Eco Flow Podcast: Recent Episodes
Sherab Jin
A podcast for Eco Flow-ers, people who are interested in cultivating flow, mindfulness and sustainability in their life and in this world. Join Sherab Jin, a yoga teacher, martial artist, environmentalist, social entrepreneur & life-long learner in exploring ways to grow, connect and contribute! Let's Eco Flow!
"There are two things that really good journalism should do. The first most basic thing is it needs to get the basic information accurately, the quotes need to be what people really said, the facts shouldn't be wrong...and then you do want good stories to be exciting when the news deserved it...if you do enough really good interviews and use the material well, you can make the story very pleasant and really interesting to read" ~ David Holley, former LAtimes bureau chief
Introduction
David has covered some of the most historical events in the second half of the 20th century. Prior to his teaching career, he worked as a foreign correspondent for the Los Angeles Times from 1987 to 2007, based in Beijing, Tokyo, Warsaw and Moscow. David holds a BA degree in Chinese from Oberlin College, and an MA in Communication from Stanford. After 2008, he became an adjunct professor of the School of International Liberal Studies at Waseda University and taught a variety of courses there as well as in Keio University, including Journalism, Russian history, Chinese politics, Post-war Japan and American politics. Upon his retirement, David and his wife have retreated to the countryside of Nagano where they are now enjoying a simple life of farming and being close with nature.
Shownotes
- 00:20 David Holley’s short introduction by Jin, followed by Aika’s self-introduction.
- 03:35 David shares “The Story of My Life”
- 10:30 What kind of foresight did David have about Asia back when he was young?
What sparked his interest in Asia, especially in India and China? [Spoiler: Population density} * 17:30 What did David learn from his study abroad in India and Taiwan? and what led him down the path of becoming a journalist? * 25:07 If we can dissect David into three individuals:
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Prejournalist David
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Journalist David
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Post-journalist David
What remains the same throughout his life and what has changed over time? * 34:20 What separates a great piece of article/ journalist from one that is mediocre? * 44:50 Truth vs Clicks — David’s view on the future of journalism in a digitalized world. * 49:20 What are some of David’s most memorable highlights, lessons or experiences throughout his career as a foreign correspondent? * 55:00 David’s perception of "suffering" & the symbolism behind the Shiva Nata Raja. Robinson Jeffers' poems. * 1:02:22 Jin shares his favorite quote of David Holley on the importance of making conflicting parties try and understand the reasoning and complexities of both sides of an argument. David elaborates on the quote. * 1:09:35 “This is complicated” - How did David teach his students about complexities of arguments in a non-dichotomous way? And what kind of examples does he use to illustrate those complexities? * 1:16:00 David’s thoughts on Daoism. What is the role and purpose of human beings in a world that is transcendental beyond good and evil? * 1:21:00 A Daoist and harmonious transition of life- how does David’’s present life look like in the countryside of Nagano? * 1:29:00 David’s identity of living in foreign cultures and societies as a “white foreigner” and how he assimilates into them. * 1:35:26 If David can design a semester/10-weeks course and teaching anything, what would he like to teach? Spoiler: David talks about evolutionary psychology and the importance of “having at least 4 grandchildren”.
“What we really need now is a stronger network of activist groups and communities which are beginning to make radical transitions that we need, and I hope that Yonaoshi will be part of that coalition to bring people together in creating these network, which will serve as good medicine against this sense of powerlessness.” ~ Dr. Charles Cabell
Dr. Charles Cabell is an associate professor of Global and Regional Studies at Toyo University. He holds a P.h.D in Modern Japanese Literature from the Department of East Asian Languages and Civilization at Harvard University and his interests include cultural studies, Japanese literature, and educational practice and theory. Currently the acting president of the International Association for Japan Studies (IAJS), Charles has been involved in pioneering “Yonaoshi- Why not Remake the World”, a new form of academic conference called that combines participant-centered, creatively interactive learning events with entertainment in order to bring together students, activists, scholars, and concerned laypeople to actively engage in issues connected with equity and social justice in the context of the ecological and climate crisis.
In this conversation, we discussed many topics ranging from his background story, ikigai and connection with Japan; his thoughts on our environment, education and possible solutions in "remaking the world". Charles is a professor who truly cares for his students and does everything he can to help them grow and contribute in this world. I miss taking his classes back I was an undergraduate student in Japan. It's fun to reconnect here and we're also planning to record another episode focusing on discussing and analyzing literature. Let me know if you enjoy this conversation as I did! Show-notes available at sherabjin.com
This is a half an hour long guided meditation on the cultivation of loving kindness (also known as metta meditation). Loving kindness meditation is something that I've been practicing for the past decade and has helped me to maintain my personal wellbeing amidst turbulence and setbacks. When overwhelmed by negative emotions or feeling insecure, one can resort to loving kindness meditation to cultivate inner peace. Moreover, I feel that it is much accessible to beginners than other forms of meditation such as breath or insight meditation, which you can later delve into as you progress in this meditation. Before doing this meditation, I also recommend checking out my 10-min introduction to loving kindness meditation in the previous episode.
Jin Young Lim (Sherab Jin) Bio:
Host of Eco Flow Podcast. Schwarzman Scholar 22'. Born in Southeast Asia as an overseas Chinese, Jin grew up learning about spirituality, meditation, and traditional Chinese Martial Arts, especially in Shaolin and Tai Chi. During his undergrad at Waseda University and Peking University, he began delving deeper into Yoga and Aikido, later on receiving his yoga teacher certification at Vikasa and Universal Yoga. He sees mindfulness, art, yoga and martial arts as related to one another and integrates them into his daily practice. Deriving his learning experiences from different countries, Jin wants to build a holistic academy that caters to both local communities and foreign visitors.
If you enjoy this meditation, please share it with anyone whom you think might find it helpful, especially during this troubled times. Sending love your way. #lovingkindnessmeditation #mettameditation #lovingkindness #maitri
Consider subscribing or connecting :
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/sherabjin
Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwh13eMhZDoqxalosCgT96w
Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/eco-flow-podcast/id1496569006
Personal website: https://www.sherabjin.com/
NGO: https://spawofoundation.org/
This is a 10-min long brief explanation of Loving Kindness (Metta) meditation, a form of spiritual practice that I've been doing for the past 10 years. I recommend listening first to this introduction, then proceed with the full 30-min long guided loving kindness meditation released in the following episode. Please share with anyone whom you think might find it helpful. Enjoy!
“If I were reorganizing schools, I’d make the learning to be at anyone’s individual pace, abolish grades, and focus on ethics and morals just as much as learning math and English.” ~ Jason Lai
During this pandemic, I've had a chance to act as the moderator and lead interviewer in representing The Leads Asia's Q&A with Jason Lai, a prominent British orchestral conductor who is at present the Principal Conductor at the Yong Siew Toh Conservatory in Singapore. Besides appearing on many TV shows and giving masterclasses worldwide, Jason is also an integral coach, presenter and speaker who cares about education and the wellbeing of others. A warm and compassionate being, he is generous in sharing his thoughts and providing mentorship to young people. Much love to Jason, as well as Kaori and Ayano for inviting me to moderate the interview, and for giving me the permission to release this interview here on my channel and podcast. Some of the topics that we've discussed:
04:50 The Story of Jason, how he become who he is
09:20 Who planted in Jason the seed to help others
13:10 What is Jason's "identity"
22:20 Advice on finding passion
34:40 Jason's personal education and definition of "education"
43:10 Mentors in life
50:40 Jason's role as a coach and mentor
58:30 The power of music and art
1:05:15 Something touching he has done for his mentee
1:09:00 On building trust
1:12:10 What does Jason's day look like?
1:37:40 Biggest challenges in life & coping with death
Is there a hack to learning culture? In this episode, Jin proposes a model for hacking culture and shares his stories and personal experiences exploring and working with different cultures. Invited as an online guest teacher for Teikyo University students who are taking a course on cross-culture communication, this presentation was recorded in 2020 and the full presentation can be found on my Youtube Channel Eco Flow with Sherab Jin.
"I definitely felt like tea is a meditation practice that can really help us. A lot of meditation can be difficult because when you first started you get so distracted by your thoughts it can be really challenging, but if you suddenly have the water & the leaf this moment, there you are, you kinda have a 'distraction to your distraction'. It’s almost like a koan, you know." ~ Jade
In this 9th episode of the Eco Flow Podcast, Sherab Jin interviews Jade an author, entrepreneur and tea teacher about her journey of tea exploration across Asia, tea meditation, and her relationship with tea.
Jade's bio:
Jade is a certified Meditation Instructor, Health Coach, and Tea Practitioner. She is the author of Tea, Remembering the Essence of Life A book that illuminates tea from both a traditional and creative perspective. The idea of this book was to explore the essence of the 5 elements (Water, Wood/Wind, Fire, Earth, Metal) and adapt it to the practice of tea meditation. Jade is also the founder of the project WAOTEA, an online tea store, and community, offering consciously-sourced tea, teaware, and accessories, a variety of tea offerings, and experiences. She teaches the practice and ritual of tea privately through her course “way of tea”, offers ceremonial tea meditation in events and retreats. Wao'' stands for “We are one”. The intention behind her project is to encourage conscious community circles, self-healing rituals, sustainable living, and environmental healing. Her practice is about creating space to celebrate life, to honor presence, community, and Nature. “
Jade's website: https://waotea.com/
“What I’ve seen though is that a lot of rural kids are are actually quite satisfied with the way they experience life.” ~ Cody Abbey
This is the second part of my interview with Cody, on lessons we can learn from rural education work in China. We touched on China’s effort during this pandemic lockdown, the “two teacher system” and what it means, the question on whether Education technology is narrowing or expanding the urban-rural education gap, spiritual and material civilization and finally, advice for parents during this pandemic lockdown. If you missed the first part of the interview, check it out here on my Youtube Channel (Eco Flow with Sherab Jin).
Cody's Biography: Cody Abbey is a project manager at the Rural Education Action Program, which is a collaborative research organization by Stanford University that aims to narrow the urban-rural gap in China by identifying and solving rural China’s education and health problems. Before REAP he was part of the inaugural class of the Yenching Academy at Peking University and completed his bachelor’s degree in public policy at Princeton University. With a long-held interest in education equity, he previously earned a teaching license in Mandarin Chinese and took part in a Princeton Asia fellowship.
"If you can't bring educational resources to the rural kids physically there's got to be some other way, and that's when education technology (Ed Tech) comes in because if you can get it to them virtually and have a local teacher trained to implement it, then there's a chance that it can be effective." ~ Cody Abbey
I believe this is an extremely important conversation with Cody Abbey from the Rural Education Action Program (REAP) on the #EcoFlowPodcast. In this first half of the interview, Cody and I discussed his work in REAP and why Ed Tech is important in rural China's education as well as for the rest of the world. Stay tuned for the second half of the interview in which we discuss whether the current Ed Tech is narrowing or widening the gap between the rich and the poor, what's he's learned from REAP so far as well as his advice for parents during this pandemic lockdown. The video interview can be found on my Youtube Channel (Eco Flow with Sherab Jin).
Cody's Biography:
Cody Abbey is a project manager at the Rural Education Action Program, which is a collaborative research organization by Stanford University that aims to narrow the urban-rural gap in China by identifying and solving rural China’s education and health problems. Before REAP he was part of the inaugural class of the Yenching Academy at Peking University and completed his bachelor’s degree in public policy at Princeton University. With a long-held interest in education equity, he previously earned a teaching license in Mandarin Chinese and took part in a Princeton Asia fellowship.
"These days, I only practice something intensely for a maximum of 15 minutes, and then switch to something else, because I want to be fully focused." "When you practice really hard, the way will reveal itself to you." ~ Alexis Charrier
I have the honor of bringing my Shaolin brother Alexis Charrier on to the #EcoFlowPodcast, in which we reminisced about the past and discussed about our martial arts training routine, how he started learning Shaolin/Saolim kungfu & became a musician as well as his relationship with mentors like Master Ming Thong and his grandpa. I've also included a short singing performance by Alexis from 23:13 - 27:01
Song title: "Ordinary". The full podcast video interview can be watched on my YouTube channel.
Ps: We used #Shaolin & #Saolim interchangeable. " Sao Lim" is the southern min dialect pronunciation for Shaolin (standard Chinese mandarin)
Alexis Charrier's Full Bio:
Alexis is a French-Canadian Musician who has been training and teaching Shaolin martial arts in Canada and France for the past two decades since his days as a music student at McGill University. He first studied under Sifu Ong Ming Thong, a master of Shaolin, Taichi, Xingyi, and Baguazhang in Canada and later frequented Penang to learn from our common grandmaster late Sifu Png Chye Kim from Penang Sao Lim Athletic Association. Alexis has mastered all fundamentals of Saolim, including iron fist, iron shirt, and various forms of internal and external forms of martial arts. He is also a certified Acupuncturist from the College of Chinese Medicine London under Dr. Don Stevens and currently practices in his cooperative clinic Assistance Clinicale Thérapeutique (ACT16). Besides that, he actually works mainly as an international musician, touring the World and played with artists such as Corneille, Thandi Klaasen, El Hadji, and Karim Diouf, Martine St Clair, Thierry Arpino and has also composed music for Universal Pictures and Dreamworks video games such as Shrek 4 and Iron Man 2. Alexis loves to harness the power of music and art creation with a broad audience of fellow music lovers and passionate musicians alike.
"People say that prostitution is the oldest profession in the world, without realizing the fact that "pimping", or pimps who were living off the living of prostitutes are the oldest profession as well" - Aika Sato
During this pandemic lockdown, I got a chance to catch up with one of my best friends in university, Aika Sato in this random conversation. We touched on a few fun interesting facts about Aika and delved into her current research paper about comfort women. Aika is currently a Yenching Scholar in Peking University and an aspiring academia.
"If you want to cultivate inner peace, try out yoga! " — Kaori Sasaki (Yoga Bindu)
Today in this very first interview episode, Sherab Jin speaks with Yoga Bindu, or Kaori Sasaki a Japanese yoga teacher with 20+ years of experience in the field, and who has done her training with Sivananda Yoga Ashrams in India as well as with Under The Light (UTL) Yoga Studio in Tokyo. She now teaches charity classes in the UTL yoga studio branch in Kuala Lumpur and fund raises money for education initiatives in Himalaya Rishikesh, India.
We discussed about mantra chanting, Sivananda Yoga style, life in ashrams, Kaori's family background, and some advice to the general people on cultivating peace or those who want to start yoga in their life!
Kaori has a beautiful voice to share! So please enjoy!
What does the coronavirus reveal about a future dystopian world? Is it related to climate change in any way? and what can we do about it? In this episode, Sherab Jin shares his thoughts and research on the crisis as well as included a repentance practice shared by his yogi brother Gabriel Ng at the end of the episode.
This is the second episode of the Eco Flow Podcast. Moving on from episode one, which focused on the introduction of the concept of “eco-flow” and the purpose of this podcast, this time we will focus more specifically on “flow” itself and how it is relevant to our lives. Sherab Jin posits that we've all experienced flow before in our childhood and presents the basic characteristics and preconditions of entering flow from the perspective of a baby. Enjoy!
This is the introductory episode to our new Eco Flow Podcast. I'll be introducing myself, talking about the concept of Eco Flow, and the intention and purpose behind starting this podcast. Feel free to subscribe to this podcast if you love what we're discussing and let's Eco Flow!