Tuesday, August 26, 2008

2000 - Detailed Research

Since I requested that all participants to write a practice diary that need to be turned in to me and also that they send me any progress they made at home, I had collected a huge amount of first hand experience and all the phenomenona associated with Ling Bao Tong. These are very precious materials, when combined with our methods and the classic texts, a coherent picture connecting the theory, methods and verifications had emerged. I had done a meticulous study of these materials and produced a series of reports on each specialized topic :

(1) "Summary of the Specialized Study Group" : An overview of the four Channel SHO study group.

(2) "The moment of attainment" : all the phenomenona that happened at the moment of attaining Channel SHO from every student that had achieved it. All physiological transformations that happened the days before and after attaining of Channel SHO together with each person's unique body and mental condition and their practice habits. This is very helpful for me to improve on the methods.

(3) "Special report on individual" : specialized report on a few unique individuals.
(a) "Nu Dan Gong 1" : The complete record of the woman who successfully finishing the entire Nu Dan Gong (Female Practice).
(b) "Nu Dan Gong 2" : Report on attaining "Cut the Red Dragon".
(c) Achieving Channel SHO for 80-year-old.
(d) Achieving Channel SHO for 78-year-old.
(e) Practice record on The Three Immortal Method.


I compiled everything into one volume "Channel SHO study from 100 persons". There are of course materials that I didn't include in the volume, they are mainly techniques that I had developed and my experience as the teacher.

To me this is a record of my endeavor in the area, the process is still continuing but it has been a major step from theory into practice, from the ethereal into the tangible.

Wednesday, August 13, 2008

1999 - 100-person experiment

In 1996, I taught 10 persons, none was successful. In 1997, one got it. From March 1998 to April 1999, I taught 80 persons and 40 were successful. This completed my 100-person experiment. It was an unique study, very difficult during the process but the result was satisfactory.

An unique study: by accumulating empirical experience in order to improve and perfect the methodology of Channel SHO, I was able to continuously improve my understandings and continuously combining the theory from the classics and the practical methodology. If one persists in this scientific way of studying the ancient Chines art, one can certainly benefit greatly.

A difficult process: I undertook this non-mainstream journey on my own. In order to study this thousand years old puzzle carefully and scientifically, I had to give up a lot of leisure and luxury of the material world and more than once, when I was stuck in a particular difficult situations, I had thought of giving up. Luckily, with a clear head and a well defined goal, I was able to persist and ultimately my effort was paid off.

A satisfactory result: 100-person experiment, a success rate of 50% how could I not be satisfied? Well, 100% will certainly be better and this had become my target.

A rewarding experience: dandao had always been shrouded in mystery, to tackle this problem is a satisfactory intellectual problem. More importantly, dandao is the pinnacle achievement of ancient Chinese civilization, the Chinese tradition places much emphasis on the intuitive and the emotional which made it hard to understand because of it's intangibility. However, within the intangible, there underlined a rational and logical structure. To empirically study on this rational portion will help us understand and learn dandao more efficiently.

Tuesday, August 12, 2008

1999 - I attained Channel SHO

The most controversial part of my Channel SHO study group was that : I hadn't attained it myself at that time. i.e. I helped 41 persons attained the level of Channel SHO without myself being at the level first. This is unbelievable, but it is a fact.

After I had sent everyone off the mountain at Taoyuan, I stayed there for 20 more days. A few friends from Taoyuan kept me company and to help me recover. We were already proficient in opening the SHO in terms of techniques required. As long as one follows step by step with my method, channel SHO can be achieved. But in reality, the program's success were very much due to my friends from Taoyuan. Daigong is very tiring, it meant I was very tired, but since the first specialized class, the students who attained Channel SHO always came back to help the new students, this had become an unofficial tradition. The friends from Taoyuan were among the first batch of students who attained Channel SHO. After three or four seminars, their kung fu were already very good and they were also very experienced in the methods. The more important though was that everyone had became part of a team, whose goal was to help each other in achieving higher and higher level. Everyone in this team had only one goal in mind, and this was to improve in any way possible the techniques that we were using. Unsurprisingly, with their help, I attained Channel SHO. I even attained it while sitting in full lotus, only one person out of the 41 students did the same thing.

Nevertheless my kung fu wasn't that high at that time. I helped them opening up the SHO which had used up a lot of my strength but they helped me attained that level in return. After I left Taoyuan, my SHO moved very weakly, my strength was up and down, I wasn't able to maintain at a good and stable level.

After some time, I realized that the four specialized classes had completely exhausted me and left my body in a terrible condition. I didn't have any serious illness but I was weak for a long time. Only after an extended period of training, rest and Chinese medical treatment was I able to recover slowly.

Monday, August 4, 2008

1999 - Third Time at Shangri-La

The 4th and final Channel SHO study group was held from 10th April 1999 to 29th April 1999 at the Daoist 35th Cave Heaven, Shangri-La again.

Summary

27 students attended the seminar. 2 had already attained it, 25 hadn't. They were from many different parts of China. The oldest was 70 and the youngest was 24. Average age was 42. In the end 14 students achieved SHO, a success rate of 56%.

The logistics and experiences of students who were successful were very similar to previous three seminars. I would only like to point out a few observations.

(1) Taiji Chuan are helpful to Channel SHO. Mr. Lin from Xi'an has practiced Ling Bao Tong for more than 10 years already, he had also practiced Taiji Chuan for many years. He attained SHO on the 6th day and after that his organs qi would move automatically along different meridians. On the 10th day, he has opened up the horizontal channels. When the class finish, he was at the level of the "Golden Liquid Restorative Elixir".

(2) Ms. Yao from Shenzhen had various very serious illnesses but with the help of Shen Laoshi and her own hard work, she was able to attain SHO and improved her health greatly.

1998 - Second time at Shangri-La

From Oct. 22 1998 - Nov. 11 1998, the Hunan Province Taoyuan County Qigong Science Research council and the Taoyuan Ling Bao Tong Zhineng Neigong Shu Study Group invited Shen Laoshi to organize the Third Channel Small Heavenly Orbit Study Seminar. The location was at the Daoist 35th Cave Heaven - the Taoyuan Temple in Shangri-La.

Basic Informations

(1) Composition.

There were 38 students, 13 had already attained Channel SHO, 25 hadn't yet. Students came from Beijing, Shenyang, Xian and Taoyuan. The oldest was 80 and the youngest was 15. Average age was 43.

(2) Seminar structure.

The structure was the same as the first study group. It was a closed-door enhanced and specialized study group. The lectures, daigong and all practice were organized around the sole purpose of attaining the Channel SHO. Students practice Ping Peng Gong in the morning and the evening. Sitting practice in late morning and mid-afternoon, Stars Formation and Sleeping practice at night. 10 hours of actual practice time per day.

(3) Teaching Methods.

Shen Laoshi was responsible for all lectures and daigong. Students were required to keep a detailed practice diary to be turned in at the end of the seminar.

(4) Weather.

The weather was great, ideal for cultivation study.

(5) Results.

After 15 days of high impact and tough practice. 10 persons attained Channel SHO, a success rate of 40%.

Analysis

Looking at the result. The students could be classified into three types. Those who didn't attain the Channel SHO. Those who attained the Channel SHO in this seminar. Those who attained it before this seminar.

Type 1. Those who didn't attain the Channel SHO. They could further be classified into three groups.

Group 1: 3 Students who didn't practice at home regularly. They almost had no foundation, therefore they weren't psychologically and physiologically prepared for the high impact practice and the strong qi field. Pain and tiredness were common among these students.

Group 2: 7 students who did practice at home and who had some good foundation in sitting still but who were either old or had health issues, or who misunderstood the methods or who weren't prepared mentally. They were still some distance away from being able to attain the SHO.

Group3: 5 students who practiced at home regularly, who had some good foundation already. They should be ready to take the crucial next step. Unfortunately they had psychological obstacles that prevented them from leaping into the new level.

Type 2. Those who attained the Channel in this seminar.

(1) 10 out of 25 students(40%) attained Channel SHO which was a fantastic proportion. This showed again that group practice is a reliable way to open up the SHO.

(2) 80 years old student Mr. Yang from Xian attained SHO in the 2nd day of the seminar. This broke the previous age record of 78 years old from the first seminar. This showed that elderly can also attain the SHO as long as the method is right.

(3) Two sisters who learnt Ling Bao Tong from Master Wang in 1993 and 1998 were among the students in this seminar. Since their uncle attained SHO in the first seminar, they were convinced to attend this class. They both had kids that were under 1 year old and they need to breastfeed their children during the seminar. Because of the inconvenience, they reluctantly sent their kids home early. In the 7th and the 9th day, they both successfully attained the Channel SHO. I thought alot about this and I believe that it is very likely that a woman who is in lactation phase can attain SHO much easier than others. Because in traditional Chinese medical theory, women who haven't reach menopause have their xiantian yuen qi circulate to the lower half of their body and it will be lost as it will be converted into menstrual blood. For women during lactation, the xiantian yuen rises from their center and convert into milk. This is very similar to the process in the first four levels described in the "Nu Dan Gong", i.e. the level of "Slaughter the Red Dragon" in which the menstrual blood is converted into qi which then rises and entered the Ru Xi point and the breasts, which then initiate the River Car and circulate in the SHO. During lactation phase, the period stopped and the yuen qi rises automatically to the breasts, this is similar to the process described in Nu Dan Gong. So if a woman work on Channel SHO during this time, haveing it opened quickly is not unreasonable.

(4) I found that by working on the "Opening the Channel with External Five Elements" before going into Channel SHO practice can facilitate the process. Once SHO was attained, "Opening the Channel with Internal Five Elements" would also move automatically, very interesting.

Type 3. Forteen students attained Channel SHO in the first seminar, 13 of them attended this seminar. 6 months after their success, they had been improving everyday and they had new discoveries everyday.

(1) People and Trees.

After Channel SHO was attained, there was a deeper connection between the practitioners and the trees during Ping Heng Gong whether it's an mutual exchange of qi or emotions. One could even see the fluctuating qi field of the trees, for example: the qi of the tree rushes up and down in the tree's vertical qi channel; the unevenness of the external qi fields of different species of trees etc.There were two students in the class who could see these phenomenons.

(2) Star Formation Practice.

After Channel SHO is attained, the resonance between the star clusters and the practitioners during Star Formation Practice was greatly enhanced.

(3) Bagua Yi Sphere.

After SHO is attained, the specific qi channels according to the Bagua Yi Ball will be opened. When the qi sphere is formed, it can vary in sizes: it cave be as small as an organ or a point in the meridian, or it could be as big as the entire body. The qi sphere can transform in colour or quality according to rule of the conversion or anti-conversion of the five elements. The sphere can be moved in the meridian and be used to practice TTIM or Nu Dan Gong. It can be shot off into distance or retrieved at will.

(4) The Divine Seven Stars Steps and the Divine Bagua Steps.

When one works on the Seven stars steps and the bagua steps after SHO is attained, the corresponding movement in the energy field can be felt clearly during meditation.

(5) Pulling the "Line of Attribute" and looking at Tian Mu.

After SHO, when one "pull" the neigong line of attribute, one can usually see bright light or see things that happen inside and outside the body.

(6) Practice Yin Xian Fa, TTIM, Nu Dan Gong.

Channel SHO is the fifth method of "Ling Bao Bi Fa". Since the students reached this stage quickly with the help of the teacher's daigong, the foundation would not be strong enough. They must go back and practice Yin Xian Fa, TTIM and Nu Dan Gong in order to accumulate enough internal strength.

When one worked on Yin Xian Fa after attaing SHO, one could go into deep trance quickly. The five elements moved and converted automatically in both directions. One could also easily experience the accompanying sounds, colours and sensations.

During "matching the yin and yang" level of TTIM, one could breath easily through the skin, there are clear communications between different parts of the human body and the universe ; during the level of "dispersion and collection of water and fire", not only can one collect the three yin qi down to the lower tian, but also the qi from Yong Quan ; during the "mating of the dragon and tiger", one can see it happening right inside their own body etc etc all the phenomenons as described in Ling Bao Bi Fa were verified perfectly.

Deficiencies

The success rate was 40%, it showed that there are still problems waiting to be solved. I believe they are as follow:

(1) Wrong expectation.

Some students thought that just by attending the seminars, they would be able to achieve SHO without putting into effort.

(2) Lack of Confidence.

After a few failed attempts, some students exclaimed that "This is hopeless, I will never get it!". If one lose the drive to practice, how can they ever expect to succeed ?

(3) Lack of proper understanding of the methods and theory. Some students didn't understand the essence of the method and theory behind Ling Bao Bi Fa, worse, they didn't even ask.

(4) Imperfect teaching materials and arrangement. The seminar concentrated on TTIM and not enough Yin Xian Fa, which is an important step to TTIM. Also advanced students (those with SHO) and less-advanced ones practiced together, this undoubtedly has some negative influence since their needs are different. This problem has to be solved by careful planning of the syllabus and the schedule.