Hows about getting off our bums for the practical?

[LongHu Shan]

Dear All,

I am trying to bring over a Chinese Taoist priest (from Spain!) and would like to seek the support of those who are interested in letting a Chinese Taoist (Yes! They exist!) clue us in on his wherefors and whatfors and whatyoumays on the Tao.

 

I think Chinese Taoist views are as valid as any other view of Taoism outside of China, I am not going to go into the validity or purity of who's got the monopoly of 'truth' here and everywhere else but it would help (my humble view) if for the UK (at last) we can have our very own Chinese Taoist priest to enlighten or even to join in the general confusion that Taoism may be different bean curd to different experts (or even Taoists!).

 

Please visit http://www.qingjing.net/ you can click on 'Espanol'-with-the-squiggle on the top right if you can't understand Chinese and if you can't understand either, you can click on 'English' also on the top right. Our friend is pictured on the page and is a highly assessible priest and of considerable standing. A humble man he is studious and commands a range of practices in the Taoist arts.

 

Aim is to bring Master Tian in to lead a range of activities both the wordy and the practical leading to a permanent center (with more priests and helpers) and its own clinic, teahouse, shop, maybe retreat facilities... Now you know it is a fair bit of work involving getting off the bum, so may the brave get out of their beds together with the not-so-brave from their fengshuied hovels and actually do something other than going around in circles and off in tangents discussing debating and getting self and others in everlasting confusion about 'nothing'!

 

Those who are interested (serious, please, we have to deal with the gatekeepers to this Tao-forsaken country, deal with money, other miserable people and so on...) please get in touch on this board following my post. Say that you want to make a difference to yourself and a difference to the endless forums, messages, posts, expert opinions, queries, questions, answers, more answers, sales pitches, ... etc etc Why let everyone else confuse you when you can let your very own Chinese Taoist priest confuse you albeit at the moment mostly in Chinese and Spanish and a litle bit of English only... You do not need to grow long white beards, keep your hair long and wear nice gowns yet but you will need to do plenty to get things off the ground (ie. levitate...)...

 

(Note: There would be along the way, involvement by the Chinese community in the UK too, the more the merrier...)

 

Best wishes!

[thelerner]

Welcome to the bums. You've got a nice site. I learned from it my Dragon year (1964) was Fire.

 

We can be a resistant and skeptical bunch, at times, but we admire authenticity. I wouldn't count on a massive outflow of donations to an organization we've never heard of. Then again, one of our 'resident' taoist masters (Mak Ti Sin) who now resides in Canada has gotten a fair following here. Though it took time and with standing quite a few slights.

 

Yours

 

Michael

[LongHu Shan]

Thanks for response! The site is not mine, it is of the priest who (among others) I hope to bring over with the help of other good wishers and willing.

 

I am not counting on any "massive outflow of donations" - we (some others and myself) do not even have an "organization" right now. Money is not what I am after at this point, that would come when things start moving when we become an "entity". A group of willing people is what is needed first to generate ideas and do the groundwork - and this means getting off bums! Good job there is at least you out of 50 viewers at this point who's even written to say hello! This is promising and I live in hope (and London).

 

I do appreciate your comment about being a "resistant and skeptical bunch" that can be fun but there should not be any barrier to finding out more, to even lend a hand and to "admire authenticity" more. I don't know what "authenticity" is, really... I leave that to those who make the effort to get off their beds to do the work of finding out (deeply) and make their critique, preferrably not off their high donkeys!

 

A "fair following" is not quite I think we would be after either, the number game is not quite "it", neither being sectarian. The hope is that Master Tian would lead Taoist activities, teach, run a clinic and so on and as a center builds up we can look into bringing in other Taoists of other abilities and "sectarian flavours". Certainly everything would take time but with the willing that should not be a big issue.

 

Cheers!

[松永道]

I've met a few British priests who have trained in China (can't recall their names sorry), but it's a small island right? Small in terms of Dao anyway. Maybe you should try to contact them.

 

Or maybe, if you're feeling adventurous, you should come to China and learn to become a priest yourself.

 

Also, your Master seems to be developing a nice relationship with the Spanish community, why draw him away to England? There are plenty of masters in China who would probably jump at the opportunity. Why not bring more priests to Europe?

[Iskote]

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Edited June 11, 2009 by Iskote

[LongHu Shan]

Thanks for your post. I have contacted various people in various Taoist set-ups, even offered to bring Master Tian to visit to say Nihao but got nowhere! This is why I have decided to bring Master Tian for all those who are free-spirits - even bums! Master Tian is an open person and I think he works better with people who are diverse and 'loose' than those who want to don robes and look the part...

 

I go to China quite frequently but only mingle with Taoists because of long-standing friendship and mutual interests, I don't think any of my Taoists friends can see me as someone wanting to be a priest! I am adventurous though - I have lived in caves with them immortals and caused them grief.

 

Master Tian is not my "Master" as such, he is an old friend, though I address him as such as such is the honorific used to address him. Anyone can be my master, I feel. Master Tian and I feel more work can be done in England than in Barcelona and we work well together. The work for the rest of Europe can be done from England, there is yet plans for other places in continental Europe even if Master Tian eventually resides in England. Certainly more priests can be brought over to Europe eventually but for the present not only he is my old friend but Master Tian happens to be quite a 'high ranking' priest in Taoist circles in China and this is useful for getting much done there.

 

I do know there may be plenty of masters in China who would probably jump at the opportunity to come to Europe but most of those I want to bring over cannot usually leave the country because the government is not damn fool stupid, they know certain priests are valuable for their knowledge and skills! With Master Tian there is, among some other priests, the possibility he/they can encourage the government to permit those kind of Taoists to travel outside China for short periods.

[LongHu Shan]

Thanks for post, Iskote. North America is not all that distant when you can write and support my post. I will re-post my original post away from the "Lobby" it was just that I thought newbies should hang out there first. Anyway, those who will see my post will see it, such is 'fate' - and you have! I do Taiji at a place not much known to people in the locality but is somehow known to people everywhere else outside! What's more interesting is that people from vast distance outside the area turn up early while those living down the road are the last to appear!

 

My original idea was to invite Master Tian to visit England from time to time but as you may read in my other post we feel more could be done to propagate Taoism from England. Also for certain arts, leaving gaps in learning is not a good idea if Master Tian can only come irregularly. The Barcelona set-up leans more heavily toward academic interest, Master Tian wants to be useful to a wider audience including London's large Chinese community. It is hoped that once we are ready, he should be ready to train and even ordinate priests. Once he can work with those who want to be more closely involved he can then travel all over Europe to organise other Taoist communities.

[Iskote]

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Edited June 11, 2009 by Iskote