Disappointed

Reading Da Vinci's Notebooks. Hugely disappointed. This was supposed to be one of the greatest geniuses of all time.... but his reflections are rather trite, boring, and pedestrian.

"Of the beaver one reads that when it is pursued, knowing this to be on account of the virtue of its testicles for medicinal uses and not being able to escape, it stops; and in order to be at peace with its pursuers bites off its testicles with its sharp teeth and leaves them to its enemies."

Wonderful lesson Leo, thanks. NEXT.

Without Meditation

Without meditation, where are peace and joy?
Without peace and joy, where is happiness?

Canadians Spend the MOST Time Online

Article here. Can't say that is surprising as half a year Canada is an ugly cold wasteland... subject to my article below, of course, but all things being equal, I saw no reason to stay.

How Each of Us Creates Our Own Experience

In honor of Kelly and Seth. Thank you for the gift of yourself!

Premise: each of us lives in the world of his or her own making. We create our own experience of life.

I will illustrate with the following example.

When I go swimming here in Phuket, I can create my experience in many different ways. I have MANY choices. I can THINK:

A. This really SUCKS. There are micro-organisms in the water (really, there are) that sometimes attack my skin and create unpleasant burning sensation. I HATE THIS.

B. Swimming here is Ok I suppose. There are vendors on the beach constantly bothering me, asking me to buy their stuff. I AM REALLY GETTING TIRED OF THIS.

C. I like it here. The water is very clean, the weather is sunny. Too bad Phuket is more expensive than the rest of Thailand.

D. I LOVE IT. The beach is amazing, I AM LIVING IN PARADISE. Everybody here is my friend. I appreciate the vendors so that I don't have to run to the store to buy a drink or ice cream if I want some. And I really don't mind paying little bit more for something so great as staying here. I am so grateful I can be here as most people never get that opportunity.

Which of these experiences is 'REAL'? None of them and all of them. IT'S COMPLETELY UP TO ME. I can live and create my life as I choose. I can choose either A, B, C, or D (or an INFINITY of other experiences, actually).

It is up to me. “What kind of day would you like to have???” I ask myself every morning.

And btw, don't say that it doesn't apply to you because you are not on the beach in Thailand. It is true in EVERY CIRCUMSTANCE. You choose what you want to experience. EVERYTHING IN YOUR LIFE IS A SUBJECT TO YOUR PERSPECTIVE, TO YOUR CHOICE.

So don't evade your responsibility, or your amazing ability as the designer and the creator of your life. USE THIS ABILITY WISELY.

What do you want to experience? At your job? With your partner? Interacting with others? Living your life?

The Heart of Spirituality

"Natural 'mystical' experience, unclothed in dogma, is the original religious therapy that is so often distorted in ecclesiastical organizations, but it represents man's innate recognition of his oneness with the source of his own being, and of his own experience."

The REAL Hangover

Here it is.

Writing

Writing has become my bread-and-butter way of earning a living. I wrote and published 31 books for Kindle so far (ranging from best-sellers to complete flops), and I am working on the 32nd. The goal is 100, and I know I will get there.

For whatever reason, I sometimes think of Jack London. Not that I would compare my writing with his... he was extremely talented and became the highest paid writer of his day. Unfortunately, he drank himself to an early grave.

The photo is of London working at his ranch in California, in 1905. Later in his life, London wrote solely for money to expand his ranch... a beautiful natural place. Peace Jack.

I'd Rather Be a Sparrow than a Snail

Koh Phi Phi - the beach from The Beach (2000)

I went island hoping today, in Koh Phi Phi, perhaps the most popular (and beautiful) group of islands in Thailand. The Beach (2000) with Leonardo Di Caprio was shot at Maya Bay, had to see it... as it turned out, Maya Bay became a very major attraction lot of people.

Having fun in the waters of Maya Bay. More busy than the movie, but still very nice. :)

The flora of the island was rather varied, rich, and interesting.

Later on dropped by the Bamboo Island. Had some fantastic coral reef snorkelling close to the shore. 

Saw lot of different fish and sea creatures.... unfortunately, no photos.

One of the best days ever. Koh Phi Phi rocks!

Metta... for Yourself and Others

Jesus on "How to Live"

"A healed mind does not plan. It carries out the plans that it receives through listening to wisdom that is not its own. It waits until it has been taught what should be done, and then proceeds to do it. It does not depend upon itself for anything except its adequacy to fulfill the plans assigned to it. It is secure in certainty that obstacles can not impede its progress to accomplishment of any goal that serves the greater plan established for the good of everyone.

A healed mind is relieved of the belief that it must plan, although it cannot know the outcome which is best, the means by which it is achieved, nor how to recognize the problem that the plan is made to solve. It must misuse the body in its plans until it recognizes this is so. But when it has accepted this as true, then is it healed, and lets the body go.

Enslavement of the body to the plans the unhealed mind sets up to save itself must make the body sick. It is not free to be the means of helping in a plan which far exceeds its own protection, and which needs its service for a little while. In this capacity is health assured. For everything the mind employs for this will function flawlessly, and with the strength that has been given it and cannot fail.

It is, perhaps, not easy to perceive that self-initiated plans are but defenses, with the purpose all of them were made to realize. They are the means by which a frightened mind would undertake its own protection, at the cost of truth. This is not difficult to realize in some forms which these self-deceptions take, where the denial of reality is very obvious. Yet planning is not often recognized as a defense.

The mind engaged in planning for itself is occupied in setting up control of future happenings. It does not think that it will be provided for, unless it makes its own provisions. Time becomes a future emphasis, to be controlled by learning and experience obtained from past events and previous beliefs. It overlooks the present, for it rests on the idea the past has taught enough to let the mind direct its future course.

The mind that plans is thus refusing to allow for change. What it has learned before becomes the basis for its future goals. Its past experience directs its choice of what will happen. And it does not see that here and now is everything it needs to guarantee a future quite unlike the past, without a continuity of any old ideas and sick beliefs. Anticipation plays no part at all, for present confidence directs the way.

Defenses are the plans you undertake to make against the truth. Their aim is to select what you approve, and disregard what you consider incompatible with your beliefs of your reality. Yet what remains is meaningless indeed. For it is your reality that is the "threat" which your defenses would attack, obscure, and take apart and crucify.

What could you not accept, if you but knew that everything that happens, all events, past, present and to come, are gently planned by One Whose only purpose is your good? Perhaps you have misunderstood His plan, for He would never offer pain to you. But your defenses did not let you see His loving blessing shine in every step you ever took. While you made plans for death, He led you gently to eternal life."

from A COURSE IN MIRACLES, LESSON 135

Looking for Flow

Phuket: 11 Photos

Yesterday I decided to take my Nikon to the beach, instead of the iPhone. It really shows in the photos. Enjoy. These are photos around my hotel, and at the Karon Beach.

Phuket: First Impressions

Took a 14 hour bus ride from Pattaya to Phuket on a double-decker bus, front seat on the upper floor. :) Got to see lot of Thailand that I wouldn't otherwise. Fascinating trip.
In the last few days, I checked out 3 different beaches. The best one, Karon, is about a 3 minute walk from the hotel.
Overall, Phuket really feels like the best of Thailand... and the most expensive. :) Mind you, still affordable, but expensive relative to just about anywhere else here. Rent is about 50% more expensive than in other places... but still totally worth it. :) Some photos from the beaches around the hotel, including Karon and Kata Noi. Awesome swimming, and very strong rip currents that could drown a weaker swimmer. Found some coral reefs and marine life while diving.

Radek's 4 Rules of Happy Life

I was going to post some photos from Phuket, but those can wait, this is more important. :)

Here are my 4 Golden Rules for life:

1. Be Silent - meaning stop useless mental chatter. Usually, so called 'thinking' is nothing but a bunch of worries, fears, anxieties, and a host of other negative emotions. Commit to Inner Silence. It's very pleasant.... what a relief to turn off the insanity of the mind!

2. Watch the Breath - if you stop paying attention to mental clutter, where should you keep your awareness then? Keep it at your breath. This is the foundation of meditation, and is a very pleasant thing to do. Read more about breath (Anapana) meditation. Buddha himself used this type of meditation as a vehicle to Enlightenment. You can do this virtually at ALL TIMES. Just watch the sensation of your breath going in and going out at your nostril. Especially good to practice in the 'off' moments. Washing your hands, walking down the street, getting ready for bed, commuting...etc. Your mind will start to shine and you will experience deep inner peace.

3. Practice Kindness - kindness is i) a choice.... and ii) the most powerful positive karmic force in the Universe. If you want to feel really happy and have good things happen in your life, this is the way. Buddha mentions the benefits of kindness: "One sleeps easily, wakes easily, dreams no evil dreams. One is dear to human beings, dear to non-human beings. The devas protect one. Neither fire, poison, nor weapons can touch one. One's mind gains concentration quickly. One's complexion is bright. One dies unconfused and – if penetrating no higher – will be reborn in heaven." More here.

4. Enjoy the Journey - forget about some future picnic ground. Relax into now. Be open to everything, give up likes and dislikes and embrace it all, every part of the journey. Accept what happens unconditionally. Stop wanting things to be different all the bloody time. Want what you have.

:) Be Happy.

Moving to Phuket

I am moving to Phuket in the next couple of days. My new place is about 4 minutes from Karon beach, one of the most beautiful of Phuket's beaches (so I hear) as well as the Kata beach (another top 5 Phuket beach).

God vs. Ego Goals

God vs. Ego goals.
You can have absolute freedom or a sense of control, but not both.
Wanting both means having neither.

Thailand Tops World's Happiness Survey

Article here.