The slogan Be Veg! Go Green! Save the planet! coupled with the streaming internet show “Supreme Master TV” may seem like a plan conceived in the warped minds of Pinky and the Brain but I’m here to tell you this isn’t some half baked plot of cartoon world domination but a world wide movement created by one little old Asian lady.
Supreme Master Ching Hai was born in Vietnam under the name of Hue Dang Trinh. She’s the spiritual leader and creator of the Quan Yin Method. Her system of belief stems heavily from her studies of Surat Shabd Yoga which, if you’re a fan of Final Fantasy, is like listening to the life stream of the world and hearing God speak. Her principal teacher was the late great Sant Thakar Singh. With his teachings and a little dash of Buddhism for flavor,Hue Dang Trinh concocted her own belief system and Supreme Master Ching Hai was born.
Her five precepts of Quan Yin include.
- Refraining from taking the life of sentient beings
- Refraining from speaking what is not true
- Refraining from taking what is not offered
- Refraining from sexual misconduct
- Refraining from the use of intoxicant
Initiates must adhere to two and a half hours of meditation a day and practice a vegetarian diet for at least ten days every month. If you ask me that’s not very strict for someone who calls herself the Supreme Master. I’m thinking you should be on your knees meditating for at least eight hours or until you reach enlightenment with the epiphany of the exact shade of blonde her hair is. Not that it really matters because it’s really the vegetarian angle that allowed me to become aware of Supreme Master Ching Hai. You see, I love her vegan/vegetarian world wide chain of restaurants Loving Hut. They specialize in vegetarian eco friendly foods that often mimic meat so perfectly that you wouldn’t know the difference and even if you did you wouldn’t mind it the least.
Though caution should be taken as Tammy herself issued a warning after reading about my Loving Hut experience:
I could tell you one “bad” thing, if you want. Unfermented soy is not healthy because it has lots of phytoestrogens that can mess with your endocrine system. Those soy based meat products also have lots of sodium. (I speak from experience as a former Seventh Day Adventist who spent 4+ years of her life living on stuff like that.
A quick google search revealed that the endocrine system in your body should not be messed with. It controls growth, mood, and metabolism which means unless you want to turn into a rampaging gender bending amazon you may want to reconsider going heavy on those foods.
The controversy surrounding Loving Hut and it’s enigmatic leader doesn’t just end with their imitation meat. Of course when you’re dealing with someone who refers to herself as “God’s Direct Contact” there’s bound to be some thrown elbows, raised eyebrows, or pedestal kicking. She doesn’t ask for membership dues, initiation fees or anything except an open mind and heart. Yet, if you take a closer look you’ll see that the Supreme Master also want’s you to have an open wallet. She has dozens of books, paintings, works of art, and even a “Celestial” clothing line waiting to be purchased by her world wide devotees who often leave their old lives behind to work in her restaurants or organization. One follower even purchased the Supreme Master’s old socks claiming, “at least I’ll have her socks when she moves on.”
Wackiness aside, if the Supreme Master hasn’t scared you away then I suggest checking out one of her Loving Huts. If you’re in Korea you’re in luck because she has over twenty Loving Huts scattered all across the country. Call ahead to ask if the location near you does a buffet. I wholeheartedly recommend that route. The price during the week is 10,000 KRW and on weekends it’s 15,000 KRW. There are enough options, even if you decide to bypass the soy based imitation meat dishes, to completely fill you up.
So, what are you waiting for?
