Writings

What Ru Shi Writes

Whatever comes to mind. Sometimes a story I read, sometimes something that came to me while holding my mala beads.

All Writings

A Friend Asked Why I Look Better Lately. I Said: I've Been Standing Still.
wellness

A Friend Asked Why I Look Better Lately. I Said: I've Been Standing Still.

An 80-year-old TCM doctor taught me zhan zhuang — Chinese standing meditation. I didn't believe it at first. How can standing still heal anything? After 100 days, my insomnia is gone, my hands are warm, my temper softened. This is my honest record of those hundred days.

7/18/202611 min
I Couldn't Sleep From Anxiety. My Mom Said: Go Make a Bowl of Millet Porridge.
wellness

I Couldn't Sleep From Anxiety. My Mom Said: Go Make a Bowl of Millet Porridge.

At eleven at night, my brain was full of work. My mom said: go make millet porridge. When your stomach is warm, you settle down. Those twenty minutes at the stove worked better than any meditation app.

7/9/20267 min
Why the Whole World Is Practicing Ba Duan Jin: A Lazy Person's Honest 30-Day Account
wellness

Why the Whole World Is Practicing Ba Duan Jin: A Lazy Person's Honest 30-Day Account

I never thought I'd become a morning exercise person. Then I saw the whole world doing Ba Duan Jin on TikTok. A Chinese practitioner rediscovering their own culture through foreigners. After 30 days, my shoulders loosened, my neck stopped cracking, even meditation felt more grounded.

6/13/20268 min
Grinding a Brick into a Mirror: When Someone Told Mazu Daoyi That Sitting Won't Make You a Buddha
Zen Stories

Grinding a Brick into a Mirror: When Someone Told Mazu Daoyi That Sitting Won't Make You a Buddha

A young monk sat in meditation every day. An old monk sat next to him, grinding a brick. If grinding can't make a mirror, can sitting make a Buddha? This Tang Dynasty story made me wonder—am I grinding bricks too?

5/26/202610 min
Meditation for Beginners - A Complete Guide to Starting Your Practice
Be Still

Meditation for Beginners - A Complete Guide to Starting Your Practice

4/8/20265 min
Meditation: Ten Minutes of Soul Cleansing Daily
Be Still

Meditation: Ten Minutes of Soul Cleansing Daily

Ten minutes of meditation daily can purify the soul. In stillness, we find our true selves.

4/7/20267 min
7-Day Beginner Meditation Guide
Daily Life

7-Day Beginner Meditation Guide

Never tried meditation? This 7-day guide takes you from zero to establishing a daily meditation habit. Each day has specific instructions to help you begin your inner journey.

4/7/202615 min
Meditation for Beginners - A Complete Guide to Starting Your Practice
Be Still

Meditation for Beginners - A Complete Guide to Starting Your Practice

# Meditation for Beginners: A Complete Guide to Starting Your Practice > "Meditation is not about emptying the mind, but learning to make peace with your thoughts." In our fast-paced modern world,

4/7/202615 min
Thich Nhat Hanh: The Art of Mindful Living
Insights

Thich Nhat Hanh: The Art of Mindful Living

Thich Nhat Hanh brought Zen practice to the West, teaching mindfulness in the simplest ways. He showed us: every moment can be meditation, every step can lead to peace.

4/7/202618 min
Ye Man on Meditation: Finding Inner Peace in the Busy World
Insights

Ye Man on Meditation: Finding Inner Peace in the Busy World

Ye Man discusses Chan meditation and life: how to cultivate in busy modern life, how to face troubles, and how to find true inner peace.

7/3/202416 min
Incense Culture Deep Dive: From Neuroscience to Spiritual Cultivation
What I See

Incense Culture Deep Dive: From Neuroscience to Spiritual Cultivation

Modern neuroscience research finds that incense meditation can significantly change brain activity. This article explores the mechanisms of how incense affects body and mind.

6/10/202412 min