Understanding Chi

And how to use it in your Kung Fu training

Jow Gar Kung Fu
All my life I searched for Chi which means energy or life force. Chi is an integral
part of Kung Fu. Taoist philosophies and Taoist Martial arts are intertwined
with Chi and its impossible to practice one without the other. With the help of
Kung Fu practice you can learn to channel and feel your Chi.

Chi is the life force or energy present in all things

The earth has it, you have it, I have it...even Luke Skywalker had it.

Chi is literally translated as "Breath or "Air", but is alternatively used to
describe the energy or life force, the immaterial force that permeates all living
things.

Over 12 years ago I began on a journey to discover if Chi really did exist. I had
been told about Chi, I had grown up hearing stories about chi and energy. I
mean... I certainly had heard of acupuncture, yet I had never tried it. I had
martial art teachers who would talk about Chi, yet could not teach me any
techniques on how to become aware of it or use it. So naturally, as an
analytical westerner, I thought it was all a load of BS, make believe.
If you have read any of my other writings you would know, that I was
given a book (thanks Darren) of Master Mantak Chia. It was through
this book that I started systematically practicing the techniques to
awaken and grow my own internal energy. The further I went down
the path the more I realised how wrong I was.

Of course along the way I would question myself and what I was
feeling. I would even ask myself if I was imagining what I was feeling,
or purely creating the sensations with the power of the mind.

In the end the truth was undeniable. I had too many physical
manifestations and occurrences, which were impossible to create
with the mind, for me to continue to question the existence of Chi.


Sometimes to find out if something is real, you don't need to
watch an experiment, or be told about the science behind it, you
need to be the experiment.

Chi and Kung Fu are inseparable. Jow Gar Kung Fu has its roots in
the Shaolin Temple where Chan Buddhism, Martial arts and Chi
Kung became a tool for the monks to attain enlightenment. Just so
the Taoist Martial arts and Taoist philosophies on Chi are
intertwined and to practice one without the other is impossible.

In Kung Fu, Chi Kung begins with correct breath control and
breathing techniques, and ends with mastery of controlling and
combining physical technique, breath and energy into one unified
purpose.
Training Kung Fu enlivens and invigorates the chi whether you are aware of
it or not. But, it is only with conscious direction that the chi can be put to
work in improving your martial arts, vitality and health.

Every Jow Gar hand form in the Head Academy Kung Fu syllabus from
10,000 Character Fist onwards contains focused Chi Kung work designed to
improve a students awareness of, and ability to channel, Chi.

While your practice of Kung Fu can teach you to channel and feel your chi,
without knowledge of other techniques you cannot learn to magnify or
grow your Chi past the levels you received at birth. This Chi is called your
Original Chi or Pre Natal Chi, this is the life force or vitality you received
from your parents at conception.

There is only a few ways to grow and expand the amount of Chi within your
body. All of the methods to grow your Chi for increased health, vitality and
power in the Universal Healing Tao involve one particular technique.
The First Supreme Inner Alchemy Formula: The Microcosmic Orbit,

The Inner Feng Shui which connects Heaven, Man & Earth:
tan Heaven, ren Human, di Earth

When a Kung Fu practitioner can grow and enhance their own Chi, and
start to work on mastering and balancing it, then they can start to use it
in the application and practice of their Kung Fu.

Power comes from Chi
Grounding comes from Chi
Softness and hardness come from Chi
Expression comes from Chi

Without Chi, there is no Kung Fu.

I have travelled half way round the world to learn it, and spent 10 years
practicing the Microcosmic Orbit. It is solely responsible for changing my
life and forever changing the way I practice Kung Fu.
Thank You
Head Academy Kung Fu