Be Who You Are!
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March 06, 2010The Entire Universe is Yours
If you knew how much you already had, you wouldn't waste a second wanting anything more. The entire universe is yours and still you are longing for something else. The world is a milkweed pod. The more you try to grab it, the further it floats away. Stop for a second. Extend your hand. Receive your inheritance. All the legal work's been done a thousand years ago. Throw a party! Invite your friends and a hundred people you don't know. Feed them. Give them something good to drink. Dance until you cannot stand.
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 09:29 PM | Comments (0)
February 28, 2010Snow Day!
Growing up in New York, there were three things I found utterly amazing: the accents of people from other places, baseball, and snow days.
If you're from California, Mexico, or Hawaii, you probably know what the first two are all about. But the third? Allow me to explain.
A snow day, for those of you who have never experienced winter, is an unexpected day off from school granted by a benevolent universe. You go to bed at night, dreading your history test the next day, and wake up with three feet of snow outside your window -- your mother telling you (having just heard it on the radio) that school is closed.
It's a snow day!
Somehow, while you slept, the whole world shut down. Everything came to a halt. The only thing you can see out your window is a solitary bird looking for food and the kid next door, arms outstretched, making snow angels.
You jump for joy! Yahoo! Hallelujah!
Gone is the need to rush through breakfast. Gone is the need to catch the bus. Gone is the need to perform.
All bets are off. Your time is your own. You are free!
You look out the window and everything is white. The jagged edges of the world have been softened, curved, and relaxed. Everything is still, as if the God you've heard so much about in Sunday school has just hit the pause button.
You have time to slow down, time to admire, time to do nothing at all -- and feel really good about it. After all, this isn't a sick day, it's a snow day -- a complete and utter gift... an unexpected bit of grace... an inheritance you didn't realize was on its way.
For me, the experience of Maharaji's Knowledge is a bit like that.
And the ultimate beauty of the whole thing? You don't have to wait for an "Act of God," while you sleep, to enjoy its benefits. It's with you every second of the day, every breath.
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 06:54 AM | Comments (1)
Snow Day!
Growing up in New York, there were three things I found utterly amazing: the accents of people from other places, baseball, and snow days.
If you're from California, Mexico, or Hawaii, you probably know what the first two are all about. But the third? Allow me to explain.
A snow day, for those of you who have never experienced winter, is an unexpected day off from school granted by a benevolent universe. You go to bed at night, dreading your history test the next day, and wake up with three feet of snow outside your window -- your mother telling you (having just heard it on the radio) that school is closed.
It's a snow day!
Somehow, while you slept, the whole world shut down. Everything came to a halt. The only thing you can see out your window is a solitary bird looking for food and the kid next door, arms outstretched, making snow angels.
You jump for joy! Yahoo! Hallelujah!
Gone is the need to rush through breakfast. Gone is the need to catch the bus. Gone is the need to perform.
All bets are off. Your time is your own. You are free!
You look out the window and everything is white. The jagged edges of the world have been softened, curved, and relaxed. Everything is still, as if the God you've heard so much about in Sunday school has just hit the pause button.
You have time to slow down, time to admire, time to do nothing at all -- and feel really good about it. After all, this isn't a sick day, it's a snow day -- a complete and utter gift... an unexpected bit of grace... an inheritance you didn't realize was on its way.
For me, the experience of Maharaji's Knowledge is a bit like that.
And the ultimate beauty of the whole thing? You don't have to wait for an "Act of God," while you sleep, to enjoy its benefits. It's with you every second of the day, every breath.
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 06:54 AM | Comments (1)
January 10, 2010Follow Your Bliss
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January 04, 2010Finding 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.
My seemingly unquenchable thirst to have the experience of arriving was not going to be a matter of traveling to exotic places worthy of my pilgrimage. It was going to be a matter of turning within.
But how? How does one turn within?
Well, that's what my teacher, Maharaji, was (and still is) revealing. In a very simple way, he has a knack for helping people experience their true home.
Yes, home is where the heart is, but where is the heart?
That is the quest. And that is also the destination.
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 08:21 PM | Comments (0)
January 03, 2010The 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)
December 26, 2009One 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:
1. Men and women wrap presents completely differently.
Presents wrapped by women look really good. The edges are square. The tape is in all the right places. There are no unnecessary wrinkles, crunched up paper, or rips. The presents women wrap could easily be photographed for a catalog or Good Housekeeping centerfold.
Presents wrapped by men are usually a joke. Asymmetrical. Random. Pitifully sophomoric. Like an old pair of sweat pants stuffed into a drawer a little too quickly before the dinner guests arrive.
2. Men and women open presents completely differently.
Women look for the seams and the tape and use their tapered fingers in mysteriously delicate ways so the wrapping can be flawlessly removed, flattened, folded, and used again in the future.
Men are huns. They rip. They tear. They plunder the paper as if it was a small village needing to be taken over immediately.
The remains of the wrapping, no matter how beautifully conceived by the giver, ends up in a balled-up heap of chaos on the floor -- unusable for anything but kindling or throwing at other males across the room.
NEXT WEEK: Nail care
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December 24, 2009Putting 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 15, 2009Not 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.
Which one of us is so "there" that we have the right or the wisdom to judge another person's "thereness?" None of us. In fact, some of the most "all there" people I know appear to be the "least there" in the eyes of those whose favorite hobby seems to be judging.
"Just not lest ye be judged."
Oh, and speaking of the "there/not there" paradox, don't forget to buy someone you love my book of poetry for the holidays. Or my book about the "out of the cave" caveman who invented the wheel. Both make great gifts or paperweights. And while you're in the shopping mood, try this. (Remember, no judging!).
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 12:39 AM | Comments (1)
December 04, 2009TWO WOLVES
One evening an old Cherokee told his grandson about a battle that goes on inside people.
He said, "My son, the battle is between two wolves inside us all.
"One is Evil. It is anger, envy, jealousy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego.
"The other is Good. It is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion and faith."
The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather: "Which wolf wins?"
The old Cherokee simply replied, "The one you feed."
(Thanks to Eldad Benary for the link)
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November 22, 2009Bloom Where You Are Planted
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September 23, 2009The One Minute Seeker
In days gone by, classic seekers had to endure a ton of trials and tribulations to find what they were looking for.
They walked across deserts. They fasted. They hunted for the One in faraway places.
No more. Those days are over. The game has changed. Things have heated up, big time.
Now, that which you are looking for is looking for you. Your inner questing for something timeless, pure, and full of love has been responded to.
Really. Click here to find out more.
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August 12, 2009101 Things I've Learned So Far
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 we all 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, three are 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 the real movie of life.
21. Marriage is a yoga.
22. Life is not supposed to be a struggle.
23. It's always helpful to be in the presence of a living Master.
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. It's impossible to understand the teachings of a Master with the mind. The mind can know about the truth, but it cannot experience the truth.
28. Life is not what you think.
29. Take more time to smell the roses (and plant some, too).
30. There is a feeling deep within my heart that is absolutely exquisite.
31. Wash your bowl.
32. There is a difference between desire and longing. Desire is wanting what I don't have. Longing is wanting what I do.
33. The world appears more beautiful the more beautiful I feel.
34. Time is an illusion.
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. Slow down. Less is more.
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 of the truth 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 that need to be honored.
57. We all have a story to tell. Let's tell it already.
58. Learn from your mistakes.
59. Enjoy this "come as you are" party.
60. The goal is not perfection. The goal is to become fully awake.
61. Eat more sushi.
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 you 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 deep.
80. Ask for help.
81. Life is an open book. Write it.
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. (PS: Who's doing the thinking?)
85. Confusion is just a word for an order that is not yet understood. (Henry Miller)
86. Be the same in a room full of people as I am when alone.
87. 60 is the new 59.
88. Every moment of life has the potential to be the best one yet.
89. Stop complaining.
90. Whatever I do, give it my best.
91. Listen more deeply.
92. Treasure my friends.
93. Be happy for others' successes.
94. Gratitude is the most authentic prayer.
95. God cannot be googled.
96. Practice Knowledge.
97. Pause.
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. If I die today, I'll die a happy man.
How about YOU? What have YOU learned so far?
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 09:14 AM | Comments (13)
July 14, 200952 Reasons Why People Like Being with Maharaji
A year ago, on this blog, I posted 34 reasons why I like being with Maharaji -- my attempt to communicate some of the impact that seeing him, real-time, has on me.
At the end of the post, I asked readers to add their own reasons. Eleven people responded.
What follows is my original list and the additional comments of the readers who responded.
Feel free to add your own...
34 Reasons Why I Like Being with Maharaji
1. I breathe more deeply
2. It becomes very easy to savor every moment
3. I stop judging myself and everyone else
4. Time slows down
5. I listen from a still place inside me
6. I feel like I'm dancing when I walk -- or at least, gliding
7. I laugh uncontrollably
8. I cry tears of joy
9. I stop worrying
10. I like what I see when I look in the mirror
11. I have a lot more fun than usual
12. I experience timelessness
13. Everything seems perfect just the way it is
14. I let go of being self-conscious
15. I feel like I'm being massaged from the inside out
16. I move in tune with a hidden music
17. I see how peace is possible for the entire planet
18. I feel like he's talking just to me
19. I am grateful for everything
20. I want to serve
21. I feel whole and complete
22. I feel a vast spaciousness
23. I live in the present moment
24. Everything is profoundly simple
25. I rededicate myself to the practice of Knowledge
26. I stop trying to improve myself
27. I lose my need to gain anyone's approval
28. I am content
29. I come from my heart, not my head
30. Life feels like a party
31. I let things come to me -- and they do
32. I feel more authentic
33. I realize I have no problems
34. I feel like I'm totally home
Why HEART OF THE MATTER readers like being with Maharaji
35. I always leave loving myself a little more. - Candice Wilmore
36. It's incredibly great being around a lot of other people who are also feeling 1-34. - Steve Kowarsky
37. I feel my Heart come alive. - Mka
38. I wake up from the core of my being. - Alan Roettinger
39. I feel like the luckiest person on earth. - Alan Roettinger
40. I realize how much I've missed him. - Alan Roettinger
41. I forget about everything I've missed out on. - Alan Roettinger
42. I get to spend some time with the best friend I will ever have. - Alan Roettinger
43. I am in awe at consciousness & clarity. - Chris Tardieu
44. I am transported back into the ocean of joy, love and strength dwelling within me. Fearlessness presides as magic filled with gratitude resumes as my guide. - Amy S.
45. Magic fills the air and my heart and the hearts of others! I love seeing the Light in their eyes and the smiles on their beatific faces! -Jon Lloyd
48. The silence within me is breathtaking. - Asiebhan
49. I get cleansed of the dirt of the mind. - Asiebhan
50. I get to laugh a lot. - Asiebhan
51. Sometimes, I am completely overwhelmed by an awareness of the possibility of what it means to be a human being and how far short of that potential I fall in my life. Then to hear him beckoning me to join him on this journey of self-fulfillment despite my shortcomings is almost too much to take. Is this what friendship and unconditional love are about? Is this how gratitude unfolds to heal the wounds of a broken heart? Is this the recognition of how fortunate I am to have witnessed the Master and felt the touch of his love in my life? Words are poor substitutes to describe what I am trying to express. - G.S.Smith
52. He has given me 20/20 vision of the heart. - Gaz
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 08:56 AM | Comments (17)
July 07, 2009Open Sesame
A couple of days ago, I tried to unlock my car door with my cell phone.
There I was, standing in a parking lot, pushing a random button that had nothing to do with my car, and wondering why the door wouldn't open.
At that moment in time, all technologies converged and what I was doing -- push after push after push -- somehow made perfect sense.
After finding my keys and pushing the right remote, it dawned on me that I WANT ONE DEVICE THAT OPENS EVERYTHING: the car door, the garage door, the TV, DVD, VCR, ATM, and everything else in my life that is ever locked or inaccessible.
At the risk of being overly metaphorical, folks, I do believe I already have that device. It's called "breath." When I'm in tune with it, savoring it, and moving at it's God-given pace, all things -- especially my own heart -- eventually open.
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 06:26 PM | Comments (0)
June 05, 2009Being Shown the River Where the Fish Are Swimming
It has been said that it is better to teach a man to fish than to give him a fish.
So true.
And yet, how much better would it be to show a man the river where the fish are swimming?
This has been my experience of what Maharaji does.
If you're thirsty, he takes you down to the river where the cool waters of life, filled with all those fabulous fish, are flowing.
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 12:50 AM | Comments (0)
May 17, 2009The Art of Seeing the Invisible
See that FedEx logo to your left? What do you notice? Letters? Colors? Height? Width? Shape? Probably. But if that's all you see, you are missing something -- something essential.
Take another look. Do you see an arrow? No? Look again. More specifically, look at the space between the "E" and the "x". The white space. See it? Cool, huh?
The first time someone pointed this out to me, I was astounded. Something that was there, for years, had been completely invisible to me.
FedEx's savvy logo designer, Lindon Leader (Leader Creative), had embedded an arrow in the "negative space" to subliminally indicate a message -- forward movement -- but I had never seen it.
Such is life...
Life. There's so much in it, staring us right in the face, but we often don't get it. We look, but don't see. We listen, but don't hear. We touch, but don't feel.
From what I can tell, all the great Teachers, Sages, and Masters have been committed to helping people see the "white arrow" -- that which is present, but not always easy to see.
They don't create the arrow or require people to go to the Himalayas to find the arrow -- they simply make the discovery of the arrow much, much easier.
They have the knack of redirecting attention to what is already there.
Not Next Day service. NOW service.
More info
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 11:44 PM | Comments (0)
May 11, 2009Going Awake
Two nights ago, as I was getting into bed, it dawned on me what a pleasure it is to sleep.
The act of getting under the covers, laying down my head, and letting go of the world is an extraordinary experience.
In that state, there is nothing to do. Nowhere to go. No one to call. In that state, breathing is the only game in town -- or should I say being breathed.
One breath in. One breath out. One breath in. One breath out.
Imagine what life would be like if we let go to waking in the same way we let go to sleep.
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 02:08 AM | Comments (0)
February 25, 2009The Courage to Stand Up
Think you have a challenge or two ahead of you? Do you feel hopeless sometimes and find it hard getting back on your feet? Need a reminder about the courage, commitment, and resilience that dwell deep within you?
Check this out. You can do it! Yes you can!
Photo by Live and Learn
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 01:41 AM | Comments (0)
February 10, 2009Jumping for Joy
A few months ago I had a beautiful dream. I was a guest at Maharaji's residence, along with a bunch of other people and was walking around his very spacious grounds when, out of the blue, he signals me to climb an extremely tall tree. In a flash, I find myself climbing, branch over branch until I reach the top. Thrilled, I raise my arms high overhead in a classic "I did it!" pose when suddenly Maharaji signals me to JUMP into the pool below. The pool, however, is very far away -- way further away than even the best of jumps could ever possibly come close to. A wave of fear comes over me, but I decide to jump anyway. As I do, the pool moves towards me. I land in the center. Splash!
(Photo by Divya)
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 12:46 AM | Comments (1)
February 07, 2009Go Beyond Anything You Can Imagine
OK, movers and shakers, lovers of Knowledge, humbled ones, happy ones, gopis, fools, lunatics, learners, Luigis, and other assorted humanoids sometimes bummed by a crumbling economy, shaky world order, and the rising price of cappuccino -- it's time to realize that whatever difficulties you're experiencing these days are actually gifts -- each lovingly wrapped with silver linings beyond anything you can imagine.
Really. There's something in it for you. Know that everything happens for the best.
Say goodbye to the old. Let it go. The old forms are dying. Their time has come and gone. But YOU are still here -- YOU, the crown of creation!
Mostly everything you've depended on in your life has revealed itself to be completely undependable. Your job? Your finances? Your relationship? Ha! Now you see them, now you don't. Seductions, one and all.
Security? Good luck! Helen Keller said it best. "Security is mostly a superstition. Life is either a daring adventure or nothing."
OK, maybe your cash flow isn't flowing, but that doesn't mean that YOU can't flow. YES YOU CAN!
Dudes and Dudinas of the world, it's time to say goodbye to whatever it was that's been propping you up or providing you with a temporary identity to trot out at parties in between the brie and the creeping conclusion you probably should have stayed home.
What remains when all the conditional stuff of our life is gone? What remains when the veil disappears and the show leaves town and everything we think we are or have reveals itself to be nothing but a few flickering shadows on a few flickering walls? Ah, Grasshopper, that is the question.
My big fat opinion?
I can say without a shadow of doubt that there is at least one human being on the planet who not only knows what remains after all the conditional stuff of our life is gone, but has the knack of awakening the rest of us to that place.
Is he the only one? God only knows. Maybe there's a million. Maybe there's 23. Maybe all these Wise Ones are break dancing in a cave in the Himalayas or maybe they're meditating in a mall in New Jersey.
What does Maharaji have to say about this matter? "Go search the four corners of the world for this peace and if you cannot find it, come back to me. I'll be wherever you are."
In that primeval place, there is no past, no future, no Wall Street, no Wal-mart, no alimony, no acrimony, no cholesterol, no anti-oxidents, no anti-Christs, no waiting, no lines, no hanging chads. In that place, EVERYONE gets bailed out. And the currency is LOVE, sweet sweet love. Not love of this or love of that or love of him or her. Just love. Love with no bounds. Love with no agenda. Love with no strings.
That's it, folks! LOVE! What everything comes down to. Love, the universal donor. Love, the back stage pass. Love, what you do everything for. What moves you... and where it moves you to.
So let it be and let it go and let it rip. Take the wonderful bull of life by the horns (or at least wave the red flag instead of the white).
Now's the time. Everything up to this point has been prelude, the universe clearing it's throat so it could say something, far beyond words, and say it through YOU!
Oh great people of the blogosphere, don't hold back. Sing it out! Dance it out! Write it out! Speak it out! Be your beautiful self! And should it come to pass that you choose to ignore the lovely verbs in the previous sentence because they sound like too much of a rant, so be it! No problem. Whatever. No matter. But whatever you decide to do or not do, do it all the way.
There, you have it in a nutshell. Do it all the way! Do not hold back. Do not covet thy neighbor's lawnmower, i-phone, or URL. Do not worry about the Dow. The Tao? (No need to worry about that either). Your finances? Oy vey! Don't ask. Let go! Dive in! Have fun!
And remember... YOU ARE NOT IN THIS ALONE! OK, so maybe no one's going with you when it's time to leave your mortal coil, but while you're here? Rejoice! Reach out! Connect! Find your tribe! And when you do, make whatever effort it takes to get in the groove.
In the words of that famous hip hop philosopher, Johann von Wolfgang Goethe, "Whatever you can do or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it."
(Photo by Dujarandille)
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 12:03 AM | Comments (4)
February 03, 2009Homegrown Words of Wisdom
Thank you to David Gittlin for these words of wisdom -- his own.
What you believe to be your upper limit is only the cracked ceiling you have been staring at for too long. You can go higher. Guaranteed.
Surrendering to self-doubt is the same thing as making a deal with the devil. Instead, make a deal with your dream and soar.
God never says, "I hear ya' knockin' but you can't come in." Keep knocking.
If you want to be great, stop trying to fit in.
The greatest challenge is to enjoy the process of getting from here to there.
Get to know the genius inside you on a first name basis. It is necessary to develop a tough mind as we mature, but not at the expense of a sensitive heart.
Don't judge yourself by the bad things you've done. Focus on the good thing you are about to begin.
The secret to lasting happiness is a heart full of love connected to a mind full of positive thoughts.
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 02:50 AM | Comments (0)
January 07, 2009The Beauty of What's in Front of You
A man sat at a metro station in Washington DC and started to play the violin; it was a cold January morning. He played six Bach pieces for about 45 minutes. During that time, since it was rush hour, it was calculated that thousands of people went through the station, most of them on their way to work.
Three minutes went by and a middle aged man noticed there was musician playing. He slowed his pace and stopped for a few seconds -- then hurried to meet his schedule.
A minute later, the violinist received his first dollar tip: a woman threw the money in the till and, without stopping, continued to walk.
A few minutes later, someone leaned against the wall to listen to him, but the man looked at his watch and started to walk again. Clearly he was late for work.
The one who paid the most attention was a 3-year old boy...
His mother tried to rush him, but the boy stopped to look at the violinist. Finally the mother pushed hard and the child continued to walk turning his head all the time. This action was repeated by several other children. All the parents, without exception, forced them to move on.
In the 45 minutes the musician played, only 6 people stopped and stayed for a while. About 20 gave him money but continued to walk their normal pace. He collected $32. When he finished playing and silence took over, no one noticed it. No one applauded, nor was there any recognition.
No one knew this but the violinist was Joshua Bell, one of the best musicians in the world. He played one of the most intricate pieces ever written with a violin worth 3.5 million dollars.
Two days before his playing in the subway, Joshua Bell sold out at a theater in Boston and the seats averaged $100.
This is a real story. Joshua Bell playing incognito in the metro station was organized by the Washington Post as part of an social experiment about perception, taste and priorities of people. The themes were: in a commonplace environment at an inappropriate hour: How do we perceive beauty? Do we stop to appreciate it? Do we recognize the talent in an unexpected context?
One of the possible conclusions from this experience could be:
If we do not have a moment to stop and listen to one of the best musicians in the world playing the best music ever written, how many other things are we missing?
Ouch!
Try not to miss the beauty of life coming your way -- it may be right in front of you. Right now, in fact.
Thanks to Larry Lustbader and Matt Miller for forwarding the link.
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 02:14 PM | Comments (0)
December 13, 2008The Shortest Posts of 2008
In keeping with my height (5'8"), today's posting will be short. More to the point, it will be a hyperlinked list of Heart of the Matter's TOP TEN shortest postings of 2008 -- kind of like an early Christmas present for people with ADD. Each one will take you less time to read than it's taken you, so far, to get through this introduction.
Seeding is Believing
Remember This Feeling?
A Picture's Worth a Thousand Words
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 10:16 PM | Comments (0)
November 29, 2008Diving In Deeper
If you are new to Heart of the Matter, chances are good you've only seen a small percentage of what's available to you here -- more than 200 postings of all kinds: videos, slide shows, excerpts and reports from Maharaji's events, stories, personal reflections, poetry, humor, a talking puppet, links to cool resources, and much more.
You can always access the most recent 30 postings by logging onto the site and scrolling down. For the rest of the content, you'll need to click on the archives (in the sidebar beneath "Recent Entries"). But since you're already here right now, all you need to do is click the link below for a hot-linked list of all past postings. (If you find something you like, please feel free to forward it to friends, acquaintances, family, or neighbors. That's how word about this blog is getting out.)
Heart of the Matter Monthly Archives
October
September
August
July
June
May
April
March
February
January
Photo by Durango99
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 05:12 PM | Comments (0)
September 30, 2008Thirst Quench Thirst
Hello... You can hear nothing but the sound of my voice.
You are lovingly placing your cursor over the hotlinked phrase below, clicking once and buying at least one copy of my new book of poetry, Thirst Quench Thirst.
Do not concern yourself about whether or not you actually like poetry, read poetry, or have ever heard of me. Those concerns, while certainly understandable, are beside the point. Sometimes you just need to trust your instincts. Like now, for instance.
Some of the poems in this blog are excerpted from the book, so if you're still not sure, simply scroll around and read.
Oh, I almost forgot to mention, the book is only $15.00. At 72 pages, that's only $20.8 cents a page (1/18th the cost of a Starbuck's Frappucino). Such a deal!
Still need proof it's worth the money? Click below and check out the reviews:
Thirst, Quench Thirst evokes a memory of the deepest longings of the soul. Reading Mitch's poetry reminds me of what I already know, but often forget." -- Joan Apter
"This poetry has touched the deepest recesses of my heart." -- Dermott Philpott
"Mitch's poetry touches a universal human longing; the ache for internal connection to the divine. He speaks in a personal, simple, accessible way about things that are ancient and deep." -- Erika Andersen
"Most great love poetry baffles the mind, but delights the heart. And great love poetry cannot be written without great love. Mitch Ditkoff's poems are intoxicating." -- John Adorney
"This is the kind of nourishment that penetrates to the core of Divine Love, and if deeply imbibed, its sweet nectar can be savored for a lifetime." -- Jamie Delay
"Mitch mixed the most profound -- almost indescribable -- with the kind of simplicity that somehow manages to capture a feeling. Lovely stuff!" -- Candice Wilmore
"This book of poetry, delightful and charming, takes me right to the heart of the matter gently, often with wonderful humor! I read and re-read these poems just to take the ride." -- Kim Greene
"Not bad, but buy this book anyway so I can get a higher allowance." -- Jesse Pouget Ditkoff
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 05:23 PM | Comments (0)
July 29, 2008There's a Saint Louis, Missouri... Why Not a Saint Francis?
If you happen to be feeling overwhelmed at the moment, unappreciated, neglected, ignored, unloved, unsettled, diminished, disappointed, disillusioned, disgruntled, or just plain dissed, the following words from Saint Francis -- spoken over 800 years ago -- may be just what the doctor ordered.
By the way, you don't have to be a saint to get the value. Just a human being.
THE SAINT FRANCIS PRAYER
"O Lord, make me an instrument of Thy Peace!
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
Where there is injury, pardon;
Where there is discord, harmony;
Where there is doubt, faith;
Where there is despair, hope;
Where there is darkness, light, and
Where there is sorrow, joy.
Oh Divine Master, grant that I may not
so much seek to be consoled as to console;
to be understood as to understand;
to be loved as to love;
for it is in giving that we receive;
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
and it is in dying that we are born to Eternal Life."
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 09:13 PM | Comments (1)
July 04, 2008Ahhh... Watermelon!
Somewhere along the line you've probably heard of this thing called a "Zen Koan"-- a question or statement that cannot be "gotten" by the rational mind.
For centuries, Zen Masters have used them as a way to confound their students' habit of thinking too much -- with the intention of shocking the mind into a state of true awareness.
Appropriate responses to a koan may vary according to circumstances. Different teachers may demand different responses to a given koan on a given day. A fixed answer cannot be correct in every circumstance.
Sound familiar?
The Master -- Zen or otherwise -- is not looking for an answer in a specific form, but for evidence that the student has grasped something beyond duality, beyond mind, beyond all the strategizing and mental static that separates the seeker from the finder.
And now for the moment of truth...
"Where do you get the seeds to grow seedless watermelons?"
If you think you know the answer (or better yet, don't think, but know the answer anyway), click "sign in" below and lay it on me. I'll be giving away a copy of my new book, Awake at the Wheel, to the three people who submit the best answer in any of the following categories:
1. Funniest
2. Most Zen-like
3. Most accurate
All responses will be posted HERE within the next two weeks. Stay tuned.
And now... go eat some watermelon!
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 09:58 AM | Comments (3)
July 02, 2008Hidden Goodies for You
If you like what you see on this blog, I invite you to click on the April, March, February, and January links in the archives (located in the sidebar). There you will find another 81 postings which you will not be able to access any other way.
Like this one for seekers with only a minute to spare.
Or this one about the joy of heckling at a dinner party with Maharaji.
Or this piece of cosmic wisdom from Woody Allen.
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 10:26 PM | Comments (0)
June 28, 2008"Security is mostly a superstition. Life is either a daring adventure or nothing." (Helen Keller)
Feeling a little off today? Cash flow problems got you down? Relationship a bit shaky? Wondering how you're going to pay the rent?
If so, you may want to reflect on the above words of Hellen Keller, the inspiration behind The Miracle Worker, and the first deafblind person ever to graduate college.
Hey, you can SEE! You can HEAR! You can SPEAK! She couldn't -- and still she found her way through the obstacles to become a prolific author and a leading supporter of women's suffrage and worker's rights.
Hellen Keller was right. Security IS mostly a superstition. Life IS a daring adventure or nothing. The key, for all of us, is to stay conscious of this, make our little effort, and have some faith.
Everything happens for the best! Enjoy the adventure!
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 01:20 PM | Comments (1)
A Stroke of InsightThis 20 minute video is extraordinary. It's the story of a brain scientist, Jill Bolte Taylor, who had a severe stroke and, in the process, experienced the true essence of who she was. She makes a compelling case for the choice we all have -- separateness or unity, struggle or peace. Well worth watching. In the words of an old song whose name escapes me at the moment, "You are not your body, you are not your mind..."
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 02:46 AM | Comments (1)
June 01, 2008Shameless Self-Promotion
Dear Heart of the Matter reader:
If you are enjoying this blog, chances are good you will also enjoy my new book, Awake at the Wheel.
Part fable, part creative thinking toolbox, the book is a simple way to radically increase your chances of manifesting your most inspired ideas.
Although there are people who will say that "ideas are a dime a dozen," the fact of the matter is: your most inspired ideas are priceless. Indeed, they are often clues that there is something you are here to do.
Maybe it's an idea for a book you want to write. Maybe it's an idea for a business you want to start... or a change you want to make... or a way to serve in a new and exciting way.
Whether your idea is big small or big, it's yours and you cannot get it out of your head.
Why? Because it's trying to get your attention.
You may want to consider honoring this idea, instead of characterizing it as "mind" or "ego" or a bothersome thought distracting you from your "inner life." You may even want to follow the yellow brick road to it's ultimate manifestation.
If you do, Awake at the Wheel can help -- in a fun, entertaining, and useful way.
Intrigued? Then click here to find out more. Want to read what others have said about the book? Then click here. And if you want to read two recent reviews on the web, click here and here.
Oh... if you've already decided you want to buy the book, click here.
"If you do not express your own original ideas, if you do not listen to your own being, you will have betrayed yourself." -- Rollo May
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 07:52 AM | Comments (0)
May 30, 2008An 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, 2008It'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 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"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, 2008Jazzman
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)
February 05, 2008The Big Game
A few weeks ago, I watched the NY Giants beat the Green Bay Packers 23-20 in an NFL championship football game. I watched it with eight friends. As always, we had a fantastic time -- an experience that our wives (no matter how wonderful they may be) have never been able to fathom. Our viewing behavior, to them, is a merely a parody of the American male: two-dimensional, woefully predictable, and absurd.
That assessment, however, was not my experience as I watched the BIG GAME. No way. On the contrary, my experience was noble, ecstatic, tribal, and divine. Beyond the pretzels, popcorn, chips, and beer something else was happening.
At the risk of making a mountain out of a football game, allow me to share a few observations about the experience and, by extension, the experience of millions of men huddled together before the Big Game. In that sacred act of viewing, NOTHING ELSE WAS HAPPENING! Zero. Nada. Zilch. No work. No bills. No back taxes. No car repairs. No war in Iraq. No recession. No primaries. No relationship issues. No cholesterol. No this and no that. Only THE GAME. Pure immersion it was. Spontaneous expression. Presence. Unbridled emotion. Liberated laughter. And the kind of concentration most yogis would gladly trade their third eye for.
What, you may ask, has any of this to do with love, longing, and letting go -- the supposed topic of this supposed blog? Plenty. The state of mind (no, make that state of being), of the BIG GAME-watching, pretzel-munching men noted in the paragraphs above is exactly the state of being required of anyone wanting to have even the slightest chance of experiencing something glorious.
OK. Let's go to the slow motion, video replay of that last sentence: I'm talking focus, friends. I'm talking compelling goal. I'm talking feeling, humor, fun. The experience of uncensored delight. And the realization that anything is possible.
Please don't get me wrong. I'm not talking about the common garden variety trance experience induced by watching TV or a movie. No. I'm talking about the BIG GAME. The "All In" moment. The Full Monte. The No Turning Back. The This Is It. The There's No Tomorrow. And all of it sprinkled with a healthy dose of pepperoni and celebration even before anyone knows the final score.
Yes, I admit, the eight of us didn't deliver anything as a result of watching the BIG GAME -- no output, no product, no proof that we had used our time well. But so what? When you're eating chips and experiencing the Unified Field of Consciousness on the day the Lord rested and time stops as your team huddles in the freezing cold, against all odds, to gather together one more time, focused on the goal and absolutely free of constraint, doubt, and delusion, what is there left to say except:
Giants 23, Packers 20. (And in overtime, yet!)
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 10:09 PM | Comments (0)
February 03, 2008Seeding is Believing
I have recently been accused, by one of my friends, of writing overly long blog entries. At first I got a bit defensive, but then I realized how right he was. And so, it is with great respect to the blogospheric code of brevity, that I ask you all to contemplate one, simple, non-hyperlinked question today: Where do you find the seeds to grow seedless watermelons?
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 10:16 PM | Comments (0)
