All in The Why I... Series

Why I Breathe

Why I Breathe

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The Why I... Series, Zen, Meditation

OK, let’s dive into breath work and the art of breathing. If you missed my entry on meditation, you might pair that piece with this entry.

Now you might be wondering: Art? Why you breathe? Don’t we sorta have to?

Of course! It’s true—breathing occurs automatically. Still, you can take over that system.

Breathing techniques are ancient tools our ancestors used to invite calm, regulate, and heal. We’ve seemed to have forgotten their power. As you explore the pantheon of options out there, try to find a few methods that you can vibe with. Experience what these tools can do for you. You might need them someday.

I’ve gravitated toward the following methods, which this post focuses on:

  • Counting methods

  • The Wim Hof method

  • Zazen

Keep reading…

Why I Wrote Down the Rabbit Hole

Why I Wrote Down the Rabbit Hole

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The Why I... Series, Down the Rabbit Hole

If you're a fan of this blog, you no doubt are familiar with my first non-fiction book, Down the Rabbit Hole: Your Guide to Crypto Literacy in the Digital Age. In this entry to my Why I… series, I want to share some casual thoughts about why I wrote this book.

I explained this a little bit in the book to help explain why I am interested in the space.

I explained why a bit in the opening chapter:

“As I fell down the crypto rabbit hole in early 2021, I discovered a calling. It was to help onboard the average person to this new digital frontier. I’m compelled to equip as many people as possible with the foundational knowledge, skills, and behaviors that will become increasingly necessary to be digitally literate. I’ve built a career helping people succeed as their work underwent a digital transformation and overcome technical challenges inherent in working with computers, complicated software, and complex networks. When I ask myself, “What do I want to build in this industry?” the answer is a learning program and community to help teach how to use this technology properly.

My first step toward that goal is The Guide.”

Why I Meditate: Finding Peace in Our Hyperconnected World

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The Why I... Series

“What a joy it is to be on an incompleteable path.” - Henry Shukman, Sanbo Zen Master

I actually want to write about my zen practice. But I feel like setting the stage with meditation more generally is a better place to begin.

The world is afire, literally and metaphorically. It’s been almost 20 years since suddenly everyone had smart phones. We started opening and refreshing feeds—no, waterfalls—of problems, tasks, and agendas. Priorities set by companies, organizations, influencers, bots. This technology added hundreds of new voices to our daily experience. Embedded in dopamine, streaming constantly. Directly to you, 24/7.

So, you’re telling me we already got this damn monkey mind that won’t shut up, that fills us with suffering well enough…and now we’re injecting doomscrolling into the mix?

Of course people need meditation. We need it more than ever.

[Continue reading…]

Introducing: My “Why I…” Series

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The Why I... Series

“In the first half of your life you build a container, and then the second half you fill it up.” - a paraphrased quote attributable to Richard Rohr as far as I can tell

I heard this quote in the course of my zen studies. As a middle-aged human, it really struck me. This blog is a container that I’ll fill by writing about key lessons from my life experience. It’s a wiki-in-progress, a place to share ideas and tactics that have helped me and might help others.

To create a foundation of core principles and positions on the tentpole topics of life, it made sense to start this new blog off with my “Why I…” series. I’ll publish pieces on topics like why I prioritize sleep, why I meditate, why I’m not drinking alcohol this year, and so on. Over time, I’ll be able to refer back to and link to these foundational topics.

I’ll share stories about my experience and how I overcame challenges. I’ve noticed that I’m able to flip perspectives on basic assumptions that can empower change.