Portugal | October 12-19
Understanding the depth of our arts: essence, character, spirit.
THE TRUE CHARACTER OF OUR ARTS
Our first European training camp will focus on the true character of our arts in terms of movement, energy, mindset and spirit.
CONNECTING PEOPLE
We will also emphasise connecting our people from different countries in the spirit of a true Kung Fu family. We are expecting people from many parts of Europe and beyond.
RAISING STANDARDS
Our aim is to push up your standards as far as possible and give you plenty to work on for many months to come.
BEGINNERS
Since we have had a lot of interest from people new to our arts we will have a team of 3 instructors and run a special beginners program alongside the more advanced program.
WHAT TO BRING
(Suggestions Only)
- Comfortable clothing which allows for full range of movement.
- Reusable water bottle.
- Towel.
- Camera.
- Whatever electronic devices you choose.
PRICE
Course cost €499.
Residential package: 7 nights accommodation, meals €245.
Please note that for the course we will invoice in US Dollars for the equivalent of €499. The €245 residential fee should be paid in cash, Euros only please, on arrival.
Costs associated with our optional excursions are not included in this price. The main cost will be splitting the price of a minibus.
TRAVEL
By Air:
Fly to Faro.
From Faro the options are:
- take a bus to Portimao (need to go to the Info desk at airport and ask about specific timetables, as they change all the time), and from Portimao take a taxi to Monchique (about 30 euros).
- take a taxi to Monchique (about 70 euros one way)
- rent a car
By Car to:
Centro de Retiros Karuna
Monchique, Portugal
Google Maps: Karuna Monchique
GPS location: 37.301188, -8.520400
ITINERARY
6.00 – 7.00 Chi Kung. Tong Ling followed by Vein Tendon.
7.00 – 8.00 Shuang Yang.
8.00 – 9.30 Breakfast then short break.
9.30 – 10.15 Internal power: theory and practise.
Break
10.30 – 11.20 Sum Chien: the heart of Shaolin Kung Fu.
Break
11.35 – 12.30 The Tiger – Crane art.
12.30 – 1.00 Talk by Master Iain over Chinese tea.
1.00 – 2.30 Lunch followed by a break.
2.30 – 3.45 Stretching. Theory and practise.
Break
4.00 – 5.15 Pushing hands and sticky hands.
Break
5.30 – 6.15 Talk by Master Iain over Chinese tea.
6.15 Dinner then rest. Early nights recommended!
DETAILED DAILY SCHEDULE
Saturday, October 12
5.00pm. Arrive at Karuna Centre. Settle in and pay accommodation cost.
6.15pm Dinner followed by introductory talk over tea.
Sunday, October 13
6.00 – 7.00 Tong Ling Chi Kung. Beginners’ group: Tong Ling Chi Kung lesson 1. Advanced group: perform Tong Ling Chi Kung – feedback and correction by Master Iain – then perform Bodhidharma’s Vein Tendon Chi Kung.
7.00 – 8.00 Shuang Yang lesson. Talk by Master Iain on stance stability, stepping, breathing and moving your chi.
8.00 – 9.30 Breakfast then short break.
9.30 – 10.15 Internal power. Detailed explanation by Master Iain. Fundamental exercises for developing internal power.
Break
10.30 – 11.20 Sum Chien: the heart of Shaolin Kung Fu. Talk by Master Iain on the place of Sum Chien Training in our arts. Beginners’ group learns the steps of the Sum Chien routine. Advanced group practises Sum Chien.
Break
11.35 – 12.30 The Tiger – Crane art. Beginners’ group continues learning the steps of the Sum Chien routine. Advanced group practise their Tiger – Crane routines. Teachers give feedback.
12.30 – 1.00 Talk by Master Iain over Chinese tea. Principle philosophies behind Chinese Kung Fu.
1.00 – 2.30 Lunch followed by a break.
2.30 – 3.45 Stretching. General theory on how to stretch followed by warm up then lower body stretch.
Break
4.00 – 5.15 Pushing hands and sticky hands.
Break
5.30 – 6.45 Detailed lesson by Master Iain on Bodhidharma’s Vein – Tendon Chi Kung.
6.45 Dinner then rest. Early night recommended!
Monday, October 14
6.00 – 7.00 Chi Kung. Beginners’ group: Tong Ling Chi Kung lesson 2. Advanced group: perform Tong Ling Chi Kung then Bodhidharma’s Vein – Tendon Chi Kung.
7.00 – 8.00 Shuang Yang lesson. Talk by Master Iain on movement of the spine and torso.
8.00 – 9.30 Breakfast then short break.
9.30 – 10.15 Internal power: theory and practise. Theory: body structure – stance, back shoulders. Core compression: channelling energy through the core, storing energy in the core. Practise: shaolin punching, basic moves.
Break
10.30 – 11.20 Sum Chien: the heart of Shaolin Kung Fu. Body structure in Sum Chien. Stance, back shoulders, elbows, wrists. Training individually and with a partner.
Break
11.35 – 12.30 The Tiger – Crane art. Beginners’ group continues learning the steps of the Sum Chien routine. Advanced group practise their Tiger – Crane routines and grading moves. Emphasise correct body structure, core compression and channelling energy through the core. Teachers check over grading moves.
12.30 – 1.00 Talk by Master Iain over Chinese tea. Embodied philosophy: flow, bamboo mentality. How this applies to training the Shuang Yang, Sum Chien and Tiger Crane art.
1.00 – 2.30 Lunch followed by a break.
2.30 – 3.45 Stretching. Stretching tips part 1 followed by upper body warm up and stretch.
Break
4.00 – 5.15 Pushing hands and sticky hands.
Break
5.30 – 6.15 Talk by Master Iain over Chinese tea. Taoism and how it appears in Kung Fu.
6.15 Either:
- Dinner then rest.
- Evening in Monchique town: dinner at a restaurant serving very good local specialities followed by a walk around the town.
* May need to be rescheduled if weather is not favourable. Travel costs not included in course cost.
Tuesday, October 15
6.00 – 7.00 Chi Kung. Beginners’ group: Tong Ling Chi Kung lesson 3. Advanced group: perform Tong Ling Chi Kung then Bodhidharma’s Vein – Tendon Chi Kung.
7.00 – 8.00 Shuang Yang lesson. Talk by Master Iain on fine points and applications of steps 1 – 17.
8.00 – 9.30 Breakfast then short break.
9.30 – 10.15 Internal power: theory and practise. Storing energy in the spine. Storing energy in the belt channel.
Break
10.30 – 11.20 Sum Chien: the heart of Shaolin Kung Fu. Channelling energy through the core. Firing out energy from spine and belt channel.
Break
11.35 – 12.30 The Tiger – Crane art. Practise both Tiger – Crane routines and grading moves firing energy out through the stance, core, belt channel and spine.
12.30 – 1.00 Questions and answers with Master Iain over Chinese tea.
1.00 – 2.00 Lunch followed by a break.
2.00 Optional excursion: sacred spring, mountain top, old monastery above Monchique town. * Excursion may need to be rescheduled if weather is not favourable. Travel costs not included in course cost.
6.45 Dinner then rest. Early nights recommended! 😊
Wednesday, October 16
6.00 – 7.00 Chi Kung. Practise through the whole Tong Ling Chi Kung routine followed by Bodhidharma’s Vein – Tendon Chi Kung. One instructor observes and gives feedback / correction.
7.00 – 8.00 Shuang Yang lesson. Talk by Master Iain on fine points and applications of steps 18 – 39.
8.00 – 9.30 Breakfast then short break.
9.30 – 10.15 Internal power: theory and practise. Building a wave of energy that travels from the feet to the hands. Relaxed delivery: allowing energy to travel into the target.
Break
10.30 – 11.20 Sum Chien: the heart of Shaolin Kung Fu. Reverse abdominal breathing.
Break
11.35 – 12.30 The Tiger – Crane art. Practise both Tiger – Crane routines and grading moves whilst staying relaxed and letting energy move freely through the whole body.
12.30 – 1.00 Talk by Master Iain over Chinese tea. Kung Fu psychology.
1.00 – 2.30 Lunch followed by a break.
2.30 – 3.45 Stretching. Stretching tips part 2 followed by lower body warm up and stretch.
Break
4.00 – 5.15 Pushing hands and sticky hands.
Break
5.30 – 6.15 Talk by Master Iain over Chinese tea. Buddhism and how it appears in Kung Fu.
6.15 Dinner then rest. Early nights recommended! 😊
Thursday, October 17
6.00 – 7.00 Chi Kung. Practise through the whole Tong Ling Chi Kung routine followed by Bodhidharma’s Vein – Tendon Chi Kung. One instructor observes and gives feedback / correction.
7.00 – 8.00 Shuang Yang lesson. Talk by Master Iain on fine points and applications of steps 40 – 50.
8.00 – 9.30 Breakfast then short break.
9.30 – 10.15 Internal power: theory and practise. Using the eyes:
- Staring to infinity to generate stronger intention.
- Defocusing eyes to maintain zen mind, relaxed body.
Applying the Zen mind: use the body as a co-ordinated whole, not as a set of different parts.
Break
10.30 – 11.20 Sum Chien: the heart of Shaolin Kung Fu. Advanced Sum Chien training: sum chien face, training the senses, training the emotions.
Break
11.35 – 12.30 The Tiger – Crane art. Mini demonstration by teachers and students. Then practise both Tiger – Crane routines and grading moves concentrating on generating strong intention by staring to infinity.
12.30 – 1.00 Talk by Master Iain over Chinese tea. The Zen mind and its place in Kung Fu.
1.00 – 2.00 Lunch followed by a break.
2.00 Optional excursion: sacred healing spring popular since Roman times followed by Silves, a town dominated by castle built during the time of the Arab occupation of Algarve. * Excursion may need to be rescheduled if weather is not favourable. Travel costs not included in course cost.
6.45 Dinner then rest. Early nights recommended! 😊
Friday, October 18
6.00 – 7.00 Chi Kung. Practise through the whole Tong Ling Chi Kung routine followed by Bodhidharma’s Vein – Tendon Chi Kung. One instructor observes and gives feedback / correction.
7.00 – 8.00 7.00 – 8.00 Shuang Yang lesson. Talk by Master Iain on fine points and applications of steps 51 – 66.
8.00 – 9.30 Breakfast then short break.
9.30 – 10.15 Internal power: theory and practise. Centring the mind in the lower tan tien. Gut thinking. Moving as a whole.
Break
10.30 – 11.20 Sum Chien: the heart of Shaolin Kung Fu. Posture, confidence, moving from the lower tan tien.
Break
11.35 – 12.30 The Tiger – Crane art. Prepare routines and moves ready for grading on Saturday.
12.30 – 1.00 Talk by Master Iain over Chinese tea. Confucianism and how it appears in Kung Fu.
1.00 – 2.30 Lunch followed by a break.
2.30 – 3.45 Stretching. Stretching tips part 3 followed by upper lower body warm up and stretch.
Break
4.00 – 5.15 Pushing hands and sticky hands.
Break
5.30 – 6.15 Questions and answers over Chinese tea.
6.15 Dinner then rest. Early nights recommended! 😊
Saturday, October 19
6.00 – 7.00 Chi Kung. Practise through the whole Tong Ling Chi Kung routine followed by Bodhidharma’s Vein – Tendon Chi Kung. One instructor observes and gives feedback / correction.
7.00 – 8.00 Shuang Yang. Elasticity, flow, grounding. Making Shuang Yang practise a mindful meditation.
8.00 – 9.30 Breakfast then short break during which rooms should be cleared, belongings packed.
9.30 – 11.30 Grading
Break
12.00 – 1.00 Learning next routine.
1.00 – 2.00 Lunch.
2.00 – 3.00 Group photographs, discussion and feedback, future plans.
3.00 Leave Karuna Centre.
Afterparty. 😊
For those interested we will be organising a small party on the afternoon evening of Saturday 19th to celebrate the completion of the course and also Master Iain’s birthday. This is entirely optional and not part of the course.