New Year 2013
(January 2013)
Dear Living Tao friends, Happy New Year 2013!
During the holidays, finally being able to settle at home with Suzanne for the past month has given me time and leisure to replenish, reflect, and to look forward to the future. Here are some of my thoughts to share:
After Alan Watts’ passing in 1973, and the convening of the Lan Ting Institute in the summer of 1975 on the S.S. Vallejo (the houseboat where Alan lived and the office of his Society of Comparative Philosophies), the idea of forming a collective was born. With this idea, a group of faithful students who wished to continue learning with me and keep the network together began to organize seminars around the country (New York, Hawaii, Taos, and New Mexico). Ultimately, in 1978, we launched the official Living Tao Foundation with a celebration called “Butterfly Dream” in Toronto at the Convocation Hall, with special guests Paul Horn, John Blofeld and James Broughton (see the August 28, 1978 review attached and on our website).
Much “Living Tao” water has flowed under the bridge of time since then with our continuing evolvement through change, transformation, and metamorphosis.
This past year especially, has poignantly marked the passing of several of our elders who had been so integral in our Living Tao family history. I wish to share with you our sense of loss and deep appreciation for Madelyn Maloney and Doris Green; two of our most beloved “tutus” who helped organized the annual pre-Thanksgiving, Morro Bay seminars.
Just last week, we heard of Barbara Duke’s passing. Barbara began her journey with Living Tao on Alan Watts’ houseboat in the summer of 1975. She was with us many times in Hawaii and Taos, and helped to organize Bay Area seminars, as well. We will miss all our special elders and keep them alive in our hearts always.
We not only cherish the memories of those we have lost this year, but those who have gone before. Among them: Josephine Landor, Jayne Jones, Laura Huxley, Max Groebly, Roseann Millan, Dora Bornstein, Frances Tidd, and Myra Smith. And, importantly, we must also remember all our living elders, who because of age and physical disability are no longer able to participate in person as before. They include: Riri Lillig, Anne Marie Aebi, Sheila and Ernest Cromwell, Ursula Groebly, Claudia Legler, Janet Goodridge, among others. And, we still hope to see them returning occasionally, as long as they can manage. I especially wish to honor their years of dedicated participation in keeping our Living Tao seminars vibrant and thriving. We send them ALL much LOVING appreciation and Joyful CHI-eers!
This year 2013, we will experience the transformation of the “Water Dragon” into “Water Serpent” on February 10th in the Chinese Lunar Year 4710 Calendar. Both “Water” and “Serpent” are symbolic metaphors of Flow, Fluidity, and Flexibility with transformative adaptability. Change is the only Constant. Metamorphosis can be shocking and astounding for those who are not prepared for the inevitable. In clear personal awareness, the way the serpent sheds its skin to be renewed, is a good example to follow. To shed old skins, the established personae, we are learning to welcome change to experience “Rebirth into a New Life”, as the natural order Li 理 – the organic pattern of the universal wisdom. Unlike the way Western Lore depicts the Serpent as the devil’s representative, a feared and deceitful tempter, the Chinese view this silvery creature, who has meditated deep in the sacred mountains for millennia to gain full potentiality, and is a beneficent symbol of wisdom, intuition, attraction, intelligence and mysticism.
We are acknowledging the inevitable shift of “What had been” to “What Is” and “What Will Be”, as the Living Tao Family network continues to change and transform, and continue its evolving metamorphosis. In the months ahead, our member Newsletters will invite you to share in a dialogue with a team of sustaining Core members of Living Tao on how to envision new possibilities for future programming to sustain our foundation. We look forward to your thoughts and participation.
In the meantime, I wish you ALL a very bright New Year ahead, full of Joy and potentials to be realized.
Warmest Greetings full of CHI-eers!
Chungliang
