Breathing in I see myself as water, flowing & flexible
Breathing out I see myself as a mountain, strong & stable
Breathing in I see myself as a flower, fresh & beautiful
Breathing out I see myself as space, free & vast
Water, flowing
Mountain, strong
Flower, fresh
Space, free
Breathe, enjoy
With aloha,
Johnny
Here I lay
Listening to the soft voice of a yin yoga teacher
In a deep meditation
An American backpacker in a distant land
Byron Bay is the perfect place for those who are searching for self knowledge
A place to heal emotional wounds.
So here I lay in a dark yoga studio
Suddenly tears come down my cheeks
My inner Buddha speaking clearly without the distractions interfering
If I don’t let go of gambling
I let go of my dreams
I let go of my happiness & freedom
My life will read as a tragedy if I don’t change my ways
I’m 6 weeks sober from gambling
Turning my life around 1 day at a time
With aloha,
Johnny Hoffman
1 month sober
Forever changed
Thank you to those who taught me the way
Thank you to those who taught me what I do not want to become
This path is more difficult but the rewards are great
I will not force my views or tell others to follow my path
I will not fight a crusade or try to convert others to my way of thinking
I will just sip my herbal tea peaceful with non judgement
My life is my message 🙏🏻
Namaste sober
With aloha,
Johnny
Many focus their energy trying to help others
Leaving themselves drained, unhappy and frustrated
They do not realize that you can not give by throwing
By forcing your beliefs on others you fall off your path and push others away from you
Just focus your energy on becoming the best version of yourself
Those who are lost in the darkness will see your light shining
It’s up to them if they want to walk along the side of you or to stay on their path
With aloha,
Johnny Hoffman
The new year is here
Will we repeat the same patterns of behavior?
Or will we grow and change into a better version of ourselves?
Many of us(including me)
Can envision ourselves in the future
Wiser, stronger, calmer, and healthier
But few can say no to whatever derails us from this vision
It takes grace, dedication, and determination to build a life worth living
If not now, then when?
With Aloha,
Johnny
The path is always unknown
There is always a fork in the road
Two or more paths in front of us
Which will be chosen?
There are infinite possibilities in this beautiful world
Yet we cling to finding certainty in an uncertain world
Not realizing that certainty is an illusion
We are a collection of our thoughts, beliefs, and actions
Each day we can change and grow
Or stay stuck in our old ways
We can’t always choose our circumstances
But we can choose our attitude and actions
With aloha,
Johnny
This life in finite
So I will live the life I desire
Go off the beaten path
Not worrying about society expectations
Judgements of others is a sign of their insecurities
Live simply if you want
Pursue life experiences instead of money, fame, and respect
Choose love
Not fear
Create your life through mindful actions, not impulses.
With aloha,
Johnny
Pain is inevitable
Suffering is optional
How we think
How we talk
What habits we choose to practice
Cause most of our own suffering
The way out is to look deeply within
How am I causing my own suffering?
Why do I do what I do?
“There is no such thing as enlightened beings, only enlightened activities.”- Shunryu Suzuki
With Aloha,
Johnny
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
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
The Narrow Path 