By Kimine Mayuzumi Ichigo ichie (一期一会 ), the Japanese proverb that translates to “one encounter at a (life) time” – is more than just a saying; it’s a philosophy that teaches us to cherish the uniqueness of each and every moment. This principle is especially important in the context of Japanese tea ceremonies, where the procedure is rigid and complicated. However, the true essence of the ceremony lies in focusing on the unique quality…
By Roxanne A. Donovan March 20th marked the start of spring – a dynamic period of rebirth after the doldrums of winter. This sense of renewal is probably why commitment to personal change comes easier this month (think spring cleaning). For me, spring’s beginning provides the perfect opportunity to recommit to my New Year’s resolution. Like many, there is usually slippage or complete abandonment by the time the calendar turns to March. This year’s resolution…
By Kimine Mayuzumi After moving to North America over a decade ago, I realized being busy had some kind of badge for many people to be proud of. During my graduate studies, I heard a lot of phrases like “I am busy with this or that,” and “I am too busy right now to do anything else.” People were stressed. But I also sensed that the busier they were, the more important and worthy they…
By Soko Starobin Once I was a busy academic who did not even pause for a minute to think of myself. The moment I woke up in the morning (see my previous blog post), the external expectations that I brought into my life, such as getting a promotion and tenure, as well as external research funding, kept me running all day until I went to bed. I would wake up the next morning, then repeat the…
By Kimine Mayuzumi I have compiled some quotes on being lazy and slowing down; more specifically, they are somewhat related to the sub-themes of our website: Be mindful, trust the process and let go of outcomes. I have divided them into two parts: what prevents us from slowing down and what are important ingredients for slowing down. In this blog post, I share the first part followed by the latter in our near-future blog post.…
