10 quotes from the book about Qigong
“Empty power” (kong jin，空劲) — Paul Don calls his book which he published in 2006. This book is very curious because we all know the sceptical attitude towards any mystical force in martial arts. especially foreigners who are into MMA and so on.
Already in the preface, the author literally touches a nerve: “Can a person knock down an opponent without physical contact?”
Next we could just read the book, but if suddenly you don’t have time, then we will give for you ten quotes from the book “Empty Power” by Paul Don, Thomas Ruffil:
Qigong has a 3000-year history in China.
“Qi” is central to the idea of empty power, though you may never have heard of anything in a world as bizarre as that concept.
Western philosophy seeks to separate the physical from the spiritual, while the Chinese approach holds that both are part of the same broader reality.
The ancient Chinese had their own scientific methods and principles, and their claims about Qi are supported by more than 2,000 years of experience of their own medical research.
The power of all the energy of the body concentrated at one point and released in a very short period of time is what is called jin.
The most important condition is maintaining a peaceful and quiet state of mind. It’s not possible for many people, especially those living in cities. For this reason, soft power is usually studied by Taoist priestesses living in the seclusion of mountains, away from crowds.
The Chinese believe that all things in the world balance each other out. According to this view, the universe is a huge system of checks and balances. Everything has its opposite side; every action has its own reaction. Water can overcome fire; rust can corrode steel; the principles of Yin (negative) and Yang (positive) always keep each other in check.
Why is immobility stronger than movement? This seemingly contradictory idea was undercut by a long time watching on trees. The tree stands upright, never moving, but inside it is in constant motion. A huge tree standing on the ground and rising above all things is an image of strength. Having mastered an empty force, you will be like a huge tree that looks silently down from a position of strength.
The biggest challenge is to master your own mind and spirit; this is much harder to learn than simple physical techniques like conventional martial arts. For the most fascinating element of this “soft power” is that it becomes a physical force capable of influencing others — the most vivid illustration of the philosophy of achieving harmony with nature through non-action.
Another ancient Chinese proverb says: “Nothing can resist kindness. If you are kind to others, you will have no enemies. Therefore, they say “kindness” is the greatest defensive art in the world. By combining the two concepts of “let others weaken themselves by fighting” and “nothing can resist kindness”, you will master the deepest secret.
