In "Shaolin Eighteen Lohan Palm, Book One: The Book of Earth," author Neil Ripski takes readers on a journey through the foundational practices of the Shaolin Lohan path. Having trained under Master Chen Qiming and becoming his formal indoor disciple, Ripski inherited his lineage of Dharma and shares it with readers in this informative and engaging book.
The Eighteen Lohan Palm is a form of Chinese Buddhist Yoga that supports the health and well-being of adepts as they train. Ripski breaks the system of training into parts based on the elemental forces of reality as understood in Buddhism: Earth, Water, Fire, and Wind. In Book One, readers will learn about the background and foundational practices needed to begin the practice in earnest.
Ripski uses a mixture of modern martial arts and qigong language to appeal to practitioners coming from the martial arts side of Shaolin, while also incorporating Buddhist terminology for the more philosophically minded. Eighteen Lohan Palm is a direct system of practice aimed at achieving enlightenment - a lofty goal that is no less than any other Buddhist practice. Additionally, this particular practice also happens to have some martial applications as well.
Whether you're an experienced practitioner of martial arts or Buddhism, or just someone curious about the Shaolin Lohan path, "Shaolin Eighteen Lohan Palm, Book One: The Book of Earth" is an essential read that will inspire and inform.