Yoga Master Tao Porchon-Lynch Teaches in Hong Kong and China

December 15-22, 2017 – It is certainly a long flight from New York to Hong Kong, but it was totally worth it to join 99-year-old yoga master Tao Porchon-Lynch on another one of our international jaunts. As soon as we arrived, we got massages in the room which I highly recommend after transcontinental flights!

Our primary host was Pure Yoga in Pacific Place which is an absolutely gorgeous studio situated in a very high-end mall. Before those activities began, though, we took a two-hour train ride to Guangzhou, China on the 16th. Another one of Tao’s students, Regina Lee, arranged it. I had been to Beijing, Shanghai and Tianjin, but this was my first time in the port city of Guangzhou. Our local hosts were fabulous, treating us to a wonderful dinner with a range of delights. The food was like art but being gluten-free I wouldn’t be able to survive there for too long. The next day, Tao taught a packed yoga class and I facilitated a Q&A. All the time, a film crew followed us.

Back in Hong Kong on the 18th, we had lunch with our Pure Yoga hosts, Mikey and Gen, at a wonderful vegetarian restaurant and then explored the city. Regina and her husband have a home there, so we had a local to guide us and was able to do a little shopping. On the 19th, I was pleased to moderate “Conversation with a Master” with Tao. As often is the case, there was media in the session to cover the event. On the 20th, Tao taught a great yoga workshop with many camera clicking, and then on the 21st I co-lead “The Gandhi Effect” with Tao. All of the programs were very well-received and the books sold out right away.

A highlight of the trip was taking the Star Ferry and having tea with Michele Mitschiener from Dream Cruises. Michele had reached out via email noting that we were going to be in Hong Kong. She was wondering if Tao would consider doing a program on a cruise. Since that was something Tao has just spoke about wanting to do, I immediately responded and invited Michele to the Conversation with a Master to witness Tao in action. The very next day, we had tea. By the end of the tea, we had worked out the basic details for Tao to be a headliner for a Dream Cruise in Singapore for October 2018. The program we worked out is glorious so I hope it happens.

We stayed at The Park Lane Hotel, a Pullman Hotel. It’s a great location with a view of Victoria Harbour and Victoria Park. Since our programs were in the evenings, I was able to use the steam and sauna every morning which was a treat. I was trying to knock out a cold I caught before the trip. One of the days I took a walk in the park and was amazed at all of the older people doing various exercises from Tai Chi and Qigong to a form of sword fighting. I also bought the largest grapefruit Tao had ever seen at the local market. I love exploring new cities. We headed back to New York on the 22nd. See below for pictures. Click on the image to enlarge it.