Articles | YMAA

From Warm Hand to Warm Hand
February 26, 2024
With the abundance of martial arts resources and the power of today’s communication technology, YMAA staff writer Gene Ching ponders what effect it might have on the traditional arts for the next generation. 5 Min. Read
The Shaolin Temple and the Shaolin Diaspora
November 27, 2023
With the Abbot of Shaolin Temple visit to California in November 2023, Staff Writer Gene Ching ruminates over the distinctions between some Shaolin styles of Kung Fu practiced around the world and the curriculum propounded at the original Shaolin Temple of China today
Good Retribution of a Kind Heart
November 20, 2023
It’s easy to talk about righteousness. Living it is difficult.
Myths, Legends, Archetypes and Stereotypes in Martial Arts
November 13, 2023
While both myths and legends possess an undeniable appeal, transforming mundane truths into powerful stories, these tales also serve a martial function.
Qi Demons and Kung Fu Exorcists
October 30, 2023
On the day before Halloween 2023, YMAA Staff Writer Gene Ching ruminates about demonic possession in Kung Fu and Qigong practice.
You Are Bioelectric - October 23, 2023
Your body’s matrix of fluid-filled tissue is a system capable of absorbing and donating electrons (qì) wherever they are needed, from the surface of our skin all the way into our DNA.
Qigong is Ancient Mind/Body Science - October 16, 2023
Ancient practitioners were mind/body scientists of the subtle body, working with their Qì to promote health, healing, and extraordinary vitality and longevity.
I Saw the Light - October 9, 2023
The clear light experience is universal for all types of meditation and prayer for people in various cultures all around the world.
A Mind-Body Prescription for Fatigue - October 2, 2023
To relieve, deal with and eliminate fatigue, YMAA Author Ramel Rones has created a Mind-Body routine based on the Eastern health and martial arts philosophies, Chi Kung, Tai Chi, and Meditation.
Preserving the Legacy of Two-Person Forms in the Chinese Martial Arts - July 31, 2023
In the wake of Michelle Lin & Quentin Lopes chat with Gene Ching about their new "Barehand vs Staff Sequence", Staff Writer Gene Ching explores the legacy of two-person training sequences in the Chinese martial arts.
Wing Chun is Alive and Well - July 17, 2023
The new China had turned its back on the glorious past. But the martial arts were a part of that past that could not easily be destroyed.
Theory of Using the Yi to Lead the Qi - June 26, 2023
The key is in the uniformity and fluidity of the breathing, the body’s relaxation, and softness, the Yì’s peace and calmness, and the spirit’s condensation and upraising.
Is it Chi Kung or Qigong? - April 24, 2023
Last year, in honor of World Tai Chi & Qigong Day, YMAA Staff Writer Gene Ching wrote Is it Tai Chi or Taiji? For this year, he continues in that same spirit with an exploration of Chinese translation and romanization with Qigong.
Contingency Planning for Vacationers - April 10, 2023
If you have a response to emergencies planned out in advance, your reaction and resolution will be much quicker, giving you more time to relax and enjoy yourself once everything is dealt with. Besides, that’s why we take vacations in the first place, isn’t it—to relax?
Introducing The 18 Luohan Qigong Taught by Qigong Master Bill Buckley - April 3, 2023
The 18 Luohan relies on the Microcosmic Orbit as a well-trodden path to get your energy flowing.
“Pack” Situational Awareness into your Vacation Suitcase - March 27, 2023
When you’re preparing for a trip away, the first step in identifying potential problems begins in the planning phase. Proper planning requires more than just picking a vacation spot and packing a bag. It requires some in-depth research and preparation.
What are the Two Major Categories in Qigong Practice? - March 20, 2023
The physical body is like a machine and Qì is like electricity. Only when the machine is in good condition and the power supply is sufficient will the machine be able to perform at peak potential.
Building an Arsenal of Target Areas - March 5, 2023
“Knowing is not enough; we must apply. Willing is not enough; we must do.”—Bruce Lee
Qi-Empowered Patient: Chinese Mind-Body Energetics in the Integrative Medical Setting - February 27, 2023
Remind your clients, that it is impossible to know when the natural results will arise and that patience and perseverance, in cultivation of wellbeing, is the recognized best practice for catalyzing the intended good result.”
The Ethics of Mind-Body Energetics - February 20, 2023
One of my favorite teachers, Master Zhu Hui from Tian Tai Mountain in eastern China told me, “A person who makes wise use of the Three Intentional Corrections a few times a day will resolve their pains, cure their diseases, and achieve longevity.”
Graduated Levels of Awareness in Self-Defense - January 8, 2023
Awareness is your ability to be cognizant of the environment and events going on around you.”
The Greatest Achievements of Chinese Culture-Buddhist and Daoist Qigong - January 2, 2023
The emphasis on the spiritual life, rather than the material, is one of the major differences between Eastern and the Western cultures. An example of this is in the maintenance of health, where the West emphasizes the physical body more, while the East tends to also treat the person’s spiritual and mental health.
What is Iron Shirt and Golden Bell Cover? - December 19, 2022
There are many Chinese people, especially martial artists, who mistakenly believe that the Yìjīnjīng is Iron Shirt and Golden Bell Cover training. I will try to clear up the confusion.
Scope of Qigong Practice - December 12, 2022
Any activity that is able to improve the qi circulation in our body can be called qigong.
Building Qi in the Body - November 7, 2022
Dr. Yang states that there are four methods of building up Qi in the body, physical stimulation, mental stimulation, energizing the Shén and others.