Category: spirituality

Camel Through the Eye of a Needle

Jesus once said a rich person’s chances of getting into the Kingdom of God is like a camel going through the eye of a needle.

This quote makes many in the Western world cringe because our whole society is based on greed.

Greed takes us away from Jesus’s message of compassion, love, humility, and grace.

From a young age we are taught from society that the accumulation of wealth is the source of all joy.

That we should strive to be a millionaire and buy luxurious goods, expensive vacations, and fancy candle lit meals at five star restaurants.

Nothing could be further from Jesus’s message of the narrow road and what the Buddha taught as the middle path.

Both wise men were speaking of the destructive nature of greed and fear.

Greed takes us away from the smooth sailing towards the pure joy of living a simple, humble, and grateful life centered on giving to others.

Jesus and the Buddha were both born into nobility but chose the narrow/middle path between extreme wealth and extreme deprivation that also was around in their times.

So look around you? Do you see much happiness in those who seek only pleasure? Pleasure seeking in my life only leads to self destruction and unnecessary suffering.

Jesus and the Buddha both taught a way out of suffering. A way towards resurrection and rebirth on this planet. By surrendering to our suffering like Jesus on the cross we can be reborn right now. By living like them through the narrow/middle path we can relieve our suffering and be very joyful and peaceful people.

Letting go of the need to strive is a huge challenge for most of us in the west. It took me many years to find serenity just being myself, not striving to be someone else. The only striving worthwhile is striving to live like Jesus or the Buddha. Strive to be the best version of yourself and you will naturally be very joyful and want to help others who still suffer deeply.

With aloha,

Johnny

Heal Yourself, Heal the World

Looking at world affairs I can only come to one simple conclusion. Compassion, forgiveness and love are the only ways to heal ourselves and the planet. Violence will not end violence. Even our peace agreements are often not very peaceful. If we keep punishing each other we will keep suffering more misery. At the deepest level, hurting another person is to hurt yourself. New technology will not save us from the self destructive qualities of greed, hatred and fear that consume us.

If we take this model and apply it to our own individual life we can see a way out of our own suffering as well. Our mind doesn’t have to be a battlefield anymore but a beautiful sanctuary of healing. Through the power of compassion, love, and forgiveness we can heal any traumas from the past and live fully today without fear. We can develop a deep faith in something bigger than ourselves that keeps us grounded. We don’t have to be at war with ourselves ever again and we can be quite joyful at any moment. What would Jesus or the Buddha do? What would the best version of yourself do? They would forgive you and show deep love and compassion to even the most hurt and lost parts of you. 🙏🏻

Healing

For too long we have ignored our suffering
For too long we have abused our suffering
Through this endless cycle of neglect & abuse
Our suffering grows stronger
Our addictions become more intense
The pain deep in our heart is calling out for us
It needs compassion
It needs the healing nature of forgiveness
The darkest parts of us need the tender care of loving kindness in order to transform
When we learn how to suffer
We suffer much less
So go home to your suffering
Do not ignore or abuse the hurt parts
Show compassion, love and forgiveness to them

With aloha,

Johnny

Peace In Every Step

We don’t need to pick a side in war

This doesn’t mean we ignore the suffering, we must not be ignorant of the pain & suffering of war

Instead we can be on the side of peace & non-violence

This is a dangerous but courageous stance

Both sides might hate us but we must carry on to help reduce the suffering of war

Do not allow hatred and anger blind you

Use compassion instead of anger to fuel your activism

In order to bring true peace

We must not get attached to any ideology

Peace is not a hope

It’s a practice of non-violence, compassion, and love

Peace in every step

Peace in every breathe

By practicing peace in our daily affairs and speaking out against violence we help ensure a more compassionate and peaceful future for future generations

War will end eventually but by practicing peace we can work towards ending current wars sooner to reduce suffering

With aloha,

Johnny

Looking Deeply at Reality

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

The Road to Recovery.

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

The Three Poisons: Attachment, Aversion, and Ignorance

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

Service

Any path that isn’t for the betterment of others is not worth taking

Even if we find our spiritual path though Buddhism, Hinduism , Christianity, yoga, or transcendental meditation

Our practice is still driven by ego if the sole intention is to better ourselves

We must take what we learn on the yoga mat, church, mosque, or meditation cushion, roll up our sleeves and help others in our daily lives

Don’t discount even the smallest acts

Even a smile or a kind word to a stranger can significantly help others

Choose compassion over apathy

Love over fear

Curiosity instead of judgment

With aloha,

Johnny

The Path of Self Destruction

I have walked the path of self destruction many times in my adult life

Seeking pleasure to avoid the pain

To distract myself from feeling lonely, bored, or uncomfortable

The addiction only temporarily fixed the problem

Whether that be drugs, alcohol, gambling, or sex

Soon you become numb to it’s effects & you seek more of a rush & upping your dose

Not realizing the self destruction happening within your mind, body, and soul

Until one day (hopefully) you feel the pain so deeply that you decide to attempt recovery

It can take a lifetime of effort but anything worth doing in life does

I vow to never give up on myself & to keep trying

With aloha,

Johnny