december 2025
dear friends,
as many of you know, i left minneapolis in early november to begin a long-term pilgrimage. as this first chapter comes to a close, i wanted to take some time to reflect on the journey so far.
nepal has been a reunion with the world. a mythic kingdom duct-taped over by modernization. my heart's been broken open by paradox
i've been staying near the bouddha stupa – a monument with no known origin, radiating awake presence. monks chanting at sunrise, prostrations all day, a kora that never stops flowing. yet in the shadow of this sacred site, i find myself surrounded by knockoff spiritual artifacts and a stampede of tourists taking selfies, always careful to keep the begging children out of frame.
so much beauty in the face of so much suffering.
it's left me confused, shaken, and strangely at home in this place where devotion isn't an anomaly. i'm going to miss it.
highlights ✨
- taking refuge with mingyur rinpoche, the perfect beginning for a pilgrimage
- diving deep in the world of thangkas (sacred buddhist paintings), painting my own mandala and learning to discern authentic lineage-keepers from tourist commodities
- sharing dinner with ravi and his family in the slums of kathmandu; this shattered something in me around privilege, poverty, and the causes of happiness
sincere gratitude 🙏
- sanjeev and ravi, for welcoming me so fully into your world and teaching me more than you know
- harry and lakshmi, for looking after me and giving me a parental sense of care
- bhante mokha, for seeing something in me and offering genuine connection in the midst of chaos
recent reading 📚
- Original Love (5) – wow, just wow. this is the book i could only aspire to write after a life of practice. a perfect guide to the path i'm on
- City of Refuge (5) – fantastic, fun, thoughtful ending to the trilogy. love the themes Starhawk works with
- Awake: It's Your Turn (4.5) – this was profound. the book itself feels like sustained inquiry. grateful for this experience.
- some other great books i read: Island (4), Hardcore Zen (4), Open to Desire (4), The Snow Leopard (3.5)
- and some rubbish: Sitting Inside (2.5), The Mind of a Bee (2.5), Integral Spirituality (2.5)
what's next 🗺️
with the ending of this arc, i'm planning to go to thailand next for a plant medicine immersion. bangkok will be home for a bit.
we'll see what unfolds 🙇♀️
from the shadow of the stupa,
nicho