hi! i wrote a few different versions for my intro here. but for now i'll leave it only at this... the name of my website serves as a personal reminder of ...
“what do i want?” is such an innocuous question, and yet somehow so bratty! when it shows up, it brings this little thrill - like maybe i’m about to open a new door, and then, very quickly, i’m knee-deep in confusion, agitation, even a bit of desperation in the need to answer it in one reasonable way . just one . what has been my relationship with this question? so far, i think it’s winning. it…
in yogic philosophy, there’s a practice called sakshi bhava . the practice of separating yourself from you, of stepping outside your body and watching yourself moving through life. it is a powerful way to learn how to let go of self-judgment. it is almost astonishing how much compassion arises when you see yourself this way. you find yourself forgiving more easily, allowing more freely, being…
"one day at a time" has been a very powerful tool for me. most nights, we go to bed carrying the regrets of the day. most mornings, we wake up already burdened by them. over time, those regrets accumulate into a harsh self-judgment. we start to feel like we are not measuring up to our expectations. that voice of criticism makes it harder to begin new things, and easier to sell ourselves short just…
lately i have started a new meditation practice of zooming in. i choose an object in nature and for a few moments (up to 5 minutes so far), i observe it very closely. for example, i have a flowering bush in my backyard. i spend 5 minutes every day observing one of its flowers, and what happens with it during that time. it won’t come as a surprise when i say that the amount of life activity…
tapas (tuh-puhs) in sanskrit refers to burning in fire or heat. in yoga, it refers to the inner fire that drives a person towards growth, transformation or self realization. it is the 3rd niyama out of the 5 niyamas for leading a healthy and blissful life. yogic tapas is the self-discipline and austerity that helps you grow the limits of your yoga practice and open new doors. it is the willingness…
navigating new challenges and finding new opportunities can be exhausting. it is a combination of anxiety and excitement, but the ups and downs as some doors close and others open can constantly feel like living on the edge. there are a few tools that i have relied upon through such times. create multiple identities pursue a parallel ambition that is completely different from the main challenge…
every time i have a question or need help, i use chat gpt or its friends. in the past i would search on google then visit the various websites in the results to hunt for my answer, while dodging distractions (recipe web pages are really hard to navigate). now for most of my needs i am happy with the clean, distraction-free and direct answer i get.
our home is a mess since the past few days. we are painting and re-organizing. work desks have gathered in hallways. boxes are spilling all their secrets to them. mattresses propped against walls, are waiting patiently to head back into their bedrooms. and a random sofa is lounging in the center of the living room, resting its back on the slightly grumpy dining table (not its fault, we've dumped…
some years back, a friend and i decided to spend a year hiking 10 miles every sunday. we pocketed over 23 long hikes through that year. i documented those hikes back then, and this past week found some time to start migrating those over. this has been a surprisingly helpful catalog for me personally. ~20 hikes is enough to choose from if you want to avoid spending too much time planning, while…
one of the perks of getting older is that you have figured out a thing or two about making way through life. you can draw on patterns, philosophies, and behaviors that have worked. below are a few that i remind myself of whenever i feel confused, stuck, weighed down. accountability i am one hundred percent responsible for everything i am and everything i am not, for my capacities and my…