My life is impermanent
Knowing this, I vow to live deeply each day
Love unconditionally
Have deep compassion for all, even those who harm others
Forgive anyone who has harmed me
Including myself
Let this be my legacy
My legacy will not have dollar signs or job titles
My legacy is not purely words
But my actions
With Aloha,
Johnny
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
If we look deeply at a flower
We see there isn’t truly a flower
A flower is made of non flower material
A flower is made of water, soil, nutrients & sunlight
You and I are the same
If we can touch the true reality of things
We see that everything is connected
I am not made of human materials
I am made of water which came from the clouds & rivers
I am made of materials like iron, calcium, zinc
Which were created many billions of years ago in a dying star
I am made of the sun, water & soil
Our life is impermanent on this earth but our matter is infinite
It can neither be created nor destroyed, only transformed
If we can touch this true reality, our suffering will vanish in this moment
With aloha,
Johnny
You have always been there for me
When I was lonely
When I was bored
When I was in pain
Relieving me of stress
Allowing me to focus
Stimulated my mind
Thank you for your attempts to distract me from my suffering
But I have to let you go
The momentary relief you give me leads to more suffering in the end
You will always be part of my story but it’s time to turn the page
It’s time to start a new chapter of self love & service to others
It’s a long road to recovery but it’s a worthwhile journey
The alternative is self destruction
With aloha,
Johnny
Fill the hole in my heart
Fill the deep gap within my soul
Take away the discomfort
Numb me to my suffering
Distract me
Comfort me
I don’t want to feel anymore
Consumption of drugs, alcohol, sex, gambling or junk food seems to be the solution to our pain
Temporarily they are good numbing agents, that’s what hooks us in; especially when we first try them at an early age
But in the end it causes more suffering & new financial & health problems
Like quick sand we can fall deeper & deeper into the depths of addiction
With aloha
Johnny
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
Anxiety
The illness of our times
Our minds wander to the future
Grasping for control
Wanting to know what will happen
The truth is that the future is completely unwritten
Because of impermanence, anything is possible
Let’s stop trying to control the uncontrollable
If we want a better future, we must take care of the present moment
With aloha,
Johnny
Transformation is all around us
But we don’t see it
A caterpillar turns to a butterfly
A seed to a flower
A cloud to rain
Humans have this ability as well
We have the ability to transform our suffering to joy
The ability to change & growth through challenging situations
One of the fastest growing addictions in the world is gambling addiction
With more availability than ever, more people are going through challenging circumstances because of this addiction
Many lose their house, job, and family
Some even lose their life to this addiction
1 in 4 attempt suicide, the most out of any addiction
Losing money from gambling is tough to deal with but nothing compares to the guilt, shame, and regret that haunts you
I’m 3 weeks sober right now
I’m determined not to gamble
I have lost 50k in my lifetime but also have put untold stress and anxiety on myself because of this addiction
My life purpose is on the line
True freedom is not the freedom to self destruct
But to be free of our addictions running and ruining our life
With aloha,
Johnny
Attachment is at the root of all suffering
Attachment to youth
Attachment to wealth
Attachment to our spouse, family & friends
Attachment to life itself
If attachment is the root of all suffering..
What is the root of joy?
Freedom is the root of joy
Freedom not to hurt ourself or others but freedom from fear, anger, and hatred running and ruining our lives
Liberation from old ways of thinking & doing that make us miserable
Today is the day to start changing, even small changes can lead to huge results in time
When we look at nature, we see that everything is impermanent.
Even our own sun has a shelf life
So why do live as if relationships, wealth, family members, and our own life will last forever?
If we live a full life, one life is enough.
With aloha,
Johnny
The Narrow Path 