Onward to Cologne, Germany

[Picture by Aoshi]

Months after representing Malaysia in Counter Strike Source in the Asian Championship Gaming Series 2008 in Wuhan, China, my son joined a‘mixed’team to beat the best in the country and emerged the World Cyber Games national champions in Counter Strike 1.6.

This new team comprising of five experienced but amateur gamers had only trained for a couple of months together, whenever they can online or Lan in cyber cafes. One team member is back on holidays and will fly back to continue his studies in England shortly, while another is in a Singaporean university.

As is the norm for the past few years, I was there to support my son's team when they played in the finals.

He played exceptionally well this time around, single-handedly clutching a few rounds during the finals against last year's champions – Team Hybrid. The first opposing CS 1.6 team to achieve 16 rounds wins.

After the match, two members from Team Hybrid reached over to congratulate him adding that they were happy to lose the finals because of his outstanding performance.

The Malaysian CS 1.6 champions received an increased amount of RM 78,000 in cash and prizes this year – inclusive of desktop computers, airfare to and accommodation in Cologne, Germany. The WCG 2008 grand finals will be held there, early November.

My wife and daughter excitedly asked if we would be flying there too to support him and his team!

Most likely not, I had indicated.

Calling a temporary halt

After writing for more than three years in this blog, it is time to call for a temporary halt.

In the writings, I have touched on several subjects taught by the ancients - the holy sages, Laozi, Confucius and Buddha - and by Daoist heavenly immortals, with the hopes that someone, somewhere in the world, can learn something. To be fair, some did, some didn't.

To me, it is more important that the teachers and the experts understood what has been written; because it is through them that the correct messages are passed on and taught to their students. Their students and those who listen would have a better foundation and grounding than those who are self taught especially in the Zhouyi and neidan (inner alchemy).

Many of the self taught are still floundering, if we happen to visit the various Yi and Daoist forums. Some insist that they know much about the Book of Changes when they do not even recognize the fact that the Yi does not speak to them or other diviners.

Some say my entries on Tao and dual cultivation differ much from their understanding and are therefore wrong. Little do they realized that what have been written were usually crosschecked with my learned Daoist friend of Quanzhen. I have also listened in to teachings, through the planchette and medium(s), by Daoist heavenly immortals and Buddhas over the past fifteen or more years.

However it does not mean that I know much about Tao and/or the Zhouyi, therefore the title for this blog.

The last four months in 2008 can turn very negative for people across the world, not only in the US and Europe. There could be much suffering and panic brought about by a further collapse of stock market(s), sudden seizing up of credit, inflationary pressures, and power-politics.

In the Yi, it is said,

'When heaven and earth are creating in change and transformation, all plants and trees flourish; but when heaven and earth close, the able man withdraws into the dark.'

Take care.

Cheerio!