I have found the deepest empowerment through meditation, and from 2018 through now I've been traveling continuously to monasteries, meditation centers and other places where I can do long-term retreats under deeply developed teachers. I’m truly focusing my life on it; practicing the dhamma/dharma, cultivating peace, generosity, ethics, stillness and clarity, wisdom. Living lightly in service of the deepest freedom for us all. I lived at monasteries in Myanmar/Burma for almost 2 years. I'm finding ways to share the gifts of the culture of generosity and support I received for deep practice wherever I go.
Part of my background is in acupuncture/Chinese medicine and it's something I freely offer wherever I am. My friends and I are starting a non-profit to fund donation-based meditation retreats in the USA and elsewhere, and I'm volunteering to organize a donation-based 3-month retreat that will happen in 2023. Woo! :)
I used to do a lot of creative projects, collaborative music projects/playing in bands, herb and food growing/harvesting/fermenting/cooking, mushroom hunting, and other fun stuff. Oakland, CA was my home for 13 years but I'm currently a tumbleweed for the time being without a conventional home space, just what I can easily carry with me. I have a wonderful partner who sometimes travels with me. I'm often playful and silly, kind, present and grounded.
Northern California born and raised, left handed, mixed Korean American.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

Human connection over capitalist consumption. Generosity as a way of being.
I haven't 'officially' hosted through CS itself, but I love living in the gift, loosening the ego's grip on things I consider "MINE", and I have trusted strangers and opened the homes I've made to many people. I've also received the gift of being hosted by friends and strangers in various places I've traveled. Being on both sides of the coin is a healing blessing for the wounds of capitalism that make people believe they can't trust one another, and that they have to pay and prove themselves to deserve kindness and to exist in any place.

When I have a home base, I love sharing it with others. I was living at and running a DIY meditation center for most of last year and got to host, welcome and hold space for many people, both friends and strangers, looking for a safe place to turning inward, heal and deepen their understanding of reality. Some people came for short stays, others stayed for weeks and months.
In my most recent neighborhood in Oakland, I lived in a tiny studio and I knew a couple people living in cars nearby. I was frequently out of town and they were always welcome to stay at those times, or use my shower and kitchen whenever they needed.
In a previous iteration of my life where I played a lot of music/shows and toured in bands, I both hosted a lot of folks in the DIY musician community who were passing through town, and surfed many couches and floors myself through the kindness of others...
One time in a bigger apartment I lived in, my roomate and I hosted a homeless young woman for a couple days who was having a mental health crisis. She was in danger of getting harmed or arrested for her behavior on the streets so we provided a safe place to stay until we could find her professional care. Our apartment looked like a tornado had hit it by the time she left, with everything strewn about, crooked and crumpled, food in very strange places, etc, but we cleaned and saged it out and it was no big deal because it intuitively felt right. We were emotionally well-resourced, and clear in our hearts about the goodness of what we'd offered.

Living at monasteries, I was hosted and supported to develop in meditation by the infinite kindness of Myanmar people both in Myanmar and in the USA-- it's hard for me to find words to explain how profoundly transformative those experiences have been.
My only official Couchsurfing host was Agni in Kathmandu many years ago and I was inspired and touched so deeply by her generosity, presence and playfulness. I've had wonderful adventures meeting others through CS--with Jessica and Axel in Mexico City, and Austin in Austin, TX!
I love making friends everywhere I go, meeting other people and making genuine connections... which makes it so I often have friends of friends to meet up with when I travel to new places... otherwise I would use CS more. :)

Interests

• cats
• dancing
• cooking
• yoga
• meditation
• gardening
• music
• camping
• buddhist
• tennis
• medicine
• food
• nature
• jamming
• dhamma
• hot springs
• playing bass
• dharma
• retreats
• doula

Music, Movies, and Books

I’m like a rehabilitated obscure pop-culture fiend, ex-record collector, former comic book hoarder... I gave it all away and live lighter and happier now.
I mostly just read books of the Buddha’s teachings and listen to Abraham Hicks and dharma talks these days, Pa Auk Sayadaw, Bhante U Revata...

Forever love me some Prince, Nina Simone and Miyazaki tho...

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Too many to choose just one!
Following my heart’s call to let go of my Oakland life, apartment and things and move to a monastery in Burma/Myanmar.
Helped ease a lot of people’s pain with acupuncture and bodywork.
Started an awesome non-profit music and youth empowerment program that is still going 13 years later.
Became a doula and helped 2 of my best friends birth their babies naturally.
Helped start meditation retreats for people of color at a center in CA.
Played music in bands and made weird art.
Lived in a cave in Spain.
Swam naked with the fishies on a Greek island.
Got free from a lot of little sufferings.
Stopped tryna be Somebody.
Forgave everyone and loved more deeply.

Teach, Learn, Share

Buddhism, meditation, health and healing, chinese medicine-- acupuncture, moxa, cupping, Tuina, qigong, yummy foods, silly jokes, Non-Violent Communication....
A nun once told me “Give everything away, keep meditating and everything good will come to you.” She was right.

What I Can Share with Hosts

Loving presence, kind listening, joy, openness, friendship, food, acupuncture/Chinese medicine wisdom, health and healing... I try to leave every place I go better than I found it. Gooooood vibrations!

Countries I’ve Visited

Cambodia, China, Croatia, England, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, India, Mexico, Myanmar, Nepal, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Thailand

Countries I’ve Lived In

China, Myanmar, South Korea, United States

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