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Troy Palamalu, Tao Te Ching, Concussion, Jordan Peterson, and a Bhagavad Gita Passage

Sunday Supplement #143 (February 4th, 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:

“Playing professional sports, it’s important to eat healthy and take care of your body. In the offseason, rest is really important to me.”

– Troy Polamalu

Book of the Week:

Tao Te Ching – Lao Tzu (Ursula K. Le Guin)

Lao Tzu was a philosopher of Ancient China and is considered by some the founder of Taoism. The Tao Te Ching is a central Taoist text.

Ursula K. Le Guin studied the Tao Te Ching for over forty years. She consulted the literal translations and worked with Chinese scholars for her translation.

Le Guin’s version has wonderful footnotes of her thoughts on various verses. I’m a huge fan of the Hugo and Nebula Award-winning author and featured her in Sunday Supplement #44

In verse form, the Tao Te Ching describes the ideal existence, the Tao, the Way. The poems of the text have much beauty and depth.

Though the text is relatively short, I took my time reading it. I found myself pondering the contents of a poem for a while, sometimes putting the book down to let the verse sink in.

Movie of the Week:

Concussion

The 2015 biographical sports drama Concussion stars Will Smith as Bennet Omalu, a forensic pathologist who goes up against the NFL for trying to suppress his research.

Omalu’s work focuses on chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) brain degeneration suffered by professional American football players.

Peter Landesman wrote and directed the film based on the exposé “Game Brain” published in GQ magazine by Jeanne Marie Laskas.

Concussion didn’t get the best reviews or make the most money at the box office, but I thought it was a story worth portraying on the screen and that there was much to appreciate.

Brainfood of the Week:

Workaholics and the Importance of Rest | Jordan B. Peterson

I’ve featured Jordan Peterson in a couple of previous Sunday Supplements with the caveat that I don’t agree with everything he says, but his lectures are worth a listen.

Peterson is a clinical psychologist and author of bestselling self-help books and more than one hundred scientific papers.

In this clip, Peterson discusses the necessity of rest. He starts by quoting the Bible’s passage on God’s creation of the world and his resting on the seventh day.

He then discusses the utility of rest. The obvious is not burning yourself out so you can’t get back to work for an extended period. The other aspect I thought interesting was rest gives you a chance to reflect.

Give the video a watch if it piques your interest. You can take away what is useful to you and disregard the rest.

Closing Spiritual Passage:

“There is no possibility of one’s becoming a yogi if one eats too much or eats too little, sleeps too much or does not sleep enough.”

– Bhagavad Gita 6:16

I think this Bhagavad Gita verse is an interesting insight into the necessity of moderation in our day-to-day lives.

A yogi is a practitioner of Yoga— not solely the physical exercise popular in Western culture, but rather an encompassing group of physical, mental, and spiritual practices or disciplines that aim to still the mind.

Depending on the circumstances, an occasional excess or deprivation seems perfectly reasonable to me.

However, the necessity of regular sleep and a steady diet seems obvious, but it’s something we can often ignore.


Make sure you’re resting appropriately, and have a blessed week ahead!

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Alice Domar, 12 Rules for Life, Kiki’s Delivery Service, OWN SuperSoul Sunday, and an Atharva Veda Passage

Sunday Supplement #43 (March 6th, 2022)

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:

“When you’re trying to motivate yourself, appreciate the fact that you’re even thinking about making a change. And as you move forward, allow yourself to be good enough.”

– Alice Domar

Book of the Week:

12 Rules for Life – Jordan B. Peterson

The controversy around Jordan Peterson and his work drew me to reading his book and checking out his lectures.

In Sunday Supplement #38, I featured an interview with Peterson on The Tim Ferriss Show

The podcast episode is a good entry point to see if Peterson is someone you’d find worth checking out. He is a clinical psychologist, professor at the University of Toronto, and author of three bestselling self-help books.

I don’t agree with some of his viewpoints, but there are many nuggets of wisdom in his work.

12 Rules for Life is on the longer side and is a slow read, but the topics the book covers are worth perusing.

The chapters in the book range from “Treat Yourself Like Someone You Are Responsible For Helping” to “Do Not Bother Children When They Are Skateboarding.”

There are interesting statistics and examples used throughout the book to illustrate each section. You don’t have to agree with everything, but many insights are worth picking up.

Movie of the Week:

Kiki’s Delivery Service

It has been a while since I featured a Studio Ghibli film in a Sunday Supplement. I discussed some more well-known movies from their catalog in Supplements #2, #16, and #25.

However, Kiki’s Delivery Service was the breakthrough film for Studio Ghibli in Japan. The film adapted Eiko Kadona’s popular children’s fantasy novel of the same name and became the highest-grossing film in Japan the year of its release.

The story follows a thirteen-year-old witch on her mandatory year of independent life as she attempts to fit into a new community while supporting herself through an air courier service.

Kiki’s Delivery Service isn’t the most fast-paced film, but the YouTube channel The Take brilliantly illustrates how it is a perfect allegory for young creatives trying to make it on their own. 

The film’s themes, including work-life balance, are wonderfully explored in a beautiful setting with unique characters.

It is a surprisingly deep movie that is worth checking out if you’re up for a slow but meaningful film night.

Brainfood of the Week:

How to Free Yourself of Negative Thoughts | Oprah Winfrey Network 

Oprah Winfrey’s series SuperSoul Sunday is an excellent program that features exclusive interviews with top thinkers, authors, and spiritual leaders. 

The program explores themes like happiness, personal fulfillment, wellness, spirituality, and conscious living to provide thought-provoking and inspiring content to help viewers become their best selves.

In this clip, from her full episode with Michael Singer, they discuss choosing your engagement with events around yourself.

Our minds can create much chatter when engaged with external or internal events and emotions. The technique Singer explains is leaning away from reacting and giving yourself the chance to not become attached to negative emotions.

I’ve recommended two of Michael Singer’s books in previous Sunday Supplements, and I highly recommend his work.

One of the best tools I’ve picked up from him is the noticing game. You develop the habit of recognizing when you’re experiencing a negative emotion, so you can become aware of it and get to choose how you want to move forward.

Give this short clip a view and see if you’re interested in checking out some of Singer’s other work.

Closing Spiritual Passage:

“It takes time for a fruit to mature and acquire sweetness and become eatable; time is a prime factor for most good fortunes.”

– Atharva Veda 

I love quotes and passages that remind us to be patient with our results and to trust and know that the outcome will come.

This Atharva Veda perfectly captures the process of reaping what you sow. It is also an excellent companion to the quote about not digging up a seed to see if it’s growing.

One of my friends gave me the metaphor of taking a driving trip at night. When you get in the car, you don’t question that you will make it to your destination. 

You trust that the tools around you, your phone, the vehicle, your abilities as a driver, and the roads are more than enough for you to arrive safely.

Our lives mirror this metaphor in many ways. We have survived 100% of the challenges we’ve faced so far. We need to trust and know that things will be okay.

The Atharva Veda passage above reminds me that there is plenty of juicy fruit on the road ahead.

Give yourself a moment to recognize all the work you’ve done, and have a blessed week ahead!

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Pythagoras, The Four Agreements, Dead Poets Society, Jordan Peterson, and Lamentations 3:40

Sunday Supplement #38 (January 30th, 2022)

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:

“No one is free who has not obtained the empire of himself. No man is free who cannot command himself.”

– Pythagoras

Book of the Week:

The Four Agreements – Don Miguel Ruiz

Don Miguel Ruiz was born to parents who belonged to the Toltecs of Mexico. Rather than follows his family’s footsteps in the traditions of the Toltecs, Miguel chose to attend medical school and become a surgeon.

However, after a near-death experience, Ruiz devoted himself to the mastery of the ancient ancestral wisdom of the Toltecs and later on decided to pass on the knowledge he learned.

The Four Agreements has spent over a decade on The New York Times bestseller list.

Ruiz’s personal growth/self-help book is a wonderful journey that explores the highest principles in the Toltec teachings.

The book breaks down and discusses the four agreements: be impeccable with your word, don’t take anything personally, don’t make assumptions, and always do your best. Ruiz explains each agreement and has other chapters that help introduce and support the teachings and how to apply them to everyday life.

There are elements of spirituality in the book that might not align with everyone’s practices, but the roots of the lessons Ruiz writes about can apply to everyone. Each agreement shows the reader a helpful way of viewing themselves and the world around them.

The Four Agreements is a short read but a powerful one. It’s well worth checking out.

Movie of the Week:

Dead Poets Society

The 1989 film Dead Poets Society only won one Academy Award, but it is a movie that resonates beyond the year it came out.

The film follows maverick teacher John Keating, who takes the position of poetry teacher at an all-boys boarding school. The students at Welton Academy are expected to excel in their studies and become future lawyers and doctors. Keating encourages his students to pursue what fills them with joy, against the wishes of some parents and other faculty.

Robin Williams stars at John Keating. I’ve mentioned Williams’ work in Sunday Supplement #23 and Sunday Supplement #36, and a worthy movie list could include most of the late actor’s work.

In Dead Poets Society, Williams shines in one of his best roles. His improvisation skills are impeccable, and the film’s message is exemplified in his acting.

The film received four Oscar nominations, including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Acting in a Leading Role. It only won for Best Writing – Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen but arguably should have won at least one more.

Check out the movie if it sounds like something you’d enjoy, and see what categories you think it should have won.

Brainfood of the Week:

Jordan Peterson’s interview on The Tim Ferriss Show

Jordan Peterson is a controversial figure in some circles, but his views on most subjects are worth a listen even if you end up not agreeing with him. 

Peterson is a clinical psychologist, professor at the University of Toronto, and author of three bestselling self-help books and more than one hundred scientific papers that have transformed the modern understanding of personality.

I’ve highlighted five other Tim Ferriss interviews in the Sunday Supplements, and that is because I think he is one of the best hosts for the medium of interview podcasts.

Tim and Jordan discuss mythology, the Bible, mental health, and much more in this interview. One of my favorite parts of the interview is when Peterson challenges Ferriss’ views on psychedelics. This part of the interview raised valid points for both sides and exemplified a healthy way to debate. 

There are many grains of wisdom in this interview, and with a grain of salt, there is a lot to learn from Jordan Peterson.

Closing Spiritual Passage:

“Let us examine our ways and test them, and let us return to the Lord.”

– Lamentations 3:40

I didn’t have the healthiest exposure to Christianity as a kid (Catholic school), but I’m happy to find dissect and learn from the teachings in the Bible years later. The nuggets of wisdom in the religions and spiritual practices of the world are amazing.

I’m reminded of the necessity and usefulness of reflecting on our practices and beliefs in this passage. And for the second part of the passage, I believe it represents returning to love.

When I combine the two statements, I’m left with contemplating my actions and seeing if they align with love.

I think many religions and spiritual practices can be disfigured their interpretations, but when I find verses like this one, I’m reminded of how much wisdom is between the lines.

Some of the Bible’s passages are simple and profound. This one helps me remember to reflect and make sure I’m aligned with love.

Allow your actions to come from a place of love, and have a blessed week ahead!

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