Tag: books

Judy Blume, The Alchemist, V for Vendetta, Freedom in Thought, and an African Proverb

Judy Blume, The Alchemist, V for Vendetta, Freedom in Thought, and an African Proverb

Published by Drew Alexander Ross on November 14, 2021

Sunday Supplement #27 (November 14th, 2021)

Below is another Sunday Supplement with a quote worth sharing, a book worth reading, a movie worth watching, brainfood worth consuming, and a spiritual passage worth pondering.

I hope you take something away from these recommendations that enriches your week ahead!

Quote of the Week:

“Each of us must confront our own fears, must come face to face with them. How we handle our fears will determine where we go with the rest of our lives. To experience adventure or to be limited by the fear of it.”

– Judy Blume

Book of the Week:

The Alchemist – Paulo Coelho

The Alchemist tells the story of a shepherd boy who travels from Spain to Egypt searching for a treasure buried near the pyramids. Santiago quests for his personal legend and meets many different people and challenges along the way. He doesn’t know what the treasure is and pursues many different avenues along his adventure.

There are many lessons that Santiago and the reader learn throughout the journey, and the importance of listening to our hearts is one of the most important.

I won’t spoil too much of the story, but I want to highlight one part from the book in this post. When Santiago makes the first leap into the unknown, he travels to a land where he doesn’t know the language. Santiago gets robbed and becomes stuck without any means to get back to his home country.

What’s incredible about this part of the journey is the reminder of the capacity for humans to land on their feet after falling. It is a lesson that gets repeated throughout the story and is one that we all should remember.

The Alchemist is one of the few books I’ve read multiple times. It always picks me out of a rut when I pick the book back up. I encourage you to give this short novel a read. Let me know what you think!

Movie of the Week:

V for Vendetta

This movie would have been perfect for a 5th of November post, but it is worth watching regardless of the time of year. The film is rated R for a reason and shouldn’t be watched on a whim, but the story, cinematography, and acting are superb.

V for Vendetta is set in a future Britain ruled by tyranny. A freedom fighter disguised behind a Guy Fawkes mask plots to expose and overthrow the government with the help of a young woman. The story is based on the graphic novel written by Alan Moore and illustrated by David Lloyd. While the movie received some criticism from the fans of the source material, the film on its own is a brilliantly executed motion picture.

The Wachowski’s adapted the graphic novel, and their friend, James McTeigue, directed it. Influence from The Matrix can be seen in the style of the movie. And on the acting side, Natalie Portman, Hugo Weaving, Stephen Rea, Stephen Fry, and John Hurt all give outstanding performances in their respective roles.

It’s worth repeating that the movie’s R rating is warranted. The violence and content of the film are graphic at times, but I believe that content serves a purpose. I don’t agree with some extremes, but that is one of the points in the movie.

V for Vendetta is a movie I recommend with some caution, but its lessons and warnings are captured brilliantly. It currently resides at 170 on IMDB’s Top Rated Movies list.

Brainfood of the Week:

Buddha – Conquer Fear, Become Free — Freedom in Thought

Freedom in Thought is a YouTube channel that breaks down philosophical concepts and explores them through dialogue.

In this video, the concept discussed is based on a quote from the Buddha in the Dhammapada. The Buddha says a wise person is beyond fear, and as a result, is truly free.

The video then uses a Zen story to set up an example that explores the Buddha’s words.

During a Japanese civil war, an army took control of different villages. In one village, everyone fled except for a Zen master. The general went to the temple to get the Zen master to submit to his will. He brought out his sword and said, “Fool, don’t you see? I’m the type of man that can put a sword through you without blinking an eye.” The master calmly replied, “Don’t you see? I’m the type of man who can have a sword put through him without blinking an eye.”

As long as we fear something, we are controlled by that thing. True freedom is to be without fear.

In a dialogue between a monk and a student, the video discusses different facets of fear and how to overcome them. It shows how fear is blinding and controlling. A person who is afraid projects what they are scared of and sees the world through a lens.

The source of fear is our desire to protect ourselves from pain. When we are afraid, we block ourselves from understanding and growth. We must accept pain and fate and focus on our actions and not the outcomes we can’t control.

There are many videos on Freedom in Thought worth exploring. Try this one out to see if it is something that you enjoy.

Closing Spiritual Passage:

“The unborn baby that fears criticism will never be born.”

– African Proverb

This African proverb is a great reminder for me and my creative pursuits. At times, I’ve not started a projected or have been tempted not to finish because I thought my idea was terrible. I realize looking back on those times I was just scared of the reception my writing would receive.

I always worked on finishing my projects no matter what, but I wouldn’t always let others see what I wrote. I’ve since worked on removing the barriers I’ve kept up to keep me safe. Every time I put myself out there, regardless of reception, I’ve learned something and grown.

An important lesson from this quote for me is to keep putting myself out there. I want to keep pushing myself to grow and experience new things, knowing that fear can hinder these. and I continue to work on being more comfortable with being uncomfortable. Baby steps helped me move along, but I’m working on taking more incredible leaps and knowing I’ll be okay.

Step outside your comfort zone, and have a blessed week ahead!

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Lao Tzu, The Power of Myth, The Lord of the Rings, Simon Sinek, and the Rig Veda

Lao Tzu, The Power of Myth, The Lord of the Rings, Simon Sinek, and the Rig Veda

Published by Drew Alexander Ross on November 7, 2021

Sunday Supplement #26 (November 7th, 2021)

Below is another Sunday Supplement with a quote worth sharing, a book worth reading, a movie worth watching, brainfood worth consuming, and a spiritual passage worth pondering.

I hope you take something away from these recommendations that enriches your week ahead!

Quote of the Week:

“The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.”

– Lao Tzu

Book of the Week:

The Power of Myth – Joseph Campbell and Bill Moyers

In 1988, PBS aired a six-episode series composed of interviews with Joseph Campbell. The companion book was released at the same time the series aired. The Power of Myth book has additional discussions not included in the original six-hour docuseries, but it follows a similar format.

The book is based on the interviews between Joseph Campbell and Bill Moyers. The discussion revolves around Campbell’s lifework in mythology and human history. Campbell uses his own life story and the knowledge of different civilizations’ myths and cultures to present the idea of a global story we all follow— the Hero’s Journey.

Campbell’s other works, The Hero with a Thousand Faces and The Masks of God, delve more deeply into the Hero’s Journey. However, The Power of Myth gives the main points and discusses how society has experienced struggle due to the loss of mythology and rights of passage in the modern-day.

The Power of Myth is a brilliant read that gives many insights into the universal human experience. It is well worth checking out and seeing if any of the stages apply to your life and how you can move forward.

Movie of the Week:

The Lord of the Rings (Extended Editions)

J.R.R. Tolkien wrote one of the most popular fiction trilogies in history. Peter Jackson adapted the novels into some of the most accomplished movies ever made. The story is fantasy and adventure-based, but there is so much quality that a genre pigeonhole can’t capture the whole experience.

Frodo, a Hobbit from the Shire, and eight companions set out on a journey to destroy the One Ring in the fires of Mount Doom to save Middle-Earth from the Dark Lord Sauron. Across the three films, the world of elves, men, and dwarves is explored and intricately woven into the story. The history and relationships of the people in the film are expertly depicted to give the story a more profound experience than a surface-level action flick.

So many details make these films a fantastic experience— too many to delve into in a short post. I’ll focus on two for the rest of this post.

The first is the practical effects of the films. So many movies in modern times rely on computer graphic imaging to create the effects the audience sees on the screen. Sometimes it works, but older films using this technology often appear outdated in recent times. Lord of the Rings has special effects and CGI, but they used many creative camera techniques to film in real-time and create beautiful and complex images on the screen. Fame Focus goes over some of the best effects in the movies that allowed the scale to be filmed, cities to be created, and actions sequences to be executed.

The other thing I want to touch on is the Hero’s Journey archetype of the story. The points in the journey are beautifully constructed and explored. Each character has their own journey, and many are richly created to have a whole arc. The overall story contains each point in the Hero’s Journey and helps to establish a connection with the audience. Even if you don’t like fantasy, there is something in these films that can resonate with you.

The extended editions are wonderful and fully encapsulate Tolkien’s stories, but either of Jackson’s versions is well worth watching.

Brainfood of the Week:

Simon Sinek – The Truth About Being the “Stupidest” Person in the Room

In Sunday Supplement #13, I featured a video from Simon Sinek about the paradox of being human. Sinek is an inspirational speaker and the author of multiple best-selling books.

In this video, Simon Sinek discusses the benefits of being okay with being the stupidest person in the room. He tells a story about a business meeting where he didn’t understand the concept delivered to the room. Sinek was okay with asking the presenter to repeat the presentation, and after a few questions, it was apparent the premise of the demonstration wasn’t straightforward. If he hadn’t spoken up, the rest of the group would have nodded along because they weren’t comfortable with saying they didn’t understand the presentation.

The idea of the video is that by being okay with being seen as dumb, you open the door for knowledge while being brave enough to speak up.

This video is only a couple of minutes long. It’s worth checking out to see if Simon Sinek is something you’d be interested in checking out.

Closing Spiritual Passage:

“A person can achieve everything by being simple and humble.”

– from the Rig Veda

This passage from the Hindu Vedas reminds me of the beauty of doing something you love. I’ve looked back on my actions in the past, and a lot of them used to be based on the feedback I hoped to receive. Moving toward doing more of what I love changed how I approached things and gave me more confidence to be myself. I asked myself whether I would still do the task if no one else knew what I was doing.

Writing, reading, and playing/watching soccer are all things I’ve done on my own. It’s fun to have company, and I enjoy sharing the things I love with others, but I would still do them independently. I believe if you have goals and dreams for making what you love into a career or a profession, you have to market yourself. But I think you should be doing what you love regardless of outside validation or not.

Like the Rig Veda passage, I often find myself the happiest and most successful doing what I love and not caring about the outcome.

Make time to do something you love and have a blessed week ahead!

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Chris Gardner, Spirited Away, The Crucible, Archetype of the Magician, and Proverbs 25:18

Chris Gardner, Spirited Away, The Crucible, Archetype of the Magician, and Proverbs 25:18

Published by Drew Alexander Ross on October 31, 2021

Sunday Supplement #25 (October 31st, 2021)

Below is another Sunday Supplement with a quote worth sharing, a movie worth watching, a book worth reading, brainfood worth consuming, and a spiritual passage worth pondering.

I hope you take something away from these recommendations that enriches your week ahead!

Quote of the Week:

“Strong people stand up for themselves, but stronger people stand up for others.”

– Chris Gardner

Movie of the Week:

Spirited Away

I highlighted Studio Ghibli in Sunday Supplement #2 and Sunday Supplement #16. Spirited Away is another brilliant movie from their catalog and is one of my favorite films.

The story follows 10-year-old Chihiro as she stumbles upon a world of gods, witches, and spirits. Her parents are turned into pigs for their greed, and Chihiro must find a way to fit into the magical world and figure out a way to save her parents. She receives help from Haku, a servant of the witch Yubaba, but must overcome many obstacles on her own while staying true to her feelings and beliefs.

One of the important takeaways from the movie is Chihiro’s belief in Haku when others do not trust him. The message of valuing friendship and standing up for what you believe in is subtle but powerful in the film.

Spirited Away won Best Animated Feature at the Oscars and is currently #28 on IMDB’s Top Rated Movies list. The film is a masterclass of storytelling, and the visuals are stunning. The themes in the movie (capitalism, spirituality, standing up for others) are brilliantly explored in a video by the YouTube channel The Take.

The story and tone of the film provide an exciting version of the Halloween movie. There are plenty of classic Halloween movies, but Hayao Miyazaki’s Spirited Away is one you should add to your list. There is so much to take away from the film, and I can’t recommend it more highly.

Book of the Week:

The Crucible – Arthur Miller

Arthur Miller’s classic play tells a fictionalized story about the witch-hunts and trials in 1700s Salem, Massachusetts. The story revolves around a disgraced maid, Abigail Williams, and her attempts to exact revenge by accusing citizens of Salem of practicing witchcraft. Her old employer, Elizabeth Proctor, is one of the women charged. And the accusation of Elizabeth comes after she was fired for a suspected illicit relationship with Elizabeth’s husband, John Proctor.

The Crucible touches on many themes about humanity and hysteria and is a valuable lesson of the power of fear and dishonesty. Miller wrote the play in 1953 and used the story to reflect the current times and effects of Senator Joseph McCarthy’s modern-day witch-hunt with Communism. The ruthlessness and eagerness of the community to turn on their neighbors is a reminder of the dark side of human nature and a warning against that path.

Halloween is often a chance to partake in festivities and should be celebrated, but inclusion and community should be at the center. The Crucible can be a way to connect with the history of witches in America while picking up some timeless lessons along the way.

Brainfood of the Week:

Like Stories of Old — Venturing into Sacred Space | Archetype of the Magician

Tom van der Linden is a video essayist whose YouTube channel (Like Stories of Old) explores different wisdoms, philosophies, social constructs, and spirituality. Linden’s videos tend to implement stories from authors and films to convey the thoughts behind the topics he discusses.

In this video, Linden goes over the final category in Robert Moore and Douglas Gillette’s book King, Warrior, Magician, Lover. The book is a venture into the four basic building blocks of our psychology. The video examines the archetype of the Magician and explores related concepts such as initiation, ritual process, and sacred space.

Lined quotes Carol S. Pearson for a description of the role: “The archetype of the magician teaches us about creation, about our capacity to bring into being what never was there before, about claiming our roles as co-creators of the universe.”

The video uses examples from movies and various books when discussing the archetype of the Magician. It focuses on the two sides of the archetype, Master of Technology and Knower. One has to do with the material world, and the other represents the personal psyche and internal/spiritual knowledge. The video then concludes with how the archetype of the Magician functions today. The qualities of the Magician revolve around the deconstruction of the ego, thoughtfulness, reflection, awareness, and insight. The purpose is to create and help others.

I recently came across Linden’s channel and am eagerly exploring its videos. The visuals and auditory background of his work are superb. The content is well worth checking out.

Closing Spiritual Passage:

“Telling lies about someone is as harmful as hitting him with an ax, or wounding him with a sword, or shooting him with a sharp arrow.”

– Proverbs 25:18

Amid Halloween celebrations, I see the masks and costumes we all put on for a bit of adventure. The above passage reminds me that people often still have masks on in everyday life. The previous entries on this post show the mistake of judging someone or bearing a false witness. I like to think that there is a reason for everyone’s actions, and a lot of times, crueler behavior masks an internal or previous wound. The backstory doesn’t excuse the action, but I try to pause and choose my response before making a hasty judgment.

One of the things I’ve learned and enjoyed is how a one-on-one conversation can completely change my perspective on someone I don’t know. It’s interesting to see people take off their masks and connect with someone I haven’t met before. Sometimes the best of these experiences have been with people I’ve judged before without knowing them or their story. I’m glad for these lessons, and I’m constantly working on being more aware of my thoughts and actions, especially when talking with and about other people.

Have a happy Halloween, and have a blessed week ahead!

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Pema Chödrön, Flowers for Algernon, Brokeback Mountain, Eckhart Tolle, and an African Proverb

Pema Chödrön, Flowers for Algernon, Brokeback Mountain, Eckhart Tolle, and an African Proverb

Published by Drew Alexander Ross on October 24, 2021

Sunday Supplement #24 (October 24th, 2021)

Below is another Sunday Supplement with a quote worth sharing, a book worth reading, a movie worth watching, brainfood worth consuming, and a spiritual passage worth pondering.

I hope you take something away from these recommendations that enriches your week ahead!

Quote of the Week:

“You are the sky. Everything else is just the weather.”

– Pema Chödrön

Book of the Week:

Flowers for Algernon – Daniel Keyes

A mentally disabled man, Charlie, undergoes an experimental program that increases his intelligence. His journey mirrors and coincides with a test animal, a mouse called Algernon. The story is told through Charlie’s diary entries and focuses on how he perceives the world after the brain operation increases his IQ and begins to change his life. The procedure goes into uncharted territory as Charlie’s intelligence expands and surpasses the doctors behind the experiment. When Algernon starts to show signs of deterioration, Charlie fights to make sure the same doesn’t happen to him.

This short novel is one of the most heart-wrenching books I’ve read. Every high school student should have to read this before graduating. If it has slipped through the cracks in your life, I highly encourage you to check it out.

Charlie’s realizations of the world he lived in and how some people treated him before he knew their true motives is stirring. And the change in his character as his IQ grows paints a vivid image of hubris and arrogance. The themes of morality, love, cruelty, empathy, and intelligence vs. wisdom are powerful.

Flowers for Algernon is a sad read but one of the most important books I’ve read in my life.

Movie of the Week:

Brokeback Mountain

In the early 1960s, a ranch-hand and a rodeo cowboy develop a relationship when they take a seasonal job herding sheep on Brokeback Mountain. Hardships beset them as they navigate their lives in a time that doesn’t welcome their relationship. Marriage to their girlfriends furthers the complications for both the men and women. The movie beautifully depicts each character’s struggles and is a landmark in Cinema.

Ang Lee directed the stunning film and won Best Achievement in Directing, becoming the first Asian person to receive the award. Heath Ledger, Jake Gyllenhaal, and Michelle Williams all received nominations for acting. The movie won Best Writing – Adapted Screenplay (Larry McMurtry and Diana Ossana) and Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures – Original Score (Gustavo Santaolalla). It was also nominated for Best Achievement in Cinematography and was famously nominated but not the recipient of the award for Best Motion Picture of the Year.

Brokeback Mountain came out in 2005 when it still wasn’t a widely accepted part of life to show in film. The movie was often referred to as the “gay cowboy flick” and was the recipient of many cruel jokes. An attitude.co.uk article paid tribute to Heath Ledger’s response when asked what he would say to people who believed the movie’s gay themes to be disgusting. The question represented a point of view that wasn’t widely criticized at the time and was handled amazingly by Ledger.

There are many reasons why Brokeback Mountain is a brilliant film. And the impact it made on the times is one of its lasting legacies.

Brainfood of the Week:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3JZdecMzaWY

Aligning with the Present Moment – Eckhart Tolle Teachings

I’ve highlighted Eckhart Tolle in two previous Brainfood of the Week posts, Sunday Supplement #7 and Sunday Supplement #18, but I still come across clips of his I think are worth sharing.

In this video, Tolle discusses becoming okay with the present. Many people have an antagonist relationship with the present moment, which causes a lot of unnecessary suffering and happiness. People can believe that a future moment is more important than the current moment. When this happens, you are never truly at home with the now; you are always looking forward to some other destination. And when there is little future left, some people turn to the past and think about previous moments.

Tolle states that one of the most important things in life is being aware of your relationship with the present moment. Is the now welcomed, appreciated, or accepted? A worthy goal is to have a harmonious relationship with the present moment. And coming to alignment with the present moment can bring about a shift in consciousness.

That is a brief summary of what Tolle talks about in the video. Check it out, and check out his other videos and writings if it calls to you.

Closing Spiritual Passage:

“He that beats the drum for the mad man to dance is not better than the madman himself.”

– African Proverb

This proverb reminds me of how we can be aware of others’ mental states but not always be empathetic. There can be someone who is upset or aggressive, and we make a judgment about who they are and how they are behaving. And at our worst, we can exacerbate the situation by provoking or laughing at that person. It might not be conscious, but this behavior can come up when us versus them mentality or an outsider is present. The African proverb provides a pulled-back perspective and shows us how we can be better.

In Sunday Supplement #10, I highlight David Foster Wallace’s “This Is Water” commencement speech. Wallace talks about how our certainties and judgments can be and often are totally wrong. At one point, he gives an example of someone cutting you off in traffic and our choice of how we respond. Most of the time, we don’t choose, and we just react. What if that person’s son or daughter is hurt, and the driver is just trying to help them as soon as possible? It might not be the case, but we have the option of how we view the situation.

These are reminders of how I can make my thoughts more conscious and what can happen if I choose not to practice that discipline.

Be aware of the music around you, choose how you dance, and have a blessed week ahead!

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Joyce Meyer, The Chronicles of Prydain, Good Will Hunting, Hugh Jackman, and a Zen Proverb

Joyce Meyer, The Chronicles of Prydain, Good Will Hunting, Hugh Jackman, and a Zen Proverb

Published by Drew Alexander Ross on October 17, 2021

Sunday Supplement #23 (October 17th, 2021)

Below is another Sunday Supplement with a quote worth sharing, a book worth reading, a movie worth watching, brainfood worth consuming, and a spiritual passage worth pondering.

I hope you take something away from these recommendations that enriches your week ahead!

Quote of the Week:

“Don’t wait for everything to be perfect before you decide to enjoy your life.”

– Joyce Meyer

Book of the Week:

The Chronicles of Prydain – Lloyd Alexander

I usually recommend a single book for this portion of the Sunday Supplement, but I’m recommending a Young Adult series this week. The Chronicles of Prydain consists of five books set in Prydain, a fictional country ruled by a High King who oversees several smaller kingdoms. Lloyd Alexander wrote the novels, and in the introductions of the books, he tells how he was inspired by Welsh folklore he became immersed in while receiving army combat intelligence training in World War II.

The first book, The Book of Three, follows Taran, an “assistant pig-keeper,” as he loses charge of caring for Hen Wen, a magical pig, and follows it into the forest, beginning his hero’s journey. On his adventure, he meets Prince Gwydion, son of the High King of Prydain, who is in pursuit of Hen Wen to consult the pig’s prophetic visions. The two team up, and after befriending a creature called Gorge, Taran gets captured by the “Cauldron-Born,” the undead warriors of the Horned King. While imprisoned, Taran befriends a princess held hostage, Eilonwy, and they escape captivity. They find the legendary sword Dyrnwyn in their retreat and later meet up with the rest of Taran’s group. Ffleeddur Fflam, a kind by birth who chooses to be a bard, joins their troop, and together with the companions (later joined by the dwarf Doli), determines to stop the plans of the Horned King and his maser Arwan.

The subsequent four novels follow Taran and each of the main characters established in the first book. Taran starts as a disgruntled young teenager who slowly learns to challenge and reframe his perceptions and thoughts about the world as he grows in each book. Each character has their own journey and contributes to each other’s growth in unique ways.

While this series is found in the Y/A or children’s sections of most libraries and stores, there is much to learn and enjoy from these books. I’ve read it in the last year, and it is one of my favorite ventures away from my usual reading patterns. I can’t recommend it more highly.

Movie of the Week:

Good Will Hunting

Good Will Hunting tells the story of Will Hunting, a 20-year-old South Boston janitor and unknown maths genius who becomes the patient of a therapist and student of a renowned advanced mathematics professor as a part of a deferred prosecution agreement after he assaults a police officer. The movie delves into his relationships with the therapist, the professor, his girlfriend, and his friends and how he starts to face the task of confronting his past and thinking about his future for the first time in his life.

This film is a brilliant story that shook up Hollywood at the script stage. Matt Damon (Will Hunting) and Ben Affleck (Will’s friend Chuckle) wrote the screenplay early on in their acting pursuits, and it was this movie that launched their careers. At first, it was hard for the young actors to get the film made because they were adamant they would be playing a couple of the lead roles in the movie. Finally, the script got into the hands of Robin Williams (Dr. Sean Maguire), and he signed on, which gave them the star power to get the green light for production.

After the long wait for the movie to get made, the outcome was Oscar glory for Matt Damon and Ben Affleck. They both won the Academy Award for Best Writing – Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen. The film was nominated for seven additional Oscars, including Best Picture, and won one other category, Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Robin Williams.)

In an interview with Graham Norton, Damon talked about the experience of winning the Oscar at 27 years old and how he had the grateful realization that he didn’t screw over anyone to get the award. He explained how much he appreciated that he didn’t pursue the award his whole life trying to fill a hole. It’s an interesting perspective given that resonates with a message in the film about intimacy. I encourage you to watch the movie and find the link. It’s a brilliant story and sits high on many top film lists for a reason.

Brainfood of the Week:

Hugh Jackman Interview on The Tim Ferriss Show

I’ve featured an interview from The Tim Ferriss Show in four other Sunday Supplements (#1, #5, #9, and #12.) Each interview is worth checking out, and this will be another brilliant one from the massive catalog of interviews conducted by Tim Ferriss. While the guests are the highlights from the podcast, Tim is a superb conductor for creating a fantastic flow and excellent dialogue with his guests.

In Sunday Supplement #1, I cover a brief background on Tim, so I’ll focus on Hugh Jackman and his interview for this post.

Hugh Jackman is an Academy Award-nominated actor, Golden Globe and Tony Award-winning performer, and philanthropist. He is often touted as one of the kindest people in Hollywood and makes an impression as much off-screen as he does on-screen.

In this episode of The Tim Ferriss Show, Tim asks questions about Jackman’s past and how he got into acting, his morning routine with his wife, and his faith and meditation practices. The interview takes a journey that paints a wonderful picture of Jackman’s life and how he got to the point where he is today. There are so many brilliant nuggets of wisdom to pick up from the interview, and it is also highly entertaining.

Check it out. It certainly won’t be a waste of your time.

Closing Spiritual Passage:

“Be master of mind rather than mastered by mind.”

– Zen Proverb

This quote reminds me of how the mind can be one of the most powerful tools in our arsenal if appropriately utilized. At our best, our minds can guide us and help us along the journeys we set for ourselves and the paths we want to explore. The experiences we encounter can be scary or exciting entirely depending on how we view the situation. Our thoughts and beliefs can all be our conscious decision if we learn to choose that way.

On the opposite side is an uncontrolled mind that directs our thoughts without our conscious input. I’ve noticed these reins most when I’ve come out of a funk or a binge and realized I had been in a hole for a certain amount of time without realizing I was there. Micheal Singer, who I highlighted in Sunday Supplement #12, discusses how we are like moviegoers at movie theaters in his book The Untethered Soul. We can get caught up in an emotional scene and get lost in the narrative, but if we pull back, we realize that we are conscious beings in control of how we view the picture.

This control is something I’ve worked on over the past few years of my life. It’s an interesting habit to build and one that has brought some amazing experiences. The Zen proverb above reminds me of the two relationships you can have with your mind. I believe the former is the experience we are meant to have.

Choose something next and exciting to do, and have a blessed week ahead!

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