Fighting Styles of the Yang, Wu, Wang, Chen, and Wong
When Buddha Zhen took his first Tai Chi class in 1980 he probably didn't realize he'd one day be a famous Tai Chi Master.
Over the next 12 years, Buddha Zhen Shen-Lang would consolidate the Yang Style Taijiquan with some Wu Style, Wang Style, Chen Style, and Wong Family Style Taijiquan techniques.
"The Yang Style Taiji Short Form was my favorite of them all," smiles Buddha Zhen. "Perhaps it was because he was old and fat when he started teaching publicly," he laughs. "There are a few moves from the other styles I would like to add to the Yang Style Form, but I've already made several changes that I believe were necessary to make this Kung Fu Form the best it could be."
When Buddha Zhen sent his 7-Year Curriculum Posters to Kung Fu and Tai Chi Masters around the world, he also sent videos of himself performing Kung Fu Forms and the Yang Style Taiji Short Form. Evidently some instructors were so impressed they sent copies to other Tai Chi Masters and then the feedback started.
Although he gained the respect of all these Kung Fu Masters, a few were surprised by his Tai Chi Short Form. When Buddha Zhen was learning his Tai Chi, more than one of his Masters commented to him that they didn't want Buddha Zhen transforming Taijiquan into "Yoga Tai Chi."
Evidently some Yoga instructors had already begun taking a few Tai Chi classes and then started teaching Tai Chi classes without any knowledge of its' history, origins, purposes, fighting techniques, and martial powers. Some of these early Yoga Tai Chi instructors even started created new stances to make it easier to teach, such as the "T-Stance" where the student is taught to push the heel of his left foot into the arch of the right foot creating a "T" before stepping out to a Forward Stance.
"The T-Stance is not a Tai Chi Stance!" exclaims Buddha Zhen. "No martial artist would ever consider fighting with his feet in this position so why would anyone train someone to do this every day?"
Obviously Buddha Zhen kept his promise and teaches traditional martial arts Taijiquan.
Some of the Tai Chi Masters who viewed these early tapes of Buddha Zhen commented that he was doing "Kwang Ping Tai Chi." Kwang Ping is the town where the first Yang person lived after learning the Chen Style Tai Chi. He was known as "Yang the Unbeatable" for his powerful fighting ability using Tai Chi.
Tai Chi For Healing - Guaranteed
Buddha Zhen's girlfriends were the first to notice the healing powers of Buddha Zhen.
Soon friends and students were requesting energetic healing treatments.
"I receive great satisfaction from healing people, but the real healing requires a change in movement, or breathing techniques, or lifestyle," says Buddha Zhen Shen-Lang. "So I now prefer to teach people to heal themselves and stay healthy by teaching them the Tai Chi that has empowered me."
Buddha Zhen's students have been cured of diseases, and mental illnesses that were thought to be incurable. Sleeping disorders, drug addictions, tobacco, and drinking problems have also been cured by students taking his Tai Chi classes.
"It takes more than just showing up at class to get real health improvements," continues Buddha Zhen. "The students must make Tai Chi part of their life. By embracing the breathing, utilizing the stances throughout the day, and thinking healthy thoughts, I've seen students become people they never thought they could be. I've received a lot of presents from parents who credit me for their children's improvements in behavior and lifestyle."
"I can guarantee that if you spend at least one day per week in my class and practice the Tai Chi for 30 minutes another 5 days a week, that you will be healthier than when you started and happier than you expected to be in just 100 days."
Tai Chi Kids Programs
Tai Chi Youth was founded in 1996 with hopes of changing the world and spreading Taijiquan throughout the United States.
"Much to my surprise," complains Buddha Zhen, "people won't put their money where there mouth is. Despite impressive record in prisons, elementary schools, middle schools, high schools, colleges, community education, churches, the YWCA, the YMCA, and many parks I've taught at, I still can't afford my first Tai Chi school. Donations have been so trivial that I've ended up supporting the Tai Chi Youth nonprofit education when it was supposed to be paying me a salary."
Even without public and government funding, Buddha Zhen has continued to teach children wherever and whenever possible. Currently, Buddha Zhen has a Tai Chi Kids class at the Tujunga YMCA one day per week, but we'd like to see more programs.
Shaolin Chi Mantis wants to lessen violence in the world by making more people less violent. Although the successes of Shaolin Chi Mantis are numerous, it saddens us to think we could be teaching many more youths and helping more communities to have better citizens.
Visit our TaiChiYouth.org website for more information on the youth programs we want to provide.
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