Taoist Tai Chi event revisits Thompson’s media art tour of the Philippines, including an outbreak of civil war in Mindanao.
At Victoria’s 2016 Taoist Tai Chi dinner, Thompson spoke of his 2005 trip to the Philippines, 8 media art shows sponsored by the Canadian Embassy in Manila. Check-out the online version of the show at http://medicine-wheel.co/.
The talk outlined Thompson’s adventure in the Philippines during an out-break of civil war in 2005. On Valentine’s Day 2005, at the start of a planned inter-cultural exchange sponsored by the Canadian Embassy in Manila, one of several bombs were detonated two blocks from Thompson’s hotel room. The bombings were what rebel group “Abu Sayyaf” called retribution for government assaults in the southern Philippines, a flash point of resistance since Spanish colonial efforts in the 1500s. In the bombings, 11 people were killed and 160 injured.
The tour, which was accompanied by Canadian ambassador Peter Sutherland, proceeded through the island of Mindanao with a military escort. Presentations were given at the Regional Education Learning Centre in Cotabato, the University of the Philippines in Davao and the Western Mindanao State University in Zamboanga. The installation and artist talk was also presented on Busuanga Island at the Darayonan Centre of Coron and on Palawan Island at the Kamarikutan Gallery in Puerto Princessa. On the island of Luzon, the NSEW interactive video was presented in Manila at the Ateneo de Manila University Art Gallery and in Baguio at the Tamawan Village Art Gallery. The purpose of the dinner was to raise funds for the Victoria Branch of the Fung Loy Kok Institute of Taoism were daily classes of Taoist Tai Chi are offered.
Taoist Tai Chi Arts in Canada
In 1970, Master Moy Lin-Shin arrived in Canada with the goal of making the Taoist Arts he learned growing up in China and Hong Kong available to all who wished to benefit from them. For Master Moy, making these benefits available to all, regardless of background or belief system, was his life’s work. Taoist Tai Chi® arts are founded upon a rich tradition of Taoist training. They are intended to return both body and mind to their original nature. According to Taoist teachings body and mind cannot be separated. Each step in the training is intended to help the mind return to stillness, clarity and wisdom, and the body to a balanced, relaxed and healthy state. Taoist Tai Chi® arts are distinguished at the physical level by stretching, full range of motion and the continuous turning of the waist and spine. The movements exercise the whole physiology; including the tendons, joints, connective tissue and internal organs.
SHERRY PAINTS 