Our Only Problem
“It doesn’t have to be fun to be fun.” -Mark Twight Not knowing we are thinking is our only problem. Mental difficulty is created, unknowingly, in two realms. First, you don’t know you are thinking. And, you care about the topic: you wish something was not how it is. Caring is double-edged. Care about what […]
Only In Thought
“It is not irritating to be where one is. It is only irritating to think one would like to be somewhere else.” (I laugh every time I read that.) -John Cage A problem is a thought you care about. You wake in the morning and notice your first thought, perhaps, “What day is it? […]
All Set.
Art by JJ Horner. https://www.instagram.com/jojamhorner/ “Everything good has awareness for its root.” -Bodhidharma Rather than me babbling on this week, let’s get interactive. What have you learned, from direct experience, that helps you navigate daily life? I’ll start. Because awareness does not suffer a personality…When I am aware, I don’t take things personally.When I don’t take […]
At Random Moments…
Two of my favorite people on the planet: my daughter BigJoni and her husband Garn. “The returning of awareness to itself, its remembrance of itself—being aware of being aware—is the essence of meditation and prayer, and the direct path to lasting peace and happiness.” -Rupert Spira If you’d like to be a little happier, overall, […]
The Awareness That You Are
Maybe 1983… U.S. IPSC World Championship team. “The awareness that you are takes you to what you are.” -Nisargadatta Maharaj Unknown thoughts debilitate. See the truth of that each time you catch yourself worrying about something that isn’t happening. Witness the beauty of this: When you know you are aware, what comes to mind will only […]
Presence of Mind
BigJoni, with me and Candis in Kauai, for my big six-o. “The correct way of practicing … is mentioned in all the vehicles. It is simply presence of mind, being awake to whether one is experiencing thought movement or stillness.” -Tsoknyi Know: “whether one is experiencing thought movement or stillness.” Train to be more aware, more […]
I Am
Nobody, in his morning meditation box. “You are awareness. Awareness is another name for you” -Ramana Maharshi We think: “I am hungry,” or “I am tired,” or “I am cold”… What we are aware of: hungry, tired, cold… changes continuously; but the awareness—the “I am”—never changes. Become more aware of what never changes: the knowledge “I […]
All You Need
Check out that cutting-edge compensator from Wilson Combat. “The feeling that any task is a nuisance will soon disappear if it is done in mindfulness.” -Thich Nhat Hahn To do anything to the best of your ability, all you need is to be aware of what you are doing. Whether sitting quietly, eating, driving, or […]
Freedom Thinking
I bought the parts I needed—from the Shotgun News magazine—to convert that M1 Carbine to a full-auto M2 Carbine. If there is anything more fun than machine-gunning junkyard cars, I have yet to figure it out. “You must not be attached to anything that appears in your mind. Then you will obtain freedom thinking.” -Seung […]
Personal Reality
My first 1911… Florence, AZ, 1980. And I think BabyJoni is more excited than I am. “Very little is needed to make a happy life. It is all within yourself, in your way of thinking.” -Marcus Aurelius As you think, life is. “…in your way of thinking” is to not think unnecessary problems, worries, and […]