When traveling to Kyoto, it just makes sense to visit Osaka (or vice versa). They are not that far apart (maybe an hour by train), but the cities feel worlds apart. I was staying in the business district in Osaka, so the energy definitely felt focused and determined. In Kyoto, the old city, the feeling – Read More –
I have to say first that I don’t even love the picture above…haha! But it’s so perfect. While I was standing in Ueno Park in Tokyo, next to the cherry blossom tree (not in bloom, it was autumn) that inspired me to write my first published book (Meditative Questions), I was overcome with so many – Read More –
When I traveled to Thailand, I had expected to stay at the Lamai Muay Thai Camp and train daily. I did that. I expected the become physically stronger. I did. And I expected to meet good people. Another check mark. On the basic levels, my month-long stay in Thailand went exactly as I expected. But as I – Read More –
While I was in Samui (Thailand), a friend mentioned a former Buddhist monk that he’d visited with…and later received a Sak Yant (sakyan) tattoo (made by using a bamboo rod with a needle tip that is tapped into the skin, and later filled in with ink). My friend mentioned that he’d received insightful wisdom from – Read More –
After spending almost a month back on my island, I traveled to Portugal (mid-June) to attend an advanced spiritual retreat with Zen Master Mooji. I met Mooji for the first time in 2017 and was transformed by his teachings. His direct and accessible style, his sense of humor, his pointings and his PRESENCE were life – Read More –
My visit to Praia (on the main island of Santiago) was all about PEOPLE! Well, and food haha! It was so wonderful to be with my incredible friends and recharge on good food and frequent visits to my favorite gym there! it was the first time in a long time that I felt full. I mean – Read More –
This May, I traveled to Lisbon to meet with a Zen Master named Mooji. I have been meaning to write about this experience, but I confess…finishing my novel has gotten in the way of that. However, today, one of my cousins asked me to explain, “…what is Mooji is to [me],” and so now seemed – Read More –
This morning, social media reminded me that on this day, three years ago, I was in China. I still remember looking out of the window from my hotel room in Kunshan to see this disgusting pollution. I definitely did not want to get up or go outside. I don’t know if I have ever admitted – Read More –
The plane of worry, fear, and doubt is like a stagnant pool of water. Disease breeds in stagnant water. This is a lower realm, and it’s easy to rest in this space. The mind is free to stay constantly busy analyzing worries, fears, and doubts while supplying other evidence to confirm what you believe to – Read More –
There is a sentence in the Tao Te Ching: the path forward seems to go back. I recently found these pages (below) that I wrote in 23 January 2013 in Los Angeles. As I looked to find pictures of myself during that time, I ran across this picture that I took during a visit to Chicago – Read More –