Climbing the Mountain

Master Tom Bisio, author of "Tooth from the Tiger's Mouth", "Nei Gong: The authentic Classic: A Translation of the Nei Gong Zhen Chuan" and other books.

            "Jonathan Snowiss’ book Wei Tuo Qi Gong – Climbing the Mountain: The Essence of Qi Gong and Martial Arts is a pleasant surprise in the world of martial art books and videos. Although ostensibly a how-to book describing what seems, on the surface at least, to be a fairly simple Qi Gong and  Tu Na (breathing exercises) set, the book distinguishes itself from other similar books because the author takes the time to explain the underlying philosophy and understanding of life inherent in the practice of Qi Gong and Chinese martial arts.

            The  inclusion of poetry based upon the author’s own experiences in practicing martial arts internal exercises and Chinese medicine, creates a lyrical dialogue that helps to convey the profound depth and scope of these practices and the power of these arts to inform, educate and change one’s life. An unspoken thread that runs through the book is that even in the smallest things, or the simplest movements, there are many levels of understanding. In this way Snowiss gently emphasizes what many martial artists forget in the quest for martial ability – the emptiness of skills acquisition when it lacks the accompanying wisdom. This encourages the reader to engage with and embrace these practices as a life path rather than a means to an end.

            Snowiss spend a fair amount of the book laying the groundwork for the practice of Qi Gong by explaining concepts like yin and yang, qi, meridians, the Dao, etc. Although this is a common approach to many qi gong books, he does it in an uncommon way, by keeping things simple and providing examples that are straightforward and clear. I particularly liked his short sections on morality, virtue, and humility – three things always emphasized by Chinese teachers. These sections are not judgmental. Rather than telling one how to think, he opens up the topic and leaves the reader room to engage with the ideas.

            All in all, a wonderful little book. I don’t know Jonathan Snowiss personally, but it is obvious he has put a lot of thought into his practice. Whether or not one practices Wei Tuo Qi Gong or other internal exercises and martial arts, the book is worth reading."

Susan Perry

Dojo Cho, Aikido Musubi Dojo

 

"Wei Tuo Qi Gong

Climbing the Mountain: The Essence of Qi Gong and Martial Arts

by Jonathan Snowiss

2010, Wei Tuo Academy

 

A wonderful contribution to the literature on martial arts philosophy and practice, Wei Tuo Qi Gong, Climbing the Mountain is a book that is practical as well as philosophic. Although Eastern martial arts has been in this country for over 50 years, very few books make the larger philosophic concepts behind the physical martial arts technique as accessible as Jonathan Snowiss does. Indeed, here the system of Wei Tuo Qi Gong, the true essence of Shaolin Wu Gong, is presented complete with an easy-to-follow photographic display of a Wei Tuo energy form readers can do to begin their own practice. This book fills the gap of  how a Chinese philosophy can function as a life philosophy, an healing method and a martial art."