Born of Tradition, Carved by Freedom

Tea Ceremony Demonstration by my Tea Master in S. Korea

I recently returned from Korea, where I spent time with two women who shaped me

: my mother, and the mother of my tea master, who is also a tea teacher.

Two strong, devoted women.

Two mirrors of legacy, care, and quiet power.

And in that familiar land, I felt something unfamiliar.

A realization of how much I’ve changed.

How far I’ve walked from the path I was born into.

My tea master lives with his parents.

He works alongside them, carrying on the family tradition of Korean tea.

Their lives are beautifully interwoven, anchored in structure, devotion, and generational purpose.

It’s a path that is deeply meaningful and clearly defined.

There is love in that life.

And clarity.

He seems truly content.

I left Korea years ago.

Over time, I’ve grown into something else.

I live in freedom, messy, intuitive, expansive freedom.

I follow what feels true, not what’s expected.

I’ve made mistakes.

I’ve started over.

I’ve carved a life that doesn’t always make sense to others, but fits my spirit like breath fits the body.

This contrast stirred something in me.

Not jealousy. Not regret. But a quiet awe. And a deep knowing:

I could never live that way. Not because it’s wrong, but because it’s not mine.

I’ve become American in some ways.

But more than that, I’ve become myself.

There’s no one right way to live.

Some of us thrive in structure.

Others bloom in open space.

Both are valid.

Both are sacred.

But if you’re someone, like me, who needed to choose your own way, this is your reminder that it’s okay to live a life your ancestors never imagined.

That freedom is not abandonment.

That joy can still be rooted in change.

As a breathwork guide, I meet people every day at the threshold of choice.

Letting go of inherited stories.

Reclaiming their truth.

Breathing into who they’re becoming.

So I offer you this reflection,

not as a judgment of tradition, but as a celebration of becoming.

Take a breath.

And ask gently: What kind of life fits your spirit now?

And are you willing to trust it, even if no one else fully understands?

With love and respect for all the paths,

Yuna