Thanks for being here. If this was forwarded to you, you can subscribe here to join The Root 9 Community.
On Wednesdays, we’ll reflect: See below for some some of what I’ve learned from the week to inspire reflection, a well-being soundbite, and a view of my wish list / recs / things I’m currently obsessing over. 🙂
Quick reminder: With the holidays approaching, I’ll be leaning in to spending time with family and friends and moving to a shorter version of The Root 9 through year-end. I’ll be sharing Motivation on Mondays, What I Learned This Week on Wednesdays, and Food For Thought on Fridays. I’m going to take some of that time back from preparing a shorter newsletter to think about next year, including what is in store for The Root 9 and how I am thinking about evolving it as we approach its anniversary in February 🙂 And, in the spirit of The Root 9, being more present during the holidays, closing the year out strong, and recharging. I hope you are able to do the same ❤️
W.I.L.T.W (What I Learned This Week)
Good Luck, Bad Luck, Who Knows?
I think I’ve started a lot of these entries with “Dylan said this to me and it stuck with me,” and surprise, I am doing it again today. He shared the parable of the Zen farmer with me, and the message of equanimity is exactly what I needed to hear.
The story goes that an old farmer’s horse runs away. The villagers cry "bad luck," and he simply says, "Who knows?" The horse returns with a herd of ten others. They cry "good luck," and he repeats, "Who knows?" His son breaks a leg taming one, then is spared from a military draft because of that injury. Each time, the farmer refuses to label the event as a tragedy or a triumph. (See below for te full parable, if you are interested)
There is power in stepping back from judging whether events are good or bad. Instead, we can try accepting them as things that have simply happened. They just are. No matter the outcome, there is always a takeaway or a lesson we can distill if we pause and minimize labeling an experience to see it.
I am someone who tends to feel things deeply. My highs are high and my lows can be low. But, there is a beauty in viewing life with a sense of calm and equanity (defacto, mindfulness). Instead of chasing a life where we only put items in the "good" column and avoid things that go into the “bad” column, this approach allows us to live in a more neutral, grounded state. That doesn’t mean we aren't living our lives fully. It just means we don't let the peaks or valleys overly inflate our perception of the world, giving us more flexibility for the twists and turns life inherently will throw our way.
There once was an old Zen farmer. Every day, the farmer used his horse to help work his fields and keep his farm healthy.
But one day, the horse ran away. All the villagers came by and said, “We're so sorry to hear this. This is such bad luck.”
But the farmer responded, “Bad luck. Good luck. Who knows?”
The villagers were confused, but decided to ignore him. A few weeks went by and then one afternoon, while the farmer was working outside, he looked up and saw his horse running toward him. But the horse was not alone. The horse was returning to him with a whole herd of horses. So now the farmer had 10 horses to help work his fields.
All the villagers came by to congratulate the farmer and said, “Wow! This is such good luck!”
But the farmer responded, “Good luck. Bad luck. Who knows?
A few weeks later, the farmer's son came over to visit and help his father work on the farm. While trying to tame one of the horses, the farmer’s son fell and broke his leg.
The villagers came by to commiserate and said, “How awful. This is such bad luck.”
Just as he did the first time, the farmer responded, “Bad luck. Good luck. Who knows?”
A month later, the farmer’s son was still recovering. He wasn’t able to walk or do any manual labor to help his father around the farm.
A regiment of the army came marching through town conscripting every able-bodied young man to join them. When the regiment came to the farmer’s house and saw the young boy's broken leg, they marched past and left him where he lay.
Of course, all the villagers came by and said, “Amazing! This is such good luck. You're so fortunate.”
And you know the farmer’s response by now…
"Bad luck. Good luck. Who knows?"
World’s Best Matcha finally On Sale
As the season speeds up, I turn to Pique’s Sun Goddess Matcha for calm, steady energy and a natural, healthy glow. Crafted to be pure, potent, and antioxidant-rich, it delivers clarity without the crash. It’s the Pique ritual that keeps me grounded, focused, and radiant through the busiest time of year.
Want to live with intention and find more joy in your daily life? The Root 9 Community is for you. You’ll get inspiration, reflection, and mindful indulgence straight to your inbox three times a week. Unlock your potential for a more balanced, fulfilling life, one week at a time. Join The Root 9 Community here and find your balance.