need more energy?

i have always been fascinated by the mind-body-spirit connections in our lives and the universe. we are at our best when these dimensions are in harmony. we get into trouble when we overly compartmentalize the various aspects of our lives and not see a holistic unity that connects everything

i think that the chinese framework for seeing this interconnectedness has great merit. chi– vital energy– is what unifies all. in high school, i practiced kung fu at the seattle king fun club in chinatown. on the other side of the studio they did qigong and tai chi. i remember asking one older guy there about it during a break. he responded that it was even harder than the kick-punch frenetic kung fu that we did on our side. as i teenager, i didn’t understand what he was saying but later in life when i had a chance to learn tai chi, it became clearer to me.

chi power can be healing when it helps others to find that good balance with mind-body-spirit. health depends on harmony between the ying and yang: when our chi is right, our minds/body/spirit are right.

the sifu (master) at the seattle kung fun club was john leong. he had mastered the channeling of his chi in a way that was phenomenal. certain folks can, over years of practivce, cultivate this energy into real power and connect one’s personal energy with the energy in nature and the universe. channeling chi power enables one to do incredible, unbelievable things. sifu leong was one such master.

the highlight of the year was the demonstration that the club put on. i think it was around the chinese new year. the climax of it all was sifu showing his chi power. he would take four steel concrete rebars, place them on his throat and bend them. that’s right BEND them. here it is on video (especially from the 1:12 mark)

the last part of the video, he put a sword to his throat while they sledge hammered his back!! as if the rebar bends were not enough…

these actions showed his chi power. incredible, no?

what is even more unbelievable is that chi power can be cultivated by just standing and breathing. yup, just standing and breathing correctly and deeply can increase one’s vital energy. chi is especially shared in nature around the energy that trees give. why do you think that hikers are so energized after hours on the trail? chi of course

in the spiritual sense, it truly gives a new way of understanding contemplative prayer in our christian tradition. the heart of this power is the Holy Spirit. but that’s another post for another time.

happy breathing! and may good energy be with you always