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"Man must become comfortable in flowing from one role to another, one set of values to another, one life to another. Men must be free from boundaries, patterns and consistencies in order to be free to think, feel and create in new ways. Men have admired Prometheus and Mars too long; our God must become Proteus."

- Luke Rhinehart in The Dice Man

Who Can Say

Stages on the Path

 

Lot of wisdom in Campbell. He understood the spiritual process well.

The Walk - Loved It!

Saw it today, loved it. Even better than the documentary they released about this some years ago.

Genius

 Take it from a man who got 4 bullets in the back after an evening stroll. Lennon knew what he was talking about.

Strange World

A nobel-prize winning scientist dies in poverty.

Leprosy

A few days ago, I posted a photo of two dogs... when seeing them, a friend informed me that they have LEPROSY. That was a shock to my system. I remember petting one of them. It is good to know that I still have a capacity for doing some really dumb things. :)

Real Castaway

Quite interesting, for many reasons.

A Picture is Worth A Thousand Words

I don't know what happened to them, but it must have been very painful (no idea what merits such karma). They seemed to be healed now for the most part... both were very playful and spirited dogs. Love You. MAY ALL BEINGS BE HAPPY.

Great Energy

Suzuki Roshi always had great energy about himself. His books (and videos) reflect that.

Fantastic Movie, Loved It

Sunset Today

 

A wonder of light and shade.

Back to my Roots - Empiricism

Theories (belief systems, religions, 'teachings') are to be judged by experience, NEVER the other way around.

A GOOD theory will enhance, augment, expand, and ennoble experience.

Ultimately, experience leads beyond experience.

The Source of Peace

Swimming Metta

The sun finally came out today after many rainy days. So I went swimming at noon, had a blast in the pool. While swimming, I noticed a poor bug drowning in the middle of the pool. I stopped and took him out, and put him on dry land. He weakly lifted his head as if to look at me, catching his breath. I hope he recovered Ok.
I felt very happy the rest of the day. Goodness and kindness make us happy. And they have good karmic results beyond anything we may think. Buddha says it can take us to heaven (...though it cannot take us all the way to Enlightenment.)

"...when the heart-deliverance of loving-kindness is maintained in being, made much of, used as one's vehicle, used as one's foundation, established, consolidated, and properly managed, then eleven blessings can be expected. What are the eleven?
A man sleeps in comfort; he wakes in comfort; he dreams no evil dreams; he is dear to human beings; he is dear to non-human beings; the gods guard him; no fire or poison or weapon harms him; his mind can be quickly concentrated; the expression of his face is serene; he dies without falling into confusion; and, even if he fails to penetrate any further, he will pass on to the world of High Divinity, to the Brahma world." SOURCE

Have I mastered and developed kindness as Buddha suggests? Certainly not in all situations, but that is all the more reason to meditate on its benefits!

Global COOLING, not warming

The evidence now shows that there is a global cooling happening, not warming. So much for all the hype. Global warming stopped 15 years ago, according to the data.

Real Life Heroes Series

The whole series is worth watching... but I like especially this part. Whatever good we can do passing through this world...

Pattaya Declared a Disaster Zone

I still haven't been out to survey the damage. At least it stopped raining after several days.

You Are the Source of Your Happiness

Pattaya Flooded

Vamco hit Thailand pretty hard... torrents of rain coming down for hours. Pattaya got flooded, though I have not seen this myself, staying at home til the water drains seems like the smart thing to do. :)

Bound Upstream

Sunset Today (NOT photoshopped in any way)

 

“Seeking means: to have a goal; but finding means: to be free, to be receptive, to have no goal."― Hermann Hesse, Siddhartha

 

Worth seeing even if you're not into ping pong

As a strong ping pong player myself (I beat complete beginners as much as 3 times out of 10), I really appreciate this. :) When did we as people forget to laugh??? :)

See You on the Other Side, Wayne!

So Wayne Dyer passed on.

I have mixed feelings about that.

When I was 19 years old, I pulled his book YOUR ERRONEOUS ZONES out of a recycle bin. It was thrown there by a fundamentalist Christian who felt it was garbage.

Well, that book changed my life and got me unto a path towards better things. It opened 100 new doors for me. Always grateful for that.

Feel sadness the dude is gone, but he was a good man, chances are he got a good rebirth.

See you on the other side, Wayne!

My New T-shirt

I think only guys who had a pregnant wife will understand. :)

Reading

A fantastic 'life planning' book from a brilliant and a funny guy.

Shogun

The greatest historical adventure book of all time? Enjoying it a great deal after watching the mini-series many times.

You Can Say That Again

Sinking into Peace and Joy

Thanks to absorbing and practicing the Dhamma expositions by TB. I listen to 4 or 5 a day and I am finding wonderful results within myself and my life. The best living Dhamma teacher?

Formerly, I found him just a bit too 'cold and analytic'. Looking at it now, it seems those were just my negative karmic obstacles that I had to get through before having enough merit to be able to tap into this.

A Happy Opportunity

Pushing the Limits: Desire and Imagination in the Buddhist Path

A brilliant article by TB. Sheds light on some spiritual paradoxes and gently prods one in the right direction.

Everything, but...

"We sit in front of TV sets, we read the sacred tables of the baseball statistics, stock quotations, bank balances; we check the grades of children, loved ones, self; we measure salaries, complexions, grades, cars, penises, bosoms, square footage, frontage, savings, neighborhoods, nations - everything but vitality, which can't be measured and so is ignored."

Rhinehart, Luke (2013-03-22). The Search for the Dice Man (Kindle Locations 1603-1605). Luke Rhinehart. Kindle Edition.

Reading

The book that inspired one of the greatest movies of all time, a solid read too.

Force Does Not Work

If you like historical documentaries as much as I do, you will enjoy this one. :)

Force will never work to make a better world.

Today by the Pool

Why in the world would I go anywhere else?

Rooftop Meditation #1

Security. Everybody wants it. And it's such a source of suffering for most of us. People make terrible life decisions just to hang on to a semblance of security and end up living miserable and unfulfilling lives that they loath (working at a job that one does not like is rather common in the West).

We want security because we correctly perceive that we need it in order to be happy. We just look for it in the wrong place. Trying to find security in a world that is inherently unstable and unreliable is a recipe for a disaster. It cannot be build on such a flimsy foundation. It will always be vulnerable, unstable, and ultimately unsatisfactory (For starters, there are 3 defeaters of our security in the world: old age, sickness, and death... nevermind the day to day problems and difficulties that never stop.)

Where to look for security then?

There is only one place, and that is within. You need to find a place within yourself that is NOT unstable, changing, and a subject to disintegration. To get there, you have to dig deep. On the surface, you find only your mind, which is actually insane with its insatiability and contradictory wants. Dig deeper into your real being. Real security lies within, beyond the mind, in the depth of your being. Few find it, the place of unbroken Peace that changeth not.

My Meditation Hall

Virtually, the ONLY thing that I found I missed in Canada was the Fo Guang Shan Temple. Well, no more. :)

Our condo has an amazing Sky Lounge on the 29th floor overlooking the ocean and the city. It turned out to be a fantastic meditation place, my own meditation hall. :) I am so grateful for this. It has replaced the temple as a place for practice.

Most of the time there is nobody around. The trees, the plants, the ocean, the view... all set a suitable atmosphere. I do lot of walking meditation up here. I find it is hard to leave this place and I routinely become 'stuck' here for 2-3 hours at time.

Item #2

Married to a sweet gal. CHECK. Moved to a sweet condo. CHECK. Just signed a 6 month contract (renewable for another 6) and moved into a 2-bedroom condo in Jomtien... very nice place, clean, safe, swimming pool, gym, sauna...etc. Photos here. You cannot image what it's like to actually unpack after being 8 months on the road. A very happy occasion. Will stay here probably a year, possibly much longer. But mostly importantly, I have discovered here a good meditation area, which I needed badly... but about that in another post. :)

Married

Yup, I am a married man now. :)

Anglican Priest Goes Zen

The best documentary I have seen in a while.

Visitors

Black cat, white cat just showed up at my door. I gave them food and water. They rewarded me by making me laugh with their play. :)

Lazy Day at the Resort

It's the low season... so pretty much nobody around. I have the resort to myself.

Selfie

I don't think I posted a selfie all this time.... so here's one from today where I live in Jomtien.

Some Levity :)

The Love of my Life

 

Panita is the love of my life.... and we are getting married July 7th (7/7).... yes, that's less than 2 weeks away. :) 

That is not to say the wedding is on that day... wedding is somewhere in the future, no date has been set yet. But you are invited... once we know. :)

Quick Update

What have I been doing?
Running around Bangkok getting the necessary paperwork to get married, that's what. :)

On Friday, I am leaving for Jomtien. :)

New Realities in Canada

Article here. Close to one third of Ontarians live in poverty.

Engaged :)

I popped the question, she said yes. :)

Laos -> Thailand

After close to a week, I am leaving Laos tomorrow. Got my Thai visa....... and can't wait to get back to Thailand. :)

It was interesting being here for a week.... less people / tourists than Thailand, but more expensive (seems they have to import everything). Unfortunately, the infrastructure, shopping, food...etc. are nowhere near the level they are in Thailand.

I was glad to visit, but now I am glad to move on.

3 Days, 12000+ Kilometers, Slovakia to Laos

TOUCHDOWN. Just arrived to Vientiane, Laos, after a rather gruelling 12000+ kilometer journey involving 2 trains, 3 air planes, and a cab to spare.

From Slovakia to Prague, an 8 hour train ride, with the second train from Bratislava. The countryside was beautiful... but Bratislava looked really ghetto.

Waited in Prague for the plane.... then a 2 hour flight to Helsinki.

YUCK. Some of the absolutely worst travel experience at the Helsinki airport. 18 hour layover, spent the night shivering at the airport (IN JUNE, less than 10 degrees at night) which they do not bother heating.... also, no hot water in the bathrooms to warm your hands. REALLY FINLAND?? The $5 small water bottle for sale was just a cherry on the top. Helsinki never again... and I have absolutely no desire to visit other Scandinavian countries either.

PHOTO: Yah, you suck Finland.

Then 10-hour flight from Helsinki to Bangkok. Loved landing in BKK....... :) Unlike the morose European personnel, I was greeted by smiling and laughing Thais at the airport. What a contrast in people, weather...etc.

Then 1-hour flight from BKK to Vientiane, Laos. Went from Helsinki's 12 degree to Vientiane's 37... quite a difference. Absolutely loved and soaked up the heat!!! Not hot for me. LOVE IT.

Some photos from today. First impression: what an awesome city Vientiane is. I was surprised by how many green spaces there are here!!! Cheap rent too. $132 for a room for 6 days in the city center, reasonable accommodation, wifi included. :) Went walking today, great place, with friendly people who speak English everywhere. Cleaner, greener, and more spacious than Thailand. I am surprised.

The Free State

One of the best spiritual talks I ever heard (4 parts). The only 'downside' is that some of the things he says are rather advanced understanding, and thus incomprehensible to most people.

Leaving for Laos

Leaving Europe for Laos, flying tomorrow evening through Helsinki. I have never been to Laos, so it will be an interesting week there..... before obviously heading to Thailand. :)

Used to Take this Boat :)

I used to take this boat from Pattaya to Koh Larn (Coral Island). Sinking is inevitable with those things in Thailand, only a matter of time. They have no concept of retiring anything.

Photos from Slovakia

Leaving for Laos in a couple of days...... but before that, had a chance to spend some time with Aunt Olga in rural Slovakia. Some photos follow.

I missed this dish for 23 years. Traditional Slovak food. Tiny dumplings with goat cheese and bacon on top. DELICIOUS.

Dad with Aunt Olga. A picture is worth a thousand words. :)

Sheep pasture on a hill.

A view to the side. Slovakia has beautiful nature, thick woods, lots of green..... great day.

Today

A guy goes to an AA meeting looking bedraggled and unhappy. Someone asks him, “What’s the matter with you?” He says, “My wife was killed, my house burned down, I lost my job, and now I’m bankrupt.” So the other guy says, “Yeah, but that was yesterday.”

What's Next?

I am cutting the Euro trip short here, as I've had quite enough of Europe for a long time.... and returning to Asia in early June. :)

I will be landing in Vientiane, Laos... and looking forward to exploring the Mekong and the Golden Triangle. On June 10, I will be back in Thailand.... which is something that I am VERY happy about. :)

Empty

I noticed walking around town that it seemed fairly empty. It became clear today why...... There's 25% unemployment here, anybody who can leave, leaves. Slovakia joined the EU... but at a great cost. The only people you find here, it seems, are retirees or children. Slovaks have become day laborers across Europe, something that was the case 100 years ago.... a sad state of things.

Back to My Childhood.... After 23 Years

This morning I boarded a bus from Prague to a small town in central Slovakia where I grew up... and where I haven't been for 23 years. I was quite curious (and anxious) how it would feel to see it again after such a long time.

To my surprise, the place looks a lot better than I remember (the 40 year old broken sidewalk notwithstanding).

But I don't want to talk about that. I want to talk about how the place is DIFFERENT...about how time changes and disintegrates everything.

Everything that made this place dear to me is gone (friends are gone, family is dead....etc.). I returned a stranger to a place that I once loved. I still love it. It is beautiful and even though it is different, there are many memories everywhere and also that familiar feeling that assails me every time I turn a street corner.

But the place of my childhood, the place of my earliest memories, does not exist. I am a completely different person... and even if some things have not changed, the meaning it has for me has.

I am feeling a gamut of emotions. I am amazed, delighted, sad, jaded, and incredulous all at the same time. And something is dissolving in me, a very early attachment... the sentimentality and the glow of childhood, the mythical land of my earliest memories that was always just that, a myth...

You cannot step into the same river twice.
Damn right.

I sat by the river where I spent my childhood in a haze for a long time... feeling sadness and delight at the same time.

Cold vs. Heat

Cold kills 20 times more people than heat. Article here. So there may be a scientific basis to preferring heat to cold.

The New Poor... in Canada

Article here.

How to Handle Major Upsets

1. Ignore all thoughts about it (you cannot resolve it mentally through the mind / the ego).
2. Focus on the inner feeling, on the underlying nameless painful emotion.
3. Be willing 100% to experience the negative feeling of the upset, no matter how painful.

Your willingness to go into the experience, into the feeling 100% will dissolve it. What you resist, stays with you. It is your unwillingness to experience what you don't like that perpetuates it. When you allow yourself to feel all of it, you release it. It goes through you (and yes, it does hurt), but then it's GONE.

Something to ponder

Everything in excess turns into its opposite.

On the Road to Shambhala

Everyone is helpful, everyone is kind

On the road to Shambala

Everyone is lucky, everyone is so kind

On the road to Shambala

Czech Republic vs. Canada

World Hockey Championship is happening right now in Czech Republic. I am little tired of the Jagr-worship happening here. Annoying to say the least. It is like people have nothing other to live for than to cheer for Jagr here.

Czech Republic is meeting Canada in the semis. I am rooting for Canada all the way. Hope Canada hands it to them.

Bad Karma

Thailand is definitely creating some bad karma for itself. Is it too much to give dying people a drink of water??

Nothing Belongs To You

Europe vs. Asia - Which one do you prefer?

Prague, view from the Prague Castle

Phuket, Thailand... view of the Karon Beach

I don't know about you.... but it's Asia all the way for me. It's not that Europe is not interesting... it is, but it just doesn't hold a candle to more exotic places in the world. At least for me. :)

Surrender

Da Plan

So I have 3 months in Europe. Here's the plan:

1 month in Prague
1 month in Slovakia and Budapest, Hungary (I MUST re-visit the famous bath where people chill in the sun and play chess in water. I loved it as a kid. See the photo below.)
1 month in Athens!!! What a lovely place. Not only because of its history, but many amazing beaches (my weakness :)).

I remarked to a friend today that in the last 6 months I lived more than in previous 35 years.