Category: love

Radical Acceptance

The paradox of behavior change is that once we radically accept ourselves as we are today, then we can change. Ignorance and pride are two main obstacles on this journey of radical acceptance and rebirth. Each day, each moment can be a time for rebirth and resurrection if we are dedicated to the path of transparency and love.

The Buddha said the root of all suffering is attachment. Attachment to wealth, status, pleasure but also attachment to ideas of ourselves as a separate individual self. We must wake up as a species to the ultimate reality of things. The truth of interbeing, that everyone and everything is connected deeply. The illusion of a separate self is a persistent one that must be dissolved for humanity to have true peace, liberation and joy. We are all brothers and sisters. If I harm you, I harm myself. Technology or willpower will not save us from self destruction, only true unconditional love can.

Ignorance is also a main obstacle towards liberation because we keep harming ourselves without truly understanding why. We must have the courage to look within ourselves for our ignorance to dissolve. Look deep within yourself and the cause of your suffering will come clear.

Positive reinforcement is key to behavioral change. We must not be harsh to ourselves but also not let ourselves off the hook. Radical acceptance is about deep love for ourselves, even the parts of us that feel like they are not worthy of love. Do not beat yourself up. Forgiveness is the way to true liberation and joy. Inner peace will not be created through violence and harshness but through radical acceptance and non violence.

With love,

Johnny

Mother Earth

How we look at Earth

Is how we look at women

Is our planet disposable or precious?

Is our mother earth here to be exploited or to be shown unconditional love?

Is earth just to produce for us or is she divine?

We must look at mother earth through the lens of unconditional love to see this.

The same goes for women.

Do we take for granted our Earth as we do our women?

Or do we pay gratitude and love to both?

With love,

Johnny

Love for Mankind

Some have given up on humanity and focus on our destructive nature

Some believe only will power and technology will save us from self
destruction

Some want to leave earth behind and escape into the sky

My truth is that humanity is worth
saving

Humanity is worth unconditional love

But we must return to little children once again to save ourselves from destruction

Children who haven’t closed their hearts to love

Only true unconditional love can save us

No amount of willpower or technology will save us from the greed, hatred and fear inside us

Only forgiveness, love, and radical nonviolence can liberate humanity

Don’t lose hope

Don’t close your hearts and become cynical

Keep your heart open to love as children do

Your brother,

Johnny

The Power of Gratitude

Gratitude is the antidote for all bitterness, resentment and hatred.

Next time you feel deep resentments towards a friend, family member or boss try to remember how grateful you are for them. Write it down and meditate on gratitude.

Liberation from all resentments is a joyful experience. When we hold onto resentment, bitterness and hatred we become ill. The only way to feel healthy again is to forgive others and express gratitude.

If someone is truly toxic to us we can still bow out and thank them for teaching us a lesson of what not to do. Gratitude does not mean excepting harmful behavior from others. We can walk away with gratitude and love for them.

Gratitude is a beautiful practice plus it’s free and available at any moment.

Your brother,

Johnny

The Infinite Source of Love

Look within your heart and mind

The healing source of infinite love is within you

Do not seek love outside of yourself

Look within

Seek only the barriers within your heart that keep you from its infinite source of healing

May we have the courage to dissolve these barriers and let the light of unconditional love vibrant through every cell of our body

With love

Johnny

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

Keep Your Eyes on God

On the spiritual path there are many obstacles diverting us off towards pleasure, money, or fame

Each time our eyes divert from God we must return them

If we can keep our eyes on our family, friends, coworkers, jobs, bank account, shopping, food, or pets we will be diverted off the path towards God.

We will be lost and afraid in the woods

Not knowing which way to go and suffer tremendously

It takes tremendous conviction to keep going on this path

But the rewards of inner peace, serenity and complete liberation are more precious than diamonds

The path towards God is liberation from all greed, hatred and fear

God brings many the gift of unconditional love which liberates us from all self-centeredness and fear

If we keep our eyes on God we have nothing to fear and our days will be filled more and more with love, joy, and inner peace

With love,

Johnny Hoffman

God’s Money

The money in my bank account is not my money

It’s God’s money

I’m just holding onto it temporarily

This revelation has liberated me from the destructive energy of greed

Because the money in my bank account was never

I can give it freely to those in need

I don’t need to cling to it out of fear

I can choose love by giving it away to the homeless and vulnerable

Thank you God for liberating me from selfishness and greed

With love,

Johnny

Compassion for All Beings

May all beings feel love

May all beings feel liberated

May all beings be at peace

Their lives are miracles of the cosmos

I vow to reduce suffering in the world

I will not support any violence in the world

In my words or actions

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