Saturday, December 29, 2007

Growth of Tiger Woods

Now matter how powerful, rich or famous we become, we are still the same in the inside. We still have the same concerns and feelings (unless your a bush-ite!). Below is from Tiger Woods. Perhaps you've heard of him....

Tiger Woods recently discussed how he grew as a person this year. When asked to identify the most important thing he had learned this year about golf, he replied with the following:

"Not necessarily golf-wise, but life-wise, I think I've grown quite a bit this year," he said. "After my dad passed away last year, Earl Woods died at age 74, I played well, but was not really feeling all that great about my life in general."

"I felt like I hadn't really appreciated having Dad around. I didn't talk to him as much as I should have. I didn't call him, didn't see him, wasn't there enough. I felt that I didn't do enough for him."

"But when I had daughter this year, I wanted to take in every moment and appreciate everything. And I think that's where my life has changed. I appreciate everything now. And no doubt I played better as a result. But it's sad. One thing I regret is that it took the fact of my dad's passing for me to fully understand and realize how good my life was with him. I wish I had been able to appreciate how good it was when he was there."

Family and friends: appreciate them now.
:)

Saturday, December 22, 2007

on the 8th day, God created....

...and on the 8th day, God created christmas break....
With that in mind, I will be out of the "office" for a bit, without my laptop.

So, I hope you all enjoy the holiday season in your own very special way. For me, its a celebration of life, a life of love and a love of life. Share it with your family, friends and fellow bloggers.

Be safe and arrive alive.

JBM

(the best gift off all is the gift of love, friendship and a smile to a stranger)

:)

Wednesday, December 19, 2007

enlightened?

I know that our journey, our quest for knowledge about our inner self is sometimes called the path to enlightenment. For some reason, though, I cannot bring myself to use "enlightenment", no matter how much I learn, when discussing my own journey. I don't use the word because it makes me feel like I'm saying that I'm smarter than others because I'm "enlightened" or on the path to enlightenment or that I discovered something amazing. I am not enlightened about anything (heck, I sometimes have to look in the dictionary to just spell the word correctly!!)

I'm just me, trying to figure "IT" out like so many others before me and the many that will come after me. Perhaps when I pass on, then I will become enlightened but until then, I'm just your average, though not necessarily normal, guy named jon...

:)

Jon said.... 3

Doing nothing
can be
more productive
than
doing something
--- Jon
:)

Sunday, December 16, 2007

In the Beginning....pt 1

Man demands a beginning and a boundary, so in the beginning there was a sea of spirit, and it filled all space. It was static, content and aware of itself. Then it moved. It withdrew into itself, until all space was empty, and that which had filled it was shining from its center, a restless seething mind. This was the individuality of the spirit; this was what it discovered itself to be when it awakened; this was GOD.

Souls were created for companionship with God. The pattern used was that of God Himself: spirit, mind, individuality; cause, action, effect.

First there had been spirit; then there had been the action which withdrew spirit into itself; then there had been the resulting individuality of God.

In building the soul, there was spirit, with its knowledge of identity with God; there was the active principle of mind; and there was the ability of experience; the activity of mind separately from God. A new individual, issuing from and dependent upon God, but aware of an existence apart from Him, thus came into being.

To the new individual, there was given, necessarily, the power to choose and direct its own activity; for without free will it would remain a part of God. Mind, issuing as a force from God, would naturally fulfill his thoughts, unless directed otherwise. The power to do this-to direct otherwise the force of mind-is what man calls free will. The record of the free will is the soul. The soul began with the first expression which free will made of its power, through, the force of mind. The first thought which it generated of itself, the first diversion of mind force from its normal path, was the beginning of the soul.

The soul was the greatest thing that was made; it had free will. The measure of the soul is the limitless activity of mind and the grandeur of it’s imagination.

The nucleus of the soul was in balance, positive and negative force in equal power, producing harmonious activity: the positive initiating, impregnating, thrusting forward; the negative receiving, nourishing, ejecting. The steps of this action were the stages of thought: perception, reflection, opinion.

The plan for the soul was a cycle of experience in which the new individual would come to know creation in all its aspects, at the discretion of will. The cycle would be completed when the desire of will was no longer different from the thought of God and the soul would return to its source as the companion it was intended to be.

The return of the soul is the return of the image to that which imagined it and the consciousness of the individual--its record, written in mind--is not destroyed. The Ego, which is the desire to do other than the will of god, is, however, relinquished. When a soul returns to God it becomes aware of itself not only as a part of God, but as a part of every other soul AND everything.

To be continued....
(from the readings of Edgar Cayce)

Saturday, December 15, 2007

Friend ship

FRIENDship....
:)

Thursday, December 13, 2007

Buddha say .... 6

The wise ones fashioned speech with
their thought, sifting it as
grain is sifted
through a
sieve.
--- Buddha
:)

Tuesday, December 11, 2007

According to....

"IMAGINATION
IS
MORE IMPORTANT
THAN
KNOWLEDGE"

--- Albert Einstein

:)

Monday, December 10, 2007

New Link - Journey Into Being

I've added a new link....

Journey into Being is a blog by Zareba. If you don't know her yet, she is a deeply spiritual person who joyfully lives in the present while wisely eyeing the future. Her blog tracks a journey down the path of enlightenment encompassing the last 40 yrs and counting.

Check it out. You might enjoy reading her posts as much as I did! Also, if you pay careful attention, you can find out the secret meaning to her name..... :)

JBM
(smile when you say that!)
.

Sunday, December 9, 2007

Thinker not doer

I'm a THINKER, not a "doer"
Some call me a dreamer
(your just dreaming, get real!)

Some say Thinkers are lazy and that "doers make the world go around"...
However,
Thinkers give “doers” the ideas... :)… and
Without ideas, “doers” would have nothing to uh … do!

Both are needed for change.

I learned a long time ago that I was a Thinker and not a “doer”
I accept it. I accept the agony that goes with it for
Thinkers bear the mental burden
of the world but

Thinkers change humanity...........
:)

Thursday, December 6, 2007

Jon said....2

Today
is to enjoy tomorrow
Tomorrow
is to worry about
Today

--- Jon
:)

Wednesday, December 5, 2007

Green Christmas


I know we are all concerned about the environment, so in the spirit of Christmas, I've enclosed the following article....

NOTHING says "Christmas" like the smell of pine in your living room on a winter morning! But is that smell really "green" or is it bad for the planet? Is it more environmentally responsible to buy a fake tree and use it year after year? What about keeping a live tree for Christmas? Let's look at the options one by one.

If you want a tree for the holiday, the experts at
Grist and TreeHugger say it's actually better to buy a cut real Christmas tree than an artificial tree. Why? In a word, plastics. Fake trees are made of polyvinyl chloride (PVC). Producing this type of plastic creates a lot of pollution, and PVC is difficult to recycle. Plus, lead has been found in PVC. According to a report (PDF) in the Journal of Environmental Health, lead levels are higher in older artificial trees. You've probably heard about lead in children's toys, so just imagine the kiddos hanging around lead-tainted branches of your fake Christmas tree. Not a merry scene.

Farmed Christmas trees are ultimately a renewable resource. Growing trees absorb carbon dioxide, and after the holidays, the trees can be recycled into mulch. Check Earth 911 to see where to take your dead tree after the 25th.

What about a live tree? This is often promoted as the ultimate eco-friendly holiday option. Well, it's not that simple. First, you have to live in the right climate to plant a tree after Christmas. If the ground is
frozen outside, you can't do it. Then, you can only keep a live tree indoors for a few days, either 4 to 10, depending on the type of tree. You can't have this tree up after Thanksgiving and around till New Years, or you'll kill it. Some types of live trees can be kept outside in containers for a year or two. Others grow fast and must be planted in the ground sooner. Either way, this isn't a long-term solution to your Christmas decorations -- what do you do the following year? Pretty soon, the tree won't fit in the house. Also, you must carefully consider how much space you have in your yard to plant trees. Remember, these trees may grow up to 60-feet tall.

So, the most
practical solution for earth-friendly folks who celebrate Christmas is to look for a locally grown tree. Ask if the farm uses integrated pest management instead of tons of chemicals. If you can, find a cut-your-own Christmas tree farm. It's good family fun too.

By Trystan L. Bass Green.yahoo.com


Any other suggestions or ideas? Let us know ho ho ho....
:)

Buddha say....5

One who conquers him self is greater
than one who conquers others.
--- Buddha
:)

Monday, December 3, 2007

Kyoto, Bali and the US

Representatives from 190 countries are gathering in Bali this week to begin framing a successor to the Kyoto Protocol on climate change.

As usual, the United States is against any type of an agreement that would force them to adhere to the commonly agreed upon steps needed to reduce the damage to the climate. The US did not sign the Kyoto Agreement because "it would cost too much." And although we are the leading producer of the damage causing emissions, the current administration has consistently denied the accuracy of the reports produced by some of the worlds leading scientist.

Behind the bluff, it is well known that the only reason the US is not on board with the majority of the world is based on sheer profit. The current administration will not concede to making changes if it costs money (or lost money). In other words, "if it cuts into our profits, then it aint' gonna happen!" This is just another example of the "money above all" attitude that has overtaken the US, especially since 2000. Profit above the welfare of the people. Only, in this case, it involves not only the American people, but the people of the world. We need to be setting the example for the rest of the world by taking the moral route but, unfortunately, we are, again, setting the wrong example by taking the money express.

:(

Saturday, December 1, 2007

Faith and God....

As I mentioned before, I was raised a Catholic, went to Catholic school, attended church every Sunday and believed in the hell thing that is always preached about in the weekly sermons. “Fear God” they seemed to say. Funny, but when I read the bible myself, without it being “explained” to me, I saw a God of love. A God of forgiveness. A wise God. A God I wanted to “hang out” with! (Hey, he could turn water into wine…) I did not see the evil, damning one who condemned you for even thinking “bad” thoughts! No, I saw another one.

But then, when I got older and lusted for more knowledge about life, I decided to read up on the different faiths. So, I read books on Jews, Mormons, Buddhists, Hindus, Muslims, Indians, Witches, Zoroastrians or Atheists and any other faith that I could find a book on. Know what I found out (I’m sure you have all heard it before)? I found out that they were all right and all wrong. Outside of Athiesm, they were basically all the same, except for the few “little things” that gave them distintion from the others. They all also preached mind control and power over the individual. A “bowing down” to the Almighty. Except Buddhism, which to me, taugh that “all is within you”. Mmmm. I liked that. All is within me….

Now, I don’t call any religion as mine. I don’t follow any set of rules. I simply refer to myself as spiritual, which can cover many bases. I believe, though sometimes question, in a higher power. A higher entity, a god or whatever human name one wants to give it. I believe we are all a part of it. We all make it up. We are all it and it is in all of us. There is no one “person” at the head of the chain. This is not a chain of command thing where the CEO calls all the shots. No, we are all it and it is us. You might be able to compare it to the human body. Consider all the chemicals and atoms that make up the body. We are the atoms and microorganisms that make up this “God”. All that we see and think. Good, bad: Evil, righteousness. All of the stars and galaxies etc... Everything. They are all part of this body. This power. And we are “it”!

I believe in Reincarnation. So that our souls can become complete. Some say to become “perfect”. Healthy might be more like it. But why? I don’t know yet. They say so that we can become one “with” God again. But what if we are already one with God since we are all “part of it” anyway?

I am not sure of everything and obviously don’t have the answers to all the questions. I do, however, have my beliefs BUT always keep an open mind to various opinions and thoughts. To strongly believe in your faith is fine and I can admire that. No problem with it. However, I don’t believe that anyone should be 100%, without a doubt, sure of their beliefs; not to cover the bases but to leave room for error as we are human, after all. Or is that, we are all divine?

(sure Jim, as usual, will have a nice good opinion on this one! :)
:)

Friday, November 30, 2007

Buddha say....4

Holding on to anger is like grasping a hot coal
with the intent of throwing it at someone else;
you are the one getting burned.

--Buddha
:)

Tuesday, November 27, 2007

Did you know...4

A cat has 32 muscles in each ear.
A goldfish has a memory span of three seconds. (that's about what my memory span is.)
A shark is the only fish that can blink with both eyes.
A snail can sleep for three years. (I know some people that could do this too!)
An ostrich's eye is bigger than its brain.

4

Sunday, November 25, 2007

Jon said...



In the car of life,
there are no rear view mirrors
(and it’s an import!)

--- Jon
:)

Football and 9/11


LSU football coach Nick Saban described a recent defeat by his team in almost apocalyptic terms, mentioning the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks and Pearl Harbor ...

To even mention these events in the same breath as a football game is incredible.
And to think, this coach is teaching kids about life!

:(

Saturday, November 24, 2007

The jacket from my brother

My Brother's Jacket

About 2 years ago my brother died at the age of 48. When we were collecting his things, I took his jacket. It was nothing fancy. Just some plaid jacket: kind of a hunters, red plaid jacket that goes down to my thighs. Surprisingly, it fits me pretty good. I didn’t think about it much after that because living, at the time, in Safety Harbor Florida, a heavy jacket is just not needed that often.

So, here I am now in Germany. We just moved here in July and are now experiencing our first winter. It’s been relatively cold lately, for me at least. Most mornings are in the upper 20’s or low 30’s. For me, being born and raised in Florida, that’s cold!

Now, being unemployed and broke, I don’t have much money to buy a new winter jacket. Besides, I have to make sure my son is warm. We bought him some winter clothes and jackets etc… And, of course, had to buy my wife a jacket too (let’s not go there…).

Me? Doesn’t matter, really. I’ll make do with what I have lying around. Looking around through my clothes, I notice….

My brother’s jacket! Yup, that old red plaid jacket from Florida. So I put it on and … lo and behold, man is it nice and warm. I am totally surprised! It keeps me warm in the German winter! So, now, I “put my brother on” every morning before going out to face the cold. He keeps me warm….

You could say my brother is with me … everyday …


(Man, I miss my brother…HI JAY!)
:)

Thanks Giving

thanks giving

Unfortunately, the Indians didn’t come to Europe, barely survive the first winter by the niceness of the Europeans, show their gratitude by massacre ing em all before taking over the land and “letting” them have Serbia as their new home. So, when my well meaning family and friends send me those boring “ecards from aol” about “Happy Thanksgiving”, I have to remind them that we don’t celebrate it over here in Germany.

Finally, though, one of my sisters sent me an email saying “Happy Friday! It’s celebrated world wide!” OK, she got me on that one!

Actually, to me, everyday is sort of like a thanks giving. That is, I give thanks for having another day on earth. I don’t actually tell myself that and I don’t even think about it anymore but it is in me. It is a part of me.

Thanks for giving me another day as…. Yesterday, another top athlete died at the age of 28.

This is why I don’t complain too much about what happens in life. We can be gone at any time at any age. It can happen to any of us. This is part of the reason that I don’t go out of my way to make that extra money to buy expensive material things. They don’t matter too much to me. I don’t need a new or fancy car. I don’t need the newest TV, or couch or clothes. They don’t matter. My friendships matter the most. My family, friends and even those strangers who we only meet for perhaps 5 minutes and never see again…these are important to me. They make the differences in my life. Life experiences: ...meeting people from around the world…different cultures...the rainbow…nature…laughing…that is life.

Life…live it!

Oh, and happy thanksgiving….hehehe…

:)

Thursday, November 22, 2007

Buddha say...3

Neither fire nor wind,
birth nor death,
can erase our good deeds.

--Buddha

:)

Wednesday, November 21, 2007

Did you know......3

If the population of China walked past you, 8 abreast,
the line would never end because
of the rate of reproduction.

:)

Saturday, November 17, 2007

Truly happy

Attachment to material things is the single most destructive act to our "emotional" well being. To be "free", we must be free of the desire and the need of "things". When we are completely free of these desires, of these attachments to the material, then and only then, we will be at one with ouselves, about ourselves and within ourselves: We shall have achieved peaceful introspections and become "truly happy".

:)

sanely insane

In an insane world,

the sane
are
the insane :)
and
the insane :)
are
the sane!

mmmmm.....

Might as well Dance!

Too many people put off things that bring them joy because they don’t have time, don't have it on their schedule, forgot it was coming, are too busy working or are just plain too rigid to depart from their routine.

My lips have not touched ice cream in 10 years. I love ice cream. The other day,
I stopped the car and bought a triple-Decker. If my car had hit an iceberg
on the way home, at least I would have
died happy.

How often have your kids dropped in to talk and sat in silence
while you watched 'Jeopardy' on television?
When they ask to play
Do you say, “not now, tomorrow”?
What if tomorrow never comes?

I cannot count the times
I called my brother and said, "How about lunch?"
He would usually respond with, "I can't" or "maybe next week" or "it’s Monday.” Usually, though, it was “I don’t have the time."
We never did get together for that lunch.
He died a few years ago.

I was thinking the other day
about all those people on the Titanic who passed up dessert at dinner
that fateful night
in an effort to cut back. From then on, I've tried to be a little more
flexible.

Americans cram so much into their lives. Americans have to fill every minute of the day with "something” to do. Everyday is planned out. Because of that, we live on promises
to make the time, when the conditions are “perfect”, when
the time is right!

Sure, we'll go and visit our parents when we get the kid a new shirt. We'll entertain when we replace the old TV. We'll go on a second honeymoon when the kids move out. We’ll move to a better place when we have more money.
Do it…NOW! There is no perfect time like
today.

Ever told your child, "We'll do it tomorrow when
I have more time." And in your haste, not
see his sorrow?

Ever lost touch? Let a good friendship die?
Ever call to just say
“Hi”?

If you were going to die soon and had only one phone call you could make,
who would you call and what would you say?
And what are you waiting for,
the right time?

Life has a way of accelerating as we get older. The days get shorter, and the list of promises to ourselves gets longer. One morning, we awaken, and all we have to show for our lives is a litany of "I'm going to do," "I plan on doing," and "Someday, when things are settled down a bit..."

When anyone calls my 'seize the moment' friend,
she is open to adventure and available for trips. She keeps an open mind and
an open schedule. Her enthusiasm for life is contagious. You talk with her for five minutes, and you're ready to trade your bad feet for a pair of Roller blades or to
live in the woods!

Have you ever played with your friends kids' playing on a merry go round or
stood in the rain during a summers downpour?
Ever follow a butterfly's erratic flight or gazed at the sun fading into the night?
Or do you run through each day
on the fly?

When the day is done, do you lie in bed with the next day's chores running through your head...worried about
how to do it all?

When you worry and hurry through your day, it is like an unopened gift... thrown away....
life is not a race. Soooooo…

Take the time to Make the time to..
Watch that sunset… Smell the flowers…Do nothing…
See the sunrise... Follow that butterfly…Soar with the Eagles…Make that call...
Turn off the phone…Drive around aimlessly…Throw out the planner…
Play!...

Life is today, for tomorrow may not come.
Enjoy it. Be the DJ
This is your life…your life song

"Life may not be the party you want it to be,
but as long as it’s your song……you

might as well dance! "

:)

Thursday, November 15, 2007

Buddha say....2

Let us rise up and be thankful, for if we didn't learn a lot today,
at least we learned a little, and if we didn't learn a little,
at least we didn't get sick, and if we got sick,
at least we didn't die; so,
let us all be thankful.

--Buddha

:)(:

Tuesday, November 13, 2007

Did you know...2

Our eyes are always the same size from birth, but our nose and ears never stop growing.

2

Sunday, November 11, 2007

For a good life...

For a good life,
...according to jon...

1. Take into account that great love and great achievements
involve great risk.
2. When you lose, don’t lose the lesson.
3. Follow the three R’s:
Respect for self,
Respect for others and
Responsibility for all your actions.

4. Remember that not getting what you want is sometimes a
wonderful stroke of luck.
5. Learn the rules so you know how to break them properly.
6. Don’t let a little dispute injure a great relationship.
7. When you realize you’ve made a mistake, take immediate
steps to correct it.

8. Spend some time alone every day.
9. Open your arms to change, but don’t let go of your values.
10. Remember that silence is sometimes the best answer.
11. Live a good, honorable life. Then when you get older and
think back, you’ll be able to enjoy it a second time.
12. A loving atmosphere in your home is the foundation for
your life.
13. In disagreements with loved ones, deal only with the
current situation. Don’t bring up the past.

14. Share your knowledge. It is a way to achieve immortality.
15. Be gentle with the earth.
16. Once a year, go someplace you’ve never been before.
17. Remember that the best relationship is one in which your
love for each other exceeds your need for each other.
18. Judge success by your heart.

19. Approach love and cooking with reckless abandon.
(and sex too?)
20. Be you, not me.

:)

Thursday, November 8, 2007

My son in hospital

My 12 yr old son is in hospital for 2 days for observations due to head injury at school. He is alert, all motor functions are working properly and his health appears to be ok.

My responses and or posts may be delayed.
Priorities.

Thanks, ALL, for you understanding, comments and support.

jon

Tuesday, November 6, 2007

Buddha say....1

What we think,
we become.
--Buddha

:)(:

Monday, November 5, 2007

Success is...

SUCCESS is...

“To laugh often and love much; to win the respect of intelligent persons and the affection of children; to earn the approbation of honest citizens and endure the betrayal of false friends; to appreciate beauty; to find the best in others; to give of ones self; to leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social condition; to have played and laughed with enthusiasm and sung with exultation.

To know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived --- this, is to have succeeded.”

Ralph Waldo Emerson

(slightly edited by JBM)

Saturday, November 3, 2007

Did you know...#1

"Stewardesses" is the longest word typed with only the left hand...

"lollipop" is the longest word typed with your right hand...

The average person's left hand does 56% of the typing!


1/20

Thursday, November 1, 2007

World events and personal change

Recent headlines: Burma Monks rise up again. This reminds me of the relationship between worldly events and our selves as individuals.

When an individual seeks change and wants to grow as a person and/or help facilitate the growth of their soul, the initial thought is to look outward for help and ideas. This is normal as we all need, initially, a guide to our journey: A starting point from one who has already started the journey and is further along the path of change. However, eventually, we will come to the realization that real growth can only be attained from within. Outside help only goes so far because the real change must start and happen from within us.

Using Burma as an example: The people of Burma want change. They plead for help from the outside world but they know that true change will only happen when it comes from within their country. Only they can affect this change and only they can bring about this change, from within. Outsiders can have some influence and offer some guidance, but for true change to hold, it must come from the people of Burma. They must be committed and must stand strong against the resistance to their efforts.

The recent uprisings for change that began in September (earlier, actually) and were brutally stopped in October, offer a personal lesson. Many people within Burma and around the world thought that with the crackdown, the attempt at change had ended. Many believed that the junta had successfully defeated all attempts at change. Some Burmesians (?) even admitted defeat saying, “The violence is too much. We cannot defeat the sword. We can not change. I fear for the life of my family and myself” This is understandable as no one really wants to die or see their loved ones murdered. Violence and resistance against change can be very strong and morally defeating. However, they must look at the big picture.

The Buddhist Monks of Burma know this. They rose up AGAIN. The Monks rose up again and are looking evil in the eyes. The are staring down possible death. They realize that to make change, it is not easy. They know that to make real change, personal sacrifice is sometimes called upon. This is why they are rising up again, even if it means death. They know that in order to bring about change for all the people of Burma, it will not be easy and that personal sacrifice must some times be made. They are putting the good of all above the physical well being of themselves as individuals. They know the easy path is usually not always the best path. They know the easy way is usually not the most fruitful path. It is a hard journey to undertake. To quit is easy. To say, “I tried” is easy, but to pick up the pieces and continue, is hard. But they do it. The monks know that the results will be “life changing” for the health of all the Burma people.

These lessons apply to personal change as well. Those who want to make change within themselves will initially look for help from others in the form of books, or seminars or in confirmations from friends of their quest or even from blogs! This is normal. However, for us to really make change, it MUST eventually come from within. This is not always easy. It never is. Initially, we might face ridicule or misunderstanding from those closest to us (and we all want acceptance) as we attempt to change and/or grow. Or we might fall from the bike of change and want to give up when we initially don’t succeed. We might want to quit when we feel like we are not accomplishing anything. This is the easy way, the easy path I talked about. Change is hard to accomplish. It takes commitment and determination. (Character traits I lack by the way!). It takes time. But change can happen. It does happen. Many people have accomplished it. The path may different for all of us and the journey will be full of pitfalls and detours. However, if you hang in there and keep plugging away, change will come. It is in us. It is a part of us. It can happen and it will happen. Just remain true to yourself and your commitment to growth. If others can face certain death to obtain change, then surely we can face the trivial ups and downs we must confront in order to succeed and gain a happy and healthy life along our path of power. The power to change is within each and every one of us. YOU CAN DO IT.

For as the sky around me is cold and grey, I know that on the horizon … is warmth and sunshine!

(Personally, I, and I’m sure many of you are too, am pulling for the people of Burma in their quest for freedom. If you want to read more about the situation, please check out my other site, www.burma-myanmar-news.blogspot.com, for articles, pictures and some good links to the Burma protests.)

:)

Sometimes...

Sometimes,
to advance and achieve growth, we must rely on the help of others.
Sometimes,
to advance and achieve growth, we must let go of those dearest to us...
...
:(

Tuesday, October 30, 2007

Instrument for change is not enough

Last post I mentioned “being an instrument for change”. It’s a nice thought but it doesn’t really help a person. For example, suppose the blogs “spiritualhebrewtoo” and “virtualrambling” suddenly become best selling books that change the face of humanity. People start putting people above money and material. Many are affected and the world becomes a better place. Peace and harmony reign for a thousand years. All because of these two blogs! How does this affect Jim and Rambler? Do they all of a sudden become “better” people who souls have achieved progression? Have their souls achieved greatness? Have they obtained spiritual growth or harmony? I think not because…

In a spiritual sense, our goals are of a self fulfillment nature: the realization of our soul’s goals (growth) coming into our current life. Creating a world changing book (or blog) is nice and can have a lasting effect on mankind; however, it doesn’t help the writer’s soul achieve its goal. Achieving self realization should be our one and only “goal” in this life. It’s not selfishness but the truth and realization of the purpose of our soul. If we create this ultimate book but have not achieved growth then we have achieved nothing at all for our own soul. It might even slow down or prevent our growth due to the distractions etc. that come with writing such a superb book (blog). We might get a couple of “brownie points” and some possible good karma down the road, but we will still be at the same level of growth that we were at coming into this world.

The goal of our soul is not to further mankind but rather to achieve growth. Personal growth. Writing can help in this respect by forcing us to think and to be creative: To have creative thoughts. These creative thoughts can help us write an amazing blog AND it can also help us achieve growth. Writing, when kept in a proper perspective can be a useful tool in achieving personal growth, but writing, of itself, should not be the ultimate goal Just as meditation and prayer are also tools that may be used for growth but the actual act of meditating or praying is not the reason for doing it: growth of our soul is the reason behind these acts. All these tools are but compliments to our quest. We just have to keep our priorities in order.

I think that deep inside of us all, we want to become instruments of change. We all want to change the world into a better place (consciously or subconsciously). And it is a great desire. Nothing wrong with it. However, it should not be our only goal; our main goal.

Our priority should be on improving ourselves, our souls. Self realization and the evolution of our souls should be at the top of our “to do” list during our journey here on earth. That, is the best instument of change we could accomplish for ours and all the other souls we encounter on our journey.

Friday, October 26, 2007

I want to be...

I wrote this last year....


News Year's celebrations are cancelled in Bangkok and Thailand's second largest city, Chiang Mai, after a string of explosions in the capital killed ...... The US military recently announced its 3,000th fatality in the Iraq war .... Friend kills Friend over ... brother kills sister ... sister kills brother ... police kill youth with toy gun ... crime is down ... crime is up ....

The list just goes on and on and on....

Under Bush, the Republicans and the moral? right, we have become a country, not of Peace, not of Democracy and not of Tolerance but rather, we have become (the government, not the people-overall) a country of War, a country of intolerance, a country of hate and a country that distains different views, different opinions...any opinion that varies from our narrow view of life....we have become an ignorant country... a country that wants to imprison the mind...

I am tired of this.
I want to be...

I want to be Martin Luther King...I want to be JFK...I want to be Gandhi...I want to be the Dahlia Lama...I want to be Bob Marley...I want to be that Chinese guy who stood up to the Tanks in Tiananmen Square...

I want to be....

The new year does not bring me joy, it brings a tear from my heart. It saddens me to see, to read, to feel these heart wrenching stories of 2006. Will 2007 be any better? I do not have optimism ... I do not have faith that it will change for the better soon enough. Soon enough for me. Soon enough for our health. Soon enough for mankind...

From the mother who kills her baby... From the father who kills his mother.... From the cities that arrest those who peacefully protest for peace and compassion... from the states that ban foreign flags to the polititians and preachers who preach FEAR ..... I fear for these, I feel sorrow for these, I feel shame for these... This is not life, no, this is a slow death. A slow death of life.

I want to be....
I want to be the sea,

I want to be the sea of love....

I want to feel the wind of change, the wind of love, the wind of life. I want my son, I want everybody's son, I want everybody's daughter, I want everybody to feel the love of life... the love that life has to offer. The rainbow of a happy life. Life is awesome. Feel it. See it. Open your mind and close your eyes. Enjoy it. Be IT.

We are all the same. Allah. God. Buddha. Mohammad. All the same. Christian, Buddhist, Islamist, Conservative, Liberal ... deep inside, all the same. The difference is only in the mind. We are all brothers. We are all sisters. We are all one. We are all THE "GOD"...The spirit is in every one of us. Inside all of us. To deny it is to deny the spirit. The spirit is the soul and the SOUL is LIFE. It is the soul in all of us that becomes the "God". God IS, the soul, spirit and life in us. All of us.

I WANT TO BE...


I want to be me an instrument of change...


Thursday, October 25, 2007

Soul

(Emptiness... surrounds... the ...Soul)



SOUL!



(Think about it:)


The...

(the emptiness around me)
(surrounds the life force within)

and the Life Force within is called the...


.
.





Wednesday, October 24, 2007

Surrounds ...

(the emptiness around me)
Surrounds the life force within....


.


Tuesday, October 23, 2007

Emptyness ...

the Emptiness around me...






Friday, October 19, 2007

My water bowl

A man and his dog...

... were walking along a road the man was enjoying the scenery, when it suddenly occurred to him that he was dead. He remembered dying, and that the dog walking beside him had been dead for years. He wondered where the road was leading them.

After a while, they came to a high, white stone wall along one side of the road. It looked like fine marble. At the top of a long hill, it was broken by a tall arch that glowed in the sunlight. When he was standing before it he saw a magnificent gate in the arch that looked like mother-of-pearl, and the street that led to the gate looked like pure gold. He and the dog walked toward the gate, and as he got closer, he saw a man at a desk reading "Virtual Ramblings" on his laptop, to one side.

When he was close enough, he called out, 'Excuse me, where are we?' 'This is Heaven, sir,' the man answered. 'Wow! Would you happen to have some water?' the man asked. 'Of course, sir. Come right in, and I'll have some ice water brought right up.' The man gestured, and the gate began to open. 'Can my friend,' gesturing toward his dog, 'come in, too?' the traveler asked.

'I'm sorry, sir, but we don't accept pets.'

The man thought a moment and then turned back toward the road and continued the way he had been going with his dog. After another long walk, and at the top of another long hill, he came to a dirt road leading through a farm gate that looked as if it had never been closed. There was no fence. As he approached the gate, he saw a man inside, leaning against a tree, with a laptop, and smiling while reading the blog "BeWitching-Dehlia "...

'Excuse me!' he called to the man. 'Do you have any water?' 'Yeah, sure, there's a pump over there, come on in.' 'How about my friend here?' the traveler gestured to the dog. 'There should be a bowl by the pump.' They went through the gate, and sure enough, there was an old-fashioned hand pump with a bowl beside it. The traveler filled the water bowl and took a long drink himself, and then he gave some to the dog. When they were full, he and the dog walked back toward the man who was standing by the tree.

'What do you call this place?' the traveler asked.'This is Heaven,' he answered. 'Well, that's confusing,' the traveler said. 'The man down the road said that was Heaven, too.'

'Oh, you mean that place with the gold street and pearly gates? Nope. That's Hell.'

'Doesn't it make you mad for them to use your name like that?'

'No, we're just happy that they screen out the folks who would leave their best friends behind.'

But YOU and your BEST FRIEND are welcome @ my water bowl anytime…..

anonymous



Thursday, October 18, 2007

...how you say it...

Many times I've had to tell people:

IT’S NOT WHAT YOU SAY

IT’S HOW YOU SAY IT

Tuesday, October 16, 2007

No Time....

I saw a show on TV the other day and of course, it got me thinking...

It was about this couple and how they have "no time" for life and their 2 kids. That is...

Their day starts at 6am, make breakfast, wake up the kids, get dressed, drop the kids off at day center, go to work, grocery shop at lunchtime, pick up the kids in the pm, get food at McDonald's, be home at 730pm. Kids take bath, go to bed at 830pm. Repeat next day. Does this sound familiar to you?

What's rong with this picture about their daily life? Are they really happy? To me, many things are "rong" but I will only mention 2 important aspects.

First of all, this has got to wear down the parents health. All this running around causes undue mental stress that will eventually wear you down. Might even cause you to snap and hit your spouse/kids or worse. How sharp will you be to deal with your kids? Can you really handle it when the kids ask all the q's that kids do or will the daily grind cause you to unnecessarily snap at the kids for some innocent remark or action? How does it affect your relationship with your spouse when you are both worn out mentally and physically? All negative aspects.

Another thing, look at the schedule. How much time is there for the kids? Their kids are only with them for about, what, 2 hours a day? How much of this limited exposure is actually quality time? Or is it just "hurry up kids" time also? What effect does this have on the kids long term?

I don't know about you, but I want to spend quality time with my son. Even if its just being next to him doing nothing. I want to raise him, teach him about the world, be there to share in his curious mind and not have some, well intentioned as they may be, stranger raising them. Also, to deal with and give your children the due proper respect that they deserve, you have to have a clear mind. Daily stress causes a lot of issues between parents and kids and this shows up later in the children's' lives. (Look at your own relationship with your parents) You can read in the paper or see it on the nightly news, on a daily basis, about how it's causing a lot of kids to "act up" and/or lose it. Kids NEED time with their parents (and I need time with my son!) Think long term, people!

Are we here to work or to live? Yea, I know we have to work in order to pay our bills and buy things but where is the balance? What is the limit? To me, most people put too much priority on obtaining "material goods". (I'm not talking about the poor souls who have to work 2 or 3 jobs just to survive) It seems like, for these people, their priority is in "buying things" to feel good about themselves, to look good on the outside or to keep the kids happy. I think this is a major problem in society as a whole, but even more so in the states than anywhere else on earth and its spreading like a disease!.

Myself, I only work enough as I have to in order to pay the bills and have some left over to "splurge" once in a while. I prefer spending my time being with my wife and son. THEY are my priority along with my nuclear family and my friends. Material things like new cars, new and bigger TV's, the latest toys, nice furniture etc...are secondary to TIME with family and friends. I have many friends in the states who do not have time to spend with their family or friends because they are too busy working. They do not have time to visit other "friends" nor do they have time to be visited. Hurry, hurry hurry! They work more and more to make even more money to buy more "goods" to make themselves feel good. Unfortunately, this does not help the situation: stress, stress, stress. Sorry, but your family and friends, your "real friends", don't care whether you have the latest fashions or "junk". No, they care about you, the real you not the one behind the shiny mask.

Materialism over all! I don't have anything against "things", but it's the priority that is messed up. Our body, mind and soul do not need an over abundance of material goods. Our children do not always need the latest or biggest ... whatever. To be really happy and healthy, we need more time with our family, with our kids and with our friends. Slow down and MAKE THE TIME!

I sometimes ask people, "when you are on your death bed and reflect back on your life, will you remember the material stuff or will you remember, or regret, the time spent with family and friends?" I believe most people will reflect on their family and friends.

Look at the "big picture".

Work to live not live to work.

right or rong?

Sunday, October 14, 2007

New Bush Stamp

The new Bush stamp

The United States Postal Service created a 43-cent first-class stamp with a picture of President Bush. The stamp was not sticking to envelopes, which enraged the President, who demanded a full investigation.

After a month of testing, a special presidential commission presented the following findings about why the stamps were not sticking:

1) The stamp is in perfect order.
2) There is nothing wrong with the adhesive.
3) People are spitting on the wrong side.


:)

Be the Change...by MahatmaGandhi

I read the other day about something that happened 101 years ago (before I was born) that got me thinking abouth writing this post....

September 11th, 2006 marked 100 years to the day that Mahatma Gandhi :) launched the modern non-violent resistance movement.

Satyagraha (suht-yuh-gruh-huh – Hindi: Skt satya truth + āgraha strong attachment, persistence) began in South Africa, in 1906, when Gandhi lead a peaceful resistance against the imposition of new laws against people from India.

Gandhi's greatest influences at the time were the teachings of Jesus, Leo Tolstoy, and Henry David Thoreau, especially Thoreau's famous essay "Civil Disobedience." Gandhi considered Thoreau’s terms passive resistance and civil disobedience inadequate for his purposes, however, and coined another term, Satyagraha.

Even though Satyagraha is actually the pursuit of truth and NOT the call for non-violent resistance, Gandhi used this “pursuit of truth” as a springboard to developing his non-violent movement. And as everyone knows, Gandhi used it in India to win independence from the British.

(The Satyagraha movement was also studied and applied by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in leading the civil rights movement in the United States and Nelson Mandela used it in South Africa to end apartheid.)

As stated earlier, Satyagraha is the pursuit of truth. Gandhi believed that truth should be the cornerstone of his life and that everyone should dedicate their lives to pursuing the truth; the truth in their lives. And so his entire philosophy was the philosophy of life, the pursuit of truth. He believed that it was a pursuit that we should have embedded in our life and that we should live it all the time so that we can improve and become better human beings.

And so, from this philosophy, which originated over 100 years ago, came one of Gandhi’s most famous quotes: “Be the change that you want to see in the world”. In other words, if we want to live in a peaceful world we must “Be” peaceful people.



(Now I get it, McCartney actually meant, "let ME be" and not "let IT be"... :)

Friday, October 12, 2007

Drumming for my health

I was thinking my thoughts the other day and
that got me thinking about….

…drumming and its positive effects on your body, mind and soul. Yep, that’s right, drumming. Now, I don’t mean just any drumming, no, I’m talking about hand drumming; whether it be in a circle with others or by your self. I’m a hand drummer and use a Djemba Drum that was hand made in Ghana, Africa. It’s a nice little ole drum with a brown tone, about 33cm across the head and about 2 ½ ft high. I’ve used it in drum circles at, among other places, Safety Harbor, Fl and at the Dunedin Beach Causeway. It’s such an awesome feeling to be drumming on the beach with another 10 people or so and having the sun set in the background/ foreground. It helps you get more in tune with nature and yourself. On a larger scale and for a really cool, almost surrealistic experience, though, you have to check out the drum circles that are held every Friday, on the beach, in Treasure Island, Florida. These “events” draw upwards of 50-100 or more drummers, dancers and spectators. (and that doesn’t include the police who have decided that we need to be “protected”!!) It is a site to see!! With the great weather year round in Florida, it’s possible to be outside, drumming almost every day for your health: Body, Mind and Soul!

When drumming, I believe that the vibrations from the drum reverberate throughout my body. These vibrations help stimulate the cells and microorganism etc., etc., etc. When stimulated, these “cells” help revitalize my organs: from the heart, to the lungs, to the muscles and beyond, thus keeping my body healthy and strong. (Maybe even young?) And, although I am physically drained after drumming for just a few hours, the next day I feel better, more fit and happy. Plus, as an added bonus, I sleep better after a session! Furthermore, as everyone knows, the better you feel physically, the more fit you are, to a degree, then clearer and easier to understand thoughts will arise in your mind.

I also know that after drumming, I have a calmer, more peaceful state of mind. The drumming seems to have a holistic healing effect on me. I have a better, clearer mind with more positive thoughts about the environment around me, about myself and my friends. Remember, the mind is most powerful. We are and we see according to the thoughts that come through our mind. If drumming helps these thoughts to be more positive, more peaceful, then my environment and my view of life will also be affected accordingly. And, with a clearer mind set, also comes the ability to better “hear” and be in tune with my soul.

To some, the vibrations from drumming are comparable to many forms of meditation or prayer. When you meditate and repeat the “Ohm” mantra over and over, it’s the vibrations from that chanting that reverberate throughout your body and awaken the soul. Also, when you say prayers for an hour, it’s the vibrations from this act that reach the soul. Vibration is energy. Vibration is life. This is a proven fact. Not proven, though, is that the soul responds to this energy of life. It awakens and calls on us when stimulated by these vibrations of energy. There are different types of energy and the vibrations from drumming are but one of them. Call ‘em “positive vibes” if you will!

Not really sure if I actually explained it that well, so hopefully you got the message anyway. The point is that there are many ways for us to increase our health and drumming is but one exercise in which we can stimulate our body, mind and soul. So remember, the next time you come across a drum circle, jump in, help yourself and drum for your health!


What do you think?

Wednesday, October 10, 2007

Stress related or Depression?

We’ve all heard that saying, “It’s not what happens to you in life that counts, It’s how you deal with it that counts.” Right? Well that got me thinking….

I know this girl. She’s a great person, nice to be around and has a great heart. She really cares about what happens to other people. She has a great sunny personality…when things are going good.

On the other hand, as soon as things start getting tough, as soon as stress is factored into her life, she becomes a totally different person. The “Devil” in her comes out.

Recently, she has been under a lot of stress “again” and this little devil has overtaken her personality. From the nice person she is, to a royal pain in the _ _ _! Nobody wants to be around her. Nobody can talk to her because she will just argue with you no matter what the subject or the reasoning.

I feel sorry for her because I know she can’t help it. She just plain get so overwhelmed by this negative anger (is there positive anger?) that she doesn’t know what to do about it. She is aware of it while it’s happening but can’t control it. Isn’t that one of the worse feelings in the world: being in a situation where you have absolutely no control over it?

No, it’s not PMS as I’m sure some of you are thinking. I can count on it happening every week or two and lasting from a day to five days. Could it be that “chemical imbalance” I was talking about in a previous post? She thinks so. Could it be her diet? She doesn’t think so. (She does eat well) Could it just plain be that she is someone who can’t deal with stress once it reaches a certain level and it takes a while before the pressure resides again? Perhaps she is afraid of something and the stress brings it to the forefront? Or is it something, some long unresolved issue deep inside her that is released time and again when the chemicals within our body change due to? I have talked to her many times about this situation, with suggestions ranging from meditation, positive thinking, quit smoking and other alternative treatments etc... No luck. She has even, in the past, seen “doctors”, from mainstream to holistic, but with the same results. To sum it up, all the various attempts she has tried to curtail these “explosions”, have all failed.

I’ve even suggested that maybe it’s a learning opportunity. Maybe this is a chance for the soul to grow by overcoming this challenge confronting her. Remember, spiritual growth is obtained by overcoming our challenges and fears. And occasionally, on our path to growth, the soul will conjure up opportunities specifically for us to confront and challenge in order to attain that growth.

Or, maybe, it’s actually an opportunity for me to overcome one of my “weaknesses” and she is just the unfortunate messenger? MMMmmm….

What do you think?

Is this stress related or....Clinical Depression....or.....

Monday, October 8, 2007

McCain: America is a Christian Nation

McCain: Christian Nation!

I recently read an article where Sen. John McCain basically said that, “…this country was founded on Christian principles and that we should remain a Christian country.” This got me thinking…..

Gee, that’s funny, I seem to recall the founding fathers (and mothers!) coming to America to escape the religious rule and persecutions of the land that were prevalent at that time in Britain and elsewhere in the world. (Not that I was there, of course!) I also thought that our county was built not on the ways of the Christians but more on the ways of the old Greek teachings of democracy. Basic human rights are not the exclusive domain of the church!

More importantly, though, is that McCain is saying that we are a Christian nation and that we should stay a Christian nation. Now, I have nothing against Christians, having been raised in a Catholic house and all, but I do seem to recall a little thing called “separation of Church and State” somewhere…OH yea, in that neat little thing called the CONSTITUTION!

I believe one thing that what makes the states special is that (supposed) “Separation of Church and State.” It means that no one faith will be established as the law of the land. Nor as the faith of the people. We are free to choose our own. Furthermore, because of this, it’s the melting pot of faiths in the country that enables one to read about, learn about and discuss the various views of life. Maybe even to grow a little? To change for the better? I know that I did. Look at the counties around the world that are of one faith and the mess and havoc they have or have created. The words “freedom of religion” is not in their constitution…

Personally, I could care less what your “beliefs” are. It’s not my job to control your thoughts or to tell you what to believe in and I know that it’s definitely not the government’s job either.

Now I know that John McCain is a politician and that he’s not going to be elected President, so his comment should be taken with a grain of salt; however, his statement is actually a look into the thoughts of many hard core Christians who could influence the election (see GWB) and would change the constitution in a minute - thus, imperiling the basic fundamental rights of many citizens of different faiths – if they could. (Some hard core “robots” even believe that all “non-Christians” should be deported from the country.) I’m not aware of any other faith in this country that wants to change the constitution and make this a Muslim Country or a Jewish Country or an Atheist Country. How would the Christians like to have the shoe on the other foot? All faiths are equal in this country and no one faith should reside above another. We are a multi-faith country. Period!

Jews, Mormons, Buddhists, Hindus, Muslims, Zoroastrians, Atheists and even Witches are all welcome in my house and will be embraced with open arms. I will offer them all a beer or a glass of wine. I will sit and listen patiently as they tell me their stories for they have all made contributions to the advancement of mankind through their diverse views and writings on humanity and the soul. We should all be thankfull for it. Like the various colors of the rainbow, it’s the various beliefs that make this world a great place.

We are all the same, yet we are all unique and special in our own way. Do not let anyone tell you otherwise. Follow your heart with confidence and you will find your way.


right or rong?

Friday, October 5, 2007

THE little THINGS


the 'L I T T L E' things.

As you might know, the CEO of a company survived 9/11
because his son started kindergarten.

Another fellow was alive because it was
His turn to bring donuts.

One woman was late because her
Alarm clock didn't go off in time.

One was late because of being stuck on the NJ Turnpike
Because of an auto accident.

One of them
Missed his bus.

One spilled food on her clothes and had to
"take time to change".

One's
Car wouldn't start.

One went back to
Answer the telephone.

One had a
Child that dawdled
And didn't get ready as soon as he should have.

One
Couldn't get a taxi.

The one that struck me was the man
Who put on a new pair of shoes that morning,
Took the various means to get to work
But before he got there, he developed
a blister on his foot.
He stopped at a drugstore to buy a Band-Aid.



Now, when I am:
Stuck in traffic,
Miss an elevator,
Turn back to answer a ringing telephone...
All the little things that annoy me.
I think to myself,

This is exactly where
I was meant to be
At this very moment..

Next time your morning seems to be
Going wrong,
The children are slow getting dressed,
You can't seem to find the car keys,
You hit every traffic light,

Don't get mad or frustrated; It
May just be that

Some one is watching over you?



This was sent to me by my "friend", Stu.
Best wishes to all the 9/11 victims, survivors, friends and relatives.

right or rong?

I'm Divine?

Recently read the good life blog, which is about...(drum roll, please) "the good life" (no surprise there!), and it reminded me....

What's that old saying?
To forgive is Human
To forget is Divine.

If that's true, then I must be Divine because I'm always forgetting!!
How can I be "Human" if I've forgotten what to forgive?
So, I must be divine...mmm..... :)

Right or Rong?

Wednesday, October 3, 2007

Negative People

The other day, I came across a friend who was complaining about a friend and this got me thinking....

Negative people. I'm talking about those people who are always negative and critical of other people. You know the type. They are always commenting on others and seem to only have critical comments of other people. They HAVE to put others down. Why is that?

I believe that most of these people really can't help it. They have such a negative view of themselves, that they have to attack others in order to verify their own existence. It makes them feel good. Why? There are many reasons why but I think the majority were probably abused, verbally and/or physically, while growing up or later on as an adult. They might be "ugly", or overweight, or have been in abusive relationships. They might have had verbally abusive parents who were always put them down, always telling them how "wrong" they are or how "bad" they are. Their spouse or partner might have been the domineering type who always kept them under the thumb. There are many possible reasons why they are this way but deep down inside, I think its the same for all of them. They have no positive self worth. They simply believe they are "bad".

The mind is most powerful. Mind over matter. And, if the mind constantly tells you that you are wrong or bad etc... it becomes lodged in your psyche and can become a lifelong burden. Changing it is hard and is sometimes impossible to do. However, it can be done. It's not easy, and could require years of hard work or therapy, but it can be done. The mind is the most powerful. Feed it constantly with positive thoughts and eventually it MIGHT become lodged in the psyche. Hence, a change for the good.

On the other hand, there are also those who have chemical imbalances (that's a whole other post!) that cause them to be negative. It's when the chemicals in our body are so out of whack, it causes one to act and think completely irrational. This chemical imbalance effects our brain and it's thought process. Remember, our body is made up of chemicals and it has to have the correct balance to function properly. The chemical imbalance can be caused by many factors. The above factors could cause it, stress can cause it as well as many others that I haven't mentioned. However, A chemical imbalance can cause some really bad behavior and/or even criminal behavior. It can also cause one to lose their self worth, hence a negative view of themselves and the world around them. Depressive and manic depressive people have a chemical imbalance. It is more prevalent nowadays than is known.

How to change it? I would think that by changing the diet, one can cause change in balance to bring it more into the "acceptable" range. This seems simple enough, but it's probably not. Meditation is another possible way to change our chemical make up. Of course, most people don't even know the structure of the chemicals in their body. Why? Most regular doctors don't think about it when dealing with an illness. Most have been trained to prescribe medication rather than having the blood checked. (the band aid approach) Also, I'm not sure this view is even accepted by the "regular" medical community or given its proper respect.

I have compassion for these people. REAL compassion, not that fake "Bush Compassion" garbage. Now, I don't necessarily want to hang around them because I like to surround myself with positive people but I do feel sorry for them. I feel sorry that they are not able to enjoy life. I feel sorry that they are not able to "accept themselves" (see last post) as they truly can be. I feel sorry that life is so hard for them. I wish I could help them.

So, when you come across these "negative" people, try to understand where they are coming from. Show a little compassion even in the face of their negative comments. Just don't tell them you feel sorry for them! Remember, it could happen to anybody: You, me, anyone. I sometimes tell myself how lucky I am.....

We all know people like this.

Negative People.


right or rong?

Monday, October 1, 2007

Let it go....

On Saturday, I was reading a post in Sophia’s “light of the world” blog (I recommend it) about thoughts. In a nutshell, it talked about avoiding negative thoughts and keeping the positive thoughts. Well, that got me thinking….

When I was younger (long time ago!), I went through a phase where I took a good, hard honest look at myself and where I was at, as far as my character/personality was concerned. I said to myself, “OK, here are your strengths and here are your weaknesses. The positive points, I don’t have to worry about because, THEY ARE POSITIVE!” Duh! It seemed like a no brainer to me at the time. Continuing, I thought, “Ok, now these are the negative aspects about me. These are what I will concentrate on. These are what I need to work on. I want to work on changing these negative points into positive ones. If not changing them into positives, I will at least get rid of them.” So, I spent the next couple of months concentrating on the negatives. On an almost daily basis, I was thinking of these negative points and how I could change them.

Can you guess what eventually happened?

No, they did not change as I had hoped. Eventually, thinking “negative” every day finally caught up to me. Mentally (and physically, too) that is. I noticed that I had developed a negative outlook toward life and had become depressed. Why? It finally dawned on me. I was only thinking negative thoughts. Day in and day out, I thought about the negative. In my honest attempt at change, I was only concentrating on the negatives and had put the positive aspects of me in the background. I was not a happy camper!

So, at that point, I made a change. I no longer looked at the negatives about me; No longer thought about my negative aspects. No, I didn’t just think “positive” thoughts either. No, actually, I got rid of both the negative and positive! (Detachment?) I just stopped worry about changing. I LET IT GO!

I decided that I was a good enough person, that inside my heart, I meant well and hey, that was good enough for me. After all, I was a human, and it’s human nature to have some flaws in our personalities. To have some faults. Right? No body is perfect and neither was I. Why then should I spend so much energy in trying to become “perfect?” More important, to me, was that “goodness” in my heart. I knew that I was “good enough” and that I meant well in all my actions.

So, since that day, I no longer worry about it. To this day, I still don’t worry about the minute details of my character/personality etc... Whatever you want to call it. Instead, I prefer to focus on the “Big Picture” (will address that in a future post) because in my heart, I know that I am “OK!”

Do I still want to improve? Of course! Do I want to be perfect? Who doesn’t? But, it comes down to accepting ourselves as we are. Mistakes and all. Another benefit: when we accept ourselves as we are, it’s also much easier to accept others as they are. Then, we can live a less stressful life - a more peaceful life with a serene mind. Furthermore, with that serene feeling inside, it also becomes easier to “hear” the signs coming from our soul as it prompts us for growth and “growth” is the key to the purpose (future post) of our lives.

You have to take a good, hard honest look at yourself in determining ones strengths and weakness’. After all, who knows us better, really, than ourselves? And then …

LET IT GO!

(Sing along…. ”Oh, Let it be…”)

right or rong?

Sunday, September 30, 2007

Britney Spears Guide to Semiconductor Physics

Just to lighten things up a bit as this site can sometimes be fairly heavy.
Plus, humour is dessert for the soul!!

Britney Spears explains Semiconductor Physics!!
http://britneyspears.ac/lasers.htm

Saturday, September 29, 2007

Any comments on Burma?

Any comments on Burma?

UPDATES ARE ON MY OTHER SITE.
http://burma-myanmar-news.blogspot.com/

Friday, September 28, 2007

Burma Blog

With all that is going on in Burma, I just had to create a separate site about it. Check it out. It's basically filled with links and articles by bloggers (some within the country who are risking their lives by sending out pictures and articles to the rest of the world) and others who are writing about the current situation. I will try to keep it updated and fresh, loaded with various points of views and current pictures direct from Burma. Check it out. Lets tell the Regime that they might be able to shut out connections to the outside world for the Burma people but they cannot shut out/up the outside world from seeing first hand their atrocities.
Thanks

http://burma-myanmar-news.blogspot.com/

Ibeme

Myanmar "Burma Today" website.

A blogger from England has many pictures from Burma. Part of the site is in English.

Ko Htike is a 28-year-old who left Myanmar (Burma) seven years ago to study in England and is receiving information and pictures from about 40 people, and counting, who are risking their lives by sending this information from within his country.

http://ko-htike.blogspot.com/


The actions by the Military Junta are obviously "wrong".

Tuesday, September 25, 2007

Mundane Birthdays?

I read a post in virtual ramblings site where he laments that he has "lost the significance" of his birthdays after 26 of 'em. I can understand his view and actually know quite a few people who feel the same way. My own view on birthdays are different than most and his post got me thinking....

Way back when I turned 20, I was in the Air Force and stationed in North Carolina. My birthday came around and I was ready to celebrate it. Ready to party!! So, here I was, waiting for my friends to come by my room to take me out. To treat me 'cause it was, after all, my birthday and that's what they are supposed to do, right? Time for my friends to buy me drinks and give me gifts. "What gifts would I get this year", I thought to myself. Everybody likes gifts right?

The gift I ended up receiving was definitely not what I was expecting: however, it ended up being a gift that would last a lifetime!

Back to the story. After waiting until, oh, around 8pm, for my friends to show up, I realized they were not coming. Mmm. What happened? Not wanting to wait any longer to PARTY!, I went looking for my friends (all 3 of them!). I found them in their rooms and told them about my B'day. They said the usual wishes and all but also mentioned that they had no money to go out with me to celebrate. I was disappointed. This was my day and all and I wanted to celebrate with my friends. After getting over the disappointment, I thought, "you know, this day doesn't mean much without my friends". So, I ended up taking them out and paid for everything that night. I had a great time and my friends did too.

After that night, I decided that from now on, I was going to treat my friends on my birthday. Not only was I going to celebrate my B'day but I'm going to celebrate my friendships every year on that special day. It gave new meaning to my birthdays. Time to thank all my friends (all 3 of em!) for being my friend and for making the last year special. To this day, I still do this. Even though it's still awkward, I make it a point every year to personally "thank my friends for being my friends" and shake their hands. I really mean it. Of course, they look at me kinda weird then make some stupid joke, but I think they get it.

To me, it's the friends we have that make our world, our lives, special. Even if it's only 3 of them (Quality over quantity)!

This was the gift of a lifetime I received way back then.... :)

right or rong?

Monday, September 24, 2007

Sun Shine

There might be a storm a brewing outside the window but in my heart, the sun is shining!

Monk Uprising

Apparently, Buddhist Monks are rising up against the military junta in Burma.

According to the AP, some 100,000 protesters took to the streets Monday, led by some 20,000 monks. "In our country the monks are the highest moral authority. When the monks take the leading role, the people will follow," said Soe Aung, a spokesman for the National Council of the Union of Burma, a coalition of opposition groups based in neighboring Thailand.

Sunday, a monk gave a speech calling for (pro-democracy leader, Nobel Peace laureate and under house arrest since 1998?) Suu Kyi's release and national reconciliation. The speech further aligned them with her long-running struggle for democracy. The monks are the majority and they are leading the movement right now.

In 1988, a similar pro-democracy uprising was brutally crushed by the military. Thousands were apparently killed.

So far, the military has stood aside, allowing the Monks and protesters to peacefully march in the streets. One question on every ones mind, however, is, how long before the military moves in and how violently will they react this time?

I applaud the monks and wish them a peaceful solution.

right or rong?

Sunday, September 23, 2007

We make a difference

We all make a difference.

We all make the world go around.
Each and every one of us.

For example, as we meet people and say hi to them, this changes their routine if not by just a minute or so. As we cross the road and a car slows down for us (hopefully!), we change their life by a minute or so... and so on and so on… So what, you might say. So we slowed someone down by a minute. What difference does that make? Well, haven’t you ever just missed an accident by a minute? Or a few seconds? Haven’t you ever come across an accident and thought to yourself, “wow, if I didn’t …, that could have been me!”

Also, our attitudes make a difference. How many times has an angry person upset you? How about the person who flips you off or something like that? Doesn’t that upset you? And then you take that anger home or to work and pass it off on to your co-workers or family. How many times have you been upset and taken it out on a friend only to apologize later for your actions? Of course, that may have already sent the friend/family member on their way to also taking it out on someone else. The Domino effect happens.

Sure, we could just all stay home and have no effect at all on anyone. Right? Wrong. By staying home, we are also creating another effect. We might not prevent our neighbor from being in that accident because we didn’t say hi to him in the morning. Or, our presence at work could have prevented a coworker from cussing out the boss by talking to that individual before they made that decision. Sometimes, just being there can make a difference.

(Of course, some people might say that all these “encounters” could just as easily have had a negative impact and that is true; however, I choose to see the positive side of life. The choice is yours to make because it’s all in the eye of the beholder!)

Life is full of many “what ifs” and they are all influenced by the thousands of choices we make daily. Whether our choices are intentional or not, they create an “impression” on life.

The point is: We all count. We all matter. We all make a difference.
(OK, so this was not the best example, but look behind the messg for the meaning!)

Am I rightorrong?

Saturday, September 22, 2007

Futures Gone

Another death
Another life gone
Wasted days
Wasted nights
Their Futures are gone

Lies to me
Lies to you
Words not true
Words without meaning
Another death is done

Lives not saved
Lives are gone
Loves lost
Loves that are not
Their futures are gone
(3000+)

Anonymous mom poem

Monday, September 17, 2007

I simply am

I read an article the other day that was in a German magazine. The magazine is called "Der Spiegel" and the article was about the Dali Lama's recent visit to Germany. It got me thinking....

... and he said to the Dali Lama, " I do not have any questions to ask. I do not need anything. I am simply happy being here next to you. I believe that by just being here, next to you, my soul will receive the vibrations and the answers to the questions not asked will come. The path will be revealed before my closed eyes and in my open heart. I have no needs, no desires, no wants. What happens-happens! My soul knows the path of its journey. It knows where it wants to go and what must be done. I must simply let it be. Allow it to roam. My soul will show its way, its destiny. Then I will know. Then I will follow the path before me. No, I have no questions. I simply AM!"

This does not mean to do nothing. No. It means to be open to the spiritual signs around us and to the "feelings" that emerge from within us to find the good life. Follow your heart and instincts and you will find your way. The path is sometimes hard to understand, but the way is in us. In our soul.

right or rong?

Thursday, September 13, 2007

Invisible Emptiness

Most people believe that reality consists only of what is visible to them and therefore the realm of their experiences remains limited. They only see part of the reality, but believe it to be complete. As they see and accept only an incomplete reality, they believe in things that are manifest, visible and within the domain of their sense organs. Naturally, they enjoy only those pleasures that are perceptible to their sense organs and get completely entangled in them.

A wise ... also explores and discovers the invisible dimensions of visible reality. Thus, he knows the complete reality... his sense organs and intelligence become highly refined and evolved... he know(s) 'invisible emptiness' as the real causes of the visible world...he is able to grasp the known as well as unknown aspects of reality, his perceptions become more complete and more enriched in nature.

From "9 Secrets of Successful Meditation"
by Samprasad Vinod


right or rong?

Monday, September 10, 2007

Ships on a river...

From my kitchen window, I can see the Mosel River below me. This part of the river meanders through Trier, Germany. One of the oldest uses of the Mosel River is for ships transporting "freight" to other countries. Mostly coal or rocks, I believe. Not exactly sure. This tradition dates back thousands of years. So, as I was watching this one ship slowly make its way past me, it made me think (how strange!).

"These ships are like our lives", I thought.

You see, throughout our individual journeys, we slowly work our way through the river of life (symbolically-duh!) . Sometimes, we get to drift easily down stream (those times where everything just seems to work out right), while other times, we have to work (those tough times where everything works out rong) our way up river.

Of course, whether we are going up stream or down the river, we have to always be on the alert to avoid running aground!


right or rong?

Death to life?

Does death actually open the door to life?

Sunday, September 9, 2007

blogexplosion

Just signed up to blog explosion.com in order to receive more views and feedback on my posts. One cannot rely on only friends and family to get honest critical feedback. With critical feedback and diverse opinions, one has the opportunity to truly learn and grow. Our minds must remain OPEN to all that is without in order to grow within....

Awareness of the big picture

Remain focused on the "big picture". It's easy to get distracted by the little things in life that happen on a daily basis. However, by keeping a view toward the big picture, life actually becomes easier and more enjoyable. Furthermore, by remembering the big picture, it is also easier to deal with the little things that we all encounter during our journey.

When we see a Rose: the fragrance, the style and the color are beautiful. If we get pricked by the thorns when we pick the rose, do we throw it away? Do we lose sight of the rose and curse the thorn? Perhaps. On the other hand, those who see the big picture, who know that thorns are a part of the rose, put the pain of the thorn behind them, move on and put the rose in a vase to enjoy the beauty of it. Life can be like the rose......

Remain aware of the "big picture" in life. Do not let the little "thorns of life" distract you from the beauty that life has to offer ALL OF US.

right or rong?

Wednesday, September 5, 2007

Is too much news bad for you?

Is too much news bad for you?

I had a co-worker who once told me that she never reads or watches the news. “Ignorance is Bliss”, I thought to myself. You see, I HAVE to watch and read the news. I like to know what’s going on in the world. Every morning, I turn on the TV and watch the various local and national news. Then I turn on the computer and scan websites for more news articles. By the time I got to work, I could tell you what was happening locally, in the state of Florida, in the USA or around the world! I was well informed, I thought. I liked that feeling of knowing what was going on everywhere (ok, maybe not everywhere, but you get he idea!). I felt good.

I USED to feel good…. Occasionally but more and more often, I started feeling bad inside. I was getting sick because all the headlines considered “news”, were all about terrible things that had happened. Killings, suicides, homeless people, abused kids, wars, death, genocide, Bush/Cheney, dishonest politicians, eminent domain… the list goes on and on. Many of these articles brought tears to my eyes and laid a heavy, sad burden on my heart. These stories were also having a negative effect on my outlook on life. Not only was I getting mentally fatigued and depressed, but I was starting to lose hope in mankind. That is not me. I am normally a happy go lucky person who sees the positive in life. A believer in people: I see the positive in people. A sunny disposition no what happens. My cup was always “half-full”, even though a few people thought I was half-out-of-it!

All this “news” was conflicting with and tormenting my soul.

Something had to change…

I moved to Germany! Yep, that helped immensely. By moving to Germany, I was not being bombarded 24/7 with all that negative crap. In the States, it seemed like all the news was bad news. Yes, there is bad news in Germany, too, as in the whole world but it was not the same. Now I can still access my old websites via my laptop, but I’ve also altered my routine. I stopped reading many of the articles. I might still glance at the headlines; however, I no longer feel the urge to read all the articles. Only a few select ones. Now, I have less “negative” reaching my inner depths. Less negative feeding my soul. I feel better, again.

I believe that what we read, becomes a part of us whether we like it or not. If we read/see only the negative, then we will only see the negative. On the other hand, if we read and see more positive….

While many people love to read fictional stories about romance, revenge and spies, I, myself, prefer non-fiction works concerning the nature of the human being. This is enlightening. With this, I am fed the positive. It makes me feel good. It also becomes a part of me. I might not remember it all, but it becomes a positive influence on me. It helps me stay grounded with an inner view toward what are the real reasons we are here on earth.

That, makes my soul feel good!

Perhaps my ex-coworker was right after all?

right or rong?

Friday, August 31, 2007

Dreamer

DREAMER.
Some people have said that I'm JUST a dreamer and that I should get real. Get a life, they say. It's "doers" that make a difference. It's "doers" that have made this country (USA) great. Not Dreamers. Dreamers are just plain lazy, they say.
Well, I agree and disagree. Doers have made a big difference in this world. We would not be where we are without "doers". On the other hand, where have all the great ideas come from? Where do the "doers" get their inspiration from? DREAMERS! Yep, an idea has to be thought of first before it can be turned into reality, right? I believe that "dreamers" and "doers" go hand in hand. We need "doers" as much as we need "dreamers". I believe in a better place. I believe that things can be better. I dream of better things, of better ways to do things, and of a better life. A better way to treat and get along with our fellow beings (each other). Of course, better does not have to mean material. It can be spiritual. It can mean physical. It varies among each other. Balance is the key. Balance between the physical and the spiritual and the mental. Think about it. Dream about it. I do....
Also, "get real?" Really? And which "reality" is it that they are talking about? This "real" physical world? Or is it in the spiritual sense, which is on a different plane? Get real. Mmmm.... My "reality" is obviously different that most others.


right or rong?

Dedicated to....

This site is dedicated to my sister, Jere, who, besides being on her own "Path of Power" in trying to find herself, has always stood by me and encouraged me to "write your thoughts down". I hope that I live up to her faith in me.

This is also for my son. Perhaps when he grows up, this site will allow him, if it's still available, to better understand his father. Also, this might allow him to get a more detailed understanding on who I am and maybe this will help him during his journey through life.

Finally, to my wife, Heidi. She has always told me to "do something!!". Well, this is it, honey. LOVE YOU! Since meeting you, my life has not been the same... and I mean that in a good way (or do I?!!)!

Also, to all my friends, who I know, JUST CANT WAIT, to read my thoughts!! Thanks, Stu, Joani, Richard and Barb, Christie, Jan, Ruth, Amelia, Judy D., Joal, my parents and all the others who I forgot to mention (*Jay)...YOU are my inspiration.... this is for all of you, except Stu of course!!

I love you all and am really happy and lucky that you all are a part of my life.

You help make me who I am.

J.

Where to start....

Mmmm....where to start....

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