Category: freedom

Self Destruction

I was put on this earth for a reason

To reduce suffering

To bring joy to others

To see the oneness in everything

A wave realizing it’s the ocean

Energy flows within myself like an infinite river going out to sea

Many years ago, a dying star supernova gave life to myself & everything on earth

Life is precious according to me so why wait to become a better version of myself?

The time is now for change & growth

Why waste my one precious life harming myself?

Drowning myself in substances, junk food, and self destructive habits

I see my ego wanting to self destruct

All it wants is pleasure & to avoid pain

But I know I’m much more than my ego

I also have a divine Buddha sitting within myself

Patiently waiting

It doesn’t want to harm my ego, that would only feed the anger, hatred, and fear

It loves the darkest side of me with light of a billion stars

With aloha,

Johnny

Life & Death

Life & death are interconnected, not two separate concepts

The ultimate yin & yang of the cosmos

Each day cells are born & die in our own bodies

Death surrounds each moment of life
Without death there is no life
Breathing in I know I’m of the nature to grow old
Breathing out I know I will die one day
Knowing this noble truth I will enjoy this beautiful life that has been gifted to me
Each day is a new opportunity to pay gratitude to the universe
I will do my best to live a compassionate, peaceful, and loving life
I will not let fear, hatred or greed control my one life.

“To truly live, we must die each moment.” -Thich Nhat Hanh

With aloha,

Johnny

Letting go of the Pursuit of Happiness

For us to be truly happy we must let go of the pursuit of happiness

Because when we feel temporarily happy, we desperately cling to it

We become restless and fearful of losing happiness, which causes a vicious circle of suffering

So for us to be truly happy we must be calm and centered

You can’t be truly happy if you’re not calm

So instead of seeking pleasure or avoiding pain

Seek the discomfort of stillness

Look within that restlessness, anger, or hatred

And let go of the pursuit of happiness

Instead of trying to find this elusive happiness, practice the middle path of awareness, peace, and being calm

Each time we fall off the path of clarity & calmness we self reflect, let it go and move forward

From my experience, this way of living seems much more sustainable than chasing elusive happiness

A friend shared this with me and it has enriched my life significantly and I hope it does the same for you

With aloha,

Johnny

Darkness into Light

From my experience, our suffering can bring much joy

But we must sit with the pain even when we want to run from it

For us to transform, we must get to know the darkest parts of our mind.

Sit with our demons until they don’t scare us anymore

Show compassion & love to the darkest parts of our soul

Surrender to the reality in front of you

Do not fight or run

Sit still & get to know them

They will always be there

But our mind can be a sanctuary, even with the demons; not a warzone

With aloha,

Johnny

A Simple & Uncomplicated Life

A simple & uncomplicated life is for me

I do not need fancy clothes, shoes or any other material goods

True joy is not found in sports cars, jewelry or the amount of money in our bank account

True happiness is not acquired through what we receive in life but what we give to the world

Giving is living

I vow to not hoard money

But to give to those in need

I vow to live a simple life

And to reduce suffering in myself & the world

With aloha,

Johnny

Nature Within

Breathing in I see myself as water, flowing & flexible

Breathing out I see myself as a mountain, strong & stable

Breathing in I see myself as a flower, fresh & beautiful

Breathing out I see myself as space, free & vast

Water, flowing

Mountain, strong

Flower, fresh

Space, free

Breathe, enjoy

With aloha,

Johnny

Dreams

Here I lay

Listening to the soft voice of a yin yoga teacher

In a deep meditation

An American backpacker in a distant land

Byron Bay is the perfect place for those who are searching for self knowledge

A place to heal emotional wounds.

So here I lay in a dark yoga studio

Suddenly tears come down my cheeks

My inner Buddha speaking clearly without the distractions interfering

If I don’t let go of gambling

I let go of my dreams

I let go of my happiness & freedom

My life will read as a tragedy if I don’t change my ways

I’m 6 weeks sober from gambling

Turning my life around 1 day at a time

With aloha,

Johnny Hoffman

Namaste Sober

1 month sober

Forever changed

Thank you to those who taught me the way

Thank you to those who taught me what I do not want to become

This path is more difficult but the rewards are great

I will not force my views or tell others to follow my path

I will not fight a crusade or try to convert others to my way of thinking

I will just sip my herbal tea peaceful with non judgement

My life is my message 🙏🏻

Namaste sober

With aloha,

Johnny

New Year’s Resolution

The new year is here

Will we repeat the same patterns of behavior?

Or will we grow and change into a better version of ourselves?

Many of us(including me)

Can envision ourselves in the future

Wiser, stronger, calmer, and healthier

But few can say no to whatever derails us from this vision

It takes grace, dedication, and determination to build a life worth living

If not now, then when?

With Aloha,

Johnny

Live Your Life

This life in finite

So I will live the life I desire

Go off the beaten path

Not worrying about society expectations

Judgements of others is a sign of their insecurities

Live simply if you want

Pursue life experiences instead of money, fame, and respect

Choose love

Not fear

Create your life through mindful actions, not impulses.

With aloha,

Johnny