Qigong, The Secret of Youth

Rating:
Summary: Profound Translation of Rare Ancient Manuscripts
Review: Anyone desiring to understand Qi, whether for Feng Shui, Marital Arts, or any other reason, must understand the internal human Qi, and the best avenue to this understanding is through Qigong.

This profound book is definitely recommended reading for a multitude of reasons, including its great contribution to the understanding and cultivation of Qi utilizing obscure and elusive techniques developed in antiquity through enlightenment.

Da Mo, also known as Bodhidarma, was an Indian of the Mahayana Buddhist Sect. He was considered a Bodhisativa who greatly affected the Chinese Shaolin Sect. His theories incorporated that the physical body is important and must be clean and strong (both externally and internally) in order to attain enlightenment.

Two rare ancient texts are attributed to him, both of which have been comprehensively researched and eloquently translated by Dr. Jwing-Ming Yang and offered with historical data and commentary. This second volume is an excellent sequel to the author's prerequisite book, The Root of Chinese Qigong : Secrets for Health, Longevity & Enlightenment.

The Yi Jin Jing is the Muscle Changing Text and instructs techniques for physical health and physical strength.

The Xi Sui Jing is the Marrow & Brain Cleansing Text and instructs techniques for internal cleansing and strength of the physical body via the internal organs including the blood and immune system. It further describes ancient practices designed as methods for channelling what can be termed sexual energy to energize the brain and gain enlightenment.

These two texts may initially appear more applicable to the channeling of male sexual energy as they were written in an ancient society predominated by male monks. However, these texts afford a great contribution to the understanding and cultivation of Qi within the framework of "Being" and the information is pertinent to both men and women.

Buy this book, it is essential reading for anyone interested in defined techniques for longevity and enlightenment.

Rating:
Summary: Not recommended...
Review: First, a comment on the format and style of this book. The book has a combination of both English and Chinese, with frequent "paragraphs" of Chinese included in the text. I'm not sure why this was done but I found it both irritating and confusing since I don't understand Chinese. The English is poorly worded and often seems, to me, to be missing information. The book is also lacking an index.

The drawings are rather simplistic and, compared to many other Qigong books, poorly drawn. The "exercises" are often depicted in only one frame with arrows supposedly indicating the movements; this is quite confusing and doesn't really show the intention very well.

The book is oriented around dividing Qigong into four "distinct areas" with "specific" exercises from each discipline. Not only have I never seen this type of division before but, again, the division is very arbitrary and little is done explain the relationships between these divisions. I found errors in the "history" sections as well. I suspect they have been plagarized from other books and I would recommend the reader to investigate other sources such as Grigg and Deng Ming Dao.

Then there are the actual exercises. Some of these can be found in many other books (although without the arbitrary divison of this book) and an interested Qigong practitioner probably has them already. However, many exercises in this book, particularly in the Martial section, are extremely dangerous if practiced without proper supervision.

In the history of Qigong there are numerous stories of master's who didn't transfer 100% of their lessons to disciples with the end result being crippled students. Many of the exercises in this book, particularly those utilizing sticks to pressurize points and blows to the body can lead directly to serious injury.

The book does not, in my opinion, satisfactorily explain this fact, nor does it outline a progression of study to lead into the exercises. It also doesn't even appear to mention many of the "standard" Qigong exercises such as "hugging the tree" that have a long proven history of providing benefit.

All in all, I was very disappointed with this book and certainly don't recommend it. Spend the money on finding a good master in your area and you'll be a lot farther ahead...

Rating:
Summary: Not recommended...
Review: First, a comment on the format and style of this book. The book has a combination of both English and Chinese, with frequent "paragraphs" of Chinese included in the text. I'm not sure why this was done but I found it both irritating and confusing since I don't understand Chinese. The English is poorly worded and often seems, to me, to be missing information. The book is also lacking an index.

The drawings are rather simplistic and, compared to many other Qigong books, poorly drawn. The "exercises" are often depicted in only one frame with arrows supposedly indicating the movements; this is quite confusing and doesn't really show the intention very well.

The book is oriented around dividing Qigong into four "distinct areas" with "specific" exercises from each discipline. Not only have I never seen this type of division before but, again, the division is very arbitrary and little is done explain the relationships between these divisions. I found errors in the "history" sections as well. I suspect they have been plagarized from other books and I would recommend the reader to investigate other sources such as Grigg and Deng Ming Dao.

Then there are the actual exercises. Some of these can be found in many other books (although without the arbitrary divison of this book) and an interested Qigong practitioner probably has them already. However, many exercises in this book, particularly in the Martial section, are extremely dangerous if practiced without proper supervision.

In the history of Qigong there are numerous stories of master's who didn't transfer 100% of their lessons to disciples with the end result being crippled students. Many of the exercises in this book, particularly those utilizing sticks to pressurize points and blows to the body can lead directly to serious injury.

The book does not, in my opinion, satisfactorily explain this fact, nor does it outline a progression of study to lead into the exercises. It also doesn't even appear to mention many of the "standard" Qigong exercises such as "hugging the tree" that have a long proven history of providing benefit.

All in all, I was very disappointed with this book and certainly don't recommend it. Spend the money on finding a good master in your area and you'll be a lot farther ahead...

Rating:
Summary: Excellent book for those with Chi-Gung knowledge/experience
Review: The previous comments on this book are basically accurate. The reader is correct that it does not go into detail regarding the small circualtion, but that's cause it wasn't meant to. Dr.Yang mentioned in the beginning that you should have already read and accomplished some part of the Yi Gin Ching before going on to this volume. Also he mentions that you should have READ and UNDERSTOOD what was written in hid previous books, "The Root of Chinese Chi-Gung" and "Chi-Gung, Health and the Martial Arts". The Health and the Martial Arts book is where the Small and Grand circualtion is mentioned and taught in much greater detail. I have been into REAL Gung-FU, Wu-Su for fifteen serious years now. I know that what Dr.Yang is talking about is correct cause I was taught, or heard my instructors talking about the same things as Dr.Yang for years before I read his books. I was taught by a student of a Gung-Fu Master that grew up in one of the last Shaolin Temples that was destroyed in 1927. He is now nearly one hundred years old and looks like he's about thirty, with a physique like Van Damme has in his movies, so you can be sure that he knows that Marrow washing Gung-fu as well. Dr. Yang states repeatedly in his books that you must make sure that you read and understand all the theory and comprehend it BEFORE you go on to the next level of material. Train smart and slow, NOT stupid and fast as Dr.Yang repeatedly states in his books. Just cause you may not understand something, don't assume that it's the authors fault. I'm not saying that it's all perfect, some things could be a little clearer. But being into physics myself since I was about 6 years old, and that fact that Dr.Yang also has a degree in Mechanical engineering, has greatly helped him in his ability to break down and explain the material from both a spiritual and physical point of view, from both the eastern and western view as well. Overall he has done and excellent job in his material and I peronally owe him many thanks. The knowledge has helped me to grow and learn even more and faster thah I was before, it helps me when teaching my students as well. You don't have to be into physics though to understand the material. It is difficult to undertand no matter how you look at it. Even with my experience, I took Dr.Yangs advice and read each book about thirty times, some sections more than that BEFORE I started doing anything in the books, that is what you must do to, especially if you are a newcomer to the field as well. Read "The Root of Chinese Chi-Gung" first. Read it over and over if you have to, then go on to the "Eight Pieces of Brocade" then to "Chi-Gung-Health and The Martial Arts" then, after at least two years, if you understand and have done those things seriously, I would say that you could begin some of the material in The Marrow washing volume. Follow the same pattern of reading it many times over and UNDERSTANDING the material well BEFORE you practice what is written in there. Also, FOLLOW the rules for Chi-Gung practice that are written therin and DO NOT take then lightly. I am speaking from experience here, you CAN mess yourself up and your health if you do not follow the rules that are given to you by Dr.Yang. Fortunatly I know some other healing techniques that I was able to fix what had been done to me, which was my own fault, no one elses. The techniques are safe and glorious, as long as you don't rush or take the information and warnings lightly. Do it right and you won't believe the results that you will get. Take care, all the best to you in you Chi-Gung journey.

Rating:
Summary: Valuable source material about transforming vital energy
Review: Yang uses Buddhist and Taoist documents, reproduced and translated section by section, to explain the esoteric training methods Yi Jin Jing and Xi Sui Jing. The first method generate qi to strengthen muscles and tendons, the second teaches Huan Jing or how to return vital energy through the spine to energize the brain. Evidently very baffled by certain aspects of these exercises, Yang sometimes has to conjecture. His translation is uncertain, yet this description includes valuable source material withheld in the popular books by Mantak Chia. This is an early work of a prolific writer who could really use an editor, and readers may find the non-standard Cantonese transliterations rather puzzling.