Grandmaster Andy Ah Po

[Chizikunbo]

Josh,
Interesting how he did not talk to anyone about the subject when you tell the story,

SBN Tabone, this story was related to me by a kodanja who I trust very well. I'm not saying he has not talked to anyone about it, in fact I know the opposite is true, i.e. the clinics he held.

KJN Ah Po wants to keep the skill a serious matter, and not a side show attraction. He is a humble man, who does not publicly display his abilities lightly.

This is very understandable, which may have been part of the story behind the story I was related. I dont know the exact question, whom it was asked by, or how it was asked (attitude etc.) I just remember the story as it was related to me (and it was not in a negative light, nor was my post. I have heard nothing but good things about KJN Ahpo.)

A couple of Mi Guk Kwan Internationals back, my student, Connor McGinnis, a 9 year old Cho Dan at the time, was speaking at the banquette on Saturday night, and he was talking about his performance that tournament. He said, “ I was winning 8-0 and then I got disqualified” and it was funny, so laughter broke out…well, Connor thought we were all laughing at him which was not the case…so he slinked into the hall way after his little speech, and KJN Ah Po saw he was down and followed him. He said, “Winning and losing is not the issue. The true trophy is in your heart.” And with that he moved a plant which happened to be in the hallway next to where this conversation took place. “Anything you believe, you can achieve!” and went over to another plant, and moved that one. Connor can’t stop talking about it to this day, (neither can his dad who witnessed the whole thing.)

Great story, thanks for sharing...I believe it rings true of what I have heard about KJN Ahpo.

What else is funny thing about the “lifetime to develop” thing about moving the plants is, how would you know?

Hmmm... I was certainly not talking about just moving plants, but rather the whole art of Kigong...In my practice of reiki, I have shared many discussions with other people about energy related holistic practices, and kigong teachers were included...all of them did indeed say that it is a life long skill to develop...unless you have evidence to the contrary, I stick my position, from what I have been told firshand. It seems to me you are just looking to go after something as negative, which IS NOT the case. As I have said previously, I have heard nothing but good things about KJN Ahpo...and defiantly have no malice toward him...sorry if you took it that way.

--josh

 

[mtabone]

LOL My guess is no...GM Ahpo recently did, however, teach a senior Kodanja (i.e. other GM's and a few very senior Kodanja) weekend retreat seminar about the skill...alot was learned, but this is a skill that takes a lifetime to develop ;-) I have heard stories of folks asking him about it at the TSDMGK Nationals and he said "What are you talking about?" lol

--josh

Josh,

I did not get that the "lifetime to develop" came from Qigong since it was only previously regarded in this post to the moving plants issue, hence, why I took it the way I did. And as a Reiki practitioner myself, (level 2) I don’t necessarily agree with the whole life long to develop idea. I believe it is like anything else, with diligent practice one will get better at it over time. And as proof, you can use Reiki for one: all you have to do is attune to the energy and use it with the best of intentions (this is a whole other discussion btw one that could go on its own road, so I don’t want to make it too long here) and the plant moving “ability” that KJN Ah Po taught to the KDJ. That would show that it is not a life long ability, but that it is just like our abilities in martial arts: learn, develop, grow, grow, grow…

And I did take your comment of KJN Ah Po saying “I don’t know what your talking about?” as implying he was not sharing it with the Mi Guk Kwan, like we were not allowed to know or something. As you have said, he did teach a clinic, but you were talking then about a TSDMGK event, you were not at, and saying he was playing dumb, inferring he was playing dumb with the whole MGK…see were I am coming form now?:miffer:

And I did not take anything from your post that I thought was against KJN Ah Po.
I took away of a sense of inferring MGK populace was ignorant of KJN Ah Po’s teachings, and that I could not let stand (especially about a story told by a who, to a someone, in a some kind of tone, and none of which are known, even by the teller of the story).

The great thing about the Qigong thing, if you go to a seminar of KJN Ah Po, and you have been training correctly in the martial arts, you have been doing qigong all the time… but that is another story.

Mike Tabone

 

[Chizikunbo]

Hi SBN Tabone,
I was looking at the plant moving as being an exponent of kigong, a demonstration...but as I understand it, (and I'm no expert) there is much more than this to kigong, for instance the healing aspects...which seem to take more time to develop than that of reiki (which as you brought out is pretty well automatic when you are attuned, all there is left is to work with it, and become more familiarized/natural with it)...but you said it in the last part of your post...martial arts done correctly is kigong, naturally it would probably be easier for the KDJ who have been doing the art for usually 20+ years to take some good instruction and the knowledge they have already accumulated. I usually dont group reiki in the same lot as kigong, simply because of the attunement process...but again I'm not, by far, a kigong expert, and this could make a thread of its own ;-D
To be clear to any readers of this thread, this issue was largely due to my phrasing, which is harder to take in this medium...and to be sure I have nothing bad to say about KJN Ahpo, and it should not be interpreted as such...the story I was related was done so in a different manner than my previous post may have implied, that is to show the good nature of GM Ahpo. The MGK is a great group of practicioners, and nothing was meant to be implied against them either...probably one of the very best group of TSD practitioners around...

anyway, best wishes all!
--josh

 

[Makalakumu]

If anyone can post a video of this demo, I'd be very interested. Until then, I'm skeptical. I've trained for six years in qigong under students who link back to TT Liang who is linked back to A LOT of people who really knew what they were talking about. Qigong is all about what happens inside. It doesn't express itself outside like some Jedi power. I'd hate to see another skilled master in TSD be associated with things that can be seen as cheap parlor tricks.

Trust me, you don't want GM Ah Po to become like this guy.

My teacher always spoke very highly of him...

 

[Chizikunbo]

Mu uncle is a magician, (is'nt everyones) and he used to do tricks like floating tissues and such...but it was all set up...the thing about KJN Ahpo is that so many people (high ranking tangsoodoin) express stories about the impromptu nature of his demonstrations, and the fact that he teaches others to do it. I remember on the old warrior-scholar forum SBN Fredrick Scott (7th dan) told a story of beign at a TGIF and GM Ahpo started spinning the hanging pots (you know like the ones you would find on a porch), same SBN tells a story of KJN Ahpo shaking plants at a hotel lobby desk, and the guy at the desk started screaming about him being possessed. SBN Tabone has seen it, KJN Penfil has seen it, KJN Ferraro has seen it/studied it, the list goes on and on ;-)
Also, KJN Ahpo is known to be a very honest man, who cares about his art...what would he have to gain...more to lose yes?
--josh

 

[Master Jay S. Penfil]

Greetings to all…

Let me chime in here for a minute. When I was at the TSDMGK tournament in Louisiana in 2005 I had the good fortune of being engaged in a conversation with KJN Ah Po in the lobby outside of the hall where the tournament was taking place. This lobby was on the second floor and there were no windows or doors to the outside, and no air vents that I could see in the area where we were standing

A student walked up to KJN Ah Po and asked; Sir, is it true that you can move plants with your mind? KJN Ah Po smiled and said; don’t be silly… of course not. The student walked away, KJN Ah Po looked me straight in the eye, turned to a plant that was approximately five feet away and slowly waved his hand from side to side. The plant moved with his hand as if there were a string attached. It blew my mind.

In April of this year I hosted the grand opening of my new school. Both KJN Ah Po and KJN Ferraro were here along with KJN C.I. Kim. On Saturday evening I took the three of them down to Greek Town in Detroit for dinner. When it was time to leave the restaurant KJN Ferraro and I were bringing up the rear of the group. As we were walking down a spiral stairway along the inside of the building there was a large fern bush. KJN Ferraro stopped and did the same movement that I had witnessed KJN Ah Po do in 2005 and just as KJN Ah Po had moved the plant in Louisiana, KJN Ferraro was moving that fern plant in Greek Town right in front of me.

I looked him straight in the eye and asked; one seminar and you are already able to do it? KJN Ferraro said yes!!! Six of us did it right away.

KJN Ah Po has stated that the ability is in each of us. You just have to understand it and you can do it.

We have a Sensei here in Michigan whose daughter was diagnosed over twenty years ago with an inoperable brain tumor. His family exhausted all western medical resources and thought that this little girl was going to die. He was introduced to a Quigong master; this man was able to over the course of one year, shrink the tumor and eventually got rid of it all together.

Today this sensei is a grandfather from this daughter that was spared. He was so taken by what he witnessed with his own daughter that he has spent his entire life since that time studying and teaching others in the hope that he can help others as his family was helped.

I have referred many to him, and everyone that I have referred to him have experiences great results. One of my best friends and his wife suffered several miscarriages since their wedding 3 years ago. I sent them to see this sensei. They delivered their first son two months ago.

There are many such stories that I can share with you here, but time is short and I must get class started in a couple of minutes.

Keep this in mind. Western Medicine is 250 years old. Chinese Medicine is 5,000 years old. KJN Ah Po is from Hawaii. His family history goes back a long way as Kahuna. His family has passed great knowledge down thru the years from generation to generation. He is a great human being on many levels, and you can take my word for it. What he knows and what he does is for real.

 

[tsdmgk1336]

I've had the very distinct pleasure and honor to meet Kjn AhPo. he is to me a great man and deserves to the respect he deserves in my book...

 

[LADD]

I have not had opportunity to meet KJN Ahpo, but I have met KJN Ferraro a couple of times. I observed KJN Ferraro perform this plant moving thing, and was intrigued. Speaking honestly, I'm interested to learn this, but I'm not sure why. Seems a bit like parlor-trick to me, but still pretty interesting. I am told that KNJ Ahpo can, with the same skill set, force doors open, etc. I am skeptical about that, but I was also skeptical about the plant-moving thing, too.
If someone can teach me this skill in the course of clinic, then I'm interested. Again, I'm not sure why, but I'll admit to curiosity and an interrest in learning.

 

[Master Jay S. Penfil]

GM Ahpo was a charter member of the original United States Tang Soo Do Moo Duk Kwan Federation, he drafted the bylaws of that federation as well. He was a member of the USSBDTSDF form many years as a member of the TAC as well. He was commissioned by GM Hwang Kee to create a special patch for charter members (because he felt they should be instantly noticeable). GM Ahpo was tested an awarded 8th dan directly from KJN Hwang Kee...in the year 2000. In 2002 he was awarded 9th dan (the highest rank traditionally) by the Tang Soo Do Mi Guk Kwan Association. GM is often called the "Godfather" of Tang Soo Do...

He is well known for his Ki power demonstrations, something I hear is quite unique to him.

Josh,
Your time line for GM Ah Po's promotion is incorrect...

In 2002 GM Ah Po tested in front of KJN Hwang Kee along with Vince Martinov and Larry Sieberlink. Shortly after the testing GM Ah Po and H.C. Hwang had their falling out. H.C. Hwang presented both Martinov and Sieberlink with their certification to 8th Dan but refused to Promote GM Ah Po.

H.C. Hwang's action against GM Ah Po was taken by the whole of the Tang Soo Do/Soo Bahk Do community to be wrongfull.

When KJN C.I. Kim and I participated in the 2005 TSDMGK International Championships in New Orleans KJN Kim made the promotion for GM Ah Po to 8th Dan in front of the tournament participants at the Saturday evening banquet dinner.

Prior to KJN C.I. Kim presenting GM Ah Po with this certificate he NEVER claimed to be an 8th Dan. As he put it to me; If the certificate was not in hand, he could not claim it. When KJN Kim gave him his certificate GM Ah Po stated that there wasn't any other GM that he would have accepted it from, as KJN C.I. Kim, like GM Ah Po had the utmost respect for KJN Hwang Kee and he was the most respected of ALL TSD GM's in GM Ah Po's opinion.

Of the candidates that tested in front of KJN Hwang Kee GM Ah Po was the closest to KJN Hwang Kee and the most qualified (not to say that the other candidates were not qualified). This was just one more time that H.C. Hwang allowed his political and personal crap to negetively effect the community and his father's strongest supporter.

If I recall what KJN Ferraro told me correctly, GM Ah Po's 9th Dan was presented to him by KJN Ferraro and the TSDMGK in 2007.

All the best,


Sensei Jay S. Penfil

 

[JoelD]

Master Penfil,

The two SBD Masters who tested along with Master Ah Po are Sa Bom Nim's Victor Martinov and Larry Seiberlich.

Respectfully,

Joel

 

[Master Jay S. Penfil]

Joel,
Thank you for correcting my spelling on Nim's and first name for SBN's Victor Martinov and Larry Seiberlich.

I have great respect for both of these gentlemen. I have not seen either since the 1989 national championships.

All the best,


Sensei Jay S. Penfil