How to Celebrate Asian Heritage Month: The Power of Traditions: How They Connect Us, Inspire Us, and Heal Us

Greetings! Bonjour! 您好! 

I am Gareth 王, and I am thrilled to welcome you to this edition of the newsletter, where we talk about how to embrace Asian Heritage month. 

Are you tired of the noise that divides us and distracts us from what matters? Do you want to discover the secrets of ancient traditions that connect us and enrich us? Do you want to learn how to celebrate your Asian heritage and your global citizenship?

If yes, then this article is for you. It highlight how can millennia's Asian traditions help you avoid the noise and find your voice? How can they make you happier and healthier? How can they inspire you to be more creative and adventurous? How can they help you make friends rather than war?

To find out the answers to these questions and more, click here to read the full article. This article might change your life forever.

Hope you like it, as it also highlight 7 actionable steps. 

Don't be shy, spread the love! Please share this newsletter with others and let's inspire others to Fix one thing at a time together FixTheWorld.4Good.space !!

or on Substack as apparently many people don't have access to Linkedin!? 

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We live in a noisy world. A world where we are constantly bombarded by divisive attention grabbing news or social media, or politics that try to polarize us and make us forget our common humanity. A world where we are often distracted from the things that truly matter, such as our health, happiness, relationships, and values.

But it doesn’t have to be this way. We can choose to tune out the noise and focus on the strength of traditions that have lasted for millennia. Traditions that connect us to our ancestors, our cultures, and our planet. Traditions that teach us wisdom, resilience, harmony, and beauty.

In this post, I want to share with you some of the amazing traditions that have enriched my life and inspired me to learn more about the diverse and wonderful cultures of the world. These traditions span from the latest King Charles coronation in England to the ancient practices of sumo wrestling, kintsugi, qigong, and tai chi in Asia. These traditions show us how we are all connected, like a mixing pot of family, and how we can celebrate our differences as well as our similarities.

Let’s start with the King Charles coronation. This was a historic event that marked the beginning of a new era for the British monarchy and the Commonwealth. The ceremony was full of symbolism and ritual that reflected the rich heritage and history of the nation. It also showcased the diversity and inclusivity of modern Britain, with representatives from various faiths, ethnicities, and regions taking part in the festivities. The coronation was a reminder of the importance of continuity and stability in times of change and uncertainty.

Next, let’s look at some of the Asian traditions that have handed down in the last thousands years and have influenced the world in many ways. Sumo wrestling is a sport that originated in Japan as a form of Shinto ritual. It is a test of strength, skill, and spirit that requires discipline, respect, and honor. Sumo wrestlers follow a strict code of conduct and lifestyle that shapes their character and health. Sumo wrestling is also a cultural spectacle that attracts millions of fans and tourists every year. I would heartily recommend the new Netflix series Sanctury.

Kintsugi is an art form that originated in Japan as a way of repairing broken pottery with gold or silver lacquer. It is a philosophy that embraces imperfection and celebrates flaws as part of the beauty and history of an object. Kintsugi teaches us to appreciate what we have and to see the value in our scars and wounds. Kintsugi also inspires us to be more creative and resourceful in finding solutions to our problems.

Qigong and tai chi are practices that originated in China as forms of martial arts and meditation. They are based on the concept of qi or life force energy that flows through our bodies and everything around us. Qigong and tai chi help us to balance our qi and to harmonize our mind, body, and spirit. They also improve our physical and mental health by enhancing our flexibility, strength, coordination, concentration, and relaxation. In short, for me standing qi gong beats meditation any day.

These are just some examples of the amazing traditions that have shaped my life and worldview, some might aid your journey to find peace and harmony.

There are many more traditions that I touches your lives worldwide without you noticing, especially in food that could pave the way for appreciating all things foreign more, as together we are stronger: e.g. England importing fish & chips dish from Portuguese Jewish immigrant ; chifa dishes which are Peruvian national dish infused with Cantonese cooking, to biryani which could be traced back to a Persian heritage, and Japanese sushi which was in fact narezushi 鮓 from Han Chinese from second century CE.

These traditions show us how we are all connected by a common thread of humanity that transcends borders, languages, religions, and races.

They show us how we can learn from each other and enrich our lives with diversity and variety. They show us how we can celebrate Asian heritage month, and indeed every month, by honoring our roots and embracing our differences.

Indeed, we must understand the true meaning but difficult to translate of chinese word 和.

I loved the 'Harmony Index' idea created and proposed by Prof. Daniel A. Bell, where he discusses the Confucian-inspired ideal of harmony, which values peaceful and respectful relations between family members, citizens, countries, and nature. The excerpt of harmony index from 2013 from his book The China model (<-great video via link) 2016 argues that harmony is a universal value that is not limited to Chinese culture, but can be found in many other ethical systems and societies around the world. It suggests that harmony may be more widely shared than other values such as freedom. do read it here, it is a MUST READ!

Any easy Positive Actions we can adopt?

So how can we avoid the noise of divisive attention grabbing news or social media or politics? Here are some actionable steps that I suggest:

• Be mindful of what you consume online. Choose sources that are credible, balanced, respectful, and constructive. Avoid sources that are biased, sensationalist, hateful, or destructive.

• Be curious about other cultures. Seek out opportunities to learn more about their history, art, literature, music, cuisine, customs, values, etc. You can do this by reading books or articles watching documentaries or movies listening to podcasts or music visiting museums or exhibitions traveling or volunteering joining clubs or groups etc.

• Be respectful of other perspectives. Listen with an open mind and empathy. Try to understand where they are coming from and what they care about. Don’t judge or criticize without knowing the facts or context. Don’t assume or generalize based on stereotypes or prejudices.
• Be compassionate towards others. Recognize that everyone has their own struggles and challenges. Offer your support and kindness when they need it. Don’t be indifferent or cruel to their suffering. Don’t take advantage of their weakness or vulnerability.

• Be grateful for what you have. Appreciate the gifts and blessings that you enjoy in your life. Don’t take them for granted or waste them. Don’t compare yourself to others or envy what they have. Don’t complain or whine about what you don’t have.
• Be positive and optimistic. Focus on the good and the possible in every situation. Don’t dwell on the bad or the impossible. Don’t let fear or doubt stop you from pursuing your dreams or goals. Don’t let negativity or pessimism drag you down or discourage you.

• Be creative and adventurous. Explore new ideas and opportunities. Try new things and experiences. Learn new skills and hobbies. Express yourself in different ways and mediums. Don’t be afraid to fail or make mistakes. Don’t be bored or complacent with your routine or comfort zone.

These are some of the steps that I follow to avoid the noise and focus on the strength of traditions. I hope they will help you too. I also hope that you will join me in celebrating Asian heritage month, and indeed every month, by making friends rather than war. Given the great success of Everything Everywhere All at Once, and the latest Netflix series Sanctuary, it is now prime time to develop more cross-cultural drama or exchange programs nationally and internationally to promote further friendships and collaborations.

2023 onward, it is time to create an entertainment fund, ecosystem that create/encourage making of peaceable content to counter the war mongering world narrative. Who would want to join me? Funds.4Good.space

Thank you for reading this post. I hope you found it insightful, inspirational, instructional, and actionable. If you did, please share it with your friends and family. If you have any feedback or questions, please leave them in the comments section below. I would love to hear from you.

Have a wonderful Asian Heritage Month! 😊