Category: happiness

Forgiveness

I forgive my family

I forgive society

I forgive the casino owners

I forgive the credit card companies

I forgive the government

I forgive myself

To truly forgive others and ourselves is to liberate ourselves from the burden of hatred that drags us down emotional and spiritually

It’s free and available if we have the courage to open our hearts and minds to forgiveness

Forgiveness is a gift we give to ourselves

I whole heartedly forgive all that have harmed me in the past, including myself

Your brother,

Johnny

Real Friends

We all need friendship as human beings. Humans need some connection to other people to thrive. In today’s world of social media this can be challenging. I have struggled with finding real friendships the last 10 years of my life. I have even questioned who my real friends are in the past. Were we just drinking friends in college or was there a real connection? People come into your life for a reason, a season or a lifetime. What causes us suffering is clinging to friendship when they do not serve us anymore. If one side of the friendship makes it difficult to hangout with and constantly makes excuses then it’s not a real friendship. Even if at one point you were real friends. I travelled the east coast of Australia 2 years ago and currently live in Byron Bay, Australia. I had a great time with a group of backpackers I met along the way. This friendship was fantastic for 3 months when we were traveling but as soon as we lived in the same area things became toxic.

I tried so hard to meet up with a few of these friends but for whatever reason they made it very difficult to hangout with them. They made it a chore to be friends with them, which is not true friendship. Real friends make time (even 10 minutes), acquaintances make excuses and gaslight you to think you’re in wrong.

I’m learning to let go of people who do not want to be in my life to make room for those who actually genuinely like the man I’m becoming through my day to day recovery from my gambling addiction. I’m not the same man I was 9 months ago when I entered gamblers anonymous and started my journey to heal childhood traumas. Letting go of material goods, jobs, and even relationships (friends, family, etc) that don’t serve you anymore is crucial for a happy healthy life. Setting boundaries is important before we completely cut off people. I still have deep compassion and love for those acquaintances I have let go of, knowing that they suffer too from something they aren’t ready to work through.

With love,

Johnny

You Are a Miracle

You are a miracle

Many stars had to die for you to exist

Millions of your ancestors had to meet for you to smile

Many minerals, plants and animals had to die for you to be alive

The miracle of life is all around and within us at every moment

To touch the miracle of life is to touch the divinity of everything at once

A single cell becomes a human being

A single mustard seed sprouts into a massive tree

Housing many birds and other life forms

The practice of mindfulness is to get in touch with the miracle of life

Too often fear, hatred and greed keep us from this nourishing energy of love

If we can feel this spiritually

There is no fear or anguish

Only pure love and joy

With Aloha,

Johnny

The Three Poisons: Attachment, Aversion, and Ignorance

In Buddhist philosophy; attachment, aversion, and ignorance are the three main obstacles from achieving inner peace within. They are the three poisons of true happiness.

Attachment is said to be the root of all suffering.

Attachment to wealth, youth, ideology, the past, loved ones, life itself etc can drain us and make us miserable. Think of a middle aged woman attached to her youth. You can imagine her worrying about every wrinkle and what others perceive of her. By not accepting ones aging process, we suffer deeply.

Aversion on the other hand drains us of our joy by judgment, anger, or disgust. For example, an aversion to bugs can ruin our time in nature. An aversion to homeless people can stop us from having compassion for them; compassion and understanding can be the root of much joy.

Ignorance can blind us too. When we purposely or unintentionally don’t see information about a topic, we can make decisions that destroy our health and happiness. Cigarettes are a good example of this, most of the population were ignorant for many years of the risk of cancer and heart disease of smoking.

So instead of seeking pleasure or trying to find happiness, could we try to find a middle path between attachment, aversion, or ignorance? Can we learn about a topic so we are not ignorant but also not getting attached or averse to it? Blissful peace is found in the middle of this triangle.

I think it’s possible if we practice. Never think you know everything and the opposite of what you believe is true to someone else in the world.

Zen mind, beginners mind

With aloha,

Johnny

Attitude Adjustment

Entitled, bitter, and upset

I cause my own suffering

What’s the antidote for this mental condition?

Gratitude

How could I lose sight of all the things I could be grateful for?

Grateful for my job

Grateful for friends and family

Grateful for life & it’s infinite possibilities

The conditions of happiness are always available at any moment

Even through the darkest times we can cultivate joy through gratitude

We can bring our breath back to this exact moment

Peace & joy can only be found in the here and now

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

Deep Compassion to Ourself

When I child suffers, he or she cries a lot. They are hurt and in pain. A mother can transform their child’s suffering into tears of joy by listening and showing loving compassion to their child. Soon the child is smiling and joyful. I have seen this and experienced in real time.

You can do the same with your most inner child. Showing deep compassion to the hurt, misunderstood, and anxious parts of ourself. This is the practice of healing ourselves and the world. This is a way to transform suffering into joy in our own body and mind. 🙏🏻

Namaste,

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

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