Ep 74: Senbazuru with Michael James Wong
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Ep 74: Senbazuru with Michael James Wong
Episode 74: Show Notes
Michael James Wong is today’s guest, the founder of Just Breathe, and a leading voice in the global movement for modern mindfulness. He is an author, speaker, community leader, and meditation teacher who is dedicated to expanding the conversation around mental health. As well as being internationally recognized for his work in the wellness community. Michael writes books about hope which is his unique way of being the change he wants to see in the world.
The paper crane is an iconic symbol of hope, healing, and happiness. According to Japanese tradition, if a person were to fold 1,000 paper cranes in one year, they would be granted a single wish and a long and joyful life. In his beautiful and inspiring book about the art of folding paper cranes, Senbazuru: Small Steps to Hope, Healing and Happiness, Michael shares a personal collection of short stories and teachings, accompanied by traditional hand-painted proverbs and prayers.
In today’s episode, we discuss the similarities between Michael’s book, Senbazuru, and Light’s book, Knowing Where to Look, which are both filled with gentle wisdom and axioms. Tuning in, you’ll learn about Michael’s backstory, growing up in a Chinese household in California with Kiwi roots, and his journey toward finding his calling as a wellness advocate and entrepreneur.
We touch on the role Michael’s asthma played in making him more risk-averse, where the simple mantra that formed the essence of his business and philosophy originated, and how Michael translated the personal narrative that paper cranes represent to him into the book, as well as how his definition of success has evolved.
Tune in today!
Key Points From This Episode:
The toys or activities Michael remembers fondly from his childhood in a mixed heritage home.
When he folded his first paper crane as a practice of dedication, attention, and patience.
Michael’s experience of racism, growing up in a family of immigrants in Santa Monica.
Ideologies about belonging and worthiness that were echoed in his family home.
How he used his skills to foster a sense of belonging and guarantee academic success.
Hear how he envisioned success when he “grew up” and what he aspired to become.
Why Michael says that attending UCLA was the only choice suitable for him at the time.
How he applied the practice of folding paper cranes when he was in college.
More on his career journey and the gravitational pull he felt toward art and music.
What working for a private membership community taught him about community-building.
Michael shares his decision to move to Australia after he was fired suddenly and the epiphany he had about seeing the world.
The role that his asthma played in his “mindset of limitations”, making him more risk-averse.
The simple mantra, “just breathe,” that formed the essence of his business and philosophy.
How important yoga became to Michael while he was in Australia and what it taught him about permitting himself to "live a little."
Who his mentors were at the time that gave him the confidence to pursue a career as a teacher.
What inspired his move to London and the story of his first Christmas there.
The origin story of Boys of Yoga and how it gave visibility to a less mainstream community.
How Michael first found meditation as a personal practice within the yoga studio space.
The origins of Just Breathe; a moment of community that wasn’t about being in a studio.
Michael shares the journey of writing Senbazuru and how he discovered a way to translate the personal narrative that paper cranes represented to him.
Some of the Easter eggs hidden in the illustrations within the pages of the book.
Find out why the opening story in the book was Michael’s favorite part to write.
Why he believes suffering is oftentimes a choice; differentiating between suffering and pain.
How Michael’s idea of success has evolved; why success is arbitrary and subjective.
Tweetables:
“I probably didn't have the patience back then to get through [folding 1,000 paper cranes]. It was more [like] this is something to do in a moment where I'm trying to regain some grounding or use it as a nice, creative way to add some of myself into a different situation." — Michael James Wong [0:23:02]
“I always find, if I can weave a little bit of my own story or a little bit of my own meaning into the projects that I'm doing, it supports me knowing that the work we're doing supports others.” — Michael James Wong [0:39:26]
“I did more yoga stuff. I did more meditation stuff. I did teacher trainings. I went on retreats. I just gave myself permission to live a little bit, which I hadn't done before then. I was 24, 25. It really shifted the way I saw what was important for me.” — Michael James Wong [0:42:02]
“How do we show that [yoga] is not just for guys or for girls? How do we open the door for everyone? Sometimes, to do that, you need to turn the lens towards a part of the community that, at that point, hadn't had a lot of visibility.” — Michael James Wong [0:55:02]
“A global yoga community, a global wellness community, a global meditation community only makes sense if there's participation from places that are everywhere.” — Michael James Wong [1:04:51]
“For me, success is to be able to create environments, communities, and spaces where people can have those epiphanies that I were lucky enough to have in my own journey with [meditation].” — Michael James Wong [1:23:28]
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode: