Having a Pilates Session: Introducing Kefei's Newsletter
In KoffeeMocha
After completing my cross-country trip, I have spent a week restoring my body from fatigue. Believe it or not, I also read through my own daily essays throughout the trip to refresh my soul.
I've begun to wonder if the experiences and thoughts I've shared are self-evident and too obvious.
This introspection has led me to find some understanding of the philosophy of Immanuel Kant. Kant believed that our understanding of the world is shaped by the inherent structures of the human mind. According to him, our perception is not a direct grasp of reality, but rather a version shaped by our cognitive faculties. This idea is both intriguing and liberating.
It seems to provide a compelling reason to continue my journey of thought through writing, as I imagine that my readers may be able to see what I see differently from theirs.
My writings are inevitably filtered through the lens of my own experiences, influenced by the specific time and place in which my mind travels.
Now I am publishing my writings in a slightly new format: Kefei's Newsletter, Being Bold. This newsletter will continue to be published on the SubStack platform, but under its own KoffeeMocha logo, offering my mix of bitter and sweet insights into personal growth, survival strategies, and the vibrant experiences of living in New York City and beyond.
We face many realities in our lives.
Aging is one of them.
Inevitably, everyone will face it sooner or later in their retirement years.
There is a lot of discussion about the relationship between health span and life span, and what to do when you are healthy. Personally, I feel pretty energetic and healthy. Theoretically, I could and should work according to conventional wisdom.
My question is whether it makes sense to continue working in my previous capacity or role. This is part of the bitter taste of my early retirement, as I have moved away from what was so familiar with, the people and technologies, that defined my identity. The sweet part gives me plenty of time to reorient myself, including the effort to share my life story by writing.
When I am close to the magnificent nature and face the splendor of wonders in my cross-country trip, I feel humbled as such an insignificant self being in terms of my limited time and space in this world. As an engineer familiar with many engineering units, what kind of measurement can I use for my body and my soul, as if they could be treated separately?
When I resume my Pilates class at Equinox after my trip, I find that my body responds unevenly to the rhythm of my breathing. Pilates focuses on slow, controlled movements with smooth transitions. In addition to controlled movement, proper breathing is equally important as it promotes relaxation and control over the body. Not being able to do this now is an immediate reality for me. Should this inability stop me from continuing to learn and practice? The answer is no. This is the time when I need to imagine myself tasting the sweetness from the bitterness, like drinking a mocha.
Imagine yourself one day able to do much more than you do today. Imagine your new reality tomorrow, but it requires that I at least try to perform to some degree today.
Lack of flexibility, as measured by the Pilates class, may be the first sign of aging. If you are a working professional, you may not even have to think about the effects. However, I know that if my flexibility improves, I will feel different. You may wonder why you need such a feeling. Well, it will give you improved muscle strength and tone, balance and posture. It will help relieve tension in your back, shoulders and legs. More importantly, Pilates promotes mindfulness and body awareness, creating a mind-body connection. Yay!
Of course, I am wearing my lens, which may not fit you according to Kant. The beauty of life, however, can be magnified through any lens you choose. You can create your own experience, as I did on my cross-country trip. Now I am using the Pilates lens to strengthen my body and mind to further justify the benefits of my life choices. My writing, energized by koffeemocha, is soul-searching to find a meaningful existence for my body.
Each essay is intended to provide a blend of bitter and sweet reflections that will leave my readers energized and thoughtful.
Remember, there is a limit to thoughts. It is only when you put them into action that they become meaningful and that it makes sense to think about them in the first place.
My action is to go to the gym.