January 2008

Greetings from Thailand! I am writing you from Tao Garden, the Universal Healing Tao Health Spa & Resort, located near Chiang Mai. I am furthering my education as an Instructor, and I've got about a week and a half to go. I've been here for two and a half weeks thus far.

 

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Walkway Outside the Condos, leading to the Tai Chi Field	Tai Chi Field Entrance	The Immortal Tao Meditation Hall

For those who don't know, I've been a Universal Tao Associate Instructor for nine years. Thus far this year, I have certified as a full Instructor as well as in the Inner Smile & Six Healing Sounds Meditations, Microcosmic Orbit, Iron Shirt, and Healing Love. Next week I will test (they say "evaluation," but they mean test) for Tao Yin (a form of yoga) and Tai Chi.

Sound Eastern, hippy-dippy? Sure, but a lot of fun and it has had a definite impact on me becoming the man I am today.

 

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Ben & I at the Tao Garden front gate	Iron Shirt Evaluation	Malee's

I am not here alone. Sarina is here, along with a few of her other students: Andrea, Mel, Jaz, Julie, Eric, and Ben. They call us Team Minnesota. Mostly because that's where all but me hail from, but also a little because of the "Minnesota Nice" we're showin' to everyone. We get together for a study session - everyone's invited; we put together study notes for the tests - enough copies are made and handed out to all our fellow instructor trainees. It doesn't hurt our notoriety that we seem to be passing most all the evaluations thus far. Plus, we're a fun group. If you've been to Minnesota, and especially the Twin Cities area, you already know that.

Half a week later now, (Sunday), and I am in the mountain area of Chiang Dao - about 1½ hours away from Tao Garden! I'm staying at Malee's, a wonderful getaway spot here, with Team Minnesota. Sarina "dragged" us up here with the promise of beauty and fun. I've learned over the last 10 or so years to let Sarina drag me away to such locales. She's usually spot on with her descriptions. Later on, we will be visiting a beautiful Buddhist temple, the Chiang Dao Cave, and a local orphanage. I'm sure somewhere in there we will be clocking some rest time. I hope so; we're all exhausted from the constant studying and stress that comes with taking evaluations.

 

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Chiang Dao Buddhist Temple	Team Minnesota in Chiang Dao	Chiang Dao Cave

 

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Skipping ahead quite a bit: it has been almost a month since I've left Tao Garden. I'm in Apache Junction, Arizona with two weekends of the Arizona Renaissance Festival already under my belt. But, that's not what I want to talk about right now. I am, after all, still on my Thailand story. Things got pretty hectic at the end - and once back here in the States - so, I haven't been able to finish the tale until now.

 

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My Room	Fish Fountain	After Playtime at the Orphanage

Click for Video Tai Chi Evaluation I still need work

Chiang Dao and Malee's were wonderful. I enjoyed trekking through the Cave, but it was a little cold and slickery for my tastes. That, and I bumped my head once or twice. The Buddhist temple was fantastic, but I'd have to say I enjoyed our stop at the orphanage the most. Once they warmed up to us, it was nothing but non-stop play. Fun-fun!

The next two evaluations came and went. I aced the Tao Yin exam, but could not pass the Tai Chi one. I took it a couple times and, though the Senior Instructors evaluating me were happy that I had come so far with the form in such a short time - I'd had no prior training in Tai Chi - it was obvious that my body had not yet mastered and made the moves my own. After seeing the video, I agreed. I'm not horrible, but I'm not poetry in motion either. Not yet.

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Thai Dog	Hydro Colonic = 4 Thumbs Up!

Click for Video Koh Sarng Road in Bangkok

So much happened on my South-Asia sojourn that there is not enough room for words or pictures. Please check the gallery for any shots that will be uploaded there. I made fantastic friends, had wonderful experiences - it was well worth my time, effort, and money spent.

I do have one additional experience that I will share with you. I had my first ever Hydro Colonic. That's right, I actually paid to have someone shove a tube in my butt and fill it with water. And coffee. Yup, they used coffee. See, it is a laxative. Anywho, I had one woman manning the colonic machine while another massaged my belly to make sure everything was moving properly. Well, it moved alright! And quite properly at that! I can now honestly say that my pipes are clean. Wahoo!

Okay, I guess that's enough Thai talk for now. Those of you from the Arizona area, be sure to stop by the Boathouse stage and say hello to your traveling Tortugas. Although we may go all over the world, there's no place quite like these United States. Can I get an "Amen" on that one, please?!

Thank you; I knew that you would.