I was born and raised in Indonesia. I’ve been a Buddhist since I was only a couple days new but my mom has a great story about her very vivid dream when I was in her womb about how the demons were going to take me and she asked everyone to help me and the only one who could save me was the Buddha.

I went to Buddhist school until 4th grade. From 5th grade all the way to college, I went to Catholic school. I once thought that being a Buddhist felt a little too old fashion. I wanted to fit in with the cool kids so I started going to church with them for a couple years until I figured out that it wasn’t really for me.  My interest in Buddhism didn’t begin until I was in college and that started my search for the right teaching.

It was very difficult to find an English speaking Theravada monk in Seattle so I read a lot of Buddhist articles online. I joined an Indonesian Buddhist community while I lived in New York and then also in Southern California. Although I met wonderful people there (including my husband), I was still not satisfied with the teaching I could learn.

I finally joined a meditation course with couple friends. It was torturous but I felt so much difference I thought I had found the right path.
For 5 years, I practiced meditation religiously. I encouraged others to go too whenever I could; especially my mom.  You know… because the meditation changed me to be a much more patient person so my mom REALLY SHOULD go!  ;p

Well in 2012, my beloved dad passed away. And the medicine in my cabinet (meditation) wasn’t strong enough for my pain. So I had to find something else immediately. And through the lowest and darkest point I’ve had in my life, my path crossed with Luang Por Thoon’s teaching through the teachers at Wat San Fran. I was skeptical that this teaching was any different but nothing I knew worked for my issue so I decided to give it more time to try and see because at that point, I really had nothing to lose anymore so I thought, why not?

I’m so glad I was stubborn enough to stay around and try to see the teachers’ point.  Through them, I learned (and still am learning) to fix myself and be a better version of me that I can be. And now, I’m sharing my journey through my long and winded road to liberation. What I write will not always be right. I will make mistakes, I will take wrong turns somewhere, I will get frustrated and upset because I can’t seem to get to my destination soon enough… you get the idea so… take it with a grain of salt. After all, it is a learning process 🙂

I hope my ups and downs can help both you and I somehow.