When I grew up, I’d occasionally stay up late watching TV. About 10 minutes into a show, the screen with cut away to the first ad. I remember the images used in commercials produced by NGOs that were meant to solicit donations, which appealed to the sensibilities of audiences in the developed world. The typical […]
Vincent Lim
Giving with a Cheerful Heart
When some people see others in unfortunate situations in their lives, they may act with subconscious feeling of superiority. A response that appears to come from a sense of compassion or justice may actually be a response that merely feeds the ego. To put this into clinical terms, these people may be suffering from a […]
How to Learn from Nature
Living among snakes in the wilderness taught me about the value of mindfulness and how to apply it to different situations in life. Part of living in the wild requires an understanding of how to co-exist peacefully with other beings like snakes. One of the first things that I learned about snakes was their tendencies […]
Why is Nature Peaceful?
On a bright, moon-lit night, while walking back to my kuti in a forest in Thailand, I spotted a huge scorpion that had come out of hiding from under a rock. Out of curiosity, I pointed my flashlight directly at it for a moment, then continued to walk the path back to my resting place […]
Why Does the Mind Run Wild?
From being out in the wilderness, I’ve awakened to the reality of how fragile life is in all its form. During the day, I’ve seen bears cause deer and squirrels to flee into hiding. At night, I’ve heard the cries of hungry coyotes and wolves. As one of my teachers once said, the images used […]
No Body at Home
As we explore the body through the breath, it’s necessary to have a trusted guide on your journey into uncharted world. Otherwise, you can end up practicing in unwise ways as I have before. You also need an experienced teacher to tell you when you’re not trying hard enough and when you’re trying too hard. […]
Breathe Easy
A simple meditation object is oftentimes the best object for beginners to meditation. When your mind is running wild and your body feels even more restless, it can hard to settle down. This is particularly true when you’ve chosen to focus on an object that doesn’t provide much substance. That’s why learning to breathe in […]
Breathless
As a teen, I’d occasionally suffer from intense stomachaches, as result of food allergies or physiological imbalances in the body. Witnessing my battles with stomach pain, my father gave me specific instructions for how to find ease, even though I felt my body was under relentless attack. “When you feel pain, breathe as deeply and […]
Have You Been There Before?
When my mother or grandfather (爷爷/爺爺) needed a break from cooking in the kitchen, my family would eat out at fast food restaurants when I was a child. McDonalds and Subway were popular options, and KFC was a favorite of my grandparents for many years. But there were times when we’d opt for a casual […]
Eating Pains
By turning pain into pleasure, I was simply feeding on pain in a more delicious form. There’s a peculiar satisfaction that comes with being able to endure pain that’s similar to the perverse satisfaction that comes from inflicting pain on others. If we look closely, this elevated feeling isn’t that different from indulging in our […]