Tag: Sadhguru

Michael J. Fox, Fahrenheit 451, Philadelphia, Sadhguru, and a Japanese Proverb

Michael J. Fox, Fahrenheit 451, Philadelphia, Sadhguru, and a Japanese Proverb

Published by Drew Alexander Ross on April 7, 2024

Sunday Supplement #152 (April 7th, 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:

“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:

Fahrenheit 451 – Ray Bradbury

My 6th-grade teacher gave me Fahrenheit 451 to read. It was one of those door-opening moments in the world of literature, and it’s one of the few books I’ve read more than once.

The dystopian novel follows fireman Guy Montag, whose job is to burn books that the government has outlawed.

Montag’s life changes when he meets a neighbor who reads books. He then embarks on his own journey of reading, which leads him to flee the city after he is caught.

Fahrenheit 451’s depiction of books filtered out because of people losing interest and the government’s controlling of narratives through media is one of many eery but poignant themes.

Ray Bradbury’s classic won a “Retro” Hugo Award in 2004 and should be on everyone’s classics-to-read list.

Movie of the Week:

Philadelphia

1993’s Philadelphia follows Andrew Beckett as his law firm fires him because of his HIV condition and his subsequent wrongful dismissal lawsuit headed by a small-time homophobic lawyer, Joe Miller, as his only willing advocate.

Jonathan Demme (The Silence of the Lambs) brilliantly directs the Ron Nyswaner screenplay. Tom Hanks and Denzel Washington bring the story to life as Beckett and Miller.

I was only two years old when this movie came out, but watching it later gave me an interesting glimpse into the culture at the time.

Philadelphia won two Academy Awards, including Best Actor in a Leading Role for Tom Hanks, and was nominated for an additional three Oscars, including Best Writing.

Brainfood of the Week:

Why Acceptance is Freedom | Sadhguru

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

In this video, Sadhguru discusses how our personalities can be like filters of likes and dislikes based on our preferences.

The danger of this comes from judging people and situations through our lenses of experience. You can carry many psychological wounds from slights you held onto for years.

Through total acceptance, you can remove the judgment from people and situations.

I find Sadhguru’s videos thought-provoking. They are worth watching and reflecting on. If you enjoy this one, check out my other posts.

Closing Spiritual Passage:

“Spilt water won’t go back into its tray.” (覆水盆に返らず)

– Japanese Proverb

This Japanese proverb has a Western cousin: “Don’t cry over spilled milk.” I think it’s pretty straightforward, but I like the Japanese Proverb’s translation.

I like the image of trying to force something like water or milk back into its container after it has been spilled.

I find myself guilty of trying to make things perfect or not acting until I think things are in the perfect conditions for action.

This proverb reminds me to think about what is the best usage of our time and energy. Once you’ve accepted something, you can decide how to move forward.

Accept the situation, move forward, and have a blessed week ahead!

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Nadia Comăneci, The Dark Tower Series, The Theory of Everything, Sadhguru, and Matthew 6:21

Nadia Comăneci, The Dark Tower Series, The Theory of Everything, Sadhguru, and Matthew 6:21

Published by Drew Alexander Ross on January 7, 2024

Sunday Supplement #139 (January 7th, 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:

“Enjoy the journey and try to get better every day. And don’t lose the passion and the love for what you do.”

– Nadia Comăneci

Book of the Week:

The Dark Tower Series – Stephen King

If you’re new to my blog, you might not have seen me feature Stephen King before. For those who have read the blog consistently, I apologize for another Stephen King entry.

I’ve featured eight Stephen King books before this, but The Dark Tower Series was the start of my reading King’s works. They are arguably his magnum opus, and many of his other stories tie into the world of The Dark Tower.

Roland Deschain, a member of a knightly order known as “gunslingers” and the last of the line of “Arthur Eld” (his world’s analogue of King Arthur), attempts to seek the Man in Black in a world that has “moved on.”

Roland’s journey crosses over many worlds, including our own. The tale blends dark fantasy, science fiction, western, and horror genres.

There’s no easy way to describe The Dark Tower in short, which is surprisingly one of his lesser-read works. I believe it to be his best writing and can’t recommend it more highly.

Give the series a try (read at least the first two books). King spent over thirty years completing the series, which should show how important it was to him.

Movie of the Week:

The Theory of Everything

Stephen Hawking was a theoretical physicist, cosmologist, and author who was the director of research at the Centre for Theoretical Cosmology at the University of Cambridge.

The Theory of Everything is a 2014 film that captures Hawking and his wife, Jane Wilde’s relationship, as they met at University in the 1960s through their struggle with Hawking’s diagnosis of motor neuron disease.

Eddie Redmayne and Felicity Jones star as Stephen Hawkins and Jane Wilde. Redmayne won the Oscar for Best Actor, and Jones was nominated for Best Actress.

The film was nominated for three additional Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Writing – Adapted Screenplay.

Anthony McCarten adapted the script from Jane Hawking’s novel Traveling to Infinity: My Life with Stephen. It’s a powerful story and beautifully captured in the 2014 film.

Brainfood of the Week:

Playfulness and Passion | Sadhguru

Sadhguru is an Indian yogi and bestselling author. His YouTube page has over 11 million followers and over 1.5 billion video views.

Sadhguru begins the video by talking about how playfulness can often be frowned upon as childish. He then explains how being too serious makes everything about you.

Approaching problems with a sense of playfulness will also help you not get overwhelmed by the difficulties you encounter. By being playful, you are not becoming entangled in the problem.

At the end of the video, Sadhguru talks about passion and being consumed by it. He discusses how burning passion opens up new possibilities.

I’ve featured Sadhguru in a few previous Sunday Supplements. If you like this video, check the other posts out.

Closing Spiritual Passage:

“For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

– Matthew 6:21

This Bible passage from the Book of Matthew discusses how we shouldn’t store our treasures on earth but should store them in heaven. It then states the verse above.

I believe this verse speaks to the passions and love we have in our lives.

Whether toward the ones we love or our pursuits of meaningful achievements, the treasures should be in the doing and not tied to the outcomes.

As I’m starting my 2024 journey, I’m focusing on bringing as much love to the people in my life and my passions as possible.

Bring love and passion to the treasures of your life, and have a blessed week ahead!

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Leo Tolstoy, The City and the Stars, 28 Days Later, Sadhguru, and a Bible Passage

Leo Tolstoy, The City and the Stars, 28 Days Later, Sadhguru, and a Bible Passage

Published by Drew Alexander Ross on July 30, 2023

Sunday Supplement #116 (July 30th, 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:

“Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself.”

– Leo Tolstoy

Book of the Week:

The City and the Stars – Arthur C. Clarke

Arthur C. Clarke is one of the legends of science fiction. His novel 2001: A Space Odyssey is probably his most well-known due to the Stanley Kubrick adaptation.

However, his bibliography of over 50 novels, novellas, and short story collections has many gems worth exploring.

The City and the Stars is set in the future city of Diaspar. Humanity built the Utopian city that ended up being the last refuge from alien invaders.

For a millennia, its protective dome shuts out the creeping decay and danger from the world outside. A Unique, born into the human population, sets out to test the city’s boundaries.

I’ve featured another Arthur C. Clarke novel in Sunday Supplement #49 worth checking out if you like the brilliant and thought-provoking The City and the Stars.

Movie of the Week:

28 Days Later

Danny Boyle’s 28 Days Later follows a London bike courier, Jim, after he wakes up from a coma one month after a zombie-like virus was unleashed in the UK.

Jim, played by Cillian Murphy, has no idea what transpired during his coma and has to adapt quickly with the help of survivors Selena (Naomie Harris) and Frank (Brendan Gleeson).

I’m not a huge fan of horror or zombie movies, but this film is a brilliant story about humanity in chaos and the will to survive.

The popular show The Walking Dead (adapted from the comics) took part of the premise of 28 Days Later for their story, which is a testament to the concept of the story.

I never watched The Walking Dead, but I can’t imagine it explores the premise more profoundly than 28 Days Later. Check the film out, and let me know what you think.

Brainfood of the Week:

Resisting Change is Resisting Life | Sadhguru

Sadhguru is an Indian yogi and bestselling author. His YouTube page has over 11 million followers and over 1.5 billion video views.

In this video, a woman asks Sadhguru about change and how she looked forward to change when she was younger but avoided it as she grew older.

Sadhguru discusses the comfort zones we create as we get older and how change creates disturbances in those comfort zones.

When we resist change, we create suffering through non-acceptance of life and what we can do about it.

I’ve featured Sadhguru videos in a few previous Sunday Supplements. Check them out if you enjoyed this video.

Closing Spiritual Passage:

“There is a time for everything and a season for every activity under the heavens.”

– Ecclesiastes 3:1

This Bible passage could have many different interpretations. For me, I think of learning to accept situations and changing how you view them.

A classic example is a rainy day being miserable for some, but if you wear the appropriate clothes and have an umbrella, it can still be beautiful.

The seasons change, and this Bible quote reminds me to stay aware of the seasons in our life and to adjust appropriately.

It’s easy to wallow in bad times, but after accepting and processing any situation, it’s time to move forward.

See what situations you can positively change your approach to, and have a blessed week ahead!

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William Shakespeare, How to Win Friends and Influence People, Liar Liar, Sadhguru, and a Quran Passage

William Shakespeare, How to Win Friends and Influence People, Liar Liar, Sadhguru, and a Quran Passage

Published by Drew Alexander Ross on April 2, 2023

Sunday Supplement #99 (April 2nd, 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:

“No legacy is so rich as honesty.”

– William Shakespeare

Book of the Week:

How to Win Friends and Influence People – Dale Carnegie

I’ve often avoided a few books because of their titles, but in most cases, I’ve found them to be excellent reads.

How to Win Friends and Influence People was a book I knew was considered one of the godfathers of the self-improvement genre, so I eventually read it.

I was happy to find its pages filled with practical wisdom and good advice for engaging with others. The information Carnegie relayed had engaging stories from a diversity of subjects and persons.

At one point in the book, after explaining one of the tips to help others in engagement, Carnegie recalls being asked why he would do something good without expecting to receive something in return. He was appalled at the question.

The timeless bestseller has sold over 30 million copies to date. If you’ve avoided the book before, consider putting it on your to-read list now.

Movie of the Week:

Liar Liar

The premise of Liar Liar is a pathologically lying lawyer finding himself unable to lie for 24 hours on the most important day of his career after his son makes that his birthday wish.

Liar Liar’s premise is a little corny, but Jim Carrey brilliantly stars in the leading role and gives the movie heart, depth, and many laughs.

The film made over $300 million from a $45 million budget, and Carrey received a nomination for Best Actor in a Comedy at the Golden Globes.

Liar Liar was on television quite a bit when I was a kid. It has a good message and is something I would recommend watching if you come across it.

Brainfood of the Week:

Be Truthful to Yourself | Sadhguru

Sadhguru is an Indian yogi and bestselling author. His YouTube page has over 11 million followers and over a billion video views.

In this video, Sadhguru discusses the necessity of being honest with yourself.

He tells a story about a man who brings an umbrella with him on a walk with a friend. It starts to rain, and the man doesn’t open the umbrella. When questioned, the man says the umbrella has holes in it, and he thought he wouldn’t need it.

The man waited for someone else to catch him in his lies. If you wait for someone else to catch you in your delusions, it might take a rainy day for you to be confronted.

I’ve featured Sadhguru in a few previous Sunday Supplements. Check them out if you enjoyed this video.

Closing Spiritual Passage:

“Surely Allah does not guide him aright who is a liar and ungrateful.”

– Surah Az-Zumar 39:3

This passage from the Quran makes me think about the paths you can find yourself on if you are dishonest.

I think it’s an interesting metaphor to look at this verse and how it describes the outcome of lying and ingratitude as a lack of guidance from God.

When you are dishonest, you create a fictitious web that you must remember every strand of; otherwise, you can get caught in your own lies.

When you are true with your words, I believe the reflection comes in the peace you feel. Even if you experience pain, you can take solace in the fact that you have been honest.

Be honest in your words and actions, and have a blessed week ahead!

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Mandy Hale, The Old Man and the Sea, The Lives of Others, Sadhguru, and Bhagavad Gita 13:11

Mandy Hale, The Old Man and the Sea, The Lives of Others, Sadhguru, and Bhagavad Gita 13:11

Published by Drew Alexander Ross on October 9, 2022

Sunday Supplement #74 (October 9th, 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:

“A season of loneliness and isolation is when the caterpillar gets its wings. Remember that next time you feel alone.”

– Mandy Hale

Book of the Week:

The Old Man and the Sea – Ernest Hemingway

The Old Man and the Sea tells the story of Santiago, an old experienced fisherman who’s gone almost three months without catching a fish.

Santiago is considered unlucky by the community. His pupil Manolin is forced to work with another boat by his parents even though he remains friends with Santiago.

The old man decides he will venture far out to sea and catch fish, confident his unlucky streak will come to pass.

Earnest Hemingway’s last major work of fiction published during his life won him a Pulitzer Prize for Fiction.

I read the novella a few years ago in one sitting. I thoroughly enjoyed the book and loved the story and prose. Give it a chance and see what it brings up for you.

Movie of the Week:

The Lives of Others

In 1984 East Berlin, a secret police agent is ordered to spy on a prominent playwright, who has previously escaped state scrutiny due to his international recognition.

The agent, Gerd Wiesler, and his team bug and set up surveillance equipment in the playwright Georg Dreyman’s apartment.

Wiesler becomes increasingly absorbed by the playwright’s life with the complexities between the theatrical community and the state due to conflicting motivations.

The Lives of Others won the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film of the Year at the 2007 Academy Awards.

The film made $77 million from a $2 million budget and currently places at 58 on IMDb’s Top 250 list. I highly recommend checking it out.

Brainfood of the Week:

How to Overcome Loneliness | Sadhguru

A student asks Sadhguru how to deal with loneliness and feelings of not belonging, not being accepted, and not being loved.

Sadhguru answers the question with many insights on attachment, freedom, and the struggles of living a non-fixed life.

He explains that the number of chemicals running through us varies and makes up a sort of chemical soup of being. How can we make this function at its highest level?

Once your way of being is not determined by anything outside you, there is no such thing as loneliness.

There are many amazing points in this video. If you enjoy the content, check out the other Sunday Supplements where I featured Sadhguru.

Closing Spiritual Passage:

“…an inclination for solitary places and an aversion for mundane society; constancy in spiritual knowledge…— all these I declare to be knowledge.”

– Bhagavad Gita 13:11

When I come across passages like 13:11 in the Bhagavad Gita, I try to find the lesson or the wisdom each word imparts.

Other sections of this passage describe humbleness, nonviolence, self-control, and more under the umbrella of declared knowledge.

The messages in these seemed apparent, but the inclination for solitary places and an aversion for mundane society caused me to think a little harder.

Many gurus remain in solitude in the Hindu texts I come across. However, solitude is often a punishment in many other cultures.

That being said, I think the idea of an inclination for solitary places is wanting moments where you can seek peace and refine yourself.

When I fill my schedule with too many things (productive or not), they can be a distraction and a way to avoid reflecting and recharging.

Make time for a quiet space to reflect or meditate, and have a blessed week ahead!

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