The P.E.R.F.E.C.T. Approach to Shaolin Cosmos Chi Kung

by Sifu Marcus Santer

Darkest before Dawn

Since my book "Shaolin Chi Kung - 18 Exercises to Help You Live a Longer, Healthier and Happier Life" has been published I have received a steady number of questions from readers relating to the P.E.R.F.E.C.T. system that I use to teach Shaolin Cosmos Chi Kung.

The first thing to mention is that the P.E.R.F.E.C.T. approach is my way of teaching Shaolin Chi Kung to my students. It is not the "official" Wahnam way. If you take a course with Sifu, you won't hear him going through 7 steps like I do. So where did P.E.R.F.E.C.T. come from and why do I use it?

There's something you should know about me. I love systems (preferably tried and tested ones). I like things to be done in a structured, systemmatic way. I find it so much easier to learn something that is presented in a clear, logical and sequential fashion. So when I first started learning Shaolin Cosmos Chi Kung from Sifu, it seemed to me that there were clearly separate steps. That was were the seed for P.E.R.F.E.C.T. was first planted.

Later as I taught my own students I noticed that I kept moving from 1 spot to another as I moved from 1 step of Shaolin Chi Kung to the other. The seed was starting to grow. I began to be convinced that if I could find a suitable mnemonic then I could really help my own students to learn the techniques of Shaolin Chi Kung much quicker and as a result they could then focus on developing the all important skills.

It wasn't until I started writing my book seriously (I started it about 2 years before I sat down and got serious about it, then it only took me a week to get the first draft!) that P.E.R.F.E.C.T. was born. I was sat at my desk staring at the wall. On the wall was a post-it note with the word "perfect" on it. I've no idea what it was doing there, but I noticed that it had 7 letters and that corresponded to the number of clearly different steps I felt composed a Shaolin Chi Kung practise session. It took me less than 5 minutes to match up the P,E,F and E. It took me a little longer to get the R and it took me even longer to get the T. All I was missing was the C.

C drove me crazy! I just couldn't seem to find a way to make Standing Meditation, Entering Silence or Entering Zen fit with the letter C. And then, whilst reading one of Sifu's excellent Q and A's I read the words "Cosmic Balance". I'd found my C and P.E.R.F.E.C.T. was finally born in all its glory.

Now please bear in mind that P.E.R.F.E.C.T. is just a vehicle, a tool to aid your learning, nothing more. Let me explain. Let's say you are travelling by car to see your friend. When you get to your destination you don't take your car in with you. The car has done it's job and you leave it where it is when you no longer need it. The same can be said of P.E.R.F.E.C.T. when you absolutely know how to flow unconciously from one step to the next in your Shaolin Chi Kung practise, without having to think about it then you no longer need to use P.E.R.F.E.C.T.

Let me give you another example of how your practise of Shaolin Chi Kung progresses. When you start learning, it might take you 5 minutes to Enter a Chi Kung state of mind (EACKSOM). After a short while, if you practise correctly and daily, it will take you less and less time to EACKSOM. Until at one point you will be able to do it in a single breath and fully access this higher state of consciousness typified by being focused and relaxed.

To quote one of Sifu's "Magic Rule of 3":

Don't worry
Don't intellectualise
Enjoy your practise

So now you know the origins and the reasoning behind the 7 steps to P.E.R.F.E.C.T. Shaolin Chi Kung practise I'd like to share 7 videos I made recently that look a little closer at each step.

Enjoy!