If several spirit-movement practices appear together, which comes first?

First establish a solid foundation, then continue learning according to your circumstances. There is no need to push ahead with every movement at once. In Sheng Zhen Men’s method of spirit movement, I first consider the original spirit’s work. If the primary work is the dragon, practise the dragon well first. If it is the phoenix, establish that first, and then gradually adjust the other work.

For some people, forms such as the phoenix, tiger and sword fingers all appear at the beginning, as though several assignments are due at once. This is not necessarily bad, but having more to learn may make the work harder. I compared it to leaving the work of age twenty and age thirty until age thirty-five and then doing it all together. That was an illustration of the situation, not a claim that everyone must practise the same set of exercises at those ages.

It is like playing basketball. If you are not yet comfortable dribbling but rush to dunk, your foundation is missing and the later movements will be difficult to perform well. Practise your original work thoroughly first, then consider what work to take on and what to learn next. Do not pursue only movements that look more impressive.

If you cannot yet distinguish your own condition, ask an experienced teacher to help you understand it. A teacher needs to make arrangements according to each person’s circumstances. Doing more things simultaneously is not necessarily better. Alongside movement practice, we must learn compassion, humility, character, knowledge and wisdom. Our movements cannot merely look powerful while our character makes no progress.