How I Learned to Love Meditation

A few weeks ago, I flew to the East Coast to volunteer at a 10-day silent Vipassana meditation course — the same format as the retreat I completed over the winter holidays in the Redwoods. This time, my mom was the one sitting. My intention was simple: support her, and give back to the community that so generously provided for me during my first experience.

I ended up in the kitchen, preparing fresh vegetarian meals for 60 people from scratch — and earning the title of "Salad Manager." Our team of eight was small but mighty: a vegan chef, a colonic specialist and nutritionist, home cooks, and me, making sure the dressings were replenished and the greens stayed fresh based on the fluctuating appetites of the meditators.

Food was the one thing the students looked forward to outside of their sits. I learned quickly that execution mattered, but so did the little touches — presentation, a surprise dessert, the loving intention behind it all.

What made it work was the harmony we had as a team. Because every volunteer had to have completed at least one 10-day course, I got to hear how each person found meditation and what kept them coming back. Some had sat 20-day courses. Others served multiple times a year. We worked like a family — no one got left behind in their tasks, and we carried each other through the long days with laughter and genuine care.

Between cooking, cleaning, and organizing, we sat for three one-hour group meditations in the hall each day. Those sessions anchored everything. I could feel how quickly a settled mind translated into sharper focus and easier problem-solving in waking life. I'll be honest — after my first month of dedicated practice in January, I'd started to fall off. By the time I left the course, the conviction was back. Since returning to San Francisco, I've sat a one-day course in Berkeley (six hours of meditation) and returned to my twice-daily, one-hour practice.

And yes — my mom completed her course. But what I didn't expect was how much this experience would deepen my own. The Vipassana community at Dhamma Delaware quietly reminded me what it feels like to be fully present, to help others without keeping score, and to let others help you. I'm grateful, and I'm going deeper — in practice, and in building ROOTSTOCK into something that genuinely helps people take care of themselves in the middle of busy, demanding lives.

Thanks for following my journey, stay tuned for more.

- Kim

Founder, ROOTSTOCK