Forums IMPORTANT: PLEASE READ Spring Forest Qigong just to clarify

OK I just need to clarify something:

Is it appropriate for people who do SFQ to also do other qigong programs?

I keep hearing people say "do SFQ for a couple of years to get a background in qigong...then experiment with other styles."

Here are my issues:
1. I am not a beginner in qigong, I have studied qigong with other teachers in-person and I have done other qigong learning by correspondence. I've been in qigong since 97 - that's when I started under Mantak Chia and I met him in person and also worked with Healing Tao Boston on many occasions.

2. I do 5 other qigongs: 3 are martial( chinese ) qigong systems, 1 is the liangong method, and the other is martial & general energy cultivation( nei kung from indonesia but based in qigong & pranayama from india ). The 3 strictly martial qigong systems are through 1 individual - a chinese martial arts sifu. I learned liangong through books & DVDs. The indonesian nei-kung system is through someone else who trains me by correspondence. I do not currently do any qigong under Mantak Chia's organization.

The way I think is that SFQ is really the only medical qigong I do. But IMO medical qigong is simply not all of qigong.

Liangong could be termed medical but it's very basic and it does not involve or lead to the ability to heal through chi projection. It's a set of joint & body loosening exercises and after you finish them you learn Yi qigong which is a short set. I'm learning that now and again it's for stilling the mind, not for healing. I would say Liangong is my favorite since it really opens up the channels. According to the liangong organization you can do any other qigong immediately afterward and it's not a problem.

The 3 martial qigongs are done one after another as my sifu says all you need is a 5 minute break between the sets - they all use reverse breathing. One of the sets is a closed-door chinese martial qigong and my sifu is generally knowledgable - IMO he knows what he is talking about.

The nei kung system from indonesia is done on it's own and I spend 1 hour every morning and night on it.

My schedule is like this:
wake up 4:30am perform liangong for 30 minutes(includes warm ups & yi qigong).

break for 30 minutes, usually go for a walk outside.

5:30am do indonesian nei kung for 1 hour.

6:30am take a shower and brush my teeth.

7:00am - 7:30am do the different martial qigongs for 10 minutes each.

work during the day do SFQ on lunch for 40 minutes during the week. On weekends same thing applies - 40 minutes per day for SFQ. It's very easy, the spring forest breath is an easy breath. no reverse breathing & no applications of locking techniques( no use of locking the 3 gates in SFQ ). In short SFQ is done on auto pilot it's so easy and that's why I love it. It's what I do for a rest or break from other work.

evening: indonesian nei kung 8:00pm- 8:30pm just to review and comply with my instructors demand that I do the exercises 2 times per day every day.

It's easy to look at my life and say "well you're just wasting your time...just focus on 1 thing..." but I don't think so. First as you see the indonesian nei kung is really my main focus - if I were to do only 1 thing it would be this. I do liangong every morning because it opens the channels like nothing else. That's my experience but I love it. Perfectly safe, a lot of benefits, not really in-depth but let me tell you this is what makes everything else possible. Seriously - liangong opens my channels and gives me energy throughout the day. My other qigong work is very productive because I do this each morning. The 3 martial qigongs are only done for 10 minutes each right in succession - I learned them from my sifu and he doesn't think I need to waste 1 hour each day on these. They give strictly martial benefits that you can get in ten minutes - especially if you do them every day and IMO if you do liangong every day. My channels are well warmed-up by liangong. And yes every night I go back to the nei kung system because it uses special postures and a breath method that is not abdominal or reverse breathing - it's a somewhat secret method.

Anyway I'[m doing fine. I like Chunyi Lin - I like his attitude and his spirit. It's just that SFQ isn't all of qigong. Chunyi Lin is great for medical qigong and this sytem - SFQ - is so easy to do. It's as easy as flopping down on my bed at the end of the day. No deep stances, nothing too hard. And I get great benefits. I really try to think about love, forgiveness, and kindness in all that I do.

But as I've said - there are other qigong systems that are just totally different - medical qigong is just 1 type of qigong.

If I were to change my routine - if I had to give something up - I would drop 1 of the 3 martial qigongs and I would drop SFQ.

I keep hearing people repeat this fallacy that I need to only study SFQ. What does Chunyi Lin know about what I do? Does he know the methods I know? No, he does not. And SFQ won't do the things these other systems do. If people tell me I have to just do SFQ I will quit. I don't want to quit but I would quit in a second and not look back if this demand were placed on me. There are other medical qigong styles out there and those teachers won't care what else I do.

Again I am well aware of the requirement not to mix SFQ with other systems. I do not - I always leave at least 30 minutes between SFQ and any other work I do.