Qigong Books

The past few years I've been practicing various types of meditation and decided I wanted to combine meditating with movement, so I turned to the internal martial arts (Qigong, Tai Chi, Xiang Yi, Ba Gua). After speaking to several internal arts teachers from sound linneages, they all recommended starting with Qigong, and to spend at least half a year only mastering several postures before moving on to the other forms of the internal arts. I bought this book because Master Lam's method seemed in tune with this belief, and I was pleasantly shocked at the results of this book:

--The book says to expect changes over a span of weeks; after the first day alone my back felt more loose, stress free and relaxed then it had in years.
--I no longer have the need to drink caffeine in the morning to keep me up throughout the day.
--I've slowly started to be able to detect an actual physical presence of chi throughout my body (this is coming from a fairly rational/logical, non new-agey type of guy).
--My overall mood and energy has improved.
--I have a much more peaceful state of mind.
--My hypertention has been completely erased; I can calm anxiety driven behavior down much more easily, and have learned to control and regulate my breathing.
--It has helped my cardio activities, long distance running & basketball, immensely. I feel I have more endurance, more balance, and more confident in both sports.

I owe a huge thank you to Master Lam for publishing a book that is simply written and easy to understand, while containing a wealth of information about the forms, postures, breathing, visualizations, anecdotes, meridians, and other information about Qigong, and Lam's specialty of Zhang Zhuang in particular. I'm still shocked at how much learning these postures has improved my life and brought me both physical relief as well as inner peace. Highly recommended.

This system of movement has assisted me to release old tensions that I was unable to access or release in any other way. Truely a way to rejuvenation.

This book really does a good job of explaining standing (Zhan Zhuang) and Qigong to the beginner. My sifu had recommended that I do standing practice, and had taught me a qigong set, and I found that reading this book helped me along. Some of the things (such as the Ba Duan Jin qigong set) differ slightly from the way I was taught, but basically the book is right on the money, and does a good job of helping you understand what everything is for. I also like the warm up exercises before standing that he shows, they really do help. The book is very well illustrated also, which is a plus. Highly recommended, especially for anyone into internal martial arts.

This book is arguably the very finest introduction currently available to the practice of QiGong, especially for those who do not have access to a trustworthy living teacher. QiGong's burgeoning popularity has generated a plethora of both violently skeptical and credulously New-Agey essays. Rather than taking either on faith, you can actually experience internal Qi for yourself and make up your own mind as to its value, using this volume as a guide. Lam Kam-Chuen is one of a tiny handful of QiGong teachers who are fully qualified to write a practical instruction manual geared to the average Western person. For those who want to actually experience the truth about Qi for themselves rather than chew an academic cud of pre-digested dogma, this book is worth its weight in gold!

The Way of Energy provides a step-by-step, almost month-to-month introduction to the practice of Qigong.

Many Qigong books are too "Eastern" for Westerners to read, or are too technical/textbook like, spending many pages going over the meridians, cavities, times of day and orientation. This is required knowledge for advanced practicioners, but gets in the way and is intimidating for introductory students.

The Way of Energy starts of with a simple, straightforward standing meditation. After a brief introduction to Qigong, Part One introduces two standing positions, discusses how to start with a few minutes then work your way up to many, a good section on breathing and has an excellent section describing the sensations most people experience when starting Qigong practice (this section is worth the price of the book for most beginners).

Part Two (which the text recommends proceeding to after a few months) introduces the Eight Pieces of the Brocade Qigong exercies (called Ba Duan Jin in this text) and introduces three additional and advanced standing positions. The reader is instructed on how to integrate these two new pieces into their practice. While the Eight Pieces of Brocade positions vary slightly from other texts, their descriptions are excellent and their purpose briefly but clearly explained.

Part Three describes four advanced standing positions and imagery exercises for the practicioner to begin managing their Chi. The last part of the book describes how to integrate these disciplines into everyday life.

In summary, an excellent introductory step-by-step guide. For more technical works, I would recommend the Qigong Meditation series by Dr. Yang, Jwing Ming (Embryonic Breathing, Small Circulation and the forthcoming book on Grand Circulation).

The book presents some interesting thoughts and ideas. It has plenty of exercises and a few of them actually work (especially those for enhancing energy) BUT there are quite some anomalies in the book too.
First of all at the beginning of the book the dear doctor raves about how he has cured or helped curing a deaf person, persons with cancer and even a blind kid. How strange though that the doctor wears glasses ... what? he can cure blind people, but he can't even improve his own eyesight?? His "medicine" doesn't work for him?
Secondly, the doctor explains a few techniques in the book, one of which pertains to chanting various chinese number combinations and mantras in chinese. Depending on which part of the body you're healing there's a different number combination or mantra because each of these produce a different level of vibration when pronounced or chanted and thus help healing a particular part of the body. BUT suddenly there are two exercises where you have to chant "God's Blessings" and "God's Light"...well, so far for the theory about chinese words that produce different levels of vibrations. Why does he use english words now?...I have no idea. Why does he starts relying on God all of a sudden when he has been explaining throughout the whole book it's all about energy and energy movement?...I have no clue either. Do the english words induce a certain level of vibration...I doubt it, but let's say they do, then why can't he do the other exercises in english too. Why do we (=readers) need to learn number combination in chinese?
Albeit small thoughts, these thoughts make me a little sceptical towards believing the book's content, even although some of the exercises seem to work.
Maybe it's all in the head after all!

A friend gave me this book in Mid April, he said when he saw it at the bookstore, it just jumped out at him and he had to buy it for me. Diagnosed with Systemic Lupus 4 years ago, I recently began exploring alternative medicine, but I was getting frustrated with all the difficult and costly methods I found. I have always believed that my body could heal itself, I just didn't know how to help it. "Power Healing" is the answer I have been waiting for. I know nothing about Chinese Philosophy or any of the other Ancient healing arts, although I have heard of Reiki. This methods in this book work, regardless of any prior knowledge or belief.

I'd had the book for about 2 weeks, when a few days ago, I began having pain so severe that I was bedridden for 2 days. I decided to pick the book up and begin reading. I will admit that I was more than a little bit skeptical at first, but I made a conscious decision to suspend all disbelief and give the techniques a try. To my complete astonishment . . .It Worked! After doing the very 1st techinque for about 15 minutes, I was out of bed, pain free and full of energy, I even went out to join friends at a gathering. Knowing that I had been under the weather, they were all amazed to see me, and I couldn't stop talking about this amazing book.

I highly reccomend "Power Healing" to everyone. Try it, you've got nothing to lose, but your illness. I have only read the first few chapters, but I plan to continue the techniques until I am off all medications, and completly healed.

Thanks Dr Sha. ..

I like Dr. John Gray, had been studying different forms of healing for years. In fact, Dr. Gray and I studied together with Swami Kaleshwar, a famous mantra healing Master in India, several years ago. I"ve worked as an medical technician at Deepak Chopra's Ayurveda clinic in Lancaster, Mass., studied Thai Yoga massage, herbs, jyotish astrology and am a Reiki Master. I became a Holy Spirit healer with Dr. Fuller in Florida who is famous for dental healing where mercury/almalgam fillings actually turn to gold in your mouth before your eyes. I have also been a meditation teacher for over 20 years. I have studied complex systems, seen many miracle healings and witnessed miracles of healing in my own work. I am not easily impressed. At first Dr. Sha system just seemed a little to simple to be real. But the more I thought about it the more sense it made. Dr. Sha has synthesized all the elements that I knew worked in healing - prayer, sound therapy, physical postures, positive thinking, gratitude, etc. But the real "proof of the pudding" is in the eating. When I tried some of the mantras and exercises it was amazing. These deceptively simple procedures possess tremendous power. The first exercise to build energy in the Dan Tian really lit a fire in me. Later when I did a chi gung stance using the golden ball, the heat started in my body and a burning smell filled my nostrils. I found out later that this was a sign that the heavy metals were being burned up in the body. That night I went to sleep with the Book which he had energized at his workshop. I followed the instructions he gave and as I lay there with it the most powerful energy went through my body. It was very blissful but very intense. I feel something profound is happening in my system and am grateful to Dr. Sha and his teachers for this gift and hope in the future I may be able to study more deeply with him and help bring this healing to the world.

The next best thing to hearing Dr. Sha speak is reading his book, Power Healing. Filled with exercises and techniques to help one take charge of their own health, this book is easy to understand and very inspiring. I recommend it for anyone interested in alternative methods of healing to use in conjunction with more traditional Western medicine.

As a resident of Fairfield, IA - a community of meditators and people very familiar with alternative healing techniques - I was quite excited when hearing about Dr. Sha's book of ancient healing techniques which he had studied and mastered and was willing to share with the world. Two weeks before his arrival I came down with a flu bug and was still working with a depressed immune system, feeling slugish and tired and still some mucus in the lungs and a little cough. So I told one of his local coordinators I would not be able to attend and I was very disappointed because I had already purchased his book and was very enthusiastic about meeting him. She immediately put me in contact with Dr. Sha by phone. He asked me to close my eyes, hold my hands in a specific way and envision a golden ball. Immediately all symptoms were relieved. I attended the course. You can't get better than that. Since then I have been practicing the techniques, passing them on to others and having one marvelous experience after another. I would highly recommend this book and Dr. Sha's courses to everyone.

Sherie Baron, NLP/Hypnotherapist/Reiki Master/EFT Therapist

I've really been enjoying this book and feel that its non-traditional approach is helping me to get a better understanding of what Chi Gung is all about. I also like how the author, Lily of the Valley Carnie, writes as if she is talking directly to me and sharing the experiences she's had in her 30+ year practice of Chi Gung.

She begins by covering the basic concepts of Chi Gung like the ways that Chi flows through the body and the different breathing methods you can use to generate Chi. I found her discussion on the differences between Wai Dan training which uses movement to generate Chi and Nei Dan training which develops Chi through mental focus and awareness to be very helpful to me.

The rest of the book deals with ways you can include Chi Gung in various activities and to me it felt like one big Chi play chest. You can find topics like improving your sense of smell, or working with a Tai Chi ball or increasing your awareness of the movements you make while drawing a picture.

I'd recommend this book to anyone who'd like to learn more about Chi Gung from a truly engaging teacher.

This is the only book I have read on the subject so I cannot compare it to other ones. It was not written for someone who wants to learn how to use Chi for fighting, it's more for healing, and well being. If you are not sure what to think by all the different reviews, get your library to order it in for you. Then if you like it buy it.

"Who wants to be a Superhero" was broadcast recently on the Sci-Fi channel and got me thinking about Superheroes and their powers. Feedback, the winning character, had the ability to absorb the powers and abilities of the video games he plays which reminded me of the part in Lily Carnie's book where she talks about using video games to enhance your Chi Gung skills. In re-reading her book, I was struck by the way the practice of Chi Gung folds into the training and abilities that have long been associated with the Superhero.

The entire second part of her book is devoted to the various ways you can train in Chi Gung. When she talked about increasing healing speed, taking snow baths, tracking animals and training in high altitude locations it reminded me of the Marvel Superhero Wolverine and the way he often retreats into the Canadian wilderness. Captain America embodies her discussion on Self Confidence and Positive Thinking. When she talked about projecting and absorbing Chi, I thought of various X-Men like Cyclops projecting Chi from his eyes or Gambit charging items with Chi to make them explosive or Rogue who can absorb the Chi from another person gaining their memories and skills.

Ms Carnie's entire section on sensory training and the ways you can enhance your sense of touch, smell, hearing and taste is exactly how Daredevil operates on a daily basis. The way she talks about using intuition to guide and direct ones actions and understanding of a situation is exactly like Spiderman's Spider-Sense.

Despite their enhanced abilities, many Superheroes like Daredevil, Captain America, or the X-men, are dedicated to training to master their abilities and utilize them to the fullest. Each day, regardless of the battles won, they return to their gym, headquarters or Danger Room to continue their training. Captain America was shown teaching Chi Gung to Spiderman in the first issue of the comic "Friendly Neighborhood Spiderman" to help him focus his Chi and accomplish things he never thought he could do before. This parallels Lily Carnie's own approach to Chi Gung training as something that can always be refined, enhanced and taken to the next level.

Her book is a valuable training manual for cultivating your Chi Gung skills. With imagination, dedication, and focus, even you can become a real Superhero.

I have been amazed at the discordance of the reviews posted here. I've noticed that those who like Lily of the Valley Carnie's book write reviews in which they talk about the applications of the book's ideas, exercises or activities in their lives and the positive effect it's had. They enjoy its genuine and flexible approach to Chi Gung.

Those who write disapproving reviews also follow a basic pattern. They note that Ms Carnie's presentation of Chi Gung isn't like the way they've experienced Chi Gung from books by other authors and they don't seem to understand the depth of her presentation of the material.

I really enjoy Lily of the Valley's book because in it she captures the most important lesson of any Martial Art or Chi Gung practice, namely that the point of training is to move beyond the practice and be able apply it to all parts of your life. The way Ms Carnie invites and guides you to explore Chi Gung in a hundred different applications is the goal of anyone who seeks to be a Master. A simple approach that can lead to great understanding.

So I find it interesting that the open, flexible and eclectic approach that bothers some reviewers is actually its greatest strength and I highly encourage you to read her book and experience it for yourself.

I find this book to be superb. I am particularly attacted to its flexibility, which fits in with the fact that the form of Chi Gung which Ms. Carnie practices is "The Flowing".
Lily Carnie is a skilled teacher unlike many who know *how* to do something but don't know how to pass on that ability. The Olympic coach Laurence E.Morehouse found that an extremely ineffective way to teach someone how to use their body is to tell them what to do with the various parts of their body. What works is to give them an IMAGE to hold in their mind. Ms. Carnie in her section on breathing, "... the most important skill you will learn in practicing this ancient art.", shows her awareness of this principle: "Imagine you are inhaling a delicate silk thread and if you breathe too harshly, quickly, or spasmodically, it will break."
What motivated me to write this review was the "Astonishing bad" review of Kenneth Robinson. I found his review "helpful" in recommending anything on Chi Gung by Lam Kam Chuen or B. K. Frantzis. I have to assume that, in sharp contrast to the flexibility of Lily Carnie, their works would exhibit the rigidity so dramatically displayed by Mr. Robinson.
But to return to "Life as it Should be" as we say in Maine, L.V.Carnie's "Chi Gung" will broaden the vistas of your life.

This is by far the best book that I have read on any life transforming physical exercise including other books on this subject, as well as books on yoga and tai chi. The author writes simply and masterfully. He promises an easy to learn, easy to do "exercise", and delivers. This book has none of the New Age psycho-babble that mucks up so many other books on the subject.

This is a superbly written book. This is one of the best "how-to's" I've ever read, and I write those kinds of books myself.

When Qi Gong developed in China for more than 20 years, Chinese people finally find Falun Gong is the most effective. So there are more than 100 million Chinese people practice Falun Gong before the government's persecution.

But western society seems still enjoy the low level Qi Gongs.

Why not directly start from high level Falun Gong? It is not difficult. When you try, you will know.

There is an old Chinese saying: "Learn from the best".

Many of us want very much to do spiritual and physical exercises but never seem to find the time. This practice can be learned quickly from this most excellent book and takes only six minutes. I've been using the book for three months and have felt an increase in energy level, both physical and spiritual, already.

The author has written a clear & practical book, with compact and understandable information about Qi Gong in general plus some nice information about what it has done for him personally.
It has good instructions and a lot of black and white photos which are easy to follow.
I found the excercise sequence very simple to do. It is relaxing and indeed takes less then 10 minutes to perform.
I think this book is a great start for beginners. Anyone can do these excercises.
If you're interested in other, longer and more intensive Qi Gong forms, I'd like to recommend the book 'The Swimming Dragon: A Chinese Way to Fitness, Beautiful Skin, Weightloss and High Energy' by T.K. Shih.

The idea of learning Chi Kung came to me as a result of many synchronistic events. Not being able to find a teacher, I chose "The Art of Chi Kung" because of the word "art". Not usually a patient person, I find myself moving slowly and purposefully through this book. I am on Chapter Seven and quite content to practice the three novice movements that are clearly explained up to this point. I appreciate the background information, diagrams,and encouragement Wong Kiew Kit provides. I look forward to reading, learning and growing in the art of chi kung as outlined in this valuable book.

Excellent writen and easy to understand. And Best book for the seekers of healing and mediumship.

this book was very useful. Actually got this book as a present for my mother, but i found it very useful and interesting. so i too got one. thanks to amazon!!

A complete guide to everyone about the art of Chi Kung. The auther Master Wong Kiew Kit explains how to use the art to promote energy for physical, mental and spiritual well-being. The techniques are so simple yet extremely powerful. It's a great book I recommend it to everyone, beginner or advanced level.

This book gives an overview of Chi Kung ( or Qi Gong , depending on the spelling,etc.). It explains what chi is, what chi can do, and what exercises can help. There are several drawings of various chi kung exercises, chapters on various ailments and what can be done to cure them, as well as several real cases. Wong Sifu is truly an expert. As a student of Chi Kung and Tai Chi Chuan I can say this book supplements training ( especially helpful is the body chart with the various meridians).
The only negative things are that there are no photos ( although the drawings are reasonably good) and more important there's no information on diet. If you have no problems or just a simple strain/sprain diet probably won't matter, but if your problem is more serious, such as constantly feeling cold, sleep apnea, low sex drive, etc. diet will play a major part in the cure. That brings up one other problem; this is a book and not a real, living Sifu( master). As such it should be used only as an introduction to Chi Kung and not as a guide to get better. I'd strongly recommend you find a real Tai Chi/Chi Kung master and practice with him/her. Only if you're hundreds of miles away from the nearest school, or you're broke , should you try to "learn" from this book. Use it as aguide.
That said, this is one of the better books on Chi Kung.

The instructional material in Frank and Tina's book may not be for someone brand new to bagua, but the history of the characters who created the art would be worth the price of the book by itself. This book is fun.

Fantastic work by Frank and Tina. Many years of research and practice has made Frank Allen one of America's foremost authorities on the art of Ba Gua Zhang. He has put together a great manual for practitioners to draw inspiration from. The form details will show any Ba Gua students some of the classical Cheng style movements, and will help all Ba Gua practitioners compare and contrast the moves they have in common. The weapons form is great too, giving much needed information on the notorious Deerhorn Knives. My favorite part is the work on Taoist meditation and I Ching internal alchemy. Great stuff and very thought provoking. Thanks you guys!

Sincerely,

Jess O'Brien

"Whirling Circles" has answered many questions I had about Ba Gua Zhang's history. I was unaware about its origins before this book. The illustrations are nicely rendered. The book is filled with many wonderful photographs displaying posture, techniques and high level practitioners. I especially liked the explanations of the classics. They are thorough, enlightening and enjoyable to read.

"The Whirling Circles of Ba Gua Zhang" is an invaluable resource for anyone interested in the Taoist martial arts. It addresses a broad spectrum of issues relating to the art of Ba Gua Zhang, thus it has much to offer both the pure beginner and the more advanced practitioner. Topics covered range from the Taoist philosophy at the core of the art to detailed information about the deerhorn knives set to the poetic yet pragmatic sayings of the art's founder. I particularly enjoyed the first 50 pages which are devoted entirely to discussing the history of Ba Gua Zhang and the colorful cast of characters who helped it evolve into what it is today. In short, I would highly recommend this book.

This is a clearly written, basic overview of BaGua. Essentially, it's written like an introduction of the subject to the Western culture-- a useful book for those who know little about BaGuaZhang. In the first part, we are treated to a very wide overview of BaGua's history, with a number of stories-- many with mystical flavor still intact. Given that BaGua is a relatively new martial art, the authors can go into some detail in a fairly short space-- roughly 15% of this book is history. They also, I think, fairly, speculate that the reason for much of BaGua's obscurity is the relative youth of this art-- what few masters that developed subsequently saw their skills lost over generations in the many Chinese cultural revolutions that ensued.

This is followed by instruction on basic concepts-- circle walking, stances, palm training, VERY rudimentary energetics. I guess I was hoping for more. For much more on biomechanics, see the books by Park Bok Nam. That being said, the instruction in this book is clearly stated.

Later, we are introduced to the Old Eight Palms of Cheng Shi family BaGua as interpreted by Liu Jing Ru. Some photos of Liu doing his stuff are included. Unfortunately, most of the photos are of the authors, and unlike on the cover, in the photos inside they are wearing very loose "tradiitonal" kung fu outfits that make it very difficult to discern what they are truly doing-- even basic spinal alignment. Me, I love going to seminars where the masters come out in sweats and a T-shirt. George Xu, for example, is famous for letting you put your hands practically anywhere on his body to feel what he is doing. The text of this book, while clear, is very basic.

Similarly, a basic overview of weapons, and a presentation of the Deer Horns Set (which is very similar to the empty hands set entitled "Cascading Palms" form, aka "Flexible Chain Palms" depending on your source-- which is a more advanced form in the system. Again, my same comments about clothing and content apply.

Incidentally, Grandmaste Liu has his own VCDs/DVDs and books now (all but one book in Chinese--available via Internet-- I got mine in SF Chinatown), and one can see him in action. He is quite good, and gives a fairly "pure" BaGua flavor. It is sometimes hard to find this flavor-- George Xu himself, for example, will admit his forms are all blends at this stage-- and his BaGua is heavily influenced by Hsing-I and Lan Shou, among others.

There is an overview of applications that is basic concepts but not really applications. Despite being familiar with BaGua applications myself, I had a hard time discerning what was really happening in the photos-- usually one or two stills for each application, and an explanation that basically said: "Thunder techniques have the quality of a shockwave..." Basically, not very helpful outside a a philosophical understanding of intention, but not the mechanics.

Finally, there is a translation of the Songs of BaGua-- historically the classic means of transmitting the basic principles of BaGua from generation to generation. Again, the translation is basic-- that is, without a lot of more in-depth discussion exploring details and experiences that might help the intermediate-advanced student.

This book did blend in concepts of BK Frantzis' water meditation techniques into circle walking to a more advanced levels-- concepts that I did not get even from Frantzis' two books on the subject. That alone gave me something to work on, and made this books worth it to me.

In summary, a good book as a reference to sequence for these particular forms, and especially good as a basic basic introduction to the BaGua concept, but not a hard core martial artist's book.

This is a very good book if one is just looking for postures and calisthenics, but I am more interested in the internal aspects of Qigong. The exercises are well explained and the photographs are an excellent help, I just prefer more of an explanation as to the "why". Extraneous stories and flowery descriptions are my preference, this book is more on the practical side.

I have bought several books, tapes and DVDs on Qigong. This book seems to have combined a lot of the movements from the other media. Unlike the other media I own which cover only a few movements (18 the most), this book covers 36 movements, which for me great. I am always skeptical in learning movements coming from a book since I find it difficult to follow the written instructions without seeing the actual video demo, but I was suprised this book is easy to follow. I do have previous know how on some of the movements, so maybe that helped. And the exercises are grouped in 6 sections, making it easy for me to remember them. A great Qigong book!

This is a wonderful book easy to use and incorporate its exercises and principles. The diagrams of exercises are easy to follow. The book contains extremely useful information about qigong and other aspects of
Chinese medicine.It is well-written and highly recommended!

I just started practicing Lian Gong in 18 Forms about a month ago to finally get rid of all the tension, back pain, tightness, and inflexibility that western exercise such as weight lifting, aerobics, and rowing machines has caused me! I am completely amazed that in only one month I can feel it all fading away! I purchased every video available on Liangong, including the $100.00 set from the actual inventor himself! The videos are all great, the books are all good, except for one MAJOR flaw!! None of them offer breathing instructions!! The most any book or video will tell you is that you breath in when expanding and stretching, and out when relaxing. Except in certain cases, there are exceptions, which they never explain. Well, this book tells it all! If you purchase any of the videos, you MUST, I repeat MUST buy this book! Not only is it well written, but it gives you all the secrets! Buy it NOW!

One of the strengths of Lian Gong Shr Ba Fa is that it is the sort of exercise system that actually can be learned from the printed page if you are reasonably well coordinated and are good at learning from books. Even without a teacher, you can get major benefits from practice on your own.

This book is a clear, well done presentation of the exercises. Anyone interested in learning the system would get a good start from this book. I would only recommend Wen Mei Yu's version over this one because a) WMY's book explicitly announces that it is a Lian Gong with its title on the cover, and B) the layouts, photographs and book design are somewhat more effective and pleasing to my eye, and c) the accompnaying instructional text is a bit clearer and more helpful to the beginner.

But if you want to get started, and you see this book on the stands, don't hesitate to get it and get started.

Picked up this book prior to attending a seminar with the author and now read it about twice a year to keep all content fresh in my mind. There are a lot of quality books out there on Qigong healing but this one excels where others fail. It is holistic and is readily applied to the demands of life in American culture.

Additionally the content has many spiritual overtones that are written in a way that all can apply to there own world view. Few authors of Qigong address the spiritual aspects of Qigong cultivation and Qigong healing.

For example consider this quote from the book: The Light can and will prompt a certain path. Sometimes these prompts are a wake-up call and sometimes they are gifts for our personal transformation."

Another great aspect of the book is its ability to help healers overcome limiting linear beliefs (i.e., what is and isn't possible). In contrast the author writes: "There are no limitations of time or space. The only limitations are those we impose upon ourselves.

As a certified Clinical Practitioner and Level III Advanced Instructor with the National Qigong Association I highly recommend this book for both personal development and to take your healing abilities to a higher level.

I found this book to be profound for me personally and professionally. The words are wise and beneficial to me. This is a must read for anyone doing any type of hands on healing.
Michelle

The methods of Qigong given in the book A Light Warrior's Guide To High Level Energy Healing have produced unexpected benefits. His instructions are clear and very effective in producing results. Reading the book and going to one of his workshops is highly recommended. Michael LOMAX's spoken words and actions also confirms his will to help anyone and his dedication to Qigong and his readers.

This book, A Light Warrior's Guide to High Level Energy Healing, is the presence of a high level teacher reaching through to you where ever and whenever you are.

For me, Michael Lomax says clearly everything that I've intuitively known about Energy and Light but not put into words. To have the confirmation in a book in the hand is a great gift, indeed.

As a faithful tai chi and qigong practitioner, I was interested in Michael's Stillness/Movement Qigong in Chapter 3. So I decided to try the method for the hundred days suggested to give it an honest go. Within two days I made this qigong meditation part of my daily practice. If you've ever achieved that deep pure beautiful space, the high level connection with all--Bliss!--but then never quite achieved that state so well again, this is the method and the book that will get you there.

I especially like what Michael says about energetic cord attachments. If you work with people in any sort of therapeutic way or if you are energetically connected to everyone you know, this information can save you from burnout.

Michael's book is very unique among Qigong books available today. His style is beyond any I have experienced before. The practices and techniques in the book have added a whole new dimension to my practice and healing abilities. His teaching is infused with an essence that is very strong and real. I highly recommend this book to not only beginners, but qigong practitioners who are ready to take things to the next level. And if you ever have the chance to study with him in a workshop, do it! He is amazing in person!

This is volume 1 of a two-part series. I have been studying tai chi at YMAA Boston for the past 3+ years and this video is absolutely fantastic. Master Yang clearly demonstrates take down techniques for about 16 different postures from the tai chi form starting from the crossed hands position. Just as important, you get to see several of his senior students executing the techniques and Master Yang making corrections. If you have an interest in the martial applications of tai chi, this is an excellent. Also don't forget to get volume 2 which reviews the techniques starting from the parallel hands position.

I have to admit I wish I had read this book before some of the other books I've read. While this book is heavy on theory and only has a couple of exercises to offer, it is an essential and must read book for anyone pursuing Taoist alchemical practices. The author explains in clear and easy to read language the theory behind Taoist energy work. I felt like a lot of peices that were missing or that I didn't have context with, were supplied by this book. I definitely plan on picking up more of his books.

The actual practices are brief, but the author does an excellent job of explaining how to do the breathing and the practices work.

I hesitated quite some time buying "Qigong Meditation - Embryonic Breathing". I wondered whether it would be worth reading (and paying money for the privilege to do so). Everything I read _about_ it seemed generic and uninformative, but the book itself is marvellous, as I know now.

I have read other reviews and came to the conclusion this book is not for everyone, some reviewers even cited sentences next to the key sentences and complained about it lacking detail. It does not. Some things are simply hard to convey and describe...

Today, thanks to the publishing of a lot of books suggesting that you apply techniques early on that may have been esoteric, inner circle and hidden knowledge, a lot of people think that they are in the know. In fact, in terms of real written knowledge they may be. Small Circulation / Microcosmic Orbit meditation seems to be easy enough.

The problem is that key techniques need some time to develop and need to be developed properly. Guiding Qi without being able to properly sense its whereabouts, concentration and impact may or may not benefit and may or may not do damage. Fact is, you simply may not know that you put "fire to the devil" when you practise incorrectly as you have no way to measure or determine your progress.

So when you practise such techniques without actually being able to properly judge how well you are doing them, this book seems to contain bad advice and little help. In fact it is only tailored to a more advanced, perhaps early-intermediate reader that has mastered the early stages of the practise, how to begin to regulate body/posture, breath, emotion and mind to a certain degree, can keep concentration, and can sense movement and stagnation of Chi. Without this a lot of the stuff written herein seems theoretical or lacking detail.

The realm you enter with the practise of Embryonic Breathing is the one of inner self-awareness, starting out from body awareness. It is a crucial skill, not developed easily, not a simple subject. Anyone interested to developing this before tackling this book should try a book like Bruce Frantzis' "Opening the Energy Gates of Your Body" first. Yang's book only gives you strong hints about it, but is focused on the theory, framework, context and practise of Embryonic Breathing - no surprise there.

If you know the basic skills, this book delivers everything you need to know to go on. On which points/cavities/nodes to concentrate, how to locate those, with which techniques to manipulate them, and what end result to produce, and what this end result means in the overall context of longevity and enlightenment meditation and different Qigong schools.

It is first book (I know about) that discusses something I wondered about in Qigong exercises - is the Lower Dantian at the navel on the Conception Vessel (the Qi reservoir running down from tongue root, frontal chest navel to Huiyin/Perineum), or is it located within the body's center inside the lower abdomen. Qigong literature is very unspecific about this, and depending on context names one or the other as the Lower Dantian.

Yang clarifies that the navel location is the "False Dantian", which can store some but not much Qi, and helps store some in the real one at the center of gravity. He gives full anatomical and self-awareness instructions where to locate which and how they are most likely constructed anatomically in the body (the bio-battery concept of layers of conductors (muscles/tendons) and isolators (fat/fasciae) is introduced here for the lower abdomen). Yang's discussion of bioelectricity and a possible working of the Qi / bioelectricity system in the body is well-written, most-interesting and intriguing.

Yang introduces deeper knowledge about the inner layers and details of the Qi circuit, such as the Yang core in the center of the Sea of Yin (in the center of the Real Lower Dantian) and the Yin Spiritual Center (in the center of the brain / Upper Dantian, where important glands reside). He relates this knowledge back to the Taiji symbol and shows yet another way for it to symbolize an important concept.

First you develop the ability to locate and feel the places mentioned, to concentrate and how to lead Qi, and the breathing techniques. Then you train the technique and practise it to achieve the given goal, for example storing ample Qi for a later step. And then you can advance to the next practise. Nothing is missing here. It's just so that this book does not repeat all preliminary skills necessary, and I for one do not demand that from it. I prefer a book with depth such as this over one with breadth, since those are available in reasonable numbers to satisfy anyone.

Breathing is of course discussed thoroughly, and how its different techniques should be trained and can be applied to achieving certain goals. Breathing becomes a tool and the way for achieving different stages of practise, a context lined out really well during the middle part of the book, with a lot of detail of a complete "religiously" Daoist / Buddhist meditation program for achieving enlightenment.

A lot of books have been written about meditation and breathing, but this practise and its intricate placement within context and theory makes this book a treasure. If you read carefully you may have answered enough about your questions about breathing and Qi to be sure you are practising properly and be able to monitor your progress.

These techniques may be the key tools for experienced meditators to put in the missing pieces into their practise, and for novice meditators to lay a sound foundation for their future practise. (Novices to sitting meditation maybe, but surely not to Qigong...)

It is one of the few books that leaves you with the feeling that there is a roadmap for practise and you don't have to stumble about in your search. It relies on many sources instead of citing a single master.

One especially rare treasure is the section containing translations of selected Chinese texts about the topic. As Dr. Yang points out, one needs a strong understanding of the context of Qigong, of Chinese culture, Taoist philosophy and technical terms to be able to comprehend and translate without loss of meaning such original sources. Else the output could be flowery and incomprehensible poems obscuring the real content (possibly with intent) hidden within.

I can truly recommend this book to everyone interested in deeper energy meditation practise and Nei Gong. You won't regret, I'm sure. The writing can sometimes be redundant, dry and lengthy, but the knowledge is better given in a most detailed way instead of the most entertaining. Depending on your predisposition you may prefer Yang's writing style over others, don't take my or anyone other's word for it.

Having entered popular Western consciousness, the subject of Qigong is currently awash with fluffy, vacuous verbiage from pompous self-styled experts whose only real interest is cashing in on a lucrative New-Age trend. This volume, although dense and difficult, reveals much authentic and vital knowledge to those who have had some experience of Qi and are not afraid of patient study and experiment. Dr. Yang is one of a handful of authors in this field who is both qualified and willing to share significant teachings that have heretofore been kept secret or deliberately obscure. His material is presented in a format that, while extremely concise, assiduously avoids being cryptic. If you are a lazy dabbler interested in yet another mealy-mouthed, feel-good text weighted down with pseudo-exotica, promising everything and delivering nothing, avoid this book. But if you have perceived a little of the reality of internal Qi and desire to systematically expand your practice and understanding, you will probably find this volume unusually rewarding.

I am disappointed with newest Jwing-Ming book. There is a lot of scientific and theoretical reflections about all stages of Qigong, unfortunately practical ground is covered only at the beginner level.
There is almost nothing written about practice of "Kan-Li" (i.e. conceiving the Spiritual Embryo by mixing fire and water Qi at Huang Ting cavity to produce Elixir). Author just sends you to his next book. I am probably not the only one who waited especially for this issue! Regarding practice - you will find detailed description of reversed and normal abdominal breathing plus its variations (Griddle and Marrow breathing). You will not find anything more (practical) in this book. There is also nothing about practicing "internal vision". I would like to cite example of how Jwing-Ming writes about recognizing Yin Center of Upper Dan Tian "To recognize this point through feeling, you must first rid yourself of all emotional disturbances and also the external attractions of your mind. In this case, your mind will be easily search for the location. If you search for it sincerely, it will take only a few days for you to recognize this point" (p.330). That's all, but how can I find this point if I don't know what feelings are associated with it? Recognizing feelings play special role in Tai-Chi or Qigong. Why are they not covered? Summarizing, this work is too much academic for me.
Citations from old scriptures are major advantage of "Qigong Meditation", however I would like to read more ancient Qigong classics instead of mere repetitions of what was said before in previous interpretations.
Conclusion: If you look for theoretical background of Qigong practice, you can buy this book - it's probably best in this field written in English, but if you are mainly a practitioner and you look for "Kan-Li" or anything else, and you know other Jwing-Ming books, then you can skip this one.

I am beginning a Qigong practice. After researching many books on the art, I decided on this one. I feel very lucky to have found it. It is a clear and helpful guide to the practice. Yang Yang is a scholar and martial arts master. You will benefit from both his skills. He very clearly directs you in a practice, while explaining the intention behind each direction. In a complete practice, you seek to acquire the internal and external aspects of Taijiquan. If either component is missing in your practice, "gong", the fruit of practice, is limited. Specifically, Dr. Yang Yang's complete curriculum includes, "Three essential pillars": Qigong, Taiji Form, and Push-hands. My advice is to search out a copy of this book and buy it. I think you will appreciate it as much as I do.

Best book on Taiji for beginners or more advanced that I have read. It is very clearly written. Scientific literature review is very helpful.

I am a Yang-style tai chi student but found this book to be perfect for everyone. Yang Yang perfectly captures the essence of our art and presents it in a readable and enjoyable style. I read it slowly to savor every concept and every turn of phrase. This book is highly recommended to those just beginning tai chi or those who have been doing it for many years. If you have never experienced what tai chi can do for you, this book will send you looking for the nearest sifu.

Yang Yang's book, Taijiquan, is very deep and goes beyond what most people will ever know or need to know about Taijiquan and science. As a M.S. student in Exercise Science, as well as a practitioner of Hunyuan Taijiquan, I was very impressed at the depth that Yang goes into in describing the neural mechanisms at work in Taiji. He also points out various topics that western science can delve into that has yet to be investigated.

I recommend this book to anyone who is interested in Taijiquan as well as to students of Exercise Science in order to better understand why Taijiquan is as helpful as it is in delaying aging processes.

Whether beginner or expert, Master Yang Yang's book will provide a foundation on not only what Taijiquan is and is not, but how to work your way into an understanding of it.

The book begins with some self-history of Master Yang Yang, then dives into what exactly Taijiquan is, and what it means to practice a martial art, with emphasis on both words. There follows an excellent chapter on how to pick an instructor, which is often neglected in the face of advertising and convenience.

The meat of the book goes through the three pillars of Taji practice: meditation (feeling and building your Qi), forms (using and extending your Qi) and push hands (feeling Qi from the outside). In each section, he provides the why's (why is meditation crucial), the how's (how to get started, the basics) and motivation (if you need any). The chapters also discuss how these three pillars are linked to one another.

The final chapter, "Why Practice Taijiquan?" pulls it all together, describing what you will, might and will not get out of efficient practice.

There also follows a quite well done appendix on the history of Tajiquan and the Chen school.

This is not a technical "how-to-do-the-forms-and-moves" book. For that, I recommend Dr. Yang, Jwing Ming's series of books and DVDs (or, if you are lucky enough, take one of his seminars).

You will not learn Taijiquan from this book. But you will get a excellent background and a sense of what it is, how you should approach it and practice it, and what it can become inside you. Master Yang Yang writes not only with thought and intellect, but you can feel the passion that he has for his art. Martial artists say that the art lives through them, and that comes through in this book.