NEGATIVITY OR CREATIVITY?

"Some changes look negative on the surface but you will soon realize that space is being created in your life for something new to emerge." -Eckehart Tolle.

In a situation where, figuratively speaking, my life hangs in the balance, the sayings of E.Tolle become particularly relevant and insightful. I have now come to appreciate many of his sayings as well as those from other sages much more in context. They provide me with tranquility and courage to deal with my surreally challenging personal problems.

Two years have gone by since my life was put on hold, and I have been living in limbo, in every sense of the word. I had dreams that were broken, plans destroyed, and hopes dashed. However, my spirit has not been broken. If anything, I have discovered a spiritual realm which I would not have found a merely two years ago.

The spiritual teachings of E. Tolle took on new meaning recently when I was invited to speak and attend an inspiring workshop which explored alternative ways of helping conservation of big cats. This taps into the vast reservoir of ancient spiritual wisdom of our ancestors.

Even in not too distant past, tigers were worshipped in Chinese culture as gods, much like tigers in India as well as White Lions in Africa. It was only with the onset of modern weaponry that the mysterious powers of the tigers were challenged and destroyed. What followed was the rapid demise of tigers in China. Parallel exist for almost all big predators around the world.  It may not be possible at all to restore the suitable historical status the big predators once occupied in our society, but if we don't try in every way we can, we would lose these magical and mysterious symbols of the wild even faster.

Many big predators were once worshipped as gods and regarded as sacred. They protected our lands and waters. Their disappearance happened hand in hand with the destruction of nature. If we don't act now, WHEN should we act?? If we don't do anything about it, WHO should do anything about it?

Although I have lost physical contacts with the Chinese tigers I rewilded and bred during ten years of my work, my mission in wildlife conservation appears not only not yet finished but has become wider and even more important, as I have been invited to speak at and become part of a larger group of inspiring people with the same goals of saving the sacred big cats and their ancestral lands from destruction. I feel very privileged to have been able to exchange and learn at various workshops & conferences in the last two years, which infuse our new charity China Tiger Revival with new energy and identity.

Well, in Chinese tiger symbolism, we say “Riding the tiger, one can not get off”.

Isn’t this one of these spaces created from negativity?

"When I let go of what I am, I become what I might be." Said Laozi.

Out of Africa-Chinese Government Announces Chinese Tigers to Go Home

Global Times* | Huang Jingjing 
Published on August 17, 2014 19:28

A controversial African "rewilding" project, engineered to save the South China wild tiger from certain extinction, may finally be about to bare its teeth. Three tigers, sent to the African wilderness, are finally expected to return home after a decade, along with their 15 surviving offspring.

"As early as the end of this year," Fu Wenyuan, director of the Meihuashan South China Tiger Breeding and Research Center in Longyan, Fujian Province, told the Guangzhou Daily about the tigers' planned timetable.

It was about 10 years ago that China's State Forestry Administration (SFA) agreed to a proposal to raise cubs in South Africa's Laohu ("Tiger") Valley Reserve, where it was hoped that wild tigers could not only be protected but "rewilded" - reared for release back into their natural habitat.

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COMMENT:
I am lost for words reading this article. When I initiated the effort to save the Chinese tigers in 1999, little did I expect the tremendous challenges along the way. I lost complete access to these tigers that I took from China, re-rewilded and bred since August 2012. I so look forward to seeing them again when they return to China. They are like the children I have never had. I pray for their safe return to their homeland, where their ancestors have lived for two million years.

*The Global Times is a Chinese daily in both English and Chinese under the auspices of the Chinese government People's Daily newspaper, focusing on international issues.

REVELATIONS

“Our father, who art in heaven, hollowed by thy name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptations, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory, for ever and ever. “

This was read at the mass conducted by the Priest Vicar of Westminster Abbey by Reverend Dominic Fenton yesterday. I was touched by his sober sermon discussing the sad state of the world -troubles in the Middle East, North Africa, and Central Europe.

These were of course the most noticeable of troubles however. There is much other turmoil around the world that goes on unreported. Wildlife is being decimated and nature depleted, for example.  I am very pleased that someone, such as the Reverend Fenton, is bringing our attentions to these issues in such public gatherings as most of us are simply caught up in our own little world of worries and problems. I myself, am one of these people. My life has changed dramatically since two years ago when I filed for divorce, and my energy is mostly spent on fending for my survival to be able to engage in world issues at large.  This, however, is not an excuse to be indifferent to what’s going on elsewhere as a citizen of planet earth.

Events took a sinister turn for me two years ago. As a result I lost complete access to the charity and the South China tiger project that I conceived, established, implemented and ran for over ten years. But the positive side of that is I now have the luxury of time and what’s more, liberty, to pursue other interests. I started making regular visits to the many beautiful churches and cathedrals in London, particularly in my neighbourhood of City and Shoreditch, the true heart of historical London.

Although not born into any religion (on the contrary in fact), I have always liked visiting churches, cathedrals & monasteries.  Many of those I had the opportunity to attend while living in Italy are not just breathtakingly beautiful, culturally enriching, but spiritually enhancing.

The calming influence the ecclesiastical institutions provide has often given me strength and clarity at these trying times of extreme uncertainty and challenges. I feel particularly lucky to be surrounded by these beautiful living monuments that provide services to the local communities. One of the Christopher Wren churches that I am particularly fond of is St. Michael’s Cornhill. This little jewel of a church is almost hidden in the bustling City of banking, making it a precious refuge for those who seek solace and consolation. When its rather majestic organ sounds, it is simply powerful and entrancing.

I can not sing enough praise about the organ concerts held at these London churches which in my humble opinion rival the most wonderful of concert halls in the world. If there is anything that I feel addicted to at present, it got to be these heavenly sounds in such pleasing surroundings. Not too bad a consolation prize though, I’d say.