The treatment of cancer.

[prajna]

Exactly why I didn't want to get into this.

"A bit of qigong" isn't going to do anything to any one, it might loosen your shoulder a bit.

What can I say to that story, "it's very, very sad" and I admire the work those men and women do.

This topic is getting more and more sensitive, so without upsetting anyone else, I'll leave it at that.

Jon

[doc]

Yes, it is a sensitive topic, no doubt.

Which, makes it a good one. And an educational one at that. No reason why this can't be discussed in a way in which we learn about both sides of the veritable fence.

Which, is why I started all of this in the first place.

[daodejing]

One of the principles of TCM is that if a person is being repeatedly poisoned by their environment, then for the love of god, they need to get out of that environment. And as prajna said, a bit of qigong won't do it either. You cure fatal disease with emergency medicine followed by drastic lifestyle change. Whether that's altering you're diet, getting out of a destructive emotional relationship, or abandoning a radioactive community for life, it is what must be done for the patient to remain healthy.

To whoever wrote that message to doc, I salute your work. I really do. I have neither the skill nor conviction to do what you're doing. I'm just learning to do my part in this world to heal us.

[doc]

Yes, truly an impressive individual.

[zachsan]

if more people recover by doing qigong than recover without doing qigong, then certainly it is worth looking into. in fact, even if this weren't the case, but such a benefit were hinted at, it would still be worth looking into, because of the seriousness of the situation. but the only good way of doing this is the scientific method. before it's proven scientifically, the benefits of qigong, consciousness healing and such can't be expected to be taken seriously. i absolutely think that research is needed, but that means that the masters and gurus have to cooperate with real science, instead of just writing books about how great their practices are.

- zach

[doc]

Well, what people might be seeing, with qigong and cancer, is that doing physical exercise boosts their so called, mood, for lack of a better word, and makes them feel better, for the duration of what's left of their life. It might not have any cancer killing powers. But it might make quality of the remaining life better.

Don't get me wrong here. I'm not against TCM or qi gong. I'm actually a bit confused by it. I've spent some time playing with it over the years, and I have mixed feelings about it.

[zachsan]

well, playing hockey could conceivably improve moods, too (not mine though, i suck at it). perhaps a control group of recreational hockey players (good ones) or chess players could be judged against qigong practioners to isolate the "feeling good" factor, but for some reason that idea strikes me as very stupid.

the thing is, the masters aren't claiming just that qigong or trans-experiential (whatever) therapy can make you feel better, but that they, to some degree, cure cancer. i practice gongfu, and it makes me feel great. to make me feel good and to make me stronger physically are not such outrageous claims to make as to the benefits of gongfu practice; but if it were claimed to enable me to leap tall buildings with a single bound, such a claim could easily be tested. it would be hypocritical of me to claim this and then not to agree to prove it scientifically because i feel i'm being disrespected.

- zach

[prajna]

Doc, do you practice qigong everyday? What sort of qigong are you practicing?

[doc]

I'm not practicing much of anything every day. The past year and a half has not been good for me health wise. I've been doing boxing and weights when I feel up to it.

I need to go back to Shaolin to "reset" myself.

[arhat]

Zach you would have LOVED the Q&A with WKK.

[doc]

He can relive it in the archive. It's still there.

[zachsan]

haha... actually i read most of that on sites run by WKK or his high priests (before i found this site), and it seemed just as ridiculous there. go figure. and yes, i loved it.

but just for the record, i wasn't even thinking about WKK when i wrote that last post, lest i be branded an instigator (which i am).

- zach

[prajna]

I'm not practicing much of anything every day. The past year and a half has not been good for me health wise.

I'm sorry to hear that. Did you practice qigong regularly before the deteriation of your health?

What is Shifu Shi De Cheng's views on the scope and depth of qigong?

Jon

[doc]

No, I was not a regular practitioner of qi gong. Should have been, but, the rigeurs of daily life in the US takes it's toll.

Decheng firmly believes in qi gong practice, and for the three months that he was here, he practiced it from time to time. Again, maybe more than I saw, because he got up earlier than I did, lol. His daily practice of gong fu seemed to slow down a bit while he was here too.

Interesting phenomenon.

[shaolinstylee]

maybe he was on vacation...lol