17. Return to Chiang Mai

The old monk I gave food to this morning-
in exchange for his merit and blessing

Dear friends and family --

I could begin my story this morning at 5:30 a.m.--waiting in the street to give my alms to the Buddhist’s monks for merit, or yesterday after a session with a master healer--which lead to canceling all my tickets and reservations out of Chiang Mai. Or I could begin on Sunday, or ten years ago, or . . .  three hundred years ago. It’s a big story, one that deserves a controversial  autobiography of my past and present lives.

The young monk
-click to enlarge-

I’ll begin a week ago when I arrived back in Chiang Mai after three weeks touring Cambodia, Vietnam and Laos. I immediately realized how much I love this northern Thailand city, regardless of the heat and smokey haze. I had almost forgotten about the many friendships I had developed with local Thai people--each very happy to see me upon my return. Suddenly a week here seemed too short of time, but I had made a plan--after one week here I was to return to Hanoi for a week. I bought a one-way ticket from Chiang Mai to Bangkok, and a connecting ticket from Bangkok to Hanoi. I had booked my hotel in Hanoi, a four day side trip up into the mountains of Sapa, and arranged the new dates of my return ticket to San Francisco--from Hanoi instead of Bangkok. I had given notice on my apartment and bought a bigger suitcase to bring gifts back to the US and had many things packed. 

Sunday afternoon I met with my good friend Mark, who had just returned from Kathmandu visiting Rinpoche Master Tanpai, whom he occasionally assists. I felt a bit disappointed that I would miss the Masters visit to Chiang Mai, next week. As Mark was leaving, another friend Renee dropped by. She told me about another Master and she arranged that I meet with him at ten a.m. Monday, yesterday, morning.

The healing with 108 Masters behind

The master is young, under forty, and doesn’t speak English. He is assisted by a translator, a beautiful woman named Pong, whom he had previously healed of an incurable neurological disability. I told him that I had an issue with my gut--that I believed the issue wasn’t be resolved though diet or exercise. There is a back-story that I will only briefly mention. Ten years ago I had an extreme reaction to some man--so extreme that my mind considered unrealistic means of revenge. In order to give it reference I went into a dream vision. I saw us both as 17th century officers in the French Foreign Legion. I was married and had to leave on a mission to Morocco. When I returned, this man, my best friend, had taken my wife. I confronted him and he stabbed me in the gut with a knife, at a particular point. I died.

Chiang Mai temple - Sunday night

Yesterday I was in a back room with this Master. Pong later told me that he is the current master in a lineage that goes back 2000 years. One of the first things he tells me is that he is seeing a knife in my gut--in the exact same place it went into me in my dream ten years before. He was able to shrink the knife down to a pin--but he went on to tell me that a dark energy had entered into this wound and held the space (filled my gut). He, without knowing the 17th century dream, said the knife reminded me that love relationships with women get me killed--to avoid them. If this sounds wild—it is all true and yes, a bit mind blowing. By this time he was more than willing to proceed with the healing. I could finally stop being a monk.

I met with him again last night for a more intense session, and was out in the street this morning asking for merit with the monks so this energy in my gut will completely dissolve. It also is a recognition that the monks and I have very separate missions.

My novel 

This morning at ten I was back with the Master and involved in another remarkable, quite rich and sacred feeling, healing session. I wished I could have video taped the ceremony, which included a lot of prayer, incense, rubbing blessed water on my stomach, and both of us eating a special leaf. My novel Shambala was blessed in a long ceremony, and is supported by 108 Masters, and the countless generations of Masters behind them, and now recognized in the higher Buddhist realms as a book that means no harm to anyone and will bring inspiration to a great many people around the world. My gut issue apparently is nearly healed, the sword no longer there.  He would not take a donation after nearly two hours--saying that I am now a member of his family and can come and hang out any time, but would need no more healing. (insert happy face)

All the changing of tickets and reservations went smooth and easy--the gal at my hotel was glad that I was staying, another month. So here I am, happy and relieved, healed, feeling blessed and supported and loved--excited with whatever is around the next corner, with what each new day will bring. 

Dancing Thai feet

What began as a two month trip will soon 

be into the sixth month. My life has changed in so many unexpected ways--I am grateful for these life experiences and for you as my audience; friends and family to share my journey with. It’s all good and so it continues.

With love and blessings,

David Dakan Allison

girls waiting to dance