The funny thing about being a new dad

Lennon is such a wonderful blessing. His eyes are brown and big. He is easy to make smile. He is so big and healthy. As he just turned ten months, I reflect on the way life has found a different path. His presence forces his mom and I to change, not only some of our daily habits but, our lifestyle. We now need less sleep than we thought, to get smoothly through the day. The most nauseating smells are not so bad anymore. I also think it's been about a year since we've been to a club or bar, which was an event that we tried to do a couple times a month before.
A new challenge we've met is "group parenting". Thankfully, we both parent a bit differently. Dawn is more protective of "her baby", where I tend to let him fall on his face. Though both methods are equally important for healthy growth, they do tend to clash once in a while. But we work it out pretty quickly without disturbing the little guy. We also are starting to be more like the other parent which is nice to see.

Anyway, life is new and lovely and we wouldn't have it any other way. In fact, we are the two (I mean three) luckiest beings on the planet.

A Buddha Saying . . .

"The way is not in the sky. The way is in the heart."

Your heaven, dreams, and purpose all exist within, not in the clutches of a divine external force.

Why I am voting for Barack Obama

What A GOOD Magazine

My brother, Tim was so kind to send me my own subscription of GOOD Magazine. This publication is filled with wonderful information regarding the truth about our planet and its inhabitants. 100 percent of your subscription cost goes to the nonprofit of your choice. That's gnar! 6 issues a year for $20.

Our Optimum Path

This article struck a chord with me in the way Coach Tom Volkar explains the wonderful purpose of a "fear". One of my favorite quotes is "Money is not the root of all evil; Fear is." But if we see fear as a way to "shine a light on our optimum path by courageously facing it" then it becomes a strength we possess.

Turn Off Your Television

Sitting in my living room with a book in my hand that I took off the bookshelf yesterday gave me a feeling of lost time. It was quiet and new and soothing. The tv was off, and was staring at me with a tantalizing offer to "see what was on". I assume many people have had a similar experience and these may be some of the reasons why. Maybe 30 days without television will be the next challenge I try.

The anti-cancer diet

Since taking on this "30 days as a vegetarian" challenge, I feel better than before inside and out, which isn't surprising after all the readings I have come across in the past couple days; All while trying to figure out what to eat. One article struck me as particularly important as it describes the benefits of organic foods. It is a very succinct and convincing article based on anti-cancer foods which agrees with all of my previous research. Our 4 month old has only tasted organic products to this day and the doc says he is already more advanced than the "norm" and is fit as a fiddle. I'd like to think good genes had something to do with it, but the organic baby food and organic pacifiers I'm sure help out too.

Ethics

After watching these hidden camera videos, I see myself pursuing a more vegetarian diet from this day forward. I am not on board today with idea that no animal should die for food. I am on board with the idea that the process should be quick and painless, which is not the case at all in many "factory farms", a term deemed suitable by the USDA. Since the USDA allows this treatment of animals in processing our food, not purchasing it is our greatest stopping power.

This is living. No doubt.

I just read two articles from this beautifully inspired blog and I'm hooked. TheGrowingLife is a wonderful read for anyone craving non-normalcy in the form of occupation and life. If you are even slightly bored with your current job, pleased be warned. This blog may cause you skip turning in your two weeks, and go straight to streaking through the hallways yelling "I'm free!"

30 Days • Vegetarian

After coming across Steve Pavlina's blog and reading about the 30 Day Trials for anything you want, I have decided to try out being a vegetarian for 30 days. The vegetarian lifestyle has long intrigued me for its health and environmental benefits, yet pulling it off personally was always only a one or two day event. So here goes. It's day one. This morning I had coffee, eggs and toast. For lunch its was two PB&J's with a few Doritos. Yes! I'm doing it! Only 29 days left!

Living In The Flow

Since I have begun reading about Buddhism and meditation and other forms of enlightening practices (the past decade or so), many of my days fill with coincidences, or as Todd puts it, synchronicities. I have told my wife that this phenomenon always gave me the feeling that God and/or the universe was telling me I was "on the right path." This article seems to solidify that sentiment. Please enjoy.

Photograph by Philip Matthews

Pick your group of invisible councilors

This is a visualization/meditation technique you can use from time to time to help you make decisions, and to provide fresh new perspectives on challenges you may be facing. It is a technique that is also especially effective when you’re feeling stuck. It also feels incredibly cool to sit with these people while they give you advise. And amazingly, it works.

The revolutionary pleasure of thinking for yourself

This essay was originally published in the United States in 1975 by The Spectacle under the title "Self-Theory: the pleasure of thinking for yourself." It cleverly states "The ideological supermarket--like any supermarket--is fit only for looting. It is of more practical use to us to move along the shelves, rip open the packets, take out what looks authentic and useful, and dump the rest." In other words, recreate yourself, your actions and your beliefs as you discover and hold onto only the things which are full of truth and bring you the greatest peace. Don't find one thing you like contained inside of an entire philosophy, only to accept the rest of the philosophy without question.

That is deep but is right up my alley. Enjoy.

You Decide.

Raise Enlightened Children

I stumbled upon this blog today. Our son is almost 4 months now and this article spoke to me deeply. Here is an excerpt.

The image in the child, of a son, comes as a response to the image of the father projecting on him. In other words, when you play dad, instead of just being a Witnessing Consciousness, he then is forced to play and build the son image. These images then grow in influence over the relationship and instead of the relationship being established in openness, love and moment to moment awareness, it becomes an interaction between the two images. The more the images are in play, the less connected one is to one’s Natural Self and the less communion and love there is.

All Answers Green

The blog, MetaEfficient.com, has had my attention for the last year now and has not let me down a bit. It's clean, beautiful pictures and simple straight forward text keeps readers coming back for any new green product or services which are presenting themselves across the planet. Justin Thomas has been posting here since May of '04 so there is enough info to keep you learning for some time. Enjoy.

An enlightening hobby

Over the years I have been practicing meditation sporadically. When I tell people of this hobby, I often get the question "So how do you do that, anyway?" My answer: you can meditate anywhere, anytime. On a train. Driving your car. Walking. Sitting (any position). Meditation is the simple act of "paying close attention to this moment". A common morning practice for me is to get up, go to the kitchen, start the coffee, set micro-wave timer to 10 or 15 minutes. Sit cross legged on a firm pillow with blanket under my ankles, and be silent. Simple; Although the discipline of the act brings gifts of mental clarity. Other details that can be added later are: keeping shoulders wide, not closing eyes all the way, softening valley between nose and lips, letting outer corner of eyes be wide, breathe through nose, etc. The main purpose though is to clear all mental chatter by allowing thoughts to pass like a floating cloud. Let everything be as it is, without controlling the moment. Be the watcher of your mind and body.
Once your mind has settled you can add mantras into the practice. I find these to be great starters but you should choose those which are true to you now. Also feel free to make up your own, as great mantras will come to you within the meditations themselves.

Why use Natural Remedies?

Ever seen a dog lick grass when it has an upset stomach? If you have, you’d have certainly marveled at the curative powers of an innocuous blade of grass that provided instant relief to your pet. Since the time humans came into existence, they’ve been observing animals eating plants and minerals to cure themselves of infections, parasites and internal disorders. This site lists natural cures for hundreds of infections, aches, pains, mental disorders and diseases.

Buy one tube, once a year.

This is the most perfect shaving cream I've ever used. Super smooth and protects the skin with its incredible organic moisturizing elements. My wife bought this for me for Christmas of '07. You only have to use a little bit each time you shave. Five months later the tube is still over half full and I shave an average of four to five time per week. So I'll only need one in my stocking each Christmas in order to cover me for the entire year, cutting down on trash, cost, and consumption. Also, the number of cosmetic companies who still do animal testing is atrocious. This company does not.

Lennon at two and a half months.

Lennon George - My son born on Valentine's Day morning has turned out to be truly a love child.