PrefaceThe following memorial discusses complex subjects. For example, we'll walk through my current conceptions of creation's telos (chapter 1), prayer (chapter 2), epistemology (chapter 3), death (chapter 4), metaphysics and ontology (chapter 5)—to name a few. Should any topic contribute to unease, please pause your reading and resume whenever you feel ready. If you don't want to read a section, please don't read it! Although this is my longest reflection to date, i trun...

PrefaceThe following memorial discusses complex subjects. For example, we'll walk through my current conceptions of creation's telos (chapter 1), prayer (chapter 2), epistemology (chapter 3), death (chapter 4), metaphysics and ontology (chapter 5)—to name a few. Should any topic contribute to unease, please pause your reading and resume whenever you feel ready. If you don't want to read a section, please don't read it! Although this is my longest reflection to date, i trun...

key termstempo: density of beats per unit of timeplay tempo: tempo of the mixed songplay time: how much clock time passes when playing the songprelude2023 started with a well-defined plan for initiating my study of the quadrivium, the second leg of the classical liberal arts, to investigate quantity or number. After learning arithmetic to understand number in its most abstract sense, i’d proceed to geometry. After understanding number in space, i’d progress to music. After number in time, i’d...

key termstempo: density of beats per unit of timeplay tempo: tempo of the mixed songplay time: how much clock time passes when playing the songprelude2023 started with a well-defined plan for initiating my study of the quadrivium, the second leg of the classical liberal arts, to investigate quantity or number. After learning arithmetic to understand number in its most abstract sense, i’d proceed to geometry. After understanding number in space, i’d progress to music. After number in time, i’d...

PrefaceThe following exposition discusses certain difficult subjects. For example, we’ll canvass my current conceptions of death, grief, metaphysics, ontology, time, space and faith—to name a few. Should any topic contribute to a sense of unease, please pause your reading and resume whenever you feel ready. If you don’t want to read a section, please don’t read it! Finally, although this is my longest reflection to date, i truncated my commentary on certain topics wherever possible. As such, ...

PrefaceThe following exposition discusses certain difficult subjects. For example, we’ll canvass my current conceptions of death, grief, metaphysics, ontology, time, space and faith—to name a few. Should any topic contribute to a sense of unease, please pause your reading and resume whenever you feel ready. If you don’t want to read a section, please don’t read it! Finally, although this is my longest reflection to date, i truncated my commentary on certain topics wherever possible. As such, ...

only you feel the wind play with your hair; only you greet the grass beneath your feet; only you touch terrains behind your teeth; only you see that mirrors claim you're fair; only you can play with the stars we share; only you taste the grape, joyfully sweet; only you feel degrees of cold and heat; only you can recognize you're aware. only you smell soft breaths of sandalwood; only you glimpse, not into, but as space; only you hear the blackbirds' morning song; only you witnes...

only you feel the wind play with your hair; only you greet the grass beneath your feet; only you touch terrains behind your teeth; only you see that mirrors claim you're fair; only you can play with the stars we share; only you taste the grape, joyfully sweet; only you feel degrees of cold and heat; only you can recognize you're aware. only you smell soft breaths of sandalwood; only you glimpse, not into, but as space; only you hear the blackbirds' morning song; only you witnes...

On Taking Things For GrantedBlue skies epitomize freedom from worldly cares. Freely pondering what's above represents an understated but elegant element of our existence. However, distractions - whether buildings, weather patterns or thoughts clouding our minds - get in the way. Nevertheless, when the blue sky wholly presents itself to us, we take it for granted. Our tendency to take vital aspects of our lives for granted produces a tremendous amount of unnecessary psychological sufferin...

On Taking Things For GrantedBlue skies epitomize freedom from worldly cares. Freely pondering what's above represents an understated but elegant element of our existence. However, distractions - whether buildings, weather patterns or thoughts clouding our minds - get in the way. Nevertheless, when the blue sky wholly presents itself to us, we take it for granted. Our tendency to take vital aspects of our lives for granted produces a tremendous amount of unnecessary psychological sufferin...

A Guide For Creating More Mindful MomentsStop and smell the flowers. You’ve probably heard this popular adage generally offered alongside advice, such as focus on the journey, not the destination and enjoy the process. While stop and smell slightly helps clarify the meaning of the two aphorisms in the prior sentence, what does it actually mean, and can we extend it further? Throughout this exploration, I’ll lean on the hypothetical act of seeing a flower on a walk to draw out a few practical ...

A Guide For Creating More Mindful MomentsStop and smell the flowers. You’ve probably heard this popular adage generally offered alongside advice, such as focus on the journey, not the destination and enjoy the process. While stop and smell slightly helps clarify the meaning of the two aphorisms in the prior sentence, what does it actually mean, and can we extend it further? Throughout this exploration, I’ll lean on the hypothetical act of seeing a flower on a walk to draw out a few practical ...

i step outside where life abides, what do i see? a golden bridge with cars in grids, spacing employees and in between the bridge and i, what do i see?the view from the hallway of my first apartment in san francisco!a cloud that floats above the boats, coasting on the sea and in between the cloud and i, what do i see?the top of the monkey puzzle tree found in san francisco's salesforce park :oa tree so rare, near not there, playing with the breezeup close and personal with the monkey puzz...

i step outside where life abides, what do i see? a golden bridge with cars in grids, spacing employees and in between the bridge and i, what do i see?the view from the hallway of my first apartment in san francisco!a cloud that floats above the boats, coasting on the sea and in between the cloud and i, what do i see?the top of the monkey puzzle tree found in san francisco's salesforce park :oa tree so rare, near not there, playing with the breezeup close and personal with the monkey puzz...

IntroductionWelcome to the second installment of the “Deconstructing…” series! Today, I’ll share The Monkey and The Horse Gram Panchatantra story and some of my thoughts. Since I couldn’t find the original story online, I’m taking full creative liberties with it 🤭 perhaps, it's for the best!In My Own WordsOn a warm May evening, a monkey named Terk lounged in a mango tree next to a riverbank. The sweet smell of the ripening fruits gently invited her to doze off. As her eyes closed, a sma...

IntroductionWelcome to the second installment of the “Deconstructing…” series! Today, I’ll share The Monkey and The Horse Gram Panchatantra story and some of my thoughts. Since I couldn’t find the original story online, I’m taking full creative liberties with it 🤭 perhaps, it's for the best!In My Own WordsOn a warm May evening, a monkey named Terk lounged in a mango tree next to a riverbank. The sweet smell of the ripening fruits gently invited her to doze off. As her eyes closed, a sma...

Awake, O Little One. I had just returned from a late breakfast in the dining car when I heard the summon. I spent the morning enjoying Amtrak's Railroad French Toast with Kurt, my new friend. He planned to hop off in Burlington, Iowa to return to his farm, on which his family had lived for more than 100 years. On the other hand, my family arrived in America during the 90s and has already lived in 5 states. Curious to investigate our differences, I asked him how his life situation evolved...

Awake, O Little One. I had just returned from a late breakfast in the dining car when I heard the summon. I spent the morning enjoying Amtrak's Railroad French Toast with Kurt, my new friend. He planned to hop off in Burlington, Iowa to return to his farm, on which his family had lived for more than 100 years. On the other hand, my family arrived in America during the 90s and has already lived in 5 states. Curious to investigate our differences, I asked him how his life situation evolved...

The limits of imagination consistently identify the frontiers of human achievement and innovation. In The Virtues of War, Steven Pressfield’s brilliant fictionalization of Alexander the Great, the legendary conqueror highlights his superior skill: “Not warcraft or conquest. Certainly not politics. Imagination.”¹ Influential leaders use their imagination to distinguish themselves. Those who take us one step (or giant leaps!) forward must imagine their ideas first and see possibility in the imp...

The limits of imagination consistently identify the frontiers of human achievement and innovation. In The Virtues of War, Steven Pressfield’s brilliant fictionalization of Alexander the Great, the legendary conqueror highlights his superior skill: “Not warcraft or conquest. Certainly not politics. Imagination.”¹ Influential leaders use their imagination to distinguish themselves. Those who take us one step (or giant leaps!) forward must imagine their ideas first and see possibility in the imp...

IntroductionAs of late, investigating the media I consumed as a child has captivated me. Interestingly, my most cherished lessons came from kid-friendly versions of the Panchatantra and Akbar and Birbal stories. Contained within books that my family brought back from summer trips to India, these short, cartoon folk tales made an astronomical impact on my (unconscious) moral development. Below, I narrate my favorite tale, The Lion that Sprang to Life, and present some of my takeaways. Hope you...

IntroductionAs of late, investigating the media I consumed as a child has captivated me. Interestingly, my most cherished lessons came from kid-friendly versions of the Panchatantra and Akbar and Birbal stories. Contained within books that my family brought back from summer trips to India, these short, cartoon folk tales made an astronomical impact on my (unconscious) moral development. Below, I narrate my favorite tale, The Lion that Sprang to Life, and present some of my takeaways. Hope you...

I premise that every true occurrence — past and present — contains a magical essence. Let’s call science¹ the magic we can confidently understand with well-reasoned and justified explanations. Let’s call divine the magic we cannot yet explain with good explanations. Therefore, divine occurrences are those we know to be true but don’t know (yet) how they came to be. While many instances of divinity come to mind, I believe the facts that I am and that I feel I am distinguish themselves signific...

I premise that every true occurrence — past and present — contains a magical essence. Let’s call science¹ the magic we can confidently understand with well-reasoned and justified explanations. Let’s call divine the magic we cannot yet explain with good explanations. Therefore, divine occurrences are those we know to be true but don’t know (yet) how they came to be. While many instances of divinity come to mind, I believe the facts that I am and that I feel I am distinguish themselves signific...