Hi Harry, I truly understand your concerns, having worked with so many healing tools and having had to choose carefully so as not to overload my nervous system with too much input. (More is usually not better).
And I've found some very useful tools in unusual packages. I've found that as with everything else in life, you can't judge a book by its cover.
Some of the criteria I use to determine whether something might be useful to me, is affordability, accessibility, and traditional wisdom.
With SFQigong, I trust that what is presented represents traditional practices and that the adaptations that Chunyi Lin and/or LS made to make it a marketable product, do not compromise its inherent effectiveness. I only trust this from having read about and practiced other forms of Qigong.
I started SF Qigong because I was hoping for a more integrated program that was doable for me, being in a somewhat weakened condition. Other tape programs just didn't provide a format that motivated me enough. Format, presentation, the way the exercises are organized, plays a big part in compliance. A program that presents excellent material but isn't as accessible or practical, misses the point. Doing the exercises regularly, whatever supports you in doing that, is more important than any technical details, in my opinion.
So I'm still evaluating SF Qigong. My suggestion would be, instead of analyzing its merit, take LS up on the 6-month money-back guarantee and work with it for a while. I'm sure you'll know within that time period whether it's helpful for you.
Whether SF Qigong is a whole new practice or a new form adapted from an old practice, I personally don't think is such an important question as whether it's of use to you in a practical sense. I feel it's worth putting it to the test in the laboratory of your own body to find out Take care.