Ten Methods of the Heavenly Dragon

I recently came across this book by Robert Scheaffer in Amazon, or rather the book came to me. I had actually passed on the book several times previous, because the cover seemed to be rather bland, and I imagined the contents to be a semi-fictionalized account of the author's time in Taiwan with some orientalist tropes thrown in for good measure.

But there was something that finally drew me to click and buy the book, perhaps hoping that it would be along the lines of Matthew Polly's "American Shaolin" or Lindsey Wei's "The Valley Spirit". This genre of literature has always been a fun leisure read for me ever since I read "Angry White Pajamas" by Robert Twigger who spent a year studying Yoshinkan Aikido in Tokyo. There is always a flash or recognition of a kindred spirit who is seeking something beyond the mundanities of everyday life.

The book began innocently enough, describing the sights and sounds of Taipei in the late 1980s or 1990s, which brought back memories of my time there. And his description of his naive, younger self also held up a mirror to my own recollection of when I first started out on the path to study martial arts. The first 20% or so of the book was pleasant enough, not particularly well written but with just enough zest to keep me turning the pages. But as I ventured further and further into the book, it became increasingly intriguing. Many of the descriptions of the Tai Chi push hands techniques and meditation seemed to be rooted in a firm theoretical basis, as was his insight into his experiences of meditation.

Furthermore his description of his teacher Shun Yuan, of the Heavenly Dragon Sect and his teachings and techniques seemed to have a deeper resonance. The author really seemed to have a sound understanding of the material. As I continued to read, I almost fell over in surprise when I saw that the author was also a student of baguazhang. And his descriptions of the applications were very much in line with what I had learned. And the more I read, and as the material progressed, there was material that I found useful to think about and ponder. 

I, then took the time to look up his site and found out that Robert Sheaffer is a writer, traveller, student of bagua and lay member of the Heavenly Dragon Order. No wonder the parallels with the real world were so concrete. Interestingly enough, the author had put his contact details on the website and I have sent him an email to reach out to him. I shall fill in the readers in due course about what transpires. But in the meantime, I would encourage readers of my site to try this book if they have time. There may be material in there that may surprise you.