Category: Reflection

  • Sleeping Mountain

    Yesterday I walked in the mountains, right in-between storms, cold and cloudy, not a popular time for hiking. As reward, I got the mountain all to myself. The moment I stepped on the soft ground, a little damp and covered with thick leaves, I could feel the sleeping mountain underneath, deep and calm, the energy building…

  • Every Moment Counts

    Recuperating can be daunting, scary, and seemingly endless. Today I read an article; every moment in life serves its purpose, which should include my recuperation. Because I am right where I should be. That being said, I suddenly get a new perspective of this time: it’s slow time, slow enough that I can learn to use…

  • Narcissus

    Recently I got quite an opportunity to get up early, so I got a chance to see the fresh night, the version of night I rarely got to see. Today, it was 5:00 AM when I stepped out in the yard, it was pitch dark. The neighborhood was all dark and quiet. Nighttime like this sharpens…

  • Winter Solstice

    Today is Winter Solstice, the shortest daytime, the longest night. Are you ready for the gift of the year? Chanting to the rising sun; cherish every beam of sunshine. At the same time be patient to wait for the sunrise, be confident to your own strength to survive the darkness and smart to fully prepare yourself during…

  • So close, no matter how far

    So close, no matter how far. I started to fall in love with Metallica’s “Nothing Else Matters”! A couple lessons learned when I was so close: 1. Put down your cell phone:  look at the trees, grass, flowers, even though they are not at their prime time, yet it’s the beauty of the world. Way…

  • Second Boot

    When I was little, a joke was very popular: A man had a new neighbor move in upstairs. He was a very polite man, and apologized beforehand for his unusual daily schedule, which required him to get back late at night. The downstairs neighbor said no problem, just please be quiet when you are back. The new…

  • Layers

    It’s almost exactly one month since my last trip here, Summer is totally gone, even Fall is close to the end. It’s a little foggy and cloudy, not those sunny, clear Fall days. Somehow, the cloudiness adds layers to the Fall colors, making the Sierra country ride into an oil painting. The vibrant foliage colors…

  • Live Like Never Before

    “Find more space.” The yogi often says this. When I first heard it, it seemed too abstract, what space? I’m only this size, this tall.  Now I start to realize when you let go of what you think you are, you will find more space. The space is in the surrender to uncertainty. We often…

  • Stars on Earth

    Night falls, it’s still a fresh night: Friday night on Stanford campus. It’s so vibrant and alive at the same time. Pedestrians and bicycles are moving across at all directions, I guess people returning from work or class, back to life and their own world. It’s such a walking friendly and health conscious place. In the…

  • Slip Out of Time

    Have you ever slipped out of time? The moment you are zoned out, forget about your trouble, your plan, yourself and whereabouts… just soak in for whatever you’re doing. This morning, when I stepped out to the yard, the morning sun had just started to climb up on the neighbor’s tree. It’s a poplar tree, half…