The Dragon’s Watery Lair: Iguacu Falls

Iguacu Falls in Brazil.& Argentina may be the most powerful fresh water site on the planet – I consider it the Lair of the Black Water Dragon itself. I visited it recently to reconnect with its power in this Dragon Year. The main falls at the top of photo is called The Devil’s Throat. For Jem and I, it felt like a continuation of our journey along the geo-spiritual axis of North & South America. We tapped the Dragon’s flowing water to clear deep ancestral issues. More photos below.

Dear Lovers of Dragon Energy,

We are approaching a new and powerful inflection point in the Year of the Black Water Dragon. November 6 is the mid-point between Fall Equinox and Winter Solstice. The Chinese call it “lidong”, literally the Start of Winter. This is the moment this year’s Water Dragon enters the Water Element, which may trigger a new level of creativity and depth in your experience of this year’s energy.

Coincidentally, Nov. 6 is also the date of the US Presidential election, which adds another dimension of power to this moment. I support the democratic process and urge everyone to vote for their candidate. But ultimately, let’s be aware that whoever gets elected President, they will be controlled by the power of the collective impact of billions of individual “wills”, human and non-human. This flow of “wills” is like an inexorable tide moving the water element.  It is an ancient, welll-established Taoist principle: Nature, not the Emperor, is the ruler of our reality. Taoist adepts in ancient China are famous for refusing to go to the court of the Emperor, an act considered heretical. But Hurricanes like Sandy remind us of who is really in control – the water element, not government, is the “will” of nature.

Reality is a consensus process, even though the power brokers want the masses to believe it is politically controlled from the top. Yes, I’m well aware that the “Central Banksters” of the world who print money to please the politicians appear to be in control of the economy. That’s why if he were on the ballot, I would vote for Libertarian Ron Paul for President – his values are closest to my Taoist values of keeping monetary exchanges “real”, i.e. backed by gold or barter with real goods. Paper money is a cultural construct, and historically every paper currency has eventually been debased out of existence. I’m sure we are eventually headed for that unpleasant reality, and hope everyone protects themselves by acquiring “real or tangible assets” before then.

But any economic drama is a sideshow within the greater reality of Nature and our soul’s destiny within it. This Dragon Year is a turning point for our culture and for each of us individually. Consider re-reading my full analysis from an earlier newsletter, Enjoy Super Creativity: Year of the Male Black Water Dragon (https://healingtaousa.com/cgi-bin/articles.pl?rm=mode2&articleid=150).

2012 as Year of Rebirth for Planet Earth?

Let’s take that analysis a bit further. I accept that the earth is in a major cycle process of re-birthing itself vibrationally, and our choices this year will determine what kind of destiny we will have in the “new earth”. More exactly, our choices may determine which version of earth we will live in. Human beings have multiple”time lines” from which they are constantly choosing from, and are creating new timelines by their choices.

The planet Earth likewise is a Being with multiple time-lines, and this year may be decisive as to which of the planetary timelines you will choose to manifest your destiny in. It’s not too different from choosing which “operating system” you choose for your computer. Will you upgrade, or continue operating on the old OS? How much do you love your old ways of suffering, vs. being willing to accept new and more harmonious Ways of living?

The choice we make depends on how integrated our Energy Body is. That is a fancy way of describing our personality (body-mind)’s alignment with our soul’s destiny. If you live according to your senses only (what you see and hear in the culture), chances are good you are confused by this reality and not very connected to your inner self and its highest destiny. That is the purpose of all methods of spiritual development – to align the personality with the soul. The subtle layers of that – sexual, mental, emotional, psychic, karmic – Taoists call the Energy Body.

That’s why I’m continually urging folks to CULTIVATE themselves using meditation and qigong, or any other modality that suits you best. Take the path to highest love and highest individual freedom. I’m not talking about everyone having the same religious or metaphysical BELIEFS. Cultivation is an action of opening up INNER SPACE and discovering the source of love and virtue within yourself that FUNCTIONALLY empowers you to act in the world.

If you have a lake, stream, ocean beach, or waterfall nearby, it’s an ideal place to do a ceremony capturing the Nov. 6th power of the Start of Winter and mid-point in the Equinox-Solstice cycle. I did many ceremonies at Iguacu Falls (Argentine side shown here). It has 275 waterfalls, the largest complex on earth.

It’s especially powerful to go into your inner space on Nov. 6, as you will be powerfully supported by the cycle of Nature in this year. You can get 10x the power of meditating at other times – the nodal points open portals to huge energy fields. Water Element or Winter season is said to hold a deep clarity and wisdom. Any of the stand alone qigong forms make great ceremonial forms – Primordial Qigong and Deep Healing Qigong,are two of my favorites.

Imagine if you could see all the way to the bottom of a perfectly still ocean, instead of peering into dark, murky and turbulent water. That would be the equivalent of attaining an enlightened relationship with the water element within your own psyche’s Inner Ocean. This requires going into the stillness of early Winter, culminating with Great Yin Darkness of Winter Solstice.

It’s a good time to spend some time outside, feel the cold, let it strengthen your water. Your kidneys are stimulated by cold, as long as it is not excessive. Keep them wrapped with a kidney belt or scarf. Shift to liquid foods like soups and root vegetables that grow underground. Get more sleep, try to lucid dream with Mother Earth. (my course on Taoist Dream Practice might be helpful: https://healingtaousa.com/cgi-bin/prod_list.pl?pclass=06.

I wore my Black Water Dragon T-shirt to facilitate contact with the local Water Dragon spirits…..:)

That’s why I plan my Tai Chi for Enlightened Love (aka Primordial Qigong) workshop at this time of the year. It is a simple and perfect way to cultivate your inner space powerfully. It gathers Qi (chi) from all the directions and heaven above and earth below into your core self. It is a ritual of Cosmic Self-Love. If you haven’t been exposed to this yet, take a few minutes to get a taste of it from my youtube clip: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rIP_ICLWpAs

This seminar on Nov. 17-18 weekend is also the only time I certify practitioners to become Instructors of this form. Anyone who has been practicing from the DVD or other teachers is eligible to apply for certification at this seminar in Ashville, North Carolina. The course is open to the public as well. But space is limited, since the form takes up more space than other qigong forms. For this reason I charge a little more, $185. for the weekend, $125 for review (my students only).

So please register in advance by calling Jan at tt my office (828 505 1444) or email her at Jan Gillespie <healingtaousa@bellsouth.net>. See the full description below, including travel and hotel recommendations. Or visit http://www.taichi-enlightenment.com to get the $29 DVD of this magical form.

Painting of Black Water Dragon by old Dutch Master….

The other course that I plan seasonally (Dec. 8-9) with the deep rooting quality of Water and Winter is my Medical and Spiritual Qigong Fundamentals 3 & 4. This is my version of Iron Shirt, Internal Chi Breathing, and Bone Breathing and Rooting. See that description below, only $144. for the  seminar in Asheville. It is also available as a homestudy course, if Asheville is not convenient. This work opens the dantian (belly center) powerfully, opens up a way to breathe inside your bones and contact your ancestor’s who still live there, right inside your body!

See https://healingtaousa.com/ckf3.html for more information on these “Standing in Stillness” practices.