Feel Good Friday...The Throw-away Society

Feel Good Friday…The Throw-away Society

We throw away so much stuff every day. The size of my trash can is an embarrassment. Even though I only put it out once a month or so it still feels like way too much. Why do we feel the need to use paper towels or disposable cups? Trash bags to fill with trash to put in the trash can? And then where does it all go? Even if we ship it ½ way across the world it is still in out own backyard. Because we are all connected...one to another across the entire earth. We really need to get this into our consciousness, that we are all connected and what we do here on this continent in this little town affects people 10,000 miles away.

Julia Butterfly Hill has been an activist for a long time now. In this video she talks about the disposability consciousness:

http://www.karmatube.org/videos.php?id=1829

As usual very thought provoking.

Namaste
John
“Teaching Focus, Inspiring Transformation”
www.martialartsnevada.com

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Sunday Story...My Father

Sunday Story…My Father

This is an ode to my Father, who reads these stories each Sunday. My mother prints them out (using larger typeface, I suspect) and he reads them at his leisure. He has health and physical challenges that break my heart as he lives through the twilight of his life. As I look at his life through the lens of my own I want to honor him and let him know, just a little bit, the impact his life has had on mine. So Dad, this one’s for you.

My father was first and foremost a teacher. He taught school for most of the years that I was growing up. But mostly he taught me and my brothers what it means to be a man and how to walk in the world.

I learned many important lessons…how to pluck and dress a bird after you have killed it, and how to gut a fish. Checking the oil and fluids in the car every time you fill it up with gas and how to drive a nail. Mowing the lawn and cleaning the pool, reading, writing and arithmetic. But these lessons could have been gotten almost anywhere.

No, the education my father really taught me was much more important than those day to day things. Little things like empathy and compassion. The power of a promise and keeping your word. Knowing the difference between commitment and involvement. Holding your center and staying the course. Doing well by doing good and taking care of the least among us.

When I was very young, maybe 5 or 6, my father used to fish for catfish with a man who, I believe, was the janitor at one of the schools he worked at. Now remember this was the early 60’s and this man was black. And when I asked my father why he went fishing with that “nigger” the look of sadness that came upon him was palpable. He asked why I would use that word and where I had heard it. In that day and age that word was common in the school yards and many other places. I had no good answer, not knowing the various meanings and import of that particular word. He gently explained to me that this man was a good fisherman and a good man and the color of his skin had no bearing upon his abilities, or his character. He considered this man his friend and as such was my friend as well. This man was a man who deserved respect and honor. He raised his family and worked hard and was honest and loved. He was the same as I was, the same as my father. Thanks Dad.

Apparently I didn’t quite get it because several years later my father was teaching special ed in a little town in central Washington. No in those days special ed was much different than today. Most of these children had noticeable and severe challenges, ranging from Down’s syndrome to developmentally disabled as well as physically disabled. And I asked why he was teaching those “retards”. This time the anger that arose was truly frightening. To this day I consider myself lucky to have gotten the answer instead of a smack upside the head (which if I got I have forgotten). I still remember her answer…”those children deserve our love and care. They didn’t ask to be this way and there is very little reason you or I aren’t the same way. They are some of the most precious souls on the planet and they teach me something every day. Maybe you should spend some time with them and find out who they really are.” Today every time I hear the word retard I visibly cringe and correct the speaker…and it seems that it is a common insult on today’s playgrounds. I tell this story every time I hear it. And I have learned more about love and happiness from the time I have spent with those wonderful people than anywhere else. I highly recommend it as a lesson in humility and unconditional love. Thanks Dad

There were the coaching moments and the ball games and many many more. There was the lesson in allowing me to go my own way and ignore his very good advice…several times. And when I parented my own children I would often ask myself what would my dad would do or say.

When my brother died some time ago I learned one of the most important things…to allow yourself to be moved, to feel. My brother, Jay, was a hellion. Yet in his 30’s he had settled down into family life like many of us. His passing was sudden and accidental in many ways. When I hugged my father after the service he broke down and cried. In that moment I learned that a real man can feel and show emotion and still walk as a man. There was no weakness in loss and no escape from the depth of sadness necessary. It was, in fact, the best example of manhood in the world…Strength fashioned from core values of love and respect and honor and compassion and love. We cried together and in that moment I understood once and for all what this thing of being a man was all about. Thanks Dad.

I struggle every day to live into my Father’s legacy. He wasn’t perfect but he left me with the pillars of who I am today. I often am asked why I do the things I do…the community garden, the commitment to change and transformation, the desire to help those who struggle, the need to constantly be looking to evolve and grow. The answer is simple…My Father expects it of me.

Namaste
John
“Teaching Focus, Inspiring Transformation”
www.martialartsnevada.com

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Sunday Story...Man on Fire

Sunday Story…Man on Fire

Last Saturday I had the privilege of sitting in a room and listening to a man, a visionary who has spent the last 20 plus years bringing natural products to the world. I took no notes. I did not want to miss a word of what he was saying.

I am not going to tell you what this man, Bill Lee the founder of a group of companies called Econet, said. If you want to know, email me and I will discuss with you. What I am going to tell you about is the “who he is being” in the world.

This is a man who no longer needs to go to work in the morning to earn his money. His father started enough companies to last his children’s children’s children lifetime financial needs. He, himself, has done enough work and contributed to his fortune that money is no longer a concern. What I am saying is that this man, Bill Lee, can easily retire from the earning part of life.

So what do you do, if you are a man like Bill Lee? You could start doing philanthropy like Bill Gates, spreading money around with vision and purpose and change the world for millions of people...a great thing to do and very noble and very necessary. You could retire to a life of contemplation and inner work to leave this world in a more enlightened state. Also very noble, the world needs more bodhisattvas. You could, like Warren Buffet, dedicate yourself to making more money and giving it away and teaching the world how a man of means really lives…simply and without fanfare, happy with the things he has.

What if you are Bill Lee? Do you take 100 million dollars or so, set up a philanthropic foundation and then disappear with the other 900 million to your own private island somewhere? Or do you pursue being #1 on the Forbes richest people list, hobnob with royalty and just generally live a life of excess and entitlement? Maybe you would do all of those things and more.

Bill Lee, with all his money, after taking a year off of sabbatical to find and repurpose his direction has returned to his original vision. His vision is to create a community of where all can share dreams, purpose and happiness together. He is creating that community around another vision of bringing the best of nature to humankind. So here we all are in this community sharing hopes dreams and happiness while enjoying optimum health and fitness. Sounds pretty good to me…how about you?

Later on in the evening I got to spend a few minutes chatting with Mr. Lee. As many of you know I am very energy sensitive and really try to connect to the person under the skin, the one that vibrates on a universal level (we all do you know). I found a compassionate being, truly concerned for the welfare of the world as well as those people closest to him. I saw a man who was unflaggingly devoted to both his family and his vision. I encountered a being with a goal that was so big that there was (on the surface) no way to achieve it. Yet he was doing it and getting it done. He was calm and resolute, peaceful, yet burning with the fire of commitment. This is a man on a mission.

Which brings me to the real reason for this particular blog at this particular time…what is your vision? What are you living into? Your vision defines your life and your legacy. Sometimes, in some circles this vision could be called a mission statement. What is the clearly stated mission of your life, the one that directs your actions, thoughts and attitudes? Do you have one? You are here to do more than you think you can. You are here to have a purpose and reason to be. Your job is to discover it. Once you do the people places and things that you need to fulfill your mission will appear to help you complete it. Bill Lee showed up at a time when I was looking for just the right thing to help me on my mission of teaching focus and inspiring transformation.

Perhaps the most important thing for me was the realization that this man was real…his mission was real and he is going to march on the path whether I come along or not. Whether my mission resonates with his or not, is of no consequence to him. As you can tell I was inspired and moved by the passion and placid perseverance that Bill Lee brought to us on that Saturday night. Pinch me and make sure I am awake!

Find your mission and start on your path. Not a small mission, either, something so big it scares you more than a little. As someone else said…”Write music you can’t play yet.” In other words set goals that you don’t know how to reach. Set the intention and get out of the way, you will be unstoppable as long as the music you are trying to play inspires and moves you. Go ahead, I dare you.

This Weeks Recipe:
A simple one, especially since zucchini is about to be ready to be harvested.
Grab some small zucchini, 4 to 6 should do. Slice into small slices
Pour a tablespoon or 2 of extra virgin olive oil in the pan and heat on med-high.
When Oil is hot put the zucchini in the pan.
Season with just a touch of good salt (sea, Himalayan, grey or the like.) and some fresh ground pepper.
Cook for 3 to 5 minutes to an al dente doneness…in other words slightly crunchy, not soft and soggy.
Serve. Light and healthy, with a touch of sweetness.
Enjoy with people you love.

Namaste
John
“Teaching Focus, Inspiring Transformation”
www.martialartsnevada.com

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Sunday Story...Old Hat

Sunday Story…Old Hat

I like an old hat or an old pair of shoes. They fit me. They look good on me. I like them. I like this body with all its flaws, scars, bumps and bruises. It fits me. It works pretty well and I know how it is going to work in most situations.

There are expectations in our lives…grow up, get married, have kids, work, retire at 65, and die around 78. In between being born and dying some things are going to happen…you may need an operation or two, might break a bone, sprain something, catch some communicable disease (cold, flu or worse) and you are going to get older. Unfortunately most of us have been conditioned to think that getting older means getting sick and tired. This is the paradigm most of us have grown up with…get old, get sick, get tired, and die.

What if there was a better, or at least a more interesting way?

I am pretty sure there is not one among you who would like to have a debilitating disease like, diabetes, or osteoporosis, or fibromyalgia, or Parkinson’s, just to name a few. How about a nice case of dementia or Alzheimer’s? Maybe something simple like, say, arthritis. Yet what are you doing about those diseases today? How are you managing your health? Because if you don’t manage your health, you will be forced to manage your sickness.

This is what we have been doing with our sick care (commonly called health care) in this country. We manage the diseases of aging like we manage a cold or flu. But those diseases are not curable. Once you start down the road of decrepitude there is no detour ---At least that is what we have been led to believe. We believe that our joints are supposed to hurt after a certain age. That we are supposed to need reading glasses and that our strength should wane.

What if you could live to be 80 or 100 or 120 and be healthy, active, and vital for every one of those years? Hard to imagine isn’t it? We really don’t have a paradigm for this. There is no real role model for this kind of aging.

I am constantly hearing people say …”I’m in good shape for my age”… or “I feel pretty good for someone as old as I am”… or “You have to expect______(fill in the blank) as you get older”. I think there is a better way. I know there is a better way.

If you are a regular reader you know I am constant and serious advocate for optimum health and fitness. So what is that going to look like 30 years from now? And how am I going to manage my health care over the next several decades, because I am not willing to get sick and tired.

First…eat right and eat the right amount. Organic food, prepared in my home with loving intention and eaten with intentionality. Eating “close to the ground”… in other words lots of green plants, some seeds and nuts, a few fruits, sustainably raised meat, very little starch, little or no dairy, no sugar, no processed foods. If this sounds hard, you haven’t given it a fair trial. Eat less as well.

Second, move often under your own power. Bicycle or walk…just get up and move…quit driving around the parking lot looking for the closest space. Then a few times a week move really fast…like a bear is chasing you fast. Lift heavy stuff and move it around a few more times a week. Get off the treadmill and the exercise bike and get out into the world and move!

Third, reduce your stress. Learn to meditate, talk to your higher power, live in the moment, be present…whatever you want to call it…just quit being so attached to everything. If its stuff, let it go. If its emotion let it go. There is nothing more important than the moment you are in right now.

Fourth and this is the cutting edge here…so sit up and pay attention…manage your aging process. Start looking into your hormone levels. There are ways to increase your various hormone levels, safely and naturally. The research has been done and the results are in. You can do this but you are going to have to do it…your Doctor is not going to do it for you. Your Doctor only gets paid when you are sick. And yes I can help if you are really interested… in all of the above.

Would you trade your 2 lattes a day for a shot at returning or keeping your health and vitality at the level of a vital 30 year old? You are willing to throw 5 dollars a day (or more) away on cable TV but are you willing to spend the same amount at a shot at vitality, mental clarity and focus, and maybe even renewing your cells? I would easily trade it and I do. If you want to hear more let me know.

Speaking of food…one of you mentioned the usefulness of having a recipe that you could actually use so here it is:

Roasted Brussels Sprouts (you could use potatoes if you are still eating starch)
Grab some fresh Brussels sprouts…a pound is good…cut the bottoms off and pick any loose leaves away…don’t forget to compost!
1. Pour some olive oil (extra virgin) into a bowl big enough for the Brussels Sprouts to fit into…2 tablespoons should do it
2. Chop 2 or 3 teaspoons of fresh rosemary into the oil
3. Mince 2 garlic cloves and throw into the oil
4. A little salt if you want and some fresh ground pepper (not much though)
5. 1 tablespoon of tomato paste
Mix this entire bowl up well. Put the sprouts into this mixture and stir thoroughly, coating the sprouts completely.
Put them on a cookie sheet and into the oven at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes. I like them a little crunchy so you might want to cook little longer.
Alternative cooking method: put the whole thing in foil and cook on the grill, turning often. Save a little of the oil mixture and pour over the sprouts when done.

Eat with some people you like! Let me know how it works for you.

Namaste
John
“Teaching Focus, Inspiring Transformation”
www.martialartsnevada.com

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Sunday Story...Testing 1, 2, 3

Sunday Story…Testing 1, 2, 3

Today was test day. For 12 weeks students prepared and practiced and played and today the day of reckoning arrived. Did I work hard enough? Did I practice hard enough/ long enough? Am I good enough to move forward in my quest?

I think back to all the tests of my life, especially the obvious ones…spelling tests, math tests, reading tests and of, course, the dreaded I.Q. tests. I mean you answered a bunch of questions and determined how intelligent you were. Do they still give those anymore? Then there were the aptitude tests, you know the ones that determined if you would be a good Doctor or Lawyer or Car Mechanic. And don’t forget the S.A.T.s and the L.S.A.T.s and the G.M.A.T.s…the ones that decide what school you may be worthy of.

I used to be very good at taking tests. I could determine quickly what the writer wanted the test to tell and get the answers that would give the result I wanted. I got very good at giving the answers I thought the test or the test giver wanted to see. After all the whole point of a test is to pass and get a good grade, yes?

So, as I sat watching students, who had worked so very diligently to learn the material I asked them to learn, I began to wonder…
Did they see this test as a microcosm for their lives?
In other words, is this test a reflection of my whole life? Am I willing to look at this single moment this single point in my life as the way my life has gone so far?
Do my actions during this test indicate how my personality works, how my attitude arises each day?
Am I willing to take something from this test that will change how my life goes in the future?
What is the real lesson of this test?

So many times in the past I have taken tests that only meant a grade or the ability to get something or go somewhere else. At least that is what I thought. I never really looked at the deeper meaning of test. I mean why would I?

And now I realize that each ostensible test, each test that was, in fact, a test was an opportunity to look deeper inside of myself and what I had been and who I wanted to be in the future. Every time I took a test to check if I had learned a specific body of knowledge it was an opportunity to look at how I spent my time, what I had done with my thoughts, whether or not my words matched my heart a, mind and soul. When I look at those tests in this light I have to say I did not do well. As a matter of fact I failed darn near all of them.

Which brings us now to the tests that are not really tests at all. All those little things that happen all day every day that are tests but just don’t get labeled as tests. You see we are constantly tested in our lives. Not school tests, not spelling tests or belt tests but life tests. You see life is testing us each and every moment. How we respond determines how our test is going. Are we passing, moving ahead, falling behind, staying even, or?

The power fails in the middle of writing this story…do I get mad and give up? Do I re-create the story on paper and wait for the power? Do I throw the computer in the toilet and see the power failure as a personal affront, an insult to my creativity and a message from the universe that I should never write again. Or is it a stroke of luck that would prevent me from posting something not quite complete? All of these are answers to that one simple test. Or do I just try to bring the word document back and go on like nothing ever happened?

And what about the tests other people give me? You know the ones I am talking about...those opportunities to affirm or deny your core values…what about those tests? And if you go against your one of your values in favor of another, what will that say about you now and in the future. Will you forever be branded as someone who chose love over loyalty or integrity over compassion or courtesy over fidelity to self? Is there a way to reconcile those values in any given moment? Or must we wait until the grades are in and deal with the fallout of the win, lose or draw?

Every day, I answer the questions the test of life hands me. At the end of the day I answered those questions. They were almost never true or false, or multiple choice questions. Life is an essay question. And the essay I am writing today is not separate from the one I will write tomorrow nor is it disconnected from the one I wrote 5 years ago. They are all part of the test of life. And at the end the question is simply…Was this a life well lived? Did I throughout all the tests life gave me, learn and evolve and become more and greater that I was in the beginning. Or did I go through this life with blinders on, refusing to pay attention to all the little and large challenges life threw my way. Did I accept responsibility for my life? It after all my life not yours and I am the one living it.

So how did your test go today?

Namaste
John
“Teaching Focus, Inspiring Transformation”
www.martialartsnevada.com

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Sunday Story...Passages

Sunday Story…Passages

It’s the time of year we see a lot of passages…graduations, weddings and more. A time of finishing things and starting new ones. We often think of the New Year as the time to set resolutions and goals for the year. But it is June when we graduate.

What are you graduating from? What are you graduating to? How graduated are you?

Another lesser known meaning of graduation indicates a scale…in other words a graduated cylinder, one with marks on it to indicate different positions of fullness. It gets filled up gradually.

Too often we think of graduation as position of completion. What if, just maybe, graduation was another point on the bottle? When I graduate from high school, as momentous as that may be, that point is just a mark on the bottle that will be my life. It is certainly not the end of my education, even if I should decide that formal education is not for me anymore. It would be horrendous to think about knowing all you would ever know at 17 or 18 or even 50 years of age.

And now we see kindergarten graduations, and 5th grade and 8th grade graduations. Maybe we should have graduation ceremonies after every grade? Why not? Isn’t just as important to celebrate those accomplishments? If I sound a little confused it is because I am. Milestones are important to recognize and celebrate. We do the same things with birthdays…21st, 30th, 40th, 50th, and others. Maybe we should give each birthday the full treatment! After all you never know when it may be your last one.

So when I graduated from high school it was a moment when I passed a certain mark. A mark that some people never pass, or never get to. My cylinder has become a little fuller.

And what of the ultimate graduation…death. In that moment there is no more. I am completely and finally finished…even if I am not, according to my plans. At that moment there is no more learning, no more anything in this physical existence. My cylinder is full.
But what if that graduation is not even the final one? What if that graduation, that passage is merely the opening of yet another gate? Many of us have a faith, a belief in some sort of life after graduation. Our belief system may teach us of another, finer place for us to go and spend an eternity in. Others believe we are destined to be born again until we achieve liberation or enlightenment and our job is to evolve to such a point that we can be liberated. Yet others believe that when this physical emanation is done that is all there is baby and there ain’t no more.

In any case, in any scenario this graduation out of this physical plane is going force us to do and or be something else. There is a learning there. A learning about learning and what it means to be alive here and now. You are going to graduate…this is not a pass fail class --- you will pass. How you pass is really up to you.

Will you pass in comfort, and gratitude? Or will you pass in pain and angst? Maybe in sadness and regret? We spend a lot of time making sure that we pass high school or college with good grades so we can go on to the next thing with confidence and assurance of success, why shouldn’t we be trying to graduate out of this life with confidence and success in the next iteration, whatever it may be?

There is no guarantee that you will be here tomorrow. Many of us remember the child’s bed time prayer…”know I lay me down to sleep…if I die before I wake, I pray the lord my soul to take…” If you don’t wake up tomorrow how will you pass? With highest honors? Or just barely getting by? And what would the measure be or your success? Money? A completed “bucket” list? A life spent in contemplation and meditation?

I would postulate that a successful graduation is up to you. Not me. Not anyone else. Sure we can talk about it and discuss it all we want, but in the end your graduation from this plane is up to you.

For me I want to approach life with abundance and gratitude. I want to see the world as place where the best of human kind is out there for me to see and enjoy. A place where the natural world is wondrous and amazing. Where rocks, move, trees speak and animals smile. When I lay me down to sleep I want to go there with a smile and a sense that I have in fact loved enough today.
And tomorrow when I awake I awake alive and full of life, I get to arise with gratitude and an anticipation that I get to make a difference in the world today. That the world will be better today because I got up and learned, and loved and laughed.
And if I can do that every day’ until I graduate, I suspect my time will be very well spent indeed.
Get ready for your graduation…you never know when it will be.

Namaste
John
“Teaching Focus, Inspiring Transformation”
www.martialartsnevada.com

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Sunday Story...Tribalistan

Sunday Story…Tribalistan

Tribes
One of the most basic human needs is for connection and belonging. We all want to feel like we belong to something greater than ourselves. We tend to identify our basic nature with some group or another. Maybe the biggest one is us vs. them

It starts with nation maybe…we are all Americans, or French. We will group all of those people in a conglomeration of generalities. Ahhh…the French you know they are all like that. We identify with the group as a place of safety and anonymity. We don’t have to stand up and be counted as an individual if there are lots of us standing together.

In the ancient times we had our clan, a small group of us bonded by familial connections. Our clan would interact and be part of a larger group…a Tribe if you will. And we found protection, we found mates, we found solace in our Tribe. It was predictable and necessary. Rarely did our Tribe reach out for other Tribes, it just wasn’t necessary.

Somewhere in time it shifted. Out tribes got larger and we found ways to interact and work together to create cities, and states, and countries. We developed “national identities”. It got so that we even came to the point that we could say things like “that’s un-American”. (Does anyone every say that’s un-French, or that’s just nor Finnish?) We tied up our individuality in the group. And the group took care of us and provided for us.

Things are shifting. The world is “balkanizing”. In other words we are moving away from large super power states to smaller nations governed by one or two common principles rather than geographic imaginary lines. Oh we still have a country, a government that we belong to…there is still an America. But how often do we hear about blue or red states…I even heard of purple states the other day (I have no idea). This is happening in our daily lives in some sort of strange little way as well.

Perhaps because our family structures have become more fluid and changeable, we seem to be looking more and more for groups or Tribes that fit who we are. And we belong to several tribes at the same time. But each one is marked by a common interest in one thing or another. It then becomes easier to speak to the other members of the tribe. We have so much in common, a common language, a common experience, a common outlook.

But is this really so good? Do we become intolerant of others not in our tribe? Do we become an US vs. Them mentality. We are right, we have the one right and true way and all of THOSE people are wrong and bad? This is what used to characterize many of these tribal groups. If this stuff sounds or looks familiar it is because it is still going on today. As a matter of fact many of the world’s religions and/or countries still operate under this principle. We are right and everyone else is wrong and we will do bad things to those who disagree with us. Hmmm..this is not a tribalization I want to adhere to.

So where does that lead is? We all belong to tribes…church, state, politics, beliefs, career, avocations, vocations, hobbies and more. All the horse people over here…cat people there, dog folks there and the no-petters in the corner? When the bell rings let the best animal advocate win? I think not. I think this is the lesson at hand. All those view points are valid. And You might even belong to some or all of them at different points in your life. Do you really have to ONLY love cats? And If I LOVE cats do I have to hate dogs and their lovers?

I get to choose or build my tribes. But most tribes need some sort of buy in to belong. Or as is often said…you need to have some “skin” in the game. You need to have a stake. We might let you in the door but we are not going to trust you until you prove yourself worthy or until you contribute something. The more you contribute the more we trust you. We want to connect to you, to the part that is uniquely you.

You get to bring your real self to your tribes. Not your work self or your buddy self. The real unadulterated you, stripped clean of any pretense or any facade. Bring the you you really are deep in your core. Expose yourself and get noticed, we want to see you.

If you can’t find a tribe you better start creating one. Or you need to look a little further. For me, I often find myself finding tribes I don’t quite belong to. They are almost right but then not quite. I usually stick around for some period of time and then drift off in search of a more complete group. Complete for me, that is. The tribe is fine, the problem is on my end. And even though it may not be my complete tribe I still contribute. It is kind of like your in-laws…they are family sort of but they are just not quite your family. Finding your family, your tribe your home is a delicious and satisfying place. And you may have to create it yourself.

You can always come and check out mine if you want!

Namaste
John
“Teaching Focus, Inspiring Transformation”
www.martialartsnevada.com

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