First ITS NEwsletter
Highlights of this Newsletter:
- We Completed the Purchase of the New Sea Cloud Hall Leeds
- We held a big Opening Celebration Event!
- Laoba launched an Audiobook of Way In: Dao Alchemic Practice
- New Website!
- Chang Ming Receipe and new Chang Ming Book coming soon
- Meet the Student - Margret in Salford and Anna in Manchester
The NEW Sea Cloud Hall Leeds
We've done it!
We have purchased the first Sea Cloud Hall and Taoist Centre of Excellence in England!
Is it an amazing feat that could not have happened without the support of the whole community and without the relentless energy of the Sea Cloud work group, that have helped turn this vision into reality!
In Laoba's 50th year of training, we have successfully completed the purchase of a permanent home for the arts, making sure they will continue for generations to come!
Starting with Chan Kam Lee's first class in the UK in the 1930's, to Chee Soo's incredible talent in teaching the Taoist Arts in the West, to Laoba's relentless energy and connections to the Taoists in China, to where we are today!
To read more about the incredible, nearly century-long journey, read HERE.
Opening Celebration
On Saturday 14th December 2024, we held a Celebration event with great Chang Ming food, Chinese & Herbal tea, music and a raffle!
It was great to see everyone coming together, and bringing their energy into this beautiful space we can call our own!
To get a feeling for the day, read more about it and see some pics and flicks of the day click HERE.
Way In: Dao Alchemic Practice Audiobook
This Spring Laoba Desmond Murray launched his new book,
Way In: Dao Alchemic Practice
An Ancient Way of Living in the Modern World
which became an Amazon no1 bestseller in the Taoism category!
After recording through summer, Laoba launched the Audiobook version at the Sea Cloud launch event. Laoba's voice brings so much depth and we are truly grateful to have this gift for the community and for future generations.
To purchase the Audiobook, you can click HERE.
Sea Cloud Website
Great News!
With the opening of the new Sea Cloud Hall, we are launching a new website:
Sea-Cloud.org
We are in the process of migrating the content of Lishi.org over to the new site.
This is where we will continue to present the Lee Familiy Arts classes, events and educational resources.
Chang Ming Recipe
Of the many arts we practice, Chang Ming is an essential part of the Taoist toolkit. Chang Ming, translated as Long Life, is the practice and science of eating and living harmoniously with nature.
In this issue of the newsletter, Laoma Waiyii will be sharing with us one of her easy-to-make Chang Ming receipes to help with coughs and colds during the cold season.
Did you know that Laoma is preparing to launch a brand new Chang Ming recipe book?
The new book Chang Ming Kitchen – Taoist Cookery for Modern Life will be released soon, so watch this space!
Sage, Rosemary, Manuka Honey, and Garlic Ferment
for cough and cold season.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup raw Manuka honey (unfiltered, with a high UMF rating for enhanced medicinal properties)
- 6-8 large garlic cloves (peeled)
- 2-3 sprigs of fresh rosemary
- 2-3 sprigs of fresh sage (or 1 tbsp dried sage)
- 1 sterilized glass jar with a lid (250-300 ml capacity)
Instructions:
1. Prepare the Garlic:
- Peel the garlic cloves (and lightly crush them to release their juices – optional – depending on how sensitive you are to garlic).
2. Layer the Ingredients:
- Place the garlic cloves, rosemary sprigs, and sage leaves in the sterilized jar. Distribute them evenly to allow full contact with the honey.
3. Add the Manuka Honey:
- Pour the Manuka honey over the ingredients, ensuring everything is submerged. Use a clean spoon or chopstick to gently mix and remove any air bubbles.
4. Seal and Ferment:
- Close the jar loosely to allow gases to escape during fermentation. Place the jar in a cool, dark spot (not in the refrigerator).
5. Fermentation Process:
- Let the mixture ferment for 2-3 weeks. Check it daily, gently turning the jar to ensure even fermentation.
- You may notice bubbles forming – this is normal and a sign of healthy fermentation you can loosen the lid to release the bubbles if they build up.
6. Taste and Use:
- After 2-3 weeks, the honey will have thinned, and the garlic and herbs will have infused their flavors and properties. The ferment is now ready for use.
This is a great tonic for Cold and Cough seasons especially in the colder months
- Take 1 teaspoon daily
- Mix into warm (not hot) water for a soothing drink.
- Use as a drizzle over steamed vegetables or in dressings for an immune-boosting kick.
Meet the Students
Every Newsletter we ask a Student or group of students to share some of their experience with the Arts.
This time we can see what Margret in Salford experienced and what Anna in Manchester shares with us:
Margret, Salford
I am a lady in my 70s, extremely deaf, very poor balance.
Decided to go to tai chi to improve balance, found Wan Ley Yeung’s class.
Went for a couple of months and enjoyed it. Dr Yeung did talk about something called Chi but I ignored it as it frankly sounded very Star Wars to me.
One day I decided to move a large table from my kitchen to the garage. I managed to push and pull it as far as my back garden but it was very heavy. Of course, when I got as far as the lawn, I fell over.
I was lying on my back with the edge of the top of the table resting on my thighs. I found I couldn’t move. I wasn’t able to sit up properly and I didn’t have enough strength in my arms to shove the table off. So I lay there like a stranded whale feeling very foolish and thinking I was going to have to start yelling for help.
I then thought of Dr Yeung’s Chi energy lessons and in desperation thought I would just give it a go. I managed to get my hands underneath the rim of the table, did the breathing exercises, concentrated on Chi energy down my arms and to my astonishment flipped the table off me and halfway down the garden!
I became an immediate convert to Dr Yeung’s teaching and have been a member of his class ever since.
Also my balance has now improved to the point where I no longer use a walking stick.
Anna, Manchester
Life before Lishi
What would have happened if I hadn’t have found lishi?
My life was excellent but I didn’t know it.
I thought my health was good!
Mental health wasn’t in a good place even thought I wouldn’t acknowledge it.
Emotional health was emotional.
Life with Lishi
I realise now that I’m very lucky to have the life I have 
it’s not perfect but whose is?
Healthwise, I would no doubt have been another one on a string of tablets. my weight used to yoyo as I swapped and charged from one recommendation to another, moving towards chang ming has really helped.
Mental health – as soon as I went to a class the words started making their way through the boxes I’d locked myself into and they very gradually started to fall away
Emotionally I’m a lot calmer – don’t get me wrong, I still have the odd episode but it’s occasionally rather than the norm.
On the whole, a much healthier and happier person living with Lishi.
Thank you for everyone who keeps the cogs rolling as I’m not in a position to do much at the moment.
Want to support us?
We are raising funds to buy a building that will be the global headquarters of the International Taoist Society. It is where we will run our training programmes, organise annual conferences and host Taoists from around the world.