Last Updated on April 30, 2023
If you have previously suffered a heart attack, I strongly urge you to consider learning chi based exercises such as qi gong, tai chi and wai tan kung. Through consistent practice, it will help clear blockages and would help prevent another recurrence or other complications.
You may be surprised that after a while, you may find your health, vitality and energy levels even better than you have ever felt before since your youth.
I have learned Wai Tan Kung briefly for about 2 years. My Wai Tan Kung instructor was a former heart attack patient who took up wai tan kung after recovering from a heart bypass surgery.
By the time I learned under him, he was already over 80 years old and had practiced wai tan kung for more than 10 years. He had his heart bypass done at the National Heart Institute (Institut Jantung Negara). When he went back for follow up checkups, his cardiologist was always amazed thar his vitals are good and his looked so healthy. Below is a video of him playing the harmonica:
Once, his cardiologist invited him to do a demonstration of wai tan kung in the institute for the benefit of other patients.
He still drove around and when he went to renew his license the officers were a little surprised and doubtful that he could still drive at his age.
Wai tan kung practice involves hand and leg movements to invoke the chi. After sometime of consistent practice, the chi movements would cause tremor like movements as it flow through the entire body. Many of the instructors are able to achieve that.
Even the association founder had a heart attack in his 30s and that was what prompted him to seek healing. He learned wai tan kung directly from the Master from Taiwan and taught many people.
Below is a video of the wai tan kung routine from YouTube in Mandarin, taught by the Grandmaster. You may refer to the explanation here, in English from another website:
My mother practiced wai tan kung for almost 10 years. She had tonsil cancer, chronic liver issues and forgetfulness but these were in remission when she was going for classes 5 times a week. My mom did not get to the stage where the chi moved spontaneously, in fact she just like went through the motions. Yet it proved to be good to maintain her health.
Then one day, my mom had a fall while trying to cross a busy street (she snuck out on her own for her medical checkup without telling us). From the fall, she suffered pain which got worse during the class (because chi movements are activated so it would be painful when passing through the injured area). I could not get her to go.
Within a few years, the dormant health symptoms in her body started to flare up. Her hepatitis turned acute and she developed jaundice and ascites. This lead me to resign from my job to look after her. Then it is followed by progressing dementia.
Looking back, my mom had sought treatment like acupuncture to relieve her pain, then go for the classes, her condition may not deteriorate. But being a former nurse, like her friends, they are all against alternative therapies like acupuncture. That is why sadly most of her friends live with chronic pain because they refused to explore alternative treatment.
I really urge those of you who are suffering from chronic conditions or have outwardly seemed to recover from heart attack or stroke to learn any chi related exercises like qi gong, wai tan kung or tai chi. It is best to be able to practice directly under an instructor who can help to correct your movements. But if none could be found, you can consider online resources or buying DVD sets to practice on your own.
Of course, while you do this, please continue with your checkups and medications but let your doctor know you are trying these exercises.
Once you do it, stick to it and remain consistent. It will take time for the healing to show. Even for me, I just went through the motions as mainly I was curious and wanted to accompany my mom. I used to have horrible sinus issue and fatigue but on the days I went for class, I would not get sinus and I felt more energized.
