Peaceful Wolf T'ai Chi Chu'uan

New Classes Start
Sept. 2008


Coming soon:
Rick Barrett is returning
this Fall.
Watch for more info

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Fall 2008 NEWSLETTER

 

 

 

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Peaceful Wolf T'ai Chi Ch'uan

Fall 2008 Newsletter

Our big news, of course, has to do with the attendance by David and twelve representatives of our school to the six-day teaching by the Dalai Lama on The Great Treatise on the Stages of the Path to Enlightenment by Tsong-kha-pa. Sponsored by the Tibetan Buddhist Learning Center of New Jersey the event was held at Lehigh University in Bethlehem, PA, July 10 - 15.

In late June Lynn Teale sent out a request for volunteers to assist at the event. Our school responded with the largest number. We supplied about one third of the volunteer help. We did a number of jobs ranging from telling people what would or would not be allowed inside to ushering and distributing hearing devices. It was an honor to be a part of this event and to be able to be assisting those who came to hear the Dalai Lama speak.
We received many thank yous for our efforts. And made many new friends.
Not to mention the thrill and inspiration of the opportunity to be present for this very special teaching by the
Dalai Lama.

Listening to the teaching was not easy since this is a major work of Tibetan Buddhist philosophy which His Holiness was doing his best to share and comment upon to a large audience. It is a deep work endeavoring to convey the various paths of three levels of spiritual seekers. These paths are described in great detail and great concentration was required to follow the commentary. The last day was focused on a discussion of reality both objective and non-existent and emptiness - the final awareness a Buddhist is seeking. While the terms and methods are specific to Tibetan Buddhism the concepts are not significantly different from those of Taoism. As has been said often, "There are many roads to the top of the mountain."

There were many wonderful experiences. I was struck by the explosion of energy when His Holiness entered the hall. It was palpable. Then there was the singing of sutras each morning by nuns or monks . In particular a group of nuns whose singing was particularly moving and beautiful. Even if His Holiness did comment after their first time, "Very beautiful, just a little bit too long." Indeed his constant good humor and light heartedness was a delight. When I met him in the dorm where we were staying he said, "I take a lot of notes." And he did but very unobtrusively. He has been the translator for His Holiness for sixteen years. He made our understanding of this difficult text possible. Certainly we came away aware of the depth of His Holiness' mental as well as spiritual capacities.

Then as I mentioned one kept making new friends - I got to know a Tibetan musician, Penpa Tsering, who became a close friend in a few hours. And all the other volunteers who were a really special group of people. And every once in a while someone you knew would suddenly appear and one had a special moment of unexpected sharing. Then there was the Dalai Lama's translator, another Penpa. He was amazing! His Holiness could speak for 15 or 20 minutes about very complex philosophical principles and then Penpa would talk for the same length of time.

When I met him in the dorm where we were staying he said, "I take a lot of notes." And he did but very unobtrusively. He has been the translator for His Holiness for sixteen years. He made our understanding of this difficult text possible. Certainly we came away aware of the depth of His Holiness' mental as well as spiritual capacities.

This was an extraordinary experience, for some perhaps life changing. It's unexpectedness contributing to the power of the moments we shared. Our pot luck dinner on our return gave us a means to share some of what we experienced.

I think we all came away with a new respect and admiration for this man who manages to remain compassionate and caring while facing attacks of denigration from the government occupying his country. His continued strong belief that eventually his people will be free to live their lives without threat and to practice their religion holds out hope for all the parties involved.

Nameste`.

David


UPCOMING CLASSES AND WORKSHOPS

Rick Barrett, the author of Taijiquan Through the Western Gate will be returning in October or November. The date will be announced as soon as Rick confirms it. His workshop last October demonstrated how each of us can quickly and easily move to higher states of energetic coherence in body and mind.

Expect a similar exciting presentation this time!

The QIGONG classes Five Animal Frolics and Shiba Luohan Gong continue and are open to newcomers this time. See flyers.

David has arranged the Five Animal Frolics into four practice groups for easier study. He will be offering workshops this Fall in which you can review and refine the movements of each group and explore how the posture is affecting the energy of that animal/element/meridian/organ!
Watch for details on those workshops. They will be open to anyone who has previously learned the Frolics.

Dr. Jay Dunbar will be returning early in 2009 to do a weekend workshop centered around a lecture by our grand teacher, Master Jou, Tsung Hwa, entitled The Tao Delivers to the Devoted.

And - just a mention that we had five new people from our school attending the San Shou Intensive. So if you haven't come to our practices recently now is the time to change that. There is new blood to practice with. San Shou practice is essential to your T'ai Chi Ch'uan growth.

 

Come join us at our school in the woods!
Nameste`.

David

PLEASE NOTE: I am no longer often sending information by snail mail due to cost. I am using e-mail and our web site where all of the notices and schedules are posted.. If you want to be removed from our mailing and e-mail lists please notify me of that. You can write me at davidtai@peacefulwolftaichi.com. Thank you.



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Peaceful Wolf T'ai Chi Ch'uan
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