Category: meditation

Relax, Nothing is Under Control

The sun will rise
And set
Relax, nothing is under control

Days will go by
People will get sick
Loved ones will die

Jobs will be lost
People will cheat, lie, and push your buttons
Relax, nothing is under control

Our mission is to rise above and stay positive even in the darkest of times
Knowing that everything & everyone is impermanent

We can find joy by letting go of control of others and situations
All we can control is our reaction and attitude to the chaos around us
Resilience is built by not avoiding hard situations but by embracing them with love, compassion, and acceptance.

With aloha,

Johnny

Liberation

Let go of the need to be right
Let go of the need to control others
Let go of the need to control your surroundings
Allow others to be who they are
Allow situations to unfold without complaining or controlling anything
True liberation is found when we don’t allow outside situations to hinder our own happiness
True strength found in staying positive even in the most challenging situations

Your life is your message

With aloha,

Johnny

Feeding the Good Wolf

There are two wolves inside of us.

Always at battle.

A good wolf.

That is kind, brave, and loving.

A bad wolf.

That is fearful, angry, and greedy.

The one you choose to feed.

Is the one that grows.

To end this constant battle.

You must show deep compassion & love to the bad wolf.

Feed the good wolf with how you talk to yourself, others, and your actions in the world.

With Aloha,

Johnny

Accepting Others

Accept others

For who they are today

Not what you think they should be

The ego wants to control everything & everyone

While the divine accepts & loves others for who they are today, no matter how “flawed” they are

There is a wise zen master in all of us knows that others will change on their own pace (or not change at all)

Focus the energy you have used arguing or controlling others on becoming the best version of yourself

Your life is your message

“We are all mangoes on the same tree, ripening at different times.”

With Aloha,

Johnny

Our Own Life is Our Message.

What do you want to be remembered for?

The shiny sports car?

A fancy corporate title?

Or is there more to life than accumulation and status?

I want to be remembered as a compassionate person.

As someone who reduced the amount of suffering in this world.

Who left this world a little more peaceful then when I arrived.

Not through talk alone but through mindful action.

Our own life is our message.

With Aloha,

Johnny

Question Everything.

Question society

Question your culture

Question your thoughts & behavior

Your diet

Your values

Your opinions, beliefs, and habits

Question if this is truly who you are

Or what you were taught by others

 

Life is too short to live it blindly

Not questioning what we have been told

Question everything, including yourself

Is this what I truly believe from logical evidence?

By love?

Or is it driven by greed, hatred, or fear?

I’ll Stay in my Own Lane.

I won’t change you

I won’t judge you

I won’t argue with you

I’ll stay in my own lane

For life is too short for me to focus my energy on others

Telling them what they should or shouldn’t do

My work will be to accept all as they are

For I’m no god nor tyrant

No dictator or ruler

My path is mine to walk

No one can walk it for me

And I can not force you to change

Grow & change in your own time

Or not!

Who am I to judge?

I have plenty to work on

Much growth to be had

Any energy spent on you would be wasted

For my life is my message

If others follow

That’s great

If they don’t

That’s fine too!

I’ll stay in my own lane

The Battle Within

Divinity is found

Within you and I

But also ego

All humans have this battle within

Dark & light

Devil & angel

Ego & divine

Grow the divine fertile seeds with love & compassion

Acknowledge the ego

Bow to it

Feed it carefully

Feed it with understanding

Care for the darker side

For in caring for the dark we grow the light

Darkness, Transformation, and Redemption.

The darkest moments of my life led to the most transformation. The darkness brings self-reflection, awareness, and focus.  This is only if we do not numb the pain with alcohol, drugs, and/or overeating. When a family member suddenly dies or a relationship ends, we can have moments of pure awareness and clarity on what led to this moment in time.

My first experience with this transformation was when I was honest with my ex-fiance about my infidelity. She left me the following day. At first, I numbed myself with distraction but when her parents moved all her stuff out of our studio I was forced to sit in a dark & empty apartment. My first reaction was to run away and move to a new place. Luckily I chose to stay in my empty studio. The following weeks I cried every night in sorrow. Pain, suffering, and anxiety filled each moment until one day I picked up a book called “Buddhist Bootcamp” by Timber Hawkeye. Suddenly I was meditated 1 hour a day, reading, writing, eating healthier, and working out every day. I quit smoking and significantly cut down on drinking alcohol. My days were now filled with joy instead of sorrow. This all took place from March-May 2015 in San Luis Obispo, CA. Since then I have fallen back into old habits, relearn lessons, and also had new transformations from suffering. I began a journey of self-love, peace, forgiveness, and acceptance; a journey I am currently still on (and always will be). There is no destination on this path, only the love of the journey itself.

The famous Buddhist monk Thich Nhat Hanh says “No Mud, No Lotus”. The beautiful lotus flower grows in the darkest and muddiest environments; I truly believe humans are much the same as the beautiful lotus flower. The right environment for growth usual consists of awareness, compassion, and love while we are suffering. Once we learn how to suffer, we suffer much less. Suffering can actually be the most transformative process of life if we allow it to be.

Through the darkness, we can transform ourselves and become the light to see out of the darkness. We accept the darker side of ourselves (and the world) with compassion, understanding, and peace. In this practice, we feed the light while accepting the dark. This allows for peace instead of war. The key to transformation is to sit with ourselves through the pain instead of distraction or numbing the pain. The coldest winters of my life have always ended with a warm inviting spring. All is impermanent, even the darkest of times.

 

With Aloha,

Johnny Hoffman