Wing Chun Journal

Hello everyone at Kungfumagazine.com/forum members, Wing Chun enthusiasts, all martial artists and friends. My name is Sifu Billy Lau and I would like to introduce myself to the Wing Chun Martial Arts Community at Kungfumagazine.com. I really enjoy reading alot of the posts and information on all the member input's and data on this forum regarding Wing Chun and many martial arts subjects and would like to also share with you my Wing Chun Journal and an interesting post about Chi Gung.

I have been doing Wing Chun for many years first studying under 2 different Sifu's from the Yip Man Wing Chun Lineages before training in Hung Fa Yi Wing Chun Kuen. I have been training under the guidance of my Sifu Grandmaster Garrett Gee for many years and have recieved certification as a Sifu in the Hung Fa Yi Wing Chun Lineage. My Sifu is one of the very few rare martial artists that exists today with magnanimous knowledge of over 40 full forms, styles and other Kung Fu Systems under his belt. I have also been learning Wu Tang Style Kung Fu, Wu Tang Dragon Style Broadsword, and Wu Tang Chi Gong with the newest addition of learning Tai Chi Chuan from GM Garrett Gee. I wish to also share with you some insight about Chi Gung as told from my Kung Fu brother Gary Collins. Gary Collins was also learning Wing Chun under the Yip Man umbrella which he trained 6 years under the Chu Shong Tin branch before studying with GM Garrett Gee.

This is the record of GM Garrett Gee (originally told by Gary Collins) who saved the life of a martial artist through his genuine knowledge in Chi Gung methods:

"The negative side of Chi Gung practice (氣功走火入魔)"

"There may be many benefits for practicing Chi Gung (氣功), Jaam Jong (站樁) and Tai Chi (太極拳)etc... But in truth there are many reports indicating the negative side of Chi Gung practice (氣功走火入魔). There are some cases of Chi Gung practioners going crazy or destroying their minds as well causing harm to their bodies, even death. I totally agree with this statement: "Chi Gung can be referred to as a double-edged sword - it can harm as well as help." There may be thousands of Chi Gung masters that can teach you Chi Gung, but if Chi Gung harms your body, then the question you should ask is how many of these Chi Gung masters can save you from such practice? In reality, not too many, Grand Master, Garrett Gee (朱競雄师傅) is just one of few experts left in this world who can save you. The case of Dan Lee is clearly evidence that this ancient knowledge works!

Originally posted by Gary Collins: (Jaam Jong)

This thread has been very interesting - great topic GwailoKuen. This type of knowledge is one of the most interesting parts of Chinese martial arts, and there is interest in 'Internal Power' all over the world now. It is wonderful that so many Masters have decided to share their information with the public, and I'm sure I speak for all the HFY members when I say we are very glad that Sifu Gee has decided to share some genuine knowledge with us on this subject.

As usual, the information shared by Sifu Gee is very deep, illustrating a true knowledge of all the facets of Chi Gung - one of these is the fact that Chi Gung can be referred to as a double-edged sword - it can harm as well as help. We have all heard of wonderful stories of how internal training reaps health benefits and massive striking power, but it is just as important to hear the other side of the coin - how Chi Gung can cause internal damage, if those teaching or learning do not have access to full, original methods of Chi Gung training. This leads to a very sad example.

A young man, who will remain unnamed, had reached an advanced stage of internal training through Iron Shirt, and a specific Chi Gung method, by the age of 30. At first he felt wonderful, but later began to feel there was a problem inside him, as if there was some kind of blockage. He went for many medical tests to try to indentify the problem, but to no avail. His Master also tried to help him - he actually used his Iron Palm method to try to scatter what he felt was blocked chi within the body. Unfortunately this did more harm than good - the young man was harmed by this in a way that lead eventually to his death.

That sad example shows how internal power can be built up and appear beneficial, but once a problem arises, and is not met with specific, genuine remedy, the 'double-edged sword' nature of Chi Gung rears its head. This leads us to another story, this time the outcome is much better.

Some years after this event, a man named Danny Lee approached Sifu Gee with a problem. Somehow he had heard that Sifu Gee was the man to go to - and the problem was the same as that mentioned before. Danny Lee had been training a lot of Chi Gung, so much so that when he spoke to Sifu Gee he informed him he was so full of energy he hadn't needed to sleep almost at all for a number of weeks. He explained how his power was incredible - this he proved by smashing the arm off the Wooden Dummy with his bare hand! However, he also informed Sifu Gee that there was something truly wrong - it felt like there was some kind of object inside him causing trouble. This of course rasied the alarm in the mind of Sifu Gee, who then proceeded to help this man. Because of the true knowledge Sifu Gee posesses, he was able to solve Danny Lee's problem in 5 minutes. Danny Lee was educated in the Wong Ting Ging Faat (黄庭經法) - thus understanding how to 'Switch Off' his internal power when needed, and 'Switch On' when desired. This saved his life if we use the other example as evidence of what can happen, and it is indeed a pity that Sifu Gee was not known to him. He may still have been alive.

As that example shows, Sifu Gee's knowledge is real, is complete and is therefore very desireable. Indeed, it was so desireable, that a Greek martial artist called 'Lucky' wanted to give Sifu Gee $5000 for the Wong Ting Ging knowledge. However, being that Sifu Gee is a traditional Kung Fu Master, that offer was declined, because that type of information simply is not for sale! GM Gee is not a salesman - he's a martial artist from the old school. He helped Danny Lee FOR NOTHING, NOT A CENT, because the man needed help. On the other hand Sifu Gee declined $5000 because his knowledge is not for sale - he's not a salesman, advertsing and selling books and dvd's willy nilly purely for fame and profit. Indeed, behind the scenes, the real kung fu men are training and teaching away, while the internet talkers don't really have anything to say when it comes to true kung fu knowledge. He's one of the last few who are not selling out. And it is important to point out that Danny Lee has never forgotten the help he recieved - 10 years after the event, he returned to testify in front of 30 of Sifu Gee's students how he had saved his life.

So Chi Gung is real, and it's effects can be wonderful or disastrous, depending on the level of knowledge present in the teacher. This thread is very good because it will gather up everyone's experiences in one place and I'm sure we'll learn a lot from each other. Thanks GwailoKuen for gettin the discussion going.

Cheerio, Gary"

Short Version: GG knows a lot and saved a man's life in 5 mins flat, but didn't sell that info to an "unlucky" Greek dude for $5,000. Also, someone's internal power was so great they broke a wooden dummy's arms clean off. Kapow!

I am very greatful to read alot of interesting posts from this forum on many interesting subjects. Some aren't directly related to punching, kicking or even the fighting aspects of Wing Chun but rather the Kung Fu Culture and related facets of many areas including principles, concepts and theories to respecting one's sifu. Which I would like to also share another interesting experience from Gary Collins in my Wing Chun Journal. Hope many of you will enjoy his experience from this post as well.

It is an account told by HFY member Gary Collins about one of his trips to the HFY headquarters in San Francisco. At first, it might not seem to be anything out of the ordinary, but I encourage you to read the story. This event is a part of our family history and exemplifies the nature of Sifu to Student/kung fu culture and human relationships.

Gary Collins wrote about the time he received a very personal item that helped him deal with a troublesome (spiritual) challenge discovered during his trip to San Francisco in 2007. He went on to explain precisely why genuine persons and genuine acts of compassion - no matter how large or small - can have an incredible impact in one's life. Here is a part of Gary Collin's experiences with Grandmaster Garrett Gee:

"Back in 2007, I attended the March Workshop in the HQ in San Francisco and at that time I was allowed to see the HFY Gee Ng Kiu for the first time and it was very exciting. But something else took place that week that was very interesting. I'll just cut and paste my comments from that workshop to give everyone an idea of what happened 3 years ago.

"The more time passed, the more I learned about Sifu Gee, but the most startling moment that revealed his true spiritual compassion came during my last trip to the SF Headquarters. At this time, I was having a very personal trouble, which I shared with Sifu Gee. As we sat at a coffee table in a small restaurant, GM Gee immediately handed me a family item to bring me positive energy - an item very personal to Sifu Gee. There were 4 witnesses to this event. This showed once and for all that GM Gee is a truly compassionate man as at that moment, he gave his personal property to help me without hesitation. This can never be forgotten."

Now, in the above post it is clear that Sifu Gee gave me something to help me, something that was a family item. The people present during this happening in Mel's Diner (I think it was called that) included Master Loewenhagen as well as Sifu Savi Kruich and others. These men witnessed this event and can verifiy it. My original post never mentioned what exactly was given to me, but a recent happening here in Ireland has prompted me to share more of the tale for the HFY famiy.

At that diner, Sifu Gee expressed his view that something negative had affected me - more precisely, he told me he felt that by looking at my eyes he could see that negative energy had come into my life and that I had been affected by it. He assured me that his family knowledge had taught him to recognise these things. Even some other members of the HFY family passed comment in agreement with Sifu Gee.

So, to help me, Sifu Gee, in the restaurant, reached under the shirt he was wearing at the time and took out a Jade 'necklace' , and handed it to me there and then.

I remember a short silence at the table before Sifu Gee went on to explain how this Jade was important to him and that it was a family item he believed would help me. I sat in silence, actually in shock that he had given me this, and then he gave me some more advice and we went on with the seminar. A few days later it really hit me that Sifu Gee had been very kind to me and was really trying to help me in his own way and I was very touched to be quite honest.

The seminar ended, and I went back to Ireland. I wore that jade all the time, and told my girlfriend and family how this kung fu man they didn't even know actually was very kind to me. But then something later in time happened that I felt terrible about, and have told only Sifu Gee about up to this time - the Jade necklace I was given snapped and broke. I was mortified - the beautiful gift, the family possesion I was given was wrecked. Of course Sifu Gee was fine about it, I told him what happened and his actual words were "don't worry about it", but I still felt terrible. This was back in 2007 and Sifu Gee never said another word about it.

Two nights ago, now in 2010, my girlfriend bought 3 books on Feng Shui. It is one of many subjects she truly wishes to understand. She's like myself - she wants to search and search for true knowledge, so Chinese culture is one source she wishes to understand. I lifted one of the books and flicked straight to the back section for a quick look. What I read about Jade was very significant for what happened 3 years ago. The book listed the following in relation to Jade

1 - Jade can be a positive influence in your life, even lucky, but buying a Jade for yourslef is almost useless - if it is given as a a gift with good intentions then it will contain power or positive energy

2 - If the jade you are given shatters or breaks then that is viewed as warding off (or plain defeating) a demonic attack or massive influx of negative energy

When I read this, I handed the book to my girlfriend and when she read the passage concering the Jade she looked at me and said

"My God, Sifu Gee is real"

In Ireland, that means that Sifu Gee really means what he says and knows what he is talking about.

Life has been good for my girlfriend and I. We've come through our own particular lessons we had to face and my girlfriend feels that Sifu Gee has actually contributed to her own life through his gift to me, especially since reading the Feng Shiu info on Jade.

As far as I'm concerned, Sifu Gee has genuine, ancient Chinese knowledge. He has a good heart and for no reason other than his concern at the time, he gave a wee Irish fella something that helped two people in their lives. That's the story of the Sifu Gee and the jade.

Thank you very much Sifu gee from Gary and Aine

Cheerio"

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Originally Posted by gumgongsao

Hello everyone at Kungfumagazine.com/forum members, Wing Chun enthusiasts, all martial artists and friends. My name is Sifu Billy Lau and I would like to introduce myself to the Wing Chun Martial Arts Community at Kungfumagazine.com. I really enjoy reading alot of the posts and information on all the member input's and data on this forum regarding Wing Chun and many martial arts subjects and would like to also share with you my Wing Chun Journal and an interesting post about Chi Gung.

"

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Welcome Billy! Looking forward to your input in our various discussions.

Thank you for the warm welcomes Keith P. Myers. I look forward to participating in future posts and also enjoy reading many of your interesting subjects related to Wing Chun Kung Fu. While on the topic of the previous post regarding "Chi Gung" from Gary Collins, I would also like to share with the forum members an article I wrote many years ago regarding me and my Sifu's Chi Gung experience:

"The Awakening" as experienced by Grandmaster Sifu Garrett Gee
~written by the perspective of private disciple Billy Lau
(Based on a TRUE Story)

Today I would like to share with all my Hung Fa Yi Kung Fu brothers and sisters from around the world on a topic that's significantly mysterious and yet the depths of exploring such research and inspirations can take an entire lifetime of practice and engagement with oneself and still not be able to attain success. This in particular is "The Awakening" of our Mind, Body and Soul. Why this topic, one may ask, as I'm sure we all at one point or another have read upon endless claims wheather through our religion, passed on experiences from our forefathers, or yet researched on the subject of "The Awakening" of our mind, body, and soul from somewhere. How does this relate to Hung Fa Yi Wing Chun? How does this relate to my Kung Fu practice? Why is this important? Read the entire article and you will find out why this is very important.

I would like to first start with a real life experience that I've not shared with anyone other than my immediate family, close fellow friends in my high school years such as Si Hing Ricky Chu and his Uncle just to name a few. As some of you know that I'm a spiritual Tibetan Buddhist Cultivator. Why do I continue so strongly in my belief's and withstanding all obsticles that occur beforth me and continue to practice Buddhist Cultivations for more than 17 years and continue so faithfully is because of one single experience that occurred. This experience has changed my life religiously forever. This brings me back to my 18th birthday when I was first brought into the Purple Lotus Society Temple. For the first time I followed the fellow dharma sisters, dharma brothers and monks and did my first Repentance Cultivation.. During this ceramonial practice, I opened up my heart and really repent all of the wrong doings of my past and ask for forgiveness. As the ceremony lead on to the meditation practice, I closed my eyes and recited the repentance mantra (short version) "Om Bet Ja Sa Do Ah Hum Pe". And the miracle started, my body started to move on it's own, slowly in a counter clockwise position. As I concentrated and focused on repenting all of my wrongdoings and ask for forgiveness and keep reciting the mantra, the spinning motion started to escalate, now not only did I feel a vibrasive constant spinning counter clockwise movement, but as I for the first time in my life witnessed and realized that I don't just have one pulse from my heartbeat. My entire body started pulsating, every micro nano-cell of my body started to pulsate like a heartbeat. My hands, fingers, arms, legs, facial cells, nerve endings from all over my body, billions of them all started to pulsate as this spinning movement continued to escalate more vividly and intensely as if I felt like my soul was going to burst out of my forehead. This feeling felt like a coiling chain of all my cells together. I have never experienced this before and as exciting and as frightened as I was, my mind triggered a thought, I said to myself at this moment in my head, "WOW, SPIN SOMEMORE, SPIN SOMEMORE", and the pulsating and spinning motion ended. What triggered this experience? Is it a sign or a message from a higher spiritual element that gave my body this experience? Is it the Awakening of my mind body and soul through repentance? Nonetheless I wanted more answers to how this came about. For the next 17 years I'm still cultivating and searching for ways how to replicate this awakening experience. In buddhism this is called "Tong Jong Muk" utilizing Hae, Muk, and Ming Dim to awaken our body through the 3 major Chakras. In Daoism they call it the 3 Dan Tin's. Is this "The Awakening" of ones mind, body and soul only attainable through religion such as Buddhist cultivations or through Daoist practices? I assert you not, as I have not shared this story with Sifu Master Garrett Gee in any shape or form, what was presented to me was astoundingly shocking. Please read on.

Today Tuesday, Dec. 15th 2009, 7:00a.m. I continued my normal Wu Tang Bak Kua Dragon Style broadsword training under the guidance of Grandmaster Sifu Garrett Gee. Before we started the training, Sifu Gee presented to me an unusual experience that he witnessed while practicing his Kung Fu training. Sifu Gee mentioned that recently he went back to training a few students in the areas of Tai Chi Chuan and maybe due to Sifu Gee's excessive tendon, muscle and bone training through Kung Fu, he experienced for the first time the opening of the "TIN Cheurng" (Heavenly Window) which is located near the forhead area of the body. Sifu Gee continued elaborating on this experience as he emphasized the details describing it as like a coiling chain pulling him on the bottom similar to a Spiral DNA chain causing a reaction at the top such like that of the opening of the "Tin Cheurng" (heavenly window). As the spiral formation pulls at the bottom, it tightens every muscle in his body through this coiling chain causing his bodily frequency to ignite a counter clockwise spinning motion. As the spinning motion grew stronger, every muscle fiber in his body sent out a pulsating frequency. This continuous spinning counter clockwise motion, tightens up his muslces and is of a Tornado like formation. Sifu Gee mentioned he can feel every one of his tissues in the deeper areas of his muscle fibers all chained up and connected. This experience intensifies as the spinning motion continues to tighten his muscles and as it pulls at the bottom, he felt his top like a window pop open. Then the window closed up again. For what was shared to me was invaluable information. Could what Grandmaster Sifu Garrett Gee experience be "The Awakening" of the mind, body and soul through Kung Fu practice?

When Sifu Garrett Gee shared this experience with me, I had not told him my experience yet and I was in utter shock. Much to my surprise after listening, I had to share my real life experience of when I had an awakening bodily experience as a young boy to Sifu Gee. What totally amazed me was the details that Grandmaster Sifu Garrett Gee mentioned was in fact very similar to the experience I had when i did my first repentance mantra cultivation. In fact, these two separate experiences are like identical in nature except I experienced a lighter version of it since I did not open the heavenly "Window", however, all the details Sifu Gee mentioned such as the counter clockwise bodily spinning, the tighting of the muscles through the coiling chain pulling, the pulsating frequency effect, etc, was all too familiar. It is not for me to analyze wheather or not this is the so called "The Awakening" of our mind, body and soul. However I can conclude that not only can you reach this state of experience of Awakening the mind, body and soul through religious means of Buddhist Cultivation or Dao practice, but it is also attainable with the mastery of rigorous internal Kung Fu training through tendon, muscle and bone training or even Chi Gong.

I hope I have enlightened you today to continue and train hard on your Hung Fa Yi Wing Chun Kung Fu training and practices.

Billy Lau