digested the Chi she has obtained from the man. There are certain Taoist Chi Kung techniques which teach men how not to lose Chi during sexual activity, and teach women how to receive Chi from the man and digest it. We will leave the discussion of this subject to Chi Kung masters who are qualified and experienced in it.

6) Don't be Too Warm or Too Cold

The temperature of the room in which you are training should not be too hot or too cold. You should practice in the most comfortable environment which will not disturb your mind and cultivation.

7) Be Careful of the Five Weaknesses and Internal Injuries

Five weaknesses means the weaknesses of five Yin organs: the heart, liver, lungs, kidneys, and spleen. When you realize that any of these five organs is weak, you should proceed very gradually and gently with your Chi Kung practice. Chi Kung practice is an internal exercise which is directly related to these five organs. If you do not move gradually and gently, it is Like forcing a weak person to run 10 miles right away. This will not build up his strength, instead it will injure him more seriously.

For the same reason, when you have an internal injury your internal Chi distribution and circulation is already disturbed. If you practice Chi Kung your feelings may be misled, and your practice may worsen your problem and interfere with the natural healing process. There are certain Chi Kung exercises which are designed to cure internal injuries, but to use them properly you need to have a very good understanding of the Chi situation of your body.

8) Avoid Facing the Wind when Sweating

Don't practice in the wind, especially facing the wind. When you practice Chi Kung you are exercising either internally, or both internally and externally. It is normal to sweat, and since you are relaxed, your pores are wide open, If you expose your body to cold wind, you will catch cold.

9) Don't Wear Tight Clothes and Belt

Always wear loose clothes during practice because this will help you to feel comfortable. Keep your belt loose, too. The abdomen is the key area in Chi Kung practice, and you must be careful not to limit the movement of this area because it will interfere with your practice.

10) Don't Eat too Much Greasy and Sweet Food

You should regulate your eating habit while you are practicing: Chi Kung. Greasy or sweet food will increase your Fire Chi, making your mind scattered, and your Shen will stray away from its residence. You should eat more fruit and vegetables, and keep away from alcohol and tobacco.

11) Don't Hang your Feet off the Bed

In ancient times the most common place in Chi Kung practice was sitting on your bed. Since most beds were high, if you sat on the edge of the bed your feet would hang off the side of the bed above the floor. When you practice Chi Kung your feet should touch the floor. If they do not, all of the weight of your body will press down on the lower part of your thighs and reduce the Chi and blood circulation. Furthermore, when you practice you should not put your feet up on the table, because this position will also stagnate the Chi and blood circulation.

12) Don't Practice with a Full Bladder

You should go to the toilet before you start your practice. If you need to go during practice, stop your practice and do so. Holding it in disturbs your concentration.

13) Don't Scratch an Itch

If you itch because of some external reason, such as an insect walking on you or biting you, do not be alarmed and keep your mind calm. Use your Yi to lead the Chi back to its residence, the Dan Tien. Breathe a couple of times and gradually bring your consciousness back to your surroundings. Then you may scratch or think of how to stop the itching. However, if the itching is caused by Chi redistribution in the Chi Kung practice, remain calm and do not move your mind there. Simply ignore it and let it happen. Once it has reached a new balance, the itching will stop. If you scratch this kind of itch it means that your mind has been disturbed, and also that you are using your hands to interfere with the natural rebalancing of your body's Chi.

14) Avoid Being Suddenly Disturbed or Startled

You should avoid being suddenly disturbed or startled. However, if it does happen, calm down your mind. You must absolutely prevent yourself from losing your temper. What has happened has happened, and getting mad cannot change anything. What you should do is prevent it from happening again. Most important of all, though is learning how to regulate your mind when you are disturbed.

15) Don't Take Delight in the Scenery

It is very common during practice to suddenly notice something that is going on inside of you. Perhaps you feel Chi moving more clearly than ever before, or you start to sense your bone marrow, and you feel elated and excited. You have just fallen into a very common trap. Your concentration is broken, and your mind is divided. This is dangerous and harmful. You have to learn how to be aware of what is going on inside you without getting excited.

16) Don't Wear Sweaty Clothes

This happens mostly in moving Chi Kung practice, especially in martial Chi Kung training. When your clothes are wet from sweat you will feel uncomfortable, and your concentration will be affected. It is better to change into dry clothes and then resume practice.

17) Don't Sit When Hungry or Full

You should not practice Chi Kung when you are hungry or when your stomach is full. When you are hungry it is hard to concentrate, and when you are full your practice will affect your digestion.

18) Heaven and Earth Strange Disaster

It is believed that your body's Chi is directly affected by changes in the weather. It is therefore not advisable to practice Chi Kung when there is a sudden weather change, because your practice will interfere with your body's natural readjustment to the new environment. You will also be unable to feel and sense your Chi flow as you do normally. You must always try to remain emotionally neutral whenever you do Chi Kung; even if you are disturbed by a natural disaster like an earthquake, you must remain calm so that your Chi stays under control.

19) Listen Sometimes to True Words

You need to have confidence when you practice Chi Kung. You should not listen to advice from people who do not have experience in Chi Kung and who are not familiar with the condition of your body. Some people listen to their classmates explain how they reached a certain level or how they cured a certain problem, and then blindly try to use the same method themselves. You need to understand that everyone has a different body, everyone's health is slightly different, and everyone learns differently. When the time comes for you to learn something new, you will understand what you need. Play it cool and easy, and always have confidence in your training.

20) Don't Lean and Fall Asleep

You should not continue your Chi Kung training when you are sleepy. Using an unclear mind to lead Chi is dangerous. Also, when you are sleepy your body will not be regulated and will tend to lean or droop, and your bad posture may interfere with the proper Chi circulation. When you are sleepy it is best to take a rest until you are able to regain your spirit.

21) Don't Meditate When You Have Lost Your Temper or are Too Excited

You should not meditate when you are too excited due to anger or happiness. Since your mind is scattered, meditation will bring you more harm than peace.

22) Don't Keep Spitting

It is normal to generate a lot of saliva while practicing Chi Kung. The saliva should be swallowed to moisten your throat. Don't spit out the saliva because this is a waste, and it will also disturb your concentration.

23) Don't Doubt and Become Lazy

When you first start Chi Kung, you must have confidence in what you are doing, and not start doubting its validity, or questioning whether you are doing it right. If you start doubting right at the beginning you will become lazy, and you will start questioning whether you really want to continue. In this case, you will not have any success and your practice will never last.

24) Do not Ask for the Speedy Success

This is to remind you that Chi Kung practice is time consuming and progress is slow. You must have patience, a strong will, and confidence to reach your goal. Taking it easy and being natural are the most important rules.

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Learning With The Grandmasters: Yang, Jwing-Ming

Dr. Yang, Jwing-Ming (楊俊敏博士) started his Gongfu (Kung Fu) training at the age of fifteen under the Shaolin White Crane (Bai He) Master Cheng, Gin Gsao (曾金灶). In thirteen years of study (1961-1974) under Master Cheng, Dr. Yang became an expert in the White Crane style of Chinese martial arts, which includes both the use of bare hands and of various weapons such as saber, staff, spear, trident, two short rods, and many others. With the same master he also studied White Crane Qin Na (or Chin Na), Tui Na and Dian Xue massages, and herbal treatment.

At the age of sixteen, Dr. Yang began the study of Taijiquan (Yang Style) under Master Kao, Tao (高濤). After learning from Master Kao, Dr. Yang continued his study and research of Taijiquan with several masters and senior practitioners such as Master I, Mao-Ching (李茂 清) and Mr. Wilson Chen in Taipei. Master Li learned his Taijiquan from the well-known Master Han, Ching-Tang, and Mr. Chen learned his Taijiquan from Master Chang, Xiang-San. Dr. Yang has mastered the Taiji barehand sequence, pushing hands, the two-man fighting sequence, Taiji sword, Taiji saber, and Taiji Qigong.

Yang's Martial Arts Association was established in Boston, MA in 1982. With the intent of preserving traditional Chinese Kung Fu and Qigong , Dr. Yang, Jwing-Ming began training students in the rigors of Shaolin Long Fist and White Crane Gongfu as well as Yang Style Tai Chi Chuan. Currently, YMAA is an international organization, including 56 schools in Argentina, Belgium, Canada, Chile, France, Holland, Hungary, Iran, Ireland, Italy, Poland, Portugal, Spain, South Africa, the United Kingdom, and the United States. In the early 80's, Dr. Yang wrote several books, published by Unique Publications. In 1984, Dr. Yang retired from his engineering career, to undertake his life-long dream of teaching and researching the Chinese arts and introducing them to the West through many books, videos and DVDs.

In summary, Dr. Yang has been involved in Chinese Gongfu since 1961. During this time, he has spent 13 years learning Shaolin White Crane (Bai He), Shaolin Long Fist (Changquan), and Taijiquan. Dr. Yang has more than thirty years of instructional experience: seven years in Taiwan, five years at Purdue University, two years in Houston, TX, and 24 years in Boston, MA. On November 29, 2005, Dr. Yang conferred the title of Taiji Master to one of his senior students (Roger Whidden)for the first time, which by tradition bestows the honorable title of Grandmaster upon Dr. Yang.