Pangu Shengong changed my life – By Karen Dendy Smith

It has been 21 years since I learned this wonderful practice. So, where to begin…

I can honestly say, as I look back over the many challenges of life so far, I would not be so hopeful or grateful for my life, including the lessons the difficult times have taught me without the support of this amazing practice and the consistent love, kindness, and patience from Master Ou.

I came to this practice as a skeptic. I had walked away from religion and really questioned whether there was a divine intelligence (Pangu). And I took a lot of time to come to the realization that we are part of a larger whole, connected to Pangu, and that our efforts actually matter.

I have been an instructor for the moving form since 2003 and nonmoving form since 2008. The question I am asked the most by new students is: How has this helped you? Here is what I tell them.

This practice saved me and continues to guide me in my life. The mantra (or password) is truly how I measure my actions and whether I am on the right path or not. Far from perfect, I make mistakes all the time, but now have a way to frankly look at my own behavior and work toward being a kinder more helpful person. It has helped me lessen my anger and temper my reactions. It has helped me build better relationships with friends and family members. And it has helped me have more understanding and compassion for myself, so I am a better person for others.

Like many, I started practicing because I didn’t feel well. I was going through a divorce, not sleeping, breaking out in terrible skin rashes all over my body, and my eyesight was getting very blurry. Although western medicine doctors couldn’t find anything wrong, they thought I might have lupus. Tests were inconclusive. My first teacher and now dear friend, Paul Fraser, brought me to a class to learn the practice. He said I was very close to chronic fatigue syndrome and had many digestive issues. I had also lost an understanding of who I was, why I was here, and what was my purpose? My heart was very sad, and I had a lot of anger as well.

My symptoms all cleared up over time. I can’t say exactly how long it took. It was just over a year or so when I noticed the physical symptoms were gone! And over the past twenty years my eyesight keeps getting better! Bit by bit, each time I go the eye doctor, my eyeglass prescription gets less and less. The doctor is always surprised. I’m not surprised, just grateful for this particular little hint from Pangu that staying diligent and persistent with practice is important.

Mater Ou’s guidance has opened my heart and mind. And I have read the Path of Life over and over again, and still read this book often. Each time, I feel I learn something new, that I haven’t seen before. And I have come to understand that’s because I’m ready to see what has been there, all along.
I would like to highlight just a few of the struggles I have been able to overcome, because there are many.

My heart was angry and sad. Childhood was not easy, and it left me struggling to have a good relationship with my parents. The more I practice the more I am able to have compassion for my parents and what they went through as children. I am more able to see them as individuals, who struggle as well. It has helped me forgive and create new relationships with them. Both learned the qigong (moving, nonmoving and advanced). And both became instructors! I helped my father begin to understand his own anger and help him recover (for a while) from a mini stroke. We practiced together online twice a week, for over a year and it healed our relationship. When he passed, I was there with him for his final days, sending him energy with the help of Master Ou. And I am grateful. Our last words together were the qigong password. This practice gave me the courage and openness to be present during my father’s passing, so I could witness and learn about our soul’s journey out of the body.

This experience is difficult to share, but I hope in telling a short version of this story, it helps others to trust the larger plan as well. I remarried for a second time. And my husband is the love of my life. For him, I would do anything. Until I met him, I had absolutely no desire to have children. But this changed. I was already 40 and so we went through the IVF process multiple times over 6 years, without success, and it was heartbreaking. I kept practicing qigong, thinking it would “fix” everything, giving me what I wanted. Master Ou kept supporting me, saying “have confidence and trust”.

I didn’t know what that meant at the time. I do now. I began having intuitive experiences, like I used to when I was a child. I started hearing the soul of my unborn child, telling me not to worry. That he/she was with me whether in human form or not. He/she would tell me each time that they couldn’t come into physical form. What was the point of all of this I would ask myself? Why do we have to struggle so much? Over time I realized the gift in this struggle (and other painful experiences). It wasn’t about the outcome that I wanted. It was about the lessons I was learning. About being diligent with my practice, learning to trust my own heart and soul, and staying united with my husband through difficult times, rather than becoming resentful or angry. Now, 13 years later, the opening of my intuition is an amazing gift that I cherish. Every day I thank Pangu during my practice, for allowing me to cultivate this gift of intuition and healing so I can help others (human and animal). It has led me to stepping into this as a profession that is driven by understanding the larger purpose of helping others.

I love this practice, which doesn’t mean it’s easy. Just the opposite. I love knowing (really knowing in my heart) that I am a soul on a journey through many lifetimes, and many experiences (good and bad) with the opportunity to become continually kinder and more helpful. I wouldn’t know or trust this without Master Ou’s teaching and guidance. I’m grateful that I am part of this wonderful Pangu family. It has changed me, my attitude and outlook on my life, and my desire to be a kinder and more loving person.

[Posted in August 2022]