There is a powerful, though likely apocryphal, story that circulates about Nelson Mandela’s presidential inauguration in 1994.  It is said that among the distinguished guests, he invited three former prison guards from Robben Island, where he had spent 18 of his 27 years in captivity.  These were not friendly faces; they were men who had subjected him to hard labor, insults, and brutality.

Last week, I participated in the 10th World Kung Fu Championship at Mount Emei. It was an experience that left me with deep emotions and valuable insights, compelling me to share this heartfelt reflection.

There’s a quiet revolution happening, and it starts with sliding your phone into your pocket instead of clutching it in your palm.  Young adults today stand at a crossroads between two worlds:  the carefully curated digital universe and the messy, beautiful reality waiting just beyond the screen.  The choice you make might define your generation’s legacy.

Imagine tending a garden.  Yongxin is the difference between mechanically watering plants and keeling in the soil, noticing which leaves need sunlight, which buds are ready to bloom, and which roots crave nourishment.  This is how we preserve relationships: not through grand gesture, but through the daily practice of seeing and cherishing the humanity in others.  A partner who remembers how you take your tea after a long day. 

So, if you find yourself longing for something more today, don’t rush to fix everything at once.  Start by listening.  That quiet voice inside you already knows the way.  Your job isn’t to force the growth, but to create the conditions for it, with kindness, with courage, and with the unshakable belief that you are worth becoming.

Simple poem on improving yourself.

Wén Wŭ Shuāng Quán 文武双全 When we look at the symbols for Yin and Yang, we see that they represent a state of constant change. When we are...

When we practice, our main goal is to move Qi. When Qi moves, the body flourishes. But if you try to force it...

Learning is a journey and a process of growth.  There are many levels or steps that we have to go through before we can say, “I understood”.

Everything is in a state of constant change and that makes us constantly have to adjust our balance.

In Chinese, the first character, sheng 生, pertains to anything that is alive. The second character, cún 存, means to store something precious

In a world that is constantly evolving, the spirit of challenging oneself to improve has never been more relevant.