Internal Martial Arts Nei-gong: Cultivating Your Inner Energy to Raise Your Martial Arts to the Next Level

First of all, let me state my qualifications so that my review has some relevance. I have been studying Taoism for the last 10 years, actively contributing to various Taoist websites, and am very familiar with the wide range of most Taoist teachings. I also have been practicing Vipassana, yoga, taichi and chigong/nei gong for over 20 years, and traveled around around Asia to learn from qualified Masters. That being said, this is one of the best martial arts books I found that teaches you how to cultivate the state of shen mentioned within Taoism. The BONUS is that it also gives the relevant internal energy cultivation correspondences with Buddhism. This is definitely an internal nei-gong book that teaches you how to cultivate your internal chi, and the authors give several methods including visualization techniques, which they emphasize, and breathing methods. Those are the two basic methods of such practice for opening up your channels, in addition to empty mind meditation. The authors don't care where the methods come from -- they give you the boiled down information of the best teachings and methods, which is what we all want. For instance, this book teaches the Taoist internal energy methods of inner viewing and connecting chi blockages and also shows how to link them with anapana and pranayama practices. It even takes the teachings of a very famous Taoist martial arts master in Beijing (who is the gold standard for Taoist martial arts) and shows, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that his "Taoist practices" are actually from the Vajrayana school of Tibetan Buddhism. Then it gives you an even better Vajrayana practice method if you want to go that route and help open up all your internal chi channels. This book is a winner. You will NOT find this information in other martial arts books. Period. It is just written in a new style and the info is so new that most people cannot even recognize the contribution. Therefore when I read some of these 1-star review comments from other individuals, I don't know where they are getting their ideas. Perhaps they don't know what Taoism is, or genuine internal energy methods. it sounds like they have opinions but just don't know enough to have educated opinions, which is a problem I sometimes see with amazon most reviewers. The flat out truth is that this is a giant contribution to the field of internal martial arts that is so new that it has caught everyone unawares because they don't know this information, or recognize that this is the real inner neighing. This is the ONLY book that goes into the details of various internal energy methods for martial arts that help you open up your central channel, cultivate the awareness state of shen or clear awareness that is equivalent to the samadhi cultivation of Buddhism, and then lay your foundation for samadhi (and supernormal) abilities from that. In fact, this is the only book that even tells you that this is what happens. That's how it is done. You open your channels and this is the microcosmic circulation that opens. If you think it is done some other way then you are mistaken. Furthermore, this is the first martial arts book that brings the modern super learning principles of "10,000 hours of practice" into the curriculum, which is a great boon to internal martial arts practice. There are so man "firsts" with this book that it is sure to be taken wrongly by some martial arts people who just don't know enough and are put off by all these new revelations. It is not a "thrown together" heap of garbage. Being educated in this field, when I read it I can see that it is actually the exact opposite. It is extremely well thought out, very rare information, only the important stuff is emphasized, including the most useful methods, and the author deliver information in many other areas that will push the dimensions of martial arts training forward if you bother to learn this.

Mr.Bodri's book isn't just for the martial artist. Anyone setting out to master a skill they're passionate about will have the tools on how to do it; be it writing, photography, tennis, public speaking, or any skill people are interested in. The idea that with 10,000 hours of practice, one can become an Olympic level performer in any field, is expanded in this book with the authors own interesting input. The practice of Celibacy for males. How this can build one's mind and improve performance. For example, how athletes are told not to have sex before game time (Helps players focus and develops internal power over time). How one doesn't need to be single, but how overindulging can deplete a man's vital force or Jing; the fuel that helps us to accomplish great benevolent tasks for humanity, or whatever our altruistic or philanthropic goals are. There are interesting stories of martial artists and people who followed similar strategies which Mr. Bodri writes about and makes the read highly absorbing and interesting. Other topics include: Visualization's power to create results, breathing exercises to improve health and increase internal power, anapana- the quickest and safest way to transform the body, mind, and energies, diet and cleansing tips to speed up our efforts. This quick read is your ally if you want to make something of your life. I highly recommend all of Mr. Bodri's books. His site contains tons of material to read at Meditationexpert.com If you want to find out how to become a leader, a pro, a master in any field of life, get this book! If it's too pricey, visit Meditationexpert.com and read the articles and his blog. They will assist you also. P.S.- Self help books will never be the same after Mr. Bodri's books begin to become popular. Why be the last to get in on this? Get his books and start practicing now! May you achieve great success and greater wisdom for creating a meaningful happy life.

Fantastic read very helpfull

Eye - opener, interesting, dubious, exciting, and enjoyable all at the same time! Author touches on the concept of waiting gong, Qigong gong Nei gong, and Tao gong. He also talks about incorporating a couple of Indian meditations together with the temporal use of supplements on the way to attaining the Tao.

Yes the writer of this book goes in depth on how to develop internal chi, alot of great references to look up, best qigong book I have read in a long time.

This book has lots of anecdotes about "incredible powers" one may achieve with neigong. If anecdotes about past masters are what you are looking for, this is your book. If on the other hand you are trying to advance your internal energy beyond basic qigong exercises I would advise you look elsewhere. Yes, many neigong terms were used throughout the book, and no, I didn't see any description of how to achieve the various techniques (e.g. microcosmic orbit). I wanted a how-to book, I'll be looking elsewhere.

Good book read it

Très beau livre

ich hab mehrere bücher von william bodri (hier bill bodri), all diese gehören zu den besten in dem thema. die art wie er wissen aus innerer kampfkunst, china, indien und dem westen verbindet ist einzigartig und zeigt von offenheit und weitblick. vielzuoft beschränkt sich der eine oder andere author auf china, oder traditionen / generationslinien ohne über den tellerrand zu blicken. william bodri aber nicht, er sucht und stöbert in allen kulturen und praktiken, spricht aus tiefer erfahrung und zieht querverbindungen zum wissen und übungen aus verschiedenen kulturen. man merkt ihm auch seine lange und tiefe praxis im thema an. einzig gegen ende wird man etwas misstrauisch, wo von schwebenden menschen und exotischen kräften geschrieben wird. das bleibt wohl spekulation.

There is allot of info packed into this book. It goes in depth into the secret arts of Kasina's where should you wish to progress further you can buy the book which it recommends from a different author so you can to perform such feats like walking on water, setting fire with the palms of your hands etc. It seems to me that the magician Dynamo seems to demonstrate all these powers of a Chi Kung Master!!!

Expertly written but some illustrations would have been useful.

poor english but rare important information definitely a reread text