This teaching is the recording of Grandmaster JinBodhi’s in-depth explanation on the practice method of Energy Bagua in October, 2013. Master explained not only the conducive effect of Energy Bagua upon human health, but also the method and mentality when we practice Energy Bagua, and its do’s and don’ts. This teaching gives clear guidance for all Energy Bagua practitioners. May everyone benefit from it, feel the auspicious energy that Energy Bagua has brought you, and gain health and good fortune.
Energy Bagua Brings You Wellness
Hello, everyone. (Hello, Master.)
I am very glad to be with you today. This morning I joined Energy Bagua and saw many people practicing.
Energy Bagua is a unique practice. The practice benefits our health. Anybody here who has never practiced Energy Bagua? Please raise your hand. Only a couple of you. That is OK. Do it when you feel it is necessary.
Energy Bagua is effective for those who suffer from ill-health. There are many different forms of exercise. Most of them are sporty. Jogging, ball games and martial arts are strenuous exercises. Mild exercises may not be that effective. Sure, tai chi is good for health, but I didn’t get to learn it when I was young. I didn’t meet a good master; good masters didn’t meet me either. Luckily, I met a good master of Energy Bagua.
Actually, my Energy Bagua master’s master didn’t practice Energy Bagua. He did hard-style Shaolin martial arts. During the last 150 years, most areas in China have been in poverty. I can’t say for certain why. Frequent wars could be a reason. First, many people lost their lives serving as soldiers. There weren’t enough laborers. Second, the military had great power during wartime. They had guns by which to steal money and food to support the army. People with knowledge of warfare agree that battles waste money. Then there is killing. War kills our kin, not the enemy. Men die and wealth is lost in wars. That was why China was poor back then.
Besides being a bodyguard, the first master of my master taught students too. My master’s master first practiced Shaolin martial arts. Martial arts performances include the use of hard qi gong. Break a stone with bare hands or hit a stone tablet with the head. Many American shows include magic tricks. An example is truck pulling. The magic tricks the eyes, which is different from kung fu. You know? Most don’t. Magic and kung fu are not the same thing. Conjuring a snake or a coin from a matchbox is magic, not real. It is a gimmick. But martial arts performance is different. To achieve the effect, energy must be at a certain level.
It is real when unbreakable bricks and rocks are smashed by the performer. In hard qi gong, one can break a big rock with his head. We have known of people dying by suicide by bashing against rocks or walls. One can die if the performance fails and thereby the head cracks. It is kung fu if one can break the stone with one’s head. Martial arts are intended to be used in wars. Thus, it is a sad side of kung fu when used in performances to make a living. My master’s master was well-versed in kung fu. Audiences at shows want to see things well beyond human power. For example, if he broke a 2-inch stone slab with his head, people would ask, “Can you add another?” So he had to use extreme energy and hurt himself. He died at age 36 because of such great exertion of energy. Later on, I thought about Bruce Lee. The famous Chinese actor who also died in his 30s from no obvious cause. I think it was also related to great energy exertion.
My master had learned from this master for a while, but later decided against his method. He thought the method was incorrect since his master died so young. Of course, it was proven later that such performance is harmful to the body. For example, normal force is equivalent to 100 kg. But a performer may have to do an equivalent of 400 kg. All his energy may be depleted. His blood vessels or liver may even burst under pressure. Later, my master thought, “I must find another good teacher and quit hard kung fu. It is harmful to our body. I may lose my life.” So he longed to find another good teacher. Fate led him to meet a Taoist practitioner. My master learned Energy Bagua from him.
My master was really good at it. He practiced it for decades. He was in his 70s when he taught me. I don’t know how many other disciples he had before me. I was the only one to the best of my knowledge. This practice is very good for health. Unlike rigorous kung fu or exercises, Energy Bagua allows you to perspire slowly. Sometimes, you won’t even sweat. In cold weather, it takes a great effort to sweat. When I was in the Tibetan Plateau, I practiced Energy Bagua in temperatures of less than -15 degrees Celsius. I was in my teens, wearing only a singlet in cold weather. It was too hot to wear a cotton-padded jacket. This is a sign of energy. At first I felt cold, but after I practiced for a while, my body was hot. I even used spring water to wash my hands. The spring water wasn’t cold. It came from underground and was warm. I remember clearly that the water was crystal clear.
My first Energy Bagua student had stomach cancer; his tumor had been removed. His son knew me but we were not close. We had only met a few times. So this must have been fate. After surgery, the doctor said his father’s condition was bad. He was expected to die soon. The doctor told the son not to make him angry. And to give him nutritious food. Being the only son in the family, he was scared. With no alternatives, the son introduced his dad to me. The father had never exercised. It was difficult for him to learn the practice. I spent many days just teaching him the dragon-palm posture. His body was slanted; his posture wasn’t exactly right. So I thought the practice might not be effective. I was young then and just taught him that way.
About 10 years later, I couldn’t even recognize him when we met again. When I first met him, he was post-op and looked weak and sick. His body was swollen and misshapen. His eyes were dull; his face was pale. He was smelly, frail and could barely walk. How could I help him? Not easy. 10 years later, I met him on the road. I couldn’t recognize him. He looked healthy and had a black beard. He was riding a bicycle. He was still practicing Energy Bagua, but with a group of people. It was a dramatic encounter. When I arrived back in that city, I heard someone shout, “Master!” Back then, I was young and nobody called me “Master.”
Yet, due to cultivation, I was quite spiritually sensitive, so I knew he was calling me. From afar, I saw a man riding his bike quickly toward me. Jumping off the bike, he called, “Master!” He could recognize me from afar, but I couldn’t recognize him. “You don’t recognize me?” he asked. He told me about his medical condition of 10 years ago. “You look like a completely different person now,” I said. “What a healthy and strong senior you are! Your face is glowing and your eyes sparkle.” He was happiest when teaching a group of students who were diagnosed with serious illnesses.
The day we met was a Sunday and there were many practitioners. He invited me to join him at the park. “Master, I would like to ask you a favor,” he said. “You look so young, and they won’t believe you. So please don’t tell them you are my master. Is that OK?” “OK, deal, as long as I get a treat later.” I said. I love food and was willing to make this deal. When we joined the group, they made introductions. They thought I wanted to learn from him too. They talked about their illnesses and how they had recovered by practicing. My student helped many people, and they were thankful to him. Energy Bagua is effective in dealing with many intractable diseases.
My master once told me Energy Bagua may be effective in cancer prevention and recovery. All of you are lucky to learn Energy Bagua. When you see people walk around a tree, they are likely martial arts practitioners. This good self-cultivation practice originated from Taoism. It was designed specifically for the Taoists to practice. When adapted to use in kung fu, it became very powerful. You can look it up online. When masters of bagua-palm fought, they would always come out on top. The energy it generates is unbelievably strong when compared to regular martial arts. Many stories have been passed down since late Qing dynasty. Some of them were adapted into movies. I think there is one called The Grand Master. The actors didn’t really know the bagua kung fu well.
I searched online and saw that most masters in the videos were mediocre. Maybe the real masters don’t want to show off online. But there was an old master whose last name was Tie. He swayed his arms slightly and his opponent was thrown far. Though it looked like magic, his kung fu was real. Many who practice bagua-palm are only at an elementary level. Many kung fu practitioners had no idea what it was when they saw my master walking around the tree. They asked, “Are you practicing kung fu?” “I am not sure”, he answered. “Want a contest?” “Sure.” He accepted every challenger, but he didn’t hit them. I saw people who fought with him. They were full of confidence before the fight. But once they touched his hand, they lost their mind. They didn’t get thrown far or fall. But every single one who challenged him said, “This old guy is a monster.” “Why?” “I lost all my strength.”
The challenger’s mind was controlled by my master so he had no strength. Sounds unbelievable, right? I was curious too. I touched his hands while he was asleep. As soon as I touched them, I felt at least a 150-volt current numbing my body. Was it because I felt guilty? I tried again a few days later, to the same effect. This old man was capable of generating electricity? This was really weird. We rarely meet such people. You may wonder why I have met so many miracles and you haven’t. That tells you that you are mortals.
Energy Bagua truly is beneficial to health. I am the first beneficiary. I wish to pass it on to you because it is so good. Some illnesses can’t be cured by meditation. To speed up recovery, I began to teach this practice. It is not like taking flu medicine. You take that for 7 days and the flu is gone. To recover well, we will need at least 108 hours of practice, one to 2 hours a day. It takes 108 days.
It is best if you practice at the same time every day. You may practice at 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 or 10 in the morning. It is better to practice in the morning. According to theories of Universal energy, the energy rises when the sun rises. Thus, morning time is good for health. Practicing in the afternoon is not as good. That is the difference.
According to Buddhist sutras and some great masters, Western Pure Land practice is for rebirth in the Pure Land. This practice is common among the elderly. Those who aspire to the Eastern Pure Land will achieve wisdom and liberation in this lifetime. We practice to have wisdom and to live our life well. We will be able to face afflictions and pain in life. We will be stronger, wiser and more at ease. So aspiring to the Eastern Pure Land of Lapis Lazuli doesn’t mean we want to go there right now. After we gain merits and wisdom, we will go to where we belong.
Thus, it is better to practice in the morning. I will repeat the key points of what I have talked about. The lower abdomen is the area just below the navel. According to Taoist practice, this area stores energy. The energy we gain from our practice is stored here. As we begin, we face the rising sun and welcome it. Hands stretch far out into the Universe. Visualize gathering the energy between Heaven and Earth and compress it into the abdomen. Don’t think about how the energy enters your body. Don’t worry about it. Just visualize the energy entering the lower abdomen and staying there. The yin-yang fish pattern is actually a symbol of the energy storage in the abdomen.
Also, the concept of “qi flows to 4 tips.” The concept of energy is not easy to convey, so we call it qi. The “4 tips” are the 4 limbs right down to the nails. The energy flows to the arms, hands, and to the tips of the fingernails. Down to the feet and to the toenails. Up to the head and to the tips of the hair. Also, the energy flows to the teeth. So the teeth are gently clenched. If the teeth cannot be closed due to their length, it is OK. It is fine. Don’t worry.
Our expression is calm and at ease; the mouth is closed. Many kung fu practitioners scare people with their voices and a beastly look. We practice with a gentle, peaceful gaze as we want to be healthy. Keep this in mind. Also, don’t straighten the limbs. They are gently bent, symbolizing the completeness of Heaven and Earth. Look, we walk in a circle. This is the basic technique.
We walk in a circle; the arms are outstretched forming a circle too. When I move my arm up, it forms a circular shape. My arm and shoulder form an arc like this. When I move my hand out, it still forms an arc. With my body as a center, my arm moves in an arc when I turn. We ourselves are like a small universe, a small Earth. We are small but connected with the big Universe. We are one with Heaven and Earth. Visualize that the Universe is me during practice. The effects of Energy Bagua are reflected from your visualization. It should be achievable. When effects are good, it means such a state is reached. So what is the best state? My master’s Energy Bagua state must have been high.
On a practical level, it is beneficial to our health. Upon waking in the morning, don’t go to the toilet right away if possible. Practice first; then go to the toilet. There is a reason. It helps us to better store the energy. Storing energy doesn’t mean you can’t go at all, what matters is the order it takes place in. This part is very important.
Also, we usually turn in the opposite direction after 8 rounds. This is for balancing. We can’t favor one over the other, the practice of balancing is the cornerstone of health. Not balancing both sides of our body leads to illnesses. Balancing the upper and lower parts of our body is also important. So the energy flows to head, feet and limbs. It is wrong if the energy only flows up or down.
We don’t use force. No force is exerted even if the posture and movement appear strong. Your hands would lower if someone were to even gently press down on it. When holding up your arms, persist as long as possible. After a period of time, say a year, you will be able to hold them up for a long time. The longest I can stand like this is 1.5 hours.
We have never realized this: No matter how powerful a kung fu master claims himself to be, it is not easy for him to hold this position for long. No matter how strong and muscular he is, how long can he hold his arm up? Most can’t even do it for 15 minutes. One who can hold it for an hour typically has great power. Such a state of energy can only rarely be achieved. I can do it without struggle. Instead, I am relaxed when doing it. But when applied to martial arts, it is extremely powerful. However, we use it to enhance our wellbeing. Such energy reminds us that Energy Bagua helps improve our health.
Next is the position of the feet. When practicing, don’t deliberately fix the foot positions. As long as you have got a basic idea, don’t be too deliberate. When turning, both feet should point inward. No matter how many times I turn, I keep the feet pointing inward. I don’t know why. That is what my master taught me. It is good, so we can’t change it.
To gain health benefits, you must be persistent. In fact, many talented and smart people could have been successful. Most of them, or at least half, are not successful due to laziness. Others lack good teachers so they don’t know what to do. Still others, a great many, are too greedy. Too many things they want to do in a day, but they get nothing done. Greed affects your persistence. If a person is not determined, they will not be persistent. And in the long run, they will achieve nothing.
At some point in the future, you will die, no matter how much wealth and cultivation you accumulate. So how does persistence benefit us? Besides being practical for use in daily life, persistence can bring us mental satisfaction and happiness. Sickness is more likely when you have nothing to do. Think about it. If those who need to work lose their jobs, would they be happy or sad? If you have a family to feed, you would be sad about losing your job, right? It would be painful.
Let’s say you are wealthy and don’t need to work. If you stay home for 3 years, would you be miserable? Many people have no idea as they haven’t experienced it. It is miserable to stay home and not go to work. Please do some research on postpartum depression. According to Chinese tradition, new moms must stay indoors for one month after childbirth. Staying indoors for a month can be depressing. Staying home for 3 years causes people to be severely depressed. The brain degenerates and it is a serious illness. People do become sick if they have nothing to do. If one has a job but doesn’t work hard, it is laziness. That is not depression. Many people don’t have a teacher to guide them. Many smart people aren’t successful due to various reasons. A reminder: Be persistent if you want to practice.
In Vancouver, winter is the rainy season. In Guangzhou, it rains often in summer. But here the rainy season is winter. Weird. After all, it is very different in a foreign country. In Asia, many people’s daily lives are full of activities, right? Friends and relatives play mahjong, chat and drink tea. Here, you don’t have that many relatives or friends. When you look out the window, there is neither sunshine nor friends. Not 3 years, 5 months is all it takes to get depressed.
An elderly lady from Hong Kong once told me about her suffering during her 7 years in Vancouver. “Every day, I looked out the window. Sometimes I saw only a person and a dog in a day.” “Why did you have to watch people?” I asked. “It was so boring. TV shows were in English. Didn’t get used to the food there. Not many people to talk to.”
After all we need a place to study and practice. Just accept the rain. Stop worrying about the rain. Nothing you can do about it. Come and practice here with us, in the room. No rain here. We have many sessions of group practices. After practicing, have some snacks and make some friends. As long as you don’t gamble, everything else is fine. You will be happy to meet new friends here and talk with them. Come out of your house! Stop being lazy. Think about your health. You have health issues. You should come to practice at a fixed time every day.
When I first went to Singapore and Taiwan, I told some people, “You have got serious illnesses; some of you have incurable diseases.” Yet they were still so lazy. Some were unable to recover even after surgery. I told them they should come right away to practice. I was really worried for them, but they had many excuses such as no buses or subway at certain times. They found all kinds of excuses. They would rather be lazy than diligent.
Sometimes a disaster can be a wakeup call. Great tenacity only comes from huge rises and falls. When people are settled and all seems well, they become lazy again. They have a job, but don’t want to work. They protest, demanding a pay raise. How can the boss afford that? Such a big pay raise. All the bosses will end up poor this way. The poor people don’t do their jobs properly. Instead they go on strike for more money. Well… So the economy goes downhill when the strain is too much. The businesses can’t afford the salaries.
The workers don’t perform well and become lazy. In Vancouver, we see young people with dogs begging along the roadside. They claim to beg for their dog’s food. What a good excuse! A nice trick. People love dogs so they are willing to give money to feed the dog. But the young man will get drugs once he gets money. Laziness leads to one’s downfall. Laziness corrupts all aspects of life and makes a healthy person sick.
That’s all about Energy Bagua. Keep practicing for 108 days. You will cultivate a healthy habit. You can decide the time for yourself. For a truly great practitioner, 3 years of practice builds the foundation. My master once said, “Perfecting a single move can take at least 3 years.” I was unconvinced. I thought I could be a top master in 3 years. But now I am totally convinced my master was right. If I can practice one move diligently for three years, my skills would already be amazing then.
Does everyone know how to gain purity of heart? Do you know? Many may know. First, be compassionate and kind. Second, understand fundamental laws or reasons. But many don’t. Let’s say I try to play with fire near a gas station. This is unacceptable. But many kids don’t know the danger. They have not encountered the danger of gasoline. Why do you care if I smoke a cigarette here? I have seen people smoking at gas stations. The staff had to stop them from smoking. There are indeed naïve people. But once they know the danger, they usually stop. Because their life is at stake.
You understand the reason. You wouldn’t make the mistake. You are in a calmer state when fewer mistakes are committed. If you kill, curse, hurt and steal, or you are hunted by the police, you will never have peace due to your many wrongdoings, will you? How can you avoid mistakes? You should understand the fundamental truths. Fundamental truths are the Laws of Nature. We must understand them.
Some married women often fight with their mother-in-law. At times, they may ask, “Who would you save first if your mom and I fell into water?” Such an inconsiderate question! Saving his wife first makes him unfilial; saving his mother makes him an unloving husband. An understanding wife won’t ask such question. If your husband asks you a similar question, your answer should be: “Save your mom first! Without her, you wouldn’t exist!” Hearing such an answer, your husband would be pleased. He knows he has an understanding wife. He would love you deeply. It is not possible to win a person’s heart simply with appearance. To ensure a long-lasting relationship, one should know fundamental truths first. With that, the other party won’t need to worry about you. Your relationship can then be loving and long-lasting.
Some people are sad because of the outcome. One asked, “Master, what should I do?” “What happened?” “I am divorced.” She cried and I pretended to cry with her. “Master, please don’t cry, give me an idea.” “It is difficult. It is no use crying over spilt milk. Why did you divorce?” “He is to blame. He likes his mother.” “But he married you!” “But he gave money to his mom secretly.” “And you?” “I openly gave money to my mom.” “Why did he have to do that?” “Because I control all the finances.”
In my heart, I said to myself: “Would your husband even exist without his mom? Impossible to have happiness without her, right? You gave money to your mom but not his?” Don’t you think this lady is foolish? What should you do? Take the initiative to serve his mother. Right? Your husband will be very touched. What a sensible wife! A wise person will be loved by others. Others will acknowledge your kindness. You need to understand the truth. Understand the source of sufferings. Avoid the possibility of mistakes. So we need to know the truth.
Second, compassion. Always be compassionate. Compassionate people will have long-lasting charisma and vitality. Only with a loving heart can one be truly happy. You reap what you sow. Making people happy makes you happy. We shouldn’t be shortsighted like a petty person. What is the difference between a gentleman and a petty person? Sometimes, the difference lies in the length of time. Someone may offer to help today. But he expects something in return tomorrow. If 3 months go by and he hasn’t received a return, he will be resentful. This is a petty person. A wise person tells us: “Help others without asking for any returns.” So we won’t feel disappointed. Today you helped a rich guy, but he didn’t give you any monetary return as a token of appreciation. You felt sad and disappointed. A Chinese saying goes: “Throwing a dumpling to hit a dog; the dumpling is as good as gone.” This is narrowminded. Help without asking for a return and you won’t be disappointed.
A person who always helps others is surely happy and accomplished. A good businessman brings benefits to many people. He keeps minimal gains for himself. A good businessman doesn’t do one-off deals. He wouldn’t take advantage of others. No looting from the poor. He doesn’t raise prices when demand is high. Gouging customers is not a virtue. Instead he lowers the price. People can afford and thus benefit from his products. This is virtue. The businessman is more accomplished and happy. This is successful business. These are the fundamental truths. If we understand them, we benefit.
Many people have studied business management, economics and international trade. But they don’t know what kind of person they should be. All their knowledge is for the purpose of earning money. Such people are smallminded. They don’t have the wisdom to make great fortunes. They don’t have the correct guidance. When they know the true way, they will know what should be done. It is important to know this. Only when we act according to truth will we stand out from the rest.
We haven’t met many great businessmen. We have encountered many small-business owners. Some restaurants have limited menu choice. They are still crowded at mealtimes. People don’t mind queuing for their food. Why? They serve quality food at reasonable prices. Reasonable prices give the business longevity. I try to stay away from Chinese restaurants in Korea. Afraid of being ripped off there. They charge very high prices for the food. You can’t just order a little; there is a minimum charge. My original plan of spending $5 turned into $50. The food was neither fresh nor tasty. The service was poor. Overall, it was an unpleasant experience.
A huge empire must have evolved from a small business. A successful business owner has true wisdom rooted in compassion. The manifestation of compassion transforms into great wealth. Look how simple the rule of business is. So what is your way of doing business? Businessmen must be crafty? That is behaving like a thief. No matter how much money you make, if you live life like a thief, you won’t be at ease. We will do things better if we understand the fundamental truths. Youngsters know this. They can’t socialize well with classmates if they think only of themselves. Right? (Yes.) Your classmates are people, so are you. Don’t overestimate yourself. Don’t criticize or ignore others. You will only feel more troubled.
Once we see the truth, our illness will be alleviated through Energy Bagua practice. How many illnesses are caused by overeating? How many by laziness? How many by greed? How many by anger with family members? Laziness and greed are enough to make a person sick. Our hearts will open up when we understand the truths. Don’t be obsessed with clinging to the wrongs, and you will become healthy. Illnesses will naturally disappear. Self-cultivation is a form of good energy. An hour each of Energy Bagua practice and chanting empowers you with compassion and real truths. Understanding the truth makes it easier to grasp Master’s teachings. By knowing a single truth, you might unlock all the others.
Raise your hand if you know all truths. You are not sure if you know all truths. You will be fully at ease once you see the truths. So what is wisdom? Knowing the truths and making fewer mistakes. This is wisdom. A family with wise in-laws is harmonious. An inconsiderate daughter-in-law makes the family unhappy. Her husband doesn’t mention his family members, especially his mom. It is like a ticking time bomb. Someday the bomb will explode. The family may fall apart when this happens. So, our sufferings are mostly self-created. Buddha said one must learn to look within. Have insight into your inner self. Be introspective.
A smallminded man only sees others’ faults; someone of virtue looks within. For example, you were beaten up by someone for no good reason. Now, how to wisely resolve the unhappiness? The Buddha said, “You have beaten this person 10 times. You are lucky to get only one beating this round.” Now you are at peace with yourself. Let it go. Seek no revenge. Buddhism advocates a more peaceful approach. Liberate yourself through self-awareness. Self-awareness is a Buddhist term. Upon pondering, you realize the truth. Is it the real truth? Doesn’t matter. At least, it is a way of self-liberation. Why are there so many coincidences in the world? The robber didn’t rob and beat anyone else but you. There are reasons behind it.
Just like falling in love with someone. Why do you fall in love with a specific person? Causality. No matter how long this love lasts. Regarding the beatings and sufferings, why now? It is also causality. It is just a matter of time. Maybe you forgot about beating someone during childhood. Now this guy recognized you in your 40s or 50s. You thought you had never beaten him, but he said, “You did beat me when I was 4 and you were 5. Some 40 years have passed. Finally it is payback time now.” “Yes, I was 5. But I didn’t hit you that hard.” “This includes the accumulated interest.” “You hit me with a fist, and I avenge with a stick. Accumulated interest.”
Fortunately he is not a loan shark. Otherwise your life would be lost. This is a way of self-liberation. Very important. Also called self-awakening. Very important. It is difficult to expect others to solve your troubles. You must first resolve the conflict within yourself. Here is a method for this: See the troubles as your own karma. It is all about accepting the karma. Convince yourself not to seek revenge. “I got beaten today because of what I did in the past. I shouldn’t and need not seek revenge. I should resolve the problem that I am facing.”
Now you understand the reasons. You are already on your way to better health. I am sure all of you can understand my simple words. If you understand my words, start being a wise person. Be on the path of enlightenment.