Shaolin Chi Kung with Sifu Joan

After we finished the first day, around 7pm, I immediately went to bed. I was exhausted, yet deep inside I felt happy and satisfied.

I woke many times during the night experiencing what I can only call’ waves of movement’ in my back going back and forth. It was very relaxing. Next day I asked the Master why this was happening and he explained that it was chi pushing through blockages. I can’t even explain how happy I was to hear this as I thought to myself I must have been a very good student the day before! I thought I would have to wait a few weeks of practice, at least, before feeling anything.

The second day, we were taught a beautiful exercise called Pushing Mountains. This was much easier on my neck but my arms were ready to fall off. I can still hear the Master, saying if we felt discomfort to ‘Smile from the Heart’! I was probably grinning from ear to ear trying to alleviate the discomfort. However, I had a fantastic chi flow and really enjoyed all the sessions and the talks in between. The two boys on the course asked a lot more questions than what I did, some on Buddhism and Spirituality, which was all new to me and I really enjoyed the answers.

I remember only having chips and chicken pieces for lunch as I still couldn’t figure all the names on the menu. However this was to change on the evening of day three.

On this day, we learned two more exercises. Carrying the Moon and Self Manifested Chi Flow. The last session was my most memorable! After repeating Lifting the Sky, Pushing Mountains and Carrying the moon a little faster than usual I went into a really fast flow. I started running as fast as I could go all around the place, I was laughing and the freedom was unbelievable. It was such fun and it had been a long time since I had enjoyed myself so much. I ran for the whole session, something unthinkable two days before. I genuinely felt like a two year old.  Even as I write this I feel so emotional,  again realizing the wonderful gift that this special Master has given to me. Even if I had only experienced that chi flow and feeling of freedom and nothing else for the rest of my life, it was worth going to Malaysia for.

I was still not confident of calling the Master ‘sifu’, so I actually didn’t call him anything. I think we are good at doing that in Ireland! We just ask the question without the formality! For me, I wasn’t still sure if it was good etiquette or not having only met him. I was to learn more about etiquette at the dinner on the last night of the course. The Graduation dinner taught me a lot about respect.

To be continued…………..