Skip to content

Tag: fear

Ralph Waldo Emerson, 1Q84, Benny & Joon, Sadhguru, and a Japanese Proverb

Sunday Supplement #168 (July 28th, 2024)

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.

Please take something away from these recommendations that enriches your week ahead!

Quote of the Week:

“Always do what you’re afraid to do.”

– Ralph Waldo Emerson

Book of the Week:

1Q84 – Haruki Murakami

Haruki Murakami’s 1Q84 is one of his most critically divisive novels. It is over 1000 pages, depending on the edition you pick up, so I recommend it with a grain of salt.

The novel has a dual narrative between childhood friends Aomame and Tengo. Aomame begins to notice strange changes in her world (a fictional 1984 Japan) and embarks on a journey to discover what is real.

Tengo is a math tutor tasked with re-writing a novel by a girl he finds to be an account of her life in a cult. When he follows this thread, his world collides with Aomame again.

For me, reading Murakami’s prose is an experience akin to experiencing a dream. IQ84 isn’t one of my favorite Murakami novels, but it delivers on its epic scale and is worth the look for those interested.

I’ve featured Haruki Murakami’s books in three previous Sunday Supplements, and I highly recommend checking out his work.

Movie of the Week:

Benny & Joon

I watched Benny & Joon a little while ago and was delighted at the film’s scale and its delivery of a heartfelt story. There don’t seem to be as many smaller movies like these lately.

The story follows a mechanic, Benny, who takes care of his sister, Joon. He struggles with her doctor’s opinion that Joon should live in an assisted living facility.

When Benny loses a bet to his friend, he takes on another roommate in the form of Sam, an eccentric man who models himself after Buster Keaton.

Benny finds the living situation surprisingly effective when Sam and Joon form a bond, but he still struggles with living his own life in fear of Joon’s safety.

The Jeremiah S. Chechik directed, Barry Berman and Lesley McNeil written film has a standout cast that includes Aidan Quinn, Mary Stuart Masterson, Johnny Depp, and Julianne Moore.

Brainfood of the Week:

Troubled By Fear? Just Change Your Channel! – Sadhguru

I’ve featured Sadhguru in a handful of previous Sunday Supplements. He is an Indian yogi and bestselling author. His YouTube page has over 11 million followers.

In this video, Sadhguru responds to a question about how to overcome fear. He then discusses how fear can be excessive imagination about things that are not happening.

We can project imaginary scenarios that cause fear instead of overcoming what exists in the present.

Sadhguru advises working on gardening your thought patterns to produce different scenarios in your mind.

I think the video is an interesting reminder to control our thoughts instead of letting narratives run wild in our minds without our choosing.

Closing Spiritual Passage:

“If you feel like you’re losing everything, remember, trees lose their leaves every year, yet they still stand tall and wait for better days to come.”

– Japanese Proverb

This Japanese proverb reminds me not to let fears spiral out of control. I think when things don’t go as you hoped or planned, it’s easy to feel lost or worthless.

Whenever you get stuck in a bad situation, good times can feel so far away, and it might feel like you’ll never find your way back.

It’s easy to get wrapped up in negative thoughts, but it’s worth remembering that time will pass and things will change.

I think this proverb is a perfect example of the passage of time and how even when things seem bleak, there will be better times ahead. We shouldn’t dwell on what we cannot control.


Don’t let fear run amok, take action, and have a blessed week ahead!

Comments closed

Rosa Parks, It, Lars and the Real Girl, Tim Ferriss, and a Japanese Proverb

Sunday Supplement #119 (August 20th, 2023)

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.

Please take something away from these recommendations that enriches your week ahead!

Quote of the Week:

“I have learned over the years that when one’s mind is made up, this diminishes fear; knowing what must be done does away with fear.”

– Rosa Parks

Book of the Week:

It – Stephen King

For those who haven’t read this blog before, I’ve recommended quite a few Stephen King novels.

The previous posts have been varied to showcase the many different types of novels that King has written. They aren’t all horror books.

However, Stephen King’s classic It is definitely a horror novel. For those unfamiliar with the story, it’s about a small Maine town whose children are terrorized by a shapeshifting monster.

I’m not a huge horror fan, but I find that King’s “horror” books often are belittled by the tag. In It, the world of children vs. the world of adults is beautifully explored.

*There is one scene in the book I do not condone. Look it up to know precisely what you are getting into. Otherwise, I highly recommend this book.

Movie of the Week:

Lars and the Real Girl

The 2007 film follows Lars, a kind-hearted but socially awkward young man who starts a nonsexual relationship with an anatomically correct doll, Bianca.

Lars, played by Ryan Gosling, has haphephobia due to a traumatic childhood experience and lives on his brother Gus’s property in a converted garage.

Gus’s wife Karin attempts to engage with Lars, and throughout the course of the movie, the small town accepts Lars and Bianca and try to support him as a community.

Lars and the Real Girl is definitely an oddball film, but it has something special about it. The movie was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Writing – Original Screenplay.

Look it up if you’re interested, check it out, and let me know what you think!

Brainfood of the Week:

Why You Should Define Your Fears | Tim Ferriss | TED Talks

I’ve featured Tim Ferriss in many previous Sunday Supplements, but usually episodes from his podcast where he interviews top leaders/thinkers from various fields.

In this TED Talk, Ferriss discusses his experience with bipolar depression and the method he found best to combat the worst situations.

Ferriss discusses his studies around Stoicism, the historical figures who were students of the school of thought, and the Stoic exercise he found most helpful in his life.

The exercise focuses on training yourself to separate what you can control from what you cannot control through fear-setting. The practice involves filling out a prompt of “What if I did… – What might be the benefits of a partial attempt? – The cost of inaction.”

Watch the video for a complete look at the exercise and Ferriss’s experience with Stoicism. He is a bestselling author, top-rated podcaster, and blogger worth checking out.

Closing Spiritual Passage:

“Fear is only as deep as the mind allows.”

– Japanese Proverb

This Japanese proverb reminds me of the power the mind has over our experience of the world. This can be a positive thing or a negative thing, depending on our thoughts.

Often we can get lost in a tunnel of despair, where we can’t find any source of light or positivity to cling onto.

I believe that when we’re at our lowest, we need help. I highly recommend therapy or, at the very least, asking for help when we feel stuck.

The positive side of this proverb is that we have the power to conquer our fears. It is not something we are helpless against.

Be aware of your thoughts, conquer your fears, and have a blessed week ahead!

Comments closed

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

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!

1 Comment
2021 © Drew Alexander Ross