Advance Training, PanGu Retreat Center, California

December 30 to January 2, 2010.

by George Iber 

The advance training program provided by Master Ou at the PanGu retreat center over the New Year exemplified the best energy.   An older use of the word “advance” means to raise up, and Master Ou provided the training to raise up each participant according to their needs and desires.  There was insightful lecturing, creative singing, and delicious food.  Somehow even ordinary white rice has a unique taste when cooked by Mandy and Master Ou.  If, a few years ago, a fortune teller had told me that we would be standing on Master Ou’s back porch, Chinese, Americans, Canadians, Mexicans, Indians, young and old, watching the full moon rise to greet 2010, I would have just smiled; but indeed how life has changed.  The feelings of unity and the image of the full golden moon rising on New Years’ eve above Mt. Diablo provided a wonderful image of inspiration.  Interestingly, the December 31 full moon was the unique “blue moon,” defined as the second of two full moons in a month.  The next time that a blue moon will occur in the United States on December 31 will be in 2028, and it will be a full lunar eclipse. 

One principle theme from Master Ou’s lectures was the message to improve our heart-soul; our two hearts, the physical and the spiritual, that are intimately connected.  Master Ou said that in ancient times the Chinese character for heart and soul was the same, there seems great wisdom in that.  We need to only feel our heart center to know why there is such good and difficulty in the world.  By cultivate the good, our hearts become more at ease. Many of us felt a cool heat sensation in our heart center while Master Ou spoke.  It is said that Qi follows attention, and with so much attention on the subject, certainly there was much qi flowing to our hearts.  Indeed, there was hardly a dry eye when, at the close of the training, Master Ou asked how we all felt. 

Additionally, we can add the following to all that we were being "taught”: how to cook, how to prepare dumplings, how to eat, how to be respectful to others, how to live with strangers, how to sing Cantonese, how to listen, how to deeply practice Shengong, how to love, and how to know PanGu; clearly all high goals for the New Year. 

Sincere thanks to all who attended, from near and far, who shared their kind hearts.  Such love and generosity exemplified by Master Ou, Mandy, and Olivia to share their home and a few days of their life with us was the best New Year that we could have.  Thanks to Olivia, Jessica, and Angel who allowed their rooms to be turned into dormitories.  More than ever, it feels we are a Pangu family. My recommendation, attend one of these advanced trainings whenever you are able.