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On a Friday evening I went to a Qi-Gong practice at the home of Mr. Young Suen. Young is a middle aged man. He was born and raised on mainland China. He and the other two young women present for this Qi-Gong session are followers of "Tao Practice". They repeatedly emphasized that they are not "Taoists" and do not follow "Taoism" as a religion. Rather, for them this is a practice, an applied philosophy - a way of living and being as they continually seek to discover the "True Self" within themselves. Since they do not consider themselves a religion, they are open to people of all religions without any ideological conflicts. I had been introduced to this group on Thursday evening, when they had held an open house at the Tysons-Pimmet public library in Falls Church. Here there were mostly Westerners, about half a dozen or so, and just two or three, like me, there to learn about Tao Practice. They had refreshments of fresh fruit, sushi, fresh ginger and ginger cookies along with bottled water. There were four displays. One was focused on vegetarian diet (they believe in compassion, so do not eat meat); another on the five elements philosophy as applied to the five virtues they try to cultivate; a third display was on the Heart Sutra which, although of Buddhist origin, they do chant; and the fourth was on the Tao Te Ching. I found the five elements presentation interesting as I'd never before seen this philosophy associated with virtues. The five virtues, in order, are: compassion (wood) which generates courtesy (fire), which, in turn, generates faith (earth), which generates justice (metal), which generates wisdom (water). They also had an interesting chart that summarizes the various correspondences with each of the five elements. The various kinds of vegetarian foods were also associated with the five elements. A western man, Aaron, who I'd estimate to be in his 30's, gave a 30 minute introductory talk about Tao Practice and what they believe and do. Tao Practice is a 20 year old offshoot of a 200 year old Taoist sect from Taiwan known as I-Guan Tao. We were informed that Tao Practice is more eclectic than I-Guan Tao; while they share the same beliefs, the practices and customs are different. Tao Practice, they said, is less dogmatic. They are rather eclectic in their spiritual practice, drawing not only on Taoist practices but also on Confucian values and Buddhist practice and idea as well. The goal of their practice is to cultivate their "True Nature" and thus achieve their full potential as humans (which reminded me of the Confucian virtue of Jen - becoming more fully human). We learned that the Tao is the "natural order of things", the way things work. This was compared to "god's will" but he stressed that Tao is not a god. Aaron talked of being in harmony with god's will for us, noting that we have free will to choose to be in harmony. This reminded me of Islam and it's focus on submitting to the will of God. Aaron also mentioned that when we are infants we are naturally in harmony with Tao (Islam also notes that we are all born submitter's to God) but, in time, the "three poisons" disrupt the harmony. The "three poisons" are borrowed from Buddhist teaching: greed/desire, hatred/anger, and ignorance/delusion. This last is most important as it is the underlying cause of the other two. He related these to bad karma and talked a bit about facing and transforming this bad karma so as to get back to Tao. Aaron discussed the ways such bad karma can manifest itself: how we act, physical and emotional ills, habits, fears, likes and dislikes. Basically, our personality patterns, our inclinations, are seen as signs of karma. Tao practice, then, is a reconditioning. The bad karmas (bad habits) hide our "True Self" from us. Not facing our karma means continually being influenced by it. Who we really are - our True Self - is not influenced by karma. This idea of overcoming bad karmas and uncovering the True Self reminded me of Scientology and their practice of becoming "clear". Their "thetan" would be the "True Self". Aaron also mentioned Wu-wei, which he explained was when the ego steps back and allows the True Self to be what it is. In general, I found this emphasis on getting back to who you really are similar to the ultimate aims of Hinduism and Buddhism. I wanted to know more about what they do and was told that they come together for community of fellow practitioners. They find that group support helps maintain personal commitment to Tao practice. They have teachers who give lectures, write articles, and hold classes. They study texts, meditate, even have some ceremonies (although they are not big on rituals) in "home temples". When I asked what kind of ceremonies, one woman there mentioned a "commitment" ceremony that one might go through to declare to the community that they are committing themselves to follow Tao Practice. She said that while they don't consider this "religious" it does have some rituals. She said this involved some simple bowing to an altar containing some flowers and fruit offerings and icons of Kwan Yin and Buddha (as ideals to live up to rather than objects of worship). I asked who or what the offerings were directed toward and she said it is just a sign of respect for nature. I was curious to know more about the community itself. Tao Practice has several communities in various areas of the USA. The one here in Northern Virginia has been around for about 10 years. They maintain a website and produce a quarterly reflective magazine. "Tao Practice" is a community of people, both Chinese and Western, who practice Qi-Gong on at least a weekly basis as a group (small as it might be - they only get typically around a half-dozen on any given Friday evening). They also have a weekly fellowship gathering on Wednesday evenings where they share with each other their successes and troubles they might be having with their practice, and support each other in this way. On the first Saturday of the month they gather for a lecture/discussion on the Tao Te Ching, led by a Chinese gentleman. This monthly gathering, they tell me, brings about 50 - 60 followers, both Chinese and Western, from as far away as New Jersey. The lecture is given in Chinese but then translated. The other activities tend to be more segregated due to language barriers between the Chinese and Western followers. I asked about their personal stories - how these Westerners found Tao and this community. Most of the responses were similar - they were introduced to it by a friend, family member, colleague or acquaintance. They found the community welcoming - a "vibe" of acceptance, they saw positive change in others they knew who were following this path and desired to make a similar change in themselves. My own experience at both the open house and the Qi-Gong session they invited me to the next evening, was of an open and friendly community of people. Since the next evening was to be the weekly Qi-Gong practice I thought I'd go to that so I could really experience something typical of what they do. I arrived at Mr. Young Suen's home shortly before the appointed time of 7 PM. This was just a ground level apartment in Fairfax. I'd been told the evening before not to wear any jewelry or I'd be asked to take it off (the reason for no jewelry is because it is metal - one of the five elements - and would unbalance the natural elements of the body). I left my jewelry in my car. As I approached the sliding glass door to the home I noticed someone had left their shoes outside the door. So I removed my shoes as well and entered Young's home. I'd also been informed that Young always made some delicious Chinese food so don't eat dinner before. Young offered me food and green tea. The noodle and vegetable based food was vegetarian, with some soy based meat substitute. Not bad. I asked Young about the difference between Tai Chi and Qi-Gong. He informed me that Tai Chi is a martial art with the ultimate aim of being able to attack another. Qi-Gong is directed entirely inward, on building up our chi for increased health and longevity (a Taoist goal I am familiar with) but not to be used against anyone else. I looked around Young's humble home and found that the entire living room was basically set up as the "home temple" and practice area. There was a huge altar set up on two large black lacquer tables.
Front and center on the lower table was a large white ceramic bowl with incense sticks upright in some sand. The rest of the altar was set up symmetrically to either side of this bowl. There were plates with offerings of fruit, a couple of crystal candle sticks each holding a palm sized crystal ball. Some other crystals were placed in various locations on the table. There was also a large melon offering center back of the lower table and, between the incense bowl and the melon was, of all things, a large, rather tacky looking jar of peanuts, complete with plastic lid and label, just as one would find in the grocery store. I asked if there was some special reason for the peanuts and Young said no, one could place anything as an offering. On the higher, back table, were a vase of flowers on either side of a small statue of some figure (I neglected to ask who this was). This figure was also flanked on either side by some small lighted crystal figures that looked like angels. In front of the altar was simply a large open space on the carpet where we would be doing the Qi-Gong exercises. In time, another young woman came in and also had some of the food. We talked a bit more about Tao and Yin Yang theory. Around 7:45 another young woman came in and we started the Qi-Gong practice. At this point, I was asked to remove my glasses (I presume because they too, like the jewelry, are made of metal and, as I would discover, they would also get in the way of some of the movements). The three of us women stood in a widely spread semi circle, facing Young and the altar (Young had his back to the altar). Young led us in the movements. First we were instructed to loosen up - have our joints slightly bent, relax our muscles, and stand with feet about shoulder width apart. This much seemed much like the Tai Chi practice I am more familiar with. But then it got rather odd. To begin, we started pounding on our bellies, with loose fists, alternating right and left. The position for this was just below the navel - the tan tien where they say is the center of our Chi energy. This belly pounding went on for at least 10 -15 minutes and I was beginning to wonder if this was all we were going to do. What really took me aback was when the others started to belch! I had gotten the idea that this was the expected and desired result of the belly pounding - to clear the meridians and cavities of the body so that the chi could flow better (as opposed to being blocked by internal gases) - sort of like burping a baby. Finally, Young changed motions and we followed his lead. First we started hitting our left chest with our right fist. We would do this four times and then shift to a slapping motion as we moved down the left arm. Four slaps with the last one ending in a wipe over the top side of the left hand. Then repeat the entire thing again several times. Then do the same with the left fist on the right chest, arm and hand for several times. Then we shifted to slapping our arms from the hand up to the shoulder and ending with wiping our hand over our head, as if bringing the chi up our arm and blessing our head. This motion was repeated several times and then the same with the other arm. I found this slapping of the arms very invigorating. Then we shifted to breathing exercises. First raising our arms out to the side while breathing in until there was "no more room". Then breathing out while lowering the arms until "no more left". Then repeat: up and in, down and out, several times. The next breathing exercise we raised our arms up to the ceiling (heaven) while breathing in until "no more room". Then we would lower the arms, passing our hands close to our face and down to belly level (earth) while breathing out until "no more left". This too was repeated several times. Then we shifted to quiet, sitting meditation and breathing. Young had placed a pillow behind each of us to sit on. One of the other women chose to lay down for the meditation but I thought if I did this I might fall asleep. In time, the other woman also laid down and I then did the same. I did notice that both the other women, more experienced at this than I, had pointed their feet away from the altar. I recalled from reading and visits to other places of worship that pointing one's feet toward an altar is about the worst thing you can do in a sacred space. I turned so that my own feet were pointed away from the altar as I lay there continuing my breathing meditation. I tried to let myself sink into the floor and it was very relaxing. Eventually, as we each felt we were ready, we got up from our meditation and Young led us in what I can only call a "cool down". We again followed Young's lead as we started by briskly rubbing the palms of our hands together and then holding them over our eyes for a few seconds. Young suggested it was supposed to be soothing. Then we rubbed our hands together again, generating more heat, more chi, and holding them over our ears. Again, rubbing the hands together, this time wiping down one arm and then the other. Then rub hands together and hold over one shoulder and then the other. I hoped this would help the shoulder ache I'd had for a couple of weeks now. I think it did help, at least while doing it if not lasting, and I might try this again if the ache gets bad again. Finally, we sat down, pulled up our pant leg, took off our sock and proceeded to briskly rub hands down our lower leg. Then briskly rub the palm of our hand on the sole of our foot (left hand on right foot, right on left). Then we gave each toe a massage, rubbed hands once more and held it on the knee for a few seconds (I imagine this can help to alleviate stiff knee joints). Once we completed the same process on the other leg, foot, toes and knee, the session was over. I did as the others did, giving a respectful bow to the altar, thinking about my respect for nature and the Tao inherent in nature. The entire practice took about an hour. After practice the woman who had come in late ate some of the food and we all sat and talked for about another hour about Tao and Yin Yang theory and Chi and about religion in general. It came up again that they do not consider Tao Practice to be a "religion" although they admitted that the chanting of the Heart Sutra is, essentially, a religious practice. By interesting coincidence, the woman who had come in last had actually been a student of mine a year or so ago in my ELI class on Eastern religions (she recognized me because I have my picture on the course site). I recognized her name instantly once she told it to me. She has been involved with Tao Practice for about a year - discovering it only after she'd finished my class. She came to it through being a vegetarian. She mentioned how she was raised Baptist and once brought her very strict Baptist father to a session so she could show him how this is not some kind of cult. All told, I spent three hours at Mr. Suen's. I don't expect to go back. Not because I did not enjoy the Qi-Gong practice but because after the first introductory session they do expect $25 a session and I am not that committed to it to pay for it (frugal as I am). I do, however, look forward to attending the Tao Te Ching lecture next month. I would have attended this month (the next day after this Qi-Gong session) but had a prior commitment. I am happy to know that there is a Tao community in Northern Virginia and was excited to have this rare opportunity to learn about Taoism from those who practice it and to experience some of what they do for myself. I am, however, still curious to know what goes on within religious Taoism. But I guess I'd have to travel to Taiwan to find that. A month later I attended the Tao Te Ching study session, held in Vienna, VA. This is held in someone's home, in a "bonus room" above their garage. Shoes were removed in the garage and then one would proceed upstairs where the room was set up like a classroom: tables and chairs facing the front lecture platform. There were about 20 people present: 14 Chinese and 6 American plus the Chinese interpreter. There was a simultaneous feed from California where a similar group was gathered. A rather sophisticated electronic setup enabled the cross continent connection via computer. A couple up front seemed to be instant messaging with others at the California site and managing the connection (there were a few technical glitches during the session). The teacher/lecturer was at the California locale, although he is usually in Vienna. The lecture was in Chinese but a translator at the Vienna site would translate what was being said for the benefit of those who did not understand Chinese. The translator was also being heard by those in California. The lecture was a couple of hours in length, going into great detail of each line and even word of chapters 54 - 58 of the Tao Te Ching. There was a break about half way through, during which snacks were available. There was time for questions and answers - some came from our group in Vienna, some from those in California. It seemed the session would just go on and on, so after about two or three hours I took my leave, having gotten an idea of what they do here. |
| Created by Laura Ellen Shulman |
Last updated: October 24, 2008
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