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The Magus of Java: Teachings of an Authentic Taoist Immortal
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.
• 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.
224 pages, Paperback
First published June 1, 2000
67 people are currently reading
400 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 24 reviews
May 23, 2011
either this is a hoax or i need to start meditating
January 10, 2014
I liked the book a lot, it told me stuff that somewhere in my body was already happening. It also made me get more in to chi energy and reestablish a connection with it. There was a lot of conformation in it for me, because of past books I've read about prana, orgone (Reich), quantum physics... It was nice to see it all combined in one book (although it does not go very deep into these topics).
But I must say I'm also very disappointed in a lot of the aspect and contradictions in the book:
The book is actually about John Chang (Dynamo Jack) to come out of the closet and talk about chi and how it works, he does this but there's is no details or techniques what so ever.
He talks about how he can scientifically prove, how this is all possible, even talks about getting scientist to meet John, but that's it, it never happens or get's talked about again in the book.
In the end of the book he give's his personal view of things which I found not so in to tune with the rest of the book. He goes on how the world is being destroyed, the basic stuff. Then he talks about modern medicine how it has evolved, but on the other hand the problems that arise in the body are not to be treated by this kind of medicine but with the regulating of chi and finding balance, as John heals most people where modern medicine can not.
To bad, I understand he can't give all the information and techniques because he would create monsters, but he could have helped people on they're way to understanding.
But I must say I'm also very disappointed in a lot of the aspect and contradictions in the book:
The book is actually about John Chang (Dynamo Jack) to come out of the closet and talk about chi and how it works, he does this but there's is no details or techniques what so ever.
He talks about how he can scientifically prove, how this is all possible, even talks about getting scientist to meet John, but that's it, it never happens or get's talked about again in the book.
In the end of the book he give's his personal view of things which I found not so in to tune with the rest of the book. He goes on how the world is being destroyed, the basic stuff. Then he talks about modern medicine how it has evolved, but on the other hand the problems that arise in the body are not to be treated by this kind of medicine but with the regulating of chi and finding balance, as John heals most people where modern medicine can not.
To bad, I understand he can't give all the information and techniques because he would create monsters, but he could have helped people on they're way to understanding.
March 23, 2018
This reminded me of a Carlos Castenada book, but with a more rational/western approach and less philosophy takeaways. Unlike Carlos Castenada, Kosta does a good job convincing me the story/talents therein are true. On the other hand, it doesn't appear to be as easy to change ones behavior as a result of this book.
All in all a great book and one that I'd like to reread a few times. I also think this would be a good introduction to Tao.
All in all a great book and one that I'd like to reread a few times. I also think this would be a good introduction to Tao.
October 27, 2024
This is a book I’ve returned to time and again, and it never fails to leave me in awe. Humans are capable of extraordinary things, yet we get lost in insignificant and petty activities and thoughts. While its strength may not lie in literary style, the wisdom it holds is profound and unforgettable. A truly remarkable read.
June 9, 2021
Very good book for anyone interested in human balance.
May 15, 2017
I just started reading this book, which was recommended to me by a fellow student of medical qigong. It's about the life and neikung practices of John Chang, as told by his American student, Kosta Danaos.
Neikung translates to the manipulation of internal power. It is the ability to use your God-given bio-energetic power to heal. As with the martial arts, this same power can also be used to destroy. But practitioners learn and use it for its healing powers.
Danaos is a scientist by training and lifelong student of the martial arts. He yearned for a teacher who could bestow upon him the same abilities he saw as a child in the Kung Fu TV series. "I wanted an art whose Masters were wise, enlightened philosophers who could kill a tiger with a punch if they had to, yet abhorred the violence they trained for. I wanted an art whose practitioners would actually grow stronger with age rather than weaker. I wanted an art through which my teacher would indeed teach me about myself and the world around me."
This book is intriguing from the very beginning. Danaos presents expectations in the intro for the possibility of the East and West to join forces to use the knowledge from both cultures to propel us forward with the ability to protect our planet from the destruction we are bringing to it.
It's not about martial arts if that subject is not of interest to you (it's not of particular interest to me). It's about healing powers, and the fact that any one of us can harness these powers if we desire to use them.
Neikung translates to the manipulation of internal power. It is the ability to use your God-given bio-energetic power to heal. As with the martial arts, this same power can also be used to destroy. But practitioners learn and use it for its healing powers.
Danaos is a scientist by training and lifelong student of the martial arts. He yearned for a teacher who could bestow upon him the same abilities he saw as a child in the Kung Fu TV series. "I wanted an art whose Masters were wise, enlightened philosophers who could kill a tiger with a punch if they had to, yet abhorred the violence they trained for. I wanted an art whose practitioners would actually grow stronger with age rather than weaker. I wanted an art through which my teacher would indeed teach me about myself and the world around me."
This book is intriguing from the very beginning. Danaos presents expectations in the intro for the possibility of the East and West to join forces to use the knowledge from both cultures to propel us forward with the ability to protect our planet from the destruction we are bringing to it.
It's not about martial arts if that subject is not of interest to you (it's not of particular interest to me). It's about healing powers, and the fact that any one of us can harness these powers if we desire to use them.
December 30, 2007
amazing book about the study of existence,and the study of life's energies called " neikung"
Detailed chapters on life force, yin and yang,the keris,reality,observation.
The powers of supernatural and paranormal are simple facts of life. A world of western science and eastern mysticism walk hand and hand.
this is a book about a man named john Chang,his powers are shocking to the western world,he demonstrates the impossible.
Detailed chapters on life force, yin and yang,the keris,reality,observation.
The powers of supernatural and paranormal are simple facts of life. A world of western science and eastern mysticism walk hand and hand.
this is a book about a man named john Chang,his powers are shocking to the western world,he demonstrates the impossible.
March 25, 2008
This book changed my life!
January 6, 2014
It is an amazing book. Imagine reading an author that has had the same thoughts on the evolution of human civilization and physiology. Transition from western dominated civilization back to eastern.
April 8, 2014
Amazing book. Thank you Kosta and thank you Chang Sifu for sharing your experience with us.
February 14, 2023
This book is an interesting mix. At its simplest level, it is an account of Danaos's journey to meet and learn from the individual depicted in the Ring of Fire documentary (similar videos on 'Dynamo Jack' are still available on youtube). Having met 'John Chang', the author spends much time learning from, and describing the teachings of, this extraordinary Taoist master. (The Taoism-ness of his teachings is an interesting matter of debate within the book.) Many of the stories in the book come across as very fantastic (meaning they sound like fantasy!). As Danaos is an engineer by training, much of the book depicts his own extremely skeptical stance toward the magic that he encounters.
Danaos is thoroughly acquainted with the issues of chi in the martial arts, yet he still evinces much amazement in seeing chi actually utilized. He is also thoroughly versed in Chinese history and thought, though this really shows up late in the book.
In the course of the book, the yin and yang forces of Chinese thought are described in detail, as are the distinctions between chi-gung and nei-kung. It is way beyond my abilities to assess the veracity or accuracy of these sections. I do find them roughly believable while ultimately extremely challenging.
The ending of the book is quite curious. Here Danaos starts with the basic question: "why did I bother writing this potentially unbelievable book"? As part of the answer to this question, this final chapter gets into a very eco-political discussion of how Western cultures' exploitative distance from nature results in existential threats to nature's balance and to man's own existence. Danaos's thought is that the teachings of John Chang may be central, not only to a more balanced view of nature, but also to the unleashing of forces and capabilities within us that we can hardly fathom.
Danaos is thoroughly acquainted with the issues of chi in the martial arts, yet he still evinces much amazement in seeing chi actually utilized. He is also thoroughly versed in Chinese history and thought, though this really shows up late in the book.
In the course of the book, the yin and yang forces of Chinese thought are described in detail, as are the distinctions between chi-gung and nei-kung. It is way beyond my abilities to assess the veracity or accuracy of these sections. I do find them roughly believable while ultimately extremely challenging.
The ending of the book is quite curious. Here Danaos starts with the basic question: "why did I bother writing this potentially unbelievable book"? As part of the answer to this question, this final chapter gets into a very eco-political discussion of how Western cultures' exploitative distance from nature results in existential threats to nature's balance and to man's own existence. Danaos's thought is that the teachings of John Chang may be central, not only to a more balanced view of nature, but also to the unleashing of forces and capabilities within us that we can hardly fathom.
March 28, 2024
This book has very interesting content but it’s written in a style which is too personal which makes it seem like a diary and it is very arrogant in that he tries to tackle all of the topics by himself.
It would have been better if it was an objective and removed account of the writers experience of master Sifu, and then the personal interpretations put at the end.
As for the contents of the book I truly believe all of the accounts of the abilities displayed by this man. But I don’t believe the explanations of these powers given by Kosta. For example communication with “dead spirits” is not possible, any spirit claiming to be a dead human soul is a fallen angel lying and tricking people. That’s why all of the dead spirits mentioned in this book are hostile and entirely inconsistent in how they behave and why they are the way that they are.
This has been proven throughout history as-well.
I do believe in biomagnetism and these powers could be gained by a deliberate manipulation of bodily energy, but reincarnation is obviously not real, and also immortality gained by simple meditation and removal from responsibility is both illogical and not true The explanations of the proposed ether comparing to the eternal yin energy, mentioned at the end of book, is quite interesting.
The book has many interesting references to science and cultural knowledge but again with a very arrogant tone.
It would have been better if it was an objective and removed account of the writers experience of master Sifu, and then the personal interpretations put at the end.
As for the contents of the book I truly believe all of the accounts of the abilities displayed by this man. But I don’t believe the explanations of these powers given by Kosta. For example communication with “dead spirits” is not possible, any spirit claiming to be a dead human soul is a fallen angel lying and tricking people. That’s why all of the dead spirits mentioned in this book are hostile and entirely inconsistent in how they behave and why they are the way that they are.
This has been proven throughout history as-well.
I do believe in biomagnetism and these powers could be gained by a deliberate manipulation of bodily energy, but reincarnation is obviously not real, and also immortality gained by simple meditation and removal from responsibility is both illogical and not true The explanations of the proposed ether comparing to the eternal yin energy, mentioned at the end of book, is quite interesting.
The book has many interesting references to science and cultural knowledge but again with a very arrogant tone.
June 4, 2020
Adventurous writing of experiences of the Hellene scientist and martial artist, Kostas, next to the successor of Mo Pai school of Nei Gong, John Chang. This book provides inspiration and motivation to all martial artists and magickians to be persistent with their system and daily routine, follow the instructions of their teacher, be kind and humble and serve others.
John Chang lived in Indonesia at Java and he taught to few westerners his system until the level 3. Kostas wrote this book to bring the attention of the west to the mystical teachings of the east and make the westerners think that this energy can be used by humanity so that we can move to a better world of evolution. A fascinating read.
John Chang lived in Indonesia at Java and he taught to few westerners his system until the level 3. Kostas wrote this book to bring the attention of the west to the mystical teachings of the east and make the westerners think that this energy can be used by humanity so that we can move to a better world of evolution. A fascinating read.
November 25, 2025
Author is a Bloviating ..
It would have been an ok book if the author had given us 80% more about his Taoist master and 100% less of his billious opinions. This is a problem with "Westerners in general, they belive their ideas, especially their political and philosophical ideas are so incredible that everyone should want yo read them, no, sorry we dont
It would have been an ok book if the author had given us 80% more about his Taoist master and 100% less of his billious opinions. This is a problem with "Westerners in general, they belive their ideas, especially their political and philosophical ideas are so incredible that everyone should want yo read them, no, sorry we dont
October 15, 2017
Не все еще открыто в нашем теле, наверно в книге написана правда. Больше стал верить в реинкарнацию и духов. Реальная история про поиск ученика и его учителя. (Видосы учителя есть на ютубе) Книга запомнится надолго.
January 9, 2017
I'm intrigued by Eastern medicine and philosophy but this book was too far fetched for me. The authors earnest tone lost me pretty early on.
January 19, 2019
i am from Surabaya- East Java (City of jhon chang born)
April 17, 2019
Very interesting, but you have to have an open mind for it.
July 7, 2008
Although this book is "non-fiction" and repeatedly says again "I and thousands of other people can testify to.." it can be hard to honestly take for face value but the author preemptively knew this (might just be common sense though) and adds in his moments of personal disbelief in witnessing the world of "Taoist" magic through John Chang's abilities and teachings. The real name of the magician is not given because of enormous backlash it carry over to his own doorstep in Java.
It seems as though Kosta Danos Has established himself as a "secretary" of sorts to the Mo-Tzu school of Nei Kung with John Chang as the slightly-hidden, careful CEO to the tradition.
Reading this book I found myself staring at what I imagined a real and ideal magician to be like: powerful, concerned, stern (on a more slight side of the scale), cold-cut, hospitable, and successful. Usually with the area of "new-age" this-and-thats success is something that doesn't seem to go hand in hand with this "kooky" view of the universe, the world, the human and the spirits who each reside in a certain respective sense of the listing. Merely addressing the phenomenal and supernatural through the science and art of chi, a person reading this has to leave behind the modern world of imperialistic science, such as the author did (a ex-General Dynamics electrical engineer), and face a world that existed before alchemists, organized religion and politics became too much for the typical naturalist that has now become extinct.
Are you a bad enough dude to handle seeing and talking with angry dead people?
It seems as though Kosta Danos Has established himself as a "secretary" of sorts to the Mo-Tzu school of Nei Kung with John Chang as the slightly-hidden, careful CEO to the tradition.
Reading this book I found myself staring at what I imagined a real and ideal magician to be like: powerful, concerned, stern (on a more slight side of the scale), cold-cut, hospitable, and successful. Usually with the area of "new-age" this-and-thats success is something that doesn't seem to go hand in hand with this "kooky" view of the universe, the world, the human and the spirits who each reside in a certain respective sense of the listing. Merely addressing the phenomenal and supernatural through the science and art of chi, a person reading this has to leave behind the modern world of imperialistic science, such as the author did (a ex-General Dynamics electrical engineer), and face a world that existed before alchemists, organized religion and politics became too much for the typical naturalist that has now become extinct.
Are you a bad enough dude to handle seeing and talking with angry dead people?
September 27, 2012
Great book. A must read.
October 12, 2014
Ying ve yang üzerine yoğun bilgiler içeriyor. Taichi ve dengede kalmak üzerine bilgilendirici.
September 30, 2015
It's a good story, can't speak to its legitimacy but the story was good.
July 19, 2011
Great content to introduce readers to the subject, including several insightful anecdotes.
Displaying 1 - 23 of 24 reviews