When I was a child, I often wondered if the adults in my village were happy. And, more importantly, if I followed in their same footsteps, would I be happy?
Growing up in a small, bucolic village in Japan, my life path had already been written into the oratory history of my village: go to a good school, excel in school, get a great job, get married, have children, live a successful life, retire and live happily ever after. But deep down I questioned if this path, which was created without my input, was the true roadmap to my happiness.
After I immigrated to Florida to chart a new path for my life, I began studying English, art, and dancing, as a way to break free from the misery of not knowing myself or my purpose. Eventually, to follow the social expectations I grew up with in Japan, I earned a degree in Chemical Engineering. Because my career choice was based on these expectations, and not what I truly wanted to do, I found it difficult to look for a job after graduation. My heart was just not in it. Deep down inside I knew I was still searching for what I was supposed to do with my life.
Enter the adventure sport of rock climbing.
It became a big catalyst for clarity and was one of my major spiritual awakenings. Something more than the thrill of climbing happened to me on those rocks. The experience of pushing my body beyond its limit, in fact, provided the space for a spiritual epiphany. When I was on the rock, I became one with it and learned what “being in the present moment” really meant. This total focus on the here and now while I was on the rock, completely diminished all mind chatter, emotions, worries, and fears and replaced it with a deep sense of peace and serenity in my body. Rock climbing was the beginning of my inward journey to master my mind and my body.
The experience of rock climbing was so impactful I accepted a job in Colorado at a pharmaceutical company because of its proximity to the sport. I chose to work the swing and graveyard shifts because it allowed me to rock climb during the day.
With my new job and adventures, my life seemed to move at a steady clip. I eventually got married and lived, what most would call, a comfortable life. But no matter how much I traveled to beautiful places, no matter how many wonderful friends I had, no matter how much my husband loved me and I him, I felt as if I had a hole in my heart.
I had a deep, unexplainable level of loneliness and pain in my heart. I was just not happy…almost miserable. I couldn’t share my feelings with anyone, because to them I had a perfect life. I thought if I shared how I really felt, I would just seem ungrateful or crazy.
Then I attended a Qi energy mindfulness class being taught by one of my friends. Qi energy is what is between the spiritual and the physical world. Once you experience this Qi energy, when you experience its purest form in your body, you get in touch with your true self.
When I was on the rock, I was able to overcome the limiting voices of my mind and my body and I was able to get in touch with the deep calm and peace within me. In my friend’s classes, I got the same experience and much more. I was able to get in touch with my true self which made me feel happy with who I am as I am. I realized this practice took me beyond what I experienced in rock climbing and pointed me towards experiencing who I truly am and led me to live a purposeful life.
This is when my inner spiritual journey truly began.
So I continued to immerse myself in more of the teachings of Qi energy mindfulness, to continue awakening my spirit through mind, body, and energy practices.
A few years later, I took a trip to Sedona Mago Center for Well-being and Retreat, where these teachings are practiced in depth. This is where I was guided to go deeper within. It was during one of the Qi Energy Trainings at this retreat that my biggest pivotal spiritual awakening occurred: I touched my soul. I experienced my soul at a level where my five senses and thoughts completely disappeared, with no desires from my body or my mind, or my emotions. I felt at one with my soul where nothing else existed inside of me and the experience was overwhelmingly indescribably powerful. It was an experience of unconditional love, joy, confidence, trust, freedom, a sense of wholeness, and oneness with all people. I felt like ‘This is what I have been searching for my whole life.’ The tears of joy from my soul burst out of me like water breaking through a dam. That awakening shifted my entire life.
Ever since then, I began naturally to wake up at 3 AM to do energy training for six hours until 9 AM every day. This training, which includes movement, breathwork, and meditation allowed me to get in touch with my soul and empowered me to lead others to that connection.
That became the purpose of my life.
Later, I was invited to do intense physical, mental, and spiritual training at the Korean temples where the Sun Tao Living Practice originated. Through all these trainings and awakenings, I realized that the absolute truth existed inside of me.
Now I am devoted to teaching this practice to help others realize the same.
For 7 years, as President of Sedona Mago Center for Well-Being and Retreat, I taught my signature retreats: Finding True Self and Transform Your Relationships. They are heart-centered experiential personal development retreats, rooted in the SunTao Living philosophy, and designed for anyone seeking true happiness, and in search of who they really are. They can shift into a higher state of consciousness through Qi energy, in order to experience an awakening of their personal truth.
Currently, as the CEO of Body & Brain Yoga and Tai Chi, I also offer special group and personal retreats centered on mindfulness, self-management, self-care, and healing. I travel the world as an international speaker and have given lectures and corporate meditation training at global companies like Nike for their Mindset Conference, and at Starbucks’ national headquarters. As a speaker and mindfulness facilitator, I have taught thousands of people how to release stress and recover their physical, mental, and emotional well-being which will help them regain their productivity, their focus, and their capacity to lead and collaborate well with others.
Helping others discover their true value and guiding them to live for their true purpose gives me joy. I dream of the day that every human being awakens to their true selves and divine consciousness, and together we can heal ourselves, loved ones, and all humanity and co-create global peace on earth.