February 08, 2010
There Is a Contest I Want to Enter

There is a contest I want to enter,
but I don't know what it's for.
I want to win something,
walk down the aisle
when my name is called,
and, in a courageous attempt to speak before tears take over,
thank God and my Master
for awakening me
to this moment of pure and perfect gratitude.

I will take a breath,
words beginning to form within me
like bubbles from the bottom
of a freshly poured glass of champagne,
but I will say nothing,
stunned.

In this oasis of love,
poised in perfect silence,
long before the first impulse to express,
everyone wins,
everyone receives exactly what they came here for.

Photo

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 04:42 PM | Comments (0)

February 07, 2010
What Is This Strange Forgetting?

What is this strange forgetting
that has taken hold of me lately --
this being unable to remember
that everything is
sacred, holy, and alive?
The absence of you, my Friend,
surely has something to do with it.
Your being gone has opened
a small hole in me,
a pinprick,
the kind blood brothers make,
but you are nowhere in sight.

Where are you?
Where have you gone?

Something is leaving me slowly,
there's a leak I cannot see.
A day's worth amounts to almost nothing,
a week's would barely fill a thimble,
but it has been months now without you
and I am beginning to notice, lurking
like a stranger in my own shadow
and sleeping just a little too long.

Hey! I've got an idea!
Why don't you cross the universe to me today?
Why don't you show up unannounced at my door?
I really want to see you.
We'll both enjoy the moment
and the stunned looks on the faces of my friends
who have been so diligently reminding me
that you are already here.

Image

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 04:05 PM | Comments (3)

February 03, 2010
ZERO

Zero
is where
the real
fun starts.

There's too much
counting
everywhere else.

-- Hafiz

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 12:14 AM | Comments (2)

January 31, 2010
HAFIZ: What Happens

What happens when your soul
begins to awaken your eyes
and your heart
and the cells of your body
to the great Journey of Love?

First there is wonderful laughter
and probably precious tears
and a hundred sweet promises
and those heroic vows
no one can ever keep.

But still God is delighted
and amused you once tried
to be a saint.

What happens when your soul begins to awake in this world
to our deep need to love and serve the Friend?

Oh, the Beloved will send you
one of his wonderful, wild companions --

Like Hafiz.

Excerpted from I Heard God Laughing
Photo

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 10:23 PM | Comments (0)

January 28, 2010
The Mask Unmasked

Here is Jim Carrey, one of the funniest dudes in history, sharing his recent revelation about the illusory nature of thought and the true definition of spirituality as being the relieving of all suffering. The times they are a 'changin.

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 08:54 PM | Comments (0)

January 27, 2010
VIDEO: The Key

We are all so lucky to be alive -- no matter what path we walk. Everywhere, there are reminders to wake up and feel the love inside.

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 07:16 AM | Comments (2)

January 25, 2010
TPRF Makes $50,000 Donation to Haitian Relief Efforts

Within days of the earthquake in Haiti, The Prem Rawat Foundation (TPRF) made a donation of $50,000 to provide immediate food aid for survivors.

TPRF teamed up with one of its ongoing partners, Friends of the World Food Program. The World Food Program (WFP) was able to begin delivering food within 24 hours of the disaster, since it has an already-established aid operation in Haiti, long ranked as the poorest nation in the western hemisphere.

With stores of ready-to-eat food and trained staff already in Haiti and in the nearby Dominican Republic, WFP has now delivered rations to over 200,000 people in and around Port-au-Prince.

Continue reading "TPRF Makes $50,000 Donation to Haitian Relief Efforts"

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 10:12 PM | Comments (0)

January 20, 2010
Finding the Miracle

A few years ago I was invited to MC an event at the Shrine Auditorium, in LA, where Maharaji would be speaking. While I was totally thrilled to be asked, I was also totally terrified -- convinced I was the wrong choice and would be a huge disappointment.

Doing my best to ignore the sorry state of my mind, I fly to LA, and make my way to the hall. Though I am clearly not at my best, I get through the dress rehearsal, review the announcements, say hello to some old friends, and figure I'll find my groove after I have time to meditate.

I don't. It gets worse.

People are wishing me well, but I am in a well -- a well on the moon -- and the air is very thin.

A few hours pass. I take my seat. I take a breath. I study the announcements one more time and wait for my cue to go back stage.

Continue reading "Finding the Miracle"

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 09:02 PM | Comments (4)

January 17, 2010
Waiting

I have been a student of Prem Rawat (AKA Maharaji) since 1971. For the past 39 years, inspired by the feeling of deep peace and gladness he has awakened in me, I have been attempting -- in various unsuccessful ways -- to describe who he is.

In the beginning, my descriptions were extremely effusive. Borderline inflated, you might say, and tinged with a hint of the zealot -- not unlike the poetry of one in love for the first time and badly in need of an editor. Charming? For sure. Engaging? You bet. Attention getting? That, too. But also confusing to anyone sincerely wanting to understand what the big deal was all about.

In time, like wine, I have mellowed, no longer ruled by the need to label, define, and explain. It's a game I choose not to play any more. What does Maharaji say when people ask him who he is? "Just a human being" -- a mirror that helps people see their true reflection at that moment in time.

This has been my experience completely. Allow me to be more specific...

Continue reading "Waiting "

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 11:15 PM | Comments (6)

January 13, 2010
Soaked!

People ask me what it was like
being with Maharaji
five days in a row.
Here's what I tell them:
It was like spinning around in a monsoon, cup in hand,
trying to catch the rain.

Every time I noticed my cup was full,
I opened my mouth to sing,
but my mouth filled up with water.
I gulped, I drank,
I bailed my boat of joy.

Somehow,
in between the tidal waves of love
and my odd little habit of trying to understand
what in the world was going on,
I heard what he said:
"Get wet! Get wet!"

More

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 10:18 PM | Comments (3)

January 11, 2010
A Lulu of a Contest

OK, it's contest time!

I just found out from my publisher (www.Lulu.com) that they are sponsoring a contest for their authors. It's a simple deal. The author who sells the most copies of his/her book in January wins $1,500. Second place is $750. Third place is $500.

All you need to do is buy a copy for $14.97 + shipping. If I win, I'll donate the prize money to TPRF, a non-profit humanitarian foundation. Everyone wins! You in?

Buy the book

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 02:16 PM | Comments (1)

January 10, 2010
Making Room for Rumi

The first time I heard Coleman Barks read Rumi I was baffled. Somehow, a Southern accent and Rumi's timeless poetry didn't seem to go together. But they do. Barks has done wonders to get Rumi's souful wisdom into the world marketplace. His reading has grit, gravitas, and good vibes. Enjoy!

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 02:26 AM | Comments (1)

Follow Your Bliss

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 01:38 AM | Comments (1)

January 09, 2010
The 8 Irresistible Principles of Fun

I'm sure you've heard the expression, "Are we having fun yet?" Well, that's what the flash animation video below is all about -- the eight irresistible principles of fun done in time to Johann Strauss' The Blue Danube Waltz. Inspiring. Cool. And yes, fun!

www.eightprinciples.com

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 05:51 PM | Comments (5)

January 08, 2010
Looking for the Real

See that guy to your left?

Looks a little intense, eh? Must be on some kind of spiritual trip. Or maybe he's just protein deficient. I'm guessing he's into Eastern things. Probably reads the Bhagavad-Gita and doesn't make enough to pay taxes. Maybe he lives in a tent. Fruitarian? Macrobiotic? I really don't know for sure.

Wait a minute! That's me! 36 years ago. (Now you know why my parents were so freaked out when I was in my 20's.)

After all, I was their golden boy, the carrier of the family name, the hope for the future. According to everyone, I was supposed to be a doctor, a lawyer, a dentist. Maybe even a rabbi.

I coulda been a contender.

What happened? Why the long hair, the sallow cheeks, the penetrating I-can-outstare-anyone look?

Continue reading "Looking for the Real"

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 01:01 AM | Comments (5)

January 06, 2010
Written in the Sands of Time

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January 04, 2010
Finding Home

When I was a small boy, I used to look up at the sky a lot, sigh, and think one basic thought: "I want to go home."

Though my parents tried their best to love me (allowance! grilled cheese! dog!)I was sure I came from someplace else. I felt like an orphan.

It wasn't that I was unhappy. I wasn't. i just felt displaced -- absolutely sure that my real home was very faraway.

As I grew up and translated my boyish sky-prayers into a more classical spiritual quest, I began to notice a pattern in the books I was reading.

Beyond the jargon and the all too common habit of implying that their way was the only way, a central theme was emerging -- the home I was looking for was within me.

Continue reading "Finding Home"

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 08:21 PM | Comments (0)

January 03, 2010
The Glowing Ember of Your Heart

Everybody I know has something within them -- ember-like and glowing -- that is completely capable of flaming up at at any given moment.

This "something" has been called many things by many people throughout the ages, but it does not need a name to give off light.

Primal, elemental, and pure, it is the innate potential every human being has to be fully alive.

What fans the flame of this unnameable ember varies from person to person, but its essence is the same: the power to ignite a transcendental sense of wholeness, goodness, and joy.

Some people have this moment once in their lives. Some have it every day.

Here's my New Year's wish for you: Find that which fans the glowing ember of your heart. And when you do, give thanks.

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 04:11 PM | Comments (1)

May I Stay Here Forever

May I stay here forever
in this perfect place of peace with you --
the sacred space
between in breath and out,
timeless moment
before the need for anything has risen,
Buddha enjoying his late afternoon nap
with no one around
to extract any meaning from it.

First, there is a breath.
Then, there is a second.

This is how I begin my long walk with you by the water's edge,
cool white sand beneath both our feet.

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 11:41 AM | Comments (3)

January 02, 2010
The Way of Knowledge

Thanks to Richard Bann

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 03:39 AM | Comments (2)

January 01, 2010
A Place That Is Timeless

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 06:02 PM | Comments (1)

December 27, 2009
Love Is All You Need

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 06:50 AM | Comments (0)

December 26, 2009
One More Difference Between Men and Women

Since the beginning of time, pundits, psychologists, and philosophers have been waxing poetic about the differences between men and women.

Many well-researched theories and observations have been postulated -- everything from variations of XY chromosomes to moon cycles to shopping habits.

Though I am not a pundit, psychologist, or philosopher, I would like to take this moment to propose yet another difference between the sexes -- something I've been noticing for years, but never completely understood until this morning's opening of Christmas presents:

Continue reading "One More Difference Between Men and Women"

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 03:18 PM | Comments (0)

December 25, 2009
MERRY EVERYTHING: Beyond the Story

One of the great benefits of having a living Master, is that you eventually realize how unbelievably tricky the mind is and how it likes to package your experiences in nice, tidy little boxes. While your heart is gleefully understanding the timeless truth, your mind is feverishly trying to make sense of everything.

Experience is then replaced by the story of the experience -- and the story, no matter how captivating or well-told can never be anything more than an approximation of what really happened.

OK. You are forewarned.

What follows are some of my stories -- magical moments I've with Maharaji over the years. If you've seen them before, here they are again. If you haven't seen them before, here they are for the first time. They are not perfectly written, but they DO point to what is perfect -- the timeless moment of love, gratitude, joy, playfulness. breakthrough, and surrender that dwells within each of us, regardless of the stories we tell...

Continue reading "MERRY EVERYTHING: Beyond the Story"

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 01:32 AM | Comments (0)

December 24, 2009
Putting the IS Back in Christmas

OK. Maybe there's a hundred presents under your Christmas tree. Maybe there's one. Doesn't matter. Soon you'll be opening them (or it) and making the decision whether or not to open slowly (saving the wrapping paper) or tearing like a maniac. The givers, assuming they're in the room, will be watching you for telltale signs of whether you like what they bought you, and you, aware that you are being watched will be a little too expressive -- in a kind-hearted attempt to calm the fears of your loved ones.

That's the surface stuff.

The real present you'll be receiving is the PRESENT, as in the present moment -- the moment of the world winding down and absolutely nothing else happening except the timeless act of appreciating the fact that YOU ARE LOVED. So, here's to the PRESENT moment. Here's to opening the present moment and discovering all that is contained within. It fits! It doesn't need to be returned! It's what you've always wanted!

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 04:46 PM | Comments (1)

December 22, 2009
Real Giving

Every year, about two days before Christmas, I experience something I am not particularly proud of.

Thinking about the gifts I've bought for my wife and kids, I get the feeling that I don't have enough for them. This feeling has almost nothing to do with how many gifts I've bought or how "good" the gifts are. Beyond the quantity and quality of my offerings is the sense that my efforts to express my love for them is lame and doesn't really measure up to how I feel -- and that, somehow, they will be disappointed.

Indeed, there have been some "nights before Christmas" where I've left the cozy warmth of my home to return to the mall, looking for the perfect gift. Ouch! It's humbling to witness this behavior in me. And it's humbling to admit it. But it's also healing.

Continue reading "Real Giving"

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 07:26 AM | Comments (1)

December 21, 2009
HO! HO! HO! Give Everything You Have

Give everything you have, and after you have given, give what's left. After you give what's left, give what remains. After giving that, give the feeling of having given. After giving the feeling of having given, give what you get for having given. Then give again, never stopping, always giving. And should it come to pass that you forget, forgive yourself immediately. Then begin again, giving everything you have, and after you have given, give what's left.

More

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 08:41 PM | Comments (0)

December 18, 2009
Lao Tzu On the Ancient Masters

"The ancient masters were subtle,
mysterious, profound, responsive.
The depth of their knowledge
is unfathomable.
Because it is unfathomable,
All we can do is describe their appearance.
Watchful,
like men crossing a winter stream.
Alert, like men aware of danger.
Courteous, like visiting guests.
Yielding, like ice just about to melt.
Simple,
like uncarved blocks of wood.
Hollow, like caves,
Opaque like muddy pools.

Who can wait quietly while the mud settles?
Who can remain still until the moment of action?
Observers of the Tao do not seek fulfillment.
Not seeking fulfillment, they are not swayed by desire for change.

Tao Teh Ching

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 01:50 AM | Comments (1)

December 17, 2009
Absence Makes The Heart Grow Fonder (But So Does Presence)

In my brief experience on planet Earth, I've noticed that one of the results of entering into the Master/Student relationship is the awakening of longing -- the sweet aching of the heart that moves a person towards the very best of what life has to offer.

Longing deepens us. It enlivens us. It engages, expands, and urges us to connect with love -- what the ecstatic poets, since the beginning of time, have referred to as the Divine Beloved.

The paradox? We have everything we need RIGHT NOW and, at the same time, our hearts long for that which is beyond time and space.

Yes, absence makes the heart grow fonder, but so does presence -- especially the presence of one who cares about the heart growing fonder, no matter what it takes.

Continue reading "Absence Makes The Heart Grow Fonder (But So Does Presence)"

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 02:49 PM | Comments (0)

December 15, 2009
Not All There? Says Who?

Twice in the past two days a curious thing happened to me. In separate conversations with two friends at two different times, I was told that two other, mutual friends of ours were "not all there."

After sharing their assessments, each of my friends looked at me as if expecting some kind of acknowledgment about the brilliance of their comments. None was forthcoming. And WHY it wasn't was because I had a completely different experience of the people they were referring to.

"Not all there" was not a phrase I would use to describe these folks. Yes, they were quirky. Yes, they were different. And yes, their "social skills" left something to be desired. But so what? That didn't make them "not all there" -- just refreshingly unique.

Continue reading "Not All There? Says Who?"

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 12:39 AM | Comments (1)

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