From the Editor
Welcome to the September issue of Yang-Sheng! It is my pleasure to introduce this issue as the new editor-in-chief of Yang-Sheng. Many thanks to Solala Towler, for doing a wonderful job as Yang Sheng‘s previous editor-in chief, and for recommended to Kevin Chen that I step into this role. Our theme for this issue is “secrets of longevity.” This subject becomes less academic and more personal, very personal for us, as we grow older. If we like our lives, we want to extend them, to live longer. However, longevity is more than just extending our lives. It is adding quality of experience, good health and well-being to those extra years. Having a healthy, strong and flexible body; a clear mind; retaining or restoring our youthful zest and passion for life; having joie de vivre, joy of living, is the essence of the real “secrets of longevity.”
Qigong came into my life as a way to heal from injuries, the result of an auto accident. Trying to escape for a few quiet minutes and build up my energy to deal with the chronic pain and endless visits to the doctor’s office that had become my life; one day, I was hiding out in a bookstore …did I mention that I have somewhat of an addiction to books? I was browsing among the section of books on eastern wisdom and a book on qigong fell off the shelf and landed on my foot! Although I did yoga and had followed a daily meditation
practice since I was a teenager, I had never heard of qigong before. I picked up that book! Even I can recognize a gift from the universe when it lands on my foot! What I learned led to a more in depth study of qigong and then developing a daily practice that led to my recovery.
Back then, I never thought of the longevity, the anti-aging benefits of practicing qigong every day. Qigong and living a Yang Sheng type lifestyle gave be back my body, free of pain; gave me back my life. Just not being in pain was miracle enough! Now, here I am, 20 years later, a senior citizen, the elder generation in my
family and a great-grandmother – and I feel even better than I did before that auto accident. I feel like I did when I was twenty years old! Another miracle? Well yes, but its also simply the natural unfolding of what happens when we just do the practice.
As more and more scientific research becomes available on the mechanisms of retaining health and vitality while extending our normal human lifespan to advanced old age; following the teachings of the ancient Chinese masters is revealed as an important key to the secrets of longevity. In the parables of the old sages; meditation techniques; Qi practices; and dietary guidelines lies hidden the fountain of youth.
Cover of Yang-Sheng, Sept. 2011. Click it to view a turning-page version online....
We have many articles in this issue presenting various “secrets of longevity” including the life nurturing regimen of a centenarian; Dr. Deepak Chopra‘s 7 secrets to grow younger, live longer; selected secrets and maxims of longevity translated by Kevin Chen; a special excerpt on longevity and immortality from The Healing Promise of Qi by Dr. Roger Jahnke; exploring the key to long life with Michelle Wood; Phoenix Liu, Ph.D., shares the storey of her mother and the secrets of the world’s longest lived people and our TCM nutrition doctor, Dr. Helen Hu has some special recipes for Eight Treasure Longevity Congee. With gratitude and appreciation to our contributors and our growing number of readers, our Yang Sheng community; I hope you enjoy this issue…please share it with your friends.
Follow the daily practice that is just right for you. Just do it— and expect a miracle!
Rebecca Kali
Editor-in-Chief
