tree in full bloom can transport you in an instant, but only if you aren’t trying to get somewhere. Efficiency is always trying to get somewhere. This is why it does not gallivant,  daydream, linger, or lounge. Unlike Walt Whitman, efficiency has never been known to ‘lean and loafe’ at its ease observing a spear of summer grass– or a California buckeye tree in bloom. No. Efficiency is ever-preoccupied in getting you from here to there. For it to work you must be firmly tethered to space-time, not lifting veils, traversing realms and hitchhiking with eternity (things liable to happen when meandering or being Whitmanesque.) For most of ... posted on Jul 24 2023 (4,153 reads)

in her has gone so still she doesn’t need to breathe. And anyway, the iced-over pond will soon be empty of oxygen. Sunk in its bottom-mud, for six months she will not draw air into her lungs. To survive a cold that would kill her, or slow her so that predators would kill her, she slows herself beyond breath in a place where breath is not possible. And waits. As ice locks in the marsh water and howling squalls batter its reeds and brush, beneath it all she waits. It is her one work, and it is not easy. Oxygen depletion stresses every particle of her. Lactic acid pools in her bloodstream. Her muscles begin to burn—her heart muscle, too, a deadly sign. That acid has to ... posted on Aug 7 2023 (3,643 reads)

weight. “Water has the ability to cleanse itself, and because we are largely made of water, we are a part of that cleansing cycle as well,” Egawa says. “That is why it is so important to offer gratitude and prayer to water as we use it throughout our day.”  Internally, water delivers essential nutrients, moves our digested food, and regulates our temperature. Being adequately hydrated can increase our energy levels and diminish our aches and pains. Our Ancestors worked diligently to master oxidation and browning reactions for culinary creations, passed down through generations in recipes.  We are absolutely a part of the cycle of water. All of life is... posted on Aug 14 2023 (2,392 reads)

humility to contain and admonish those who have strong opinions and perspectives. For example, the stereotype of humble Asians and Asian Americans acts to silence important messages that are quite critical to our time of change and distress. To be bold and not “humble” per se risks being called “arrogant” or “difficult to deal with.” I think it’s possible to be both brave and humble, but it requires constant internal and interpersonal work, and risks rupturing or distressing relationships. That perspective keeps me grounded even when I express myself and my concerns for marginalized peoples quite strongly. In that way, a sense of r... posted on Sep 13 2023 (5,286 reads)

the Discipline of Authentic Movement, a studio practice sourced in the relationship between a mover and a witness. Her teachings in the past 50 years are offered in numerous books, films, interviews and presentations. In May 2022, I visited Janet in her home and Kiva studio on Galiano Island, off the coast of Vancouver, B.C. We embarked on a journey of discovery, a collaborative process that was rich with mutual inspiration and learning, and which developed into a friendship. The result of our work together is the film: “LIGHT | Five Days with Janet Adler". It is a homage to the life and legacy of one of the great teachers of our time, who lived within the natural beauty of the P... posted on Sep 18 2023 (4,150 reads)

in the middle of the paper, OK? Look up at your partner. Look at the inside of one of their eyes. Doesn't matter which one. That's where you're going to start. Ready? Deep breath. (Inhales) And begin. Now, just draw but notice where you are, you're starting there and you see there is a corner, maybe there's a curve there. Notice those little lines, the eyelashes. People are wearing masks, some aren't, just work with that. Now just go slow. Pay attention and draw what you see. And don't look down. Just keep going. (Murmuring) And just five more seconds. And stop.&nb... posted on Oct 21 2023 (4,883 reads)

music is trying to say.” What does that evoke for you? Cave:Well, okay, so… Tippett:Of course the point of the poem is that you can’t sum that up, but I’m just curious about where Nick Cave’s mind goes. Cave:Well you can’t really sum that up, but I can give it a go. And my feelings about this have changed, too, over the years. But it feels to me that music in itself, I would say, has a moral dimension. That it’s essentially good. That it works to improve matters. And that’s how I go about concerts these days. And it’s not me in particular, but any musician. In fact, playing any kind of music can do something to improve mat... posted on Dec 6 2023 (3,107 reads)

because we had just met, and there he was, absolutely right. I told him I was having second thoughts about the band. “Well, do you have a picture of what you would like your life to look like in ten years?” I hadn’t thought about it until he asked me, but I closed my eyes and could see a vision of who I wanted to be. It was so clear. I started describing the vision of a young man who was married with children, walking his kids to school, being involved in community work, and helping and assisting others with their spiritual pursuits. When I finished describing the vision I had seen, I looked at Alex, and his eyes were filled with tears. “Alex, I know I ... posted on Feb 13 2024 (3,694 reads)

of meaning.” Here is an example of a spiritually literate reading of a scene from a movie. In the 1995 film Smoke, Auggie Wren manages a cigar store on the corner of Third Street and Seventh Avenue in Brooklyn. Every morning at exactly eight o'clock, no matter what the weather, he takes a picture of the store from across the street. He has four thousand consecutive daily photographs of his corner all labeled by date and mounted in albums. He calls this project his "life's work." One day Auggie shows the photos to Paul, a blocked writer who is mourning the death of his wife, a victim of random street violence. Paul doesn't know what to say about the photos; ... posted on Mar 12 2024 (3,082 reads)

travel with me -- her name was Zhang Yun. She passed away, actually in a car accident a few months after she arrived and she was just a college student. I think about her often and just wanted to honor her for bringing me to the United States. In my youth and most of my childhood, I was really achievement-oriented. It wasn't for fame or money, but if I could name one thing, it was probably to honor my mama and baba -- they gave up so much of their life, to provide a future for me. I remember working on the Wall Street, fresh out of college and sort of being proud of myself for getting the hardest job to get, coming out of school. It was during my first year that I remember this very poign... posted on Dec 31 1969 (87 reads)

of the Luray Caverns. Each note reverberates across the caverns creating an otherworldly, all encompassing sound. Listen to the World's Largest Instrument It’s difficult to describe just how incredible this instrument sounds, so here is a short video from one of our favorite video creators, Great Big Story, to give you a special listen. Via: Great Big Story ³ Now, if you’re a curious sort, or musically inclined, you may have some questions about how this whole thing works. How does the sound make its way to the organ? Who plays this thing? Do you need to tune it? These are all great questions with fascinating answers. Like any instrument, the organ needs ongoing... posted on Apr 25 2024 (3,710 reads)