West Meets East©

By Caroline Patrick


Between Two Worlds, Part IV

The scenic beauty of Taiwan stimulated the artist in me as our two tour buses traveled around the lush, productive island. I photographed everything of interest for future paintings and art workshops. The important location of Taiwan has always been of interest to invaders since it is so near China and has been occupied by other countries throughout its history, more recently the Dutch and Japanese. These influences could be seen in the architecture of buildings, plants, churches, temples and native people’s features. As the days passed, the camaraderie of our Feng Shui group took on a spiritual Chi, which can’t be explained but only witnessed. Even our tour guide, Tony, surrendered to our dedication and passion for learning everything we could about Feng Shui. His perfection with scheduling soon dissipated, and he quickly understood where our priorities fell. If Professor Lin wanted to stop and see his friend, the Governor of Taichung, the bus detoured to the government building. Television cameras recorded the unplanned event for the evening news. We learned flexibility. Flexibility is truly where magic lives. Embracing this Wood Element quality allows the spirit and body freedom to bend and flow without “breaking.” Illness is avoided and fear takes a back seat. You grow in wisdom and vitality. Each day held adventure, Feng Shui on-site education, laughter, tears of joy and, at the end of the day, five-star hotels!

We continued up and down the coasts, visited museums and temples, sailed aboard a large boat on Sun Moon Lake, saw historical sites, tasted tea at Luyeh Tea Garden, toured the ruins of the Neolithic Age, experienced Kenting National Park, went site-seeing at Siaoyeliou and Sansiantai, tasted exquisite foods, shopped at night markets, enjoyed performances of local Indian tribes and experienced the healing mineral baths high in the mountains.

While some students took precise notes of places and things, I wandered off with my camera, “seeing” things in a different way. Many Taiwanese were bilingual, but I am not gifted in the art of languages. Sign language was my main communication, and I innocently enjoyed bartering for trinkets and gifts, but learned this custom wasn’t as popular in Taiwan as in China.

I soon found my limits of communication when trying to make a hot deal! The year of the Fire Pig was coming quickly, but I was looking for jade tigers, horses and other zodiac animals instead of the Pig as I shopped Snake Alley, a famous area, where snakes are actually cooked as a special addition to the cuisine. I had difficulty finding the other little charms. A very diligent woman merchant kept close watch over her merchandise as I looked for the special totems. She persistently insisted I needed a pig and poked several of the little pudgy creatures in my face. “No,” I said over and over, pushing her hands away, continuing my search for tigers and horses. It was evident she had an overabundance of pigs and I was just the perfect tourist to unload her wares. Finally I was able to secure a few tigers and horses, some miniature gourds on red string, pocket Baguas with the I-Ching symbols, and some Chinese coins woven together, all symbols of good luck, fortune and protection, great little gifts and giveaways for friends and clients.

Ready to make the purchase, I put on my serious, “I don’t really know if I want these items” face and proceeded to barter. Quickly I found this tiny person could care less about my deal and wanted the items put back on the table…. Pronto! Seeing I was only getting into trouble with a local on her territory and could have landed in her city jail, I agreed to her cost, as it was very affordable to start with, but from the beginning, I was assuming barter was the customary procedure. I promptly smiled and began laughing at her feisty attitude, while acknowledging out loud, “You are good, you are very good!” She replied with a frown, and realized I received very little change for my paper money. Suddenly, out of the blue, I leaned over and gave her a big hug, and instantly she stiffened like a board. Her little body felt like a metal pole in my arms. Next and without thought, I found myself pushing her body at arm’s length looking deeply into her eyes and then just as quickly pulled her body to me a second time, trying to get a response. My affectionate approach did not melt my “new friend’s” heart. I bid her farewell and rushed to catch up with a friend who had long ago tired of my attempts to make a new friend and was shopping at the end of the alley. Several minutes went by when suddenly I jumped sideways to keep out of the path of a woman on a bicycle yelling at me. Holding my arms upward as if I was expecting a hold-up, the same little old lady dismounted her two-wheeler. I quickly shouted, “I didn’t steal anything!” Her tiny fists opened and two small rosewood animals appeared. She took my hands and forcefully placed the tokens in my palms, motioning that they were a gift for me. A huge smile came from her lips, “You good” the lady countered, bending up and down, up and down in a greeting bow. We laughed with one another in mutual understanding and admiration of how tough it is for women throughout the world in retail. I stared as she rode quickly back to her “store” to keep vigil.

The world is very small, and it gets smaller each day. This is one story among many I will treasure and hold dear. Meeting the people of other nations with mutual human needs gives me pleasure. I may not be a good note taker, but I value each trip with His Holiness Grandmaster Lin Yun, as there is a surprise around every corner. Soon I hope to journal and share many more of these experiences in a book called Between Two Worlds.

I will be coming to Benicia May 1st through the 9th to teach and to give a FREE talk, “PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE HOUSES THAT TALK ABOUT YOU,” at "A Faerytale" on First Street. in Benicia, on Tuesday evening May 1sts. Mini-consultations for a fee will be given on the 2nd all day, but you must sign up for the talk or appointment at.707-745-2024. Please call me if for an on-site consultation for the following week, 360-424-1501.

Caroline Patrick, Feng Shui consultant/practitioner, teacher/speaker, Feng Shui artist and writer, lives in the San Juan Islands, off the coast of Washington. Her current scheduled classes, private mentoring and workshops are posted on www.moongateschool.com. She will be coming to Berkeley and Benicia California the first of May 2007 to give a workshop and is available for consultations. Please email for information and availability.

Any suggestions given in this column are only for entertainment. Please contact your physician for any medical or herbal advice or diagnosis. Caroline Patrick is not responsible for any misuse of her advice or suggestions.

Caroline Patrick Caroline's Feng Shui Concepts Mt. Vernon, WA 360-424-1501

caroline@fengshuiartistry.com www.fengshuiartistry.com www.moongateschool.com