When I arrived home from my Asian travels in early February, I spent a lot of time recuperating from a nasty cough that had lingered with me since Hongkong. I took my medications, slept and read, watched TV and DVDs, listened to CDs, basically on idling mode. When I finally had the energy to spend time in my study, I went downstairs, turned on the lights, saw the Fasting Buddha sitting on his cushion, the Tibetan Prayer Wheel and the Kalachakra thangka on the wall. I lighted an incense at the shrine of Shiva. I sat at my desk and found several books piled one on top of the other. They were books I was reading when I left December 4, 2017 for the Philippines. One of them – Egyptian Magic — given by Amirah, a friend from Cairo; the Manifestations of Shiva; the Dalai Lama’s Secret Temple; Yoga: The Art of Transformation. I lost myself quickly in another world as the silence descended on me along with fragmentary images of a life of meditations, pujas and darshan, sessions with private students, and regular work-outs at the gym.
My travel to the Philippines was not bad. In fact, it was very good. Two months in Asia seemed to be a bit daunting at first. Thanks to Anicia Sollestre of INAM, the sponsor of my seminars for the last 20 years, I taught a weekend of Microcosmic Orbit Meditation/Xiao Zhou Tian and Xing Shen Zhuang Fa and another for Traditional Yang Family Tai chi chuan (first section) and Yi Jin Jing (eventually, a weekend of basic Taoist and Buddhist Qigong teachings was added. Without Annie, I could not have taught in the Philippines. An acupuncturist, she has studied with me for 18 years and is my reliable assistant in all my seminars. A trio of trips were booked by my Lolet in late December to January (to Legaspi City, for a visit to Mayon, an active volcano (it exploded after we left); Hongkong, to see friends from Taiwan; and Thailand, to spend the day with my Taoist friends in Chiangmai. I picked up a hacking cough somewhere along the way, most probably Hongkong. It degenerated into perhaps bronchitis, perhaps pneumonia (the doctors who listened to my lungs had this tentative diagnosis). So between trying to recover and attending to my duties, I took medication – herbals, OTC syrups and cough drops, and finally seriouswestern medicine – to heal the vulnerable and aging body.
Living in hotels, eating in restaurants, seeing friends and relatives, flying from country to country and teaching (public and private), and that recalcitrant illness took a lot out of me. I was invited to appear for an interview on ESPN Philippines, but I turned it down and requested my student Annie to go instead. I simply had no time for my practice and daily routines. When I told a friend how difficult my journey was, he told me that I needed more “hermit time.”
I did a lot in the Philippines but a priority for me in the country was the donation of books to the Carlos P. Romulo Memorial Library and Museum in Tarlac City, my hometown. I had given away hundreds to friends in universities in the US and the Philippines but recently I decided to concentrate the books in one library.. I shipped 12-13 boxes of books (about 600) to Estipona, Pura, Tarlac. So arrangement had to be made with the library staff for the transfer. About 400 books still sitting in the basement of the house in Estipona will be delivered later. When I have the time, more books from my study in Easton will be shipped to the library. I intend to keep only essential readings (about ancient culture and religion, and Asian practices) some first editions, antiquities donated by friends or acquired in my search, some artifacts, art pieces, photographs, martial arts weapons and things my family may be interested in keeping.
Just to mention a few other items:
(1) I attended the weekend seminar of Taoist priest Jeffrey Yuen in Columbia, MD. His presentation was on “The Eight Extraordinary Vessels and Fulfilling Destiny.” I have studied with him off and on for 12 years in New Jersey, Maryland, North Carolina and Massachusetts. If you have a chance to take his seminars, do it.
(2) I am re-reading the book “From the Gita to the Grail: Exploring Yoga Stories and Western Myths” by Bernie Clark. It is one of the most informative books I have read.
(3) I am sorry not to have seen my friend David Verdesi when he was in town. He invited me to join him when he was teaching in California in December until January or February. However, I was already booked to be in the Philippines, several trips (to HK and Chiangmai) had already been scheduled, and I was supposed to teach in Manila. David is one of the best teachers I know. I have known him since 1993 when he was 15/16 years old. Our time with the Thunder Path masters in Indonesia and China is described in the essay “Thunder Path in Huangshan” in the Writings section of the website. Go to his website and check out his curriculum and videos if you have the time.
(4) My granddaughter Ava is graduating in May. She is going to join the college fencing team (epee) at Duke in September. When she was home from George School for the weekend we met for dinner at the Daddy’s Place, a Middle Eastern restaurant that is getting to be one of our favorites. I googled her name and found a number of items about her. My friends ask me if she took after me. I tell them that Ava is independent and makes her own mind. Her choice of fencing was hers, not mine. You’ll be surprised at how the young generation follow their own path in the world.
All the best, always,
Rene
The House of the Dreaming Dragon
Dragon Ridge
Easton, PA