The Heart of the Matter
August 30, 2009
A Dozen Red Roses!

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Today, in a sudden fit of love and appreciation, I bought a dozen roses and brought them home to my wife.

Usually, when I think of buying roses, I go through a predictable sequence of events. First, I surrender to a wonderful feeling of expansiveness that takes me over. Then I get curious and smell the flowers. Then I ask the shopkeeper how long she thinks the roses will last.

Then I ask the per stem price, do the math, and reach the pitifully male conclusion that $46.95 is way too much too spend on something that won't last out the week and is probably less expensive somewhere else and it's obviously indulgent of me to be buying so many roses when I've got two kids to put through college in a few years and besides, beauty is within.

All of this, of course, is my inner Woody Allen taking the low road in response to what is obviously a Johnny Depp moment.

So I dig deep and bring the roses home -- my entire living room taking shape around them.

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I then become very aware that there are definitely not enough flowers in the room. In a curious way, the recent appearance of roses has made the rest of the room seem barren. Tabletops and shelves that only minutes ago were doing just fine, are now utterly flowerless.

So I do the only thing a man can do when faced with such a paradox -- I return to the flower shop.

But the shop is closed. Closed? Impossible! I need flowers!

So I get back in my car and speed my way to the other flower shop in town.

It, too, is closed -- or, should I say, closing. The owner is shutting the door and giving me the "too-bad-you-didn't-get-here a few-minutes-ago" look.

But I will not be denied. And he knows it.

"What do you want?" he asks.

"Cut flowers," I reply.

He signals me to enter and I buy way more flowers than makes sense. A ridiculous amount.

Let's put it this way: if I was in the federal witness protection program, my sudden flower buying behavior would have put my government handlers in a tizzy.

Fast forward ten minutes to my wife in our kitchen.

She is looking at me as if I am totally insane -- me, the guy who, only days ago was making an airtight case for a more modest household budget.

Here's my philosophy:

Flowers first. Logic second. If money is tight, buy more flowers. The more flowers you buy, the more money will appear. And if not in this lifetime, then the next (or maybe the one after that).

OK. There you go -- my not very financially sound, flower-centric view of the universe. You, my friend, are a witness. If I forget, please remind me.

Indeed, next time I see you (Woodstock? Asheville? Boston? Long Island? Miami?), you have my permission to ask me how the flower thing is going.

Remember, flowers first. (OK. Stop reading this blog. Go out and get some flowers, already).

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Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 09:50 PM | Comments (3)

August 25, 2009
A Message from Maharaji

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"Imagine you have a little boat. And you want to tie it to something because you found a perfect harbor with a beautiful beach and nice clear water, and you want to spend some time there and have a picnic.

But the wind is blowing, and there are rocks, and you don't want to smash your boat on the rocks. You brought a rope with you, and you also brought a big block of Styrofoam that floats on the water. So you tie your boat to it, and you're happy, smiling. The boat is secured to the Styrofoam.

Is everything okay? No problems? Big problems! The boat is going to drift because the Styrofoam is going to drift. If you don't want the boat to drift, you must find something that doesn't drift. That's why people use an anchor. They throw the anchor into the water, set it, then pull on it to make sure it is caught on something that doesn't drift.

What is there in your life that does not drift?

Everything is going to change. You're not going to want it to, but it is going to change. Your face is going to change, your ideas are going to change, and the way you view things is going to change.

This is the nature of the world you live in. It is bound by time, and time changes everything. And you are looking not to drift.

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So what is there that does not drift? To find that answer, you need to find your true self, because the true self does not drift.

Find the changeless and tie well this boat of life to the changeless. Then relax. Isn't that why you came into the harbor? Deep question. Isn't that why you're here with this incredible power to enjoy life in hand?

I don't want to change your religion or change your ways. I don't want to change your job. Do whatever you have to do, but know the difference between the permanent and the temporary.

There are all the things that are relative, and there is one thing that is not relative, that's absolute. And the absolute is within you. No variables.

You have life. That is absolute. One day you won't. But as long as you are alive, as long as breath comes into you, it is absolute. And as long as you are alive and can feel, as long as you have the capacity to be conscious, I say to you: be conscious of what is the real life.

Of all the things you could be conscious of, be aware of the existence that you have. Being aware of your existence brings joy, happiness, peace. Real peace."


Excerpted from "It's About You"
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Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 10:57 AM | Comments (1)

August 21, 2009
eBook Soon Coming!

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I am happy to announce that a PDF version of The Heart of the Matter will soon be available for downloading.

Response to the blog has been very favorable since its launch 16 months ago and I want to give readers another way to access the material - especially since a lot of the content is now buried in the archives.

My other reason for producing an ebook is to make it easy for Heart of the Matter readers to print it out and/or forward it to friends.

If you have a blog or website and are willing to post a link to the ebook, let me know and I will keep you posted.

If you have any other ideas for getting the word out, lay them on me.

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 11:34 AM | Comments (1)

August 13, 2009
VIDEO: Maharaji in Europe

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 02:01 AM | Comments (1)

August 10, 2009
VIDEO: What Makes Me Happy?

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Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 01:55 AM | Comments (0)

August 09, 2009
Facebook's Most Popular Blog on Love!

This just in!

The Heart of the Matter is now Facebook's most popular blog on LOVE. Really. Like #1. Numero Uno.

And so, in honor of this very cool distinction, here are some sweet reminders...

"Love is composed of a single soul inhabiting two bodies." - Aristotle

"I become a waterwheel, turning and tasting you, as long as water moves." - Rumi

"It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye." - Antoine de Saint-Exupery

"I have found the paradox that if I love until it hurts, then there is no hurt, but only more love." - Mother Teresa

"You should love one another and behave lovingly because when love comes, everything comes. You should speak to one another with love and humility. Love is the essence." - Prem Rawat (aka Maharaji)

More on love

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 03:59 AM | Comments (0)

August 08, 2009
I Am Yours

Beautiful song... beautiful voice... beautiful life.

Lyrics and vocals: Julie Howe
Artwork: Robert Howe
Link love: Martha Lotfe

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

August 05, 2009
If You Have to Pray...

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Graphic: YPI.net

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 04:10 AM | Comments (0)

August 04, 2009
Only You

Who are love songs REALLY written to?



Thanks to Diego de Alzaga for the link.

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 01:54 AM | Comments (0)

August 02, 2009
VIDEO: Maharaji at the Asheville Picnic

Some people (especially those who have never met Maharaji) think he only speaks at big venues, entering stage left and exiting like some kind of Wizard of Oz. Not true. Maharaji goes wherever the love is, wherever people -- thirsty for truth and ready to receive him -- come together -- even if it's in a tent...

Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 01:46 PM | Comments (2)

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