Welcome to the The Shaolin Wahnam London Qigong FAQs Page
This FAQ’s page is here to share more details of the Shaolin Wahnam Arts. Feel free to ask me any questions via email or the below form and I will answer as soon as I can.
Enjoy the read
Sifu James
“Artificial Intelligence (AI) can never replace Heart to Heart Transmission. Hence it is always better to attend a live class.”
Your class prices are higher than others, why is that?
The questions we could ask are;
Why are so many other classes so cheap?
How many Instructors in the UK teach the essence of qigong?
If some do, how long would it take you to achieve the essence of qigong?
In reality, the price of our class reflects the level of Arts and teaching.
Grandmaster Wong, for example, took 17 years to learn how to grasp the essence of qigong. That essence is Chi Flow or Energy Flow. Because of his kindness and generosity, he has passed down specific skills and techniques for us to pass on to other deserving students.
As a Shaolin Wahnam Instructor, I aim to teach students relevant skills and techniques to get self-manifested Chi Flow within two years. Despite this time frame, many will experience it well before.
I thought genuine chi kung “forms” were genuine chi kung. Is there a difference?
It is better to learn genuine chi kung because you get more health benefits a lot faster than if you practise chi kung as a gentle exercise.
If you are not looking to get the many desirable health benefits in your chi kung practice, then chi kung as a gentle exercise is for you. That’s why so many others can offer courses cheaper and have big classes.
You may then realise after several years of practice that you have achieved very little in the process. You can explore schools and look for genuine qigong, but it is rare to find instructors willing to teach.
If you practice chi kung as a gentle exercise, You will realise you have wasted your time and perhaps even your money.
By practising genuine chi kung, the results come faster, and the health benefits are more readily achievable.
It is the skills and not the forms that make the difference.
What is Qigong (Chi Kung) for?
The essence of Qigong is ‘qi flow’, or ‘energy flow’.
The purpose of Qigong is for people to be healthy, full of vitality, to be free of pain & illness, to be relaxed, to have clarity of mind and to be happy in everyday life. This was common practice in the past, but over time the essence of Qigong has been lost.
Shaolin Cosmos Qigong brings back that essence so that students can experience qi flow (energy flow). This can take many years to achieve, but I am happy to say that many of my students have achieved qi flow rapidly.
They can now access the deeper benefits of that of the past-masters rather than that of gentle physical exercise.
How do we know you are teaching genuine chi kung?
This question is becoming more common about chi kung practices all over the world.
To find genuine chi kung, one first has to know what is the essence of chi kung. The “essence” of chi kung, logged by past masters over the centuries, is chi flow or energy flow.
If a teacher/master teaches chi flow to their students, you know that the chi kung is genuine. If they do not, you can be sure that chi kung is a debased formed of chi kung that has lost its essence over time.
In our school, almost all students achieve chi flow. Many people do not believe us, but it is the truth.
Usually, we aim for 2 years for a new student to achieve chi flow, but because we are so generous to our students, they often experience chi flow a lot sooner.
Why do so many people stop practising Qi Gong?
Most people do not practice genuine Qi Gong.
At best, the Qi Gong forms are genuine. However, the Qi Gong forms alone do not reap good enough benefits for the practitioners. We estimate that about 80% of practitioners globally do not practice genuine Qi Gong.
When practitioner practices genuine Qi Gong, they benefit enormously from their practice. They are then encouraged to continue practising.
If a student is practising genuine Qi Gong, still does not get the benefits that so many are looking for, most likely they are not following instructions or practising enough to get those said benefits.
In a nutshell, practising forms alone reaps little benefits; students then lose interest.
What is Qigong (Chi Kung)?
Chi Kung literally translated means Energy Art. If we expand on this point we could broaden the perspective to The Art of Manifesting Internal Energy.
The old Qigong masters initially were practicing the art as Nei Kung or internal art. Over time the meaning and depth of the arts was lost. Hence the Triple Cultivation Shaolin Cosmos Arts brings back the essence of those times.
We adopt in our foundation classes, ‘Self Manifested Chi Flow’, this is a good indicator that the art is still alive.
If I have a blockage, can I clear it?
By practising Shaolin Cosmos Qigong, you can break through any blockages.
Your Sifu will be at hand to guide you through your practice to give you the best possible instruction not only to generate Chi Flow but to manage it safely and gradually over time.
When Practiced regularly and by generating ‘Self Manifested Chi Flow’ this, over time, will clear blockages.
I practice Kung Fu at another school, can this help with my practice?
Shaolin Cosmos Qigong will enhance whatever you already know, especially as you have background skill and experience in Martial Arts.
By practising regularly, a practitioner will realise the benefits of internal force training as opposed to, external force training, thus reaping extended benefits.
This, of course, depends on the school that you train, it may be that they already teach internal martial arts, in which case I would ask, why do you need to find another school. What would be the purpose of your extended search?
If you want to learn from another school, it is respectful to mention this to your Sifu / Master before hand.
If I can’t move my arm or certain parts of my body to practice Chi Kung, will it still work for me?
Yes, the wonderful thing about Shaolin Cosmos Qigong is that it is very flexible in its form. The key to success is to generate chi flow through learning techniques and skills of ‘Self Manifested Chi Flow’, this is something we acquire through triple cultivation.
I have balance issues, and find when closing my eyes for the exercise that I lose balance, can I still practice Chi Kung effectively?
Yes, Shaolin Cosmos Qigong is great for balance issues. You do not need to close your eyes during practice.
The important part is to generate chi flow through learning techniques and skills of ‘Self Manifested Chi Flow’. This is one of the foundations in our classes for helping our students get great benefits for this high-level art.
Can I use Chi Kung to help with other ongoing therapies?
Yes, Shaolin Cosmos Qigong is complimentary as well as a complete system for health. Utilising skills, techniques, and through correct qigong practice, students stand a high percentage of speeding up their recovery.
This is just another great benefit for our students.
How can Chi Kung help my posture?
Shaolin Cosmos Qigong can help posture over some time by,
1: Good ongoing home practice methods.
2: Applying the Skills and Techniques for, ‘Self Manifested Chi Flow’ and
3: By following your Sifu’s instructions.
By doing this over time, you will generate internal force and Vitality, thus enabling the bones and structure to make correct adjustments.
I also know this from personal experience!
Can we learn high-level Qigong from books?
Although books are useful, it is wiser to find yourself a qualified instructor to practice triple cultivation Qigong either on an intensive course or weekly course.
The reason being is so that,
1: The Sifu/Instructor can define details for you to practice
2: Your Sifu can give you the correct practice protocols to maximise the benefits and
3: To save deviation and malpractice of the high-level arts.
What we have to remember is, by practising Triple Cultivation Qigong we are practising the Art of Energy, this we must remember is a high-level art.
Will you run a day class?
Yes, at some point, but this depends on Student interest!
What does Sifu Mean?
Sifu means teacher! In the Eastern Shaolin tradition out of respect students to call their teachers Sifu. Sifu, when extended also means, Master and Father. I address our Grandmaster respectfully as Sigung. This is because my first Shaolin Wahnam Teacher/Sifu is a direct Student of Grandmaster Wong Kiew Kit or my Sifu’s Sifu.
Hence, I am a generation removed from Grandmaster Wong Kiew Kit at my first teaching at the Shaolin Wahnam School.
My Students in turn then address our Grandmaster as Sitaigung.
So in order of 3 generations;
Your Master / Teacher / Father is : Sifu
Next Generation is Grandmaster / Grand Teacher / Grand Father: Sigung
Next is Great Grandmaster / Great Grand Teacher / Great Grandfather: Sitaigung
Can People with mobility issues do Chi Kung?
Yes, as previously mentioned, the key is to achieve a Self Manifested Chi Flow.
Even if someone is less mobile and uses a wheelchair, practising Chi Kung in our school is still beneficial.
The time frame to achieve good results depends on, the student following instructions, and other limiting factors.
What is self-manifested chi flow?
Self-manifested Chi Flow is the effect of energy entering the body through the practice of triple cultivation Chi Kung (Qigong).
When energy is attracted into the body, it begins to sway and clear internal blockages that sometimes cause pain.
By practising and following specific instructions you will learn techniques and skills to make Chi Flow happen, it is ‘Self Manifested’ because students are taught this high-level art to enable them to create chi flow for themselves.
What clothes shall we wear on the course?
It is best to wear comfortable loose clothing.
Because we practice Qigong (Chi Kung) as an energetic art we need to be wary of tight clothing. If clothes are too tight they can squeeze the body and reduce or disturb the amount of chi flow flowing through the meridians.
What is Triple Cultivation?
Triple Cultivation is the practice of Physical, Energetic and Mind principles that has an accumulated effect on our Chi Kung. This is why we are so effective in our school.
By learning techniques and skills of these methods, it means we create a high chance of achieving Chi (energy) Flow, thus enhancing the benefits for Health, Vitality and Happiness.
What’s the difference between Chi Kung and Tai Chi?
The difference between Chi Kung and Taijiquan is, Chi Kung is practised as individual patterns for Health, Vitality, Happiness, Peace and Spiritual Joys and Tai Chu Chuan (Taijiquan) is, in fact, a martial art that utilises many patterns making sequences of movements.
Tai Chi Chuan is also for Health, Vitality, Happiness, Peace and Spiritual Joys.
In our school, we utilise Chi Kung to enhance our Tai Chi Chuan practice for additional Flowing Energy, Internal Force and Deeper Spiritual Cultivation.
Can Chi Flow help me to relieve pain in specific areas of my body?
Yes, it can be directed to specific areas. However, on the 18 Lohan Hands foundation course, we will work on cleansing/clearing blockages and Self Manifested Chi Flow.
There are other more advanced levels to work on at later stages like, ‘Building’ and ‘Nourishing’. As we work on the energetic level, we need to take students at a steady pace before we take them to more advanced levels.
All students will be guided during the courses to maximise the benefits of the 18 Lohan Hands.
What is the Dan tien?
The Dan tian is literally a force field or spot inside the body, about 2-3 inches below the Navel and about 2-3 inches inside.
We will learn more about this in the courses. For now, though, students need not worry about what it is and what its uses are.
When you stand upright and are totally relaxed, chi or energy can be naturally focus at your abdominal energy field or dan tian for inner vitality.
I’ve seen on your website the word Qigong and Chi Kung, are they the same?
Yes, they are the same. Qigong is the original translated spelling, but phonetically in English, it is said, Chi Kung.
You mention clearing blockages, can you elaborate?
In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), we often hear of meridians.
Meridians are lines of energy running through our body, like many rivers of energy flowing across the landscape. Imagine a dam stopping one of the river flows. This is similar to an energy blockage.
These energy blockages affect a person Mentally, Physically and Emotionally. Hence by utilising triple cultivation principles of Shaolin Cosmos Qigong, we aim to clear these blockages through Chi Flow, or energy flow.
Do you Teach Genuine Chi Kung?
Yes! Teaching Genuine Qigong requires a good understanding of specific methods, skills and techniques to enable students to experience the essence of Qigong.
That essence is ‘Chi Flow’. In the classes, I enable students to experience Chi Flow. If a Teacher does not understand the methods, skills and techniques to teach students how to achieve Chi Flow, they are not genuine Teachers of Qigong. All of the Instructors in Shaolin Wahnam are fortunate enough to have been transmitted theses methods, skills and techniques to teach the Art of genuine Qigong.
I am eternally grateful to our Grandmaster for passing on the Qigong Arts so we can pass them on to other deserving students.