One Hundred Days of Darkness and Light

is the first section in Robert Peng's book,
The Master Key

Installment #26

Chapter Five
Be Xiao yao

Zhao and I rented our own apartment and continued to work out of Sue’s house. 

Shortly after we settled in, Sue organized our first Qigong class. “Lots of people registered,” she told me excitedly.

“How many?” I asked.

“Forty signed up.” 

I nearly laughed. When I taught in China, a class of three hundred people was considered small. A class of only forty was unimaginable. Even so, my first English Qigong workshop was a significant accomplishment. The students resonated with my teaching style, and I learned to appreciate the personal space that opened up when I interacted with a smaller group of people. The success of the class gave Sue, Zhao, and me confidence that we could popularize Qigong in Australia. 

Within a year of our arrival, several articles about Zhao and me had appeared in the Sydney Morning Herald and in the Sun Herald. Our popularity bloomed overnight, and we became extremely busy healing people in Sydney and teaching students around the country. 

One day in 2000 I received a phone call from Sue on my day off. “There’s an American filmmaker here anxious to see you,” she said. 

“Do I know her?” I asked. 

“No. She found out about you only today and she is leaving tomor- row. She is pleading to meet with you.” 

Although I didn’t feel like working that day, my intuition prompted me to agree. “All right. I’ll be there in forty minutes.” 

When I arrived, the woman was gone.

“Where did she go?” I wondered.

“I don’t know,” Sue replied, “but she said she would be right back.” 

Five minutes later a striking woman with a short crop of golden hair walked into the house holding a gigantic bouquet of assorted flowers. 

“Master Peng, I am grateful you agreed to see me,” she said.

I was taken aback by her spirited enthusiasm and the floating garden she was holding. When we sat down in my office, she told me her story. 

“My name is Blake Foster, and I live in New York City,” she started. “I was supposed to leave earlier today, but the traffic to the airport was unusually heavy and I missed my plane. There were no other flights I could take. The delay frustrated me because I am recovering from ovarian cancer and I’m still in a lot of pain. After returning to my hotel, I went to a restaurant, and while I was waiting for the food to arrive, I noticed a photocopy of an old newspaper article on the next table. It didn’t seem to belong to anyone, so I picked it up. It was about you. By the time I finished reading the article, I finally understood why I had missed the plane. I was supposed to meet you!” 

Blake radiated an angelic mix of vulnerability and courage that appealed to me, and we formed an instant energetic connection. As I treated her that day, I felt a cold, stubborn energy block in her lower abdomen. Since she was supposed to leave the following day I “zapped” the blockage extensively until I felt it break and dissolve. The energy discharge was intense and somewhat painful, but she maintained a steady calm. When I finished she was grateful, despite feeling sore and tired.

Blake excitedly called the next day. “Robert, the pain is almost gone, and I’ve decided to extend my stay a few days to get another treatment.” Three days later I worked on her again. 

“Would you consider visiting my husband and me in New York someday?” she asked after the treatment. 

“If you organize the trip for me, I’ll come,” I replied. A few months later Blake called from abroad. 

“Robert, we would like to host you in our home,” she said. “I’ve told many friends about you. They would love to meet you and experience your energy. If you stay with us, you can use a room in our house to do Qigong healings.” 

I accepted Blake’s invitation and arrived in America during Easter weekend of 2001 for a two-week visit. On the cab ride from JFK to Manhattan, I was overcome by the feeling that this trip was going to alter my life in a significant way. As the outline of New York City appeared in the distance, I felt as though I was on a sacred mission. 

I arrived at Blake’s Upper East Side townhouse, and she introduced me to her husband, Craig, a tall, handsome plastic surgeon with a stately demeanor. 

“Good to meet you, Robert,” he said in a courteous but reserved manner. “Blake speaks very highly of you.” There was a tinge of uneasy tension in his voice. I understood that while Blake leaned more toward the spiritual and mysterious side of life, Craig was a man of science who felt more comfortable standing on solid, factual ground. 

Blake introduced me to many of her friends, including artists, actors, businessmen, doctors, politicians, and other healers. Almost everyone wanted to experience a treatment, and over the course of my stay I worked on scores of New Yorkers from all over the world. 

The diversity surprised me. I treated individuals of different religions from India, the Dominican Republic, England, Italy, Romania, Papua New Guinea, Turkey, France, and Bermuda, as well as people from all over the United States. I was struck by the positive reaction they each had to my treatments, including Craig, who eventually warmed up to me after he experienced a Qigong healing. 

On the drive back to the airport, I reflected on my experience. New York City was the most dynamic and cosmopolitan environment I had ever encountered, and each person I met was eager to hear more about my life and learn more about Qigong. I reasoned that if New York City was a microcosm of the entire planet, then the world was ready for Qigong. 

I returned to Sydney a changed man. I loved Sydney, and my life in Australia was fulfilling, but a part of me now longed to explore the unparalleled diversity and opportunities in America.

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

 

 

 

 

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.