Retreat Teacher

Master Chris Ray Chappell

Who am I and what I do.

In a past incarnation I worked as a classical and contemporary dancer, a Pilates teacher way back when it was an underground phenomena in the 80’s, studied Sivananda Yoga for 3 years and was a former amateur boxer and Pro - Kick boxer and a teenage competitive Karate-ka. I hold dan grades in few systems to add to the mix.

Since 1985 I have working with various internal arts masters, who all having their own methods of teaching were of varying ability in the area of teaching.  I also found that some teachings often needed translating for a western audience in a contemporary way.  I found the blind allegiance to some of my teachers unnerving, especially when their teaching methods were inconsistent with the traditions they claim to represent, i think manipulation is the word that springs to mind.  Talented people were and are not  being taught that which is appropriate to their skill level and these masters clearly place   financial and egotistical gain above all else. So when teachings need revision so as not contradict science and functional anatomy, that is exactly what I do.

My teaching stems primarily from an in depth study of anatomy and the human form including dissection studies and a lot of personal practice of Qi Gong, Tai Chi, Hsing-I, Ba Gua Zhang and mind practices. I am a student of Chod and Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche.

From my personal research and cross training with masters in China and in the West i found that true teachings do not contradict the laws of nature, physics and bio- mechanics, yet these arts 
are continuously undersold and sometimes exaggerated, misrepresented and in the extreme cases  plagued with sheer disinformation. I am working to rectify this within the world of health and high performance Qi Gong, so as to save others wasting time on the Qi delusion.

I am a Tudi ( disciple ) of Internal Arts Master Ma Bao Guo, without doubt the best internal martial artist i have ever had the privilege to meet and it is his Hun Yuan system that you will be learning with my approach of western anatomy and research and energy work.