Chia Mantak - Simple chi kung: exercises for awakening the life-force energy

Acknowledgments

We extend our gratitude to the many generations of Taoist masters who have passed on their special lineage, in the form of an unbroken oral transmission, over thousands of years. We thank Taoist Master I Yun (Yi Eng) for his openness in transmitting the formulas of Taoist Inner Alchemy. We also wish to thank the thousands of unknown men and women of the Chinese healing arts who developed many of the methods and ideas presented in this book.

We offer our eternal gratitude and love to our parents and teachers for their many gifts to us. Remembering them brings joy and satisfaction to our continued efforts in presenting the Universal Healing Tao system. As always, their contribution has been crucial in presenting the concepts and techniques of the Universal Healing Tao.

Thanks to Juan Li for the use of his beautiful and visionary paintings and drawings, illustrating the Taoist esoteric practices.

We thank the many contributors essential to this books final form: The editorial and production staff at Inner Traditions/ Destiny Books for their efforts to clarify the text and produce a handsome new edition of the book and Gail Rex for her line edit of the new edition.

We also wish to thank the following people who contributed to the earlier editions of this book: Mattew Koren for his research, writing, and editorial contributions; Udon for his illustrations, book layout, and beautiful cover; Wilbert Wils and Jean Chilton for their assistance in preparing, editing, and proofreading the manuscript; and Jettaya Phaobtong and Saumya Comer for their editorial contributions to the revised edition of this book. A special thank you goes to our Thai production team: Raruen Keawpadung, Saysunee Yongyod, Udon Jandee, and Saniem Chaisarn.

Contents

Putting Simple Chi Kung into Practice

The practices described in this book have been used successfully for thousands of years by Taoists trained by personal instruction. Readers should not undertake the practice without receiving personal transmission and training from a certified instructor of the Universal Healing Tao, since certain of these practices, if done improperly, may cause injury or result in health problems. This book is intended to supplement individual training by the Universal Healing Tao and to serve as a reference guide for these practices. Anyone who undertakes these practices on the basis of this book alone, does so entirely at his or her own risk.

The meditations, practices, and techniques described herein are not intended to be used as an alternative or substitute for professional medical treatment and care. If any readers are suffering from illnesses based on mental or emotional disorders, an appropriate professional health care practitioner or therapist should be consulted. Such problems should be corrected before you start training.

Neither the Universal Healing Tao nor its staff and instructors can be responsible for the consequences of any practice or misuse of the information contained in this book. If the reader undertakes any exercise without strictly following the instructions, notes, and warnings, the responsibility must lie solely with the reader.

This book does not attempt to give any medical diagnosis, treatment, prescription, or remedial recommendation in relation to any human disease, ailment, suffering, or physical condition whatsoever.

Introduction

This is a book about chia simple introduction on how to cultivate, enhance, and utilize this innate power that we all have within. The methods of working with chi recommended here are part of the practice of Chi Kung, a form of energy-enlivening exercise that emerged from Taoism, Chinas oldest philosophical system. An integral part of the Universal Tao practice, Simple Chi Kung is a series of revitalizing exercises that develop flexibility, strength, resilience, and suppleness. Through their integrative principles, these exercises create harmony within the body, mind, and spirit. This sense of harmony leads us to discover balance within nature and a way to move freely within the ebb and flow of lifes ceaseless current. Practiced by millions around the world, Chi Kung delivers a complete body/mind/spirit workout. There are literally thousands of Chi Kung forms ranging from dynamic stretches to stationary standing postures, from healing sounds to bone breathing, from meditations that circulate internal energy to standing flowing movements.

With so many forms, it is difficult to decide what to learn and what to practice on a daily basis. This book is intended to give you a condensed Chi Kung practice that will strengthen your body, mind, and spirit in a simple but powerful way. Simple Chi Kung is the foundation of Taoist practice, opening and preparing the body to move and cultivate more internal energy. Simple Chi Kung will give you the inner resources to transform stress into vitality, to cultivate more internal energy, to clear constriction and tension, and to feel connected to the life force that flows within you and all around you.

In todays highly competitive, fast-paced world, Chi Kungs versatility has tremendous practicality. The exercise world is full of props, gizmos, tricks, music, classes, machines, fancy outfits, and competition. If the goal is to get in shape, exercise our bodies, and get our blood moving, Chi Kung is a fantastic alternative. In fact you dont need anything, just you and your chi! You can practice Chi Kung almost anywhere, wearing anything, and in a short amount of time. Simple!

Modern life requires a completely different kind of energy than the years past. In our complex world, Chi Kungs utility as a personal resourcefor promoting productivity, preventing disease, balancing emotions, and calming the mindhas greater potential for the individual than it has ever had before. By clarifying the direct relationship that each individual practitioner has with the creative power of the universe, Chi Kung will foster a renewed sense of creativity and powerone that enhances the individual and the natural world simultaneously. Perhaps thats what Chi Kung is really all aboutempowering individuals to take care of their own health, to transform self-destructive behaviors into a positive relationship with the self, and to restore our own personal connection with the primordial wisdom of nature and the Tao.

A HISTORY OF HARMONY

Since prerecorded history, men and women in China have studied the essential harmony between humans and nature. Led by the principles of this harmony, Taoists through the centuries have seen humans as living organisms within a larger living organismnaturewhich itself exists within an even larger living organismthe universe. Tao means the way: the way of nature, the way of humans (human nature), the way of the universe, and the way to flow with the essential harmony of all things. Taoists place their attention on an invisible energetic force that gives all of these organisms life. They call this invisible energy chi.

The earliest Taoists discovered that there is no separation between the physical, emotional, psychological, and spiritual selves; whatever happens to us on any of these levels affects us on all other levels as well. The body, mind, and spirit are intimately related, as they are all unique aspects of the same source of energy. Thus, by exercising the body and its energy system, all aspects of the self are benefited. The Taoists asserted that a healthy body is the foundation for emotional balance, emotional balance leads to clarity of the mind, mental clarity leads to spiritual insight and awareness, spiritual awareness creates a healthy body, and so goes the flow of energy.