Cultivating Energy & Awareness

Many things about my Sifu, Grandmaster Wong Kiew Kit, impressed and inspired me to dedicate myself to the Shaolin Arts. The first and most striking quality was the joy he radiated. The second became obvious when you crossed arms with him in Kungfu or were gripped by his famous Tiger Claw - his internal strength/force.

 

His dedication to internal force training, and later Qi flow, produced not only an abundance of energy, but also an abundance of joy. His love for spreading the arts, his love for his family, and his love for being with like-minded people created the ideal conditions to share that energy, joy and wisdom.

 

What I experienced in Sifu was someone who was remarkably relaxed, peaceful and present. These three qualities are also essential for circulating (Yun Qi) and nurturing (Yang Qi) - the two main processes of Qigong.

 

In our school, we describe the two processes as 'cleansing, building & nourishing'. To gain the best benefits of nurturing energy, one needs the skill of circulating energy. A simple way to circulate energy is to enjoy Qi Flow. Enjoying Qi flow is easy, my Sifu would say - relax, don't worry, and enjoy the flow (you may have to have been there, as this was said with such radiant joy that you had no doubts).

 

To generate and enjoy a Qi flow, we begin in Wuji, Smile from the Heart, allow the breathing to become relaxed, and then practise the Qigong pattern or patterns. This is followed by letting go, or 'unholding', as I have come to call it. We enjoy the stillness and return to our centre.

There is a beginning, a middle and an ending to our practice.

 

But it is not what you practise, or the form alone, that produces the results. It is the way you practise.

 

One challenge we face in daily life is energy depletion. It would be easy to blame our fast pace, work, and family demands for overwhelm and depletion. But that wouldn't be entirely accurate. Another important and often missed aspect of energy depletion is the quality of our awareness.

 

When we lose awareness, we can seem to lose part of ourselves in that moment. Our mind moves ahead of us, imagining or predicting events or conversations that haven't happened yet. Or perhaps we put more energy and effort into something than the moment actually requires.

 

Our body may be here, but some part of us is somewhere else.

 

And when that happens, what happens to our energy?

This is the part I have become particularly interested in: the many levels at which Qigong can operate.

 

Take the first four exercises of the 18 Lohan hands - the foundation exercises of Shaolin Cosmos Qigong.

Many people focus on remembering and getting the form correct. And this is a good beginning. But the exercises offer much more than that. We can look at the exercises through the lens of Cleansing, Building, and Nourishing (Yun Qi / Yang Qi). Practising this way can produce excellent results.

 

But we can also become curious about what the exercise might be guiding us towards. And this is where it not only gets interesting, but is often missed...

 

(Bear with me, because this isn't the usual 'Workshop' blurb.)

 

Here are the exercises:

1. Lifting the Sky - Excellent all-rounder - Cleansing, Building, Nourishing. Generates overall energy flow.
2. Shooting Arrows - Focuses the mind, develops internal force.
3. Plucking Stars - Cleansing, Building, Nourishing - Helpful for the digestive system & organ function.
4. Turning Heads - Nourishing - Soothes the nervous system.

 

But that's not all. During my explorations of 'Life as Practice', I started to consider: if life were Qigong, what does the moment offer us? How would we describe what we were doing, or how we were meeting the moment, in Qigong terms? That's where the first four 18 Lohan Hands revealed more qualities...

 

Lifting the Sky - Opening

Shooting Arrows - Focusing

Plucking Stars - Integrating

Turning Heads - Resetting

 

Sifu offered something very simple, but deep: Become an embodiment of your art.

And perhaps it was there in those first four exercises all along - be open, stay focused, integrate rather than separate, and return to being.

Not simply something to practise during Qigong, but perhaps a way of meeting life.

 

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For over 25 years, I have been practising what my Sifu taught, and gradually, through regular practice, I have developed a deeper appreciation of the subtleties and the many ways we can cultivate mind, body, energy and spirit.

 

I am in no way finished. Far from it. I increasingly feel that this exploration is a lifelong journey.

 

And I want to share my love for these arts with like-minded people.

 

That is what this workshop is about.

We will practise these exercises, among others, but I am interested in exploring something beyond their form. What happens to awareness as we move? Where does our energy go when awareness moves ahead of us? What happens in those little transitions and doorways between one thing and another? And can the qualities we cultivate through Qigong begin to emerge naturally, without us having to carry or produce them?

 

I am curious about what you may discover.

 

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If this sounds interesting, I would love for you to join me.

 

Workshop Details

Cultivating Energy & Awareness

Saturday 14 November 2026

10.00 am – 4.00 pm

Venue:

Fidelis Catholic School FCJ

1-39 Drummond Crescent
London NW1 1LY

Cost:
£150

Platinum members receive their usual 20% discount (£120).

 

Places will be limited, and advance booking is required.

 

To book: https://fully-alive.co.uk/product/london-qigong-workshop/

 

Your place is confirmed once we receive payment.

 

If you are travelling to London for the workshop, please allow enough time to arrive at the venue 15 minutes before the workshop starts.