TERRY DUNN'S TAI CHI FOR HEALTH / QIGONG FOR HEALTH NEWSLETTER #40
QIGONG FOR HEALTH FOR 1ST RESPONDERS (SUNDAYS 4PM-6PM; INTERMED. TAO TAN PAI QIGONG & KUNG FU (TUESDAYS 6PM-8PM); SEPTEMBER AND OCTOBER 3-DAY WORKSHOPS AT CHINESE CULTURE ESTATE, CATSKILL, NY
Hilma Af Klint
THESE TWO together emerge: The nameless and the named, The spiritual and the material. Although we give them different names, in origin, they are one and the same. This sameness is a mystery —more profound than the profound. The gateway of all subtleties.
– LAO TZE (604 B.C. - 504 B.C.)
WEEKLY COMMUNITY CLASSES (Zoom)
I. QIGONG FOR HEALTH FOR 1st RESPONDERS: FLYING PHOENIX QIGONG ON SUNDAYS (4pm - 6pm EST)
Classes No. 107, 108, 109, 110, 110 = August 7, 14, 21, 28
Our 107rd Livestream of Qigong For Health For First-Responders is set for this Sunday, August 7 from 4pm to 6pm Eastern Time (U.S. and Canada), with 30 minutes of discussion and Q&A immediately following.
The class will begin as usual with our healthful warmup practice of “The Silkweaver’s Exercise”, which you can learn beforehand by practicing to this video I made in 2017: https://www.facebook.com/236579434951/videos/10154646296514952/
—or follow this more recent instruction:
After this doing this simple warm-up form, we do one hour of Tao Tan Pai Basic 31 Meditations. The Taoist Elixir Method (“Tao Tan Pai”) Qigong is a complete system of Taoist monastic hygienics, martial art and spiritual art that was created in Tang Dynasty and is attributed to Lu Tung Pin (Lu Deng Bin), the de facto leader of the 8 Taoist Immortals (saints). Tai Tan Pai Qigong is easy to learn, easy to practice, and will serve one for a lifetime. The TTP-31 Basic Meditations consists of 15 standing moving meditations and 16 seated meditations, all of which involve movements except three. Each class covers the “Tao Tan Pai Short Form Power Yoga” a powerful distillation consisting of 5 of the Basic 31 TTP Meditations. Additional meditations are added from week to week until you learn the entire series of 31 Basic Meditations, which constitutes the first of six levels of Tao Tan Pai Neikung. Relative to other Asian yogic arts, the Tao Tan Pai Basic 31 Meditations stands on its own as a complete system of Yoga. This video from Sifu Dunn’s workshops shows 8 of the TTP 31 Basic Meditations.
As powerful and transformative as Tao Tan Pai practice is, we practice one hour of it as a prelude and foundational catalyst to Ehrmei Mountain Flying Phoenix Qigong, a completely different form of Qigong in terms of breathwork, mental and visual focus, and posture and body mechanics. While the Tao Tan Pai system is strongly “Shen-driven” and cultivates a general vitality that promotes strong health and empowers martial and athletic performance to supernormal levels, the Flying Phoenix Qigong is a purely healing or medical Qigong system that imparts rejuvenating and restorative effects that continue long after practice ceases. I discovered in 2013 that the entire Tao Tan Pai System just happens to serve as a foundational catalyst that profoundly enhances and prolongs the healing effects of the Flying Phoenix Qigong.
Flying Phoenix Heavenly Healing Qi Meditations(“Fei Feng San Gung”) imparts tangible energizing and rejuvenating effects—and very deep meditative states of consciousness or absorption— in surprisingly swift manner—within 30 to 45 minutes of practicing any combination of the 8 basic standing meditations or 24 seated meditations. Each of the moving meditations is done with the eyes closed and is primed by an esoteric breath control sequence down at the outset.
"Flying Phoenix Qigong practice significantly elevates parasympathetic tone. 90 minutes of practice of this Qigong is restorative in real time and over time afterwards."
- Yetsa A. Tuakli-Wosornu, M.D., M.P.H., IOC Dip. Sp. Med. Assistant Clinical Professor, Yale School of Public Health Department of Chronic Disease Epidemiology
The Flying Phoenix Qigong was created in 1644 by the famous Taoist, Feng Dao Deh (Feng Do Duk in Cantonese) of Ehrmeishan.
Its regular daily practice maintains peak immunity and ensures continuous cultivation of a tangible reserve in the boy of the Flying Phoenix Healing Qi.
This is a cornerstone Flying Phoenix Qigong exercise, “Bending the Bows”:
Easy to do and good for all ages. Each class immerses you in—not one, but—two authentic ancient Taoist monastic traditions of Qigong.
**SEE POSTSCRIPT FOR TESTIMONIALS ON VIDEO ABOUT THE REMARKABLE HEALING AND REJUVENATING EFFICACY OF FLYING PHOENIX QIGONG.**
Joining the Livestream Session
To learn these two rare and transformative Qigong arts that are both easy-to-do and profoundly restorative holistic health regimens, and join a lively worldwide community of students dedicated to health, personal growth, self-empowerment, inner peace and outer peace, sign up for the next Sunday session:
The Zoom Meeting ID is: 828 1622 1377
Registration URL:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZYldu-qrDopHdPmWX5jNr_K8HBFiFLN5Ahg
FEE: $40 per class; $280 / 8-class series; or $500 / 16-class series
• Please send tuition via Paypal (to zenbearinc@gmail.com) or via Zelle (to terencepdunn@gmail.com) before 1:00 PM on the day of he class) —or send an email to zenbearinc@gmail.com asking to be sent a Paypal money request that you can use any credit or debit card to pay.) You will then be sent the Meeting Password by 1pm..
• All participants must register in advance for this meeting at the above URL.
• Berkshires students who are fully vaccinated are welcome to attend this class in person (with physical distancing, of course).
II. INTERMEDIATE QIGONG & BASIC KUNG FU Tuesdays (6pm - 8pm EST)
Classes No. 110, 111, 112, 113, 114 = August 2, 9, 16, 23, 30
"Concentrate and listen not with ears but with the heart. Then not listening with the heart, do so with the breathe. The ears are are limited to ordinary listening; the heart to the rational. Listening with the breathe, One awaits all things uncommittedly."
--Chuang Tzu (4th Century B.C.)
• This oral teaching in Taoist Yoga attributed to Chuang Tzu is used to further activate the Qigong content practiced in the Intermediate Class •
August 2 will be out 110th intermediate-level Qigong & Basic Kung Fu class of this ongoing weekly series (from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. EST). This course concentrates on the intermediate and advanced levels of each of two rare and powerful Kung Fu/Qigong systems— Tao Tan Pai (Taoist Elixir Method”) Nei Kung created in the Tang Dynasty and Ehrmei Mountain White Tiger Kung Fu, created in 1644 by Taoist monk Feng Dao Deh, which includes Flying Phoenix Celestial Healing Qigong, the medical qigong system and health safety “net” of Bok Fu Pai Kung Fu.
Prerequisites for joining the Intermediate class have recently been adjusted—please note:
1. Proficiency in all of the Flying Phoenix standing Qigong exercises up to and including “Moonbeam Splashes On Water” moving meditation—i.e., proficiency in performing all the meditative exercises in Volumes 1, 2 and 3 of Chi Kung For Health DVD series. —i.e. you should have “Moonbeam Splashes On Water” moving meditation memorized and be able to do it and its breath control sequence from memory and with the eyes closed.
“Moonbeam Splashes On The Water” (below) is the second most advanced Flying Phoenix Qigong meditation, next to the capstone meditation.
2. Proficiency in the Tao Tan Pai Short Form Power Yoga (e.g., Exercises #1, #2, #3, #4, and #18 of the Tao Tan Pai 31 Basic Meditations)—and familiarity with the overall sequence of TTP 31 Basic Meditations—as acquired through attendance of two 3-day TTP Qigong workshops at Eastover Estate over past 3 years, or 3 months of weekly community classes.
Class Agenda:
1. Warm up with the Tao Tan Pai Cane Form
2. Instruction in the basic TTP Monkey, Crane, Snake, Tiger, and Dragon forms.
3. Refinement of “Moonbeam Splashes On Water”
4. Refinement of capstone exercise, “Flying Phoenix Heavenly Healing Qi Meditation”, aka, the Long Form Standing Meditation (on Volume 4 of CKFH).
** NOTE: Instruction in the following advanced arts Nos. 5 to 10 below is available only to students whom I have been certified as instructors in Flying Phoenix Qigong and/or Taoist Elixir Method Basic 31 Meditations:
5. Advanced seated “Monk Serves Wine” Flying Phoenix Meditations #9 - #24
6. Advanced Flying Phoenix Qigong (9 standing moving meditations)
7. The Bok Fu Pai “Eagle Claw Ten Hook Attack Form”.
8. Preparatory exercise of 8 Sections of Energy Combined Kung Fu
9. “The 10,000 Buddhas Ascend To Heaven” Meditations
10. San-shou (free sparring) and instruction in self-defense applications Mok-Gar “Browns” techniques effectively.
JOINING THE INTERMEDIATE COURSE LIVESTREAM: Tuesdays, 6pm - 8pm
Zoom Meeting ID: 881 4523 3890
Registration URL:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZwscyqrTgiE9SLvHgMl05Rzu6UzxN2SG-U
FEE: $60/ class or $440 / 8-class series or $800/16-class series
• Please send tuition via Paypal (to zenbearinc@gmail.com) or via Zelle (to terencedunn@gmail.com) before 1:00pm on the day of class—or send an email to zenbearinc@gmail.com asking to be sent a Paypal money request that you can use any credit or debit card to pay.) You will then receive the Zoom Meeting Password by 5pm EST.
• All participants must register in advance for this meeting at the above URL.
• Berkshires students who are fully vaccinated are welcome to attend this class in person (with physical distancing, of course).
III. TAI CHI FOR HEALTH - LONG FORM (108-part) Thursdays 4:00 - 5:30 pm EST
Classes beginning in September 1, 8, 15, 22, 29
In this weekly 90 minute class, you will learn the 108-posture Yang Style Tai Chi Long Form as taught by my teacher, Grandmaster William C.C. Chen—along with applications of the form for self-defense. Graceful in movement, slow in tempo, relaxed in perfectly natural postures, Tai Chi form practice improves circulation, respiration, metabolism, flexibility, and the neuromuscular functions of agility. balance coordination and proprioception. The class will also teach Push-hands sparring for students at all levels. Once properly learned, the Long Form practiced slowly two times (back to back) imparts marked vitality, holistic fitness
In addition to learning William C.C. Chen’s subtle Tai Chi body mechanics that develop muscle-free “toes-to-fingers” energization that leads to the high-level skill that our style calls the “slow fa-jing”, you will also learn different ways of practicing the Yang Long Form--that I first learned from my teacher’s classmate, GM Abraham Liu from 1980 to 1992, which I have practiced and taught for 30 years. My detailed step-by-step instruction in the Long Form and form refinement each week will be supplemented by a warm-up module done at the start of each class comprised of selections from a wide repertoire of classical Tai Chi conditioning exercises that I’ve acquired over the past 49 years. This 15-20 minute module will teach:
1. Abraham Liu’s 3 foundational Yang-style exercises: a. Wave Hands Like Clouds in bow stance and Ma-bu; c. Alternating Play Guitar and Lifting Hands postures in 90º steps; c. “Snake Creeps Down” Figure-8 Exercise)
2. Qing Dynasty Imperial Guard Exercises - Practiced by the Qing emperors’ palace guards from 1644 to 1912.
3. Chen Style Chan-Su-Jin (“Silk-reeling”) exercises (that I learned from Master George Xu in the early 1980’s during his workshops at the Taoist Sanctuary in San Diego
4. Madame Master Bow Sim Mark’s “Twisting Wuchi Bending” exercise (physically teaches you the principle “The millstone turns but the mind does not turn.”)
5. Master Chan Ching Kai’s Liu He Ba Fa Qigong exercises and one Yang Cheng Fu Qigong exercise.
My background in Tai Chi Chuan: 42 years of experience in the Cheng Man-Ching lineage of Tai Chi Chuan, having previously studied with Master William C.C. Chen's two classmates from Taiwan, the late Masters Abraham Liu (1980-1992) and Benjamin Lo (13 summer workshops in La Honda, 1980-1992)—learning the Professor’s 37-posture Short Form and his 108-posture Long Form. I started teaching 1981 under the close auspices of Abraham Liu. I taught Tai Chi forms and push-hands on my own for 20 years starting in 1993. Then I met GM William C.C. Chen in 2013 and have been studying with him ever since.
Joining the Livestream Session:
The Zoom Meeting ID is: 839 8147 6963
Registration URL:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83981476963?pwd=d5flRuO3Fp58G8Er-A9GqtcAbGnsXW.1
FEE: $30 per class; $150 / 6-class series
• Please send tuition via Paypal (to zenbearinc@gmail.com) or via Zelle (to terencepdunn@gmail.com) at least 24 hours before each class starts.—
FYI: In 1989, with the authorization of my teacher, Abraham Liu, I produced two 2-hour instructional videos teaching the Cheng Man-Ching 37-part Short Form and the 108 Long Form. My form was nowhere near masterful then, but I had the gift of gab and that plus my advanced beginner’s form was just good enough to pass muster with mainstream American and overseas video markets. Today, my Tai Chi For Health titles are still the all-time best selling instructional DVDs in the genre. (Lucky me!!) These DVDs are available on my website: http://www.taichimania.com/taichi_catalog.html
Get them only for reference and only after you have purchased all of GM Chen’s DVDs!!!
IV. Music Pick of the Month:
"Song to the Moon" by Dvorak, from Rusulka —is one of my favorite melodies of all time, which I was most fortunate to see performed by Rene Fleming live last weekend on July 31:
I was on my way to see Saturday night buskers on Railroad Street in Great Barrington and to meet another friend, Michael Mah, at his booth there, when my friend and I took a slight detour to check out why so many dressed up people were lined up outside the Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center. Underneath the theatre marquee, a total stranger (who's now become a friend) just walked up and gave us tickets to attend the fundraising gala featuring Rene Fleming singing a wonderful program of her favorite arias inside that intimate theater. Talk about living right!!! (I see it as good karma flowing from some very difficult, challenging, sensitive, but effective healing works (mitzvah) rendered during the previous week.)