my beautiful parents

One of my yeye (grandpa on dad's side)'s greatest passions was photography. Through his lifetime, he created and collected thousands of photographs. I flipped thru many dusty albums today, with delight. Photo after photo of important life moments, moments of beauty captured on film, small snippets of life, huge life events. I watched my parents and grandparents, even images of myself, going from crawling babies to radiant children, to proudly graduating from various schools, happily getting married, getting older and older... until death (the death piece has only happened to yeye thus far, but awaits all of us). Life moves so quickly. What mark am I leaving on in this world of such transient beauty?

ancestral altar

Happy lunar new year! Year of the Water Snake, this year! 

The ancestors' feast, from both sides of my family. 

sakuras 春到

full moon on sunday 

final full moon of dragon year! 

next new moon rings in snake year... 

what are you planting, blossoming, harvesting, composting? 

welcome, spring! 

journey

drop us down deeper

to the next level 

and deeper still 

down 

into murky depths

of perfect splendour 

waiting for too long 

this burst of 

presence 

heart cracked open 

tears flow through 

opening in surrender 

constant change 

courting infinite unknown

your majesty 

yes please 

sunlight glinting off block style buildings

endless rows of solemn surprises 

grim faces masking hurt children, dancing elves 

we are more than this 

we are just 

this 

dreamcatcher floating 

empty dreams caught 

full dreams woven

magic spun 

hands healing 

wrists strong, getting stronger 

head up, spine aligned 

bend when i must

surrender as i choose 

dancing in 

listening

breath deep, body aware 

spine tingling, mouth open 

eyes opening and closing

heart steady beating 

this drum 

carries us 

竹林

exhale exhale exhale 

hold that emptiness 

now, inhale

鳶嘴山

root down, rise up

rise up, root down

earth and sky

united

2012 Project ME

Journey of self-understanding, self-acceptance, and sharing. I have been photographing myself everyday since December 2005. I am constantly growing and changing. Yet there is continuity through all the images. There is a fine thread that runs through my life, all our lives. Interwoven. Can you see yourself, really, as you look into the mirror?

2012 yesterday, 2013 today. Numbers mean nothing, yet facial lines tell stories. Human contact through Taiwan, India, Nepal, and China this year. Human connection, fingers and hearts interlaced through common roots that run underground and windy breath interconnection that defy space and time. What is your story, our shared dance?

Thank you. I see you, Love. I am you.
I am. 

solstice intentions

trust intuition/ follow heart/ inner guidance

empowered action/ active creation/ direct manifestation

tapas/ diligence/ committed practice 

women circle

this has been my experience of taiwan 

and my experiences are 

constantly evolving 

this photo holds a lot for me 

my mama, ama, and nainai

talking, in the house where my mama grew up 

and they continue to live 

and run the family business 

eating food my ama cooks

and has learned to cook from her mama and ama 

retelling and telling stories old and new 

about life in all it's funny, simple, and serious 

ups, downs, twists, turns

it's all so very 

simple 

sister gloria

me and my sister, gloria 

yes, she is taller than me 

no, she is younger than me...

and yes, we are very different 

and equally wise ;) 

ci taiwan

welcome to contact improv dancing in taiwan 

merry

merry christmas from the north pole... of taiwan 

(jiling with santa claus... aka larry) 

thalia

new old friend in taipei and taichong, taiwan 

阿媽生日

my ama, grandma on my ma's side, turns 80 next year. this year's birthday, her age is still a question mark! :) 

jiayi 嘉義 camping

camped overnight at a waterfall in 嘉義 jiayi (southern central taiwan mountains) with some great people 

紙教堂

"paper temple." taiwanese people enjoy japanese designs and architecture. this all-religions-embracing temple is made of paper, produced on a local farm. (and metal, glass, etc)。 also en route to sunmoonlake. photos by aunt and friend

埔里花展

flower exhibit in puli. my aunt (left) with her friend. rainy day. en route to sun moon lake. taiwanese people like to put flowers into arrangements, and admire their beauty. it reminds me of drinking tea. small things that make you happy. 

sun moon lake

blue sky 

calm lake 

with boats all over it 

and people surrounding it 

welcome to sun moon lake (日月潭) in the middle of taiwan 

one of taiwan's most famous lakes 

i prefer the small lakes 

like "grandma's pond" (阿婆潭) in yangmingshan （陽明山) 

but it was interesting here 

to see all the development 

and experience what most tourists from china or elsewhere come to taiwan to see 

so now i know 

and can blue sky calm lake 

elsewhere 

(pictured on left is my aunt maylin from taichong, my adventure partner for the day!) 

wrist

wrist is beautiful!!!

christmas dinner, taipei

i am so thankful for sweet and spicy friendship: brothers and sisters! 

especially happy when friends from different pieces of my life get to meet each other! 

taiwan

i am staying in taiwan for an indefinite period of time

(photo from sanyi, old rails) 

wrist

it is healing! 

manipura

radiate out 

this love to the world 

share shine brightly 

with passion and courage 

speak my truth 

with integrity and clarity 

i know what i want and need 

i know myself 

i understand my place in this world 

i know what i need to do 

and where i am going 

i proudly step forward with strong humbleness 

i know myself 

and help others know themselves

and shine their lights brightly 

as well 

one flame 

ignites many more 

wrist- sadness and fear

i feel helpless and at a loss right now 

1.5 months later, and cut on my wrist is still an open wound 

infected and painful 

i still have lack of sensation and numbness in my third and fourth finger and palm 

i am still bathing with just one hand, cooking with my left hand, chopping veggies softly

drawing softly, playing piano softly... 

all these little things that used to be so fluid and easy

are still difficult 

i just want my life back to normal 

with no high standards of becoming superwoman after this experience now, no 

i just want to be normal 

and able to shower with both hands 

do my yoga practice with strength and ease of both hands supporting

and swing my backpack onto my back without worry of hurting my right hand 

i don't know where to turn 

the infection slowed down in some areas, stopped in other areas 

with antibiotics and daily cleansing 

no more antibiotics, still daily cleansing 

but infection is slowly spreading, once more 

what is causing this? what's happening? 

i don't trust my original surgeon

he talks too fast, doesn't look me in the eye, and provides insufficient answers to his questions 

every once in a while, i catch his humanity through his fast talking rushedness, stress, and wild eyes 

he is scared and tired 

all he really needs is a couple months of solid rest 

i doubt he's really happy with his life, passionate about his work 

he has botched up my arm 

i feel anger

i tried another doctor, skin clinic, when rope was still sticking out of my arm

other doc told me to return to my original doc 

he is scared of liability issues; would not even give me a diagnosis of my situation, or touch my wrist 

my chigong teacher has nothing to say to me, besides 

"stop aggravating your wrist! just let it rest" 

well it has been resting now. after infection, i haven't even been moving it much 

i am giving it nothing but rest, and as much love and good vibes as i can summon up through the veil of my fear, worry, and impatience 

i want to get on with my life 

rose elixir, chocolate, and company of good friends and wilderness make me feel better in my heart 

but the infection remains 

the cut remains open, fingers unfeeling, palm of my hand hot and uncomfortable 

what to do? 

feels like nobody can really help me right now 

and i don't know how to help myself either 

acupuncture teacher and friend stabbed me violently into three points along the arm 

sending shooting sensation down into my palm 

for a few seconds 

"keep massaging there" he says 

but the effect is similar as antibiotics 

it works briefly

but the root of the problem remains 

and the cut remains open, infection marching forward still, after brief respite

tireless bacteria dancing around and around my wrist

i feel scared right now 

and so tired of this 

i don't know what to do 

wrist- a retrospective

 all photos from August 2006, except for final photo

final photo before The Fall- near Giraud Peak, John Muir Wilderness, northern CA, USA

on the helicopter out of the mountains, after the Fall

, 

 I am lucky to be alive, spine intact, both wrists broken, face and body ripped apart but more than functional

nature is the best medicine 

right after cast first taken off, post-surgery 

 my mom made this photo of me right after they took cast off, admiring my hands and feeling grateful...

my wrist, today 

we are gonna get through this, learn lots... and I've promised to never do anything like this again to my wrist, or my Self. i completely love and accept myself, metal and all... and pray that i learn all the lessons i must learn from this journey of second-surgery, second healing, continuous healing journey... and, i patiently walk with this pain, this scar, and this healing process for now, until the day we can fully practice yoga, chigong, dance, climbing, and all the other beauties of life together again!

until then, i cherish it all!

.love. presence. gratitude. 

雨中- 陽明山- 魚路古道 ancient fisherman's trail- yangmingshan

hiking in the rain 

constant uphill 

to grassy plain 

cow dung everywhere 

mud all over my clothing 

boots wet, feet cold, heart ecstatic 

i love these mountains! 

slow downhill descent 

at times running over solid ground 

mostly carefully picking my way down ancient stone steps 

these trees have seen dinosaurs 

i love taiwan ferns 

mist everywhere, magical, romantic 

i dialogue with the trees 

composing songs no one else will ever hear 

breathing breaths to only be breathed once 

savoring each splendid moment 

my breath getting taken away 

waterfall after waterfall 

gentle rain feeding powerful rivers

nourishing the green mountains

i love this planet! 

and rivers- oh how i love rivers!

and stone! 

standing above the waterfall 

feeling her power

i realize who i am 

as well 

wrist

taipei- 4

rain blanket, drum rhythm 

earth shakes, sky blessings 

green things rising, humans crawling 

small life, big universe 

we hold it all within ourselves 

happy day, everyday 

tap in, spiral out 

joy thru tears, blue within rain 

today and everyday, big changes! 

opportunity for transformation 

clouds move fast, one month past 

stillness within movement

peaceful blissful central stillness 

just 

a 

heartbeat

rhythm 

of 

earth

just a heartbeat 

tinder packed tightly

precious little thing 

blown into flame 

strong winds 

i hold you to my chest 

set me on fire 

into the world 

dance me with water 

as we run fast on earth

legs leaping and twirling 

grounding and stomping 

these are ancient global rhythms we pound 

chest to chest 

fingers gently interlaced 

each small movement a prayer 

bodies shuddering, sweating, surrendered 

breath that moves through me 

thank you Creator 

i dedicate my life

to You

this dance is Yours 

i feel earth energy rising through my legs

drawing my movements 

i can still choose

how to place them 

and holding steady

when to rise and fall

with smooth

grace

or jagged 

edges 

sky jewels raining down 

to adorn trees and bless plants

cold taipei, winter setting in 

half of me, "go hike anyways"

the other half, "don't get your hand wet" 

considering already an infection 

better play it safe 

i watch the rain from my window 

in delight

wrapped up in old woolen jacket 

hot tea steaming 

colors at my fingers 

music thumping

heartbeat thrumming

breath soothing

my mama's last day here 

been 6 weeks now with mama 

and 4 with meimei, my lil sis 

my world changed and shifted dramatically during that time 

and tonight, i turn a new page again 

1- before my family coming here, life chapter title: 

fresh from india, studying chigong in taichong, struggling wild windy woman thing in the city 

2- chapter with ma and mei: 

wrist surgery heartbreak recovery, old traumas reopened, familial conflict and connection 

3- and tonight begins (i assume- i don't know yet until it happens): 

she flies once more, wrist strengthening, small travels resuming, mind-body-spirit focus evolving