Min Loi Chum Sau - Soft Style

What is unique about White Crane system (Pak Hok Pai) is that it is complete.

Or-Dutt-To, the Tibetan monk who began the tradition of Pak Hok Pai, created the Needle Inside The Cotton Hand (Min Loi chum Sau). It is basically the Tibetan equivalent of Chinese Tai Chi Chuan.

Needle Inside The Cotton Hand – the name of art implies its fundamental nature. Bulging soft cotton on the outside, surrounding the hard and sharp needle inside it. This art combines the complete physical and mental health. It teaches the soft, Yin quality, and the hard Yang quality, with the harmonic combination of them, that gives the complete Tai Ji . with this art we can study the infinite interaction between Yin and Yang, that maintain the universe.

During practicing techniques that provide metaphors exist in nature, through body movement, correct breathing, intuition and thought, one can learn how to act harmonically with ourselves and our environment.
The practice cleanses the body and mind and stimulates the flow of Qi in the meridians – the energy channels.

Hard and Soft –

The Soft Cotton – as a soft martial art, Min Loi Chum Sau, essentially practiced slowly with low muscle tone. The movements are flowing, and over time, they create it selves. There is a saying that describes the stages of practice "At first the mind leads your body, then breathing leads the body and at the end the Qi (natural energy) leads the body." As the final step happens, things just happen. Movement, in response to the environment, becomes fluid on its own and is not a set of techniques performed by the practitioner directed him self into the muscles, so that they will move the body.

At that stage, the leg muscles move the body, and the upper part of it is completely free and controlled by them. The internal organs are free to operate effectively and healthier.

The Hard Needle – the slow exercise strengthens the practitioner in two ways –
1. Physically -In everyday life we often act sharply, speedy and with heavy body mass. To act in such a way, the body uses white muscle cells that allows it to perform massive acts, which require large muscle mass. On the other hand, to act slowly and gently, the body uses red muscle cells that are designed for activities that does not require a quick and sharp contraction. You can understand that on every day life, we usually do not use these parts of the muscles.

2. Mind – straightening the mind happens with the very slow repetitions of body techniques and the mind intention that direct it. Also with being aware of every step of the movement process.

When both the mind and the body are coordinated and united, and the breath is also coordinated with them, the Qi flows strongly in the body, keeping it healthy, and out of it, making its function better.

Most of our students learn this art as to keep them self's healthy – body and mind. But the ones who like to, learn it as a martial art as well. By that they practice:
Tui Sau – pushing hands
Chi Sau – sticky hands
Fighting applications
Force generating (kin/Jin)

This art is holistic, and many people can find their way in to it.