The Journey of a Thousand Miles cont'd...

     California is a bit different than Indiana.  They have some similarities sure but for the most part they are WAY different.  Driving, for one thing is way different.  Liquor stores are open 7 days a week whereas in Indiana they're open 6 days.  The one major difference though is that due to the population and location of California, there are many more spiritual seekers here.  This put me at an advantage.  I maintained a die hard Christian belief until Fall 2006.  I began asking a lot of questions that were mostly answered with very grand and broad answers.  This was another stumbling block.  I was tripped up by the lack of real spiritual knowledge that most of the Christian teachers that I met didnt have, which led me back into a phase of self destruction.  I was working on the road at that time.  I found a woman that I was attracted to and we got married after a very short time of courting.  I made the move down to Southern Cali, where I met her originally.  It turned out that we were "in lust not love".  The fighting was almost non stop.  I made the decision to move back to Northern California, where my parents were located at the time.  We also decided to get a divorce.  I was against it but as time progressed I came to realize that it was for the best. 

     My life was still a bit rocky when I met the woman who would become my inspiration.  The woman I love and adore.  I knew within a few phone conversations that I'd end up marrying her.  We actually met while I was working in Nice, CA.  I found her on Myspace.  We started off with emails and then talking on the phone for hours and hours and then finally, I talked her into having dinner with me.  I must have aligned myself with the Tao unknowingly because she really has been a blessing to me.  I stopped working out of town and found a job that was local and after that I signed up for college.  It wasn't much later when that all too famous text message came.  My pocket vibrated.  I pulled out my phone and opened the message that was sent.  It read "I took 3 tests and they all came back positive.  I'm pregnant".  My life flashed before my eyes, and yes it was a very brief flash lol.  It wasn't negative by any means but I knew I needed more money so I quit college and went back on the road.  This was probably a stupid move but then again I don't know because if I hadnt, who knows where I would've ended up?  Life on the road became stressful.  I wasn't on the road very long.  I ended up joining the Carpenter's Union.  It was one rainy day that would start up me back on my journey...

     I was sitting in front of my computer doing the normal you tube surfing when I came across a very interesting video of this man setting a newspaper on fire.  After watching that video I became a junky.  I was watching video after video all the while, rolling my tai chi ball in my hands.  It was fascinating.  I joined an online forum called the tao bums.  I started googling qigong in Sacramento.  I was on fire for this stuff.  I met a few teachers, one of which posts on the tao bums as Hundun.  If you are reading this and in the Sacramento area I highly recommend that you hit him up.  He's a loving and honest master.  He'll also argue with you and say he's not, but he is.  He will do anything and everything to help a fellow seeker.  I studied with Hundun for a very short period.  My job wasn't cutting it so I had to go back out on the road.  I've had many great opportunities to try many things.  I sent an email to Jim McMillan and started training in the Mo Pai.  This really didn't resonate with me.  Santiago, who also posts on the bums, started speaking with me and I started training with him.  Santi and Hundun both have juice.  Again however, there was no "love" in it.  I needed to find a system that I would fall in love with and have no choice but to practice it because without it I'd feel empty.  I didn't find that until I ran into the temple style tai chi system.  I fell head over heels in love and it was time to dive head first into the rabbit hole.