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From
Vogue to Tao By Misha Goussev, September 1999 Previously published in The Wharton Journal (www.whartonjournal.com) |
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Meditation Hall at the temple, Big Indian, NY
Meditation Stupa
Misha at the Chinese Emperor’s Throne (not for very
long) |
My
pre-Wharton vacation plans were rather unusual. Unlike most of my classmates,
who went traveling and exploring the world, I decided to spend some time in
solitude in a Taoist temple in the The decision was made and I was on my way to the place where the world of spirit is reality and the mystical chi energy is pulsating from the earth at this major power spot. It is worth mentioning that the location of the temple has a long history. For many centuries Native American tribes performed sacred rituals on this spot and would never stay over night scared of the contact with the powers of the other worlds. Not surprisingly, I was rather in a deep philosophical mood as I was approaching Big Indian, preparing myself for the time in solitude and away from the worldly temptations. It was raining and, to tell the truth, the closer I was getting to my final destination, the more appealing the idea of being on a hot tropical island was getting to me as an alternative to my current plan. I finally arrived. The doubtful state of mind did not last long, since I soon found out that the temple was full of very beautiful young people (mostly girls) dressed in very exotic clothes. "It is not going to be that bad after all", I thought to myself. I was a little surprised, however, to see this beauty following the way of the Tao in such numbers. The explanation soon followed: Vogue Italy magazine came to the temple to do shootings with the eastern theme for the September's issue. The little heaven did not last long. A few hours later, the Vogue's crew wrapped up their equipment and disappeared just like in the Cinderella's fairy tale, making me wonder whether they ever existed. Next day the fleeting memory of glamour was shattered by the experience by far more tangible and real. A huge black bear came out of the woods to the center of the temple to manifest its presence and to show us who was really in charge here. The contrast was so shocking, that I literally felt numb with awe and admiration for a few minutes. The fear came later. Nothing really dramatic happened afterwards. The bear slowly looked around, and then, without paying any attention to the humans lazily crossed the main field and disappeared in the woods as well. At this point I realized that the time spent here would be nothing like I had experienced before. …So,
what is Tao and what do Taoists teach?
While it is not the purpose of this essay to discuss philosophical
concepts of Taoism in depth, I would like to only say that Tao is very
focused on achieving harmony between one's personal life and the Universe ( While talking to trees and rocks might be a stretch for most MBA students, I probably would not be too much off suggesting that most of us would like the idea of healthy, happy and fulfilling life. And while achieving immortality is not my immediate goal (Wharton MBA is), I certainly wanted to explore and possibly benefit from the many thousand years old spiritual wisdom and tradition. So,
what was it like to be at this temple? Well, it felt just like the Pre-Term,
except there was no beer. The extremely international group of people
presented a vast range of backgrounds: actors (Seinfeld Show), psychologists, doctors, healers, engineers,
writers etc. Classes, which included meditations, exercises and lectures,
started at Taoists pay a lot of attention to the well being of the body in order to achieve the well being of the mind and the soul. These are some Taoists practices I had a chance to study. Healing Love teaches meditation techniques to control and transform various energies in the human body. I am sure that this class would have had a very high bidding price on the Wharton auction, since it has a lot to do with human sexuality. Chi Kung provides a system of exercises for healing and increasing vitality. Tai Chi, probably the most wildly known form of Chinese practice, has many labels: martial art, meditation, dance, exercise etc. In truth it is all of the above. It is beautiful, tranquilizing, soothing, energizing and invigorating in the same time. Some people consider it to be one of the most advanced forms of meditation. From my experience I can say that my Tai Chi moves attract a lot of animals of all kinds (birds, squirrels, rabbits etc.) who come just to watch me. My friend and a famous Russian poet Igor Michalevich-Kaplan wrote this poem about Tai Chi, which I translated: Tai Chi - the movements are precise and calming, The strong arms floating in air of nirvana, And healing wounds, And guarding from the spirits of the dark to play a wicked joke. Yes, youth, still strive To harvest energy for passion - to exist and live, To live so long to see yourself to kneel In front of merciless age and call for final journey… So, what did I take back from all this? I would not call myself a Taoist, neither would I say that I share all Taoist's philosophical concepts, but looking back I can say that the time spent there was the time spent in a different dimension of life. Every single day was charged with adrenaline and joy. The sense of unity with nature and other people took on a different and much more tangible meaning. I felt the life giving power of a healer's touch. I heard incredible first hand stories which you can only find in mythology and science fiction books. I felt humble and small facing the ever-present mystery of creation. I felt the cold breath of eternity and the finite nature of the human life and, as a result, an extremely strong sense of appreciation for the gift of life we all share. ▪ |
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©
Copyright SpiritEye 2003 |
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