Let’s Heal the World: Part II

In Part I of this three-part article I wrote about my training in the mountains of South Korea and the opportunity to learn ancient Korean Taoist wellness methods that have been passed from generation to generation for well over six thousands years. Being the first African-American to be accepted into this very old and close-knit Taoist community in recent times has allowed me to become very close to many of the Korean masters who now practice in America.

The reason I wrote “in recent times” is because ancient Africans played a major role in the development of the Taoist philosophy. A reference is made in Runoko Rashidi and Ivan Van Sertima’s outstanding historical text: African Presence in Early Asia of Tieguai, one of the nine immortals of Taoism. There's a wonderful picture of this accomplished martial artist, known in his time as the Iron-Staff Immortal, in the book - taken from hand painted silk dating back to thirteenth century China’s Golden Age during the Yuan Dynasty. This picture of Tieguai leaves no doubt about his African heritage.

One of the Korean masters that became a close friend is master Sung Ho Cha. I helped master Cha get his green card so he could remain in America to practice his healing art and raise a family. His first son’s American name is Anthony – given in gratitude for my support. This past October master Cha came to New York to help my wife and I open our Harlem Ki Energy Center, and assist at the Ki center exhibit during the October New Life Wellness Expo weekend at Manhattan’s Hotel New Yorker.

At the New Life Expo master Cha introduced me to master James Min, a Korean wellness practitioner he worked with in California. Master Min was recruiting wellness masters, doctors and practitioners - both national and international - to serve as the foundation of a program he developed called: Let’s Heal the World. After learning the concept and philosophy of the program I agreed to be the East Coast representative for the Let’s Heal the World program (LHTW) www.letshealtheworld.com/artwar.

The LHTW concept is very timely. It addresses two major factors in our current and future quality of life strategies: health and finances. The LHTW wellness site hasn't officially launched yet, it will be ready by late spring or early summer, but you can visit it now. The site will provide information and products that have been used for thousands of years. It will provide information on ways to help yourself and others. You can visit my blog at www.theartofwarogers to read part-one of this article. I'm also pushing to have my book, Reflections on Self-Empowerment by an Urban Taoist Ki Master available by Kwanzaa.

As we move into the final stages of the current universal energy shifts (see part I) stress reduction and internal balance will be necessary factors to stay on the positive side of the selective forces of the “mind of the universe” by 2012.