Erle Montaigue receives many questions by email mainly, but also by phone and letter. Those that are deemed to be of help also to others will be listed in these pages. Come back regularly as we are updating this section daily.
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Q&A General Section One
Q&A General Section Two
Q&A General Section Three
Q&A General Section Four
Please note that your name will also be given as the questioner
unless you ask otherwise.
1.
Adverse cyclic Qi
From Jeff Ainsley,
Q:
Dear Master Montaigue, why is it that I get violent shaking while
doing my morning chi kung? I have tried to physically stop it from
happening but cannot and at the end I feel slightly ill.
A:
Dear Jeff, please call me Erle as I do not like titles, other than
shithead etc.
You should normally feel a vibration that could become slight
shaking or even a rocking to and fro. However, violent shakes
indicate the following. You are getting what is called
"Adverse cyclic
Qi". This is not good in fact, you should have stopped
your qigong practice long ago especially in light of the fact that
you are feeling ill! Adverse cyclic qi comes when you have your
weight placed over your toes or to the front of your foot with much
weight placed onto K1 (Kidney point No. 1), just between the two
largest mounts on the base of your foot). We all must have "ground
qi" coming into the body at all times. When this flow of life force
is blocked we become ill with a much lesser communication with the
ground. Hence that fact that long haul flights are not good as we
have a much lesser connection with the ground!
Any tension causes qi blockages and this happens when we stand for
longer periods than 3 minutes with the weight placed over K1. You
are actually stopping the flow of qi from the ground into your body!
When this happens, there is a build up of qi at K1 which HAS to
burst out at some time otherwise you would die. So, we get a
tremendous surge of qi coming up through the body causing the
violent shaking which can go straight up into your brain causing
extreme Yang over activity in the brain. Hence the saying that
qigong can cause brain damage or mental instability. Qigong is
normally quite safe when done correctly, but can have dire effects
when not so.
So to answer your problem, simply place the weight onto the rear of
your foot. To judge this, have someone draw a line from the crown of
your head down the side of your body vertically to the ground. Where
this vertical line cuts your foot, it should be the front of your
leg where it joins your ankle and no further forward than that. If
you weight is further forward, you are leaning. And the classics
tell us that the body must be plumb and erect.
Follow-up: Dear Erle, Thank you for you reply, I have done what you
suggested and I have had no more problems! I am now quite enjoying
my Chi Kung practice.
2.
Turning your centre into the attack!
From Arne Hoste,
3.
Qi disruption the highest level
From Francois Billet,
4.
Q:
Tai Teachers in China?
Dear Erle, It is difficult to find a real tai
chi teacher. What surprise me the most is how difficult it is to
find one in China. I came to China to study about two years ago,
unfortunately, the three teachers I have met do not really know tai
chi. They know the forms and some of them do it with incredibly
beauty but that is not what I wish to learn. I want to ask you if
you know a good teacher who reside in China, who I can visit.
Somebody like you that teach the real thing. Also, do you have good
students that teach your system in Canada?
Sincerely Luke
A:
Thanks Luke,
You should have asked BEFORE you went to China! You could have saved
yourself the trip.
Back in the 70s and 80s when the Chinese teachers discovered that we
in the West wanted what they had, they all left China for places
like Australia, the USA and the UK, leaving China pretty well bare
of good instruction. Those who stayed on because of old age etc.,
have now passed on and have never been replaced by up and coming
teachers. REAL Tai Chi ch'uan is rare to find in China and in the
world anywhere. There might be some old monk on a mountain top who
still knows the real thing in China but I doubt it as I have been
searching now for over 30 years and many of my students also have
scoured China and the East searching only to come up with the same
story. Paul Brecher is the latest one who did an extensive search in
China only to come up with the same story.
Here is a link to an article he did on his search two years ago.
http://www.taiji-qigong.co.uk/Free_To_Download/Erle's%20Articles/Articles/tai_chi_research_in_china.htm
I will be in Toronto in September 2008 if you are back by then?
Yes, I have excellent real teachers in Canada. The main teacher in
Josephine Anderson who can be contacted using the following email
address: DoubleDragonOtt@aol.com Jo has trained with me personally
and now heads the WTBA in Canada.
Kind regards
Erle.
Hi Erle
I recently discovered you on the net and have watched the video clips of you going thru the Yang Cheng Fu style long form. There you say that non-weighted turns are a 'no-no' in this form. I suspect you mention this cos you know that most tai chi instruction for beginners teaches non-weighted turns (sit back then turn), at least at the beginning. (Chen Man Ching short form, Beijing 24 form) Anyway the Tai Chi I've done is all sit back then turn at the beginning - the first weighted turn only comes after a year and a half of practice in the 42 form.
Can you explain in more detail why the sit back and turn is mostly a no-no for you? (I suspect it's got to do with being weak for fighting - you rock back then forwards - and weak for proper grounding/sinking of the body???).
Thanks for such an exciting and comprehensive internet presence btw. The Chinese habit of not talking straight or imparting information clearly does frustrate sometimes :))
A: Thanks Alan,
Firstly the shortened system is the most damaging style as it causes illness later in life!! I will lay out the reasons for this below. Same goes for ANY shortened form. YCF himself said that to change the form any more than what he changed it, would bring disaster! And people like him changed it drastically!
It is a martial fighting system! And we never retreat in Tai Chi, always moving forward while deflecting the attacks. To sit back before turning a foot goes against this principle and will bring defeat. And there is another more important reason. We gain Ground Qi from the ground and we get this from the way that we ground our heels as they are the activation points for the KD1 point which are the entry points for "ground Qi". We do this by sinking our weight into the heels when we turn the foot in order to step.
Kind regards
Erle
Shortened Taijiquan Forms!
Why you should NOT do any shortened or modified forms of Taijiquan!
No, you should give up the shortened form immediately as it will eventually damage your body and mind! The masters of old were genius and they invented a set of movements which emulated the Qi flow in a 24 hour period. In fact during practice of an original form (not a shortened version), we cause the Qi flow to be activated three more times, hence it's great health giving nature. If we were to then leave out postures or change others to different places in the form, the Qi is being activated in all the wrong places to the flow is broken. And it is broken and changed Qi flows in the body that allows illness to slowly come in!
The fa-jing (explosive energy) movements of the Old Yang System provide outlets for Yang Qi that builds up during practice. This is very important as building up too much Yang Qi (by doing all slow movements) then goes in to its opposite of Yin, thus causing 'Yin Dullness' which is what many of the old Chinese masters who only ever did the all slow form died of! So we need those energy release points. However, having said that, if for instance an older person or someone who is ill learns the all slow moving form, this will only benefit him or her as their body is probably too stiff to begin with. The dangers only come when we are progressing with our form training and everything that is supposed to happen begins to happen. This is the time to then go into the Older Yang Style with its energy release points.
6. Doing Forms On the Other Side? (Peter, Switzerland)
now the question: doing the following forms, which of them should also be done on the other side?
1) yang cheng fu
Both Sides. To be absolutely correct, you should do this one three times each morning. Right, Left, Right one morning then Left, Ritght Left the next. And also at the different speeds. First time through, at the 13 minute pace (quite fast), then at the 20 minute pace, then at the 40 minute pace. This is for the 3 areas of training thus: 1st. For the physical things like muscles, sinews and bones. 2nd time through, for the MIND, 3rd time through for the Shen or SPIRIT.
2) yang lu chan
Only on one side. You Can do it on the other side but this is not necessary as this form is internally balanced completely. I do not do it on the other side.
3) large san sau
Only on the one side as this also is a balanced exercise internally. And it actually takes away from your self defence to do this form on the other side. So only do it on the one side.
4) ba gua circular
This is always done on each side anyway during the normal form practice as each palm change is done on the other side during each of the 8 changes.
5) chi disruption 1 to 4
The rule here is that when a Qi Disruptive form ends facing the same direction that you started, there is no need to do it on the other side. But if it ends facing the opposite direction, you CAN (but not absolutely necessary) do it on the other side from that opposite direction.
i think 2) to 4) are balanced in themselves, but 1) and 5) should be done on the left hand side, too. is this right? and should the other side be done immediately afterwards, or is it ok to alternate ike every other day?
When you are doing one that ends in the South, (beginning North) you should do it straight away.
7. Knock Outs and Revivals: Experience
Your Name: David: Your Email Address: KaiCho
Subject: Resuscitation testing
Message: Hello Mr. Montaigue,
I have been reading your books for about 15 years or so, and find them very valuable in my studies- so thank you for putting such a wealth of information out there!
I am a Licensed Acupuncturist in Connecticut, USA, and have been practicing Asian medicine about 20 years; and martial arts for 23 years. I practice two internal Japanese arts (yes, authentic ones actually exist!): Kosho Shorei Ryu, and Daito Ryu Aiki Jujutsu.
As an acupuncturist and martial artist who is very interested in internal striking and grappling arts, I am reluctant to knock out my students, or even to strike set-up points such as LU-5, PC-6, or SP-6 with any force in teaching or training. Certainly, training often involves light tapping of points, which can give a very real sense that any power or greater intention would KO or worse, but I don\'t go around knocking out my students, or anyone else if I can help it.
My first question for you is this: When you teach, you speak as if you have direct knowledge of knock-out potential and fatal potential of the use of specific points, and of the use of specific anti-dotes. How have you gained this experience? Is it direct experience you speak from, or anecdotal information from your teachers, or supposition? (Same question for the resuscitation/anti-dotal techniques you teach.) The more I know about where the information is coming from, for instance in the Encyclopedias of Dim Mak (which I reference often), the more I know about how to use it.
A second question if I may: You may not give this information out freely to those who don\'t already know about it, but how do you train to intercept the attacks and strike such that points are \"open\" for being hit? In Kosho Shorei Ryu, there is a great emphasis on this. Point location, striking timing and angle are important, but striking the point within the proper timing of the attacker\'s rotation so that the musculo-tendinous meridians containing the target points are relaxed and open is also essential. I have not seen this idea referenced in your work.
Thank you for any time and explanations you may provide in response. You are a rare teacher to share such depth of knowledge so freely and openly.
Sincerely, David Sensei, L.Ac.
A. Thank you David,
Lovely to hear from you.
Yes, I have had experience in those methods, either personally or indirectly from those who would and have reason to use them in everyday life such as the police officers and military people that I teach. I used to go out with a group of Police Officers on their "rounds" where they would find reason to use my methods! And I would be there to document the effects and to revive anyone who was badly damaged because of such strikes. I have even indirect experience of points like KD 1 working to bring someone back to life when all else has failed. This was from my representative in Argentina who is also a master surgeon and was written up in the med mags "witchcraft revives dead patient"!!
My own experience is extensive in real situations (I use to be a bouncer in a bad area of Sydney way back and also in Edinburgh UK). I have also KO'd (for scientific purposes only and with a doctor on hand) one of my students.
I have used the the main resuscitation methods on a number of occasions in real situations. This was back in my younger and more irresponsible days. But I am happy for those experiences as I have learnt from them and can now tell others that I know they work and to NOT do them!
It is all very well to k now the information but using it is another thing completely as in a real situation, all of your gained physical knowledge goes out the window and you must rely upon internal knowledge, that which has gone sub-conscious from the training.
All of the internal work that we do leads one to this level of competence where we no longer have to THINK about points or where to strike or how to strike, the rule is that if you have to THINK, then you have already lost!
Everything we training in leads us to this higher level. However, it must not be the inept and watered down versions of the internal arts that 99% of all teachers teach, sprouting words from mystical and philosophical books etc but never really knowing anything!
Kind regards
Erle
Subject:
pain around scapula zone Message: Hi Erle, before to start to ask
you, I would like to thank you for all the very good stuff you
have been teaching all over the world.
I have been practicing tai-chi for 4 years now (Yang style). Since
the beginning of the year 2008, I feel
my arms very light when practicing. My professor says it\'s normal
and that my body starts to relax. The fact is that this very new
sensation comes along with a sharp pain in the scapula zone.
The pain spread all over my shoulder especially when I \"think\" to
relax.
Do you think I\'m doing something wrong? And, the most important: is
there anything I should or shouldn\'t do when I practice in
order to avoid such problems (specific arm position etc.)?
Thank you beforehand.
Laurent.
A. Thank you Laurent,
Is your teacher giving you Qigong before the class? If not, he
should be as this prepares the scapular region (which is very
important in the internal arts) for the form practice. Your arms
should actually feel quite heavy, not light as the more 'sung' you
become (sung is an untranslatable word whose closest meaning is to
relax), the more heavy your arms will be as they will be full of Qi.
You shouldn't be thinking about anything at all!! This is what is
probably causing the problem as to THINK consciously is to bring Qi
into that area and if it hasn't got anywhere to go (flow) because of
tension caused by thinking this will cause pain.
Kind regards
Erle