The Heart of the Matter
July 29, 2016
TimelessToday Launches on July 31st, 10:30 am Indian Standard Time

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TimelessToday launches on Sunday, July 31st at 10:30 am India Standard Time. I am not sure what time that is for YOU, but it's simple to find out. The launch is timed to celebrate the moment, 50 years ago, when Prem Rawat, at the age of eight, gave his first public address as a teacher.

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 04:29 PM | Comments (1)

July 26, 2016
Yoga for the New Age

After a three-day sabbatical from Heart of the Matter, I am renewed and refreshed, ready to bring you the very best of what life has to offer. Today, in honor of my own return, I bring you three, brief yoga videos that have contained with them a very ancient message of the soul. I realize I may lose a few subscribers with this post, but since I'm not running for office, does it really matter? Namaste!



And, just in case, you haven't been feeling well lately.

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 09:29 PM | Comments (2)

July 25, 2016
In Honor of Ray Belcher

Rest in peace, bro!

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 07:10 PM | Comments (2)

July 24, 2016
KEEPING THE PEACE: Mexican Navy Integrates Peace Education

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ED. NOTE: The following article is reprinted from TPRF.org. It is also available in Spanish.

The Mexican Navy is trying a new approach to domestic peacekeeping in the troubled city of Veracruz. The force recently incorporated the Peace Education Program (PEP) into its training regime, offering the course to more than 240 marines, police officers, and security officials at its base there.

Located on the shores of the Gulf of Mexico, Veracruz is one of Mexico's most important ports and economic centers. Unfortunately, its prime location along the coast has also made it a hub for illegal drug trafficking. In recent years, the city has topped the country's list of places wracked by crime and violence.

With many local authorities enmeshed in corruption, the federal government dispatched the Navy to help restore order. The force is taking a holistic approach to its duties -- not only detaining criminals, but also trying to address the underlying social problems that lead to crime in the first place. That means the Naval police are helping drug addicts gain access to rehabilitation centers and are providing shelter and support to the homeless and unemployed.

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And it also means they're taking security issues personally -- looking for ways they can lead by example and live more peaceful lives themselves.

"Individuals who are involved in preventing crime should be the first ones to be centered. They should have personal peace because that is the key to prevent crime," says Captain Antonio Morales, Commander of the Naval Police in Veracruz. "I believe that not everything can be solved with weapons, or more police force, or more armored vehicles, or more aggression. There are other solutions, and I share that philosophy with the Peace Education Program."

Captain Morales and a small group of officers first participated in PEP themselves. They found the course pertinent and inspiring, then trained to become facilitators and started offering the program to others on the Naval base. The response has been impressive, according to Morales.

"The results were excellent. People were deeply impacted. People found ways they can change their self-esteem, health, and behavior -- this yields better people," he says. "If we have better people, we have better police officers, and with better police officers on the street, we will have more safety in the community, which is going to have a positive impact."

Plans call for continuing to offer the program on the Naval base, and Morales is also advocating for it to expand to civilian agencies such as the Department of Education so that more people will have the opportunity to enroll in Veracruz and beyond.

"I believe that with these agencies acting together with the police to make PEP universal, we will have great results. My hope is that in the near future my country can be flooded with PEP; that is my dream, and I would like to accomplish it," says Morales.

He appreciates the volunteers and supporters at The Prem Rawat Foundation who are working to make PEP freely available in Mexico and around the world.

"Thanks to all of you for the great work you are doing so unselfishly. I thank, fraternally, with all of my energy, with all of my heart, all of the people who are involved in this Foundation."

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 04:12 PM | Comments (0)

July 21, 2016
Facebook Poetry of the Heart

Two weeks ago I asked my FB friends to send me photographs they'd taken and really liked for me to accompany with some poetry inspired by the images they captured and set free. Here is the first wave...

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July 14, 2016
Don't Be a Bookworm

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July 07, 2016
101 Things I've Learned So Far

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1. Everything I need is within me.

2. There is only NOW. The past is over. The future is a dream.

3. Love is the only game in town.

4. It's easy to forget. But it's also easy to remember.

5. Eventually I have to let go (so why not let go now?)

6. Everything changes.

7. I am not the doer.

8. It feels good to give away stuff I don't really need.

9. I am never more than a breath away from fulfillment.

10. It's a huge help to have a teacher -- especially one I love.

11. Everything happens for the best.

12. Life is a gift.

13. I can't clean a muddy pond by poking at it with a stick.

14. Every time I point a finger, there are three pointing back at me.

15. First effort, then grace.

16. It's a blessing to serve.

17. I am not here to teach anybody anything. I am here to love -- and the love will do the teaching.

18. There will never be peace on Earth until the people on Earth are at peace.

19. Worry is optional.

20. When I stop projecting my stuff on the universe, I begin to enjoy life.

21. Marriage is a yoga.

22. Life is not supposed to be a struggle.

23. Ain't nothing like the real thing, baby.

24. Doubt is a killer. Give up doubt.

25. Time flies like an arrow. Fruit flies like bananas. (Groucho Marx)

26. I am not taking anything with me that I don't already have.

27. Don't take myself so seriously.

28. Life is not what I think.

29. Take more time to smell the roses (and plant some, too).

30. There is a feeling deep within me that is absolutely exquisite.

31. Chop wood. Carry water. Floss.

32. There is a difference between desire and longing. Desire is wanting what I don't have. Longing is wanting what I do.

33. People appear more beautiful the more beautiful I feel.

34. Thirst is a good thing.

35. Let go of letting go. Then let go of that, too.

36. There is nothing to be afraid of.

37. Drink more champagne.

38. Trust that which is trustworthy.

39. Stretch more.

40. Don't turn my point of view into a religion.

41. Be kinder.

42. Get enough rest.

43. I don't really need anyone's approval.

44. I am not a victim. No one has power over me.

45. I am responsible (and so are you).

46. Money is not the root of all evil. Ignorance is the root of all evil.

47. Most conversations are about the past, the future, or unfinished business.

48. Honor thy incarnation (Ram Dass)

49. When I'm not on the path, it's razor thin. When I'm on the path, it's a million miles wide.

50. One man's ceiling is another man's floor. (Paul Simon)

51. All Masters have said the same thing in different ways.

52. Everything I need is coming to me, and I already have everything I need.

53. Keep it simple.

54. We're all in this together.

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

56. Ideas are sometimes more than ideas. They are inspirations from the beyond.

57. We all have a story to tell. Let's tell it already.

58. Learn from mistakes.

59. Enjoy this "come as you are" party.

60. The goal is not perfection. The goal is to become fully awake.

61. Say YES!

62. I can only take one breath at a time.

63. Life is a dance.

64. I am both the center of the universe and an extremely small particle of dust.

65. Drink more water.

66. The people I don't like often teach me more than my friends.

67. I am a nobleman. My father is the King.

68. Life is not so much about the what, but the how.

69. Be careful not to get addicted to my own story.

70. When I meet the Buddha on the road, ask him if he wants a foot massage.

71. Celebrate more.

72. Learn how to say no without being negative.

73. Each step is also an arrival.

74. There's nothing wrong with inconsistency. Yes there is.

75. Peace is possible on planet Earth.

76. Not everything that counts can be counted; and not everything that can be counted, counts. (Einstein)

77. Read all contracts carefully before signing them.

78. The mind is a chicken with its head cut off.

79. Breathe.

80. Ask for help.

81. God is in the details.

82. Stop trying so hard.

83. Write a letter, by hand, once in a while.

84. It's not about what others think of me. It's what I think of myself.

85. When I find a pair of pants I really like, buy two.

86. Be the same in a room full of people as I am when I'm all alone.

87. 69 is the new 68.

88. Forgive.

89. Stop complaining.

90. Treat people to dinner.

91. Listen more deeply.

92. The average life span is 25,500 days.

93. Be happy for others' successes.

94. Gratitude is the most authentic prayer.

95. Don't judge the judgers for judging.

96. Practice Knowledge.

97. Pause before committing.

98. I have no problems. The only problem I have is thinking I have problems.

99. Every cloud has a silver lining. Every silver lining has a golden lining.

100. Be a field big enough for others to dance in.

101. I can't miss the boat I'm already on.

A big help, for me, along the way

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 09:14 AM | Comments (17)

July 06, 2016
The Gospel of This Very Moment

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Welcome to Mitch Ditkoff's blog about what's really important in this life: Peace, gratitude, love, joy, clarity, and the effort required to wake up and smell the roses. Enjoy!

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