Category: humanity

Many Streams, One Ocean

Many streams go to one ocean

Many paths to the mountain top

May we be liberated from religious dogma

May we be free to see the truth within all spiritual traditions

May we be curious and open minded

Like a child with a beginners mind

All we know is that we know nothing for certain

Pride, arrogance and closed mindedness keep us from seeing this beautiful truth

We don’t truly know what will happen to us when we die

We will never know what God truly is in this life time

All war and violence stems from believing we have the truth or that we are the chosen people

When discrimination and hatred enter the human heart, suffering and war are inevitable

May we stay humble and full of grace

Your brother,

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

Nirvana

We may celebrate our birthday as the day we were born but that’s not entirely true.

We came into this world at the creation of this universe

The matter in our body originated in that one eventful moment

Everything and everyone came from the same source

Whoever is reading this is my brother or sister

We even have non-human ancestors connecting us to other animals

So we truly are like stars dancing in the night sky

But through confusion, distracted and addiction we lose sight of our inner Buddha nature

To feel the oneness of everything emotionally is to feel Nirvana

It is our birthright to discover this ultimate reality

But we must learn to get our mind still through deep meditation

Anyone can become enlightened through their actions if they are dedicated to the middle path

With Aloha,

Johnny

Seeds

Each day I rise in a world full of hatred, fear, and greed

Before I judge others

May I recognize that these elements are found within me as well

Each day I rise in a world full of compassion, love, and peace.

Before I interact with others

May I recognize that these elements are found within me as well

These elements are like seeds in the garden of my mind

The seeds we water the most will grow

So for today I will do my best to water only the seeds of compassion, love and peace within me & others

With aloha,

Johnny

Exploitation vs Protection

Is humanities purpose to exploit the world?

Exploit other humans

Exploit mother earth

Exploit are fellow animals

All in the name of greed

Or are we here for another reason?

To love other humans

To cherish mother earth

To protect are fellow animals

All in the name of love

Time will tell which path humanity will take moving forward

For now I choose love over fear

Protection over exploitation

Values over money

My life is my message

With Aloha,

Johnny

Practicing Peace.

I recently went to a Vegfest in my local community. The food was great and overall the message was a positive one. A message that we can help stop climate change, transform our health, and vote with our wallets to stop cruelty against animals through eating a plant based diet. A few of the vegans were so angry at meat eaters though. One of the presenters went on an angry tangent about decapitated pigs heads at the grocery store. She yelled at the crowd that she couldn’t understand meat eaters(even though she ate these products most of her life). It was a friendly reminder to me that true compassion encompasses all beings, not just those who live the same way as you. The way of peace doesn’t condone violence but seeks to understand others instead of judge. True compassion encompasses Hitler, Stalin, and Charles Manson.

If we want others to be more peaceful we must be peaceful, it’s as simple as that. Maybe we could just focus on ourself, making our own life our message to others? Our message of peace will be watered down if we communicate in a violent way. Practicing non-violence is something MLK, Gandhi, Jesus, Buddha, and mother Theresa all agreed on. It’s something they wanted us to practice on a daily basis. The next time we complain about the world affairs we could ask ourself “how can we expect the world to be at peace if we aren’t?”

Focus within. One lit candle can light a thousand candles.

With Aloha,

Johnny Hoffman

True Compassion.

If you can show compassion to Hitler, Stalin, & Genghis Khan

You know true compassion

For compassion & love isn’t just for the innocent

But for those who harm other beings

Violence, judgment, & hatred will not bring peace

Only compassion will

Bring awareness that hatred lives within all human beings

Including ourself

If we truly want peace we must seek to understand

For love is the absence of judgment

Durden’s Wisdom.

I am not my job.

I am not my college diploma.

I am not defined by the amount of money in my bank account.

I am not my religion or lack of one.

I am not my skin color.

I am not defined by my car, clothes, or stuff.

Careers are overrated.

Stuff is just stuff.

Money is paper we give meaning to.

We are much more.

The Darkness Within.

Inside me

There is darkness

Greed, fear & even hatred

Inside me

There is light

Compassion, forgiveness & love.

I acknowledge both

For there can not be light without the dark

I vow to acknowledge the greed, fear, anger, and hatred with me

But to feed the seeds of love, compassion, and faith

To love both of them unconditionally

To acknowledge the light & darkness within myself and all

Life is Precious.

You are loved

Precious

Important

Your life matters

A continuation of your ancestors

A rebirth of a dying star

A diamond in the rough

In the vast infinite universe

How quickly we forget

The preciousness of life

Including our own