May 30, 2008
An Ocean of Possibilities

W.C. Fields was always an exceptionally gifted performer, but some of his most unforgettable performances took place off-camera.

Like most actors at the start of their career, Fields found himself a little short of cash. A problem? Not for him. The non-traditional Mr. Fields simply created a new kind of job for himself, one summer, in Atlantic City, as a professional drowner.

Here's how it worked:

Several times a day, Fields would swim out to sea, pretend to be drowning, and then be "rescued" by one of his accomplices, the lifeguard. Invariably, a large crowd would gather on the beach as the no longer struggling actor was "resuscitated." Once it was clear that this poor fellow was going to live, the suddenly relieved crowd would turn to Field's third accomplice, the hot dog vendor, (who just happened to be standing nearby) and treat themselves to an "I'm-so-glad-he's-alive" snack. At the end of each water-logged day, Fields would split the take with his buddies -- the lifeguard and the hot dog vendor.

Brilliant!

Now, I'm not suggesting that you do anything to deceive, hustle, or con people. Not at all. What I AM suggesting, however, is that you take a fresh look at what you can do differently in order to get an extraordinary result -- whether the result you're looking for has to do with your business, your service, your relationships, or something else.

As the famous pundit, Anonymous, once said, "If you always do what you've always done, you'll always get what you've always got."

In other words, if your business, product, or service is drowning, what can you do to resuscitate it?

Is there a new approach you need to take? A different twist? An experiment you need to try?

And if so, what's your next step?

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 10:06 PM | Comments (0)

May 28, 2008
It's Sunday in Woodstock, But What Day Is It on Alpha Centuri?

It's Sunday here in my home town, the day the Lord rested -- although I must admit, the concept of the Lord resting is one I never completely understood. I mean, if the Lord, the Creator, the Prime Mover and Shaker, made the heavens and earth in just six days, wouldn't you think He/She/It would have celebrated on the 7th instead of taking a nap, especially when you consider that the Lord, the Prime Mover and Shaker etc. was/is, as I understand it, infinite, self-effulgent, made of pure energy, and not subject to the same laws of nature governing us. Then again, maybe there was no one to celebrate with -- Adam and Eve being somewhat dazed beneath the apple tree and not yet up to the challenge of really understanding how to boogey with the Host of Hosts, not just until the sun came up, but forever.

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 11:19 AM | Comments (1)

May 25, 2008
"Forgiveness is the fragrance flowers give off when they have been trampled on."

Is there anyone you need to forgive?

Is there any way you can forgive this person today? This week?

Is there anything you need to forgive yourself for? And if so, when will you do it?

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 12:21 AM | Comments (1)

May 23, 2008
"The Business of Life is not a Life of Business."

Yes, it's true. The business of life is not a life of business. And only when you realize that, will your business (and your life) really flourish.

While multi-tracking has become extremely fashionable this century, remember that you only take one breath at a time -- not several. Life happens in this moment -- not the next or the last.

And while it may be your noble intention to work your tush off to provide for your family or build a nest egg or prepare for your retirement, the fact remains that these noble intentions often seduce us into getting WAY out of balance.

What IS the business of life?

Love... gratitude... consciousness.... giving and receiving... trust... freedom... feeling... learning... service... enjoyment... and really BEING a human being -- the state of mind where prophets mean at least as much to us as profits.

Money comes and money goes, but true fulfillment is forever.

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 11:34 AM | Comments (0)

May 20, 2008
The Joy of Heckling

If you talk to a thousand people who are (or have been) students of Maharaji, you will get a thousand different impressions of who he is and what he does. Your guess about the accuracy of their perceptions is as good as mine. But if you really want to know the answer, you will need to have your own experience, while being mindful of the words of Anais Nin, "We don't see things as they are, but as we are." Allow me to be more specific.

ACT 1
When Maharaji was 16, he married -- not to an Indian woman chosen by his parents, but to a 24 year old American stewardess. This troubled some of his devotees -- especially those who had chosen celibacy as part of their path to enlightenment. How could Maharaji get married, they reasoned. Marriage was so mundane... such a distraction... so unspiritual. And so, when Maharaji said "I do," a bunch of these folks said "I don't" and split the scene.

Other students of Maharaji had a different response. They thought his marriage was cool -- more proof that he was totally free of concepts -- a liberated move that only deepened their love and respect for him. His actions, they concluded, were a kind of divine permission to do the same. And so they did. Got married, that is.

Still others, with no absolutely no desire to stop practicing Knowledge or settle down with a soul mate, had yet a different response. They sent wedding presents. They sent gardenias. They sent roses and cards and effusive telegrams.

Me? I was happy for Maharaji, wondered what kind of gift I should buy, figured I couldn't afford it, and did nothing -- thinking my long distance thoughts would somehow be enough.

ACT ll (three years later)
As far back as I can recall, Maharaji used to conduct "instructor conferences" -- intensive retreats for handpicked groups of his students on how to best represent him in the world. Like many of his students, I wanted to be invited -- not only for the sheer joy of being with him, but for what I imagined was undeniable proof that I was "getting somewhere" with Knowledge.

Eight years passed. My love for Maharaji and Knowledge continued to blossom. Not once, however, was I invited to attend.

And then, out of the blue, one unofficial day -- VOILA! -- I got the word. "Get down to Miami, Mitch, you've been invited to an instructor conference... but not as a candidate -- as a guest."

A guest? Now I was really confused. I mean, Maharaji was inviting me, but he was also not inviting me. Huh?

I went.

For three days I sat in the back of a large conference room and watched Maharaji, like some kind of improv laughing Pied Piper Buddha, in perfectly creased pants, bring everyone to a place of exquisite attention, learning, and relaxation at the exact same time. A magician he was. A conductor of joy. A man on a mission.

And then, before I knew it, the conference was over. Or at least I thought it was over. It wasn't. There was one more thing still to come -- a "Celebration Dinner" (something I envisioned being a kind of modern day last supper.)

The first thing I noticed when I walked into the dining room were the champagne bottles -- one on each table. "This is gonna be interesting," I thought, amused by the fact that 98% of the people in the room were abiding by the "ashram diet" and hadn't had anything stronger to drink than a smoothie in the past few years.

Someone led me to my table. It was next to Maharaji's.

Feeling suddenly mid-western, I surveyed the room in a noble attempt to figure out what I was supposed to do -- how I should act. Clearly no one had a clue. Things were just happening. There were no reference points, no sign posts, no correct courses of action -- only the sound of corks popping and a palpable wave of joy.

Good guest that I was, I raised my glass and drank, occasionally sneaking glances at Maharaji like some kind of wide-eyed tourist.

The next thing I know, he's asking if anyone has a good joke. There's the usual self consciousness... the pregnant pause... then someone stands up, mounts the stage, and begins. The joke isn't funny, but it breaks the ice. In a flash, someone else mounts the stage, only this time the joke is a lot better and X-rated, to boot. I look at Maharaji to note his reaction. He is laughing. Of course he's laughing. The joke is funny! A third person gets up. Then a fourth -- each joke raunchier than the one before -- and everybody crazy with laughter.

At the telling of the fifth joke -- fueled by the champagne and three days of being with Maharaji, I shout out a heckle like some kind of wise guy from Brooklyn. Irreverent. Unrehearsed. And way funnier than the joke itself.

"Who said that?" Maharaji asks, looking in my direction.

"I did, Maharaji," I say.

Maharaji laughs and points at me, "One point for Ditkoff!"

Now here is where all logic breaks down... where what I am about to say may seem as strange as my son's fascination for Pokemon. I got completely ecstatic. In a blink of the eye, a major concept of mine had evaporated and I felt infinitely lighter. After years of trying oh so hard -- in oh so many futile ways -- to have my "special," timeless, sacred, holy, cosmic, blissful, meaningful moment with Maharaji, I finally have one -- and it's for heckling an aspiring yogi at a dirty joke contest.

Go figure.

ACT lll (18 years later)
Just six months ago, I read an account of this very same event by someone who was also there -- someone once very close to Maharaji. This particular fellow described the contest accurately. The only thing different, from my recollection, was the conclusion he drew. For him, the contest was inappropriate, off-putting, poorly timed, and in bad taste. For me, it was perfect, divine, liberating, and transcendental -- exactly what was needed for that particular group of people on that particular night, so focused on the "path" that they had forgotten to smell the roses... or accept themselves for simply being human.

Looking back, it's fair to say that I learned more in those few moments about life -- my life -- than I did from years of meditating and reading holy books. A Red Sea parted. For me, it parted. Not for that other guy. He had a different experience. He tells a different story now. Which, of course, is his right, but does not make him right. That's just one of the amazing things about this life. We all see it differently -- based on where we're coming from at any particular moment in time.

The benefit of having a living Master? He makes it infinitely easier to be coming from the place that recognizes how absolutely beautiful this life really is -- in all its profusion of forms. And I thank Maharaji, from the bottom of my heart, for all the extraordinary ways in which he is helping me realize this miraculous experience every single day of my life.

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 07:09 PM | Comments (1)

Welcome Aboard!

Welcome to The Heart of the Matter, my recently launched blog about what's really important in this life: love, longing, laughter, letting go, peace, freedom, fulfillment, gratitude, and the realization that NOW is the moment to enjoy it all.

I am writing this blog because I can -- and because I want to celebrate the journey we are all on.

As you poke around, you will notice various references to my teacher, Maharaji, (aka Prem Rawat). I include them for one very simple reason: his guidance and love is the inspiration at the root of all my writing.

Plus, he's absolutely the coolest person I know.

Please note that the content, opinions, perspectives, and musings on this blog are the work of one person and one person only (me). It is not an "official" site. It has not been created or vetted by any organization. It is not intended to represent the perspective of all of Maharaji's students. How could it? The experience of life is a very individual thing.

If you have any feedback, feel free to send me an email or post a comment. Let me know what you like and what you don't. I'll do my best to respond. The Heart of the Matter, you see, like you... and me... and everyone else on planet Earth is a work in progress. Enjoy!

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 05:11 PM | Comments (2)

"When a pickpocket meets a saint, all he sees are pockets."

"Motivation," explains psychologists, "affects perception."

In other words, you tend to SEE what your mind is preoccupied with. If you're driving through a town and you're hungry, you'll see the restaurants.

If you're running out of gas, you'll see the gas stations. If someone you love is dying, chances are good you'll see the funeral homes.

What's motivating YOU today? What lens might you be looking through? And what if you could remove that lens -- such that your experience of life was not skewed or limited or filtered?

What if your motivation was joy? What if your motivation was service... or love... or forgiveness? Might you not see the world in new ways?

If, upon seeing a saint, you saw love instead of pockets, possibility instead of doubt, how might your experience of life change for the better?

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 03:05 PM | Comments (0)

May 17, 2008
"Not everything that counts can be counted; and not everything that can be counted counts." (Albert Einstein)

Some things we can measure. Some things we can't. And just because we can measure something doesn't make it more real or significant. Einstein knew this. There was always the "X factor" for him -- mystery, the unknown, the divine, and the impossible to quantify.

That's why he used to conduct "thought experiments" in his lab -- times when he turned away from the blackboard with all those exotic formulas and simply daydreamed -- letting the intuitive side of him take over for a change.

Hmmm... what might YOU be attempting to quantify or measure that would best be left alone? What might you be needing to TRUST that abides outside the boundaries of the rational, logical, analytical, scientific mind?

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 11:02 AM | Comments (1)

May 15, 2008
Jazzman

A couple of nights ago I went to a local concert that featured my friend, the jazz saxophonist, Peter Buettner and his quartet. I had heard Peter play many times before, but never like this. He was soaring, free, transcendental, and plugged into the saxophone Gods that night. After the gig, I saw him in the lobby and told him how awesome he was. Peter smiled and mentioned that he finally figured out a way to go beyond himself and stop analyzing his own playing. In other words, he let go to his natural gifts and just let it rip.

This is the same challenge we all have, no matter what medium we use to express ourselves. When we give up being self-conscious, when we give up worrying about what other people think, the true power and beauty of our art form materializes immediately.

And so, in honor of Peter's breakthrough and the one that's imminent for you, here's a song of praise for all the jazz boppers out there -- the ones who go beyond the boundaries of form and somehow find their way home.

(Please read it aloud for maximum impact...)

JAZZMAN

There's a billion jazz men in my blood, blowing their horns for love. They've been out on the street too long to wonder what the hell is going on -- for in their freedom -- in their utmost respect for recklessness, they know that life is but a high note held above the head of anyone who listens.

Happy to be playing on a night when others less fortunate than them are recovering from day jobs, these jazz boppers restore all integrity to the underground club that is my body here in this nether world of friends and future lovers. I sing with them! I dance! I tap my soul to the beat of their incessant drumming! And though they do not need to look at me, they smile.

What I see I cannot say, nor can this midnight review redeem the essence of what it is these billion molecules of madness in human form demand.

This is the form of God before your eyes! This is the moment of majesty!

Jazz men, jazz men, play your horns and drums, pound those keys so the vague interrupters of eternity can finally get up and dance and forget themselves once and for all.

Jazz men, play yourselves.

Hey you finger drumming soldiers of man's need to stop finding himself, and so stopping, actually find himself to be found. Hey, you street licking bluesmen of the space between day and night, I love your song, your scream for no one in particular.

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 11:53 AM | Comments (0)

Drink Deep, Think Deep, Feel Deep

Ever since the beginning of time, mankind has been obsessed with finding the ultimate. The original metaphor for this ancient quest was the Holy Grail. Over time, the metaphor changed. The Fountain of Youth was popular for a while. And most recently -- especially in business circles -- it has been named the "magic pill" or the "silver bullet.'

For years, I have steadfastly refused to be part of the hype. I knew, in my bones, there was no such thing as an instant solution.

That is, until last week, when I successfully finished the formulation of my 101 CreativiTeas -- rare, exotic blends of divine beverages that don't even have to be imbibed to work wonders. In fact, just thinking about them is usually enough to change mood, mindset, and one's ability to create extraordinary results.

All you need to do is bring a challenge to mind, read the list, then select the tea whose quality you need more of in order for you to succeed. Then... reflect on what you need to do differently to manifest this quality in your life. That's it.

Intrigued? Click below...

101 CreativiTeas

1. Opening Up to PossibiliTea
2. Easy Going FlexibiliTea
3. Gandhi-like HumiliTea
4. Well-timed AdaptabiliTea
5. Taking Care of Details Amidst InfiniTea
6. Loosey Goosey ManeuverabiliTea
7. Acceptance of MortaliTea
8. Total QualiTea
9. Beyond MoraliTea

10. An Occasional Dose of RealiTea
11. Following Your Passion With ImpuniTea
12. Balancing PolariTea
13. InterdimensionaliTea
14. Flashes of NonsensicaliTea
15. Unfettered CreativiTea
16. Appreciation of DiversiTea
17. Tuning in to SynchroniciTea
18. OriginaliTea
19. UnconventionaliTea

20. Old Fashioned PracticaliTea
21. CuriosiTea
22. Celebration of IndividualiTea
23. A Deeper Sense of InevitabiliTea
24. Letting Go of FutiliTea
25. A Transformed MentaliTea
26. Go With the Flow FluidiTea
27. Baby Oh Baby SensualiTea
28. WhimsicaliTea
29. Child-like SimpliciTea

30. Tiger-like FerociTea
31. Nose to the Grindstone DurabiliTea
32. Let it Rip TheatricaliTea
33. Grrr!! TenaciTea
34. Authentic AuthenticiTea
35. Mucho GenerosiTea
36. Acceptance of AsymmetricaliTea
37. Quick Moving MobiliTea
38. Enlightened SpiritualiTea
39. Day By Day ClariTea

40. Sylvester Stallone MusculariTea
41. In the Moment SpontaneiTea
42. Twelve Step SobrieTea
43. Beethovian VirtuosiTea
44. Wild Maniacal HilariTea
45. Increased CapaciTea
46. ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTea
47. Lucid PerspicaciTea
48. Ha Ha Ha LeviTea
49. Focused SingulariTea

50. A Daily Shot of InsaniTea
51. Expressing Your PersonaliTea
52. Frontal NudiTea
53. International CommuniTea
54. Much More VarieTea
55. Information Highway ActiviTea
56. Higher ProductiviTea
57. Que Sera SororiTea
58. Off the Wall BanaliTea
59. Alimentary CanaliTea

60. Relaxed InformaliTea
61. Sprint? Verizon? AT&Tea?
62. Understanding Primal CausaliTea
63. SpecificiTea
64. Huge Amounts of PubliciTea
65. Give Up Feeling ShitTea
66. IntentionaliTea
67. Beyond Beyond MetaphysicaliTea
68. A Bowl of Soup and a BLTea
69. Hip Hop, Reggae MusicaliTea

70. Calling on Your Own DiviniTea
71. A Touch of SubtleTea
72. Profound ProfundiTea
73. Bottom Line ProfitabiliTea
74. Surprise and SerendipiTea
75. Do It Now InstantaneiTea
76. Proven CertifiabiliTea
77. Solid MarketabiliTea
78. Truth, Love and BeauTea
79. ExponentialiTea

80. Let Go and Be EmpTea
81. We Are the World SolidariTea
82. A Twist, A Change, Some NovelTea
83. Getting Down to the Nitty GritTea
84. San Andreas FaulTea
85. Midwestern SinceriTea
86. Transcending Financial ScarciTea
87. Death of CertainTea
88. Buddha and KrishnamurTea
89. You Don't Have to Feel So GuilTea

90. Total ResponsibiliTea
91. Challenge AuthoriTea
92. Anyone here From Joisey CiTea?
93. More and More CredibiliTea
94. Get it Done MasculiniTea
95. Be More Receptive to FemininiTea
96. A Three Month Vacation in TahiTea
97. Get Rich and Become a CelebriTea
98. Much Deserved SereniTea
99. Hot Diggity DoggiTea

100. Tons of PositiviTea
101. If All There Is Is Now, What Is EterniTea?

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 06:58 AM | Comments (0)

May 09, 2008
"The world is an illusion, but you have to act as if it's real." (Krishna)

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 02:33 AM | Comments (0)

May 07, 2008
In the Time It Would Take You to Brush Your Teeth, Watch This...

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 03:57 PM | Comments (0)