Returning to Presence
I took a break from qigong for about three months. I still walked consistently, but stepping away from energetic practices felt necessary. I wanted stillness, something closer to Vipassana. I didn’t want to shift or soothe anything. I wanted to sit with all of myself for exactly who I genuinely was.
During that time, walking became my grounding rhythm. It balanced me. I also found myself moving my body in new ways, cleaning, organizing, tending to my space. I rediscovered how much joy those simple acts bring me.
It reminded me of childhood. Before I started school, my mom worked from home as a seamstress. I spent my days picking lint off the carpet just for fun, or pulling up a stool to wash dishes. When I eventually got my own room, I rearranged it every two weeks, always changing the energy of it.
Those were the days before social media, when stillness was abundant. There was so much space to pause, to create, to simply be. Lately, I have been bringing that energy back into my life, choosing creation over consumption.
Living in LA, external stimuli is everywhere. The collective energy is fast, hungry, and full of desire. If you are not grounded, it is easy to lose yourself in it. Growing up with very few material things taught me something important. I can have them or not have them, and I am okay either way. I am grateful for the foundation my early years gave me.
Recently, I asked myself what am I creating and what truly brings me joy. My deepest joy is presence.
Two weeks ago, I stepped off social media because it was pulling me away from genuine presence and connection. The energy felt misaligned. I love connecting with the beauty of nature and with whatever is in front of me, one thing at a time. Social media can make connection feel short, fragmented, and rushed. It did not nourish me, so letting it go felt effortless.
It is not that social media is bad. It is a tool. It is just not where my interest is right now. Since a core part of Wuji is sharing resources, we will have a creative agency manage our social media to keep it aligned with our blog and mission. You do not have to avoid it. You just have to find a way to use it that supports you.
So ask yourself, when you step away from the noise, what brings you joy. What are you creating. And how can you make more space for the presence that lights you up.