In The Seat of the Soul to transform life
On letting go of the past Now, expanding the world in presence, Chungliang "Al" Huang, Jiddu Krishnamurti, Gary Zukav, Wu Li and Wu-Wei
Meeting Gary Zukav in Ashland
Gary Zukav is a deeply sensitive individual who perceives the energy of others and engages with the world through a foundation of love. As an author, he explores the spiritual dimensions of existence, grounding his insights in quantum reality to illuminate contemporary understanding. His ability to communicate complex ideas in clear, accessible language has made his work widely respected and influential globally.
He is closely connected to his friend Lawrence, a shaman in his 80s, who resides next door to the home where I am staying for the week in Ashland, Oregon, on Paradise Lane. This area, often described as a vortex, is believed to be a convergence of high-frequency vibrations that facilitates the release of old patterns and the embrace of new possibilities.
I had the privilege of meeting Gary on May 17 at a surprise birthday party for my timber-framing teacher, Robert, held at his home. I was tasked with keeping Robert occupied in the workshop until 5:45 p.m., when the guests were set to arrive. Robert, under the impression that the evening involved only a small dinner with his wife, Paula, and a few of us, asked me to check on the timing for the meal. I hurried to the house, where Paula informed me that at 5:45 p.m., all guests would hide in the bedroom for the surprise.
Returning to the workshop with the timeline, I relayed the information to Robert, who promptly declared he was ready to head up for dinner. Glancing at my friend Vlad, I mouthed, “What time is it?” He whispered back, “5:39 p.m.” To stall, we engaged Robert with questions about timber framing, but he brushed us off. Desperate, we suggested closing the day’s work with a brief ritual, to which he agreed. We managed to stretch the conversation until exactly 5:45 p.m., allowing me to escort him to the house just as the surprise was ready to unfold.
He went into the bedroom to wash up only to find everyone waiting to scream “Surprise.”
Later in the mingling about, Gary came over and introduced himself to me and we connected for a brief moment. We eventually sat down to dinner and I mentioned that he looked familiar. I asked him what he did or does in this life..”I am an author.”He funnily mentioned “well I was at a conference in Australia and not quite sure why I was there exactly, but I was speaking. It seemed to go quite well” I was intrigued and I also felt that somehow I knew him. I asked him his last name and he said “Zukav.”
“Oh, Seat of the Soul, Gary?!”
“Yes” he said.
We had a wonderful long conversation about leaving the Old Consciousness and moving fully into the New Consciousness where we will be un-bounding ourselves from old paradigms built on fear and control. Agreed.
Reflection on Chungliang “Al” Huang and the Origin of The Dancing Wu Li Masters
He asked me about me. I mentioned a little of my past, and my twenty-five years at Esalen Institute in Big Sur. He smiled and turned directly toward me and said,
“Do you know Al.”
“Chungliang?” I asked.
“Yes,” came the reply.
“Al Huang?” I confirmed.
“Yes, that’s him,” Gary affirmed.
“He was my Tai Ji teacher,” I shared. “He and I had planned for me to write his biography.”
His eyes lit up. “Yes! Yes! I was there in the 1970s. During a discussion, we were in the lodge. I posed a question about quantum reality, and he responded with a challenge, introducing the concept of ‘Wu Li.’ He then took five napkins and wrote Chinese characters that encapsulated his perspective on the cosmos and our place within it, rooted in Taoist philosophy. He handed me those napkins to keep.”
That exchange became the catalyst for Gary Zukav’s first book, The Dancing Wu Li Masters.12
Gary shared that he had fond memories of Al and of the short experience of Esalen, remembering with quite a laugh,
“I was heavily into sex back then. I don’t remember much else. It was a brief moment in time and I never went back.”
Reflection on Rejecting Old Paradigms
During our conversation, I discerned that he held no regard for outdated paradigms. Specifically, he rejected the patterns of self-negation and the indoctrination imposed by moral authorities, which often compel individuals to conform to societal expectations for the sake of acceptance. This was the old consciousness.
On JK, “Krishnamurji”
We discussed Jiddu Krishnamurti. Gary mentioned that he had the opportunity to listen to him noting an observation from the 1970s when he delivered a talk that seemed tinged with bitterness.
In a subsequent email to Gary, I suggested that Krishnamurti’s demeanor might stem from frustration. Having dissolved the Order of the Star in 1929, he rejected the role of a messianic figure, yet followers continued to seek him out globally, often posing repetitive questions. This persistent attention, coupled with humanity’s attachment to past patterns, may have wearied him as he traveled to share his insights.
Krishnamurti consistently eschewed the role of a guru or teacher, rejecting followers and the notion of being a “world teacher” or second coming. His life was defined by a relentless spirit of inquiry, driven by curiosity and open-ended questions rather than rigid ideologies, dogmatic discipline, or indoctrination. Reflecting on his early years, he recognized the influence of his own conditioning after being discovered at age 14 on an beach in India and immersed in Theosophical teachings (by Helen Blavatsky and Charles Leadbetter). This awareness shaped his lifelong commitment to questioning and challenging structured belief systems.
Gary’s soul brother in Lawrence, the healer who had no formal training emulated the same ethos on letting go of the past. The following night after the birthday party he invited me over to his home to show me his extensive 3500 lbs of crystals that he found in states of dimmed clarity. He mentioned that each one over time became clear. Some of these are quite large by the way. A frequency shift that changed the crystalline structure inside….Resonance.
He emphatically states that he was not formally trained, nor read books, nor knows anything about crystals. He has been called a shaman by many and he humbly asserts that it is his to wear these days, though does not label himself as such. We drank Inkan coffee and smoked some pot outside in his garden around a fire.
His lesson to me that night that was coupled with Garys conversation with me is forgetting the past.
I realized afterwards the lesson when he interrupted me as I was speaking about some past transgression and said, “ I am forgetful in my old age. I tend to forget much of the past these days…chosen to let go of the past.
I live now,
think now and
move now.”
Today, as of this writing on July 1. 2025 I retold this story to a young man I met at the driving range at Tilden Park here in Berkeley Hills, Ca. Saurabh is his name and by no coincidence we met, for the resonance we both carry into the world today regarding time and freedom and life altering changes in experiences on near death, visions of a new consciousness and the courage to change our path in life to emulate the purpose we are destined for brought us together. Our other alignment of wonder to wander into was of Krishnamurti and swinging a club.
I found compassion, joy, gratitude and awestruck reverence for another’s story and this deep commitment to understanding the world in which we live. That was truly a beautiful morning of presence in the Berkeley Hills to co-hear each other.
Gary Zukav’s most renowned work, The Seat of the Soul, was published in 1989 during my first year of graduate school, profoundly influenced my spiritual journey. This thought-provoking exploration of spiritual evolution guided me away from a fear-based, scarcity-driven mindset. ( at least it planted the seed for me). At the time, I was just beginning to study metaphysics and the emerging collective shift toward a new consciousness.
Thirty-six years later, in Ashland, Oregon, on Paradise Lane I had the remarkable opportunity to sit beside Gary and meet the man whose words had sparked my early exploration of a spiritually conscious and quantum-informed life, rooted in presence.
We hugged at the end of the night took some photos and he said with his hand on my heart,
“Terry,
You are not apart
from
LOVE.”
Blessings and Namaste,
t
What is Wu Li? (無,理)
My Way: Suggesting a personal path or approach to understanding the universe.
Patterns of Organic Energy: Emphasizing the dynamic, flowing patterns of energy that underpin physical reality.
I Clutch My Ideas: Highlighting the human tendency to cling to conceptual frameworks, even when they may limit understanding.
Nonsense: Acknowledging the paradoxical and often counterintuitive nature of quantum physics.
Enlightenment: Pointing to a deeper, almost spiritual insight into the nature of existence, aligning with the book's theme of connecting physics with Eastern philosophy.
What is Wu Wei (無為)
Is I believe the most profound Taoist concept that advocates for effortless, spontaneous action aligning with the natural flow of the universe. Acting with simplicity, humility, and mindfulness, avoiding force or resistance. When embodying wu wei, one can achieve harmony and effortlessness in a collective sense resonating with the broader Taoist vision of living in accordance with the Way.
Thank you Terry. What a beautiful meeting and a beautiful telling of it. 🙏🏼