One Hundred Days of Darkness and Light

One Hundred Days of Darkness and Light
is the first section in Robert Peng’s book,
The Master Key

Installment #31

Epilogue
The Six “No-Worries”

A few days later, a military officer arrived at the monastery and asked to speak to Xiao Yao.

“I was dispatched by the chief administrator of the military hospital from my base,” he said. “We have a problem and we need your urgent help. A high-ranking official from Beijing is visiting us. His name is General Han. He is very sick. The doctors did all they could, but he is still ill and must return soon to the capital on important business. The administrator heard about you. He wants you to come back with me to the base to heal the general.

“What is the matter with General Han?” Xiao Yao asked.

“He has a urinary infection. He is in much pain.”

“I’m sorry,” Xiao Yao replied, “but I’m very busy working with other patients right now. I can’t leave the monastery.” The officer looked startled.

“Don’t worry. I’m not sending you back empty handed. My disciple will return to the base with you.” Xiao Yao glanced over in my direction. “He will heal the general.”

“Me?” I replied. I had never healed anyone on my own, and the thought of working on a high-ranking military officer terrified me.

“Yes, Jihui,” he said, calling me by my Chinese name. “Follow the officer back to the base and do what you can to help the general.”

I was speechless. A flurry of fear and anger fell over me, and I stared at the floor to hide my emotions. A high-ranking Chinese general was a powerful man whose disfavor could jeopardize my future. In a flash, I envisioned my failure and his displeasure. I imagined him barring my admission to a university, harassing my family, locking me up in jail, and even shooting me with his gun. My anxiety deepened, as did the resentment I felt toward my master for putting me in this predicament.

“Don’t worry,” Xiao Yao said. “Do what you feel is right. You have my full confidence.”

The officer and I crossed the courtyard. As we passed under the front gate, I wondered whether I would ever return. We walked down Snowy Peak Mountain in tense silence. There was a military Jeep waiting for us down below. When I saw it, I nearly panicked. I wanted to run into the forest and hide.

The ride lasted two hours. We drove past a checkpoint and entered the base. The officer pulled up to the entrance of the military hospital. The chief administrator of the hospital was waiting for us. When he saw me, he cringed. My youth embarrassed him. An anxious frown indicated his apprehension that the general would blame him for my incompetence.

“General Han must get back to Beijing tomorrow,” he said. His voice was steely and cold. “But he can’t walk. The pain is intense. In my professional opinion, he won’t be able to leave for at least another week.”

“I understand, sir. I will try my best to help General Han,” I answered.

The chief administrator eyed me blankly. My sincerity did not impress him. Despite his reservations, he led me to the general’s room and knocked on the door.

“Come in,” a weak voice said.

I entered, followed by the administrator. General Han was a wiry, gray-haired man in his seventies. He was lying flat on his back. He propped himself up slightly and smiled through the pain.

“Welcome, young man. I am General Han. Thank you for coming,” he said. His friendly voice eased some of the tension I had been storing since I left the monastery.

“It’s nothing serious, really, just a little problem with my sewage system.”

The administrator forced a chuckle.

The general pointed at him, “He’s too worried about me. I don’t want you to worry. You just do your thing. You have my full confidence.”

To my astonishment, the general repeated the exact same phrase spoken to me by Xiao Yao.

“Yes sir. I promise to do my best,” I said, feeling a little more confident.

I scanned the general’s Lower Dantian energetically. I felt a burning sensation, like I was holding scalding charcoal in my palm. He had a bad infection. I empowered his Central Meridian, and I activated two energy points on the soles of his feet. I cleared his kidney and urinary bladder meridians and pumped fresh Qi into his kidneys. Periodically, I scanned his Lower Dantian. When I finished the treatment, the burning sensation was nearly gone.

“Hmm . . .” The general’s breathing was slow and deep and his eyes were closed. He seemed relieved.

“Sir, I think I may need to work on you again tomorrow,” I said. “Hmm . . .” the general responded as his head sunk into the pillow. I spent the evening at the base. A hearty meal was prepared for me, but I hardly touched it. I tossed in bed, unable to shake off my apprehension. Early the next morning, a hard knock woke me from my shallow sleep.

The door opened and a young soldier slightly older than I peeked in. “General Han would like to see you,” he said.

“How is he feeling?” I asked. “I don’t know.”

I dressed quickly and followed the soldier back to the hospital. My legs grew heavier each step of the way. We entered the building and walked straight to the general’s room.

The solider rapped on the door.

“Come in!” General Han’s voice boomed.

I entered. The general was wearing his military uniform. He stood up straight and his eyes were sharp and alert. He shook my hand vigorously. “The pain is all gone, and I feel more energetic than I have in many years. You are an excellent plumber, young man,” he said.

Everyone in the room laughed, including me.

I worked on the general for a short while again. I empowered him and balanced his energy, and before leaving for Beijing later that day, General Han summoned me back to his room.

“I really appreciate what you did for me,” he said. He unfastened his stainless steel watch and handed it to me. “Take this as a token of my appreciation. Thank you.”

Watches were precious commodities in those days, and the gift over- whelmed me. I admired the timepiece, not even daring to try it on.

The chief administrator organized a private tour of the camp. At dinner I tasted lobster for the first time. Afterward, I was invited to the screening of a film in a tiny plush cinema usually reserved only for high-ranking officers and officials.

The next day another officer drove me back to the temple. The trek up the winding trail was a joyous occasion, and I reached the monastery in record time. I couldn’t wait to share the good news with Xiao Yao.

“I deliberately sent you to heal General Han alone,” he told me. “I could have done it myself or I could have accompanied you and let you work on him, but I wanted you to realize that after all these years of training you really are a Qigong healer. You are qualified to heal on your own. I could have told you so, but you wouldn’t have believed me deep inside. I want you to remember that horrible feeling you felt before you left. Whenever you come across that sensation again, push through it and another world will open up.”

“Shifu, I’d like you to have this,” I said, and offered him the watch.

“Keep it. I’m a monk. I have no use for a watch. Besides, you earned it.”

He took the watch and strapped it around my wrist and said, “We are all human beings. No matter how much worldly power a person has, we all share the same vulnerabilities, especially when we are ill.

Treat an emperor and a peasant with the same respect and you will never be intimidated by someone’s title or position.”

The following morning, before daybreak, I followed my master along the dewy purple trail that led from the temple to the Rainbow

Tree. Xiao Yao was in a talkative mood.

“Spiritual cultivation is simple and the fruits are sweet. Practice daily and you will harvest the Six No-Worries,” he said.

As I walked behind him, he repeated the Six No-Worries in the strong, familiar accent that had endeared him to me for so long.

“No worry eating. When your Qi flows smoothly, the plainest meal tastes delicious. No worry sleeping. When your Qi flows smoothly, you sleep like a baby. No worry toilet. When your Qi flows smoothly, you won’t experience digestive problems. No worry energy. When your Qi flows smoothly, you have ample vitality to deal with what- ever arises. No worry sex. When your Qi flows smoothly, your sexual energy enhances your life. No worry emotions. When your Qi flows smoothly, your emotions are calm and you rarely get sick.”

The nascent morning sun reflected off the pine needles that carpeted our path.

“When your Qi flows smoothly, there are no worries. You live like a shenxian — an immortal in fairyland,” he added.

We reached the Rainbow Tree and practiced Qigong in the iridescent morning mist. The rising sun nourished us as we meditated on the cliff’s edge facing the wide-open expanse. I opened my eyes and looked at my master.

Xiao Yao was glowing with kindness and peace. It was hard to believe that he was nearly a century old. His aura radiated a beautiful, clear light. Above us was a large double rainbow with one end resting on the mountain and the other end resting in midair. It embraced Heaven and Earth, cradling us between them like a pair of benevolent arms.

To be continued in the next issue of Catalyst...

Click on the following to read:  Installment #1  lnstallment #2  Installment #3  Installment #4  Installment #5  lnstallment #6  Installment #7  Installment #8  Installment #9  Installment #10  Installment #11  Installment #12  Installment #13  Installment #14  Installment #15  Installment #16  Installment #17  Installment #18  Installment #19  Installment #20  Installment #21  Installment #22  Installment #23  Installment #24  Installment #25  Installment #26  Installment #27  Installment #28   Installment #29 Installment #30

Robert Peng is a world-renowned Qigong Master, healer, and author of the book, The Master Key: Qigong Secrets for Vitality, Love, and Wisdom .

Click here for a free access of the audiobook, 100 Days of Darkness and Light, which is the first section in Robert’s book, The Master Key.

Robert’s companion resources include:
The Master Key Video Series (4 DVDs of Qigong practices)
The Master Key Audio Series (5 CDs of Qigong practices)
Qigong Ecstasy (45-minute Qigong practice video)
AM/PM Qigong (Two 30-minute Qigong routines video)

Robert was born and raised in Hunan, China. At age eight, he began an intensive apprenticeship under the close guidance of the legendary monk Xiao Yao, an enlightened master known for his profound healing ability and martial arts skill. At age 15, Robert performed a 100-day water fast in a small dark room at a secluded monastery in the remote mountains of Hunan province. He underwent a radical spiritual transformation and awakened amazing healing powers. Master Xiao Yao encouraged Robert to develop his healing skills by studying with other Chinese masters.

After pursuing his training quietly while attending university in Changsha, where he majored in English Literature, at 29 years old he began to teach publicly, and within five years had trained over 150,000 students all over China, Australia, and the U.S.

With his deep understanding and practice of Qigong, and with extensive life and teaching experience in the western world, Robert has developed a unique way to teach Qigong that people from different cultures can easily understand and follow while enjoying the real essence of this ancient Chinese healing art of wisdom, love, and vitality.

Robert has been a regular presenter at the Omega Institute for Holistic Studies, Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health, The Esalen Institute, Integrative Health Symposium, and many other organizations and schools.

Together with Bishop Desmond and Pema Chodron, he was honored as one of "Top Ten Heroes of 2013" for his contribution to transform "the ancient Chinese healing art of Qigong into today’s fast-growing holistic practices — in addition to use as a spiritual practice for inner balance and peace, Qigong movement is gaining acceptance as a gentle movement for chronic illness and pain."

Click here to visit Robert’s website.

Watch bellow and participate in Robert’s 8-minute Qigong practice, Scooping Universal Qi to Empower our Wisdom, Love & Vitality.