Shaolin Xi Sui Gong

“Bodhidharma travelled to the East to teach these two Yi Jin and Xi Sui classics. A bird like the crane is able to live long, an animal like the fox can be immortal, a human who cannot learn from these classics is worse than the birds and animals.”

The Mind and Body of a Buddha

Ee Jin Jing makes your muscles and tendons strong, flexible, fast and powerful while building up the health of your internal organs. Xi means wash and Sui means bone marrow.  Xi Sui  means clean your bone marrow. The aim of Xi Sui Gong is to detoxify the body and cleanse the unhealthy aspects of the mind. The highest aim is to help us reach enlightenment and give us the mind and body of a Buddha. But even if we can’t gain enlightenment in this lifetime, the least this Qi Gong can do is give us a long, healthy, and peaceful life.

Connecting With Our True Nature 

It is vitally important that we use our heart to train, not just our body. We can train as regularly and as hard as we like but if our heart isn’t present then we will never improve our skill or get the benefit from Qi Gong or Kung Fu. Whether it’s Shaolin, Karate or Taekwondo, the aim of any martial arts is to awaken us to our true nature. Our true nature can only be found in the here and now. Our martial art helps  to plant us in the present moment. This can sometimes be uncomfortable because it confronts us with who we truly are. But once we’ve broken through our smaller self, Qigong helps us to go beyond our small individual selves and find a connection with the very fabric of the Universe. It does not give us anything new; it simply connects us with the body’s internal power and automatic wisdom that already exists within us.

If we train mindlessly then we may as will join a gym and watch TV while listening to music and running on the treadmill. There’s nothing wrong with that kind of training if all you want from your workout is to get fit but it’s certainly not the type of training which will increase our martial arts skill and power.

The Power of Concentration

The more we can concentrate, the more benefit we can gain from Qi Gong. Every movement of Xi Sui Jing is done from a sitting position, this sitting position helps us to develop patience.

When you begin to run through the movements, your mind will be busy at first. This is natural. But as you focus on the breath and the movement together this will calm the mind and you will begin to feel peaceful. This calming of the mind cleanses the mind. With a clean mind, the mind and body can then begin to work in harmony. Once the mind and body are working in harmony, the body can start to self-regulate

itself, unblocking the channels and preventing disease from building up in the body.

Our Body Is Our Own Doctor

This is why we say that our body is our own doctor, the Qi Gong gives us access to the medicine. But this all happens unconsciously. Our body will start to feel better of its own accord without us having to intervene in any way.

This has led many people to shun conventional medicine in favor of Qi Gong or other alternative medicines but I believe we should use the best of both worlds. If a person is suffering from an illness I recommend that they combine  Western medicine with Qi Gong so that it’s not an alternative approach but more of a complimentary approach.

The Challenge

There is a famous story in China about a Ch’an master who was famous for his meditation and a Shaolin martial artist who was famous for his martial arts. One day the Shaolin master challenged the Ch’an master as he belived his skill was much better than that of the Ch’an master. The Ch’an master chose a narrow ledge at the edge of a high mountain, one wrong step and the person would fall to their death. Because they were both unskilled in archery they decided it would be fair if they challenged themselves in this way. The Shaolin master went first, he stood at the edge of the mountain but when he placed the arrow into the bow he couldn’t stop himself from looking down and he became scared at the thought of plunging to his death. This fear meant that he failed to hit the target. The Ch’an master took the bow and arrow, stood at the edge of the mountain, and hit the target perfectly. The Shaolin master was amazed and asked him what his secret was so that he could improve his skill. The Ch’an master said, “No thinking. No reason. Just do.”

No thinking. No reason. Just do.

This is exactly what we must apply to our practice. EE Jin Jing makes our body like stone. Xi Sui Jing turns our body into a Buddha. But we need to practice and find this out for ourselves.

Qi Lifting

Higher level students learn Qi lifting which mixes internal and external together. They practice Qi and at the same time they use Qi. This kind of Qi Gong can only be transmitted master to master. This takes karma and the student needs to be ready. In China powerful businessmen and politicians learn this Qi Gong because they know that the health of their mind and body is the most important thing. But this higher level can never be reached without first learning the authentic Shaolin forms that I teach on my Qigong DVDs. Without learning these forms we can never reach the higher levels.

Shaolin Xi Sui Jing Qi Gong is taught on The Way Of Qi Gong Volume Two. 

What is Qigong Chi Gong?

Qi Gong Chi Gong For Health And Longevity
What is Qigong Chi Gong?

Qi Gong (sometimes spelt Chi Gong and pronounced Chee like cheese) is a simple, natural and powerful set of breathing exercises that originate from the Shaolin Temple of Zen in China. Qigong taps into the inner reservoir of energy and restores our body to its original programme of health

In China, Qigong is called the secret of youth and longevity because it slows the ageing process down and promotes health and longevity from the inside out. Time-tested for thousands of years, studies today have found that Qigong exercise can boost levels of one of the most important ‘anti-ageing’ enzymes in the body.

Qigong History

In the past Qigong was passed down secretly from generation to generation at the Shaolin Temple in China. Bodhidharma (the founder of Zen) was the 1st generation and I am one of the 34th generations. In 1985 the Chinese government granted its approval of Qigong and I now have permission to teach what I learnt at the temple.

Qigong Exercise

A set of Qigong exercises is called a form. There are thousands of Qigong exercises (forms) but the Shaolin Temple believe that the most powerful Qigong exercise for health comes from the Yi Yin Jing (Muscle/Tendon Changing Classic) and Xi Sui Jing (Bone Marrow Cleansing Classic).

Muscle Tendon Changing and Bone Marrow Cleansing Classic

When the Bodhidharma came to the Shaolin Temple he found the monks were weak from sitting meditation. Just as the Buddha had realised the health of the body was as important as the health of the mind in order to gain enlightenment, the Bodhidharma developed a unique system of Qigong to energize the monks and help them gain enlightenment.

The Yi Yin Jing Xi Sui Jing taught the monks how to use Qi to clean the bone marrow and strengthen the blood and immune system, as well as how to energize the brain. This helped them to attain Buddhahood.

Eight Simple Qigong Exercises

The Eight Treasures (sometimes called Eight Pieces of Brocade and in Chinese Ba Duan Yin) are the eight most powerful movements from the Yi Yin Jing Xi Sui Jing. This form is possibly the most popular Qigong in the China. There are many different variations of this form but in The Way of Qigong Volume 1 and my Insant Health book, I teach the original Buddhist Qigong exactly as it was taught in the temple.

Eight Great Exercises: Eight Great Reasons To Do Qigong

Regulate blood pressure
Boost the immune system
Ease the stress and strain of working at a computer
Optimize energy
Turn back the clock
Harmonize the mind and body
Help with co-ordination (therefore preventing falls later on in life)
Prevent illness and promote good health

Qigong Training

Qigong training can be done by adults of all ages. The healing exercises can even be done in just a few minutes a day so you can easily fit them into your hectic lifestyle. Please take a minute to raise your arms to the sky, then stretch them out in front of you, and finally stretch them out to the side, this is the only space you need to begin your practice. The only equipment you need is an Insant Health Massage Brush.

Qigong Massage

An important part of the Qigong Workout Program is the self-massage with a bamboo massage brush. The 108 bamboo rods in this massage brush create vibrations which relieve stress and tension in the muscles, assist in unblocking the acupuncture channels, and help the body to detoxify through the stimulation of the lymphatic system. Students have reported that if used directly on the skin (rather than through clothing) it has helped them to reduce and prevent cellulite.


Learn Qigong Now

I provide a very simple introduction to a sitting Qigong which you can start practicing with right now. Whether you want to learn Qigong in the UK, the USA or whatever part of the world you are in, I provide three simple ways for you to learn Qigong so that you can start right now.

Qigong Book

Instant Health: The Shaolin Qigong Workout For Longevity is a step-by-step guide to increasing your health and longevity. As well as teaching The Eight Treasures Qigong, I also guide you through Qigong Breathing, Qigong Stretching, Qigong Meditation and Qigong Massage.

Qigong DVD

In The Way Of Qigong Volume 1 I teach the same form of Qigong that is taught in Instant Health: The Shaolin Qigong Workout For Longevity. In The Way Of Qigong 2 & Volume 3, I teach Yi Yin Jing (Muscle/Tendon changing classic) and Xi Sui Jing.I also goes into more detail about the Qigong massage.
Both the books and the DVDs work as stand alone products on their own. It is not necessary to purchase both but students have found that they do compliment each other.

Qigong Class

You can also do a private classes with me. I teach in London UK and Los Angeles USA. Qigong is a powerful form of self-healing which works directly with the bodies own medicine. The goal is for our body to become its own doctor. The Qigong exercises that I teach in my books and DVDs are safe and highly effective. However, there are some forms of Qigong which cannot be taught correctly or safely in a book or a DVD. These include all of the 72 styles such as Iron Shirt, Iron Leg, and also some of the more potent Healing Qigongs such as the secret Shaolin Temple Bone Marrow Qi Lifting Qigong.
Bone Marrow Qi Lifting has both a Taoist practice and a Buddhist practice. I teache the Buddhist practice which is significantly different from the Taoist practice. This can only be transmitted master to student. The female Bone Marrow Qi Lifting is taught by my female student.

Qigong Questions

Once you begin your Qigong program, you become my student and if you have any questions which aren’t answered in my books or DVDs, you can email me and someone from his team will do their best to help. If they can’t answer, your enquiry will be passed directly to me.

Frequently Asked Questions About Qigong

How many times a week should I practice?

Regular practice is necessary. Like all things, it’s best you do a little every day rather than once hour a week. The minimum is three times a week, if you can practice Qigong once a day then that is ideal. The quality of the practice is more important than the quantity. If you sign up to the newsletter you will receive monthly training tips and regular guidance from Shifu to help you stay motivated to train.

What is the difference between Tai Qi and Qigong?

Qigong is solely about internal training. It focuses on the breath with the movement. Tai Qi also includes self-defence. Tai Chi movements are flowing like water while Qigong movements use a dynamic stretch.

What is the difference between yoga and qigong?

Qigong is sometimes described as Chinese Yoga but this description is not entirely accurate. There are many yoga practioners who find that finishing of their yoga practice with Qigong helps to deepen their practice because the kind of stretching we do in Qigong is a different type to that done in yoga.
Only when sunlight is focused on a small area of glass can it start a fire. Qigong is the same. The only focus is on our Qi. This narrow focus gives Qigong a different kind of power and energy.

Is there a Qigong for women?

All of the Qigong Forms that Shifu teaches in his books and DVDs are suitable for women and men. Latest research shows that practicing Ba Duan Jin can prevent bone loss in middle-aged women.
Bone Marrow Qi Lifting is a secret Qigong from the Shaolin Temple. One of these Qigongs is specifically for women. This Qigong can only be taught privately. It is necessary to learn The Eight Treasures Qigong Form before beginning this secret Qigong practice.

How does Qigong manage stress?

Hormone levels, heart rate and blood pressure increase when a person is under stress. Researchers have found that the nervous system becomes highly active. Research has also found that Qigong reduces activity in the nervous system. The Qigong movements help to harmonize the mind and body, regulate blood pressure and reduce the level of stress hormone. Qigong helps to bring about a state of deep but alert relaxation.

Is Qigong safe to learn from a book or DVD?


There are some types of Qigong  which are not safe to learn from a book or a DVD such as hard Qigongs like Iron Shirt, or some of the more potent medical Qigong's such as Qi Lifting. These Qigong Techniques can only be transmitted master to student and I only teach these on a one to one basis. The Qigong Forms that I teach in my book and DVDs are safe and effective.  Once you've finished The Eight Treasures Form from Instant Health and The Way Of Qigong or any of the other Qigong Forms on my DVDs, you will feel calmer, more expansive, your face will look relaxed and more alert. As you continue, you will have more energy and your sleep will be deeper. You will feel more at peace with the world because you feel more at peace with yourself. If you listen to your body, it is wise and has its own instincts. Trust it.

Qigong Empowerment – Yin and Yang

Modern science is discovering that the mind and body are not separate from each other but interdependent, and a mind at peace with itself protects the body’s health. In order to maximize our health and longevity we need to do not only Qigong but also a form of weight bearing and cardiovascular exercise such as Kung Fu

If you like this article please share it by tweeting or liking on the link below.