Customer Reviews

The Art of Chi Kung: Making the Most of Your Vital Energy (Health Workbooks)

5 star:		(19)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I've been studying Chi Kung on my own now for almost 20 years, mostly through books, and as you can imagine I've read quite a few. Though most are quite good I consider THIS one the best out there, especially for someone looking for good general info on this fascinating topic. Beginning students will find a treasure trove of useful exercises, though more advanced practitioners may find some useful tidbits here too.

What makes this book so great is that the exercises are extremely effective and quite simple to practice, and what is more, you don't have to practice them for years to get results. In fact I tried a few myself and noticed a considerable difference in only a few days. Some might find these exercises TOO simple and believe that they just CAN'T be that effective. This is a grave error that illustrates how people often assume that unless something is complicated it isn't worth practicing. Believe me, sometimes the most effective things are the most simple, and once you've practiced some of the exercises in this book you'll understand why.

More people than ever are taking the responsibility for their health through exploring alternative health care systems. Chi Kung, the Chinese art of developing your energy is one of these systems. This excellent volume gives you an introduction to Chi Kung and the impact it can have on your life.

Wong Kiew Kit presents a reader friendly workbook on the complex art of Chi Kung. He presents to the reader the philosophy behind the art, the explanation of the art's various terms and introduces the various exercises to help you raise your energy level.

I was very impressed by the simplicity of the book, the clarity of the exercise diagrams and the dynamics of Chi Kung. I began to practice just a few of the exercises and immediately felt the results. Since then this book has never been out of my reach. I had not been acquainted with the art and on a whim purchased this book to satisfy my curiousity. I highly recommend the book and its exercises for those who are beginning to explore Chi Kung. It is a good introductory volume that will give you invaluable lessons on harnessing your vital energy.

This book has a lot of text on chi as far as it relates to body meridians, and various expressions of chi in sex, and disease. It covers the more esoteric parts of chi if your interest is along that line. There are good graphics to go along with these explanations. The book is very nicely broken down but I have to admitt that I'm not one for flowery chapter headings that sound more like vague generalizations than specific divisions. But this may just be my personal preference.

Where the book fails to me is that it does not show you the cycle of chi gung exercises to develop the internal strength it highly praises. There are a few specific movements that are "prescribed" for certain maladies or goals but these are not going to be very useful without having taken the time to develop the basis for such use. I've been involved with the martial arts, aikido and jujitsu, for over 20 years and I've been doing chi kung for about half that time. To get anywhere near the type of results this book mentions you have to develop the full cycle of chi kung exercises through a regimen of daily practice. "Spot" applications of particular exercises will lack the chi development that comes from daily practice...it would be like going in to a gym and expecting to come out looking like Atlas after one visit. Following the advise in this book by itself, based on my experience, would be very frustrating to people.

A better "how to" book for chi kung is "The Way of Energy" by Master Lam Kam Chuen. Master Chuen offers a very specific and practical development of the chi kung exercises from beginner to advanced. Drawings and explanations are easy to understand and not poorly translated from Chinese. There are also adequate healthcare warnings as several of the moves can be quite a strain on the circulatory system.

I have read many of Sifu Wong's books and this one so far the best. I just had surgery last month on 22 Sep 2005, I had a tumor removed from the base of my brain. I already practice martial arts and Chi Kung, but this book has expanded my knowledge of this ancient exerciseand shown me more exercises. Just practicing the abdominal breathing already increased my energy levels, and do not need sleeping pills like Ambien anymore to help me sleep. Buy this book!!!!!

It teaches not only simple an powerful technics to help your body/ emotions/ spirit but also the meaning and explanation of how it works. I recommend it to all my patients and friends.

First, I want to say that I had the honor of meeting Sifu(Grandmaster) and planning to take a class from him in Malayasia. He is a true Master in every sense. This book is both inspirational and will give you an understanding of what chi kung is and what it can do. I can not say enough, how Wong Kiew Kit changed my life. He has tons of information there as well. This book is simple and easy to understand biut at the same time provides invaluable information. If I could I would give it 10 stars.

This book gives an overview of Chi Kung ( or Qi Gong , depending on the spelling,etc.). It explains what chi is, what chi can do, and what exercises can help. There are several drawings of various chi kung exercises, chapters on various ailments and what can be done to cure them, as well as several real cases. Wong Sifu is truly an expert. As a student of Chi Kung and Tai Chi Chuan I can say this book supplements training ( especially helpful is the body chart with the various meridians).
The only negative things are that there are no photos ( although the drawings are reasonably good) and more important there's no information on diet. If you have no problems or just a simple strain/sprain diet probably won't matter, but if your problem is more serious, such as constantly feeling cold, sleep apnea, low sex drive, etc. diet will play a major part in the cure. That brings up one other problem; this is a book and not a real, living Sifu( master). As such it should be used only as an introduction to Chi Kung and not as a guide to get better. I'd strongly recommend you find a real Tai Chi/Chi Kung master and practice with him/her. Only if you're hundreds of miles away from the nearest school, or you're broke , should you try to "learn" from this book. Use it as aguide.
That said, this is one of the better books on Chi Kung.

A complete guide to everyone about the art of Chi Kung. The auther Master Wong Kiew Kit explains how to use the art to promote energy for physical, mental and spiritual well-being. The techniques are so simple yet extremely powerful. It's a great book I recommend it to everyone, beginner or advanced level.

Rarely does one come across a book written in a manner easily understandable and explaining the secret of the universe. It is easy to talk about a book, but difficult to talk about what a book is about. Nevertheless, for those on the path with diligence and fortitude the secret can be obtained. The path is illuminated not by one who points the way and says go get it, but by one who is there and says come here. I have read a few other books on the subject and whilst other authors become hazy or pontificate, giving me the impression of at best second hand knowledge and not true understanding, Sifu Kit makes it all seem so self-evident. As a man with true understanding, Kit approaches the subject from several directions allowing the reader to chose the path he is most comfortable with. He explains that in many cases help may be required in the form of a master, but the secret is waiting. I look foreward to our meeting.

I have read a lot about Sifu Wong, and I have read a lot of what he has written. There are many things that are said about him frequently that are accurate: he is open and consistent about his teaching, realistic in his criticism, honest to the point where it seems audacious, and he takes very good care of his students. He is also obliged to be a combatant in the often banal blogging forum on "what real Kung Fu is". I do not envy him. But this brings me to what is perhaps his most significant contribution to Kung Fu for Westerners especially, that is to say his being a link between eastern and western understandings of Kung Fu and Chi Kung. There are already few real masters but even fewer who have his communicative ability or academic background. He is Asian with a western compatible identity! In this book and others he is able to clearly describe to Westerners his philosophy and approach to genuine Kung Fu and adapt it in such a way that it can be realistically practiced by today's western practitioners without comprimising the most important aspects of the discipline. So we can take the benefits from our Chi Kung training, stop feeling guilty about not being Shaolin monks, and avoid wasting time with New Age or dance approaches to Chi Kung and its related arts (if that's what we want to avoid...). I am what Sifu Wong would call a "competent Tai Chi instructor". I am no master, but I have a Chinese master and I teach as one of his disciples. It is wonderful to come across someone on the open market who is so similar to my own Sifu. It is also surprising. Best of wishes to you all.