Knowledge is not enough
Beliefs are not enough
Wise men like Jesus & the Buddha taught that we must practice compassion, forgiveness, peace and love in our daily actions
This is the way to transform, heal ourselves and the world
We all have the deep capacity to live like them
May 2024 bring you the healing power of love
May it bring you joy from practicing deep compassion for yourself and others
May it bring you transformation
It’s never too late to resurrect your life
With love,
Johnny
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. 🙏🏻
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
God of my understanding
Use me as your instrument of love
Where there is violence
May I practice peace
Where there is apathy
Compassion
Where there is doubt
Faith
Thank you for the gift of life
To show gratitude
I will practice compassion, love, forgiveness and grace to the best of my abilities
With aloha,
Johnny
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
Each day I surrender
Each day I admit defeat
In surrendering, I’m liberated
In admitting defeat, I’m free
Liberated from the obsession
Free from the mental slavery of addiction
Suffering has great wisdom
Suffering has hidden gems under the chaotic surface
Suffering & joy are two sides of the same coin
Left & right
Up & down
Suffering & joy
We cannot have one without the other
So smile at your inner most suffering
Sit with it with curiosity & compassion
The gifts of suffering will be found in this space of openness & self love
If we run from it or suppress our suffering, it will persist till our last breath
If we try to suppress our suffering through substances, we suppress our joy as well
So go home to your deepest pain
It has many lessons
It can be transformed to boundless joy & serenity if we learn the art of suffering
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
The Narrow Path 