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Alan Cohen, Waking Up, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, Improvement Pill, and The Bhagavad Gita

Alan Cohen, Waking Up, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, Improvement Pill, and The Bhagavad Gita

Published by Drew Alexander Ross on June 5, 2022

Sunday Supplement #56 (June 5th, 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:

“There is virtue in work, and there is virtue in rest. Use both and overlook neither.”

– Alan Cohen

Book of the Week:

Waking Up – Sam Harris

Multiple New York Times bestselling author Sam Harris explores how to live a spiritual life without religion in his book Waking Up. 

In the book, Harris outlines his journey of spirituality, what he’s learned, and the science that backs up the practice.

A few chapters delve into different religions and modern practices. Harris outlines the useful common ground while highlighting the pitfalls. 

Many spirituality books and practices believe their way is the only way or the best way to see the light. Waking Up provides a good litmus test to weed out the charlatans. 

Harris outlines the essentials for living a spiritual life that isn’t reliant on religion and shows how mediation is a rational practice.

Waking Up is worth reading and keeping in mind when delving into other spirituality books and practices.

Movie of the Week:

Ferris Bueller’s Day Off

John Hughes wrote and directed many classic 80s films. Ferris Bueller’s Day Off is arguably one of his best.

The film follows high school senior Ferris Bueller as he fakes sick a month before graduation. He’s skipped too many times before, and if he gets caught, he won’t graduate.

Ferris’s day off includes rousing his best friend from staying home actually sick, getting his girlfriend out of school, and going on numerous adventures in the city.

While Ferris and his friends go on their adventures, the school principal attempts to catch Ferris in his lie. Ferris’s sister also attempts to track him down after seeing the support from the school about his illness.

The movie was made for $5 million and grossed over $70 million at the box office. 

At the beginning and the end of the movie, Ferris Bueller states, “Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around every once in a while, you could miss it.”

The film stands the test of time and is worth checking out if you’re looking for a fun watch with interesting and upbeat themes.

Brainfood of the Week:

How To Meditate For Beginners – Improvement Pill

This Improvement Pill video discusses precisely how to meditate— where to meditate, what to do with your body, what to do with your mind, and how long you should do it.

The video uses information from the highly recommended book Mindfulness in Plain English by Bhante Gunaratana.

Improvement Pill’s video does a brilliant job of highlighting the optimal ways of meditation and also gives practical advice on making it easy to get started.

Mindfulness Breathing Mediation is the type of meditation the video uses as a guide and starting point.

The cumulative benefits show themselves at different times for different people. However, a meditation practice could be an invaluable addition to your personal care routine.

I’ve featured Improvement Pill recently in Sunday Supplement #54, but I’ve watched their videos for years. Their channel is an excellent source of knowledge on self-help subjects. 

Closing Spiritual Passage:

“When meditation is mastered, the mind is unwavering like the flame of a lamp in a windless place.”

– The Bhagavad Gita

This passage from the Bhagavad Gita reminds me of the importance of steady meditation practice.

Having one or two times in the day where you sit or lay in silence is a beautiful way to recuperate and give your body and mind a break.

The Bhagavad Gita passage reminds me of the effects of meditation when practiced over time.

While I haven’t mastered meditation, some of the most productive and calm times in my life have been after adopting a morning and evening mediation routine.

The Brainfood of the Week is an excellent video to help start a meditation practice. I also provide video prompts in Sunday Supplements #31 and #41 worth checking out.

Make time for yourself to rest your mind and body, and have a blessed week ahead!

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Mary Anne Radmacher, The Prince of Tides, Eternal Sunshine, One Day At A Time, and a Japanese Proverb

Mary Anne Radmacher, The Prince of Tides, Eternal Sunshine, One Day At A Time, and a Japanese Proverb

Published by Drew Alexander Ross on May 29, 2022

Sunday Supplement #55 (May 29th, 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:

“Courage does not always roar. Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying, ‘I will try again tomorrow.’”

– Mary Anne Radmacher

Book of the Week:

The Prince of Tides – Pat Conroy

Pat Conroy was a bestselling author with numerous awards for his novels and memoirs, including an F. Scott Fitzgerald Award in 2005.

Conroy’s novel The Prince of Tides is arguably his most famous.

Tom Wingo, a high school English teacher and football coach who recently lost his job, finds out his twin sister, Savannah, attempted another suicide and was hospitalized.

Wingo travels to New York to look after his sister and recounts the traumas of his upbringing.

The Wingo family has a tragic past that shaped each sibling’s life, which Tom has done his best to leave behind.

Tom is forced to relive the past after forming a relationship with Savannah’s psychologist that started by helping fill in the background of their childhood.

Wingo also has to deal with the present turmoil in his own family life after learning before leaving for New York that his wife is having an affair.

Pat Conroy’s brilliant novel spans forty years and takes a deep look into darker human experiences. It is a beautifully written and powerful story.

Movie of the Week:

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

Joel Barish, played by Jim Carrey, finds out that his girlfriend Clementine Kruczynski, played by Kate Winslet, had all her memories of him erased by the firm Lacuna after their latest fight.

Barish decides to undergo go the same procedure after feeling heartbroken and recounting his memories of their strained relationship.

Barish begins to experience earlier happy memories as the firm initiates the procedure and realizes that he does not want to forget her.

The film won one Oscar, Best Writing – Original Screenplay, and received one other nomination for Kate Winslet in Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role.

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind delves profoundly into the complicated nature of relationships. The visuals of the movie are fantastic.

Charlie Kaufman, Michel Gondry, and Pierre Bismuth crafted a brilliant film that offers a truly unique viewing experience.

Brainfood of the Week:

Taking It One Day At A Time | The School of Life

The School of Life is a YouTube channel consisting of psychologists, philosophers, and writers devoted to helping people lead calmer and more reliant lives.

I’ve featured their videos before in Sunday Supplement #33 and Sunday Supplement #51.

In this video, The School of Life focuses on the concept of taking it a day at a time and the lessons that perspective brings.

Many things we place our hopes on take a long time to realize. Whether those hopes come in the form of a dream career, a house, or a family, they often take years or even decades.

Sometimes life places us in situations where a long-term hopeful disposition becomes impossible to maintain.

The typical response is to take things one day at a time. And this perspective has a lot to offer regardless of your situation.

The School of Life discusses how taking it day by day reduces the degree of control we expect to bear on the future. It allows us to combat impatience and overly critical thinking.

Conversely, we can attend to the little gifts within our grasp. We can be grateful for the things we often take for granted. A few wins from the day can help us move forward.

This is just a synopsis of the video, but there is much more wisdom in the video and on The School of Life channel worth checking out. 

Closing Spiritual Passage:

“Three years sitting on a rock.” (石の上にも三年)

– Japanese Proverb

This Japanese proverb, three years sitting on a rock, speaks about change after hard times. 

It might be difficult to see where the change happens from sitting three years on a rock, but the difference is that the rock gets warm.

By persevering through difficult times, we can often find that our situations change, especially if we look at different perspectives.

Sometimes we need to take it a day at a time, but we can see how much change we’ve experienced when we look back over a long period.

Growth takes time. Difficult situations change or pass by. I think of this proverb and how I can use my days while knowing that the rock will provide me warmth.

Things might not seem good in moments, but look to the good things in your life and know that you will be further along your path as time passes.

Know that bad times will eventually pass, cherish the good in your life, and have a blessed week ahead!

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Simone de Beauvoir, Project Hail Mary, Apollo 13, The Locus Rule, and Surah Ar-Rahman 60

Simone de Beauvoir, Project Hail Mary, Apollo 13, The Locus Rule, and Surah Ar-Rahman 60

Published by Drew Alexander Ross on May 22, 2022

Sunday Supplement #54 (May 22nd, 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:

“Change your life today. Don’t gamble on the future, act now, without delay.”

– Simone de Beauvoir

Book of the Week:

Project Hail Mary – Andy Weir

In Sunday Supplement #7, I featured the film adaptation of Andy Weir’s book The Martian. Weir originally wrote the book one chapter at a time on his blog.

After completing the serial novel, some of Weir’s loyal readers asked him to self-publish the book on Kindle. He did, and the book went to #1 in science fiction.

Major publishers, Hollywood agents, and producers came knocking to pick up The Martian a few weeks later.

Andy Weir’s third novel, Project Hail Mary, is my favorite book that he’s written so far.

The book follows Ryland Grace, an 8th science teacher who had a previous life in academia as a leading thinker on microbiology.

At the start of the novel, Grace doesn’t know anything about his past life. He wakes up on a spaceship with severe amnesia on a last-chance mission to save humanity.

Grace’s fellow crew did not survive the induced sleep. While his memories fuzzily return, Grace realizes the enormity of his task.

Everyone on Earth is counting on him, even if he doesn’t remember why at the moment. 

Grace must save the Earth from an extinction-level event and might have a chance, thanks to an unexpected ally.

Movie of the Week:

Apollo 13

I have a list of movies to watch when I feel in a rut, and Apollo 13 makes the list. Themes like patience and perseverance stick out, but the story offers much more that resonates with me.

The Ron Howard film tells the story of the Apollo 13 space mission. 

NASA and the mission crew must devise a strategy to return the spacecraft to Earth after the spacecraft undergoes massive damage that threatens the lives of the astronauts.

Tom Hanks stars as crew leader Jim Lovell, with crewmates played by Bill Paxton and Kevin Bacon. 

While they work to solve the problem in space, Ed Harris, as flight director Gene Kranz, leads mission control at NASA.

Supporting roles from Gary Sinise, Kathleen Quinlan, and Jean Speegle Howard brilliantly round out the cast.

The Apollo 13 mission started as the third human-crewed mission meant to land on the moon. The news dumped it as something inconsequential until the potentially fatal setback.

Many great films came out in 1995 for the 68th Academy Awards, and I’m surprised Apollo 13 only won two: Best Sound and Best Film Editing.

The film is still one of my favorites, though, and holds up today as a worthy movie to have on your watch list.

Brainfood of the Week:

How To Stay Motivated | The Locus Rule

The beginning of this video highlights a study done by Claudia M. Mueller at Columbia University in 1998.

Mueller took groups of 5th graders and had them work on numerous puzzles by themselves.

Regardless of how the children did, they were told they performed well and performed better than most other kids. 

Half of the kids were told they scored high because they worked hard, while the other half were told it was because they were intelligent and gifted.

The video discusses the results of a second round of testing and then delves into the concept of the locus of control— the degree to which you believe you have control over your life.

An external locus of control leads to thinking that you can’t control the outcomes around you. You can fall into the trap of feeling like nothing you do matters and stop trying.

Studies on the locus of control have found that having an internal locus of control is the key to staying motivated. 

The video then gives the example of solving problems in your own life to help develop an internal locus of control. By fixing minor issues, you see your actions directly impact your life.

The YouTube channel Improvement Pill designed the video. Their videos are meant to inspire, motivate, or teach something that can change your life.

Closing Spiritual Passage:

“Is there any reward for good other than good?”

– Surah Ar-Rahman 60

This quote from the Quran reminds me of how to gauge my experiences when I’m interacting with people and my goals.

I believe that when we become focused on an outcome as the only reason for taking action, we will end up unhappy.

A quick example is when you let someone in front of you on the road, and the person doesn’t even bother to give you a little wave.

When I feel frustrated, I try to pause to figure out what’s behind the emotion. Sometimes an irritation just needs to pass, but if I did the action for a reward, I know I’m not in a good place.

This quote and the situations where outcomes are put above the actions remind me of the locus of control.

If I’m doing something good, the outcome might have a temporary letdown if it didn’t go to plan. However, I’m happy that I did the action and know I came from a good place.

Take action on something you want to do, and have a blessed week ahead!

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Albert Einstein, The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin, Dope, Ride the Wind, and a Rwandan Proverb

Albert Einstein, The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin, Dope, Ride the Wind, and a Rwandan Proverb

Published by Drew Alexander Ross on May 15, 2022

Sunday Supplement #53 (May 15th, 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:

“Life is like a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving.”

– Albert Einstein

Book of the Week:

The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin – Benjamin Franklin

Benjamin Franklin’s Autobiography contains various aspects of the founding father’s life, including early stories, thought processes, beliefs, and plans.

The book is divided into four parts. The first recounts his early life, including his fondness for reading and his apprenticeship with his brother, a Boston printer.

After a dispute with his brother, Franklin left for New York, Philadelphia, London, and back to Philadelphia. Franklin continues his own writing and publication pursuits all the while.

In part two, Franklin goes over thirteen virtues he wishes to perfect and his practice of keeping a notebook to keep track of his offenses.

Parts three and four continue recounting Franklin’s later years. He writes about his study of languages, his beliefs around the essentials of all religions, and his government involvement. 

Many brilliant little pieces of wisdom can be picked up by reading the Autobiography. One of my favorites is leaving someone an “out” in an argument.

The book can be dry at times, but it is worth pursuing to get an insight into one of the founding father’s thoughts on life in the 1700s.

Movie of the Week:

Dope

Rick Famuyiwa’s is a brilliant coming-of-age comedy/drama. The film follows Malcolm, a geek living in a tough neighborhood, interested in hip-hop but not living the gangster culture. 

Malcolm and his friends are more interested in school, and Malcolm sets his sights on Harvard. However, his college plans get interrupted when he attends a private party and ends up with a backpack full of drugs.

The movie follows Malcolm and his friends as they get caught in the situation of being forced to sell the drugs while trying to get finish school and get into college.

Rick Famuyiwa wrote and directed the film. He crafted an entertaining and engaging story that explores themes of race and self-acceptance packaged in a wild ride.

Dope didn’t make a huge impact in theaters, but it made $17 million off a $7 million budget and received an 88% critics rating and 83% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes.

The movie might not be for everyone (rated R), but the trailer is worth checking out to see if it’s something you’d want to put on your watch list.

Brainfood of the Week:

Let It Go, Ride the Wind | The Taoist Philosophy of Lieh Tzu

This video discusses the Taoist references to the life of Lieh Tzu. The Taoist sage is described as one who rode the wind with an admirable indifference to normal things.

The Liezi text is the primary source for the information in the video. It explores philosophical themes like the nature of reality, the purpose of life, and the workings of the mind.

The tendency of human beings to stand in their own way is a theme explored throughout the Liezi. The attempts to control the uncontrollable and fearing change are prominent.

There is an introduction in the video to Lieh Tzu, followed by a story of the legend of the Yellow Emperor and how he managed to learn to ride the wind like Lieh Tzu.

The video constantly reminds the viewer of the metaphors explored in the texts of a mental state where we move lightly through life when external circumstances don’t weigh us down. 

Many miracles are possible during this flow state. It’s when we doubt or overthink that we find ourselves failing or incapable of action. Worrying about outcomes burdens our experience.

The video explores much more of the Liezi text and the principles of Lieh Tzu.

Einzelgänger narrates and animates this video. I’ve featured his videos in previous Sunday Supplements and believe his channel is well worth checking out.

Closing Spiritual Passage:

“If you are building a house and a nail breaks, do you stop building, or do you change the nail?”

– Rwandan Proverb

This Rwandan Proverb reminds me of how often we can get caught up in minor matters when we should continue moving forward.

The perspective the proverb shows is a fantastic example of looking at the scale of a small problem in the context of a larger goal.

I think it’s easy in a moment to feel frustrated with something that goes against our wishes. Whether it’s a person or an outcome, we can get wrapped up in something outside ourselves.

Sometimes the best thing to do is to move on with our days. Every moment passes, and it’s not worth letting something small negatively affect our course.

The Rwandan proverb creates the perfect image for me to remember to pick up another nail rather than quitting work on my house.

Move past little things in your way, and have a blessed week ahead!

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Viktor Frankl, The Really Hard Problem, Catch Me If You Can, Existentialism, and Dhammapada 103

Viktor Frankl, The Really Hard Problem, Catch Me If You Can, Existentialism, and Dhammapada 103

Published by Drew Alexander Ross on May 8, 2022

Sunday Supplement #52 (May 8th, 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:

“If there is meaning in life at all, then there must be a meaning in suffering.”

– Viktor Frankl

Book of the Week:

The Really Hard Problem: Meaning in a Material World – Owen J. Flanagan

Owen Flanagan has the title of James B. Duke Professor ad Duke University, which is only given to a few faculty members with extraordinary records of achievement.

Flanagan teaches Philosophy and Neurobiology and has written extensively on the problem of consciousness and the meaning of life with regard to science and philosophy.

In The Really Hard Problem, Flanagan addresses how meaning is still possible in a material world without needing a supernatural explanation.

The Duke University professor uses concepts from philosophy, psychology, neuroscience, and evolutionary biology to outline his findings and beliefs. Flanagan also draws on practices from non-theistic spiritual traditions like Confucianism, Buddhism, and Stoicism.

The book outlines the concept of eudaimonia and how we can live a meaningful life through parameters like being moral, having true friends, opportunities to express our talents, experiencing beauty, and having trust.

Flanagan’s work is a brilliant insight into a human spiritual experience that doesn’t shy away from science. His books are worth checking out.

Movie of the Week:

Catch Me If You Can

Steven Spielberg’s Catch Me If You Can is based on the autobiography of con artist Frank Abagnale Jr. 

The movie opens with FBI agent Carl Hanratty (played by Tom Hanks) escorting Frank Jr (played by Leonardo DiCaprio) back to the United States.

Various meaningful moments of Frank Jr’s life are revisited to show how the young man became a notorious check forger. Along his journey, he took on the alias of a pilot, doctor, and lawyer as he conned millions of dollars with forged checks.

The story brilliantly explores honesty in interpersonal relationships as well as the upside and downside of wealth and fame versus being seen and loved for who you are.

There aren’t many movies that delve into moral themes deeply while having an adventurous and entertaining story as the vessel.

Catch Me If You Can didn’t win any Oscars and was only up for two categories at the Academy Awards in 2003. Regardless, it’s worthy of remembering and watching years later.

Brainfood of the Week:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UDz7xZkaoFk

Existentialism: Finding Meaning in Suffering | Freedom in Thought

The video opens with the question, “What does suffering mean to you?”

Viktor Frankl’s life and beliefs and Existentialism become the focus of the video to answer and find meaning in the question. 

Frankl is an Austrian neurologist, psychiatrist, philosopher, writer, and Holocaust survivor. He famously wrote the book Man’s Search For Meaning, chronicling his time as a prisoner and his psychotherapeutic method of logotherapy.

The video discusses how essentialism was a widespread belief before World War II. The belief states that we are all born with an essence and a purpose. 

However, many questioned this belief after the atrocities of WWII. It was hard to believe in a predestined meaning if all experiences were suffering.

Existentialism then became a wider spread philosophy. Its core concept is that we are born without a purpose and are left to define our own.

Some people believe this to be a depressing viewpoint because there is no ultimate or objective meaning. Others see it as a beautiful and liberating philosophy where we can have infinite amounts of meaning. 

Frankl’s philosophy allowed him to find meaning in his suffering.

“When we are no longer able to change a situation – just think of an incurable disease such as inoperable cancer – we are challenged to change ourselves.”

Life isn’t about avoiding suffering or stress at all costs. Finding meaning in suffering or finding something worth suffering for is a worthy goal.

The video delves into more positive sides of Existentialism, and I encourage you to view the whole thing. If you enjoy their breakdown of philosophical concepts, I feature another Freedom in Thought video in Sunday Supplement #27.

Closing Spiritual Passage:

“Greater in battle than the man who would conquer a thousand-thousand men is he who would conquer just one— himself.”

– Dhammapada 103

The Dhammapada is a collection of sayings from the Buddha and is one of the most widely read and known Buddhist scriptures.

This verse reminds me of the true power of having control over oneself.

There are many external obstacles and achievements to navigate in life, but one person is always with you along the way.

I believe some of the most important life lessons are learning to be happy with yourself and being fully conscious of your actions.

The Dhammapada verse reminds me that personal growth and well-being are two things worthy of a lifetime commitment.

Catch yourself in the moment, and have a blessed week ahead!

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