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Sterling K. Brown, Kindred, He Got Game, Oprah Winfrey, and Dhammapada 21

Sunday Supplement #58 (June 19th, 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:

“Empathy begins with understanding life from another person’s perspective. Nobody has an objective experience of reality. It’s all through our own individual prisms.”

– Sterling K. Brown

Book of the Week:

Kindred – Octavia E. Butler

Octavia E. Butler was a bestselling author with multiple Hugo and Nebula awards. She became the first science-fiction writer to receive a MacArthur Fellowship in 1995.

Kindred is a standalone novel telling the story of a young African-American woman, Dana, as she inexplicably finds herself forced back and forth through time from present-day 1976 California to antebellum Maryland.

Dana’s first trip back in time puts her in the situation where she decides to save a drowning white boy from drowning. 

Dana’s subsequent trips back have her encountering the same young man. Her trips to the past become longer, and she must face difficult choices to ensure survival and return to her own time.

Butler’s Kindred brilliantly traverses race and gender issues, the history of slavery, and prospects of future egalitarianism.

Kindred is one of Butler’s most famous books and well worth checking out.

Movie of the Week:

He Got Game

Spike Lee is a legendary director and writer. His output as a filmmaker is phenomenal, and his Spike Lee “Joints” catalog contains many brilliant films and powerful stories.

Lee’s love of basketball is prolific, from the sidelines of New York Knicks games to commercials with Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant’s documentary Kobe Doin’ Work.

However, one of Lee’s most prolific contributions to basketball might be his film He Got Game.

He Got Game tells the story of Jesus Shuttlesworth, the number one high school prospect in America, as he contemplates what college to ply his trade.

Jesus’s decision is preyed on by almost everyone who knows him. An unexpected influence comes from his absent father, Jake.

Jake Shuttlesworth is serving a long-term sentence for the death of his wife. He gets released on parole for a week to try and persuade his son to play for the governor’s alma mater in exchange for a reduced prison sentence.

The story is beautifully told with standout performances from Denzel Washington as Jake and the young Ray Allen as Jesus.

Lee’s themes of acceptance, family strife, and the struggles of Black families living in the projects shine throughout.

There is much to appreciate in Spike Lee’s He Got Game, and it should be on any film lover’s or basketball fan’s watch list.

Brainfood of the Week:

Oprah Winfrey: The Secret of My Success

Oprah Winfrey spoke at Stanford Graduate School of Business’s View From The Top speaker series in 2014. This is a clip of Oprah answering a question about the secret of her success.

Oprah begins by explaining that her doing comes from her being. Compassion, willingness to understand and be understood, and wanting to connect make up her being.

Later, Oprah talks about the importance of her work on consciousness.

The video finishes with Oprah explaining that the core of her success was in the connection and understanding of her audience.

These are brief highlights of the video. The clip is five minutes, but the full video is worth checking out as well.

I’ve featured Oprah Winfrey in a few other Sunday Supplements. Her SuperSoul Sunday program is an excellent source of information on self-care and self-improvement.

Closing Spiritual Passage:

“Watchfulness is the path of immortality. Unwatchfulness is the path of death. Those who are watchful never die. Those who do not watch are already as dead.”

– Dhammapada 21

This verse from the Dhammapada reminds me of the importance of being open to view outside your own narrative.

Often we find ourselves filtering all our experiences through our own perspectives and passing judgments based on our viewpoint.

Keeping an open eye and observing without judgment is the key to welcoming a fresh perspective and leaving room for growth.

Our judgments and perspectives are often used to protect ourselves from foreign experiences and can be dangerous.

However, we are limited to our surroundings when we stay in our shells. We don’t let in any new sights and lose opportunities to grow.

The Dhammapada verse depicts how watchfulness allows us to love, experience new things, and continue growing—closing ourselves off does the opposite.

Observe without judgment, be open to new experiences, and have a blessed week ahead!

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Henry Ford, Money Master the Game, Gattaca, Wayne Dyer, and a Rig Veda Passage

Sunday Supplement #50 (April 24th, 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:

“Whether you think you can or can’t, you are right.”

– Henry Ford

Book of the Week:

Money Master the Game – Tony Robbins

I featured Tony Robbins’ Awaken the Giant Within in Sunday Supplement #30. His work in the self-help genre has touched millions and was the doorway to self-improvement for me.

When I heard that Robbins wrote a financial self-help book, I knew I had to check it out.

Money Master the Game used extensive research and one-on-one interviews with some of the most legendary financial experts in the world, including Warren Buffett and Ray Dalio, to develop a 7-step blueprint for financial freedom.

Robbins broke down complex financial principles into easily digestible concepts. The book takes readers of every income level through steps to help create a lifetime income plan.

I majored in business and found this book more informative than most textbooks I was forced to read throughout college.

The book is on the longer side and takes time to get through, but it is worth checking out. 

Robbins’ Unshakable is the more condensed sequel to Money Master the Game for those looking for a shorter read.

Movie of the Week:

Gattaca

Andrew Niccol’s Gattaca is set in the distant future where eugenics is commonplace and ensures children possess the best hereditary traits of their parents. 

Society experiences genetic discrimination, where those conceived outside the eugenics program cannot partake in higher positions in society.

Vincent Freeman, played by Ethan Hawke, dreams of becoming an astronaut and going to space. By adopting a validated citizen’s identity, Freeman attempts to achieve his dream.

The film brilliantly explores themes of eugenics and freedom of self-determination.

There are so many beautiful elements of Niccol’s film to enjoy. Hawke gives a powerful performance as Freeman, as does Jude Law in the role of Freeman’s friend Jerome/Eugene.

Gattaca was only nominated for one Academy Award, but it stands the test of time as a thought-provoking and magnificent science fiction story.

Brainfood of the Week:

Dr. Wayne Dyer on the Art of Manifestation | SuperSoul Sunday | Oprah Winfrey Network

I’ve featured Oprah Winfrey’s SuperSoul Sunday in Sunday Supplement #43 and am excited to have it in the Sunday Supplement again.

Winfrey’s series features exclusive interviews with top thinkers, authors, and spiritual leaders and explores themes like happiness, personal fulfillment, spirituality, and conscious living.

In this clip, Oprah’s guest is Wayne Dyer. In Sunday Supplement #22, I featured Dyer’s quote, “If you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.”

Winfrey and Dyer discuss manifestation and how it is different from the law of attraction. Dyer explains how we all have within us this amazing capacity to manifest anything into our lives.

The main lesson is that we attract into our lives what were are, not what we want.

If you say, “You are depressed,” your attention focuses on depression and more things to be depressed about. Feeling depressed can be okay because feelings change.

You get what you are rather than what you want. So, let negative feelings pass, but move towards an identity of happiness.

If you like this clip, check out more of Wayne Dyer’s work and more of Oprah Winfrey’s SuperSoul Sunday episodes. I’m sure I’ll feature both again in the future.

Closing Spiritual Passage:

“When there is harmony between the mind, heart, and resolution, then nothing is impossible.”

– Rig Veda

The Vedas are a body of religious texts originating in ancient India that compose some of the oldest scriptures of Hinduism. I feature them regularly as closing spiritual passages.

This passage refers to the idea that we can achieve anything if our mind, heart, and resolution are in harmony.

I’m reminded of the moments of flow when you have complete faith and trust what will happen next.

There have been moments in sports or in life where I know that I can achieve an outcome or reach a goal, and it’s happened.

This idea of manifestation has many crossovers in many different religions and philosophies.

The Rig Veda passage exemplifies the perfect state of being for bringing the possibilities you wish to see into your life.

Take a step on the path of whom you want to be, 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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Benjamin Franklin, The Courage to Be Disliked, The Martian, Eckhart Tolle, and The Four Immeasurables


Sunday Supplement #7 (June 27th, 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 this post that enriches your week ahead!

Quote of the Week:

“An investment in knowledge pays the best interest.”

– Benjamin Franklin

This Benjamin Franklin quote is a good reminder that investing in yourself is one of the wisest decisions you can make.

I can be a little tight with money at times, and I want to cultivate a healthier and more positive relationship with my finances. I’ve incorporated asking myself if a purchase will help me grow to gauge whether or not I should buy it. Another method I picked up from Tim Ferriss is to ask myself, 1 out of 10, if the purchase will be something I enjoy short-term and long-term. No 6’s! It makes things a lot clearer.

Book of the Week:

The Courage to Be Disliked – Ichiro Kishimi & Fumitake Koga

Most people know about Sigmund Freud and Carl Jung. Both are dubbed by many as the fathers of Western psychology. The Courage to Be Disliked focuses on Alfred Adler, who was a contemporary with Freud and Jung but isn’t as widely known. Adler was one of the first peers to split from Freud and was the founder of the school of individual psychology. 

Kishimi and Koga base their book on the work of Adler. It is written in a captivating style of discussion between a teacher and a student. They use the Socratic method of dialogue to convey the teachings of Adler. The text focuses on how you can free yourself from past identities and limitations and how to embrace change. 

The Courage to Be Disliked was a phenomenon in Japan and has been translated into multiple languages, including English. The book is a short read that flows by effortlessly. It is a fascinating read and is worth checking out. 

I’m looking forward to reading their follow-up, The Courage to Be Happy

Movie of the Week:

The Martian

Astronaut, Mark Watney, is left behind on Mars during an emergency evacuation after his crew assumes him dead. He uses his skills and the supplies left to him to try and survive years in a scenario that was only supposed to last a couple of months. While battling with his situation and the elements to stay alive, Watney has to find a way to contact Earth and come up with a plan to make it home.

The Martian was nominated for seven Academy Awards, including Best Motion Picture of the Year, Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role, and Best Writing – Adapted Screenplay. Matt Damon put in one of his best performances and was critical to the film’s success because of his immense presence on the screen. Ridley Scott directed the movie and used his vast experience to orchestrate all the components necessary for the final product. He had a run of poorly received films after American Gangster (2007), but he reminded critics and movie-goers of his talents behind the camera with 2015’s The Martian.

Drew Goddard adapted the screenplay from Andy Weir’s debut novel. Weir initially published the book in serial format, one chapter at a time on his website. He had a decent following from work he posted on his website, but his writing was a hobby at the time. Readers asked him to make The Martian available on Kindle, so Weir put it up for 99 cents. It quickly became a best-seller, and he later sold the rights to Crown Publishing Group. The success from the book and the movie allowed him to pursue writing full-time. His latest novel Project Hail Mary was released in May.

The Martian is one of my favorite feel-good movies. It has an excellent story and is visually stunning. The performances from all that were involved are wonderful. It is a fun film and one that should leave you smiling by the time the credits roll.

*The backstory on Andy Weir’s writing of The Martian is from a Q&A included on the Kindle version of The Martian

Brainfood of the Week:

Russell Brand’s interview with Eckhart Tolle on his podcast Under the Skin.

I’ve already discussed Russell Brand in my 2nd Sunday Supplement, so I’ll go right into a brief description for Eckhart Tolle.

Tolle is a spiritual teacher, public speaker, and best-selling author. His biggest endorsement probably comes from Oprah Winfrey. In 2008, she hosted a 10 episode web-series with Tolle based on his book, A New Earth. In a 2017 interview with him, she stated that what she learned from him “eliminated all stress from her life.”

Tolle has many other celebrity endorsements, but that isn’t always a positive for me. There are many celebrity-backed products that I don’t support and wouldn’t recommend to others. However, I’m glad that Tolle’s work has been highlighted by many.

In the podcast with Russell Brand, you get an idea of the kind of material Tolle teaches in his books. The interview is an enlightening discussion and one that made me a fan of Brand’s podcast. My issue with most interviews and podcasts is the host interrupting the guest. Brand gives great prompts to Tolle and lets him answer questions without interference. If you like the interview and want to check out more of Tolle’s work, I suggest checking out his YouTube page and his book The Power of Now.

Closing Spiritual Passage:

The Four Immeasurables – Buddhist Prayer

May everyone be happy,
May everyone be free from misery, 

May no one ever be separated from their happiness,
May everyone have equanimity, free from hatred and attachment.

The Four Immeasurables are a series of virtues in Buddhism. They are closely linked to meditation practices and are discussed in various Buddhist texts. The four virtues can be translated as— Loving-kindness, Compassion, Empathetic Joy, and Equanimity.

I’ve incorporated a mediation practice into my daily routine. It is something that helps me slow things down and puts me in a calm state. I do a little gratitude exercise before or after my meditation, which helps make positivity a habit. The difference in my days when I’m meditating vs. not meditating is why I’ve worked to make meditating a non-negotiable.

The above prayer is one I’ve been reflecting on lately. I encourage you to look into it and see the different variations and what they mean. It is a worthwhile exercise.

Have a blessed week ahead!

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