Hi friends,

Thanks for staying with me on Our Great Journey. As Basho wrote and I used in my dedication to Facebuddha, “every day is a journey, and the journey itself is home.” I'm giving more talks to specialists on Narcissism in the American Psyche, but you can hear a version of the talk given at the South San Francisco Public Library here. The metaphor that has "grabbed" me recently is the "crab mentality" - when crabs are in a tub, if one tries to climb out, the others pull it back in. I think that's what's happening with the primitive aspects of our collective psyche now. Many people are living in an inclusive, warm-hearted way, but there are other forces that are fearful, perhaps of being left behind, of not being heard, not getting their way - and they pull us back into the tub. As we face the primitive in the world and within us, I hope we can remember we are all in this together - and that we all have the capacity to pull someone to safety, peace and belonging. In fact, perhaps none of us is truly free until we're all out of the tub. Let's form a chain link outta here!

Facebuddha keeps giving, maybe not in terms of sales but in terms of fantastic conversations. One person recently told me my book really made them think; another friend said she felt closer to me after reading the memoir section. I'm so gratified to hear comments like that. When you have a chance to read the book, please send me a comment or write a review online. Purchase links and a trailer are on my website. Also, please share the Facebuddha Mindfulness Challenge.

I had a fantastic conversation with Mimi Chan on her CultureChat Podcast. We talked about all angles, including my Asian American immigrant narrative. Identity is such a shape-shifting entity - but we have to know our stories to know our hearts. Mimi actually read my whole book! The first podcaster to do so! PLEASE LISTEN AND SHARE :) Thank you.

36 Views of San Francisco

My latest creative effort, a collection of poetry and photography about my spirit's response to changing times in San Francisco

Some of my poems have really touched or tickled people. Here are some samples:

Tanabata Ache, Tanabata Joy - a wistful poem about loneliness, loss, longing and staying connected to the present moment.

Red Thread - an abstract poem about connection and walking with connection, collective karma and responsibility

what to do, what to do - a pugnacious poem and perhaps the best "explanation" of our current mess!

BLOGS

Crazy Rich Asians and the Asian American Psyche - a Superfan analysis of the film and the cultural moment, with attention to Asian cultural syndromes and collectivism's strain against individualist pressures. Also see SEARCHING with John Cho (out now) and WHITE RABBIT with Vivian Bang (starting next week in SF).

A Whale of a Tale Questions Cultural Narcissism - see this great doc at the Alamo New Mission starting today!

Thanks, and hope to see you soon! I've got the Green Film Fest, SFFILM's Hong Kong Film Fest, the Japan Film Festival and Satyajit Ray and Fellini at SFMOMA's Modern Cinema cued up for the next month or so :) Let me know if you'd like to see a movie with me and hang out.

Warmly,

Ravi