Important factors about practice Qigong

Qigong practice is for self-healing and self-realization, so most importantly one needs to be honest to self. It is like having lunch, if we skip our lunch, we will feel it ourselves, though others might not be able to see that. The more we practice it, the more we will gain from it. We shall not let other things outside of ourselves become a hinderance to our own progress in building up Qi especially when join group class or practice.

There was a participant at taoist Light Qigong workshop long time ago who was practicing so well and made a lot progress quickly. She suddenly disappeared and lost contact with me, and only months later did she call me very excitedly to say that she had found a magical Qigong style which did not require students to spend any time on practice. I knew I could not get her on the right track, since she was already in it, so I wished her well and good luck. A Qigong without practice which means Qigong without "gong" (gong means practice), so it cannot be called Qigong. It must be something else....  Soon after that, she called me again saying that she fainted at the magical Qigong event and ended up in the hospital emergency room, and still felt sick ever since. I am sorry to hear these stories, though some people are drawn to quickies rather than an honest, real deal which often requires more work.

Recently, I also received a phone call from a person who everyone knows as someone who lies and cheats. Surprisingly, he asked me if I could train him to become a Qigong master so he can make a living with it. I had no words. I know some people might think a master just needs to have a quick technique without a good character because they have not worked on themselves to become a wholesome being. The "master" is not just being passed on esoteric/practical teachings by other masters, but has also cultivated themselves to become a at least honest and responsible person.

For Qigong, there is no magic, no tricks, and no bargains. It is all about a correct practice that fits the individual's body and follows the natural and universal laws; students then just practice and practice. We say it takes ten years to sharpen a perfect sword. How long will it take you to become the master of Qi? Only you and time can tell.

Taoist Light Qigong is already the simplest, yet one of the most profound and efficient Qigong styles. If the keys (initiation words) have been handed to you, it is up to you now to open up the ultimate potentiality and infinite possibilities. 

It is easy to see that some current diligent, humble and respectful Taoist Light Qigong students will become Masters soon, because the master's qualities are already in them. In another words, they are masters in life, then just become the Masters of Qigong.

About the Summerland Cottage (2)

The first person I knew personally who lived in this house was M. She often walked with her little dog down the hill to get to the beach. She was a spiritual teacher for many people. At one point there were about 50 people crowded in the living room and kitchen seeking something more meaningful in their lives. But eventually, there were about 20 people who worked consistently on finding Self and sitting in silence. I was one of them, so this house was like our home. The whole group people were bound to it. What I learned most from M was unconditional love, and how to make choices to lead a happier life. Later on, M moved to a bigger house by the beach as a divine payoff for her kindness as I can think of. I believe when a person gives to the universe and universe gives back, just like air flows freely in and out of a house. The group started to meet at M’s new home. That was our spiritual family in Santa Barbara. But now and then, new comers would still meet at the Summerland cottage.

After M moved out, B moved into the Summerland cottage as M’s guest. Then people in Summerland started to see B walking her dog on the hill. B was a nun since the age of eighteen. She painted the house with her favorite color and bought a turquoise-colored car. Little did she know, her life as a nun which she had pursued most of her life was about to change. In her 70’s, she had made a shocking shift in her life, that was to leave the nunnery. A long process was required by the church and then a priest had come to see her and eventually released her from her vows. B started to have an ordinary life like other people living in Summerland, such as going to see movies, and walking dog on the beach, as well as tasting the delicious apple pie in a small restaurant down the hill. One day, she told me she had met an older gentleman when she picked me up from airport. She turned on the radio in her car and there was his voice explaining classic music. He worked for a local radio station in Santa Barbara. With rosy cheeks, she said: “I did not know he is so famous!” The gentleman and B shared their life values.They had tea together at the Summerland cottage and walked together on the hill. B eventually took her last breath not long after the gentleman passed away. She had enjoyed Summerland cottage and the Summerland cottage had given her nurturing from the Divine heart and the human heart.

E moved into the Summerland cottage after B, then people in Summerland started to see her walking on the hill with her little dog. In her 70’s, she had dyed her hair in red. She also became a spiritual guide for beginners. People started to gather regularly at the Summerland cottage again for spiritual teachings. She had a wonderful mothering and nurturing energy, and she had a talent for gardening. She created a vegetable garden beside the house and spent many hours there. One day, I came to visit her. She shared with me that her health was not good due to a defective medical device that the doctor had put in her body many years ago. In her voice, I could not hear the slightest complaint or resentment. She finally decided to move to where she was closer to her children. On the day when she moved away, I saw her off outside the Summerland cottage. She loaded all her belongings in her little blue truck including her little dog, and waved good-bye to me.

After E moved away, that was when M called me. I was very excited to be the new owner of the Summerland cottage. After I moved in, I set up new fence panels to define the boundaries of the property, and planted bamboos to give the backyard more privacy. I put in a spa where I could watch the starry sky when I immersed myself in the warm bubbling water and felt the cool air on my face.

Soon, people in Summerland started to see me pushing a twin stroller up the hill-- I had given birth to twin boys; and years passed by, we were walking up the hill together. The children scamper and play about the whole backyard in daytime, and make wishes to the stars at night. I often tell them to be careful about what they wish for, because the place we live in is magical. Whatever we wish for can be manifested very soon. My proof is moving into the Summerland cottage, I wished very hard to have one child, and I was blessed with two of them.

No doubt about it, the Summerland cottage is a special house; it always helps people to find their truth and create changes in their lives. In the Summerland cottage, M started to follow her calling to teach the teachers of spirituality, she shared her teachings to benefit many and created a spiritual family; In the Summerland cottage, B found her deepest love not only for God but also for another human being. In the Summerland cottage, E discovered the truth of who she was, and lived as a example of a diving being as well as an earthy gardener. In the Summerland cottage, I find the new part of myself, with growing wings of motherhood as I raise my two boys. I enjoy singing and dancing with them at home. I thank the three incredible women who had previously lived in the same house, for they had manifested the loving energy that pervades the Summerland cottage, the miraculous place and our loving home.

Now we have groups here all the time, and many thanks to this nurturing healing place.

About the Summerland Cottage (1)

The Summerland Cottage

Along the West Coast of America, between Los Angeles and San Francisco, there is a beautiful place called Santa Barbara. Because of its natural beauty and pleasant living environment, it is also called “Paradise.” Driving north on Highway 101, after entering Santa Barbara County but before getting to Santa Barbara downtown, there is a quiet, picturesque little town called Summerland that is built on a hill overlooking the Pacific Ocean. It is a surfers’ heaven, because on the other side of freeway, there is a park which accesses the beach. There is one commercial street in Summerland, it is famous for its antique shops, spas, and small restaurants.

A few years ago, I received a phone call from a dear friend M. Over the phone, she asked me straightaway if I would be interested in buying her house which was on the top of the hill in Summerland. It did not take me long to say “yes.” I knew M very well, I knew that house, I knew the people who had lived there, and I knew its location held the best fengshui and investment value. The cottage was small and a bit old, but it had its own charm, mostly it had a great ocean view from the front and wonderful mountain view in the back. Each time I drive there, it feels like the waves of Mother Ocean always give me a nice welcome, and then I enter into a big hug from Father Mountain who opens his strong arms. The weather is almost always perfect, flowers blossom all year long.

When I got the key to the Summerland cottage, a peacock was standing on the roof making funny sounds. I opened the front door and sat quietly inside the house. When I closed my eyes, stories of this house started to present themselves to me. It felt like a movie was playing on its white walls… I saw how a group of spiritual people set up sacred fire and shared enlightenment ideas in the 1950’s; I saw how the Hippies who pounded their drums and enjoyed a free lifestyle in the 1960’s. I saw the transformation of this house and the transformation of the people who lived here, and how this house held its own sense of integrity. It seemed to me that whoever lived here, her life was about to change into something more meaningful to her heart.

My connection to Qigong (5)

After I made a decision to study Taoist Light Qigong with Master Zhou Shitai, I went with my mom to his Qigong healing center in Xi'an. 

There were many rooms for healers trained by Master Zhou, and the biggest room was his treatment room. I was there with his other disciples waiting for his arrival. Still a teenager, I had my legs crossed while I sat on a chair. An older woman came closer to ask me to put my legs down, at that moment, Master Zhou happened to walk inside watching all that, he laughed and spoke aloud: "Ha, the daughter is here!"  He asked me why I wanted to study Taoist Light Qigong, and I answered that I needed an exercise to keep healthy and feel balanced. Obviously, he was not completely satisfied and I could tell that for him there were much more meaningful reasons. (Years later, I wondered if I could have said that Taoist Light Qigong will not only cultivate a person's Qi, but it was also a way to help others, eventually becoming a path way to enlightenment.)

He asked me to sit next to him as the clients were ready to come in. I remembered the first one was a female who had intense headaches. During the session, she kept saying she did not feel anything. I was a little disappointed. The second one came in with a weird disease and no one knew what was wrong with him. Master Zhou looked at him with his eyes and then he said: "I see that your blood lacks of an important trace mineral called xxx." (I forgot which one, obviously it was not a common one). I became very curious, how could Master Zhou be so sure? How could he determine the particular trace mineral with his eyes? Or did Master Zhou simply had some medical knowledge that helped him determine that? Later my father told me, the guy went back to hospital and had a blood test which confirmed Master Zhou's accuracy, and the man was getting better. I sat there the whole day watching people came and go; there were about two dozen people he worked with that day. 

I understand that it was a privilege to sit next to Master when he worked, since I could connect to his powerful Qi field. 

But how can clients respond so differently? Why can Qigong heal most people but not everyone? 

I realized that when clients come for Qigong treatment, their bodies are like vessels: If one closes his vessel tightly and does not want to open to allow the new healing energy to pour in, the Master could not do that much for them; while some vessels are open and ready to receive more freely, and it is these people who will receive the most obvious benefits. Naturally, most people who come to Qigong are open-minded and are ready for the shift to get better, so it did help the most people. Why people close their energy vessels anyway? Are children more easily healed because they are more open to pure energy?

At that time, there were many scientists studying Qigong. Qian Xuesen (1911 – 2009) Ph.D, known as the "Father of Chinese Rocketry" was the most famous one at that time, Qian was a scientist who made important contributions to the space programs of both the U.S. and China. He had written: "Qigong is beneficial to the health of humankind." to encourage people believe in Qigong and practice Qigong for health benefits. From 1983 to 1987 Qian made over 100 speeches related to Qigong and the extraordinary functions of the human body at the Institute of Space Medico-Engineering in Beijing. Since the 1980s, Qian advocated scientific investigation of Qigong and "special human body functions". He also encouraged scientists to accumulate observational data on Qigong for the establishment of future theories.  I wonder if one day in the near future, scientists would be able to give a scientific proof on how Qigong works.

That night there were about 500 people gathered for Master Zhou's teaching at a public stadium. I saw bright light coming out from Master Zhou covering the dark color of his clothes. As many Qigong lectures happening in China at that time, numerous participants obtained instant benefits, such as abandoning their wheelchairs or crutches and standing up again. It was also encouraging for participants who witnessed these occurrences.

After I joined the Taoist Light Qigong class, and started carrying this new tool of healing and self-cultivation with me wherever I go ever since....

My connection to Qigong (4)

After I met Master Zhou, he suggested that I study Taoist Light Qigong. At that time, I had been studying another style of Qigong from my mother for a few months already. The old style involved six stages and each stage contained numerous precise movements. It took me months to memorize and practice, so it certainly was not easy for me to give it up.

At that time, my mother had an accident at work. A big iron box fell on her foot and she could not walk. My father came home and said to mother: "Master Zhou knew you are injured; he asked you to go to see him."

I undertook another task requiring me to go to Master Zhou's house again, this time to support mother walking on one foot. All I remember was that my mother could not put the injured foot on the ground before we walked into Master Zhou's house; but when we left, she walked back on her own without any support.

My mother's foot had a very quick recovery. At the same time, I was still enjoying the Summer Break at home. I found that I did not want to get up early to do my old style of Qigong practice. Then I realized that the reason I did not want to get out from bed was because all the long movements became such a work and hassle in my mind and for my body. When I thought about going through all the movements, my body simply did not want to move. "This does not work for me," I thought, "I am not looking forward to the practice anymore."

So I decided to let mom show me how she practiced Taoist Light Qigong. When I saw it was such a simple, easy, and effortless practice, I became completely drawn into it. I remembered how to do it all in ten minutes rather than months, and the first thought I had was: "I will want to get up early again and try this practice."

Each stage of Taoist Light Qigong starts with a "password," then you just let the body go naturally. I have always been fascinated by the powerful passcode-like words, which I understand to contain a high vibrational energy frequencies, and I had one exceptional personal experience in the past:

When I was about eight years old, my mother taught me a ten-syllable mantra. I memorized it immediately. Each time I repeated it in my mind as a little girl, I could see the universal gate open and there were about twelve stars that formed a particular configuration. I thought that since mom had told me the mantra, so she could see the same thing as I saw it. But then one day after school, I came back home and she showed me an ancient practicing book. She told me, "If you keep practicing these words, you will see this star configuration." I was really surprised that this configuration had been in front of me each time I recited this mantra, for it looked exactly the same as in the instructional book.

Certain words are very powerful and it is the key to open the gate of universe. I thought, it was easy to see the star configuration, but what else could it do for me? At the end of semester, we had final exam. I tried and tried, but I could not resolve the last math problem. That problem represented 20% of my whole math score, and the math teacher said there was only two minutes left, that everyone should look through their work and get ready to turn in their papers. Suddenly, I remembered my passcode to the universe that opened my own mind. I repeated it three times. My brain suddenly got it, and I spent the last 90 seconds putting down my correct answer on the paper.

After that personal experience, I have always been drawn to certain words and sounds which hold ancient wisdom and the key to universal mysteries.

So when I learned Taoist Light Qigong entailed using these passwords, I became very interested and felt I was ready for a new Qigong practice under Master Zhou's personal guidance.

Why not to mix Taoist Light Qigong with other Qigong styles?

If you study food therapy, you may learn that it is better not to eat spinach and Tofu (beans) together, both of them are super nutritious and beneficial for the body, why can't  they be mixed? It is because that spinach is high in a substance called oxalate (H2C2O4), when it mixed with calcium(Ca) in Tofu (beans), it will becomes Calcium Oxalate (CaC2O4), so your body can not absorb the necessary calcium for its needs and when intake too much of both, it can cause kidney stones.

China is the original birth place of Qigong,  all the authentic and sincere Qigong masters emphasis that not to mix different Qigong styles, and students take on that as a common sense. There is few "risk-taking" students will try to mix, unless they mix bunch of simple physical exercises, it will not feel that harmful but usually they may not make much progress either; If one mixes two real powerful and pure lineage Qigong styles, one for sure will feel disoriented and scattered of Qi right afterwards; if one mixes two practices for a long term, the result will be very clear, one can not compare to the benefits and progress of students who focus on only one style. 

Even though, Chinese Qigong masters agree upon "practice one style of Qigong at a period of time", they do respect other Qigong styles and other Masters' work.

It is like climbing mountains, there are many different trails, but eventually when we get to the top, the view is the same. People have free choices to try different paths, but It can also be a waste of time and energy to switch from one path to another frequently, when one still could not decide which path to take and spend energy on running back and forth, other students might have reached the top of the mountain already.

Thus, when you find the right practice, keep doing it. Except at  the beginning or once a while cleansing process, if you become healthier, stronger, more peaceful inside and greater progress of Qi state, you know you have chosen the right practice and you have been practicing correctly.

Taoist Light Qigong Clarifications

Taoist Light Qigong has its long history, pure lineage, and complete system. It is very powerful and extremely effective in healing and helping students to reach high-level Qi state/consciousness level. Because of this, we would like students to be aware of the following:

1.) For students' safety and instructors's quality transmission, only Taoist Light Qigong instructor who holds a valid certification (which is re-certified every two years) can teach/demonstrate Taoist Light Qigong. To ensure teaching quality, all the strictly trained instructors are working together under the one (Taoist Light Qigong Wellness) umbrella. These instructors have high integrity and compassion to help people while honoring the Taoist Light lineage and its requirements. Most all, only teachers who have reached high level Qi state themselves, have realized their own potentiality in healing, and have ability to read Qi, can work with people and hold the pole of group energy in a Taoist Light Qigong classroom.

For your own protection, we encourage people to seek only instructors who teach Taoist Light Qigong with a valid instructor certification under Taoist Light Wellness, and the instructor who  does not to mix up Taoist Light Qigong with other energy healing modalities, and respect the pure lineage and essential teachings of Taoist Light Qigong. 

2.) As for students, in order to reach the best result and effectiveness of your own practice, it is better not to mix Taoist Light Qigong practice with other different Qigong practices or energy healing work; because doing so can make the Qi move along different Qi channels and cause harm and imbalances in physical, emotional and mental body; and can even make the Qi more chaotic, scattered, and depleted; rather than calming, orderly, and generated. (Though all Taoist Light Qigong team will always respect to all different healing modalities/other Qigong styles.)

3.) Taoist Light Qigong is based on Taoist Philosophy: Qi follows the way of naturalness. It is not a religion and it absolutely does not conflict with religions; prayer work; chanting, or gym workouts and other physical exercise, such as hiking, walking, stretching, psycho-therapy work, etc. It mainly focuses on working with the Qi/energy (electric field and form of light) and higher consciousness so to heal illnesses, strengthen the physical body, and increase mental brightness and clarity. 

We wish you a safe and steadfast growth in your Taoist LIght Qigong practice and wish everyone on different healing paths the best of health and well-being.

Taoist Light Wellness Team

Taoist Light Qigong a religion? Nope.

Taoist Light Qigong is simply an exercise focusing on Qi cultivation. Qi is the life force, an energy level we all naturally have. It is not a religion. Taoism was founded by Lao Tzu (meaning the old/wise man/master, his real name was Li Er ), a real philosopher, thinker, and mystic who lived twenty-five hundred years ago. There were Taoist religious sects that developed in China centuries after he passed away, but Taoist Light Qigong itself remains a simple yet effective exercise and unique healing modality. There is a saying: For outer practice, you exercise your muscles; for inner practice, you cultivate your Qi. When the Qi gathers, people are born; when the Qi dissipates, people go (i.e., leave the physical body). We are all alive because of this essential Qi.

Taoist Light Qigong is not a religion and it will not conflict with any religious beliefs. It is open to everyone, though not everyone will be ready, open, or be able to connect to this natural, effortless, and healthy lifestyle.