Qigong, the Secret of Youth: Da Mo's Muscle/tendon and Marrow/brain Washing Classics [Paperback]

The previous comments on this book are basically accurate. The reader is correct that it does not go into detail regarding the small circulation, but that's cause it wasn't meant to. Dr.Yang mentioned in the beginning that you should have already read and accomplished some part of the Yi Gin Ching before going on to this volume. Also he mentions that you should have READ and UNDERSTOOD what was written in his previous books, "The Root of Chinese Chi-Gung" and "Chi-Gung, Health and the Martial Arts". The Health and the Martial Arts book is where the Small and Grand circulation is mentioned and taught in much greater detail.

I have been into REAL Gung-FU, Wu-Su for twenty-two serious years now and for fifteen years when I first wrote this review. I know that what Dr.Yang is talking about is correct because I was taught, or heard my instructors talking about the same things as Dr.Yang for years before I read his books. I was taught by a student of a Gung-Fu Master that grew up in one of the last Shaolin Temples that was destroyed in 1927. He is now over one hundred years old and looks like he's about sixty, with a strong solid physique, so you can be sure that he knows that Marrow washing Chi-gung as well.

Dr. Yang states repeatedly in his books that you must make sure that you read and understand all the theory and comprehend it BEFORE you go on to the next level of material. Train smart and slow, NOT stupid and fast as Dr. Yang repeatedly states in his books. Just cause you may not understand something, don't assume that it's the authors fault. I'm not saying that it's all perfect, some things could be a little clearer. But being into physics myself since I was about 6 years old, and that fact that Dr.Yang also has a degree in Mechanical engineering, has greatly helped him in his ability to break down and explain the material from both a spiritual and physical point of view and from both the eastern and western view as well.

Overall he has done and excellent job in his material and I personally owe him many thanks. The knowledge has helped me to grow and learn even more and faster than I was before and attain new levels of health, fitness, youthfulness, energy and more. It also helps me when teaching my students as well. You don't have to be into physics though to understand the material. It is difficult to understand no matter how you look at it. Even with my experience, I took Dr.Yangs advice and read each book about thirty times, some sections more than that BEFORE I started doing anything in the books, that is what you must do to, especially if you are a newcomer to the field.

Read "The Root of Chinese Chi-Gung" first. Read it over and over if you have to, then go on to the "Eight Pieces of Brocade" then to "Chi-Gung-Health and The Martial Arts" then, after at least two years, if you understand and have done those things seriously and accomplished at least the small circulation, I would say that you could begin some of the material in The Marrow washing volume. Follow the same pattern of reading it many times over and UNDERSTANDING the material well BEFORE you practice what is written in there. Also, FOLLOW the rules for Chi-Gung practice that are written therin and DO NOT take them lightly. I am speaking from experience here, you CAN mess yourself up and your health if you do not follow the rules that are given to you by Dr.Yang. This is especially important for MEN who are generating and converting semen from the testicles. Don't waste that chi through excess sexual activity, stress, getting mad, run down or such. Women must also make sure that they limit chi loss at that time of the month as well as follow the same rules regarding stress both emotional and physical too. Fortunately I know some other healing techniques that I was able to fix what had been done to me and replace the lost chi, which was my own fault, no one else's.

The techniques are safe and glorious, as long as you don't rush or take the information and warnings lightly. Do it right and you won't believe the results that you will get. Email me at Richsifu at gmail dot com for more info or questions. Just like driving a car is safe when you follow the rules of the road, you should be able to go for a lifetime without any accidents or problems. Take care, all the best to you in you Chi-Gung journey.

Anyone desiring to understand Qi, whether for Feng Shui, Marital Arts, or any other reason, must understand the internal human Qi, and the best avenue to this understanding is through Qigong.

This profound book is definitely recommended reading for a multitude of reasons, including its great contribution to the understanding and cultivation of Qi utilizing obscure and elusive techniques developed in antiquity through enlightenment.

Da Mo, also known as Bodhidarma, was an Indian of the Mahayana Buddhist Sect. He was considered a Bodhisativa who greatly affected the Chinese Shaolin Sect. His theories incorporated that the physical body is important and must be clean and strong (both externally and internally) in order to attain enlightenment.

Two rare ancient texts are attributed to him, both of which have been comprehensively researched and eloquently translated by Dr. Jwing-Ming Yang and offered with historical data and commentary. This second volume is an excellent sequel to the author's prerequisite book, The Root of Chinese Qigong : Secrets for Health, Longevity & Enlightenment.

The Yi Jin Jing is the Muscle Changing Text and instructs techniques for physical health and physical strength.

The Xi Sui Jing is the Marrow & Brain Cleansing Text and instructs techniques for internal cleansing and strength of the physical body via the internal organs including the blood and immune system. It further describes ancient practices designed as methods for channelling what can be termed sexual energy to energize the brain and gain enlightenment.

These two texts may initially appear more applicable to the channeling of male sexual energy as they were written in an ancient society predominated by male monks. However, these texts afford a great contribution to the understanding and cultivation of Qi within the framework of "Being" and the information is pertinent to both men and women.

Buy this book, it is essential reading for anyone interested in defined techniques for longevity and enlightenment.

I have mixed feelings on this book.Firstly,It is my understanding that it was written as a kind of compilation of ancient knowledge,training keys and'secrets'in order to understand the concept of the muscle/tendon changing,brain/bone marrow washing classics.Do not approach this book as a 'how to'.Especially frustrating was the lack of specifics governing the small circulation training which is repeatedly stressed as the premier means to accomplish the higher level chigung practices.In the area of commentary,Dr.Yang provides very intersting transliterations and explantions of chinese writing and idealogy.The pictures remain useful throughout the book and the grand circulation exerices are good and useful and the sexual hormone chigung is extremely informative and usable it would be a good idea for the prospective reader to cross train or learn of other systems before tackling the Yi Gin Ching namely because it is conceptually different than the average chigung book.I applaud Dr.Yang for researching so much and praise his commentary .It is a good and usefulbookprovided you already have a working level of chigung knowledge and practice under your belt