Taiwan-Laos 2017
In 2017, I took a spiritual excursion in Taiwan with my mentor and Feng Shui teacher, Dato Joey Yap. We lit incense and tapped into magical meridan spots at the Heavenly Trinity Pagoda, the Sanzhi Seashell Cave, the Temple of 8 Immortals, the Wisdom Temple, the Wealth Temple, and the Yin He Cave. There were 120 people on this spiritual excursion yet we all tuned into our own inner journey. It's really true—you do need to climb the mountaintop to seek and attain enlightenment. Which, at the end of the day, is about finding yourself.
After Taiwan, I went to Laos. From the moment I arrived in Luang Prabang, magic wafted through the air as freely as smoke from incense sticks. I was lucky enough to stay at posh La Residence Phou Vao where I took a Lao cooking class and traveled up the Mekong River on their fancy Long Boat. I released a caged bird at Mount Phusi for my wishes to come true. A senior monk at a local temple blessed me and tied a red string around my wrist (after which he took a call on his cell phone). I climbed steep rocks to the Pak Ou Cave of 4,000 Buddhas. Tossed joss sticks and received answer #14 promising me a lot of success, although a boyfriend or husband seems far away! Mixing with locals at their villages, I bought a hand carved stone Buddha that I wear often as a necklace. At 6:30am 200 monks in saffron robes walked barefoot down the main street of Luang Prabang with rice bowls slung over their shoulders collecting food for the day. I participated in Tak Bat, handing out sticky rice and it was one of the most meaningful ceremonies I participated in. I fed bananas to elephants in the Sonkran Lao New Year parade, shopped at the morning and night markets, and swam in the limestone waters of the Kuang Si Waterfalls. This trip to Taiwan and Laos was about breathing new air; new air of possibilities—of freshness—of people—and new ideas.
My guide, Doua, shared meditation instructions at the Pak Ou Caves:
"Calm your mind. Oh, the Buddha—you are supernatural and can help life and success. Today is a good day. Say (your name). I bring this flower and incense to you. Please help me for a long life, healthy, lucky, success, and to manifest my vision—please." And then you bow with incense three times and leave the incense sticks and flowers.
