Waiting for the Moon
This is simply exquisite. Music by John Adorney; vocals by Daya. Graphics by Fernando Garcia Munoz. Enjoy. Forward it to friends...
Thanks to Daniel Light for the heads up.
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 05:08 PM | Comments (1)
January 29, 2011This Just In!
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Do You Want to Bloom?
"There is a saying that I like a lot: 'Today is the first day of the rest of your life.' It is true: today is the first day of the rest of your life. What do you want to be? A real flower or a fake flower? Do you want to bloom? Do you want to give off that beautiful perfume, and dance in the wind?" - Maharaji
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 12:44 AM | Comments (0)
January 28, 201137 Awesome Quotes on Time
The biggest excuse people make about why they can't innovate is the lack of time. Really?
1. "Time is a created thing. To say 'I don't have time' is to say 'I don't want to.'" - Lao Tzu
2. "To achieve great things, two things are needed; a plan, and not quite enough time." - Leonard Bernstein
3. "Don't say you don't have enough time. You have exactly the same number of hours per day that were given to Helen Keller, Pasteur, Michaelangelo, Mother Teresa, Leonardo da Vinci, Thomas Jefferson, and Albert Einstein." - H. Jackson Brown
4. "The only reason for time is so that everything doesn't happen at once." - Albert Einstein
5. "The best thing about the future is that it comes one day at a time."- Abraham Lincoln
6. "Take time to deliberate; but when the time for action arrives, stop thinking and go in." - Napoleon Bonaparte
7. "Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life. Don't be trapped by dogma -- which is living with the results of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of others' opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary." - Steve Jobs
8. "Time isn't precious at all, because it is an illusion." - Eckhart Tolle
9. "Time is more valuable than money. You can get more money, but you cannot get more time." - Jim Rohn
10. "Defer no time, delays have dangerous ends." - William Shakespeare
11. "Time is what we want most, but what we use worst." - William Penn
12. "Time is but the stream I go a-fishing in." - Henry David Thoreau
13. "Time is too slow for those who wait, too swift for those who fear, too long for those who grieve, too short for those who rejoice, but for those who love, time is eternity." - Henry Van Dyke
15. "You may delay, but time will not." - Ben Franklin
16. "If you want work well done, select a busy man -- the other kind has no time." - Elbert Hubbard
17. "What then is time? If no one asks me, I know what it is. If I wish to explain it to him who asks, I do not know." - Saint Augustine
18. "Pick my left pocket of its silver dime, but spare the right -- it holds my golden time!" - Oliver Wendell Holmes
19. "Both young children and old people have a lot of time on their hands. That's probably why they get along so well." - Jonathan Carroll
20. "My time is now." - John Turner
21. "All my possessions for a moment of time." - Queen Elizabeth
22. "What may be done at any time will be done at no time." - Scottish proverb
23. "Half our life is spent trying to find something to do with the time we have rushed through life trying to save." - Will Rogers
24. "Time flies like an arrow. Fruit flies like a banana." - Groucho Marx
25. "I've been on a calendar, but I have never been on time." - Marilyn Monroe
26. "The surest way to be late is to have plenty of time." - Leo Kennedy
27. "A committee is a group that keeps minutes and loses hours." - Milton Berle
28. "The future has already arrived. It's just not evenly distributed yet." - William Gibson
29. "The key is in not spending time, but in investing it." -
Stephen Covey
30. "It's not enough to be busy, so are the ants. The question is, what are we busy about?" - Henry David Thoreau
31. "Take care of the minutes and the hours will take care of themselves." - Lord Chesterfield
32. "In truth, people can generally make time for what they choose to do; it is not really the time but the will that is lacking." - Sir John Lubbock
33. "I am definitely going to take a course on time management -- just as soon as I can work it into my schedule." - Louis Boone
34. "You will never 'find' time for anything. If you want time, you must make it." - Charles Bruxton
35. "The bad news is time flies. The good news is you're the pilot." -
- Michael Altshule
36. "Time is really the only capital that any human being has, and the only thing he can't afford to lose." - Thomas Edison
37. "The time for action is now. It's never too late to do something." - Carl Sandburg
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 07:33 PM | Comments (0)
January 25, 2011VIDEO: This Can Save Your Life
"Stone walls do not a prison make." - Richard Lovelace
Thanks to Wendy Lewis for making this fabulous video.
And thanks to John Dellasalla for the heads up.
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 03:32 PM | Comments (1)
HOW You Get There MattersThere is a set of stairs, with a moving escalator next to it -- both of which lead to the same place. At first, 97% of all people took the escalator. Then some engineers figured out how to change the percentage. Now, a whopping 66% more people take the stairs. Find out why -- then ask yourself what you can do to infuse your life (or the organization you work for) with more fun. Results will follow.
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Thanks to Celia Jennings for the heads up.
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January 24, 2011The Parable of the Brussel Sprout
First
there was
the eye of the needle,
then
the mustard seed,
the pillar of salt,
the coat of many colors,
and the belly of the whale
Now?
The unheralded
brussel sprout.
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 09:07 PM | Comments (0)
January 23, 2011Words of Peace Global Website
As most of you know, I am a big fan of Prem Rawat and have been his student since 1971. He is, quite simply, the most amazing person I have ever met -- a man with an extraordinary gift of love to give the world.
What you may not know is that his website is a great way to learn more about his work and what the essence of his message is...
Videos in languages other than English
Around the world
Humanitarian aid
Keys: frequently asked questions
Stories excerpted from Maharaji's talks
Publications (read online or order hard copy)
Introductory cards (download and print)
Materials in languages other than English
PS: If you know people who may be interested in Maharaji's message, please feel free to forward them this link.
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 07:45 AM | Comments (0)
January 22, 2011A Sign of the Times
I've been doing some fascinating research lately on the origins of common objects in our lives -- things we see daily, but often take for granted.
Like the Stop Sign, for example.
Most people think the Stop Sign was created to regulate traffic. Not true.
According to Dr. Ellison Burke of the Global Institute for Cross-Cultural Studies, the origin of the Stop Sign has nothing to do with traffic -- and dates back several thousand years.
Historical references to the Stop Sign have been noted in more than 27 civilizations, most notably Babylonia, Egypt, Mesopotamia, Sumeria, Crete, Rome, and the Han Dynasty.
According to social scientists, each of these civilizations experienced one or more periods of rapid growth now referred to in the literature as "Societal Acceleration Syndrome" -- the way in which daily transactions speed up in proportion to a civilization's escalating Gross National Product.
In other words, speed has become one of the most statistically predicable indicators of a civilization's development and, as I will get to later in this posting, eventual decline.
My research doesn't end here, however.
In each of the above-mentioned civilizations, there have always been a small, but vocal, group of citizens who -- concerned about the quickening pace of daily life -- have warned about this phenomenon.
Indeed, a joint longitudinal study conducted by the American Archeological Institute and the Asian Society for World Growth, has revealed that this "small, but highly committed group of citizens" has made repeated efforts to diffuse their respective society's "escalating addiction to velocity."
In Sumeria, for example, a fringe group of philosophers and poets routinely posted "Styopsian" signs at strategic intersections throughout the country -- not to stop traffic, but to stop unnecessary "mind movement."
Their effort resonated with the citizenry and eventually led to the widespread appearance of what modern day sociologists now refer to as "stop signs" -- in urban centers, small villages, cattle crossings, universities, and even cornfields.
One of the most curious facts I've unearthed in my research is this: For the past 2,000 years, Stop Signs, regardless of the country of origin, have always been octogonal.
Apparently, each side of this iconic 8-sided, cross-cultural symbol of hoped-for stillness, has been imbued with a secret teaching of great import:
1. Slow down
2. Pay attention
3. Look around
4. Pause
5. Look within
6. Breathe deeply
7. Appreciate
8. Move consciously
And so... the next time you see a Stop Sign, you may want to remember that you are in the act of receiving a very ancient message -- one that preceded Starbucks, Twitter, YouTube, MTV, and email by thousands of years.
Next week... the YIELD SIGN.
ED NOTE: It has recently come to my attention that some readers of this blog have questioned my research methods and the veracity of my findings. A quick Google search of "Dr. Ellison Burke" and the "Global Institute for Cross-Cultural Studies," they claim, reveals not a single link. Frankly, I am baffled by their assertions and have assigned five of my brightest research assistants to get to the bottom of this immediately. In the meantime, you may want to contemplate the semi-ancient words of modern day social scientists, Simon and Garfunkel:
"Slow down, you're moving too fast. Ya gotta make the morning last..."
PS: Here's what helps me slow down, pay attention, look around, pause, look within, breathe deeply, appreciate, and move consciously.
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 12:56 AM | Comments (4)
January 21, 201124 Awesome Quotes on Good Communication
1. "The most important thing in communication is hearing what isn't said." - Peter Drucker
2. "The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place." - George Bernard Shaw
3."Think like a wise man but communicate in the language of the people." - William Butler Yeats
4. "We have two ears and one mouth so that we can listen twice as much as we speak." - Epictetus
5. "Speak when you are angry -- and you'll make the best speech you'll ever regret." - Laurence Peters
6. "In the last analysis, what we are communicates far more eloquently than anything we say or do." - Stephen Covey
7. "The most important things are the hardest to say, because words diminish them." - Stephen King
8. "Of all of our inventions for mass communication, pictures still speak the most universally understood language." - Walt Disney
9. "Good communication is as stimulating as black coffee, and just as hard to sleep after." - Anne Morrow Lindbergh
10. "The two words information and communication are often used interchangeably, but they signify quite different things. Information is giving out; communication is getting through." - Sydney Harris
11. "Communication leads to community, that is, to understanding, intimacy and mutual valuing." - Rollo May
12. "Humor is the affectionate communication of insight." - Leo Rosten
13. "Science may never come up with a better office communication system than the coffee break." - Earl Wilson
14. "Communication is everyone's panacea for everything." - Tom Peters
15. "Two monologues do not make a dialogue." - Jeff Daly
16. "Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools, because they have to say something." - Plato
17. "Be still when you have nothing to say; when genuine passion moves you, say what you've got to say, and say it hot." - D.H. Lawrence
18. "Any problem, big or small, within a family, always seems to start with bad communication. Someone isn't listening." - Emma Thompson
19. "When people talk, listen completely. Most people never listen." - Ernest Hemingway
20. "You cannot truly listen to anyone and do anything else at the same time." - Scott Peck
21. "The difference between the right word and the almost right word is the difference between lightning and a lightning bug." - Mark Twain
22. "That which we are capable of feeling, we are capable of saying." - Cervantes
23. "I have an answering machine in my car. It says, 'I'm home now. But leave a message and I'll call when I'm out.'" - Steven Wright
24. "Give me the gift of a listening heart." - King Solomon
Thanks to Val Vadeboncoeur for locating a bunch of these
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 01:38 AM | Comments (0)
January 18, 2011Man's Best Friend
Yesterday was really weird. It began normally enough, with my kids scrambling to catch the school bus, my wife going to her studio, and me making my way to the local cafe for a cappuccino and toasted bagel. But that's where normal ended.
When I returned home an hour later, the front door was wide open and I could smell an unfamiliar incense coming from the living room. Cautious, I approached slowly.
There, sitting on the floor, completely unmoving, was a rather large dog (not mine). I think he was trying to tell me something...
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My best Friend
Barking up the right tree
Thanks to David Passes for the doggie
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 09:03 PM | Comments (2)
January 13, 2011Maharaji in Barcelona: 12/19/10
"From the heart, accept what is given to you, and make it so that the heart sings out in the sweetest gratitude. You cannot write a song for this heart. You cannot. Make things right, and the heart will sing. Let there be song."
Excerpted from Words of Peace Global
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 09:51 PM | Comments (0)
January 10, 2011A Picture's Worth 1,000 Words
Here's a beautiful photo from one of Maharaji's events in New Delhi on November 7-8. Just found it on Words of Peace Global. Click and scroll.
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 12:56 AM | Comments (0)
January 08, 2011Snow Day Revisited
It's a great feeling
when space opens up,
and time,
when you have nothing to do
except BE,
when all the demands
of your life
relax their grip
and you are free to enjoy --
free to let things
settle way down.
This often happens
on a snow day --
a good reminder
that it is possible.
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Illustration: Sara Shaffer
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 08:58 AM | Comments (0)
January 06, 2011What Did I Really Have?
George Bernard Shaw once said "that the test of a man or woman's breeding is how they behave in a quarrel."
In other words, what we're made of often doesn't become visible until we're confronted with a tough situation. Then all bets are off.
Here's an inspiring story about one such moment -- not the story of a quarrel, but the story of a peace loving Israeli man who found himself dealing with the stark reality of being on the front lines of war and, at the same time, experiencing something within him that was beyond all conflict.
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 11:56 PM | Comments (0)
January 04, 2011The Fisherman and the Banker
An investment banker was standing at the pier of a small coastal village when a small boat with just one fisherman docked. Inside the small boat were several large yellow fin tuna. The banker complimented the fisherman on the quality of his fish and asked how long it took to catch them.
The fisherman replied, "Only a little while."
The banker then asked, "Why didn't you stay out longer and catch more fish?"
The fisherman said, "Why bother? I now have more than enough to support my family's needs."
The banker then asked, "But what do you do with the rest of your time?"
The fisherman said, "I sleep late, fish a little, play with my children, take siesta with my wife, stroll into the village each evening and spend time with my family, I have a full and busy life."
The banker scoffed, "I am a Harvard MBA and could help you. You should spend more time fishing; and with the proceeds, buy a bigger boat! With the proceeds from the bigger boat you could buy several boats. Eventually you would have a fleet of fishing boats. Instead of selling your catch to a middleman you would sell directly to the processor, eventually opening your own cannery. You would control the product, processing and distribution. You would need to leave this small coastal fishing village and move to the capital city. After that, who knows, maybe you could take on the world!"
The fisherman asked, "How long will all of this take?"
To which the banker replied, "I'd say about 15 to 20 years."
"But what then?" asked the fisherman.
The Banker laughed, "That's the best part! When the time is right, you would announce an IPO and sell your company stock to the public and become very rich, you would make millions."
"Millions?...Then what?" the fisherman replied.
"Then you would retire and do whatever you want," said the banker. "What would you want to do?"
The fisherman answered: "I would sleep late, fish a little, play with my children, take siesta with my wife, stroll into the village each evening and spend time with my family."
Thanks to Neil Evans for submitting this wonderful story.
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 07:39 AM | Comments (0)
January 03, 2011VIDEO: Do Something Different
Here's a wonderful,
two-minute video
of Maharaji,
(AKA Prem Rawat),
speaking about the need
we all have to look within
and recognize
that which brings us life --
the beauty of a moment
and the peace that is
playing in the heart.
Posted by Mitch Ditkoff at 11:34 AM | Comments (2)
