A Note on the “AI Mess”
In my last newsletter, my laptop was already acting up and internet was slow. I sent it out in a hurry, only to realize later that the AI assistant had “summarized” my thoughts too aggressively—perhaps finding me a bit too “wordy.” Most importantly, it deleted a crucial line from a Zen verse. 😤
Here is the original Chinese version of that verse, which you may wish to translate using your preferred apps to see the different nuances:
唐代龍牙居遁禪師《道情》：
人情濃厚道情微，道用人情世豈知？
空有人情無道用，人情能得幾多時？
Sentiments of the Way By Zen Master Longya Judun
Human feelings run deep and thick, while the feeling for the Dao is faint and slight. Though the Dao makes use of human feelings, how could the world understand this?
If one possesses only human sentiment but does not apply the Dao, How long can such human feelings truly last?
Interestingly, my laptop died completely after I sent out the newsletter. Perhaps there were details in that draft I shouldn’t have revealed! Now that my tech is finally fixed, I can continue my travel story.
Recharge in the Sunshine Coast
After finishing my workshops in Sydney, I flew to the Sunshine Coast. This wasn’t a vacation, but a personal 10-day retreat. I am usually quite drained after consecutive workshops and need time to recharge.
Last year in the UK, I met a new Australian student who kindly offered me his “granny flat” (a cottage) deep in the woods. It was perfectly situated within walking distance of a large Tibetan temple complex. My first stop was grocery shopping, where I was shocked to spend over A$200 on just a few simple items. (I don’t eat much during my retreat.) Prices continue to climb globally; I fear that due to the recklessness of some politicians and more frequent extreme weather events, some areas of the world may soon face genuine food insecurity.
The Power of Practice
While on retreat in Eudlo, Queensland, I found the weather much more pleasant than Sydney—or so I thought. I didn’t even need the air conditioning until the final day. That’s when I realized it wasn’t actually cooler and drier; rather, my intense practice had increased my tolerance for the elements. A common benefit mentioned in Daoist practice is the “aversion of extreme heat and cold.” Once I reduced my practice on the final day to pack and reply to emails, I suddenly felt the humidity and the heat!
I also had a strange encounter with nature. One day, after a 20-minute mantra chant, I opened my eyes to find hundreds of ants in front of me. Usually, you can trace a trail to see where they entered, but there was no path to be found. While I can usually “talk” insects or animals into leaving, ants are the most stubborn communicators. Sadly, some were lost in the process of moving them outside.
The Song of the Cicada
The most special part of this retreat was the cicadas. Every evening, they performed a massive “3D surround-sound orchestra” for about 30 mintues. My Master must have sensed my environment, as he reminded me of the significance of their sound. My spiritual meditation involves inner sounds, and sometimes using external sounds can bridge the way into a deeper state.
Interestingly, the Chinese word for cicada (蝉) and Zen (禅) are very similar—in fact, their pronunciations are identical in both Cantonese and Mandarin.
[Listen to the sound clip here] (Note: The live experience was much more powerful than this indoor recording!)From Neigong to the Deep Blue
I found the energy in Eudlo excellent for charging the lower three chakras, making it ideal for Neigong. In contrast, the energy in Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park felt more spiritual, resonating with the Upper Dan Tian.
Next, I flew to a place many of you may not have heard of: Palau. I dislike long flights, and since Palau sits right between Australia and Hong Kong, it made for a perfect stopover.
Palau is home to a unique lake that used to house millions of non-poisonous Golden Jellyfish. Sadly, due to rising water temperatures, their population plummeted to just a few thousand last year. My Master knew my plan in Palau, so he taught me a Daoist practice related to both jellyfish and the sun, which I will introduce in our upcoming Solar Qigong Retreat.
I was lucky to visit on a cool, rainy day; that is when the jellyfish rise to the surface. On hot, sunny days, they stay deep below. Even with the much lower population, it was still a very unique experience. [Watch the video of the jellyfish here]
A Spontaneous Dive and Its Side Effect
When my laptop died in Palau, I had to change my “half-work, half-vacation” plan. Everyone told me Palau was a diving paradise, so I made a spontaneous decision to get my Open Water Scuba Certification.
The instructor was a funny guy. Based on my appearance, he assumed I was in my 30s. When he finally looked at my ID, he was absolutely shocked. He asked me bluntly, “Why are you starting to learn scuba diving at such an old age?” I just laughed and replied, “I had nothing better to do.” 🤷♂️
Many say scuba diving offer them a sense of “freedom” from its weightlessness and calmness (somewhat similar to a flotation tank, which I had also tried), it is nothing compared to the spiritual freedom of Samadhi.
It actually reminded me of my first out-of-body experience. I was floating in the air but didn’t know how to move, so I instinctively started doing the breaststroke! I only moved a few inches for all that effort. 😂
I did notice one subtle physical effect: the dive affected my lungs. Normally, I can chant the Taiyi Golden Light Mantra easily in a single breath. After the dive, it took two days of recovery before I could achieve that again. Will I dive again? Probably—but for sure I won’t be getting “addicted” to it like some of my friends!
[Watch the video of my dive here]Update on workshops: There are only a few spots left for the April UK Form Refinment workshop.