Im writing on behalf of Dr. Yang, Jwing-Ming. First, thanks to the host for this short article and the discussion.

The nonprofit Retreat Center is run by volunteers like myself, and is funded by private donations and by Dr Yang’s personal funds.

Dr. Yang has been very open about his finances throughout his career, and with the Retreat Center. There is a bizarre misconception that he is rich, but this is entirely incorrect. Not that its your business, or that someone should be penalized for making a living, but after teaching for 40 years, opening many schools around the world – many of which barely scrape by each year, and putting three kids through school, Dr Yang had a small savings for his retirement.

Full disclosure: http://ymaa-retreatcenter.org/news_events/2009/06/24/financial-summary-2008

Rather than retire, he put his entire life savings into the purchase of land and construction of the Retreat Center. He is over 60 years old – he teaches, starting at 5am, almost every day of the year. This center is being constructed for the benefit of the next generation. Dr Yang will be working during these last years of his life – not sitting around enjoying his retirement. He will not get rich from it. He has no interest in glory from it.

The Retreat Center exists to offer a chance to train in the ancient way, for a long period, without distraction.

Most of the donors are individuals who have benefitted some way from Dr Yang’s teaching, or who are living vicariously through the experience of these young students.

Of the 8 students presently training, only three are sponsored by sponsors or family. The rest are paid for by Dr. Yang. With insurance and food, it costs about $10,000 per student. New student applicants have been encouraged to find a sponsor, or afford their own insurance, but that is not always possible.

The students training at the Center, with one exception, are EXACTLY as Dr Yang was in his youth, with very similar backgrounds and poor finances.

People are invited to visit and join in the training, at a very reasonable fee, for SHORT periods (not a year for $20K). http://ymaa-retreatcenter.org/visiting Week-long seminars are also offered, again at a reasonable cost. http://www.ymaa.com/seminars/california

To imply that Dr Yang charges too much for training, after his decades of sacrifice, is inaccurate and unfair. People like Josh should spend less time complaining and disparaging other people’s hard work, and more time working, and training, and perhaps accomplishing things for the benefit of others.

David Silver
YMAA
(my own opinion, and not representative of YMAA)

His retreat is nice, but prevents anyone like him as a child from attending. The cost of attending for the better part of a year is nearly 20 thousand dollars.

Drew,
Your interview is scheduled to go up tomorrow. Thanks for sharing.

Check out Dr. Mae-Wan Ho’s “Quantum Jazz and the Tao” articles as well — she discovered that chi is from POSITIVE charge — proton conductance — which explains why John Chang didn’t register on the meter tests of his healing energy.