Chi Kung for Beginners [Paperback]

Scott Shaw (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 8, 2004

There’s a vibrant source of energy that fuels the universe, and it’s available for you to use to meet any physical or mental challenge. That energy is chi, and you can harness its power through the exacting yet simple methods of breath control and movement known as Chi Kung.
Stop feeling rundown and spiritless. Through conscious interaction with this universal energy, you can revitalize your immune system and store up reserves of strength. Chi Kung for Beginners takes you progressively through the exercises: the preparatory stages; meridian-clearing techniques; mediation techniques; body movements; and advanced techniques of focusing, storing, redirecting, and extending chi from your body.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Scott Shaw is one of the preeminent Martial Arts Masters of the Western world. He began his study of the martial arts as a young boy and today has become one of the most prolific proponents of these ancient systems of self defense.

Shaw is at the forefront of integrating spirituality in the Martial Arts. During his youth he became deeply involved with Eastern Mysticism.  He has studied with some of the leading teachers of our time and has been initiated into Yogic and Buddhist sects.

Today, Scott Shaw is an author and filmmaker. He continually returns to Asia to document obscure aspects of Asian culture in words and on film. He is frequently featured in the various Martial Arts journals and is the author of numerous books on the Martial Arts, Chi Science, Zen, and Meditation.

Product Details

• Paperback: 192 pages
• Publisher: Llewellyn Publications (April 8, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0738704199
• ISBN-13: 978-0738704197
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.3 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.3 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,605,737 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Scott Shaw, Ph.D. is a prolific author, composer, and filmmaker. He was born and spent his formative years in Hollywood, California. Since his late teens, Shaw has traveled the globe. His particular focus has been on Asia, where he continually returns, documenting obscure aspects of Asian culture in words and on film.

During his youth, Shaw was drawn to two factors that have come to define much of his life; namely: Eastern Meditative Thought and the Martial Arts. These inclinations led him to study in both the West and Asia. Shaw is an initiate of Buddhist, Hindu, and Sufi sects. He has been a certified instructor of both Yoga and Meditation since the age of eighteen.

Shaw began studying the martial arts at six years old. He has emerged as one of the leading modern proponents of integrating spirituality into the martial arts. He was the first non-Korean ever to be awarded the seventh degree black belt by the prestigious Korea Hapkido Federation and has since been promoted to eighth degree black belt in both Hapkido and Taekwondo. He also has been certified seventh degree black belt in Aikijutsu and Kumdo.

As an author, Scott Shaw's writings were initially published by literary journals in the 1970s. He continued forward to have several works of poetry and literature published in book form. By the 1980s, Shaw's writings came to be embraced in Spiritual and Martial Art circles. From this, he has authored numerous articles and a number of books on Zen Buddhism, Yoga, Ki Science, and the Martial Arts.

In addition to writing, Shaw has an active career as an actor and filmmaker. In 1991, he developed a new style of filmmaking that he titled, Zen Filmmaking. The primary premise behind Zen Filmmaking is that no screenplay should be used in the creation of a film. According to Shaw, "In Zen Filmmaking there are no rules and no definitions. Instead, the spontaneous creative energy of the filmmaker is the only defining factor. This allows for a spiritually pure source of immediate inspiration to be the only guide in the filmmaking process."

As a university professor, Shaw has taught seminars and courses on Asian Studies and Filmmaking at such institutions as the University of California, Los Angeles, California State University, Los Angeles, the University of Oxford, Silpakorn University, and the Korea National University of the Arts.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Chi Kung primer, theory and exercises for the beginner, May 2, 2004

By 

Harold McFarland (Florida) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Chi Kung for Beginners (Paperback)

Chi energy, the universal energy that permeates the universe, can be accessed for health, physical energy, and spiritual energy by anyone willing to regularly perform a few simple exercises. This is the basis for the book "Chi Kung for Beginners". Chi Kung is the Chinese science of how to access and use this energy. Instead of lacking physical and mental energy you will learn to access boundless energy almost effortlessly. Besides the details of several specific techniques, the book also has an appendix that covers the most important figures in the history of Chi Kung as well as various theoretical foundations. For the beginner to Chi Kung this provides a sound basic understanding without a lot of fluff or diversions to other unrelated topics that is common in so many books of this type. "Chi Kung for Beginners" is a recommended read.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Resource, June 25, 2005

By 

Gman X (Austin, TX) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Chi Kung for Beginners (Paperback)

If you want to know about Chi and how to use it, then this book is for you. I have read quite a few books on the subject. Some are very good, some are not. This is one of the very good reference books. It provides the reader with a lot of essential information on how to develope and utilize Chi. Plus, it presents a great overview of the history and development of Chi understanding. This book is an imporant resource in anyone's library who wants to learn about Chi.