Articles | Page 4 | YMAA
FREE Shipping $70 Over. (US Only, Conditions apply)    |   50% Off * Books & DVDs. Exclusions apply.

What is Enlightenment Meditation?
November 14, 2022
The first step towards enlightenment is to establish a strong will, without which you will not finish the training.
Purposes of General Meditation
October 31, 2022
“…if you can control your consciousness without falling asleep, you can build up a better sensitivity for energy correspondence with the outside world. This is one of the desired states in meditation practice.”
The YMAA Kung Fu Curriculum
April 18, 2022
This is Dr. Yang, Jwing-Ming's official YMAA External Arts Curriculum, which outlines his recommended order of study for Kung Fu students.
Muscle/Tendon Changing and Brain/Marrow Washing Qigong
February 28, 2022
China has more than seven thousand years of history. The greatest contribution it can make to benefit the human race is to share the knowledge it has accumulated in the field of Qi.
YMAA Tai Chi and Internal Arts Curriculum
April 22, 2019
At YMAA, students learn qigong (energy cultivation) as part of their taiji or kung fu classes. In ancient times, Shaolin monks trained the cultivation of qi (energy), and realized muscular power could be enhanced to a tremendous level, making martial techniques more powerful and effective. This was the beginning of internal cultivation in Chinese martial arts, starting around 550 AD /CE. In internal styles, YMAA focuses mainly on traditional Yang-style taijiquan which originated from Yang, Ban-Hou (楊班候).
Muscle/Tendon Changing and Brain/Marrow Washing Qigong - January 25, 2010
China has more than seven thousand years of history. The greatest contribution it can make to benefit the human race is to share the knowledge it has accumulated in the field of Qi.
History of Shaolin Long Fist Kung Fu - December 30, 2009
The first Shaolin Buddhist Temple was built in 377 AD on Shaoshi Mountain (少室山) in Deng Feng (登封) county of Henan (河南) province, by order of Emperor Wei (魏). Bodhidharma (菩提達摩), or Da Mo, came to Shaolin from India to teach Buddhism around 527 AD.
Five Qigong Categories - November 18, 2009
It is very important to keep the Qi (internal energy) circulating smoothly in your body. Many different kinds of Qigong exercises have been created to achieve this, but they can generally be categorized into five groups according to the main purpose of the training.
The Dao of Kung Fu - 武道 - October 15, 2009
Religion is full of paradox, and Eastern religions are no exception. One of the most compelling paradoxes is that Eastern religions (Buddhism and Daoism) are closely linked with the martial arts.
Daoist Breathing Techniques - May 20, 2009
Daoist breathing exercises are designed to activate the diaphragm muscle, expand the lungs, and invoke the body's innate relaxation response. There are four major types of breathing (调息tiao xi) used in Daoist practice.
Benefits of Tai Chi Qi Gong for Arthritis - May 11, 2009
May is National Arthritis Month: One of the challenges we have in this country as well as in the rest of the world, is how to approach the health care goals of the growing wave of our aging population. We are living through special times. We can see a shift towards greater acceptance of new methods and treatments for various debilitating diseases such as arthritis.
Basic Concepts of Qi and Qigong - Part 2 - March 30, 2009
In modern times, we mainly use only the narrow definition of Qi, which refers to the energy circulating in the human body.
Basic Concepts of Qi and Qigong - Part 1 - March 23, 2009
The Chinese word "Qi" translates in English to "energy". Qi is the energy or natural force which fills the universe. The Chinese believe in Three Powers (San Cai) of the universe: Heaven, Earth and Human.
Insights into Modern Day Martial Arts Training - February 17, 2009
Training does have to be adjusted and changed for modern day, but the principles and essence should remain the same. We are constantly striving to preserve the teachings of our masters, and we should be very cautious when to modify them.
The Profound Art of Chinese Sword (Jian) - February 9, 2009
The Jian (Cantonese: gim), a narrow-blade, double-edged sword, has been respected as the “King of Short Weapons” in China for millennia. Wielding the Jian requires the highest of skill, and the sword user must strive to the heights of spirit and morality.
Martial Arts in the 21st Century - Part 3 of 3 - January 22, 2009
There has been a clear and obvious downward shift in the average skill level of students, and even masters, of today compared to the masters and students of old.
Martial Arts in the 21st Century - Part 2 of 3 - January 15, 2009
In ancient times, many students would unconditionally sacrifice their lives to their training and beg masters to take them, often striving to prove themselves worthy for many weeks, months or years before they were accepted.
Martial Arts in the 21st Century - Part 1 of 3 - January 8, 2009
My Long Fist grandmaster, Grandmaster Li, Mao-Ching, spent 23 years and 1 month in the Chinese military during harsh wartime conditions while he trained everyday, under Great Grandmaster Han, Chin-Tang, one of the foremost traditional martial artists and graduates of the Nanjing Central Guoshu Institute
Growing Up Wudang, part 2 - December 17, 2008
It wasn’t until my third year at Wudang that I started to find the training interesting, and started to train harder because I was genuinely interested in it.
Growing Up Wudang - December 9, 2008
When I was in fourth grade my grandfather fell ill, and because we needed money for hospital bills, I had to leave school. I worked on our farmland, helping my family plant corn and cotton.
The eight extraordinary Qi vessels and the twelve primary Qi channels - October 19, 2008
The eight extraordinary Qi vessels and the twelve primary Qi channels (meridians) comprise the main part of the channel system.
Taijiquan Yin Yang - August 5, 2008
Yin and Yang are opposite (i.e., relative) to each other instead of absolute. That is Yin can become Yang and Yang can change into Yin. Yin and Yang can be exchanged mutually depending on the observer’s Xin and Yi.
Taijiquan Yin Yang - August 5, 2008
Yin and Yang are opposite (i.e., relative) to each other instead of absolute. That is Yin can become Yang and Yang can change into Yin. Yin and Yang can be exchanged mutually depending on the observer’s Xin and Yi.
Wuji - The State of Emptiness - July 30, 2008
Wuji (無極) is a state of emptiness or simply a single point in space. There is no discrimination and there are no polarities (or poles). According to Yi Jing (i.e., Book of Change), originally the universe was in a Wuji state.
Wuji - The State of Emptiness - July 30, 2008
Wuji (無極) is a state of emptiness or simply a single point in space. There is no discrimination and there are no polarities (or poles). According to Yi Jing (i.e., Book of Change), originally the universe was in a Wuji state.