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 #21

Chapter Four
University Days

Nonetheless, the significance of this development was overshadowed by the growing apprehension I was feeling about the coming semester. My first teaching assignment as a university assistant lecturer was for an English class for science students. I toiled for weeks putting together a lesson plan. I prepared sixty pages of notes just for the first day of class.

The night before my debut, I was extremely nervous, and when class began I couldn’t even focus on my notes. The students were just a few years younger than I was. As I stood in front of them, I felt the weight of fifty pairs of eyes staring at me. I introduced myself, following the “script” I had prepared. I was stiff and spoke mechanically. My breath was shallow and my voice felt weak.

Then I took a few deep breaths and addressed them as a caring friend rather than an authoritative teacher. I made some humorous remarks and the atmosphere loosened up. I settled into an easygoing teaching style, and the students relaxed. We had fun and our time together was productive. To my surprise, after class was over, I realized that I hadn’t referred to my notes even once. After I taught a few more classes, my confidence grew. That semester my students taught me an important lesson: I loved teaching.

In 1989, three years after I began teaching, I met Wuhui, a sports instructor at the university. Just a few years older than I, he was also an advanced Qigong practitioner and healer. During the Cultural Revolution he had learned similar practices to the ones Xiao Yao had taught me. We shared a common personal history and worldview, and we soon became good friends.

During this time Qigong was becoming more accepted in China, and Wuhui and I were inspired by this change. We formed a Qigong club and began teaching some close friends and doing private healings. Mr. Liu gave us permission to use an empty dormitory room as our Qigong “clinic.”

Later that year I finally revealed my “true” Qigong identity publicly by entering the year-end talent show sponsored by the Foreign Languages Department. More than two hundred people were in the audience, including my colleagues and students. Almost none of them knew I practiced Qigong.

The emcee introduced me: “Please welcome Robert Peng and some members of his Qigong club. Tonight they will demonstrate their special abilities.”

As I stepped out on stage with a few of my students, murmurs ran through the crowd. I began by snapping a chopstick into two pieces by pressing the pointed end against the base of my throat. The audience gasped. Then I brought one of my Qigong students up on stage and placed a long, sharp spear tip against the same spot on his throat.

The room quieted. While holding the handle, I pushed the spear into him. He held his ground and it bent like a bow. I pushed harder. Crack! The wooden handle snapped in half. The audience gasped, but once they realized he wasn’t hurt, they let out a roar of applause.

We followed up with a few more demonstrations. Finally I asked for a volunteer from the audience to take down the large round clock hanging up on the wall. I held it between my hands while facing the audience and then asked them to count down from ten to one.

They began, “Ten, nine, eight, seven . . .” and as they reached “one” I strongly projected my Qi into the clock and made the second hand stop. Their applause continued for a long time. Afterward a swarm of people surrounded me to shake my hand and ask questions.

That evening Dean Huang burst through my door without knocking. “Robert, that was amazing!” He grabbed my hand and shook it

vigorously. “I didn’t realize that my department was a lair for crouch- ing tigers and hidden dragons.”

“Thank you, Dean Huang,” I said.

“You don’t understand—my whole life I’ve dreamed about learning Qigong, but I could never find a teacher. Please accept me as your student.” “I’m happy to teach you, but Qigong requires an ongoing commitment.”

“I’ll do anything I have to do.”

“All right then, you’re welcome to join our practice group.”

Dean Huang became one of my most enthusiastic Qigong stu- dents. He practiced daily for two hours. The following year the Qigong club entered the talent show again and Dean Huang’s stellar performance stole the show.

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

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.

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