The Magus of Java - Teachings of an Authentic Taoist Immortal
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Author(s) : Danaos, Kosta
Publishers Price : £11.99
Wisdom Price : £10.79(save 10%)
Availability : Usually available in 21 day(s)
ISBN : 0892818131
EAN : 9780892818136
Cover : Paperback
Pages : 220
Size : 228 x 152mm
Publisher : Inner Traditions
Published : 2000
Category : Martial Arts
Category 2 : Taoism
http://www.wisdom-books.com/ProductDetail.asp?PID=9616
Synopsis:
The amazing story of a Javanese healer and martial artist who demonstrates his full mastery of Ch`i, or bio-energy, as witnessed in the documentary film Ring of Fire.
The most startling sequence in the film is that of the acupuncturist John Chang generating an electrical current within his body, which he uses to heal the film maker with an eye infection, and then setting a newspaper on fire with his bare hand. This scene caused the Greek martial arts instructor Kosta Danaos to seek out the master and begin an apprenticeship that would yield more insights into Chang`s astonishing powers. Chang is a direct heir to the lineage of the fifth-century B.C.Chinese master Mo-Tzu, Confucius`s great rival. He is a master of a Kung Fu lineage whose roots can be traced back twenty-four hundred years and he teaches the discipline of Mo-Pai, little known in the West, and practises techniques such as pyrokinesis, telekinesis, levitation, telepathy, and interaction with spirits.
The Magus of Java includes explanations of Chang`s paranormal abilities witnessed by the author and vividly described, and offers proof for the existence and study of Ch`i and Neikung, or internal power.
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The story of John Chang, the first man to be documented performing pyrokinesis, telekinesis, levitation, telepathy, and other paranormal abilities.
• The author, a mechanical engineer, provides scientific explanations of how these powers work.
• For the first time, the discipline of Mo-Pai is introduced to the West.
In 1988 the documentary Ring of Fire was released to great acclaim. The most startling sequence in the film is that of a Chinese-Javanese acupuncturist who demonstrates his full mastery of the phenomenon of chi, or bio-energy, by generating an electrical current within his body, which he uses first to heal the filmmaker of an eye infection and then to set a newspaper on fire with his hand. Ring of Fire caused thousands to seek out this individual, John Chang, in pursuit of instruction. Of the many Westerners who have approached him, John Chang has accepted five as apprentices. Kosta Danaos is the second of those five.
In his years of study with John Chang, Danaos has witnessed and experienced pyrokinesis, telekinesis, levitation, telepathy, and much more exotic phenomena. He has spoken with spirits and learned the secrets of reincarnation. Most important, he has learned John Chang's story. John Chang is the direct heir to the lineage of the sixth-century b.c. sage Mo-Tzu, who was Confucius's greatest rival. His discipline, called the Mo-Pai, is little-known in the West and has never before been the subject of a book. Now, John Chang has decided to bridge the gap between East and West by allowing a book to be published revealing the story of his life, his teachings, and his powers. It will surely expedite what may well become the greatest revolution of the twenty-first century--the verification and study of bio-energy.
About the Author(s) of The Magus of Java
Kosta Danaos is a former engineer for General Dynamics, a martial arts instructor in jujutsu and tai ch'i chuan, and a freelance writer with more than 150 publications to his credit. When not traveling in Indonesia or the United States he lives in Athens, Greece.
Praise for The Magus of Java
"Danaos includes scientific, physics-based explanations of Chang's paranormal abilities which he witnessed. This publication identifies with the verification and study of bio-energy."
Frontier Perspectives, Fall 2000
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"A groundbreaking book. This is a remarkable and fascinating account of a truly phenomenal life."
Napra ReView
SOURCE
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Some reviews:
Kostas Danaos' story about THE MAGUS OF JAVA became possible when he started out on a quest to track down the man he saw in a documentary film called, "Ring of Fire", who could start fires by intently focusing yin and yang energy onto a small pile of papers. I also saw this spectacular film footage, and was quite impressed by it -- it was the most memorable and amazing part of the whole film.
Danaos was so moved by seeing the film of the mysterious man with the pyrokinetic powers that he set out from his homeland in Greece to find him, and ask if he would accept Danaos as a student. Fortunately for us, Danaos succeeded. His book tells the story of how the amazing Chinese-Javanese acupuncturist and martial artist John Chang came to be "The Magus of Java", and includes some highly personal accounts of his early training with his neikung master.
Many people will be skeptical that there are individuals who can train themselves to levitate, be telepathic, and have precise control over telekinetic abilities. If you cannot suspend your disbelief, this book might be unsettling to you. Since I have personally experienced a wide range of rather amazing incidents (including putting my hand through several layers of clothing I was wearing to touch my own bare skin underneath), overwhelming doubt is not an impediment to my keeping an open mind about the remarkable claims made by Kostas Danaos of John Chang's abilities.
What sets THE MAGUS OF JAVA apart is the way Danaos presents the concept of learning to work with yin and yang energy as being the key to mastering one's ability to extend the powers of one's mind beyond one's body. Only limited results are possible when we work with just yang energy -- while incredible things are possible with a combination of yin and yang. The yin and yang are much like polar opposites, and when energy is intentionally allowed to flow between the yin and yang designated areas, miraculous things can occur. I especially loved the many stories of the "Taoist Immortals" sprinkled liberally throughout this book, as they helped to point out that humans with god-like powers can sometimes cause as much damage as they can bring healing and good to the world.
While many martial arts and bioenergetic schools work exclusively with yang energy (and a few work with yin energy), there are precious few who appreciate and integrate a combination of the yin energy with the yang. The system of neikung that John Chang teaches contains 72 levels of mastery, and the reason that only the first four are rudimentarily covered in this book is that it is extremely dangerous to practice these meditations without a teacher's guidance. Several people died as this form of neikung was being developed by trial-and-error, since the two energies of yin and yang when compressed and placed side by side have tremendous power to destroy.
I give this book my highest recommendation to any serious student of spirituality, metaphysics, or the martial arts. Reading it with an open mind will show you a world of new possibilities, and might just change your life!
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In the tradition of Carlos Castenada, Kosta Danaos introduces us to a totally human being who has transcended the "normal" laws of reality. With objective skepticism, Mr Danaos seeks out Chinese internal master John Chang and is accepted as his disciple. The resulting book reveals the lessons and experiences that challenges Mr Danaos beliefs and eventually changes his whole reality. This is a very good book that reveals the hidden abilities and teachings of the immortals. This is a must read book for anyone interested in the metaphysics, spirituality and healing of the Chinese art of Nei Kung. This book presents a tremendous model for expanding human potential. My students will definitely be seeing this book on their reading lists.
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This book blew me away. It's the incredible tale of John Chang, a internal arts master, as told by one his students. As the author is a former scientist, everything is presented in an objective, responsible, almost skeptical manner. Too often we forget what we're capable of and what the universe can offer us, with the right intent and commitment. This book is a great reminder.
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Fascinating look into a nei kung practitioner's life. Danaos has a tremendous knack for descriptive storytelling and provides much information via [Sifu] John Chang regarding the inner workings of metaphysics and the fabled chi energy. However I question (and this may be a slightly cynical side of me) how the author managed to recall (or even take notes on) the numerous conversations he had with Chang so accurately. Either he has a near-Elephantine memory, or he was embellishing many experiences and details- and if the latter occurred it questions his credibility. It should never be underestimated writers' ability to overdramatize (and perhaps outright BS) for the sake of a more interesting book, and although there is no proof of this here, I think it's a valid question esp. given the subject matter (psychic abilities and the like) which has long been associated with unscrupulous individuals. Danaos either took phenomenal practically word-for-word notes of conversations, or he fudged here and there which calls into question the witnessed telekinesis, levitation, etc.
All this being said- whether the book represents the unblemished truth, imaginative fictions or a combination of both, it's a fascinating read as it gives a close and detailed look into the life, philosophies and workings of a truly remarkable man. Students of metaphysics, spirituality, psychic phenomena, paranormal and the mental/spiritual aspects of martial arts should find this a must-read.
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This book is a must for anyone who is interested in Qi-Gong, Nei Kung, or Taoism and is also highly recommended to anyone who enjoys a good story. Each chapter is split up into a narrative section(s), and an educational section(s).
This is a true story about the author's (Kosta Danaos) first couple of years under the tutelage of John Chang, an authentic taoist master. John has gained amazing powers through meditation and an art called Nei Kung. Some of these powers (healing, telekenesis, levitation, etc.) are demonstrated and explained throughout the book. Also, because Nei Kung uses a level system, the first few levels are also explained (unfortunately, you are not instructed on how to obtain said levels and any instruction mentioned is very vague).
The educational section(s) of each chapter simply explains and gives background on what's being discussed in the narrative section, making this an easier read for people who don't have extensive knowledge on Qi Gong or Taoism. Also, there are two appendices. One contains more explanation, background, and history on Taoism, Qi, Qi Gong, and Nei Kung, while the other, entitled "Observations and Speculation", contains, well, observations and speculation.
The only downfall to this book is that in two of the final chapters, "Epilogue" and "Appendix Two: Observations and Speculation", the author (Kosta Danaos) gets a little too "all over the place". It's as if he just wrote down every thought that came to mind (though I'm sure that's not what happened). This made these chapters feel more like a journal entry than a chapter in a book, they weren't really consistent with the rest of the book. However, this is a small price to pay for such a good read.
Definitely pick this one up.
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