If we attempt to comprehend any profound philosophy, we must first be calm. When the mind is calm and clear, judgment becomes logical and accurate. Through thousands of years of meditation and profound thought, science has developed. Unfortunately, most of this effort has been on developing material science, while spiritual development has been widely ignored. Since the eighteenth century, the gap between these two has increased rapidly. Most people seek glory, power, and wealth, becoming bogged down in the emotional bondage of material satisfaction, while the Yin spiritual side has been degraded.

To save humanity, we need to spend more effort contemplating spirituality instead of concentrating solely on material science. The various religious organizations must recognize their role and teach their followers the correct methods of meditation and spiritual development. This requires them to make revolutionary changes in policy. They must teach their followers that meditation is for self-awakening and enlightenment, not for worship. If they continue to educate their followers to worship and follow blindly, then we follow the same destructive paths as we have in the past, remaining in the domain of spiritual abuse.

Meditation has been widely practiced in the East. Often these meditators lived in obscurity in the mountains. Through meditation, they comprehended the Dao of mankind and of nature. I believe the documents written by these pioneers are amongst the most precious treasures mankind possesses. That is why I continue to study and translate them into English. Unfortunately, my progress has been very slow. I sincerely hope that an organization with a good financial foundation can sponsor and host the conversion of these ancient Eastern philosophical texts into English. If this study were introduced into every level of education I believe it would be very successful in gradually changing the view that Western society has as a whole on the world of spirituality.

I would like you to keep a few things in mind in the course of your study and research. These are:

1. Avoid prejudice
Any culture and tradition which has survived must have had some benefits to offer. Perhaps some of them do not fit in with our view of the world today, but they still deserve our respect. If you deny your past, you pull out your root. You should not be stubborn and claim that traditional culture is absolutely correct, or that a foreign culture must be better than your own. What you should do is keep the good of your own tradition and absorb the best of the foreign.

2. Be objective in your judgment
You should consider everything from the viewpoint of both sides to analyze it objectively. Your emotional responses should be taken into account, but should not dominate your judgment.

3. Be scientific
Although many things still cannot be explained by science, you should always judge scientifically. New sciences are constantly being developed. Phenomena which could not be tested before, should be examined with modern techniques.

4. Be logical
Whenever you read or study, always ask “Is it logical and does it make sense?” Contemplate and understand, instead of blindly believing.

5. Do not ignore prior experience
Prior experience which has been passed down is the root of research. You should always be sincere and respectful when you study the past. From it, you come to understand the present. By understanding the present, you create the future. The accumulation of experience is the best teacher. You should respect the past, be cautious about the present, and challenge the future.

China has more than 7000 thousand years of culture. There have been many incredible accomplishments, of which Qigong is only one. There has never been such open communication between the different cultures as there is today. It is our responsibility to encourage the general public to accept, study, and research other cultures. In this way, humanity can adopt the good aspects of each and live in a more peaceful and meaningful way.

Chinese Qigong is part of traditional Chinese medical science. It has sought to achieve calm, peace, and happiness for thousands of years. I believe this aspect of Chinese culture can help Westerners, especially in spiritual training. Further publications need to be encouraged, and scholastic and scientific study, research, and testing need to be conducted, especially by universities and medical organizations. We should not fear to face the truth and challenge old beliefs and ways of thinking.

I predict that the study of Chinese medical science and internal, meditative Qigong will produce great results in the next few decades. I invite you to join me and become a pioneer in this new field in the Western world.

This topic is explored further in the book Qigong Meditation – Small Circulation.