As life becomes more intense, our thoughts grow deeper and our bodies more resilient. Paradoxically, this makes it easier to return to a simple and authentic sense of self. Whenever I arrive in a place that feels truly clean and undisturbed, my perception opens up. Life no longer feels compressed; instead, it spreads out gently, and I experience myself almost as particles, sensing the smallest details and energies around me.
On Tiantai Mountain in Zhejiang, I entered a completely different state of being. Mountains were just mountains, water was just water—everything felt clear, awake, and real. I stayed there for only two nights, yet even within the monastery’s rules, I felt free to follow my own rhythm: attending the morning and evening rituals, and walking wherever curiosity led me. This kind of freedom does not come from rejecting structure, but from feeling at ease within it.
During those days, many quiet but powerful realizations emerged. Listening to a stranger speak about the hardships of her life, or noticing something as small as a dandelion drifting to the ground, both filled me with a sense of respect and joy. In this place, Buddhist teaching felt alive rather than theoretical—present both with form and without form, named and unnamed. Everything arises and fades naturally. Forces move with the flow of life, and thoughts appear and disappear on their own. Each step feels timely and exact.
Some experiences cannot be fully explained in words. Gratitude, in the end, is all that remains.
Fourteen hundred years ago, Master Zhiyi founded the Tiantai school of Chinese Buddhism here. More than a thousand years later, I found myself learning deeply in the same place. I feel immensely fortunate.
Going up the mountain is so that one can come back down.
Coming back down is how we truly return to the world.
#masterzhiyi #tiantaimountain
🏔️
On August 14-15, I completed the pilgrimage to Mount Kailash（Gang Rinpoche）about 50 kilometers.
At dawn, I saw a magnificent the Golden-Winged Garuḍa formed from clouds over the western mountains; after a passing hailstorm, I beheld the formidable northern slopes of Kailash in all their glory. At the most challenging pass, I felt no fatigue. I placed the photos of my mother on the Rebirth Stone (a sacred stone for the departed) and let love flow naturally, fully releasing and offering blessings.
Along the way, I met two Tibetans named Tenzin: one, a lama from Yushu in Qinghai, was on pilgrimage to Thire Monastery; the other, a 17-year-old boy, ran toward a massive stone—the legendary medicine pouch of the Medicine Buddha, said to have been left on Earth.
During the final 20 kilometers of my solo walk, a marmot sang for me, a stranger caught up to walk alongside, and I passed many brave young solo travelers. I saw joyful Tibetan families returning home, and as we emerged from the sacred mountain, we were greeted by vast open grasslands.
Pilgrimage to Mount Kailash is more than a sacred trek; it merges individual intentions with the collective consciousness of humanity, forming a vast spiritual treasure.
For me, it is the protection of the Dharma, a dialogue with my mother across time and space, and a witness to the reality of the sublime.
So perhaps the true meaning of this pilgrimage is to remind us:
Love,
faith,
and the universe
have never been separate.
Three years have flown by, and my journey with @heimshanghai has been incredibly enriching. Although the pain has often outweighed the joy, at this stage of my life, I’m not just seeking happy. These challenges were essential; without these three years, true growth would not have been possible. Our original intention remains unchanged, and goodwill endures. A moment is eternity. May everyone‘s heart find freedom. Happy Heim 3rd annivesary!
Though I told myself to be strong like you. But It is really sad you left us so hurry. I told myself to try to see your departure in a positive way. But it is really hard to face the truth especially at night. I try to tell myself that I love a person as I love the whole world. Miss you already. @syokyo_
Photo by @fiiiiiish
We're officially married before our friends in the end of Qiao! Festival @qiao.asia . Just stay together and love each other for this life. For me，my soul is whole and happines in this life with you. @wuming496
