“Energy Warriors, by Bob Ellal and Master Lawrence Tan, is a tremendous look into the experience of a four-time cancer survivor (Ellal) and his personal experiences in surviving one of the modern world’s most dreaded diseases with the aid of Qigong. Ellal writes about his innermost feelings as a cancer patient and the private battles fought in the hearts of his family. His story does not mince words about the suffering associated with the disease, but it also shines an unflinching light of hope on the future for cancer patients through Qigong. Tan, a well-schooled martial artist with decades of teaching experience, takes the second part of the text and fleshes out the energetic exercises of Qigong in an easy-to-understand, step-by-step fashion for the reader. Starting with the most fundamental aspects of Qigong (breath, posture, and intent), he goes on to teach the reader how to apply those fundamentals in other Qigong routines. This singular text gives you an insight into what may be one of the most powerful ancient tools in combating a modern-day scourge.”
— Dr. Mark Cheng, L.Ac., Ph.D., FMS, TRX Sports Med, Sr RKC; Chief Instructor - Kettlebells Los Angeles; KettleBellsLosAngeles.com
“In a world where polarization between mind and body is the toxic norm, Energy Warriors shatters our misperceptions and compellingly draws us into the holy middle place of healing. The combination of Ellal’s extraordinary true story and Master Tan’s depth of knowledge about the relationship between martial arts and wellness makes for a unique and important contribution to the growing body of literature about holistic thinking and living.”
— Jean Benedict Raffa, author: Healing the Sacred Divide, The Bridge to Wholeness, Dream Theatres of the Soul
Bob Ellal | Master Lawrence Tan
ENERGY
WARRIORS
OVERCOMING
CANCER
and Crisis with the
Power of Qigong
photographs by Toni Tan
Published by DIVINE ARTS
DivineArtsMedia.com
An imprint of Michael Wiese Productions
12400 Ventura Blvd. #1111
Studio City, CA 91604
(818) 379-8799, (818) 986-3408 (FAX)
Cover design: Johnny Ink
Book Layout: William Morosi
Editor for Bob Ellal: John Joss
Editor for Lawrence Tan: Toni Tan
Copyeditor: Matt Barber
Photography by Toni Tan
Printed by McNaughton & Gunn, Inc., Saline, Michigan
Manufactured in the United States of America
Copyright 2012 by Bob Ellal/Lawrence Tan
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means without permission in writing from the author, except for the inclusion of brief quotations in a review.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Ellal, Bob, 1958-
Energy warriors : overcoming cancer and crises with the power of qigong / Bob Ellal ; with a qigong manual by Lawrence Tan.
p. cm.
ISBN 978-1-61125-012-1
1. Qi gong. 2. Cancer--Alternative treatment. 3. Medicine, Chinese. 4. Alternative medicine. 5. Mind and body. 6. Spiritual healing. I. Tan, Lawrence. II. Title.
RA781.8.E45 2012
616.99’406--dc23
2012017729
Note: The techniques, ideas and suggestions this book are not intended as a substitute for proper medical advice. Any application from the material in this book is at the reader’s sole discretion.
Printed on Recycled Stock
TABLE OF CONTENTS
ENERGY WARRIORS: OVERCOMING CANCER AND CRISIS WITH THE POWER OF QIGONG By Bob Ellal
CHAPTER 1: SOUL BROTHER BEOWULF
Qigong—Mind/Body Medicine, or All in My Head?
Finding the Right Teacher—Synchronicity or Coincidence?
CHAPTER 2: ON MY BACK, ON THE COLD METAL RACK
Decoding the Language of Great Birds
A Painful Journey to the Center of My Immune System
New Evidence for a Flat Earth
Norman Rockwell Meets Salvador Dali
CHAPTER 4: ERGONOMICS AND EXISTENTIALISM
Commuting to the Promised Land
Sometimes the Magic Works, and Sometimes…
Pyramid Power at the Cancer Clinic
Man Eats Poison Apple—and Lives!
Embrace a Tree—Or Impale Myself on One?
The Man in the Poison Mask
Why Me? The World’s Stupidest Question
Never Ask a Question to Which You Do Not Know The….
CHAPTER 6: HUMAN MONKEY WRENCH