Shaolin qi gong - energy in motion

The great teacher Bodhidharma is credited with the creation of Shaolin Temple qi gong and kung fu in the 6th century CE. Motivated by the terrible physical condition of the monks who spent all their time meditating or copying scrolls, his two-part system promoted physical as well as spiritual fitness and became the basis for all the martial and meditative arts taught in the Shaolin Temple. These ancient practices increase physical health and vitality, enhance creativity and can be practised well into old age.

Author Shi Xinggui, a Shaolin monk, explains the fundamental principle of qi gong - the art of mastering energy (qi) and moving it through the body - and provides clear demonstrations of all the positions and movements. In order to develop qi attentively, it is necessary to cultivate the art of slowness in both movement and breathwork. Shi Xinggui provides both a short form and a long form of the daily exercises, with lessons on heart centring, organ strengthening and balancing the energy using the three dantians - the three energy centres of the body. A 53-minute DVD of the exercises performed by the author is, also, included.

· Reveals the fundamental spiritual principles and includes both a short and long form of the daily exercises
· Explains the benefits of mastering energy in the body, such as organ strengthening