Tag Archives: zen

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Changing Strings

I really love playing guitar. It’s like an extension of my soul. But to be honest, I wasn’t always a fan of changing my strings. It requires effort, risk and most of all tension. Of course, to sound my best I have to change the strings every so often, usually about every three months if it’s one of my well utilized axes.

After following the mindful path for the past few years, I now look at the process or replacing my strings as not only necessary but also fulfilling.  The change results in more harmony and brightness in tone and sound. Now, replacing my strings has become an active meditation that brings more energy and calmness into my life.

A couple of my swell GTRs.

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Nirvana & Heaven Are All Around

Many people are living their lives expecting to eventually enter the gates of heaven, paradise or reach Nirvana but only some of them realize that these places already exist in our worlds. Now I’m not saying that there isn’t some beautiful place at the end of our lives that we arrive at but I’m still a skeptical about it. What I’m saying is that there is so much more paradise in our lives that can lie outside of our everyday awareness. I find mine in simple moments like meditating, hiking, eating a grand meal, swimming or just being with people who I love.

It’s really easy to find simple Nirvana in your lives. You just have to open your awareness and you’ll find them more and more.

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The Fork And The Flame: Cha…Cha…Cha…Changes video.

Here’s Chrystal Kubis and I with our episode 2 of our show “The Fork & The Flame”. This time, we discuss thriving with the changes in our life.

Our purpose is to help people find as much happiness, inner-peace, humor and strength as possible in their lives. In addition, we also want to help people find the freedom to find their joy and remove their internal and external barriers.

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Think You’re Open Minded Paul? Open Wider!

My friend Chrystal Kubis and I were having one of our deep discussions about inner wisdom and how we came by ours. I told her that I thought mine came from the reservoir of knowledge that we all have deep inside of us that can be drawn upon. For us Buddhists, that would be our inner Buddha which merely means that we all have the capacity and potential to become a Buddha or an enlightened being. Then I made a crack about how I thought that channelers were a bit daft after I saw that she had Abraham Hicks (http://www.abraham-hicks.com/lawofattractionsource/index.php) on her Ipod and that I had doubts as to the validity of a woman channeling some guru’s soul.

Well, Chrystal got me on this one because she said she had been a skeptic about the more “woo woo” type of things like channelers and that from what she had seen, she was now a believer. I realized that even though I consider myself very left and open-minded, that I can still open my mind and perception further; my inner scientist often needs more rational proof of metaphysical and supernatural events and like many skeptics, I need pushing. Yup, I can be judgmental folks and sometimes it takes my friends to stop me and help me realize that there is still so much mystery out there in the world and we know so little. Damn the skeptical circuits, set engines to full open mind and go full speed ahead.

If you want to see Chrystal and myself talking about some great stuff as “The Fork & The Flame” on YouTube, here’s our link for now. yup it’s long and future ones will be shorter but enjoy. it’s very engaging!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YTv6NatJOsU&feature=plcp

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Party Like It’s 2012

Having a grand time running into a sculpture...

Here’s a simple sentiment today for you folks: get out and have a good time. Party it up. Live life to the fullest and just have some fun. I use the term party for any activity that involves upping your positive energy. This includes pursuits like hiking, hitting the beach, sports, artistic endeavors, being with loved ones, meditation or just having a party because you’re six feet above the ground. I can’t say it enough but our existences’ are impermanent and there ain’t no guarantees that you’re going to live to a ripe old age so get to it.

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Unrealistic Expectations

We are often unrealistic in our expectations. We wish we could attain enlightenment swiftly without having to apply any effort, and we want to be happy without having to create virtuous causes. Unwilling to endure even the slightest discomfort we want all our suffering to cease, and while living in the jaws of the Lord of Death we wish to remain like a long-life god.

We are often unrealistic in our expectations. We wish we could attain enlightenment swiftly without having to apply any effort, and we want to be happy without having to create virtuous causes. Unwilling to endure even the slightest discomfort we want all our suffering to cease, and while living in the jaws of the Lord of Death we wish to remain like a long-life god.

Geshe Kelsang Gyatso
Living Meaningfully, Dying Joyfully

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Impressive Impermanence

Every day, I think about the fragility of my life and those around me that I love. I cherish every moment of contact with my family and friends whether it’s a Facebook chat, an email, phone call or best of all spending old-fashioned, 3-D moments in realtime with them. Truly, I don’t sweat the small stuff with people that I love and I only surround myself with people who can enrich my life. I can no longer make time for the psychic drainers.

I have no doubt that the more we focus on the impermanence in our worlds, the happier we can be. If we can help to convey this to people who do stress and suffer more than they should, we can in turn make this world a better place. So, I challenge you dear readers to spread the word. Help people realize that life is difficult but once you can shift your perspectives and live the impermanent dream we’ll all be better off.