Dancing “Cycle Song” to remember David Darling
(January 2021)
News of the passing of my dear lifelong friend came only minutes before I was to begin the first of my Winter Zoom seminars on Saturday January 9th. I made a decision to suspend my immediate sad feelings of this tremendous loss to focus on my planned curriculum for the day.
The power of Tao supported me to stay true and centered with my teaching throughout, especially while Tai Ji dancing to David’s music, “Cycle Song”, the first track from the album “Cycles” which came from our decades-long collaboration–inspiring David during his ECM Oslo recording session. I will never forget how excited he was, calling from Oslo forgetting our time difference, waking me up to share his joy of that successful “Wu Wei 無為“ session of the pure bliss of Tao Flow 道流. This music has since become our Tai Ji theme song for all our Tai Ji practices. Dancing to David’s “Cycle Song” while teaching, supported me to balance my mixed emotions, to maintain equilibrium within, blending joy and sadness within the healing Yin/Yang CHI 運氣flow. Another affirmation of the Tai Ji magic for the well-being of Body/Mind/Spirit Unity “身心合一” in all of us.In the following days,while I continued to process my feelings,mourning David’s passing, I began to recall all that had transpired since our very first coming together in that special memorial concert, “Give Peace A Chance” for John Lennon in Boulder, Colorado. David had been the original cellist in the Paul Winter Consort playing the title track of “Icarus” in their breakthrough album produced by George Martin, the very same impresario for The Beatles.
Eugene Friesen was the Consort’s cellist after David’s departure, but he was not available, so David was called back to substitute. As always, during the Winter Consort performances, Paul would give each instrumentalist a solo spot to shine. For the cellist, it was that Bela Bartok piece to take flight.During my months of touring with the Consort, I was secretly itching to get up and dance to that dynamic music,but did not attempt a request, concerned about taking the thunder away from Eugene’s moment of glory.
To my surprise and delight, during our first rehearsal it was David Darling who initiated the possibility of my joining him in that Bartok segment. I was overjoyed and more than happy to dive right in. At the performance that evening, our duet brought down the house with an ovation. Our collaboration made the piece magic—which sealed our mutual comfort zone, and we vowed to continue exploring this magical combination.
From that time forward David and I performed and taught around the world: Esalen Institute in Big Sur; at Omega Institute in New York and in the Caribbean; during Living Tao seminars in Illinois, Oregon, and California; in Europe at Switzerland, Germany’s Black Forest, and Bavarian Schloss Elmau. Other concerts in San Francisco’s Yerba Buena Center, Santa Barbara’s Lobero Theater, Middlebury College in Vermont, The Marsh in Minneapolis, Avanti Consortium in Sedona, Colorado…..culminating at the September 13th, 2013 concert of “The Tao of Bach” at the Krannert Center for the Performing Arts in Champaign-Urbana, Illinois.
David was on hand to play with me at John Denver’s “Choices for the Future”symposium in Aspen for the Windstar Foundation. Heanswered my call to join at my annual collaboration with Joseph Campbell on his birthday (March 26th) week in Big Sur; and years later, together with Paul Horn, for Joe’s Centenary Celebration at Esalen. We also shared the love of Chinese poetry and co-created three albums:”The Tao of Poetry”,“The Zen of Poetry”and“Love Poems of China: Zen and Now”.
I have so many treasured memories of shared moments with David.We weretrue soulmates immersed in Tai Ji Tao Flow…performing on stage and partners in teaching–”following our bliss” for nearly 5 decades. I will miss his physical presence, and I know his spirit and music will continue to be an integral part of my being as performer and teacher—always.
Being typically Chinese, I have always imagined all my beloved ancestral elders (my parents, mentors and kindred friends) riding on the white cranes in Taoist flowing robes, entering that Celestial Realm when they pass on. Joining Alan Watts, Aldous and Laura Huxley, Joseph Campbell and Jean Erdman Campbell, Gregory Bateson, Lama Anagarika Govinda, Huston Smith, George Leonard, Richard Price, Yehudi Menuhin, John Denver, Paul Horn, Jacques Loussier, Lotte Goslar, John Blofeld, Joseph Needham, Huang Kai-loo 黃開禄, Han Suyin 韓素音, Ko Si Chi 柯錫杰, Chen Zhongsen 陳忠森, Ramando Pannikar, Marie-Louise von Franz….. David is in very good company.
I can visualize David now having a Jam session with Paul Horn on flute, Zhongsen with his“Erhu” 二胡 fiddle, John Denver singing with his guitar, and Jacques Loussier on keyboard to improvise Bach, “Moon Reflecting on Twin Pools 二泉映月”, “Inside the Taj Mahal”, perhaps“Take Me Home Country Road” to bring“Sunshine” on ALL their“Shoulders”!!!
