July 15th "Practice isn't much different than trying, just do it."

If you didn't improve even just a little bit since yesterday then you owe that day another try. AND, now you've just wasted part of today!

Try, try and keep trying until you change, until you transform. And when you transform you will become, you will be - you will be IT, now.

Practice isn't much different than trying, just do it.

July 14th "good grief Charlie Brown"

What is grief?

~ Deep sadness, imagined wrong, reason for being annoyed or angry. An injustice. Loss, sorrow, trouble, anquish, heartache, distress. (Thorndike Branhart circa 1950's) ~

We get hurt, disappointed and annoyed. What is more important do you think- the cause or the solution?

We tend to focus on the cause more than the solution and when we have been hurt, or we are disappointed or if we get annoyed, focusing on the cause leads to grief. Focusing on the cause of our hurt, disappointment or annoyance leads to deep sadness, imagined wrong, feeling of loss, sorrow, feeling troubled, anguish, heartache and distress. No? When we focus on the cause our re-action becomes more intense.

Today let's identify what's grieving us and take action. Grieving is a process. When my daughter passed on and went to be with the ancestor's I felt intense grief immediately. I knew I wasn't alone and sought out some folks who went through the same experience. It was a process.

Keep this thought in mind; " time does heal all wounds to a small extent, it is Love that heals all wounds starting right now." Seek out someone to love you when you're grieving - it's the best medicine.

papajohn

July 13th " Smile, smile, smile. When you can't smile anymore- smile! "

Does one drop of rain falling into the ocean make a difference in the volume of the sea?

Just as you might not think a raindrop fills the ocean a bit, your smiling at a friend or stranger does make a difference!

Smile, smile, smile. When you can't smile anymore- smile!

papajohn daily meditations

July 12th Our challenge today is " don't be alarmed."

This is what we've been taught-

ALARM: 1. sudden fear or fright. 2. a warning of approaching danger. 3. thing that gives such a warning. 4. call to arms or action. 5.a device that makes noise to warn or awaken people. 
verb- 1.  fill with sudden fear. 2. warn of approaching danger.

What alarms us in modern times? What brings sudden fear or fright, a warning of danger or a call to arms? What is in our DAILY lives that fills us with sudden fear?

1. clock alarm

2. coffee maker alarm;

a. coffee is done
b. coffee pot shutting off

3. smoke alarm;

a. low battery

4. car alarms;

a. door is open
b. key left in ignition
c. lights left on
d. low fuel
e. low tire air

5. oven/stove alarm;

a. beeps when setting time
b. beeps when time is up

6. fire alarm

7. house security alarms

8. air raid alarms

REMEMBER-

ALARM: 1. sudden fear or fright. 2. a warning of approaching danger. 3. thing that gives such a warning. 4. call to arms or action. 5.a device that makes noise to warn or awaken people. 
verb- 1.  fill with sudden fear. 2. warn of approaching danger.

Our subconcious has been programmed with many things, one which we're talking about today is alarm.

Does our concious decipher what is an " alarm " sound and what isn't an alarm sound? Or does it react subconciously out of the learned definition and early experiences of alarm sounds?

Things in our daily lives that alarm us by their sounds, by the definition we were taught, by our earliest " alarm " experiences;


1. microwave beeps, buzzes and hums.

2. cell phones beeps when pressing number pad

3. the many, many beeps of the automobile.

4. turning on electronic products such as;

a. air conditioners

b. air purifiers

c. humidifiers

d. computers

5. checking out at the grocery store/department store - cash registers many , many beeps!

6. walk now indicator on the corner of the block to cross the street

7. elevators

To name a few.

Our challenge today is " don't be alarmed."

July 11th " be kind, not religious"

More often than not people gauge who is going to be in their circle of friends based on criteria that has to do with the religion they practice. There may be a laundry list of have's and have nots that determine who may or may not share life with us.

I can't pretend to think it's O.K. to " select " folks. It's not natural or respectful either to give permission to someone with the thought that having met the requirements set forth by a doctorine he or she may be an
associate, comrade, fellow, mate, ally, colleague, confederate, friend, partner, chum, companion, consort, helpmate, or peer.

What happened to the NATURAL process of liking someone, then loving someone?

Is it necessary to hold a " mental court hearing " to access the clothing, the home, the income, religious beliefs, the education etc. of a person in order to proceed with friendship? Could you believe this is fair my friend?

Take for instance Jesus. Jesus didn't teach Christianity- humans do that. Jesus taught 2 basic laws;

1. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and mind and soul.

2. Love your neighbor as yourself.

 If I don't subscribe to Islam that doesn't mean I am an INFIDEL either. I may find comfort and prosperity practicing Native American Spirituality so please don't exlcude me because my blood isn't the same as yours.

What is so hard about being kind with no judgement or preconceived notion?

Today our challenge is to be kind, not religious, to be helpful not hurtful, to be loving not hating.

“My religion is very simple. My religion is kindness” spoke an Eastern holy man the Dalai Lama.

July 10th "My heart and your heart beat together, always. May the beat be joyous, always."

How far and for how long do we walk with a person?

Do we walk until our feet hurt? Do we walk until we think it's time to go home? Do we walk and then stop when we feel we've done our share? Maybe you're even too proud to walk beside someone and so you just " instruct " them about the way?

When I look around and listen to what other people are saying I wonder why they just don't get rid of the hurt once and for all that they continue to carry day after day. And that hurt may just be as easy as forgiving someone who wronged them. Maybe they've forgiven others but still cannot forgive themselves? Oh, such a terrible burden to bear.

My brother Dominick just said the other day " words are powerful " AND he's right. Words also reveal something about you, and me and what's going on inside us and how we feel about certain things. Often times we feel like we're good at hiding something but we're not! Most of us can't keep quiet and most of us speak before we think instead of thinking before we speak.

There's something greater than all of us- out there. But this power isn't just OUT THERE, it dwells inside us.

The power dwells inside us but we don't feed it. We might feed it but we're feeding it poison!

Were you ever told " listen to your heart? " Well, then do you? What is your heart saying? Is it good? Is it bad? Is it happy? Is it sad?

Our hearts have feelings - ever have a broken heart?

My heart and your heart beat together, always. May the beat be joyous, always.

So how far and for how long do  we walk with a person? While the heart still beats we can walk.

July 9th " Does God really help those who help themselves? "

Today let's be aware of what is going on around us and give to someone who needs it.

Today clean out that closet, the attic or garage and donate those things you never or hardly use.

Today, buy that kid at the store the little toy he wants that you know in your heart his Mom can't afford.

Today ask a neighbor " How is it going ? "

Today forget about yourself.