alternative therapy

This book dwarfs all the other books on Tai Chi, Taijiquan and Qigong, including Embrace Tiger Return to Mountain and Mastering Yang Style Taijiquan. If Amazon.com would allow 10 stars for best, then I would give this 10, and all others so far, only 5 stars. Why?

1. Every book focuses on the teachings of particular lineage or teacher. The book may be very good, but since no teaching can be called ABSOLUTE it just becomes one among others. This book, instead of teaching a particular style of Tai Chi or Chi Kung, focuses on explaining all the aspects of Chi cultivation. It creates the space in you for further insights which you can use in whatever style, level or aspect of Qigong you are working with.

2. The author maintains a very fine and enviable balance between theory and practice. There is enough theory to make you an informed practitioner rather than a blind believer in the curative benifits of Qigong and Tai Chi Chuan, but at the same time there are detailed descriptions of practices which you can learn. The illustrations are excellent and very artistic. The theory never gets so informative that it makes the reader confused. This also shows that the author knows what he is speaking about or else one can never maintain this balance.

3. This books writing style and content clearly makes it evident that the author not only has studied Chi Kung but also lives it as well. This helps in trusting the teacher as you learn from the book.

4. This book is life changing because of the fresh and open perspective it gives and the way it unifies all the concepts of Taoism, Tai Chi and Chi Kung, the way it elaborates on the concepts and the simple yet powerful practices it teaches.

5. There was one amazing thing I noticed with this work: The author when explaining the theoritical aspects never asks you to believe in what he says!!! In fact he says not to bother about it too much and go ahead with the practice, which he says will automatically teach the theory behind it.

6. No matter what level of practice you are at, no matter which style you do (Taijiquan-Yang/chen/Wu or Qigong etc.) this book will help you, this much is for sure.

7. The first part of the first chapter seems repetative after reading the introduction because the author simply keeps repeating the benefits of Qi cultivation. But this in NO WAY reduces the glory of the Book.

8. The book is so designed that you can begin with any chapter at any time.

9. I wish the book were a little smaller in size so as to enable me to carry it wherever I go.

If you want to understand more about Qi and spiritual aspects, I strongly recommend Falun Gong. That is the high level choice, and the healing effect is obvious, although in the Falun Gong Books the author emphasized why people should not intentionally seeking to healing.

It is estimated that 100 million Chinese people go to practice Falun Gong after trying many different Qi Gongs in the past 20 years (before the persecution in China happened).

At first, I related to this book lightly and let others that had a more flamboyant approach to the subject of Tai Chi and Qigong capture my interest. But then there came a moment when The Healing Promise of Qi took over to become a permanent feature of my reading life now for many months. With little mystery and great charm Roger Jahnke explains the Qigong way of solving some of the greatest mysteries of them all - how to joyfully unburden ourselves of emotional baggage and trauma and physical, mental and emotional disharmony in order to allow the wonders of life to express healing energy within us. All this he does admirably with little ego and much compassion. The insights in this book are many as so are its blessings. My heartfelt thanks to the writer for his truly wonderful gift.