The Secret Transmission says, “Chin (internal energy) comes from the ligaments and tendons, and ‘Li’ (strength) from the muscles and bones.” This is a profound truth; yet today’s students are blind to it. They will practice until they die and still never know what ‘Chin’ is. For them you can only sigh!” Chen Man Ch’ing
Announcing a new series of Instructional DVDs by Guru/Shirfu/Guro Bernard Langan.
Chi Gung: Ancient Wisdom for a Modern World
Achieve a Breakthrough in your martial and healing arts by discovering the secrets of developing “Chin” - Internal Power
“Start Now on the Path to Physical and Spiritual Wellness That Will Last a Lifetime.”
Chi Gung is an ancient discipline for achieving and maintaining optimum health. It combines mental concentration, breathing techniques, and body movements to activate, circulate, and cultivate vital energy as it flows through the invisible channels of the body. It is the study of the energy of the entire universe which includes physics, chemistry, biology, anatomy, physiology, astrology, electricity, medicine, and environmental factors (Feng Shui). It is the source of the robust health and tremendous cat-like power and agility demonstrated by experts in the Internal Martial Arts, most notably into advanced age. Chi Gung has been practiced in China, and throughout Southeast Asia, for over five thousand years, and has been shown to be effective in the prevention and cure of many diseases.
Primary to an understanding of the Chinese philosophy of healing is the concept of, Chi or Qi meaning air, breath, vital energy, or the universal force that forms all animate creatures and inanimate forms. Gung means competence earned through long-term effort and enthusiasm in a difficult subject or endeavor. Chi Gung together means the skilled application and benefit of this spontaneous, vital, creative energy, and the self-discipline leading to mastery in this art.
A first step toward mastery is relaxation. Your ability to generate power is directly proportional to your ability to relax. Many students of the martial arts or yoga are told to relax, but are not systematically and clearly taught how to relax, or what true relaxation entails. When the mind relaxes the body will lengthen. Any attempt to use effort will impede results and is contrary to true relaxation. Muscles and tendons that undergo eccentric (lengthening) contractions are up to ten times stronger than muscles and tendons that undergo concentric (shortening) contractions. This lengthening contraction is referred to by Chen Man Ching and other Masters of the Chinese Internal Arts as “Chin”.
This series of DVDs will teach a fundamental set of Chi Gung exercises called Ji Ben Gung, Ba Duan Jin, Six Healing Sounds, Alinging the Three Dantiens, and An Mo Gong which are used in the Chinese Internal Martial Arts to develop this relaxed whole body power.
These essential training sets will allow the dedicated student to progressively and safely grow and lengthen their body’s tendons and connective tissues. This practice can reverse the shrinkage of these structures, which is normally associated with aging, and eliminate discomfort and pain. The consistent practice of these sets can dramatically improve flexibility, strength, coordination, endurance, and muscle responsiveness. For many people this will be an entirely new paradigm of movement, opening up new vistas of possibilities that will greatly enhance your life and enrich your studies in the restorative and martial arts.
Specific health benefits include:
- Clear away toxins built up in your tissues.
- Slow the aging process caused by blocked energy in the vital organs and their meridian pathways.
- Increase oxygenation to your body’s cells to balance blood pressure and relieve stress.
- Adjust and strengthen your digestive and elimination systems
- Calm the nervous system - feel peaceful, composed, and prepared for daily activities.
- Increase energy levels, vitality, sexual drive, nutritional health, and well being.
- Reduce or eliminate neck and back pain through simple easy to remember exercise and movement principles.
- Improve posture and appearance, restful sleep, reduced blood pressure, enhanced sexual intimacy, spiritual fulfillment, happier, fitter more purposeful life.
Topics covered:
History and development of Chi Gung practices
Health benefits of Chi Gung
Understanding how and why Chi Gung works
6 factors that block energy flow in the body
3 secrets of practicing effectively
6 key factors to success in practicing Chi Gung
- Learn to transform and grow your muscles, tendons, connective tissue, joints, fascia, nerves, blood vessels, ligaments, and skeletal structure.
- Learn movements for increasing by a factor of ten both the strength output of your tendons and muscles, and the effect of your body weight.
- Learn to focus on specific points in your skeletal structure to achieve power without effort, and how to apply this knowledge in martial arts practice and everyday life.
- Learn to recover from and prevent injuries, and reinforce your body’s natural defense to illness.
- Learn how the specific order of these exercises relates to the development of your nervous system, and how to train so there is virtually no limit on the improvement that you can achieve in your practice.
- Learn what is necessary in order for the brain to incorporate new movement skills.
- Learn a Chi Gung self massage set that you can use as a warm-up for any martial arts practice, exercise routine, yoga, athletic activity, or before meditation.
- Learn the important difference between stretching a muscle and tendon and growing and lengthening a muscle and tendon, and how to apply this knowledge.
- Learn methods of increasing your bone density throughout your entire life.
- Learn where internal life force energy is stored in your body and how to safely regain and build this energy.
- Learn how to locate, access and control your body’s energy pathways
- Learn breathing exercises for stamina, mental clarity and longevity.
- Learn to use body alignment as a path to stress reduction, emotional awareness, pain relief, and an enhanced self image.
The Instructor:
Bernard Langan has studied martial and restorative arts intensively for over 25 years and is an internationally respected instructor and practitioner of Ba Gua, Hsing-I, Wu and Chen Pan-ling style Tai Chi, Pentjak Silat, Eskrima, Taoist Nei Gung and Chi Gung. He is a specialist in the fields of Bodywork, Movement Education and Biomechanics. He has done extensive cross-discipline research in martial,meditative, healing and movement systems, and can clearly articulate the synthesis of this knowledge and impart these skills to his students. He has a thriving full time clinical practice and teaching studio in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Bernard is a certified practitioner of Advanced Zen Bodytherapy®, and Zen Triggerpoint Anatomy® by William S. “Dub” Leigh, D.Z., and the International Zen Therapy Institute, Inc. Mr. Leigh was certified to practice and teach the work of Ida Rolf Ph.D., Moshe Feldenkrais D.Sc., Lauren Berry, Raymond Nimmo D.C., and Rinzai Zen Master Tanyouye Tenshin Rotaishi. Mr. Leigh was also a member of the first ‘Trager work’ training program conducted by Milton Trager M.D..
Bernard is a member of the IASI, the International Association of Structural Integrators and is designated as a Professional Structural Integrator by the IASI. Structural Integration (SI) is a system of deep tissue bodywork and movement education developed by Ida P. Rolf. The primary goal of SI is to restore the body to its natural state of alignment and balance by organizing the body along the line of gravity.
Bernard is a certified practitioner of Somatic Education in the lineage of Thomas Hanna under the auspices of Eleanor Criswell Hanna, Ed.D., and the Novato Institute for Somatic Research and Training, and is a professional member of the Association of Hanna Somatic Educators. Hanna Somatic Education® is the direct, hands on method developed by Thomas Hanna for teaching voluntary conscious control of the neuromuscular system to persons suffering from involuntary muscular disorders. In Thomas Hanna’s words, “Hanna Somatic Education® is the most advanced system known for relieving chronic disorders which, otherwise, are untreatable by either medical or traditional therapeutic means.”
Bernard studied Craniosacral Orthopedics extensively under Dr. Curtis Turchin, D.C., M.A., who was a Bioenergetic Psychotherapist and practitioner of Postural Integration before becoming a successful Chiropractor. Dr. Turchin subsequently studied Craniosacral Orthopedics in the tradition of A.T. Still D.O., and William G. Sutherland D.O.. Bernard has continued to train with Dr. Turchin in Advanced Laser and Light Therapy; the therapeutic applications of low level cold laser and infrared light for tissue regeneration.
Bernard is a practitioner of traditional Aboriginal energetic and physical healing modalities under Gerry Bostock, an Australian Aboriginal Healer of the Bundjalung Tribe.
Bernard’s primary Chinese Internal Arts teacher is world renowned Master Luo De Xiu of Tai Pei, Taiwan. Other distinguished martial arts instructors include: Hadji Yasser Tanadjalan of the Moro Yakan Tribe in Basilan, Mindanao, Philippines; Bruce Juchnik, Hanshi of Kosho Shorei Ryu; and Chinese Internal Arts Masters - Sam F.S. Chin, Ron Wilkerson, B.K. Frantzis, Wang Hao Da, Cai Sai Fang and Fong Ha.
Bernard is a Lineage Holder and Guru (Instructor) under Maha Guru “Pak” Victor de Thouars in the Indonesian art of Pentjak Silat Sera-Serak. Bernard is an Instructor of ODF (Offensive Defensive Force) under Maha Guru Pak Victor de Thouars founder of the ODF/ODT (Offensive Defensive Force/Offensive Defensive Technology) Close Quarter Combat Systems.
Bernard became a private student of the late Maestro Sonny Umpad in the Philippine art of Visayan Eskrima in 1997, and is a Guro (Instructor) of the Visayan Style of Corto Kadena / Largo Mano Eskrima.
Bernard is a member of the Pentjak Silat Serak Council of Elders and is a senior advisor to MACS, the Martial Arts Collective Society.
In addition teaching seminars in the United States and Europe, Bernard has been a featured instructor for several years at the Kosho Gatherings, Chi Ling Pai Gung Fu Training Camps, and at the “Ring of Fire” events. In June of 2003 - 2008 he was/is a featured martial arts instructor alongside Guru Dan Inosanto, protégé of the late Bruce Lee.
Bernard’s personal practice has also been influenced and deepened by the teachings of: Taoist Yoga and Tai Shing Pek-Kwar Master Paulie Zink; Shandor Remete, founder of the Shadow school of Hatha Yoga; and Torsten Kanzmeier founder of Lei Gong Nei Quan, a martial arts practice with roots in the Shamanic tradition of the Sámi people of Lapland.
Bernard’s related cross training includes: Chinese Bodywork (Tui Na), 5 Element Diagnostic Theory, Visceral Manipulation, Myofascial Release, Taoist and Zen Meditation, Taoist Yoga, I-Chuan, I-Liq Chuan, Mindanao Silat Asli, Kosho Shorei Ryu Kempo, Chi Lin Chuan Fa, Eight Drunken Immortals Kung Fu, Aikido, Pangai Noon/Uechi-Ryu Karate (Black Belt), Wing Chun, Southern Praying Mantis, Tibetan Lung Ta, Western and Thai Boxing, Kuntao, Dumog, Moro-Moro, Sikaran, Kalari Payattu, Nata Yoga (Shiva Tandava), Hatha Yoga, Modern Dance, Feldenkrais Method, Gurdjieff Movements, Shamanism, and Chinese Tea Ceremony. He is a graduate of St. John’s College, Annapolis, Maryland with a degrees in Philosophy and Mathematics.
DVD list is as follows:
The DVDs cover a wide variety of topics.
DVD titles
Skill and Poise Walking with the field of Gravity - a single DVD on the
Body Mechanics of Walking
Five Essential Exercises - a single DVD on the five Basic component
motions of internal arts practice
An Mo Gung Chi Gung Self Massage single DVD
Ji Ben Gung - tendon lengthening Exercises a 2 DVD set
Ba Duan Jin - Eight Pieces of Brocade Nei Gung 2 DVD set
Aligning the Three Tantiens Nei Gung single DVD set (good for both
beginners and Advanced students)
6 Healing Sounds Chi Gung - single DVD
Wu Tai Chi Short Form practice and applications 3 DVD set
Aligning the Body and Reversing the Aging Process (Ida Rolf's Body
Structural Integration maintenance exercises) single DVD and Audio CD
the work you received from me Zentherapy uses these exercises also -
they are also described in Dub Leighs book
Kicking and Kicking counters - martial arts single DVD on phillipine kicking Energy Flow and Martial Application martial arts instrution single DVD
Single DVDs are $40 each
Single DVDs and audio CD $50 each
2 DVD sets are $70
3 DVD set (Tai chi ) is $90
DVDs are availible on DVD-R or DVD+R NTSC formats
I can accept payment by MC/VISA over the phone - check or Postal Money
order.