Below is the second half of our exclusive interview with qigong researcher Drew Hempel. (Here is the first half.)
Through this intensive practice, you progressed rapidly. What experiences and events marked this progress? In what manner was your brain “transformed”?
The first energy transmission I had from Master Chunyi Lin was this flash of light (while my eyes were closed)…very bright, and my whole body filled with this amazing deep bliss. (Chunyi Lin was first healed by Yan Xin and later studied with Yan Xin’s teacher!) When Chunyi Lin walks into the room, you can immediately feel the whole room fill with this magnetic bliss energy.
One day, after a Spring Forest Qigong Level 2 class, Chunyi Lin stared through my body at my right kidney, and I felt this amazing laser bliss right on my kidney. By that point, I knew that Chunyi Lin had profound healing energy.
At the guild meetings, Chunyi Lin would stand in the front of the auditorium and I would see this bright yellow orb of light shooting out of his head.
“I moved 9 times looking for a quiet place, but mundane energy imbalances always intruded…I felt like I had come back from the dead and only consciousness was real.”
As the bliss and electromagnetic energy increased with more and more full-lotus sitting, I realized that there was water flowing from my brain! It was like an electrolysis converting the hydrogen and oxygen in the atmosphere into water through the electromagnetic fields of my third eye. Water poured into my belly, and I realized that this must be the “ambrosia” [described in neidan training manuals]. The top of my skull got soft, and amazingly it started pulsating with electromagnetic energy.
Does the full-lotus meditation posture have any special significance?
Chunyi Lin states that 20 minutes of full-lotus yoga or padmasana (with the ankles up on the thighs, legs crossed, left leg first and right on top) is worth 4 hours of any other meditation practice—if you want to see whether someone is an energy master, just see how long they can sit in full-lotus.
Through my own research, I discovered that yin and yang were originally music ratios—nonwestern music, which uses complementary opposites. (It’s very abstract reasoning, but something I had discovered from my music training while in high school.) I verified that 2:3, the Perfect 5th is Yang and 3:4, the Perfect 4th is Yin. The specific source is in my master’s thesis, “Epicenters of Justice” (2001) which is readable freely online. In short…
Nonwestern music healing works by transducing sound through natural resonance of frequency, to create ultrasound which ionizes the serotonin in the stomach. The more you listen to the source of sound, which is pure consciousness, the more electromagnetic chi energy is created; finally it turns into shen (spirit light). The full-lotus is a tetrahedron—pyramid power—which is composed of eight 2-3-4 triangles.
“I gave my car away. I began eating meat, and dumpster-diving for food. My focus in life was no longer activism; it was qigong.”
In Western science, the equilateral triangle requires the irrational number for geometric magnitude, but in music ratios of complementary opposites–from Pythagorean harmonics and Taoist yin and yang—the full-lotus pressure creates frequency resonance for turning matter into energy. Since the tetrahedron most efficiently creates the yin-yang ratios, the energy creation is fastest there.
How have these experiences affected your outlook on life, and your relationships with other people?
I started having precognitive visions in my full-lotus meditation, but I also was extremely sensitive to the energy imbalances around me. I desperately wanted a quiet place to meditate. I researched intensely all the monasteries around the world, and various other spiritual gurus and masters. I thought that if only I could find a better environment, then I could deepen my meditation. Amazingly I could not find a teacher who seemed on the level of Chunyi Lin—his ability is truly rare.
I moved 9 times looking for a quiet place, but mundane energy imbalances always intruded. I continued taking classes, but not at the same intensity of practice on my part. I stopped my special diet. I felt like I had come back from the dead and only consciousness was real.
My degree was over, and my funding was gone. I gave my car away. I began eating meat, and dumpster-diving for food. My focus in life was no longer activism; it was qigong.
I had no choice about it, and I still am trying to adjust. My experience was similar to that of Wang Liping, who was told to move back into society after his training (in the book “Opening the Dragon Gate“)…only I didn’t make the transition successfully. Ha ha.
I continued my research intensely, “reverse-engineering reality” by comparing science with my own experiences. I discovered some amazing things about the vagus nerve transducing serotonin and anaerobic bacteria. I discovered, by accident, what I call the “O at a D”: psychic mutual climaxes with females.
When Jim Nance, Chunyi Lin’s qigong master assistant, asked me to help him write a book on his training, Lin stated that the spirits would not like this. It seems controlling, but Jim Nance completely respects this, and even mentioned to me that it’s better to not post on the Internet.
Do you have any advice to offer those who are interested in qigong, but unsure quite where to start?
Chunyi Lin
The exercises that Chunyi Lin teaches are extremely simple and yet very effective. The “Small Universe” Level 1 CD is the same as the “Microcosmic Orbit” that Mantak Chia teaches. That is also the focus of the book “Taoist Yoga: Alchemy and Immortality”. Chunyi Lin has stated that the Small Universe is the foundation practice and can take you to the highest level. “Taoist Yoga” explains these steps in detail.
Anyone can practice the small universe—a paralyzed man in England healed himself just after the first session! I wholeheartedly recommend his Spring Forest Qigong meditation practice.
Enjoy the energy is my advice.
I’ve spent a lot of time online answering questions from readers, and I’ve posted on many forums to seek critical feedback, knowing that my peers are my greatest critics. So I’m always happy to learn from any readers, and enjoy learning about their qigong experiences as well.
Drew Hempel’s book, “Trance Songs: How to Make Love to the Universe”, is available at Lulu and Amazon. Drew currently blogs at Natural Resonance Revolution.
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11 responses so far ↓
1
Alexander
// Sep 10, 2009
I’m glad Mr. Hempel had such tremendous results with Spring Forest Qigong.
I personally haven’t had earth-shattering results. I’m a martial artist, I’m in peak physical health, have a pure diet, and took up Spring Forest Qigong to cure, *note* cure, asthma. I’ve had it since childhood.
I did notice an increase in cardiovascular health, with new veins showing up and those types of benefits. On the other hand, I do still get asthma a bout as infrequently as I usually do (I have to use an inhaler to sleep maybe once a month).
I’ve been practicing pretty much daily for about 3 months now.
Have you personally tested it out? I was a little disappointed thus far, even though I’m going to continue practicing. I figured a respiratory ailment, of all the ailments there are, would be benefited the most by an increased circulatory system. It didn’t really do anything thus far.
2
drew hempel
// Sep 11, 2009
Alexander — thanks for sharing your results. This will sound weird but have you tried cayenne? You can get cayenne pills with ginger — but I mean lots of cayenne. It’s amazing stuff. Of course what do I know! haha. My sister’s family was battling this fluid in the lung thing — the doctor had diagnosed my nephew with asthma. I got him on cayenne and it cleared up. When I moved in he had it bad again (long loud hacking coughs and breathing in to get air — heaving) so I got more cayenne pills and it’s gone. My sister would get the cough as well but I could heal her by using the qigong only — transmission while I’m in full-lotus. Even I got it then — but still it’s only a bit of liquid in the lungs and cleared out. Obviously not the same as asthma. The power of garlic is doubled by cayenne — and the two together are amazingly powerful. Garlic will reverse the full flu symptons after 3 bulbs if it’s good garlic. All the best.
3
Chris
// Sep 11, 2009
Alexander, I haven’t met Chunyi Lin myself, but based on Drew’s description (and others), I have some familiarity with his methods. If you have a specific problem, it is probably best to get a specific diagnosis and treatment, rather than assuming the general-purpose exercises are most appropriate.
4
drew hempel
// Sep 11, 2009
http://springforestqigong.com has lots of the testimonies from Chunyi Lin healing cancer, M.S., etc. He does phone healings along with Jim Nance his qigong master assistant. They both do healings on “energy blockages” but Chunyi Lin has coauthored a qigong chapter with Mayo Clinic Dr. Nisha Manek for a Mayo Clinic medical textbook. Chunyi Lin first healed a very rare lung condition of a Mayo Clinic patient who didn’t want to have a transplant. She had been on an oxygen machine but after a few classes of Tai-chi she went off the machine. He was just new to the U.S. and wasn’t even teaching qigong yet — it’s covered on the local news report on his website.
5
els
// Sep 11, 2009
I do in fact own the ‘small universe’ cd from Spring Forest Qigong but still don’t know how to properly perform the meditation as I’m unsure of what exactly to to do – to feel the energy coming in or to visualize it? The instructions are seemingly ambiguous.
6
drew hempel
// Sep 11, 2009
What I recommend is to get Mantak Chia’s first book which is just on the small universe — the same as the microcosmic orbit. It’s Awakening the Healing Energy of the Tao. Very brief and straightforward with detailed information in modern language — and best of all report back from the student experiences.
Then the book that solely focuses on the alchemy from the small universe is “Taoist Yoga: Alchemy and Immortality” trans. by Charles Luk. This is is very complicated — I got to chapter 10 in the practice — or so. It’s like a cook book — you practice the book and you are transformed. I got to the week of pure meditation — no food, just half a glass of water.
But after that the energy was too intense and I couldn’t follow the book because it was too complicated! haha. Now I know that when the book says generative force it also means negative vitality — both are jing or electrochemical energy felt as blissful heat. Positive vitality is the chi or electromagnetic force which is also negative spirit. Positive spirit is when the light as shen energy is so strong that it creates telekinesis or transforming matter — which is then called prenatal vitality and is the same as jing. So the generative force is also the prenatal vitality. I’d have to double check but alchemy starts and ends with jing and the terms overlap plus there are more factors. It’s a fascinating book – I gave my copies away to encourage others to investigate.
But in the end the book keeps practicing the small universe until the person makes another physical body and then after traveling around the universe doing healing, etc. (while his first body is in meditation) he then makes his first body completely disappears and his spirit is immortal after that.
To be honest this part confuses me because Master Nan, Huai-chin (an author I discovered RIGHT after my week long bigu fast) states that even if you can travel into outerspace you’ll have immortality for a long time but eventually there’ll be some cosmic catastrophe, destroying the galaxy. And maybe the whole universe — that’s exactly what Advaita Vedanta teaches that only the emptiness or pure awareness as consciousness is real — that any immortal energy as matter or spirit is temporary. That even the whole universe is an illusion.
This is what Taoist Yoga calls “eternal nature” and the book ends and begins with “eternal nature” but doesn’t elaborate on it.
7
wordsoundpowa
// Dec 15, 2009
Yo
It been a minute…. Your blog is tight and fresh. After you left CWAA , I start going back to practice training you handed me. I gave Mantak Chia’s to a friend of mine. Any way i think i’m at a point where those books would be most helpful for me. I’m glad you are still dew in it.
Great work
Terrance
8
drew hempel
// Dec 17, 2009
Terrance great to hear from you!! haha. Christian emailed me right before he went off to Korea! haha.
9
joshua ista
// Nov 17, 2010
Hello, my name is joshua ista, and ive studied all 8 east asia martial arts tought as one since 1993, i had my first rank in chung moo quan now known as oom yung doe, and learned from the head national instructors at 25 years of age. im 29 years old now and really believe in christ and pray for master Lin everyday to be more succesfull with all the right things so I can practice all 4 levels with him that i practiced in all four levels of meditation now for some time. I was told along time ago when I first talked to him over the phone he would like to practice with me.
10
Mike Hunter
// Aug 3, 2012
Hey drew, been a long time. I don’t remember what it’s called, (maybe a form of ti chi) but what I do is tap my fingers on certain parts of the head and upper body while repeating to my self some mantra or another and it helps me relax. Are you familure with this technique?
A Conversation with Qigong Researcher Drew Hempel // Sep 10, 2009
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