Sunday Journal Prompt

 “Kung fu” refers to a devotion of time
 

At a tea gathering led by a Chinese translator who follows the Tibetan Buddhist tradition, I learned that “Kung fu”—which I associate with aggression and Bruce Lee movies—actually refers to a devotion of time. It doesn’t just apply to martial arts, but in fact to anything that requires patience, time and energy to complete, including learning to serve tea.

During the “TEAgather” session, Professor Sherab Chen shared the history of Puerh tea, demonstrated how to serve it, and guided his apprentices Baocheng, Yuzhao and Ruth as they practiced his methods. After this two-hour experience, I found myself energized and focused—allowing me to grade more student papers than I usually do in a sitting. It inspired me to consider the benefits of applying “Kung fu” to many areas of my life, including my interactions with loved ones, my writing, my yoga practice, my teaching, and even cooking, cleaning and gardening. 
 

To what in your life would you like to apply “Kung fu”—your patience, time and energy? How can you start today?

 

 

 

Sunday Journal Prompt

The Positivity of “Negative Space”  

 

While having tea with a friend from China recently, I learned the term “liu bai,” which she said means “to remain white.” My face must have registered confusion, as she further defined it for me: “to leave empty,” as in, “I leave emptiness in my plannings,” which, she said, has led to “a more purposeful life.”

I’m interested in the language itself—the negative association of the word “empty.” In fact, the Western photography/design term for the bai—what my Chinese friend refers to as “white” —is “negative space.” The term “empty” itself is defined as “not filled.” Yet this negative space yields such positive results.  

I’ve begun to create more “white space” in my life, unscheduled time during which I may choose to take walks, pet my cat, drink tea, watch squirrels playing outside my window, meditate—just be. This has been hard for me, especially when household chores await and work deadlines loom (or have already passed). But I’m discovering that giving myself more “white space” boosts the quality of my work, and my interactions with friends, colleagues and students are even more meaningful.

How can you build more “white space” into your days to create a more purposeful life?

 

 

 

Sunday Journal Prompt

 Bruce 2006-2016

 

 

Our family was dealt a blow this weekend—our kitty Bruce passed away unexpectedly. No accident, no warning. His brother Grayson led me to the body, which we rushed to the emergency veterinarian, who couldn't find a heartbeat. She felt a mass in his abdomen, so it may have been undiagnosed cancer. He’d been his typical affectionate self all week, a “dog in a cat suit,” who played fetch, growled at the garbage men, walked around the neighborhood beside us and often joined me on my yoga mat.

When we returned home, perched in our tree was a black raven—known for centuries as messengers from beyond. None of us had ever seen a raven near our home before. Just two days earlier, a friend’s father in a Hospice facility passed away. At the same time—11:30 p.m.—his alarm clock sounded off back at his apartment beside his bed, seemingly alerting his wife who was there; she said that he’d never set that alarm before. Coincidence? Maybe. But I’ve heard so many stories like these over the years. To me, it’s exciting to consider that our deceased loved ones may somehow be able to communicate with us.
 

 

Have you ever felt the presence of or sensed communication from a loved one on the other side? If so, what message might he or she have been sending?

 

Sunday Journal Prompt

“Struggles don’t happen to us but for us.” 

 – Cheryl Paige, Writer and Energy Healer

 

 

 

In her MindBodyGreen.com article about happiness, Cheryl Paige chose to italicize the prepositions in my favorite line: “Struggles don’t happen to us but for us.” It’s easy to feel like a victim and blame others for our unrest—a feeling that leaves us feeling powerless. Trapped.

 

Yet, simply replacing the word “to” with “for” can make a difference: We can see our struggles as beneficial—not as obstacles, but as launching pads. This shift of perception can imbibe hope into what may have well felt like a hopeless situation.

 

 

How have you benefited, over time, from one of your struggles?

How can you keep this in mind during your next challenge?