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The English language can be confusing. Take the word ‘retreat’, for example. While the basic meaning is to go backwards—a negative concept—it is also used to escape the hectic pace of life, as in a wellness or meditation retreat—a positive concept. So, in a sense it is true that we have to retreat to advance or enhance our spiritual condition. I recently spent a few days at such a wellness retreat—the Aleenta Resort, following a course called “monk-level” Vipassana (insight) meditation. After a wellness consultation to identify my physical and spiritual abilities and aspirations, I was given a schedule of activities I had never tried before. During my stay, I participated in sound healing, qigong, yoga, spa treatments and bamboo exercise, which involved using a bamboo pole to improve posture and flexibility. I found all of them useful to focus my mind on the present moment, which made it easier when it came to sitting and walking meditation under the guidance of a monk.
The monk, Phra Tawatchai, lived at Wat Umong, a forest monastery near the resort, and he guided my breathing as I sat or walked beside him. After a few days, I could detach myself for brief periods from the thoughts and emotions that constantly rushed through me, which was a liberating sensation. However, when Phra Tawatchai told me about Phra Thera Chan, a monk who lived here in the 14th century, I realised that my meditative achievements were insignificant. Phra Thera Chan was an advisor to King Kuena, but he would often disappear into the forest for days or weeks on end, meditating so deeply that he lost all sense of time and could not be found when his king needed his advice. As a result, the king had meditation tunnels built and decorated with jungle motifs, and forbade his advisor from wandering off again. These tunnels (‘umong’ in Thai) gave the temple its name, and since this is the only Thai temple with such a feature, hundreds of tourists now arrive daily to explore the tunnels with their serene Buddha images. Though most visitors explore no further, the ‘talking trees’ (trees tagged with wise sayings) and Spiritual Theatre at Wat Umong also provide plenty of food for thought for hungry minds looking for inspiration.
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I'm really pleased to see my work featured in Mongabay, a highly respected website that focuses exclusively on the environment. If you're in Chiang Mai, check out Changthong Heritage Park; you won't be disappointed. The story is here. I've been on a roll lately with stories on Thailand's Wild West, Vietnam's War Sites and a Mekong Road Trip published in the New Zealand Herald and Nikkei Asia. You can see the complete stories here.
 Portrait of Ho Chi Minh 30 April 2025 is a huge day in the history of Vietnam, as it marks the 50th anniversary of the end of the American War (or American War to the Vietnamese), when tanks of the People's Army of Vietnam from the north smashed through the gates of the Presidential Palace in Saigon. The man who was largely responsible for the reunification of his country was Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam's national hero, who died in 1969 and thus never lived to see his dream realised in 1975. To mark this occasion, I've changed the story posted on my Searching for Shangri-La page, which now recounts a visit to see Uncle Ho in his mausoleum in Hanoi. Quite a moving experience.   How about throwing a log on the fire and snuggling up with a gripping tale of a teak boom this Christmas, all for FREE? For 5 DAYS ONLY, from 12 to 16 DECEMBER (Pacific Standard Time), the ebook of TEAK LORD is completely free on Amazon. So don't delay – download today! If you prefer to listen to audiobooks, please email me to request a redemption code for a FREE COPY of the TEAK LORD audiobook on Spotify. If you’d rather read the hugely popular paperback version (over 500 copies sold in Thailand alone), go here for buying and reviewing options. Wishing you all a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! ...(yes, you know the rest)...but it pours. After months of few publications, suddenly it's all happening, so I'm catching up by posting PDFs of three recently published stories on my publications page. They are: – Delve into Thai rice culture – Teak of the town – Thailand's 'Lost Kingdom' (of Wiang Kum Kam) Enjoy! If you’re someone who gets through a lot of books, chances are you a) read printed books, b) read ebooks, or c) listen to audiobooks. Yet these days we can tailor our requirements to suit our routine, by using Whispersync for Voice.  And here is how it's typically used: And now a tempting offer for you to try it out. For FIVE DAYS ONLY, from 1–5 December 2023 (PST), the ebook of TEAK LORD will be completely FREE on Amazon, and once you’ve downloaded that, click on the audiobook version and you should find it at a greatly reduced price.   This offer is only for Amazon, but if it seems too complicated and you'd rather just try the audiobook experience for free, email me to request a code to download the audiobook on SPOTIFY, and I'll send a link to nearly 10 hours of exciting adventures in the teak forests of Lanna.  The Covid pandemic from 2020 to 2022 not only wiped out millions of lives but it also brought an abrupt halt to the livelihoods of many people, myself included. Suddenly, during global lockdown, there was no demand for a travel writer, quite simply because nobody was travelling.
Now, over a year after the worst of the pandemic has passed, I’m finally beginning to pick up the pieces and get my stories published again. There are still lots of holes in my client list that used to be occupied by guidebook publishers, inflight magazines and the like, but a few have survived and I’m going to post some recently published stories on my ‘peridoicals’ page. These are: Teak Trails (Fah Thai magazine, September 2023). An overview of the teak boom that took place around Chiang Mai in the late 19th century and buildings that date back to that era. A Mindfulness Journey (South China Morning Post, October 2023). A tour of four temples in Chiang Mai that offer meditation courses ranging from one to 26 days. Conquering Doi Luang Chiang Dao (Fah Thai magazine, November 2023). An account of a trek to the summit of Doi Luang Chiang Dao, arguably the most enjoyable hike in Thailand. For anyone unable to attend my recent Teak Talks in Chiang Mai, I have prepared a YouTube presentation of the same content. Just click on the link below and enjoy!  Upcoming talks in Chiang Mai If you are going to be in Chiang Mai in the near future, please come along to my TEAK TALK at the Suriwong Bookstore (25 Feb) or at Payap Lifelong Learning Center (1 March). Details below. Also, here's a link to a short interview (7 mins) about the book TEAK LORD with Pim Kemasingki of Chiang Mai CityLife magazine: https://www.facebook.com/ron.emmons.56   |
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Ron Emmonsis a British writer and photographer based in Chiang Mai, Thailand. Categories
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