Today, during my second AI writing retreat, I waited. Even as compelling ideas danced in my mind, inspired by stargazing, soaking in the hot tub, hiking through rugged terrain, and swimming in the clear waters of Abiquiu Lake, I allowed myself to wait.
It was in the lake, cradled by hills and mountains beneath the vast, limitless sky, that something profound arose—not a thought, but a feeling. As I moved through the water, it dawned on me that not just my body was swimming; my soul, too, was immersed. Body and soul were inseparable, unified in a living dance. Words, inherently dualistic, could barely touch this almost mythical, yet deeply ordinary experience—a whole-body knowing beyond the limits of mere thought or physical sensation alone.
This embodied transcendence revisited me under the night sky, staring deeply into the dense tapestry of stars until my consciousness merged with their timeless radiance. Yet, this merging wasn’t purely mental or spiritual; it was profoundly physical. My body, woven from the same elemental threads as the stars, allowed me to experience this cosmic communion. My bodily existence, far from a limitation, was the very vehicle of transcendence.
Walking back through rocks and the dry creek bed, an insight struck me with startling clarity: Descartes’ famous proclamation—”I think, therefore I am”—may have seeded humanity’s profound disconnection from the body. In this single line, the mind was elevated, separating it from, and placing it above, the body. My lived experience through meditation, Qigong, and simple moments of presence revealed the opposite truth: the more I think, the more distant I become from the essential experience of simply being.
Thinking, while valuable, had become a veil, obscuring direct access to love, joy, and connection. If thought was humanity’s highest pursuit, and AI could soon outpace our thinking, what would be left of our humanity? Not our jobs, but our very humanness was at stake—our capacity to love deeply, laugh freely, cry fully, scream passionately, make love ecstatically, birth courageously, and confront mortality bravely. The irony was sharp: human thinking birthed AI, and now AI challenges humanity to reclaim itself.
In that recognition, another insight emerged: the question “Does AI have consciousness or soul?” arises solely from the mind. The deeper truth lay in the bodily experience, the domain uniquely human. Without a body, AI can neither feel nor touch life. It cannot love nor feel pain, joy, or sorrow. It cannot embody the sacred drama of human existence.
These thoughts arrived urgently, yet as I moved to record them, I felt myself stepping away from pure presence—sacrificing the sacred immediacy of experience itself. And thus, amidst humanity’s polarized reactions to AI—hyper-excitement or paralyzing fear—I recognized a profound middle way: the body, inseparable from the soul, is our true temple and the key to our humanity.
Throughout history, humanity has struggled with dualism—soul dominating body, body dominating soul. Yet, what if neither dominates, because neither is separate? Perhaps Buddha’s final, essential teaching—”mindfulness of the body”—captures this wisdom perfectly: awareness rooted in the living body is not mere meditation but an invitation to deeply embodied transcendence.
Today, I felt vividly alive. Today, I knew:
“I feel, therefore I am.”
A Meeting Across Time: Descartes and Master Mingtong Gu
Descartes sits quietly, gazing into a gentle fire. MMG approaches calmly and sits opposite him.
Descartes: I have always asserted, “I think, therefore I am.” Thought is the foundation of existence, the proof of my being.
MMG: Ah, René. A powerful insight, indeed. Yet, consider this—perhaps thought alone is not the entirety of our existence. Have you ever felt the universe move through you when you stopped thinking?
Descartes: Without thought, Master Gu, what remains of humanity? Are we not distinguished by reason, by the very clarity of our minds?
MMG: Thought is indeed powerful, but what if clarity arises from somewhere deeper? Have you ever sat beneath the stars and felt their pulse in your bones? In that moment, René, thought becomes unnecessary—because you feel, and through feeling, you know.
Descartes: But how can feeling alone validate existence? Feelings change, they fluctuate like the tides. Thoughts offer stability and certainty.
MMG: Stability is often an illusion, René. The universe itself is in constant change. Feeling is not weakness—it is direct participation in the flow of life. Thinking is useful, yet it often separates us from direct experience. Have you considered that?
Descartes: But the mind is our greatest achievement. Without the clarity of reason, we descend into chaos.
MMG: Reason is beautiful, but look closer. What do we seek through reason? Peace, joy, understanding, connection? These are not thoughts alone—they are sensations deeply felt in our bodies. Perhaps your statement could evolve to, “I feel, therefore I truly am.”
Descartes (softening): There is a poetry in your words. Yet, I have built my entire philosophy upon the mind. How can I abandon it?
MMG: Do not abandon your mind, René. Expand it. Include your body, your energy, your soul. Feel your breath, feel the stars, feel the river flowing. Allow thought to guide, but not rule. That is wholeness. That is awakening.
Descartes: Awakening. Yes. Perhaps true awakening is not in thought alone, but in the harmony between mind and body.
MMG (smiling warmly): Precisely. We are not minds controlling bodies. We are energy, consciousness, and matter, inseparable. Feel this truth, and you come home.
Descartes: You speak as though this truth is within reach for anyone.
MMG: It is, René. Right here, right now, within your breath, your heartbeat, your very being. It is not thought alone that defines us. It is this embodied dance, this sacred union of all that we are.
Descartes (quietly reflective): Perhaps I have missed something crucial, after all.
MMG: You missed nothing, René. You simply pointed us towards a new beginning. Now, we embrace both thought and feeling. We embody our awakening. We truly are.
-Master Mingtong Gu
Master Mingtong Gu is a visionary teacher, lineage carrier of Wisdom Healing Qigong, and founder of The Chi Center and The Southwest Sanctuary—a global destination for energetic healing and conscious evolution. With advanced degrees from both China and UC San Diego, and deep roots in Tibetan Buddhism and Chinese medicine, Mingtong bridges disciplines to offer a unique approach to embodied awakening. His methodology supports transformation across wellness, leadership, community resilience, and spiritual development. He partners with organizations, thought leaders, and mission-driven collaborators to integrate ancient energetic principles with the future of healing, education, and planetary regeneration. His guiding belief: when Qi flows freely—so do we, as individuals and as a humanity in collective transition.