A Potter and His Clay.

In 2017, I arrived at a client’s house. When she opened the door, she smiled sheepishly and asked, “This may be a weird question, but do you happen to know Hajime Kanzaki?” My eyes widened. “Yes- he’s my dad!” She led me into the living room, where his ceramics were displayed on the mantle. They were heavier and had a matte glaze, but the abstract brush strokes and signature at the bottom were my dad’s. “What a small world!” she exclaimed. “My mom loves his work and went to one of his sales in 1990.”

Wrapping each individual piece next to my dad and seeing what ceramics each person chose was special.

He’s spent 63 years perfecting his craft. It’s mind-boggling to imagine the hundreds of pots, cups, vases, and platters he created. All from a lump of clay that he breathed life into. Molding, shaping, and forming it into something with greater potential and possibility.

He never concerned himself with making good art that would sell. Rather, he was committed to being a good man who made art.

Seeing everyone who came out for his final sale was like a living memorial. We shared laughter, stories, and memories. He always told me, “Not everything you make will be for everyone, and that’s ok. Some things speak to others, and some things won’t. Make art that comes from your heart. Don’t worry about what sells.”

Perhaps that’s the beauty. We’re all unique. There is something out there for everyone. We merely have to listen to our hearts and create from that place.

After the sale, he donated 100% of his proceeds.

Every piece sold.

Shine Your Light: 10/23/24 Event

Despite the recent heatwave, fall is officially here! Join me at another Makers, Music, and Mindfulness event on October 23rd from 5-7pm at Creekside Socials. I’ll first guide you through a mindfulness exercise, and then teach you how to create your very own mason jar leaf lantern. This simple DIY craft adds autumn elegance and ambiance to your home, bringing warmth, light, and joy as days grow shorter and colder. This lantern is a reminder of how we can imbue warmth, light, and joy into the spaces we enter.

RSVP HERE. Can’t wait to see you there!

Carve Your Own Path.

Carve your own path.

All of my mentors have figured out a way to weave together their multiple passions. None of them permanently stayed in law or at a monastery. Instead, a few pivoted to ultra-running. Others began experimenting with recipe testing and food blogging. All of them were able to compile their stories and experiences into a larger art form that served the greater community, whether that was a book or podcast.

Each of them pursued their inner calling, which ultimately catapulted them down a path that was uniquely their own.

Making this today was a tangible reminder to carve my own path. It was a year ago that I started my 9-month Morning Altars Teacher Training program, and this piece represents my love of nutrition, Japan, friendship, and Morning Altars- a practice that has taught me the beauty of meaning-making through creativity and ritual.

May we all celebrate the unique ways we contribute to the world. May we be fearless in the expression of those gifts, courageously carving our own paths.

Made with brown rice, beech mushrooms, takuan, green onion, pickled cucumber, carrots, edamame, shredded nori, and perilla. 

Airplane Mode.

Feeling uninspired? Listless? Out of ideas?

Airplane mode is the answer. The phone gives us a lot, but it takes away two of the most important ingredients for creative work- boredom and attention. Without something to numb or distract us, a few things can happen. Either we’re suddenly confronted with the big questions we’ve been avoiding, or we have enough space to invite in new ideas and ways of seeing things.

It takes a few days for the brain to relax. You’ll eat your meals and actually taste the flavors and savor your food versus staring at a screen. You’ll be more in tune with your hunger and fullness signals because you’re not distracted scrolling through TikTok. You’ll go to sleep at night without the cortisol-pumping bluelight and stimulation, only to wake feeling rested and energized. Airplane mode is a reminder of how simple and mindful life was before smartphones made us so anxious, addicted, argumentative, and (dare I say it?) dumb.

Go somewhere where you don’t have reception. Feel how liberating and freeing it is to be unreachable by phone, email, or text.

Or, simply switch to airplane mode. It’s all in your control with a flip of a button.

Choose what and whom you connect with, and when.

Experience the joy and freedom that results.

New Event! 10/12/24: Grounding and Earthing in Nature

When was the last time you gifted yourself time to connect and heal in nature? At this event, you'll experience the physical and mental benefits of grounding and earthing in nature through mindfulness, art, and community. Scientific studies and research have proven the healing effects of touching our feet to the earth, both physically and mentally.

As a lover of metaphors, I can’t help but recognize the other meaning of grounding oneself. Fall is a season of transition and change, and life events sometimes make us feel discombobulated, frazzled, and unsteady. Through artistic exploration, we'll identify what practices ground and root us mentally/physically, and examine what we’re releasing and shedding during this season. You'll leave feeling rejuvenated, grounded, and more connected with yourself, the earth, and each other as Asian Americans.

I look forward to seeing you there and sharing this special time in nature.

Link to register is HERE.

Order Out of Chaos.

“Order out of chaos. I think that’s what art is about. That’s why people create art. The world has always been chaotic. Life is unpredictable. There is no form and making forms gives you solidity. I think that’s why people paint paintings and take photographs and write music and tell stories that have beginnings middles and ends”
— Stephen Sondheim

I heard the news at 3pm last Thursday. A wave of shock, then anger, then sadness passed over me. I finished meeting with my patients and went home. What do I do with all of these swirling emotions?

I did what I’ve learned to do when overwhelmed with erratic emotions. I decided to make art. I gathered my basket, my clippers, and went on a walk.

After placing down this first center flower, my mind began to calm. The crow feathers, six of them, represented the six events we did together over the summer. I placed the acorns down, symbolizing the hope for the new chapters of what’s ahead. And the red pedals, this fiery color that gave me and others permission to be angry and upset at the situation.

I created a video and sent this altar to the woman I made it for. A small offering of solidarity. To show her that she’s not alone and she’s is surrounded by the rest of us- the other purple flowers- who are forever in her corner.

The next time you feel disoriented and discombobulated, make something. Create order from chaos. Let the dust settle into something meaningful and beautiful.

Lift Heavy.

This is the one piece of wisdom I’ve been sharing with all my clients- especially women in perimenopause and menopause. Strength train. Progressively increase the weight you’re lifting over time. Train to build muscle.

This doesn’t mean cardio with weights. This means slowing down. Focus on the mind-muscle connection. Add enough weight to squeeze out that 5th rep, not bang out 12-15 reps.

The more muscle you have, the more fat you’ll burn at rest. Your insulin sensitivity will improve. Your longevity will increase. You’ll improve your sleep and mood.

I’ve evaluated enough body composition scans to objectively see how lifting heavy (NOT doing excessive cardio!) improves body fat percentage, decreases visceral fat levels, and most of all, improves well-being and confidence.

Building muscle takes time and consistency. But just like any investment, it’s the compound interest that adds up. Show up for yourself. Do the work. It’ll transform you both inside and out.