The Dragon's Head Blog: A richness of experience

The Grand Opening in 2007 was my first visit to the International Centre, near Orangeville. With a broken kneecap (due to a fall in a workshop a few weeks earlier), my leg fixed in a cast, it was still an amazing experience. Meeting all these people from around the world, watching and taking part in the preparations where possible, soaking in all the colors, the sounds, the stories of this amazing place, experiencing how doing the tai chi sitting has so many benefits. It was the start of an ongoing journey.

Visiting in the wintertime for FLK workshops and Lantern Festival, Health Recovery and CIT weeks during summer and in 2011 volunteering for four months. That was life changing: experiencing and being able to apply right away brought finally the peace I even was not aware of that I was looking for it. Getting up early to help open the temples, chanting together, helping out at the reception, exploring the grounds and going on the Bruce Trail, into the woods, doing a lot of tai chi on the deck together with the other volunteers, joining in classes, having fun with drumming, meeting participants of workshops, welcoming visitors and on my days off to D’Arcy to help out there, joining the classes of Tony and Andrew and exploring the city of Toronto.

It’s the place and the people coming together in Orangeville that brings such a richness of experience, an awareness, a sharing. I am very grateful that Master Moy and all the people who support our community make it possible to experience what life has to offer, to become aware of your original nature and to help to make the world a better place, wherever you are.

Jacky van den Boom, The Netherlands

Please send your stories and reflections on the expansion of the International Centre with the Three Religions Temple, The Hall of the Original Constellations (Dao Mo), the Memorial Hall, the Quiet Cultivation Centre practice hall, and the Meditation Suites to blog@taoist.org. They may be used on the Tiger’s Mouth blog and in other publicity and promotional material.