The benefits of Internal Force are not only for combat

[Michael Durkin]

The benefits of internal force are quite extensive. For ease of reading this article has been split into three parts:

Part 1
Introduction
What is Internal Force?

Part 2
How is Internal Force trained?
How do the previous two exercises benefit our lives?

Part 3
Practice wisely
Conclusion

All three parts of this article will be placed in this thread. There will be some time between posting the individual parts of this article for readers to digest the contents or ask a few questions if they wish. Following this initial post is Part 1.

[Michael Durkin]

Part 1 - The benefits of Internal Force are not only for combat.


Introduction

When internal force is mentioned in arts such as Chi Kung, Kung Fu or spiritual training (Buddhism / Zen), it is often misunderstood. In much modern Chi Kung, internal force is missing completely; practicing only the external forms seems to have replaced practicing the essence. In Kung Fu, internal force is commonly viewed only as a means of developing hard, toughened fighters and, as a result, many consider that internal force can only be applied for aggressive/fighting applications. In spiritual training internal force can also be misunderstood as a hindrance. This is due to a limited understanding of its true depth and scope.

Under proper instruction of these genuine arts of Chi Kung, Kung Fu and Spirituality, internal force can be trained to experientially enhance every aspect of our daily life. It isn't limited in just enhancing our health in Chi Kung, our combat efficiency in Kung Fu or our understanding of spiritual teachings. Internal force improves everything you do in life. This is its unique benefit and the basis of this article.



What is Internal Force?

- A basic understanding by comparing external and internal force

Most people don't really understand what internal force is. As a basic understanding is necessary for this article I will give a short explanation.

First the typical view of force. Physical strength or power is usually thought of as lifting heavy objects, punching or kicking very hard, specific muscle groups and gritting ones’ teeth. Typically the way to go about developing these kinds of force is through lifting weights, running, repeatedly hitting a tree trunk, tensing muscles etc. Even though, for example, these methods develop muscles (which are of course inside the body), these methods are generally described as 'external' training; they use methods outside of the body to generate external force. 'External' force trains the physical 'matter' of the body, namely the flesh, bones and sinews.

'Internal' force is the holistic training of the 'essence' of a person. This 'essence' refers to the three components that form the make up of all beings. They are namely the Jing (physical body), Chi (energy) and Shen (mind) - see Figure 1 below. Briefly, without starting a new article in itself, each of these three elements are also intrinsically part of each other and not really separate entities. To train internal force the practitioner uses means that are inside his body, most importantly his mind (Shen). Using his mind to relax his body (Jing), he allows energy (Chi) to flow freely instead of becoming 'locked' up in the muscles or joints. Using his mind (Shen) he regulates his breathing and generates a smooth flow of energy (Chi) through his body (Jing). By focusing his mind on his Dan Tian (abdominal energy centre), for example, he can focus energy and clear his mind. By smiling from the heart he can 'free' his spirit (also Shen) resulting in a peaceful, joyful state of consciousness. By using these 'internal' methods, 'internal force' is systematically trained.

The term 'force' in the Shaolin sense is a poor translation for the term ‘gong’ (pronounced as 'kung' as in Kung Fu, Chi Kung). Here force refers to something more than physical strength. It includes such things as coordination, accuracy, skill, agility, balance, fluidity, concentration, power and speed.

- General & Specific force

For convenient use in this discussion, force can be categorised as 'general' or 'specific'. General force means that energy can be applied for many different kinds of things, e.g. running, sleeping well and having a creative mind. Specific force means that energy is applied only for specific situations, for example, a press up, hard fists for punching, or calculating numbers in your head. Nevertheless, both 'general' and 'specific' force can benefit our lives. It is also important to note that the nature of internal force from genuine arts such as Shaolin Cosmos Chi Kung and Shaolin Kung Fu often blurs the definition of 'general' and 'specific', this is because these arts are holistic.

Internal arts are general, specific and holistic??? Too much to take in? Don't worry. In the second part of this article, to help our understanding, there are a couple of exercises with examples of the benefits they bring.

[Sifu Stier]

Shen is more than mind!

The trinity of Ching/Jing, Chi/Qi, and Shen as outlined in Traditional Chinese Internal Alchemy and Internal Power training is often misunderstood by modern students thereof, especially among non-Asian students. In reading the material initially presented in this thread, a couple of things jumped out to catch my attention which I wish to comment on.

Firstly, the Ching/Jing energy is the strength and power of the physical body to be sure, including that of bone, muscle, tendon, and ligament, but most specifically that of one's sexual vitality and reproductive 'energy' from the traditional point of view. Hence, the concerns of many Masters regarding the refinement and conservation of sexual vitality through self-discipline, which very few individuals care to hear about, much less incorporate in their training nowadays!

Secondly, the Chi/Qi energy is the electro-magnetic energy or force which courses through all living beings and all parts of every living body. Here again, a self-disciplined method of refining and nourishing this 'power' must be employed, as well as techniques to mentally control and direct where this energy goes, and with what degree of volume and intensity. Perhaps with a warm and pleasant radiance for healing and loving applications, or with a sharp, electrical charge suddenly released for fighting applications. These variations are the result of varying mental intentions directing the quantity and the quality of the energy. This is the domain of the mind in regards to 'intention', and the domain of breath in regards to physical development and expression.

Lastly, Shen is traditionally thought of as the domain of Spirit, not Mind. In fact, the traditional Chinese character for Shen is often translated as 'God'. Chinese language editions of the Holy Bible, for example, will publish a phrase such as..."the breath of the Almighty..." with Chinese characters which read..."the Chi of Shen..."!

There is also some connotation of 'spiritedness' in the sense of the kind of active energy expressed by puppies, kittens, young children.....a youthful, 'spring-loaded', bouncy kind of vitality of running, jumping, and so forth.

To translate Shen as 'Mind' is a very Communist Chinese perspective which wishes to invalidate and discredit everything related to 'Old China', i.e. pre-1950 China and pre-Communist philosophy, especially anything connected with religion and spirituality. This is in my view an incorrect meaning of 'Shen', which traditionally incorporates ideas primarily related to 'spiritual consciousness', to 'Spirit' on a Cosmic and Universal level beyond the domain of rational, logical, 'thinking' mind.

I realize that not everyone will agree with this point of view, especially those who believe that everything coming out of modern China today is new and 'improved' compared to the culture of 'Old China'. This is merely my humble, but correct opinion!

[alexstedman]

energy, mind and spirit

Hello all!

First of all, thank you to Michael for starting this thread. There are a few grey areas that I have regarding internal force, so I'm glad that I have a chance to clear them up.
Secondly, Sifu Stier has raised some important points that are definately worthy of noting. Although, there are some points I would like to raise.

but most specifically that of one's sexual vitality and reproductive 'energy' from the traditional point of view.

The above quote is on the matter of jing. This surprises me, because I would never have thought of it in this way! (probably because I'm 'typically' western ) I have heard Sigung translate 'Jing' into 'essence' to try and keep the flavour of the word, but he also points out that a crude translation is body. Again, from a western analytical point of view, 'essence' seems more vague than 'body', so I think it is quite understandable why many western students keep with the 'body' translation.

Secondly, the Chi/Qi energy is the electro-magnetic energy or force which courses through all living beings and all parts of every living body.

Sifu Stier, I respect you, and the following point is in no way meant to belittle you, but you are wrong. I know this because I am taking a Physics degree. Electro-magnetic energy certainly exists in the body, especially in the brain and muscles. However, it exists because of electrical signals sent by the brain, not as chi.
If chi was electromagnetic energy, then the western medical system would have discovered it already and would be making use of it in directly restoring yin-yang harmony. We can already detect it using simple instruments (actually no instrument is really needed, the human mk1 eyeball can detect electromagnetism since it is light), so finding it in the body would be no problem. Also, if it were flowing through our body, then surgery theatres all over the world would be brimming with light from inside a patient's body. Although it would be a spectacular show, it simply doesn't happen.
Chi is roughly translated as energy. It has not, to my knowledge, been detected in the western scientific sense. Saying that it is electromagnetic energy is trying to mix different paradigms. It simply doesn't work. Although translation is needed (from chi to energy), enforcing rigorous boundaries to describe it specifically just breeds confusion.

Lastly, Shen is traditionally thought of as the domain of Spirit, not Mind.

I whole-heartedy agree with this statement, and would like to point out that this translation is often used within WahNam. But again, from the western point of view, it is too vague for a lot of people. So it is sometimes crudely translated as mind. Anyone with direct experience of the spirit will know this difference. However, this is an open forum for anyone to visit and post on, so not everyone reading this article will have an experience of 'shen'. Here, 'mind' is probably a more appropriate term to use for those people.

Whew! I think that is my longest post to date! Sifu Stier, without you it wouldn't have been possible
I humbly ask that anyone who wishes to comment on my post (be it good or bad) please PM me or start a new thread. I simply wish to give Michael the space he needs to complete the 'Internal Force' post. A bit hypocritical I know, since I have taken up a fair amount of space myself, but anymore wouldn't be very kind

Warm regards to all!
Alex

[Sifu Stier]

Chi as electro-magnetic energy....

The chi/qi moves throught the body through 6 major energy 'circuits', with each circuit composed of a Positive Polarity (+) Yang Meridian and a Negative Polarity (-) Yin Meridian, 12 lines in total. Additionallly, there are 8 Auxilliary Meridians, and numerous connecting lines. You would only need to feel the 'electrical' energy or chi discharged from my middle fingertip or thumb one time to become a believer in the presence of this electro-magnet energy! This same chi energy can be used to 'magetize' with 'sticking' energy.

Many things exist in this world of phenomenon that modern science cannaot adequately understand or explain to its analytical satisfaction. The nature and function of 'chi' has long been one of these things. But, as the good natured fellow that I am, I would gladly demonstrate on you to help you find a fresh perspective outside the textbooks and the laboratory!

Western Medicine has touched upon this energetic presence to some degree with the use of EKG's, EEG's, and MRI's for example. Other technologies will inevitably follow in the coming years which further validate what I have said.

And so, Alex, Physics Degree or not, experience tells me that you in fact are wrong, or at least thinking about it in the wrong way, without sufficient personal experience to know otherwise. Perhaps continued kung-fu training will clarify the entire issue for you over time!

[alawadhi]

WoooW

Thanks Michael Durkin for starting this thread. It is really useful.

[Michael Durkin]

Hello everyone,

Great stuff so far everyone, this is all warmly welcomed, agreeing to disagree is no problem just please remember to do so respectfully

The first line of my post says that internal force is quite extensive. It is extensive because it can effect all areas of our life and being, which could effectively create an endless list of things to talk about, including such things as sexual energy. My posts in this thread serve as a starting point for further discussion, and as we have seen, they have done so.

The idea behind this thread that I have started is to broaden the view for those that may think that internal force is only really useful for combat application for example. And instead of concentrating specifically what Jing, Chi or Shen is, I have only provided a basic understanding to get the ball rolling for the later parts of my posts.

SifuStier
I agree with you that Shen is more than just mind! I think due to the limitation of words a few of our terms may appear wrong to those that have a different understanding of that word, even though we may actually be talking about the same thing.

Just to clarify, "mind" or "shen" may be expressed as heart, spirit, soul and even consciousness. In Chinese medical philosophy for example, the seat of the mind is in the heart, not in the brain. In my article I refer to mind and shen as spirit, not the intellectualising, conscious thinking 'mind' or brain rather. And as I believe we both agree from what I have read, 'intention' is also an aspect of 'mind'. I certainly do not want to discredit the 'old China' philosophy, my teaching on this subject comes from my Sifu, Wong Kiew Kit who practices his art from a lineage right from the genuine Shaolin tradition going back over centuries way before the 1950's.

With regards to sexual energy, yes it certainly is a part of internal training. And yes, in the past it was an important part of training, but it depends on those aims and objectives. For example, in some cases it was necessary to abstain from sex for a period of 100 days as that was a requirement for that training. One reason why sexual abstinence may not be as prevalent today are because the aims and objectives of the practitioners aren't as high today as those in the past, this means they can still enjoy sex, and get reasonably good results from there training. What was 'reasonable' in the past, today would be considered remarkable!

Paying attention to sexual matters is part of the teaching in Shaolin Wahnam if it is necessary. For example if a student is too unhealthy, it would be recommended that he abstains from sex for a certain time period to recover his energy if that was the right course of action, but this all greatly depends on the circumstances. One may overcome his illness in six months, but with sexual enjoyment added in, he may need nine months. Another interesting point is not to dualistically think that having sex means a set back in ones development. If a person abstained from sex, he may build up excessive sexual energy that may make him angry or nervous, which could result in upsetting his family or his partner. This would be counter productive to his practice and of leading a happy and healthy life.


Further comments not to anyone in particular
With regards to what energy actually is, I think instruments outside our beings are limited because they are tuned for specifics not openly receptive. To quote one of Sifu's question & answers :

In the 1960s or 70s (I can't remember the dates accurately), qigong masters like Lin Hou Sheng proved the reality of qi scientifically. They transmitted their qi to some scientific instruments which showed that qi consists of various infra-red rays, sub-sonic waves and static energy. But a sceptic could argue that was not qi, it was only various forms of rays, waves or energy.

The best instrument for explaining what energy is are living beings themselves. But problems start when you start to intellectualise about this wave, or that frequency, this particle or that particle. Intellectualising creates too many stumbling blocks. Direct experience is key, not talking about it, but doing it.

[barrys]

This debate on Jing is very interesting as it seems to be along the same lines as some of the early debates in psychoanlysis. Freud was very much a scientist. He made observations both of his own direct experience and of his direct experience in the presence of his patients (much of Freuds work was based on his direct experience of himself which is not widely known). From these experiences he formed provisional theories, which he continued to evolve throughout his life. People might argue about the validity of them but they were based on his own direct experience.

Anyway, the point in this thread, is that Freud identified something which later became traslated as libidinal or sexual instinct but can also be translated as life-force. Freud considered this to be part of the essence of a human being. He suggested it was in essence unknowable but that its source is in the physical realm, can be symbolised in the mental apparatus, is experienced through 'the soul' (seelisch in German) and the aim of its striving to be expressed is the achievement of happiness. Due to the problems of both translation and the difficulty of rendering into words something that is beyond words, there were debates around this issue that caused great rifts between previously close colleagues. Anything connected with "Sex" probably wasn't the easiest thing to be discussed in Austria/Europe in the late 19th/early 20th century. Particularly when initiated by a "Jew".

Interestingly, Freud also came to believe, through his own experience, that what caused problems for people was the lack of the free flow or expression of this life force. He suggested that it could become blocked, turned inwards or "perverted" towards false expressions of its aim.

Fascinating that it seems like the same ideas of essence, body, soul, sexual enery and life force are intemingled in a tantalisingly complicated set of relationships in the chinese way of describing their experiences. Of course, I guess it is only complicated if you try to understand it.

Certainly, I have experienced things in my body even though I am at an early stage of becoming aware. I have had sensations in my legs, these have seemed to be (me symbolising in the "small" mind) like water rushing down my legs. I have also experienced pulses thoughout my fingers, palms, hands and face. They feel similar to mild (sometimes not so mild) electrical stimuli. At the same time I have felt great warmth and happiness that certainly came from no direct external stimulus. I have always been warned about setting much store by my mental images e.g. water and electricity. But rather just go with what happens and enjoy it. I think this is what is meant when people talk about focussing on the moon rather than the finger that is pointing at the moon. The finger might help one to focus attention in the right direction but to continue to stare at it would be missing the point.

Best wishes and a free flow of life force leading to happiness for all ,

Barry

[Michael Durkin]

Interesting comments everyone Keep them coming, although it would be a good idea to start new threads to discuss these fascinating topics deeper, as I'm sure its becoming quite apparent from what I said at the start - that internal force is quite extensive.

Moving along, following this post is the second part of this thread's topic.

[Michael Durkin]

Part 2 - The benefits of Internal Force are not only for combat.


How is Internal Force trained ?

The aim of explaining the following two exercises is not to give a detailed instruction of how to practice them. They are examples of exercises which can be used to generate internal force. As with so many things they are ‘simple’ but not ‘easy’ to perform correctly.

- Dan Tian Breathing

Dan Tian breathing is an exercise that aims to build energy (chi) at the abdominal energy centre, otherwise known as the Dan Tian. Typically the practitioner is in a standing position. He follows the standard procedure of using his mind to gently relax his body, regulate his breathing and energy, clear his mind and smile from the heart. He places his palms one on top of each other over his Dan Tian which is situated roughly 3 inches below the navel. As he breathes out his palms gently press his abdomen; as he breathes in his hands gently release and move outwards with his abdomen. This is the visible (external) aspect of the form.

The internal aspect of this exercise is to take energy from the cosmos to form a ball of energy at the Dan Tian using the mind. As the practitioner breathes in and out, energy from the cosmos gently 'gathers' or 'builds' at the Dan Tian. He repeats this process of pressing and releasing about 18, 36 or 72 times. After this he lets his hands gently hang by his sides as he remains relatively still for a while to enjoy the benefits of the exercise. At a higher level the practitioner does not even breathe in or out. His Dan Tian pulsates with the cosmos.

- One Finer Shooting Zen

One Finger Shooting Zen is an exercise that aims to develop internal force and channel energy through ones finger. The practitioner 'sits' in the horse riding stance, his hands in fist form by the sides of his body above his hips. With one hand he makes the one finger Zen hand form, which is similar to a hand pointing at something. He moves the hand back and forth from near his shoulder, to extended out in front of him - the index finger of his One Finger Zen hand form pointing directly up towards the sky. He repeats this cycle three times, on the fourth he 'shoots' out his hand and points the index finger straight out in front of him. He then changes that hand to a tiger claw and, in a semi-circular motion, moves his hand towards his knee and then brings it back to the side of his body in a fist form. The same series of moves is repeated with the other hand. When the both hands have finished, the practitioner brings himself back to a standing position and stays relatively motionless for a while as he enjoys the benefit of the internal force generated. This is the visible (external) aspect of the form.

The internal aspect of this exercise is again achieved using his mind. The practitioner relaxes himself into the horse riding stance, clears his mind, smiles from the heart and gently thinks of his Dan Tian. As the hand form moves back and forth, the breath and flow of chi (energy) is co-ordinated so that chi is taken from the cosmos into the Dan Tian, then channelled to flow to the finger. In the 'shooting' aspect of the exercise, chi is channelled from the Dan Tian to shoot out like an arrow from the finger. The closing of the exercise, bringing your self back to a standing position for a while, allows the chi to sink back to your Dan Tian and allows you to reap the benefits of the internal force that is generated.

If only the visible aspect of the exercise is practiced, only the benefits of gentle physical exercise and very little of the internal force benefits will be achieved.

“So how do you build energy at your Dan Tian?” I hear you thinking. Gently focussing on your Dan Tian can be hard for the untrained. Try, for example, thinking of your right hand. That's much easier isn't it? This is because you are readily aware of its existence and daily use. Before you learned that energy can be taken from an apple, you might question how you are meant to find the apple and take energy from it. Once you know how, these things are simple and straight forward.



How do the previous two exercises benefit our lives ?

The potential for the benefits from the previous two exercises are extensive. The mere preparation for the exercise itself (relaxing the body, energy, mind and spirit) are excellent for releasing tension in the body, relaxing and clearing the mind and experiencing spiritual joy. Proceeding to the actual process of 'taking in' cosmic energy literally fills the whole body with energy, not just the Dan Tian. Without actually practicing these genuine arts, one may think that the practitioner would be hyperactive with all this energy but quite often, as a result of these exercises, the practitioner is very peaceful, relaxed and spiritually free. This shouldn't be dualistically misunderstood with being limp, placid or weak.

Once you have trained and established some internal force, it is similar to having a bank account that always has a buffer of money in reserve along with regular funds coming in. Like money, internal force is very versatile and has many ways of enhancing our life. Ok enough talking metaphorically, a brief summary of some of the benefits.

From the health perspective:
- As the result of training internal force, energy flows where it is naturally needed most; be that for a common cold, muscle tear from sports, emotionally keeping calm in an argument and spiritually finding peace.
- You may only feel 10% of the symptoms of, say, the common cold compared to when you feel up to 80% of the symptoms of a cold which effectively condemn you to bed and rest.
- The practice of training internal force allows for the release of harmful waste from the body that contributes to illness. You are constantly letting 'good' energy flow in, and 'bad' energy out.
- Allows you to eat well and enjoy your food.
- Sleep more soundly and wake up feeling refreshed.

From the perspective of vitality:
- Still have energy after playing an intense game of football.
- Strengthen your tennis serve.
- Manage increased amounts of work.
- Work for longer hours.
- More energy to spend with friends & family - improve social life.
- Live to a ripe old age with good health.

From the perspective of mind:
- Have clearer thinking from training the mind by removing unnecessary thoughts. This improves many daily activities such as spelling, visualising new clothes designs (creativity), remembering dates / facts / figures, expressing yourself more clearly. The list for clearer thinking is quite endless.
- Quick decision making, allowing you to see the best solution in situations such as emergency rescue personnel evacuating a building.
- Increased endurance and focus on a particular subject at school or exams - less mentally fatigued.
- More efficient with time and your actions; upon making decisions you go about them efficiently. For example planning a marketing strategy at work, deciding which route to take when crossing a country, realising and performing strategies and tactics in sport. Being flexible - if waiting for your food to arrive in a restaurant you talk first then eat, or eat first then talk later rather than getting impatient and wasting time.

From the perspective of spirit:
- Re-realise a zest for life.
- Enjoy the company of your friends & family.
- Realise the great fortune of having a roof over your head, clothes on your back and food on the table.
- Lose the anger and stress that would once cause you to become frustrated in a traffic jam.
- Appreciate the love from your parents, brothers and sisters, grandparents and those who care for you.
- Awaken your spirit to the beauty around you. You may see a route you took to work for years as suddenly beautiful instead of the same old mundane trip you took every day. Look at the world with awe like a child does, marvel at the clouds, rain and sunshine.
- Every day is a good day!
- Have glimpses of cosmic reality, realise wisdom, be in touch with God.

Through direct experience of internal force we experience how it improves every aspect of our life, much like having an extra $1,000 dollars a month in the bank. But to use my analogy of having loads of money and equivalently having much internal force, these things aren't the be-all and end-all in life. The important thing to remember is how to go about practicing in a way that enhances our life. In the third and final part of this article attention is given to practicing internal force wisely.

[Zhang Wuji]

[QUOTE=SifuStier]

Firstly, the Ching/Jing energy is the strength and power of the physical body to be sure, including that of bone, muscle, tendon, and ligament, but most specifically that of one's sexual vitality and reproductive 'energy' from the traditional point of view. Hence, the concerns of many Masters regarding the refinement and conservation of sexual vitality through self-discipline, which very few individuals care to hear about, much less incorporate in their training nowadays!

This reminds me of the Taijiquan teachings in my school, which has a special technique for converting semen to qi. I am personally not too convinced if that works (which is probably why it does to work for me). To me, the defining characteristic about jing1 is that it is replaceable. Muscles and bone can regenerate, and semen can be produced once used. SIfu mentioned this during the Review course - having sex may deplete some jing1, but at the same time, the pleasure contributes to shen. As Michael notes, the three are overlapping, so they even out.

Lastly, Shen is traditionally thought of as the domain of Spirit, not Mind. In fact, the traditional Chinese character for Shen is often translated as 'God'. Chinese language editions of the Holy Bible, for example, will publish a phrase such as..."the breath of the Almighty..." with Chinese characters which read..."the Chi of Shen..."!

To translate Shen as 'Mind' is a very Communist Chinese perspective which wishes to invalidate and discredit everything related to 'Old China', i.e. pre-1950 China and pre-Communist philosophy, especially anything connected with religion and spirituality. This is in my view an incorrect meaning of 'Shen', which traditionally incorporates ideas primarily related to 'spiritual consciousness', to 'Spirit' on a Cosmic and Universal level beyond the domain of rational, logical, 'thinking' mind.

While I am not an expert on qigong and TCM, I can share my knowledge about how "shen" is used in the Chinese language. It is one word which can be combined in a bewildering number of variations, and it does not mean mind or spirit most of the time. It is only when we speak in the context of martial arts that the "spirit" meaning is clear. I agree that translating shen as something that equates rational logical thinking is a Maoist construct. But I do not think the Maoists equated spirit with mind as I would translate it (xin1). I would say the Commies meant "brain" instead. This is obvious even today when I read modern qigong books from the PRC. The Maoists did much to set China back and it is only now that the PRC exponents dare to talk about qi openly. Even so, they need to always justify it using pseudo-scientific language.

I believe Sifu in "The Complete Book of Shaolin" noted that "shen" is to the Taoists what "xin" is to the Buddhists. I would say Mind is a pretty good English synonym for either xin or shen. As a certified translator, I would put my stamp on such a translation.

[Michael Durkin]

Part 3 - The benefits of Internal Force are not only for combat.


Practice wisely

Whatever you do in life, to get the best benefit it is important to realise the true depth and scope of what and why you are doing something. Otherwise you waste your time and life away bearing little fruit from your efforts.

- Understanding the potential

Dan Tian breathing, for example, at its higher levels of skill has the ability to radiate energy outside of the practitioner to those around him. For those around him, they may receive such benefits as increased amounts of energy and improvements in their illness. One Finger Shooting Zen has the ability of causing much damage but, more importantly, it can be used to transmit energy to heal. Another benefit of holistic internal force I would like to mention is that energy has the natural ability to return balance (to heal) injuries, illness, emotional / mental / spiritual 'problems' without you being aware of it. Being healthy is our birth right and it is our bodies’ natural function to return us to a state of good health.

With only a shallow understanding of what you practice you are likely only to achieve little of the benefits. And along with little knowledge you limit the potential of what you practice. For example, training internal force only for use in combat is not holistic, life beneficial training. Shaolin Wahnam's aim in training is to enhance life, not to destroy it. However we train our internal force, we should make sure that it is balanced and improves all aspects of our lives.

The best advantage of generating internal force is that you can practice at any age and reap the rewards immediately. In fact your internal force will improve with age, resulting in a better quality of life when you are in your 70's, 80's and even 90's compared to when you were in your 20's. To achieve this of course requires regular, quality practice over a longer period of time. It is fair to say that the potential of internal force is limitless in how it can enhance what ever we do.

- Balanced training of internal force

Jing, Chi and Shen are the three components of our being. They are intrinsically interrelated. The previous two exercises train all three of these components. The approach taken in Shaolin Wahnam is to holistically benefit from practicing the three components together. Figure 2 (below) is an example of imbalanced internal practice. It is imbalanced because more emphasis has been given to Shen rather than Chi and Jing and, as a result, the practitioner may be sharp in mind but weak in body, have illness and lack energy.

- Some general limitations of 'external' & 'internal' exercise.

External exercise in most cases are 'specific'. A weightlifter, for example, cannot use the energy stored in his muscles to overcome a common cold, to have clarity of thought or to have peace of mind in difficult situations. A Muay Thai fighter who consistently punches and kicks a bamboo tree develops very powerful fists and shins. But again his energy is specifically trained in those parts. He cannot use this energy to expand his mind for creativity. In this way, 'external' strength is referred to as 'dead' energy because the energy is 'locked' in specific places. But in most cases, these types of strenuous 'external' exercise leave you feeling tired, in pain and with less energy than you started with. It might take you an hour or more to recover before you can apply yourself to work, friends, sleep or play. The main drawback is that after about 30 years of age, the typical sportspersons’ performance generally starts to decrease with age, along with the benefits they gain.

Strenuous 'external' training doesn't tend to benefit the energy and organ systems of the body; it generally draws energy through and away from them. The energy and organ systems of your body may increase in productivity to meet the demands of external exercise (which superficially may appear as becoming stronger and healthier). But in reality these increases in productivity mean that the energy and organ systems are put under bigger demands to sustain life. This is one reason why performance decreases with age.

From the 'internal' perspective, if a person focussed on only one aspect, like Shen (mind) in Figure 2 (above), he would be imbalanced in his training as described in the section above - Balanced training of internal force.


- Does internal force create 'attachment' which can be a hindrance in spiritual training ?

Yes and no depending on the circumstances. I mentioned earlier that the inexperienced might not believe energy can be taken from an apple. This is simply because they have limited experience and understanding. I believe no, internal force is not a hindrance in spiritual training, just like internal force is not only used for combat.

An excellent example is when the Great Bodhidharma came to the Shaolin Monastery of China in 527 BCE. He saw that the monks were unable to achieve the goal of their spiritual practice (Nirvana / Enlightenment) because they were sick, lacked energy and often fell asleep in their meditation! - they had no internal force. To help the monks, Bodhidharma created Chi Kung exercises collectively named 'The 18 Lohan Hands' to give the monks internal force enabling their spiritual training. The 18 Lohan Hands evolved into another practice named 'Eighteen Lohan Fist' that became the prototype for Shaolin Kung Fu today. The 18 Lohan Hands still remains a Chi Kung exercise that can develop internal force. The Great Bodhidharma was then considered to be the first patriarch of Zen for the Chinese and subsequent practitioners.

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The Great Bodhidharma -- Clay models as a record of the Shaolin Monks practicing the 18 Lohan Hands in the Shaolin Temple

There is a saying that the love of money is the root of 'evil'. Similarly, using the bank account analogy that I have used in this article, you could also translate the love of internal force as being 'evil' or negative in spiritual practice. It's not the money, or internal force that is 'evil', it is the love or fixation with it. Money and internal force are just means to an end. Without responsible, experienced guidance, it’s not too hard for anyone to loose their way in life. Bodhidharma was the 29th in a line of patriarchs starting right from the Buddha. Therefore he was responsible and knew how to guide the Shaolin Monks towards their aim of spiritual attainment - by using internal force as a means to enhance that aspect of their life, not so that it became a hindrance or 'attachment'. This is also the view that we naturally take in Shaolin Wahnam because our authentic practice descends from genuine Shaolin Monks such as the Venerable Jiang Nan and the Venerable Chee Seen.




Conclusion

Internal force training comprises training of the three elements of our being, namely Jing (body), Chi (energy) and Shen (mind). The nature of holistic internal force practice means our whole being - body, energy, emotions, mind and spirit return to a harmonious state of good health.

To make the most of your internal force training you should be aware of the depth, scope and potential it offers - not just from the one perspective of combat. In this day and age, fighting situations are not as common as they once were. Nevertheless, training internal force in genuine Shaolin Kung Fu allows us to apply such skills as perseverance, tolerance, vitality, courage, flexibility, clarity, gracefulness, compassion, focus, discipline and the ability to make fast sound decisions to enhance every aspect of our life in and outside of combat.

In Shaolin Wahnam, you are not limited to practicing internal force to break bricks (or combat uses), as we realise this would be a waste of time. It would be much more effective to use a hammer! Breaking bricks often comes as a surprise for those that practiced internal force initially to recover from illness.

We can benefit immediately from its practice, not in 3 years, but quite literally the first day of practice. Internal force can be trained at any age and starting to train early and consistently means that we can have great health, vitality and vigour in our actions, a healthy mind and spiritual peace right into our later years.

The analogy of a bank account was used to describe internal force. Much like becoming fixated with building a large bank balance, one can easily start to focus only on having more and more internal force. This results in a never ending cycle of suffering as the end is never in sight; you always want more and more. This isn't a limitation of money, or internal force, but a condition of life - greed / attachment = suffering. The Great Bodhidharma didn't believe internal force to be a hindrance in this way; he used internal force as a means for the Shaolin Monks to help them attain the highest goal of any being - enlightenment.

Internal force is a means for us to enhance our lives. You don't live to work, you work to live. Internal force is like a vehicle we can use to get somewhere. As and when we arrive we no longer need to focus upon the vehicle; we enjoy our arrival. This is an important realisation and also a rare piece of wisdom that isn't part of most practices of Kung Fu, Chi Kung or spiritual practice today. This is the likely reason why great arts have become watered down and are missing their essence which have lead to such misunderstandings that internal force can only be used for combat.

As long as there is a clear, systematic, proven method - training genuine internal force to enhance our life is simple and straight forward. These methods are readily available from genuine Chi Kung, Kung Fu (including Tai Chi Chuan) and Zen.

[Steve Clarke]

Hi Sihing Michael,
Only just found this thread and really enjoyed it,excellent. Since the Kung Fu course with you last year I can relate, to alot of what you said.It has got me thinking about my attachment to internal force though.I have been very focused on it.
Best Wishes,
Steve.

[Andy]

Also just noticed this thread!

Excellent article, Michael. Thanks for posting it.

Andy

[Baguamonk1]

Nice man. Good work.

I recommend you guys read some stuff from both old, and modern metaphysicists, as well as Quantum theorists. Even science. You will find that its the same ideas and concepts that the Chinese have had for centuries if not Millenia!