Greek Shaolin Cultural Organization
少林希腊文化組织

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On the first anniversary after the establishment of Shaolin Rou Quan in Thessaloniki, master Shi Yan Zhuo [chin.: shì yán zhuō 释延卓], general director and founder of the Greek Shaolin Cultural Organization, took the initiative to provide an in-depth training session and speech to the Rou Quan team in Thessaloniki, including small male and female students. Sifu Miao Yuan [chin.: shìmiàoyuán 释妙原] - Vassilopoulos Ioannis - took immediate action and proceeded to the necessary preparations. The event took place at both training rooms of Somanous studio in Pylea on Saturday 14th November at 7:30pm. This rich seminar aimed exclusively at Rou Quan practitioners. and rhe hostess and director of Somanous Mrs Koutsoura Anastasia also attended.

Grand master Shi Yan Zhuo was accompanied by master Kostopoulos Ioannis - [chin.: shìhéngyá 释恒雅] , who is one of the first masters of Miao Yuan, along with the new masters Stavridou Alexandra – Shi Miao Yuan [chin.: shìmiàoyuán 释妙缘] and Antari Konstantina – Shi Miao Lian [chin.: shìmiàolián 释妙连].

Masters were introduced by Miao Yuan to male and female students of Thessaloniki, who were looking so much forward to meet them. Then Master Yan Zhuo, began with a manifold speech starting with the meaning of Qi Gong (chin.: qìgōng 气功 ) , the vital energy and basic principles of Traditional Chinese Medicine. The locations of energy centers were pointed out as well as how various illnesses appear when there is lack of energy in one of them. He explained briefly, how our daily life and way of thinking are able to scatter this precious energy and how our body and our vital organs react to these stimuli.

At this point the Rou Quan team was split, where the children had a surprize session of shaolin Gong Fu with masters Shi Miao Yuen and Shi Miao Lien.

Adults proceeded to the next part which was the history, applications and practice in Rou Quan. Master Yan Zhuo briefly mentioned the history of Shaolin Rou Quan, starting off the well known South Garden (Nan Yuan) and how spontaneously the practice of Rou Quan transformed its healing properties to a very powerful self defence.

Since there were a few students with strong martial arts background, Master Yan Zhuo did not hesitate to juxtapose the soft nature of Rou Quan with the firm hydraulic power of the former. The candidates were very willing to put this to test… the results were astonishing and forced most of the participants to review many things.

And as if that was not enough, Master Yan Zhuo went on by excibiting advanced qi gong applications, leaving the audience speechless and utterly puzzled. He assured that anyone can perform such things provided that one has the right motives and intention to do so. A pause intervened to explain each one , the various reasons why the decided to take up the classes of Rou Quan and shared some of their experience.

The next part was a special gift for all attendees, as master Yan Zhuo performed and handed over a special… simple but powerful breathing technique of full Breathing [chin.: qìxī 气息] that can be applied to all life styles and workplaces. Even three minutes of exercise could alleviate the tension of a tight working schedule and loosen up stress. Soon after that, this breathing pattern was embodied on the first routine of Rou Quan. Miao Yuan and Heng Ya joined happily the team and begun assisting each one of the practicioners, while master Yan Zhuo gave personal directions and answered questions.

Time went by quite quickly and the happy children completed their traditional gong fu and joined once again the whole team. Some of the children did not hesitate at all to demonstrate some of the staff they have learned so far such as qi gong and part of the first Rou Quan routine, when asked to do so. Ιn the meantime, Heng Ya presented qi gong application for back pains.

The day concluded with a splendid performance of a soft routine by Masters Miao Yuan and Miao Lian.

Ιt was yet, an unmatched experience,not only for the students but the EPOS masters too, in a peaceful and receptive environment. Τhe director of Somanous ,who did not miss a moment of the seminar, wholeheartedly thanked the EPOS Masters team for this one of a kind experience.

Master Yan Zhuo devoted a great deal of time with the new students, assuring them that Rou Quan superexceeds the term of “simple exercise”, since it is a unique art. Τhe art of life…