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Mahatma Gandhi, The Lords of Discipline, Yojimbo, Sadhguru, and Dhammapada 258

Mahatma Gandhi, The Lords of Discipline, Yojimbo, Sadhguru, and Dhammapada 258

Published by Drew Alexander Ross on September 11, 2022

Sunday Supplement #70 (September 11th, 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:

“You must be the change you want to see in the world.”

– Mahatma Gandhi

Book of the Week:

The Lords of Discipline – Pat Conroy

Pat Conroy’s The Lords of Discipline recounts Will McClean’s time as a cadet at a fictional Military Institute in Charleston, South Carolina.

Will is in his fourth year in the Institute and narrates his experiences over the four years, focusing on the school’s emphasis on hazing.

Will and his friends discover a secret society that aims to drive out any cadet deemed unworthy of graduating through whatever means necessary.

Their lives are threatened when they uncover the secret, and they must decide how far they are willing to go to protect fellow cadets.

Pat Conroy was a brilliant author. I featured him in Sunday Supplement #55, and I highly recommend his best works. The Lords of Discipline is one of them.

Movie of the Week:

Yojimbo

Akira Kurosawa is a legendary filmmaker. There have been many remakes of his classic movies for Western audiences, the most famous being The Magnificent Seven from Seven Samurai. 

Yojimbo tells the story of a town ruled by two criminal gangs. A ronin (wandering samurai) arrives and decides to play the gangs against each other to free the town’s people.

There aren’t too many classic movies that stand the test of time without being outdated in some way or another. However, Yojimbo holds up in every conceivable way.

The acting, led by Toshirô Mifune as The Samurai, is superb. The story is excellent. And everything from costume design to editing is beautifully detailed.

This is a great one to add to your list for those interested in delving into foreign films or seeing classics. If you’re just looking for an entertaining movie, Yojimbo fits the bill as well.

Brainfood of the Week:

How to Always Make the Right Decision? | Sadhguru

In this video, a young man asks Sadhguru, “How do we know we are making the right or wrong decision in the moment?”

Sadhguru discusses how you create conflict within yourself over every simple thing when you think this way. 

Nobody knows if they are doing the right or wrong thing.

The best you can do is to ask, “Is this something that brings well-being to me and everybody around me?”

The best we can do is to be reasonably balanced, clear, and happy when we decide.

I featured Sadhguru in Sunday Supplement #8. He is an Indian yogi and bestselling author. I find his videos from time to time, and they always provide thought-provoking content.

If you find this one interesting, check out his YouTube page, which has over 10 million followers and over a billion views. 

Closing Spiritual Passage:

“A man is not called wise because he talks and talks again; but if he is peaceful, loving, and fearless, then his is in truth called wise.”

– Dhammapada 258

This verse from the collection of Buddha’s sayings reminds me of the ideal of practicing what you preach.

I think the first step to action is realizing that there is something you wish to correct in yourself or in the world.

However, if those thoughts only remain words, then the actualized potential that comes through action will never occur.

The Dhammapada verse also shows how wise does not mean ruthless or dominating. I think power can be held in high regard, but while it may denote skill, wisdom can be absent.

My takeaway from this verse is to practice the ideals I hold up and to remember to center peace, love, and fearlessness in how I move forward.

Consider your beliefs, take action, and have a blessed week ahead!

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Thomas Merton, The Man’s Guide to Women, The Wind Rises, TED-Ed, and 1 John 4:18

Thomas Merton, The Man’s Guide to Women, The Wind Rises, TED-Ed, and 1 John 4:18

Published by Drew Alexander Ross on September 4, 2022

Sunday Supplement #69 (September 4th, 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:

“The beginning of love is to let those we love be perfectly themselves and not to twist them to fit our own image. Otherwise, we love only the reflection of ourselves we find in them.”

– Thomas Merton

Book of the Week:

The Man’s Guide to Women – John Gottman, PhD & Julie Schwartz Gottman, PhD

John and Julie Gottman’s book is based on 40 years of research. John is a world-renowned relationship expert, and his wife Julie is a clinical psychologist and researcher.

Their combined knowledge, along with co-authors Rachel and Doug Adams – best-selling authors about intimacy and passion – culminated in The Man’s Guide to Women.

The book addresses how men can make or break relationships, how to approach a woman and build a connection with her, and how to navigate relationships.

I don’t think relationship advice can be summed up in one book, but The Man’s Guide to Women provided many interesting findings and pointers.

Relationship books are a fascinating section of self-help literature and worth delving into. Check this one out and see if it resonates with you.

Movie of the Week:

The Wind Rises

The Wind Rises is a fictionalized biographical film about Jiro Horikoshi, the designer of two prestigious aircraft models used by the Empire of Japan during World War II.

Jiro’s journey starts with ambitions of becoming a pilot. However, due to his poor vision, he cannot fly, but he quickly finds himself dreaming of building his own planes.

What fascinated me with The Wind Rises was the exploration of Jiro’s dreams and how the government’s agenda created much adversity around pursuing that dream.

The relationship between Jiro and Naoko and the challenges they faced in their lives was also beautifully depicted.

The Wind Rises was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Animated Feature and a Golden Globe Award for Best Foreign Language Film.

I haven’t featured a Studio Ghibli movie in a while, but I’m glad I have the chance to recommend another one of their brilliant films.

Brainfood of the Week:

3 Tips to Boost Your Confidence | TED-Ed

This short presentation is an animated video that dissects confidence and explains three easy tips for how to boost your own.

The video discusses confidence as self-worth— believing you are valuable, worthwhile, and capable. Add optimism, self-esteem, empowerment, and courage, and you have confidence.

Several factors that impact confidence are genes, how you’re treated, and the choices you make in your life.

The three tips the video goes over are quick fixes, belief in your ability to improve, and practicing failure.

TED-Ed goes over each of these tips in detail and provides examples of why and how these tips can help boost your confidence.

There are many short videos that provide helpful information, and this TED-Ed video is one worth checking out.

Closing Spiritual Passage:

“There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love.”

– 1 John 4:18

This Bible passage reminds me of the power of love.

In my first Sunday Supplement, I discussed Matthew 22:39 and how you pour from an empty cup if you don’t have love for yourself.

I believe this sentiment comes up in this passage as well. If you do not have love for yourself, you will have doubts about your value and your actions.

There can be pain if things don’t turn out the way you wanted them to, but when you know you acted out of love, you know you did your best.

Do your best to act from love, and have a blessed week ahead!

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Evelyn Beatrice Hall, Battle Royale, Straight Outta Compton, The History Channel, and Bhagavad Gita 6:35

Evelyn Beatrice Hall, Battle Royale, Straight Outta Compton, The History Channel, and Bhagavad Gita 6:35

Published by Drew Alexander Ross on August 28, 2022

Sunday Supplement #68 (August 28th, 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 the recommendations that enriches your week ahead!

Quote of the Week:

“I may not agree with what you have to say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.”

– Evelyn Beatrice Hall (Voltaire)

Book of the Week:

Battle Royale – Koshun Takami

Koshun Takami’s first novel, Battle Royale, tells the story of a class of junior high school students who are forced to fight each other to the death on a deserted island.

The students make up one of fifty random classes selected each year by the fictional racist government known as the Republic of Greater East Asia.

This novel isn’t one I recommend lightly. Controversy and acclaim followed the novel’s publishing in Japan and its subsequent film and manga adaptations.

The book contains many acts of violence and isn’t a story that should be consumed on a whim. However, I think the novel has many valuable facets.

I highlight Battle Royale because of the quality of the writing and storytelling and its exploration of the themes of totalitarianism, courage, and friendship.

Much like William Golding’s Lord of the Flies, which I featured in Sunday Supplement #41, Battle Royale pushes boundaries in thought-provoking ways and is worth checking out.

Movie of the Week:

Straight Outta Compton

F. Gary Gray’s historical drama Straight Outta Compton covers the genesis of the rap group N.W.A. and the controversy around the group.

The rap group’s music changed the hip-hop world and became a mainstream phenomenon that received heavy criticism.

Straight Outta Compton does an excellent job telling the stories of the members of N.W.A, their personal and public struggles, and why their story is important.

When looking back on the music from the rap group, there are plenty of criticisms to be made, particularly around the treatment of women. 

However, the group was pivotal in bringing marginalized voices to mainstream attention. And just because some didn’t like the music doesn’t mean they should be silenced.

Censorship of music isn’t a new phenomenon, but Straight Outta Compton does an excellent job of capturing an important part of its history.

Brainfood of the Week:

What Does “Freedom of Speech” Mean in the U.S.? | The History Channel

This short clip from The History Channel breaks down free speech, how it factors into the U.S. Constitution, and the limitations and protections of free speech in the U.S.

The video starts with the Bill of Rights and how the First Amendment guarantees freedom of press, protest, religion, assembly, and speech.

As the video addresses each question around free speech, it shows how much history the Constitutional right has over the years.

From the inception of the idea of free speech in the Constitution via Cato’s Letters to rulings on fighting words in 1942, there is much information in this three-minute video.

This is my first time highlighting The History Channel (YouTube page) in a Sunday Supplement, but I’m looking forward to delving into their catalog.

Closing Spiritual Passage:

“The mind is indeed very difficult to restrain. But by practice and detachment, it can be controlled.”

– Bhagavad Gita 6:35

This passage of the Bhagavad Gita reminds me not to lose control of my thoughts. The Robin Sharma quote, “The mind is a wonderful servant, but a terrible master,” comes to mind.

It is easy to get lost in our thoughts and let negative emotions control how we view ourselves, others, and the world around us.

The Bhagavad Gita passage alludes to the ability to control our minds and how we think.

Practicing mindfulness is one of the best ways to combat stray thoughts and negative thinking patterns. Awareness of our thoughts is one of the best ways to start.

No outside influence should dictate how we think or feel without our permission. 

The quote from the beginning of the post coincides with this passage in how we ultimately can choose not to listen to others but should never silence them.

Practice awareness of your thoughts, and have a blessed week ahead!

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Michael J. Fox, Transitions, The Prince of Egypt, Simon Sinek, and Surah Ash-Sharh 94:5

Michael J. Fox, Transitions, The Prince of Egypt, Simon Sinek, and Surah Ash-Sharh 94:5

Published by Drew Alexander Ross on August 21, 2022

Sunday Supplement #67 (August 21st, 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:

“Acceptance doesn’t mean resignation; it means understanding that something is what it is and that there’s got to be a way through it.”

– Michael J. Fox

Book of the Week:

Transitions – William Bridges

William Bridges was a distinguished authority on change and transition. He spoke and advised on how people should approach transition and sold over a million copies of his books.

Transitions is Bridges’ bestselling book that lays out a guide for understanding and successfully adapting to change.

His process talks about three stages of change: the ending, the neutral zone, and the new beginning. In the book, Bridges shows how each can be embraced to have productive movement forward.

The edition I read had two parts: The Need for Transition and The Transition Process. The first part discussed various topics like relationships, careers, and general life changes.

The second part broke down Bridge’s roadmap for navigating change. I found the first section a little confusing until reading the second part. The second part was brilliant.

Transitions’ subheading is Making Sense of Life’s Changes. I found the book extremely helpful on that front and highly recommend it to those interested in tips on dealing with change.

Movie of the Week:

The Prince of Egypt

The Book of Exodus received a brilliant adaptation from DreamWorks Pictures in the animated movie The Prince of Egypt.

The film starts with the birth of Moses and follows his journey, becoming a prince and ultimately leading the Jewish people out of Egypt.

Val Kilmer and Ralph Fiennes voice Moses and Ramses. They star in the film and provide a brilliant focal point in the narrative.

The rest of the cast, including Michelle Pfeiffer, Sandra Bullock, Danny Glover, Jeff Goldblum, Patrick Stewart, Helen Mirren, and Steve Martin, help shape the world brilliantly.

The movie only won one Oscar for Best Music – Original Song, but the film would have easily won Best Animated Film of the Year if the category had been around.

Some animated movies truly capture the brilliance of what a film can convey, and The Prince of Egypt is one of them.

Brainfood of the Week:

Navigate and Embrace Change | Simon Sinek

In this video, Simon Sinek gets asked, “Should people continuously change?”

Sinek responds to the first question by stating that he thinks the answer is always yes— to view ourselves or our organizations as works in progress.

He talks about the infinite mindset of constant improvement. Sometimes it’s small changes, and sometimes it’s bigger. There’s always the opportunity to improve something.

There are more questions throughout the video that Sinek addresses.

Sinek discusses the fear behind sudden changes as opposed to incremental changes. He goes on to explain how this affects individuals and companies.

While the latter half of the video veers toward business, there is much to take away from Sinek’s answers on how to approach change and how to recognize how others approach it.

I’ve featured Simon Sinek in three previous Sunday Supplements. If you like this video, check out the others.

Closing Spiritual Passage:

“Indeed, with hardship [will be] ease.”

– Surah Ash-Sharh 94:5

This passage from the Quran reminds me of moments of tranquility that can occur from dealing with a hardship.

One of the other English translations of the passage substitutes ease with relief.

I think of the moments when waiting for a response or an outcome after I’ve put in the work and have to accept what comes next.

If there is a challenge or a hardship as a result, after processing my feelings, there comes a moment where I realize I have control over what I do next.

Sometimes I wallowed in a pit of negative emotions for a long time, but, thankfully, I eventually remembered that I could choose how to move forward.

I think there is great power in acceptance and realizing we have control over our actions. 

I believe one of the most powerful feelings can be when you’ve done your best in a difficult situation and can accept whatever happens.

Embrace the changes in your life, and have a blessed week ahead!

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Abraham Lincoln, Roadwork, Fight Club, Psych2Go, and a Japanese Proverb

Abraham Lincoln, Roadwork, Fight Club, Psych2Go, and a Japanese Proverb

Published by Drew Alexander Ross on August 14, 2022

Sunday Supplement #66 (August 14th, 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 you look for the bad in people expecting to find it, you surely will.”

– Abraham Lincoln

Book of the Week:

Roadwork – Richard Bachman

After the early success of Stephen King’s work, the author decided to publish a few books under the pseudonym, Richard Bachman.

In the Bachman books, King describes in an introduction why he created the pseudonym. The short of it was that he wanted to see if he was lucky with his first books or if lightning could strike twice.

Roadwork follows a grieving father and husband as he deals with the news that a new highway expansion project plans to demolish his workplace and home through eminent domain.

Dawes, the husband and father, begins to unravel and is unwilling to turn his house over to the government.

Most of the King books I’ve read under his pseudonym Bachman explore much darker areas of society and humanity.

Roadwork isn’t a book that should be carelessly read, but if looked at in the right light, questions about what’s important in life are there to be explored.

Movie of the Week:

Fight Club

Fight Club follows an anonymous narrator working for an unnamed car company as a product recall specialist.

The stress of his job, compounded by frequent business trips and jet lag, brings on recurring insomnia. A doctor tells him to visit a cancer support group to see what real suffering is like.

The narrator’s journey to find release and peace connects him with a fellow support group poser Marla Singer and an extremist Tyler Durden.

Fight Club delves into the themes of meaning and connection, masculinity, identity, order, and chaos.

Edward Norton plays the narrator, Brad Pitt plays Tyler Durden, and Helena Bonham Carter plays Marla Singer in the film. The cast is brilliant.

I’ve seen many people view the movie as toxic and self-aggrandizing. However, the story shows the dangers of both sides and has a Buddhism-like message of balance underneath.

The book by Chuck Palahniuk and David Fincher’s adaptation are both worth checking out.

Brainfood of the Week:

10 Signs You Lack Self Awareness | Psych2Go

This Psych2Go starts by discussing metacognition— a higher form of thinking that gives you the ability to be aware of how you think.

The video highlights how self-awareness by reflecting and evaluating your thoughts and feelings are vital to better understanding yourself.

Ten different methods are explored as indicators of a lack of self-awareness. The signs include lack of emotional intelligence, self-serving bias, and difficulty making realistic goals.

While these are worth being aware of, I thought the utility of the video comes from learning about the signs and seeing how you can incorporate or increase the inverse in your life.

Psych2Go’s mission is to make psychology and mental health more accessible to everyone. 

They create lighthearted content about psychology, mental wellness, and relatable stories, and have interviews with psychologists, professionals, and experts. 

Psych2Go’s YouTube page has just shy of 10 million followers, and their videos with over one billion total views are worth checking out.

Closing Spiritual Passage:

“A frog in a well does not know the great sea.”  (井の中の蛙大海を知らず)

– Japanese Proverb.

This Japanese proverb reminds me to be aware of perspectives in my life. Just because I’m viewing something from one point of view doesn’t mean it’s the right one to look at.

The frog in the proverb can speak only from the second or third-hand experiences of life outside its well.

I’m personifying the frog in this case, but I still think it’s important to view the proverb from different viewpoints and see what meanings connect with you.

The frog can refer to oneself or others. It reminds me not to stay stuck in a well and to take the opinion of a frog in the well with a grain of salt.

This Japanese proverb was another timely reminder for me to work on my awareness of my thoughts, surroundings, and actions.

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

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