Questions and Answers on Learning Mo Pai Nei Kung Presented by Lung Hu Shan Publications Author: Shifu Lin Editors: Arman Alfares, Shifu Hern Heng © 1996-2012. All Rights Reserved. Preface to the Second Expanded Edition It has been a little while now since I first offered to teach a certain number of people, regardless of ethnic background or national origin, in the Mo Pai system of Nei Kung meditation. Over the course of my instructing some, and answering others who were sent away, there have been certain questions that reoccurred and seemed to be “frequently asked.” For that reason, I gave my publisher about 10 letters asking such questions, and giving my replies to form a “Questions and Answers On Learning Mo Pai Nei Kung” booklet. Since that time, when the first edition was published, more questions have arisen with some repetition, causing me to send the publisher further questions to expand this original work beyond the first ten or so chapters, into 20. These questions and answers are put forward for the benefit of my students and others; for those considering training in Mo Pai Nei Kung, and those already doing so. The format of these question and answer letters is as follows: The question asked to me will be posted in a dark gray color, with an indentation. After this, my response follows without indentation, and in black. In most cases there will be some minor edits to both the questions and answers. This is in part to protect the identities of those writing to me. In some cases they want their identities protected because they are well-known individuals. In other cases, they want their identities protected because they fear that there may be a conflict of interests with other teachers. In some letters you will see an indented question, followed by my response, followed by a follow-up indented question, followed by another response. This happens particularly in the letters added in this expanded edition. This should be straight forward and easy to understand that one is to me, followed by my response, followed by the same person’s response to my response and then my response thereafter. In these new letters, where this sometimes occurs, these are all listed as one letter, even though it is several back-and-forth questions and answers. Letter 1: A Strange Arrangement ____________________ Dear Shifu Lin, Since we have a strange arrangement, I really don’t know who you are and you don’t really know who I am and there appears to be a lot of controversy regarding the Mo Pai. I do have a couple questions regarding the Mo Pai, but before I ask them a short bit about my background. I have read Kosta’s books. After the first book came out I wrote to him and he wrote back about a small group that he was associated with and that he was going on the web (the wen kukan thing). I never joined or did anything else with that group. Over the years I would occasionally check out the web and see what was going on with anything that came up when searching for Mo Pai topics. At one time I was in contact with someone from the martial development website who said he would teach level one, which after some discussion with this person I decided not to take him up on his offer. Then just recently I ran across the book “seeking the master of Mo Pai” by Jim McMillan and the amazon book with your email. The Day that I read “Beginning Mo Pai Nei Kung” I emailed you, which for some reason, I find I bit surprising (The other 2 guys I knew something about and didn’t take them up on their offer, but you I have no clue about and I take your offer the same day... go figure). One question that I have is, from what other people have been saying. All western students have been “cut off” from Mo Pai instruction. Is this true and/or how is it that you have or had a connection to Mo Pai instruction? (I bet you get that question a lot). I noticed in the first email that you sent, that you must have at one time or still do “screen” people. I was curious why you did not screen me before sending level 1? (I”m not complaining! :-) ). Another thing I had heard was that western students can be only taught up to level 2? I know these questions are not related to training but I ’m just trying to get an idea of what is really going on with the Mo pai thing since there appears to be a way to train in the Mo Pai system and all the first western students appear to be “kicked out”. (andit’s difficult to trust what you read or what you find on the web). ____________________ As time goes on, I’m sure I’ll reveal more to you about who I am, but really, all of that is unimportant. What is important is the work that we do and what we accomplish. It seems to me that a lot of folks associated with Mo Pai want to do more speaking about themselves than about Mo Pai. Kostas, for instance, had offered to write something of a biography about John, along with the training for level 1. This was what Magus of Java was supposed to be. That is all John told him he could do. Instead, the book turned into rambling commentaries on Kostas’s beliefs, some non-existent CIA plot to get Mo Pai teachings, and how he came to meet John. All in all, it was about Kostas the rock-star. Jim’s book isn’t the same as this, but it focuses a lot on how angry and bitter he is with John, because he hasn’t progressed past 2b, and he thinks he is doing everything as John told him (and yet John has nothing else to offer him, because Jim simply isn’t doing it exactly the way John told him). This is why I kept the booklet short and sweet... to the point. If someone wants to train, the training is straightforward, but lots of hard work. There is no need to talk about trips to caves with people we thought were ghosts in Greece, or even talk about Muslim ghosts in Indonesia who wanted a cigarette. All of this is ultimately distraction to stirs the heart and causes qi to leave the dantien. Kostas went on and on about all of that when he had not even received the first sign of level 1! This sort of talk, talk, talk - endless talk - might make people feel like they are “in”, but it doesn’t do anything of benefit for them. Now, another reason why I am very private is because all Western students were cut off; but not because they were Western, but because of the circus it had become. There was no hard and fast rule that no Westerner could learn Mo Pai. This is a big myth, and in some cases may even have been told to some students. The real truth is that Great-Great-Grandmaster M. kicked out David Verdessi and was angry that John was teaching so openly that someone like him had come into the fold. We see today that Mr. Verdessi is charging $5000 just for level 1! This speaks volumes about his character. Personally, I have multiple current Mo Pai teachers in Indonesia and elsewhere. They have never asked me not to teach, and they know that I am a meditation, and Nei Jia teacher by trade. ButI don’t go on about myself, because if I did, not only would this adversely affect me - making me the new Kostas rock-star of Mo Pai in the West, perhaps - but I am certain it would give the wrong impression to my teachers, and to John. As I am permitted to learn even further from John’s successor after I complete the Yin-Yang Kung, I see no reason to burn any bridges for the sake of popularity or stardom. The $300 fee is itself to keep away certain types. Many believe that it is their right to be told anything that they want to know. $300 is far less than you give any of teacher for Bai Shi and yet it is enough that someone has to be sure that they want to do it. It also takes some critical thought on the part of the individual: “Is this a scam? Will this guy take my money and give me nothing? Does he really know Mo Pai?” I say “critical thinking” because these questions can be answered logically: Why would I charge so little, for such a niche teaching, if it was a scam? Certainly no one could get rich off of a few people paying them $300 each year. If I didn’t reply but took the money then all one would need to do is post something to that effect on the internet and soon, no one would “fall for it” again... so it takes a certain type of person who can sit down and think about these things, and reason out that conclusion, rather than reacting that Kostas told them this or that - in a book he was not actually authorized to publish, with the content as it is, and for money that he kept for himself as well - so that means that this must be a scam. But as I say, over time, as you progress, I’m sure we’ll get to know each other more. Sincerely, Shifu Lin Letter 2: Adjusting to the Practice ____________________ Dear Shifu Lin, Thank you for taking the time to answer and enlighten me a bit more about you and the Mo Pai. I wasn’t sure if you were the author of the book or not, since you are, I did want to mention that I thought the book was well written with respects to the points that you made. It gave the impression that the author was sincere. So far I ’m still adjusting to the reverse breathing, tongue movement and working towards the sitting positions. I never really new how ingrained my regular abdominal breathing and static tongue position was. I will give you an update as to how I’m progressing after I settle into the level one technique. ____________________ Yes, the booklet was written upon the suggestion of the handful of students who have learned from me. They suggested that I put up a brief introduction, and