When my mind is still through meditation I repeat Jesus’s words and the holy spirit is drawn to me and transforms me into Christ in that moment.
No words can describe this spiritual experience of deep love for all beings.
In those moments you are fully liberated from all fear, hatred, and greed.
You are truly alive.
When the holy spirit is within you, everyone is your brother or sister and you feel a deep river of joy rush through your body. ❤️🙏🏻
God, may all who suffer be healed through your love
God, may all beings be liberated from the shackles of greed, hatred and fear
God, may all beings rest in your sanctuary of unconditional love within their own heart
I pray that we can all be one with your love as Jesus did and still does through the holy spirit
The world seems to be upside down but do not be distressed.
True love will always overcome hatred, fear, and violence like water smoothing out sharp rocks.
True love does not shape the world by force but through persistence, compassion, grace, and patience.
The light will always transform darkness.
Love will always transform fear.
Do not let this world drag you into the darkness. Focus on the light within you and be the lighthouse shining into the darkness.
🙏🏻
-Johnny Hoffman
When you practice the way
Cosmic truths will be revealed
And you will be liberated from all greed, hatred and fear
But what is the way?
Mercy for our enemies
Both inside and out
Radical non-violence
Turning our cheek to all violence
A complete surrender to unconditional love is required moment by moment
Our heart must be as light as a feather to walk the way
A complete faith in the power of love to guide us
A total surrender is required on the spiritual path
Surrender of our fears, worries, and doubts
A total surrender of our will to the power of unconditional love within our heart and soul
We must surrender our addictions, destructive habits and wrong views
Let the power of love transform you from within
Let it heal you and shape you in its image
Humble yourself and you will be free
Surrender everything and you will be liberated from fear, hatred, greed and addiction
Shine your light into the darkness
Shine love into the darkness of fear
Shine compassion into apathy
Shine forgiveness into vengeance
Shine mercy into ruthlessness
Shine humility into the darkness of pride
This is the way of true transformation
The light of unconditional love will always transform the darkness of fear, hatred, and greed
When you have a beginners mind
You become as fresh as a flower
Your mind becomes like a still pond
An empty canvass
Open to the infinity possibilities of life
With a beginners mind
You can find joy in fresh mandarin
You can experience nirvana looking deeply at a bird
Find peace and serenity right here and now
When your mind becomes rough and demanding
You will lose your beginners mind
And life will become dreary and meaningless
Your mind will need more and more stimulation
Leaving you depressed, numb and anxious
In a beginners mind there is true love, compassion and insight
A beginners mind is fresh and alive
In a beginners mind there are many possibilities
For an expert mind, few
To be a beginner, we must practice deep humility
With no thought of attaining enlightenment or any self centered ideas
When you realize that everything is holy
That everyone deep down is divine
You will not steal
You will not lie
You will not cause harm to others
When you realize through meditation that all is born in the image of God, divinity, and love
You will be truly blessed
Many parts of us forget this noble truth and stray us away towards greed, hatred, and fear
Causing much necessary suffering and pain in the world
I found Jesus through a Zen Buddhist monk named Thich Nhat Hanh 10 years ago. After a challenging break up, I picked up a book called “No Mud, No Lotus” by Thich Nhat Hanh which led me to reading “Living Buddha, Living Christ” by him as well. This book touched me deeply and changed the trajectory of my life. Thich is one of my most influential Buddhists of the 20th century but also had a picture of Jesus in his meditation and prayer room at his monetary in the south of France, Plum Village. He loved both the Buddha and Jesus with all his heart and wrote another book called “Going Home: Jesus and Buddha are Brothers”. He was heavily influenced by Martin Luther King Jr. in the 1960’s when he toured the United States to try to peacefully end the Vietnam war. Vietnam was Thich’s home country and he was exiled from Vietnam because he wouldn’t choose a side in the war. He firmly was on the side of peace which upset both sides. Thich was almost killed by a bomb in the war and many of his disciples were killed in the war.
Many Christian’s and Buddhists are shocked that I can both be a Buddhist and a Christian. You might call me a Taoist as well or a Sufi Muslim. I’m many things yet none of them define me. To me it is very simple, I follow the path of unconditional love to the best of my abilities. God to me has touched every spiritual man or woman of all spiritual traditions. Some might call this mysterious force that heals us from within as God, Allah, Emptiness or The Dao. Jesus said that “ I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd.” John 10:16. This is my spiritual path in one verse. There are many spiritual traditions all around the world hearing the same voice. A voice of unconditional love and compassion for all beings. How do you hear this voice? Be still and open your heart with humility.
In Christianity they speak of the Holy Spirit and how it can transform us. The Holy Spirit is how God touches people deeply and changes their heart from stone to flesh. How he shapes them by love into more and more like Jesus. In Buddhism this is enlightenment and at the deepest level it would be described as Nirvana. When God touches you so deeply that all concepts of greed, hatred and fear dissipate. All suffering dissipates in these moments and you are fully liberated from all notions that enslave you. Only unconditional love is left for all beings and in this moment you feel deeply connected to the entire Universe. In Buddhism, emptiness is how they describe God. God is empty of all notions of greed, hatred, and fear that cause us so much suffering on this planet.
Jesus said in Mark 12:32 “Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come.” In my experience, Jesus is saying that those with an open heart will know God no matter what spiritual tradition they follow. A Buddhist with an open heart will know God deeper than a Christian who has a closed heart to love. Even an atheist who follows the spiritual principles of Jesus will know God deeper than an evangelical Christian who has a closed heart.
One of my favorite Zen masters said to never be attached to one religion or philosophy, even Zen. To keep a beginners mind open to all ideas and ready for the infinite possibilities of life. All religious wars began with arrogance that their one spiritual tradition is the only truth while all spiritual teachers emphasize humility and the brotherhood and sisterhood of all beings. Below is a link to the free audio book of “Living Buddha, Living Christ” by Thich Nhat Hanh.
Your brother,
Johnny
May my enemies sleep well tonight
May they feel safe and loved
May they heal
May they be joyful like small children
For they are not my true enemy
My true enemy lies within my own greed, hatred and fear
With love,
Johnny
The Narrow Path 