The journey in Taiwan came and went with incredible grace
and speed. One moment we were shredding the southern coast, and the next we
were on a hasty mission to find a “couch surfing” host in the cities. We lucked
out meeting a wonderful brother in Kaohsiung. Nicholas grew up in Taiwan and
was open for any adventure that we pleased.
A psychic once told me she saw me
working with metal of some sort over an open fire. I could only imagine I was
making swords, so I found one of the world’s greatest sword makers in Taiwan, Master
Kuo Chang-hsi. He forged the “Green Destiny” blade from the movie “Crouching
Tiger, Hidden Dragon.” Some of his blades sell for up to $250,000! He is
looking for an apprentice to teach and pass all of his knowledge to. This was
at the top of my list for missions while in Taiwan: to forge or not to forge?
That was the question.
Another point of interest for me
was the Fo Guang Shan Monastery. I
had heard of the great Buddah statue that was built here, but more importantly,
I read that many monks stayed at this monastery, practicing martial arts and living a life of prayer/service. I later found out, that there is an underground museum under the statue containing relics of the Buddah, including his finger bones.
Nicholas loaded us in his car and we adventured for the day. Blessed we were to visit Master Kuo’s museum, seeing many of the greatest swords and weapons ever made. Jai Te Gung. Hail to the sword. Excalibur, the sword of Archangel Michael. I dig swords; I wore one around my neck for a while. I have been reading “The Ringing Cedars Series” and learning about Anastasia’s teachings (a wonderfully connected forest fairy in Russia). Reading these novels has penetrated my core of my being and questioned existence even deeper. As a result, my visit to this museum was a bit different than expected.
I could feel the swords. They were used to slay people in battle. I was observing these beautiful pieces of art (some thousands of years old) that were used in battle. Surprisingly, I felt disturbed with my fascination for swords. I saw a beautiful drum and realized that I prefer to make a musical instrument, or sing, or plant a tree.
The cashier told us where Kuo’s
workshop is, and we made our way there with haste. A small, simple
blacksmithing shop on an ocean harbor is the home to one of the world’s
greatest metal workers. Griff and I browsed through a collection of blades,
ranging from sushi knives to machetes. Eventually we decided on a Damascus
steel knife that can serve as an everyday outdoorsman knife. Beautiful hardwood
handle, sharp edge, swirling patterns on the steel, and of course, Master Kuo’s
signature.
Fo Guang Shan is an epic monastery.
Massive. Delightful. Sadly, it is crowded and filled with tourists and
overpriced food. The museum is worth a check out, as is the 4D movie on
Buddha’s life (the 4th D is a shower of paper flowers towards the
end of the film). Of course the 108-meter tall Buddha statue is pretty fantastic, as was the
amazing firework display for the Chinese New Year, but the touristy vibe made
me feel like I was in the Disney land of temples.
After our visit to the city, we
escaped to the Alishan Mountains. Epic. Next to the Redwoods and sequoias, the
Red Cypress trees on Alishan are the biggest trees I have ever seen. Some date
back over 2000 years old, and many are over 1000. Hanging in our hammocks in
the forest of these wise old beings was truly a blessing. It was like being
surrounded by many grandfathers who are salivating to share their wisdom with
you.
It literally freezing where we
slept (there was frost on the ground). I put on every layer I have, curled in a
fetal position, and hoped for the best. At 4:30 am I could not take it anymore.
I was freezing and a massive gong/bell was being sounded in a temple near to
us. Wrapped up like a shepherd of the mountain, I ran to the temple. I tried
every way to get in that tem-
ple, even through the windows! The monks kept it
locked down tight during this period of the morning it seemed. Hugging a few
trees, singing to the stars, and following my heart I stumbled upon a group of
3 women monks performing their morning rituals. Sitting outside of their room,
I was embraced by the sounds of their singing bowls, drums, bells and
harmonious voices. Instantly I was taken to ecstasy. Wahe Guru! Forgetting the
cold, I longed for a simple life on top of the mountain again. One where I
could wake up to an array of musical instruments in front of me and play to my
hearts desire. Something about the air on this mountain was so intoxicating.
Like being in the Himalayan Mountains with old Rishis. My heart blossoming like
a lotus flower and soul recharged with the purity of ancient mantra and pure
sound current, thank you!
As the sun rose over Mt. Yushan
(12,996’), birds sang with joy, frost began to melt, and the famous “sea of
clouds” churned in the valleys below. A morning filled with hot tea, delicious
millet pancakes, and hiking through the forest kick started our final day in
Taiwan. O yea...and a beautiful Ukulele/Mantra Jam Sesh in the woods. Lines and Lines of tourists lined up to snag their picture with the bearded man in the woods! If I was smart, I would have put out a can and made a few bucks! Check it out: http://youtu.be/yFJNcZqC19g
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