The Shaolin Wahnam Chi Kung Syllabus

The Chi Kung syllabus in Shaolin Wahnam consists of three stages

• Elementary
• Intermediate
• Advanced

The Elementary Stage introduces the student to the basics in Chi Kung training and helps build the best foundation for good benefits and further development. The main emphasis is in achieving and maintaining radiant health and abundant vitality.

The Intermediate Stage includes many new techniques and skills and those previously learned are methodically deepened and refined. Personal development is highlighted. The students is taught how to reach their potential through Shaolin Cosmos Chi Kung.

The Advanced Stage moves the emphasis to spiritual cultivation. Powerful techniques and skills are taught that pave the way to the essence of Shaolin Chi Kung. The student matures into a high-level Shaolin practitioner.

Every stage includes four courses and each course is taught over 12 weeks. Contrary to the Shaolin Kungfu syllabus, the order of learning different Chi Kung courses can vary. A student may start the Intermediate Stage with any of the courses on offer. The exception to this rule is the first course of the syllabus, Generating Energy Flow, which is the first course for every student.

Progress with our Chi Kung training does not end with completing the 3rd stage - the vast scope and depth of the Shaolin Arts would easily allow composing dozens of different syllabuses. However, the purpose of our Chi Kung syllabus is to enable the student to grow into a high-level Shaolin practitioner, providing the student with the skills and confidence to choose the direction of their further progress. After completing the syllabus, the student can focus on deepening their skills and preparing for more advanced training, either by themselves or under the instruction of their Sifu.

• Elementary Stage

1) Eighteen Lohan Hands, Part 1 aka Generating Energy Flow

Form: The first eight patterns from the Eighteen Lohan Hands

Skills: Co-ordinate form and breathing to generate an energy flow

Application: To maintain general good health and vitality

Philosophy: A clear understanding between Chi Kung and gentle physical exercise

2) Eighteen Lohan Hands, Part 2

Form: The remaining ten exercises of the Eighteen Lohan Hands

Skills: To generate an energy flow using form, breathing or mind

Application: To overcome illness and maintain good health

Philosophy: Chi Kung is a cultivation of jing, chi and shen or physical form, energy and spirit

3) Self-Manifested Chi Movement

Forms: Three sets of self-manifested chi movement exercises, namely "Fish Flip", "Dancing Fairy" and "Swallow Through Clouds"

Skills: To generate vigorous energy flow using form

Application: It is platinum-card Chi Kung for overcoming pain and illness, as well as maintaining good health

Philosophy: How Chi Kung can overcome pain and illness and promote health, vitality and promote longevity

4) Massaging Internal Organs

Forms: Using Separating Water, Merry-Go-Round and Nourishing Kidneys

Skills: Massaging the lungs, stomach and spleen, and kidneys

Application: Overcoming emotional as well as physical problems

Philosophy: The relationship between emotional problems and blockages within respective organs

• Intermediate Stage

5) Shaolin Eighteen Techniques

Forms: The Eighteen Shaolin Exercises for Health & Vitality

Skills: The exercises may be practiced at the physical, chi kung, martial or spiritual levels

Application: Maintaining fitness, overcoming pain and illness, martial application and spiritual cultivation

Philosophy: Different levels and functions of Chi Kung practice

6) Shaolin Eighteen Lohan Arts

Forms: 18 exercises from the Eighteen Lohan Art

Skills: Generating Energy Flow and exploding force

Application: Maintaining fitness, overcoming pain and illness, generating force and spiritual cultivation

Philosophy: Difference between internal force and physical strength

7) Internal Force and Mental Clarity

Forms: The best selection for a students' needs from the following Force Training methods; "Three Circle Stance", "Lifting the Sun and Moon", "Horse Riding Stance", "Golden Bridge", "Lifting Water" and "Grasping Sparrow's Tail"

Skills: Developing internal force and mental clarity, especially for non-Kungfu students

Application: Enhancing our work and play

Philosophy: Why not thinking of anything leads to mental clarity

8) Cosmic Shower

Forms: "Carrying The Moon" or "Lifting The Sky"

Skills: Generate a Cosmic Shower

Application: To cleanse as well as strengthen the practitioner physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually

Philosophy: The two dimensions of Chi Kung, namely cleansing and strengthening

• Advanced Stage

9) Abdominal Breathing

Forms: the technique of Abdominal Breathing

Skills: To build a pearl of energy at the Dan Tian

Application: To attain peak performance in work and play

Philosophy: The three functions of internal force

10) Sinew Metamorphosis

Forms: The 12 exercises of Sinew Metamorphosis (also known as Yi Jin Jing)

Skills: To develop mental clarity and internal force

Application: To attain peak performance in work and play

Philosophy: Becoming a Scholar-Warrior

11) Cosmic Breathing, aka Dan Tian Breathing

Forms: The technique of "dan tian breathing"

Skills: To pulsate with the Cosmos

Application: To expand the spirit

Philosophy: The meaning and significance of jing, chi and shen, or form, energy and spirit

12) Merging with the Cosmos

Forms: Any one or two of the 'Sinew Metamorphosis' exercises

Skills: To expand into the Cosmos

Application: To attain a spiritual awakening

Philosophy: Moral development and spiritual cultivation

This syllabus was initially created by Grandmaster Wong Kiew Kit and originally posted by Sifu Markus Kahlia of Shaolin Wahnam Finland. My sincere thanks and appreciation to them both.

New Courses and classes; October 2010

Generating Energy Flow (An Introduction to Shaolin Cosmos Chi Kung)
Wednesday evenings, 8.00 - 9.30
Starts October 13th and runs for 12 consecutive weeks
Costs 300 Euros

The Eighteen Lohan Hands (The complete system for holistic health and development)
Thursday evenings, 8.00 - 9.30
Starts October 14 and runs for 12 consecutive weeks
Costs 300 Euros

Chi Kung Open Classes
Wednesday evenings, 8.00 - 9.30
October 13, 20, 27 & November 3rd
Free if taking the 'Generating Energy Flow' course, otherwise 25 Euros per night

The Fundamentals of Shaolin Kungfu
Monday evenings, 7.00 - 9.00 for the first 6 months, 8.00 - 10.00 from then on
Open classes in January, April, July and October.
Potential students should register their interest. A decision will then be made whether they should start Kungfu or practice Chi Kung first.


All courses and classes will be held at the Hub Studio, Westerstraat 187-14 (1st floor)

Review Courses; July & August 2010

Review courses - July

Review Course - Generating Energy Flow (An Introduction to Shaolin Cosmos Chi Kung)

Wednesday evenings, 8.00 - 9.30

July 7, 14, 21, 28
Costs 100 Euros

Review Course - Massaging Internal Organs (For the lungs, stomach and kidneys and the related emotional cleansing)
Thursday evenings, 8.00 - 9.30
July 8, 15, 22, 29
Costs 100 Euros

Review courses - August

Review Course - The Eighteen Lohan Hands (The complete system for holistic health and development)
Wednesday evenings, 8.00 - 9.30
August 4, 11, 18, 25
Costs 100 Euros

Review Course - Sinew Metamorphosis (For courage, clarity and tremendous Internal Force)
Thursday evenings, 8.00 - 9.30
August 5, 12, 19, 26
Costs 100 Euros

New courses - July

The Fundamentals of Shaolin Kungfu
Monday evenings, 7.00 - 9.00 for the first 6 months, 8.00 - 10.00 from then on.

All courses and classes will be held at the Hub Studio, Westerstraat 187-14 (1st floor)

Chi Kung & Singing workshop

A special opportunity to participate and discover the common ground between chi kung & singing. By combining both disciplines into one workshop, we create a joyful state of mind to open the senses and explore the connection between movement and sound, body and voice.

Do you enjoy singing and also want to be more aware of how you communicate? This workshop will enhance the skills of relaxation, listening and better breathing to develop the range and colour of your voice.

The workshop will be from 14.00 - 17.00 on Saturday 15th May at the Hub Studio, Westerstraat 187-14 (1st floor). This first workshop has a special introductory price of 50 Euros. Places are limited so confirmation and prior payment are obligatory.

For confirmation and payment details, email darryl.collett@shaolinwahnam.nl

About the Instructors

Sifu Darryl Collett is taught by Shaolin Grandmaster Wong Kiew Kit and has been teaching Chi Kung for over 7 years. He believes Chi Kung allows us to get the most out of our lives by embracing our true potential.

Kirsten Schotteldrier studied classical singing and directing at the Folkwag Conservatory in Essen and studied with famous singers around the world. For the past 14 years, she has been teaching people of all skill levels and backgrounds how to overcome traumatic experience, false use and to find better expression through their voice.

New courses; April 2010

Generating Energy Flow (An Introduction to Shaolin Cosmos Chi Kung)
Wednesday evenings, 7.30 - 9.00
Starts April 7th and runs for 12 consecutive weeks
Costs 300 Euros

Massaging Internal Organs (For the lungs, stomach and kidneys and the related emotional cleansing)
Thursday evenings, 8.30 - 10.00
Starts April 1st and runs for 12 consecutive weeks (including Koninginnenacht)
Costs 300 Euros

Chi Kung Open Classes
Wednesday evenings, 7.30 - 9.00
April 7th, 14th, 21st, 28th
Free if taking the 'Generating Energy Flow' course, otherwise 25 Euros per night

The Fundamentals of Shaolin Kungfu
Monday evenings, 7.00 - 9.00 for the first 6 months, 8.00 - 10.00 from then on
Open classes in January, April, July and October.
Potential students should register their interest. A decision will then be made whether they should start Kungfu or practice Chi Kung first.

Chi Kung review class. Prior attendance at any course is required
Wednesday evenings, 9.00 - 10.00
Costs 50 Euros per month
Feel free to come from 8.00 onwards to drink tea, check in and catch up with each other.

All courses and classes will be held at the Hub Studio, Westerstraat 187-14 (1st floor)

Grandmaster Wong Kiew Kit highlights the modern Scholar-Warrior

"In our school, we do not merely teach Chi Kung, Shaolin Kungfu or Wahnam Taijiquan; we teach a way of life that is meaningful and rewarding for ourselves and to other people.

We are quite clear about our aims and objectives. For most of us, we choose the scholar-warrior ideal. For those of us who are more advanced in our training, we aspire to be warrior-monks. We do not really go to war to be warriors or shave our heads to be monks. We aspire to these ideals, such as the clarity of thought and intellectual depth of a scholar, the courage and righteousness of a warrior, and the compassion and cosmic wisdom of a monk.

Actually all of us are warriors. If you compete in sport, work in a profession, or engage in business, you are a warrior. But we do not want to be a crude warrior, like one who is proud of a scar received from a football match, stabs his colleagues in their back, or drives his competitors to bankruptcy. We want to be a scholar-warrior or a warrior-monk, someone who not only excels in his profession or business, but also is a wonderful husband, father and friend, someone who is successful in life as well as compassionate and wise.

And we are no day-dreamers. We set our vision, and we find direction to our destination. We know the journey involves hard work, but we are confident we can accomplish our task. We know our Chi Kung, Shaolin Kungfu or Wahnam Taijiquan training will give us the mental clarity and internal force besides courage and determination needed for our journey, and we use our Ten Shaolin Laws to guide us in our daily conduct.

Our training is systematic, disciplined and very good fun. Laughter is a common sound in the training room."

Grandmaster Wong Kiew Kit

The Ten Shaolin Laws

There is no legal binding on the Ten Shaolin Laws; one cannot be prosecuted in a law court if he breaks these laws. The binding is moral. But they are not forced upon the follower; the follower accepts them because he chooses to, because he believes they are helpful to him in his physical, emotional, mental and spiritual cultivation. If he breaks the laws, despite sufficient warnings, he may be asked to leave the Shaolin training, not as a punishment, but because the training is not suitable for him.

The Ten Shaolin Laws

1. Required to respect the master, honour the Moral Way and love fellow disciples as brothers and sisters.
2. Required to train the Shaolin arts diligently, and as a pre-requisite, to be physically and mentally healthy.
3. Required to be filial to parents, be respectful to the elderly, and protective of the young.
4. Required to uphold righteousness, and to be both wise and courageous.
5. Forbidden to be ungrateful and unscrupulous, ignoring the Laws of man and heaven.
6. Forbidden to rape, molest, do evil, steal, rob, abduct or cheat.
7. Forbidden to associate with wicked people; forbidden to do any sorts of wickedness.
8. Forbidden to abuse power, be it official or physical; forbidden to oppress the good and bully the kind.
9. Obliged to be humane, compassionate and spread love, and to realize everlasting peace and happiness for all people.
10. Obliged to be chivalrous and generous, to nurture talents and pass on the Shaolin arts to deserving disciples.