Volume-1. An Intro to Lohan chi kung:
In this beginning volume, an Introduction to Lohan Ch'i Kung, you will be shown an easy and gentle way of starting the practice of Shaolin Ch'i Kung. The Lohan Ch'i Kung Integration Set is shown in three parts. Part I is called the Nine Golden Elixirs consisting of: 1-Turning Waist, 2-Cat Stretches in the Morning, 3-Humble Man pays Respect, 4-Green Bamboo Bends in the Wind, 5-Spirit Rises, 6-Golden Eagle Flies, 7-Pretty Maiden Plays in the Water, 8-Yin Yang Hand, and 9-Heavenly Dragon Throws out the Pearl. Part II is an energy exercise called: San Jiao designed to invigorate the practitioner by stimulating the three DanTiens: Upper (Head), Middle (Chest) and Loser (Abdomen). The use of toning during the breathing process will gently massage from within. It is recommended to refrain from doing this particular exercise before bed as it might prevent you from easily falling asleep because of the increased energy. The Three Ch'is (Shen, Ch'i and Jing) are of focus during the San Jiao practice. Part III is an active Ch'i Kung exercise designed to help integrate Ch'i development while moving. Walking, Breathing, Focusing and Toning are integral to this final part of the Integration Set.
Volume II takes the practitioner into the world of the famous Shaolin Temple Ch'i Kung form known as the The 18 Lohan Hands (Healing). It is a set of movements incorporating the legendary 18 postures of the Lohan (Spiritual Practitioner). At the Shaolin Temple, these 18 postures are depicted in statue form as static or stationary, but it is the 18 postures along with the transitions between the postures that give the 18 Lohan Hands its beauty, dynamic effect, with the integration of Mind, Body, and Spirit to reclaim balance and centeredness.
By practicing 18 lohan Ch'i Kung, one can release stagnant, trauma and stress energy to created a more balanced constitution and allow the body's own healing energy and design to maintain youthfulness as a maintenance program or recover from heavy workouts and injuries. Lohan Ch'e Kung is based upon ancient Chinese healing exercises, the natural movements of animals in nature and Yoga exercises brought over from India by Damo (Bodhidharma). This is more of an instructional presentation. The workout session is in Volume III.
Volume 3 is a workout session, starting with the integration set from Volume I and continuing with the 18 Lohan Ch'i Kung Form as shown in Volume II. Very little discussion is offered in this volume, instead concentrating on following along with me and matching the breathing as much as possible with my inhales and exhales. Some tips to enjoying this workout: 1. Find a peaceful protected from the elements place to consistently work on this form. 2. Be mindful of the subtle changes within your body. 3. Strive to breathe slowly and elongate your inhales and exhales. 4. Listen to the sounds of your inhales and exhales 5. Watch your hands - Where attention goes, energy flows. This is one of the Truths of the Universe. 6. Control your movements in the transitions from posture to posture seamlessly so as to foster a moving meditation without abrupt static disruption of Flow. 7. Be mindful of the Expansion/Extension of the whole body as you inhale and the Relaxation/Flexion on the exhale to express the whole body's connection to the Breath. 8. Enjoy and Gift yourself with a "no-hurry" session.
Au’s Shaolin Arts is a non-profit cultural arts and amateur athletic sports corporation dedicated to the preservation and promotion of the Martial and Healing Arts of the Shaolin Temple of China. ASA gives instruction in two styles of Traditional Southern Shaolin Kung Fu - Hung Gar and Choy Lee Fut (CLF) Kung Fu from Grandmaster Kong Buck Sam of Hawaii and for the more serious CLF practitioners, Choy Lee Fut from Grandmaster Chan Yong Fa of Australia.
ASA’s Ch'i Kung/Tai Chi Program also come from Grandmaster Chan Yong Fa and is based upon the 18 Lohan Hands Ch'i Kung as taught to the monks at the Shaolin Temple in 527 AD by the famous Indian Patriarch of Mahayana Buddhism, Bodhidharma who is also known to the Chinese as Tamo (Damo). ASA promotes contemporary personal protection through a cutting edge non-deadly Force program as taught by renowned Sifu Seng Jeorng Au. ASA's Non-Deadly Force program utilizes techniques to subdue an assailant without the use of excessive force and is a more humane and legally compliant form of personal protection than traditional martial arts.
