Qi Vitality from Healing with Whole Foods by Paul Pitchford

     A major functional concept from traditonal Chinese medicine is qi. A vital essence found in all things, qi has aspects of both matter and energy. We will refer primarily to its expression as energy, keeping in mind that energy and matter are convertible into one another. The theories of modern physics showing matter and energy to be alternate descriptions of one reality are very much in accord with the concept of qi and other facets of Eastern philosophy.
     The qi concept gives us a measure for the vitality of a person, object, or state. If the qi of a certain food is of good quality, then the food will taste better and impart more qi to the individual who consumes it. In a person, good qi is manifested as an ability to accomplish things, lack of obstruction in the body, better functioning of the internal organs, and so on. To further understand qi, which itself is a yang quality, it is helpful to understand its yin counterpart----blood. Blood is yin and the "mother of qi", since the nutrients in blood support and nurture qi. At the same time qi leads and directs the blood. Furthermore, digestive and circulative qi must be sufficient in order for the blood to be formed and to circulate.
     Whatever manifests in a person does so with that type of qi. Someone who is graceful, for instance, has harmonious qi; weak people lack qi; those who are strong have abundant qi; people with pure, clear minds have "refined" as opposed to "confused" qi. Thus qi is not only the energy behind these states of being but the intrinsic energy/substance of these states. The qi concept, then, provides a way to describe every aspect of life.
     From a therapeutic standpoint, there are several functional aspects of qi. It is warming and is the source of all movement; it protects the body, flows through the acupuncture channels, and maintains the activity of the body systems and organs. Sources of qi in the body are three-fold: 1) from food; 2) from the air we breathe; and 3) from the essence of the kidneys, some part of which we are born with.
     How well we utilize qi from these sources depends on how we live and on our attitudes. Qi is also transferred between people in interactions of every kind. The qi of the cfook permeates the food. Exercise, herbal therapy, acupuncture, and awareness practices such as meditation are traditional ways of clearing obstructions and maximizing qi flow.
     Qi that stagnates causes accumulations resulting in obesity, tumors, cysts, cancers, and the multitude of viral and yeast-related diseases that plague those with sedentary lives and refined, rich diets.
     The qi of the body can be accurately measured and regulated by the diagnostic and therapeutic methods of Chinese medicine. In nutritional therapy, improving the "digestive qi" of the spleen-pancreas is a priority to be discussed in the Earth Element chapter. In other chapters we will discuss "protective qi" as an aspect of immunity, qi deficiencies of various organs, qi stagnation of the liver, and the practices that improve or damage qi in food and the body.
    

Qi: One Energy - Two Expressions (2 of 3)

Qi Magazine - September 2007
By Adrian Chan-Whyles, PhD
http://www.chandao.co.uk/

External Training

In Chinese medical thinking, any movement that has its origins of power generation on the outside of the bone, i.e. through the muscles, ligaments and tendons, is termed external in nature. This is important and the main way that human beings produce power from an early age.

It is as if we are genetically pre-programmed to produce power only from the musculature, even in our untrained state. External training then harnesses this power in a systematic manner. A practitioner will learn how to control their bodies via their musculature in a well co-ordinated and will timed series of martial exercises. The basic power for this expression is essentially forward or backward motion with an un-dropped bodyweight (i.e. when muscular tension is used to 'suspend' the body structure in a solid sheet, in one orientation, to protect against incoming blows). The 'weight' of the practitioner, (using the body joints as levers), propels the weight forward, through an arm or a leg, in a fast ripple-like fashion.

The hip and shoulder joints are used as a 'hinge' mechanism, as if one were slamming a door. As the muscles tire, so does the power output, and blows start to lose their effectiveness. This is why external styels emphasize muscular development through the practice of external Qigong, or in other words training the musculature to store Qi. This makes the musculature hard and robust when tensed for combat. This is called external 'iron vest' training (Hard Qigong), whereby the musculature acts as a barrier to the possible harmful effects of incoming, external blows.

External training prepares the mind and body for a journey toward transformation. Slowly, over time, the practitioner will develop an ever-increasing awareness of his/her mind and body. The older traditional styles usually have a clear external component, and a clear internal component. However, as the soft and gentle (i.e. Yin) cannot exist without the hard unyielding force (i.e. Yang), we must acknowledge that any style that conforms to ancient Chinese scientific thinking must fully embrace both aspects of the energy spectrum and training will reflect this.

Generally speaking, at the start of the journey, the human body is overly tense and hard. The external training harnesses this state. As the practitioner progresses, the musculature begins to relax. This process may be observed with the analysis of technique. Initially, if a punch was observed, the arm would be extended forward, with much thrusting force and in order to prevent injury, the muscles of the hand would be tensed throughout the entire process, to protect the fist structure from the re-coil of impact.

This tension would also exist in the arm and throughout the body. Any other observed technique would reveal the same dynamic of movement. As the practitioner progresses - tension recedes and more and more of the technique starts to be performed in a relaxed manner. This is the slow path toward the internal from the perspective of the external. Eventually, the practitioner is able to punch with a relaxed hand at the point of contact. How this happens can be understood by the clear investigation of what it means to produce internal force.

Michael Tse pointers on Zhan Zhuang

From Qi Magazine | Issue 47 | February 2000

About the Zhan Zhuang posture... generally, the Bai Hui point should connect in a straight line with the Hui Yin and Yang Quan points. This is the correct posture. Posture is important but it is external. The most important is the mind and the attitude which is internal. So when you stand the mind should be relaxed and all the joints and muscles relaxed. The only pressure you should feel is on the upper thighs. Do not drop your head. Keep your ears and the shoulders on a straight line. The knees should never extend further than the toes. This is already the frame of the correct Zhan Zhuang posture. In regard to the hands, some people hold the hands higher and some people lower but both are like holding a ball. If holding the hands lower, Laogong points face the Dantien. If higher, then usually at the middle Dantien but they can even be a bit higher up to shoulder height.

The most important is the posture and not the hands. Sink the Qi to the Dantien, relaxing the upper body. The back should be straight but not tense and when you stand, you should feel really relaxed and comfortable. Close your eyes and breathe naturally through your nose. Stay there and enjoy the standing and in the end, forget everything. Then slowly this will build up the internal energy and the strength. From higher posture, you can slowly develop a lower posture, but you must listen to your body. Do not force yourself to stand longer and or go lower. It will build up step by step. If you have any joint injuries, then you can slightly adjust your posture to make you feel more comfortable, but still keep the posture straight. Once the Qi flows over the injured area, it will slowly recover. I do not suggest you start with five minutes and build up step by step. It is better to do a small amount that you feel comfortable with every day than to do long stands infrequently. 

Yours sincerely,

Michael Tse

Classics

The body is the temple of life. Energy is the force of life. Spirit is the governor of life. If one of them goes off balance, all three are damaged. When the spirit takes command, the body naturally follows it, and this arrangement benefits all Three Treasures.  Wen Tzu Classic (First Century BC)

Heaven is clear and calm, earth is stable and tranquil. Humans who reject these virtues perish, while those who adopt them thrive.   Huai Nan Tzu (First Century AD)

The Tao gave birth to the one source, The one gave birth to two things, Then to three things, Then to ten thousand...   Tao Teh Ching (Third Century BC)

The yang transforms and the yin conserves. The yang and the yin manifest as movement and rest; yang moves to its utmost, then rests; yin rests to its utmost, then moves. Therefore, yin rests within yang, and yang moves within yin; the two are inseparably interwoven. It is thus as a single unit that they are one with the Tao.   Chu Hsi (Eleventh Century AD)

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

The Yinside of Breathing

The Yinside of Breathing 

www.yinyoga.com

Surfing the Ocean Breath

The key activity that turns off the fight-or-flight system and activates the rest-&-digest system is breathing. Not just any old breath, but a proper yogic breath. A slow, deep, even breath will create a relaxed nervous system, yielding a calm mind, which in turn will help the breath become slower and more even. A positive feedback loop can be established that increases the effectiveness of the Parasympathetic Nervous System (PNS) and increase GABA production. 

There are many forms of breathwork in yoga (called pranayamas). Some are very active and stimulating, and there are times when these pranayamas are beneficial, but to turn on the PNS, we need the slow, deep pranayama known as ujjayi. Ujjayi means "victorious breath". A nice modern term for this kind of breathing is "ocean breathing." 

Max says that ocean breathing "enlivens the lungs and expands them, dynamically pulling in fresh air (prana) and then expelling stale air and stress (apana). It is known for calming the mind and can also be very effective for helping to process grief."

In his book, The Heart of Yoga, Desikachar suggests, "In pranayama we focus our attention on the breath. In the practice of pranayama it is therefore very important to keep an alert mind, for the processes that are being observed are very subtle. There is no visible movement."

Desikachar recommends our attention be first focused on the exhalation. Practice watching your out-breath until you know everything about it. Only then, allow your awareness to encompass the inhalations. Know everything about the in-breath. Don't worry about the practice of retaining your breath, of holding the breath with lungs full or empty. Save that for a full pranayama practice; no need to do these pauses for more than a second or two while you are doing your Yin Yoga practice.

Instead, work on allowing your ocean breath to lengthen. Notice: we are advising you to allow your breath to lengthen. Don't force it. Surf the breath. If a surfer fights the ocean, he'll just get all wet. Flow with the waves of each breath. Desikachar advises that lengthening the breath, while okay, is not the point. The point is to do whatever it takes to stay focused and present, paying attention to the breath. However, there definitely are physiological and psychological benefits to an extended breath.    

The Yinside of Breathing: A slow ocean breath while you are holding your poses will reduce stress, activate your rest & digest system, improve your heart and lungs function, lower blood pressure and lead towards a healthier and happier life.

QiGong, Now & Then

Qi Magazine (1991)

by Sue Johnson

Qigong can trace its history back over 3000 years. How can exercises formulated so long ago still have a place in the modern world in which we live?

Today, Qigong is recognised by many as an effective means of maintaining good health and curing disease. Even in the time of the Spring and Autumn, and Warring states (770-221 BC), Qigong had a high level of importance. The Yellow Emperors Manual of Internal Medicine written in the fourth century BC refers to Qigong. Qigong exercises were already being practiced when Greece was holding its first Olympic Games (776 BC), whilst the Celts were invading Britain (800 BC) and even before the birth of Confucius (551 BC). Developed by the early Taoists, Qigong evolved through careful study of the natural surroundings and wildlife. The gait of the bear the tiger prowling ,the bird stretching its wings etc.

The Ancient Taoists observed that the animals were able to keep themselves healthy. This observation coupled with a knowledge of internal energy (qi), they devised exercises to regulate breathing in coordination with the movements of the body. It was found that exercise alone could not bring about balance and harmony within the body. Following the principal of Yin and Yang, if movement is Yang, then stillness being Yin is necessary to achieve the balance. Stillness in the form of meditation.



Gaunzi, a book, written in 300 BC notes:

“achievement of meditation will improve the general fitness of the four limbs, and this in turn accumulate abundant energy and vigour in the body. “

What role if any, can exercises formulated in these ancient times play in our world, steeped in science and technology? Is there a place for ancient healing exercises or have they been overtaken by the wonders of modern medicine?

For those who are healthy, modern medicine offers little or nothing to maintain a healthy balance. Without some form of maintenance the body will eventually become weak and unhealthy. It is only when we are ill that we go and see a doctor. We never go when we are healthy! With the wide spectrum of drugs and medicine available today, there are still many conditions and illnesses that are incurable. Many drugs have side effects, so whilst curing one problem they create another. Better to not fall ill in the first place!

Daily practice of the Qigong exercises and meditation build up the qi and can keep the body in balance and prevent illness. Our modern lifestyle creates stress and tension. Coronary heart disease is common in this country. The effects of Qigong have been proven to be beneficial to patients suffering from angina and also those suffering from Hypertension (high blood pressure).

There are even optimistic reports that the condition of some cancer patients can be improved! Insomnia, Lumbago, Hepatitis and other conditions have been eased and alleviated by performing Qigong exercises. Qigong is an excellent way of keeping fit and improving ones health. It is suitable for all, young, old, weak or strong all can benefit. It has been described as a process of “self rejuvenation”. Now, as much as any other time in our history we need to turn to the healing art of Qigong. In order to go forward, we must first go backwards. By using this ancient skill we may prepare ourselves for the stresses of living now and in the future.

For more information about Qi Magazine

Excerpts from 1980 Yoga Journal on Tai Chi Ruler

Bob Flaws. "Tai Chi Ruler: Practice Makes Perfect." 

Yoga Journal, September 1980, page 14

For Full Article Click Here

        Begin by standing with both feet shoulder width apart and parallel. The knees are slightly bent. Hips and shoulders face square to the front and the head is held up on a horizontal plane. Now begin to rock from side to side until you feel your weight fall evenly from the crown of the head directly down the midline of the body, to extend between your legs and out into the ground. Next rock slightly back and forward from toes to heel. Try to find the place where the weight of the body is equally distributed between the heel and ball of the foot. Lean forward slightly from this point as if peering over the edge of a cliff to compensate for the fact that most of us are habituated to carrying our weight back on our heels. Grip the earth with the toes and a hollow should open in the arch of the foot. Take note of that hollow, it is called the Well or Bubbling Spring. Now relax the toes and let the weight of the body fall down through the Well in the center of each foot and visualize it dropping like a stone to the center of the earth.

            Mentally go inside the joints of the body and open them like a key turning a lock. Open the ankles, the knees, the hips, the wrists, elbows, and the shoulders. Allow the joint where the backbone meets the pelvis to open (5^th lumbar), the space between the kidneys, the point where the rib cage ends (lumbodorsal hinge), the space between the shoulders, the seventh cervical, and where the skull meets the spine (Atlas/axis). Moving to the front of the body, mentally relax and open up the abdominal region. Let the belly go and allow it to just hang out like a baby’s. Relax the solar plexus and the heart area. Relax the throat and between the eyes. Next, imagine that the centers of the palms have opened,  just like the center of the soles, and that the center of the crown of the head (Ni-wang Kung or Gate of Nirvana, in Chinese, the Door of Brahma, in Indian yoga) also opens like the aperture of a camera, and that these five openings relate to each other.

            Now imagine that your weight and chi completely drop to and through the feet to make a taproot right into the center of the earth. Let the mind and breath drop to the Lower Tan-tien, the second yogi chakra, approximately three inches below the navel and a third of the way into the center of the body. The Lower Tan-tien should be visualized as a cauldron or pot. The mind and breath should fall like a leaf. Whenever the mind strays from this spot, it should be placed back there like placing a book on a shelf. Next allow your tailbone to drop as if a thousand-pound weight were hanging from it. Along with that, let the chin drop in and down as if a lighter weight were attached to it. Relax the anal sphincters, and the muscles of the mouth and jaw. Let the eyes be softly open and the gaze fall in the direction of the tip of the nose. Let the mind’s eye, however, look back up that slope to the third eye, between the brows, approximately one inch into the head. This is called the Yellow Door or upper Tan-tien.

            Imagine that there is a rough, slate-grey sea at the level of the base of the spine or coccyx. From this sea a dragon rises up with stream and roiling, in a full panoply of dazzling colors. This dragon, which represents one’s spirit, flies up the spine and out the top of the head through the Ni-wang. You should have the feeling of hanging from a gossamer thread from the center of heaven, like some celestial puppet. You should feel your head effortlessly floating up and, at the same time, the full weight of your body falling through your feet right into the earth. You should visualize yourself as a clear channel with the chi flowing unimpeded throughout your body. Now just stand in this position for a moment savoring its full feeling and sensations. Do not try to hold all of the images simultaneously, but go from visualization to visualization. Keep the mind circling from one to the other and stay with your feelings. In trying this out the first few times, you will find it helpful to have a friend read these directions to you as you assume the posture.

            So far we have spent four paragraphs describing how to stand before even doing the first exercise and yet, over and over, I have said what a simple system Tai Chi Ruler is! It is simple. At the beginning it is hard to remember all of these imaginings, but soon they come effortlessly. Remember that from another point of view, you have simply been standing there, and if you have followed the instructions consciously I am sure you have noticed a change in your experience. In our classes at Blue Poppy, we spend up to an hour initially teaching how to stand. We start all of our classes with from five to 15 minutes of just this sort of standing. It is this way of standing which forms the basis of all the rest of the Tai Chi Ruler practice!

            The benefits derived from the regular practice of Tai Chi Ruler are similar to those from any yoga system. Your outward body will become relaxed, soft, and pliable. You will find relese from chronic tension and gain improved structural realignment. You will feel grounded and, at the same time, very up. There will be a spring to your step and strength in your legs, the human foundation. There should be a greater fluidity in your movements, more rhyhtm, balance, smoothness, and poise. Your skin will become very soft and smooth, and your eyes will sparkle. Internally, you will need less sleep, have more energy, be free from disease, feel tranquil and composed, light and buoyant. You may be able to eat and drink large quantities with no ill result or cut down your intake of physical food to almost nothing. In Taoist terms you become very yin on the outside and very yang on the inside. It is said you become like an iron bar wrapped in cotton.

            Master Chao Chung Tao, who lived to be 118 and credited that longevity directly to his practice of Tai Chi Ruler, said that if you practice for just 120 days your whole life will be revolutionized. When my close friend, Sifu Gardner, was studying with Sifu Chan in New York, Master Chan said over and over again: “The benefits of Tai Chi Ruler are so wonderful, so effective, so immediate. The system is so simple. It’s so simple, it’s boring. It’s boring and none of you will do it. What a shame!” To everything there is a season, and it is my prediction that the words Chi Kung will become as well known, in the next ten years, in this country, as pranayama and perhaps yoga itself. 

***

Bob Flaws (born 1946) is a well-known practitioner of and prolific author and translator on Chinese medicine. He began his study and practice of Chinese medicine in 1977 under the late Eric (Xi-yu) Tao of Denver, Colorado and continued his Chinese medical education at the Shanghai College of Traditional Chinese Medicine from 1982 to 1986. In 1982, he and his wife, Honora Lee Wolfe, established Blue Poppy Press which eventually grew into Blue Poppy Enterprises, Inc. of Boulder, Colorado. Some of Bob Flaws' best known titles include:

• The Treatment of Western Diseases with Chinese Medicine
• The Secret of Chinese Pulse Diagnosis
• Statements of Fact in Traditional Chinese Medicine
• Chinese Medical Psychiatry
• The Tao of Healthy Eating
• A Compendium of Menstrual Diseases in Chinese Medicine

Up to 2009, Bob Flaws had written, translated, or edited almost 100 books on all aspects of Chinese medicine. He has also published hundreds of articles in both popular and professional journals all over the world.