China is a very ancient civilization that is rich and diverse in history, culture, arts, food, philosophy and religion. According to the American Historical Association, China has the longest continuous history of any country in the world—3,500 years of written history. Consequently, there is a plethora of material to discuss or write about. Join me today as I write about one of China’s gem- Xi’an ( Western Peace) or what was once known as Chang’an ( Eternal Peace). Xi’an is one of the four oldest cities in China and is known for being the starting point of the well-known Silk Road as well as being the home of the Terracotta Army of Emperor Qin Shi Huang. This emperor was known for many things but one interesting thing is his relentless search for the elixir of immortality. Interestingly enough, one of the local religions of this city is Taoism. Taoism is a philosophy and religion of having oneness with the Universe.
Taoist monks and practitioner have a profound understanding of the Universe, Nature and the Cosmic Energy of the Universe. They strive to live in harmony with the Universe and find means to achieve longevity or even immortality. Tao is known as the way or the path. However, it is much more profound than that and is sometimes described as the underlying force or energy in the Universe. Some even call it even Source, Cosmos or God. The Taoist Monk or practitioners strive for perfection of health and harmony through breath work, proper nutrition, drinking certain elixirs,practicing certain exercises and meditation.
These past four days have been quite busy for me. It was filled with bitter and sweet moments and memories. Last Friday I attended the memorial service of my dearly beloved Aunty Vicky. She was one of my favorite aunts. I practically grew up at her house during my early childhood. She and my mom go way back and have much history together. They have shared many of life’s precious moments together and have had their fair share of bitter and sweet memories. Through the challenges of life, my mom and Aunty Vicky swore to be blood sisters forever and that they were. Despite their differences, their love and commitment to each other and family span six decades.
Depression is a debilitating illness that afflicts about 5 % of the population or 350 million people worldwide. Although some degree of depression every now and then is normal, severe depression can be quite crippling and if untreated can lead an individual to committing suicide.
Who would have imagined that I would one day become a writer, author and blogger. It was about four years ago that my friends encouraged me to write. I didn’t take them seriously at first but decided to write for fun. As I wrote, I began to magically transform from a mild mannered introverted Clark Kent into something extraordinary. I never felt so alive in my life as I did when I wrote. Then one day I dared to imagine myself being a writer and author despite the odds against me. I just surrendered to the process and the rest is history.
Ego is not a welcomed guest in the house of the spiritual masters. It prevents us from finding our true self and keeps us trapped in the world of illusion. Some may ask if it is possible not to have an ego because if we didn’t have one, we would be able to manifest more miraculous things in our lives. Unfortunately, when we were given our life, our ego was part of the package deal.