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2011 in Review

I’m getting used to vlogging. A little. Today I actually ran out of time to blab, rather than trying to fill dead air with words. Also I was actually interested in what I was saying; instead of forcing myself to talk about a topic, I was enthusiastic about my story. Let’s see if this continues.

So, 2011. I changed from a party animal to a hardcore yogi. My relationship with my parents improved tremendously. I moved to Hong Kong. I took a Vipassana meditation course, which changed my life.

There’s a lot of details I want to go over, but I want to sleep. I don’t know if it’s a symptom of already covering it in my vlog. Will vlogging cut down on my writing efforts?

I actually feel that my writing has already gone downhill since I’ve been practicing daily, due to the early bedtime. Maybe I need to do my nightly reflections earlier.

I’m grateful for:

  1. Being alive. I appreciate every breath I inhale, every opportunity to grow, change, or just slack off. “Being mortal is what makes us capable of doing the impossible.” —Goku, Dragon Ball Z: The Return of Cooler
  2. Having awesome, inspiring friends: Dave, who is getting closer to his photography dreams; my fellow Ashtangis, with whom I have inspirational conversations.
  3. Having a home. I know I can survive anywhere I land in the world. It might take some time to adjust, but I’ll do so, and quickly. But there’s something nice about having a stable place. Not being forced to stay in one place, but rather, choosing to do so.
  4. My new drip-free candle. I use it for trataka, which is a cleansing technique for the optic nerves and for releasing suppressed memories. I still don’t get the vivid dreams and I have a hard time staring until my eyes sting or water (I wind up staring for what seems like 10 – 20 minutes), but finally I can practice at home.
  5. My dad, for really taking time to impart some knowledge to me, to help me. It seems a very one-way dialog (a speech?) but at least he took the time to understand me. He actually read the Chinese translation of The Art of Living: Vipassana Meditation as Taught by S. N. Goenka!