Conscious living letter #1
Thoughts worth contemplating, things worth sharing.
I decided to write a short letter between my long essays now, as I always have some things to explore, especially regarding conscious living, but they might not be ripe for a fledged-out article yet.
In this letter, I will share three things in three areas/topics. Why 3? Because 3 represents many areas in life, from spiritual to nature to symbols. For example, the beginning, middle, and end; birth, life, and death; past, present, and future; mind, body, and spirit.
It's a principle captured neatly in the Latin phrase omne trium perfectum - everything that comes in threes is perfect, or every set of three is complete.
Three things for a conscious living
In the spirit of inspiring conscious living, I will share three things related to it. Besides writing in detail about an aspect of conscious living, like my post on seeking moments of awe or traveling slowly and mindfully, I want to share these personal experiences with you.
Meditation
Ten years ago, I went on a 10-day Vipassana meditation retreat, one of my life's most life-changing events. Meditation is a transformative practice that helps us retake the reins of our minds and brings us back to the present moment. Even though I'm struggling to keep up with the practice, I meditate every morning for 10 minutes once I wake, as long as my kids haven’t beat me to it!
Taking an awe walk
I wrote about my search for awe in my everyday routine. Well, a routine may be a stretch to call it with two young kids. There is almost always something to throw a wrench into our routine, but lucky for me, I thrive rather on spontaneity.
Practicing what I preached, I went for an awe walk on a lovely spring day to the viewpoint overlooking Freiburg and continued on a round trip in the hills. Though intended for a mindful awe walk, I found my thoughts wandering, so I caved and listened to one of my favorite podcasts. I am used to listening to podcasts while working out in the gym, so it can be something I reach out for when I am moving or exercising. I may try a non-distracted walk next time and report back here.
Reducing distraction
At present, my biggest culprit in distraction is, surprise, surprise, my smartphone! Despite being aware of its impact, I find myself mindlessly reaching for it during idle moments. I tried putting it away during focused times, but I wasn't very good at sticking to it. So, now I will try something simpler - I'll keep my phone out of reach most times so I'm less tempted to check it. Do you have any tips for avoiding phone distractions?
Louisa Wah highlighted how smartphones are central to our lives, which sparked a group chat discussion on it with her.
Three things for writing
I want to hone my writing craft, and currently, besides writing here on Substack and finding my voice, I am also self-studying how to improve my writing. I want to share this journey with you. Let's explore how I'm growing as a writer and what I'm learning along the way.
Journaling
The first diary I wrote was when I was a tween, maybe around 12. I started as inspired by youth books with “Dear Diary.” Those were the embarrassing yet insightful stories of my young self. I journaled on and off since then until now, and almost every year, I will vow again to journal more frequently, this year not exempted. I am still trying to implement a nightly journaling ritual before sleeping.
A swim in the pond in the rain by George Saunders
I am a subscriber to the famous George Saunders, and recently, I have read his book “A Swim in a Pond in the Rain.” I have finished reading it through in a flow, and I thoroughly enjoyed how he explores elements such as character development, narrative structure, and the power of language. He also delves into broader themes about the human condition and the role of literature in understanding ourselves and the world around us. I guess this is the reason why we read and write, too. I also enjoyed Russian literature, which I had not been exposed to until now. I plan to go over the whole book again and focus on his exercises.
Reading more intentionally
I am a serial speed reader. I find myself forgetting many facts after reading a non-fiction book wherever I try to pass on information or wisdom to others. As for fiction books, I will retain the feel, the visual images I created in my mind, and some standout scenes, but I will also struggle to go into details again when discussing them. While writing about slow reading, Yuezhong also discusses paying attention to the craft. I also want to pick up more of this skill to become a better writer.
Three things for sharing
Last but not least, you, my reader, are the most important here - the reason why I write. Therefore, I'll share things that I believe are worth your time! They will come in the form of Substack letters, books, podcasts, or any other media.
The Happiness Podcast by Dr. Laurie Santos
I love this podcast where Dr. Laurie Santos explores subjects of happiness and often provides life tools for us to achieve it ourselves. She also interviews many experts on this subject. Her topics range widely from parenting to relationships to self. There is surely something for everyone in there.
I love this beautiful three-part story about Yi Xue and her mother. She touches on how our culture does not rely on words to express our love to one another, something I know firsthand when I failed in words during my farewell to my dad. I enjoyed reading her mother's life story, her immigrant journey of sacrifices for family and dreams, and how she found solace in music.
If Loneliness Was A Flower by Suyin Tan
Suyin’s poem, If Loneliness Was A Flower, delves into the tangible and intangible aspects of loneliness. It is rich in symbolism and an ode to Chinese culture, such as burning a letter, tangerine peels, and a Chinese character. I also relate to the cutting ties of tradition, which started when my ancestors left China for a better life and continued when I left Malaysia for love.
Three questions for you!
What practices have you found most transformative in your pursuit of mindful living?
How do you manage distractions in your daily life, especially in the age of smartphones?
What are your favorite books or resources for improving your writing skills?
Please share your thoughts and experiences in the comments, I’d love to hear from you.
Thank you so much for featuring my writing here, and for your kind words and beautiful description of my poem, Rachel! I truly appreciate it. And I love the thoughtful collection you’ve gathered here. I’ve been diving deeper into the craft of writing too, and I’m so intrigued by A Swim In the Pond in the Rain (even just the title alone!) – I’m looking forward to reading it!
Great questions, Rachel. For mindfulness, a daily practice of yoga, mediation, and gratitude helps. And please keep in mind, while it sounds good in print, I don't do a lot, but I try to do it every day.
For distractions, I keep the phone in airplane mode as much as possible, and don't participate in social media except FB minimally. I don't go on YouTube until the evening after work.
As far as writing books, there are so many! What I did when I lived in the States was check out all the library books on writing that looked interesting and dived in. I particularly liked On Writing Well by William Zinsser. He has several. Cheers!