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Tag: The Power of Now

Abu Bakr al-Ṣiddīq, The Power of Now, BlacKkKlansman, Neil deGrasse Tyson, and a Bible Passage

Abu Bakr al-Ṣiddīq, The Power of Now, BlacKkKlansman, Neil deGrasse Tyson, and a Bible Passage

Published by Drew Alexander Ross on February 5, 2023

Sunday Supplement #91 (February 5th, 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.

I hope you take something away from these recommendations that enriches your week ahead!

Quote of the Week:

“Without knowledge, action is useless, and knowledge without action is futile.”

– Abu Bakr al-Ṣiddīq

Book of the Week:

The Power of Now – Eckhart Tolle

I’ve featured Eckhart Tolle in six previous Sunday Supplements, but I haven’t featured arguably his best work, The Power of Now.

The book delves into concepts of self-reflection and being present. Tolle provides insight into why both are powerful tools, and he gives exercises to achieve the principles.

Tolle is a spiritual teacher, public speaker, and bestselling author. Oprah Winfrey hosted a 10-episode web series with him and, in a previous interview, stated that what she learned from him eliminated all stress from her life.

Most self-improvement books point to many of the same conclusions about living a better life. For me, Tolle’s The Power of Now is one of the best and most useful. 

Movie of the Week:

BlacKkKlansman

Spike Lee’s catalog of movies is extensive, stretching back to the 80s, and well worth delving into. BlacKkKlansman is one of his more recent masterpieces.

The film tells the true story of the first Black detective in the Colorado Springs Police Department.

Ron Stallworth infiltrates a local Ku Klux Klan branch with the help of his Jewish colleague and combats the racist organization from within.

BlacKkKlansman has much to appreciate from a filmmaking point of view and much to take in on the history of racism in America.

Brainfood of the Week:

Neil deGrasse Tyson — How to Dream Big | The Tim Ferriss Show

Neil deGrasse Tyson is an astrophysicist, educator, and author. He has been appointed by the United States government on multiple occasions in an advisory capacity or to serve on a scientific commission.

In the interview with Tim Ferriss, Tyson discusses his childhood, his education, and how he progressed in his career as an astrophysicist.

There are many entertaining stories in the almost two-hour interview, in addition to the coverage of his career in science.

I’ve featured many Tim Ferriss podcast interviews in previous Sunday Supplements, and there is always something worth picking up from them. Tyson’s is another great episode. 

Closing Spiritual Passage:

“They profess to know God, but they deny him by their works. They are detestable, disobedient, unfit for any good work.”

– Titus 1:16

The Epistle to Titus is attributed to Paul the Apostle and describes the requirements and duties of elders and bishops.

This passage calls out those who preach the word of God but don’t walk the walk. It emphasizes the expression that actions are louder than words.

The Bible has many passages that express how God doesn’t view flowery words and lack of action highly.

There are also passages that express the good path of improvement. This verse from the Epistle to Titus reminds me to reflect on what person I want to be.

Think about what you want to put out into the world, and have a blessed week ahead!

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Charles Duhigg, A New Earth, Bend It Like Beckham, Psych2Go, and 2 Timothy 1:7

Charles Duhigg, A New Earth, Bend It Like Beckham, Psych2Go, and 2 Timothy 1:7

Published by Drew Alexander Ross on December 4, 2022

Sunday Supplement #82 (December 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:

“And once you understand that habits can change, you have the freedom and the responsibility to remake them.”

– Charles Duhigg

Book of the Week:

A New Earth – Eckhart Tolle

I’ve featured Eckhart Tolle in a handful of Brainfood of the Week segments but haven’t featured any of his books.

At some point in the future, I will definitely revisit his international bestseller, The Power of Now, but for this week, I’ll highlight A New Earth.

A New Earth expands on his book The Power of Now and its ideas around being aware of our ego-based state of consciousness and how transcending it is essential to happiness.

Tolle explains how attachment to our egos can lead to anger, jealousy, and unhappiness, how we can create a new way of being, and how that helps ease the suffering of others.

A New Earth is an excellent overview of Tolle’s teachings and is worth a look if you’re a fan of his work.

Movie of the Week:

Bend It Like Beckham

Gurinder Chadha’s Bend It Like Beckham follows two girls and their ambition to have professional football (soccer) careers, despite their parents’ wishes.

Parminder Nagra and a young Kiera Knightley star as the two leads, and each showcases their acting skills with an expertly crafted script by Chadha, Guljit Bindra, and Paul Mayeda Berges.

The movie addresses issues of racism and sexism at a time when not many films explored such topics. It made $76 million off of a $5.6 million budget.

Bend It Like Beckham also packs many laughs into its runtime. The film is an excellent view for those looking for a fun sports movie with heart and depth.

Brainfood of the Week:

7 Secrets To Becoming Mentally Tougher | Psych2Go

I’ve featured Psych2Go in a couple of previous posts. Their mission is to make psychology and mental health more accessible to everyone.

This video starts by using an example of working out and exercising for physical strength as a comparison for developing mental toughness.

They discuss how mental toughness can help you cope with stress, overwhelming times, and handle fear and doubt. 

The video then goes over tips for developing mental toughness, like how to make an emotional trashcan and acknowledging and using the power of choice.

I found the video a great reminder and tool for helping develop mental fortitude. Check it out, and check out their channel if you like the video.

Closing Spiritual Passage:

“For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.”

– 2 Timothy 1:7

This passage from the Bible offers encouragement to face our fears and reminds us of our innate strength.

I found it interesting that after power was the prompting of our love and self-control. To me, it seemed like a guide on how to combat fear.

When we operate from a place of love and self-control, I feel that we are in the perfect place to take on any challenges.

This is a brilliant passage to remember when we’re experiencing challenges, one that can remind us of our strengths.

Remember to tap into your power, love, and self-control, and have a blessed week ahead!

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Maxime Lagacé, Who Moved My Cheese?, The Matrix, Eckhart Tolle, and a Zen Proverb

Maxime Lagacé, Who Moved My Cheese?, The Matrix, Eckhart Tolle, and a Zen Proverb

Published by Drew Alexander Ross on September 12, 2021

Sunday Supplement #18 (September 12th, 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 these recommendations that enriches your week ahead!

Quote of the Week:

“Self-esteem begins with self-understanding, grows with courage and perseverance, and ends with confidence.”

– Maxime Lagacé

Book of the Week:

Who Moved My Cheese? – Dr. Spencer Johnson

Dr. Spencer Johnson was a bestselling author and physician. He wrote a series of children’s books, Value Tales, and was most famous for his book Who Moved My Cheese? The self-help book hit the New York Times Bestseller list multiple times and the Publishers Weekly Hardcover nonfiction list.

Who Moved My Cheese? follows two mice, Sniff and Scurry, and two “Littlepeople,” Hem and Haw, who live in a maze and search for cheese for nourishment and happiness. Each mouse and Littleperson has their own personality, which affects how they pursue the cheese in the maze. The cheese is a metaphor for what you want in life: a loving relationship, a good job, money, possessions, health, or spiritual peace of mind.

Throughout the story, the cheese continually moves. The cheese factories stop producing cheese, and each character responds differently. The mice are quick to search for new cheese, while the Littlepeople are reluctant to embrace change. Eventually, one of the Littlepeople plucks up the courage to dive back into the maze and leaves notes on the wall for the other Littleperson to follow.

The allegory of Who Moved My Cheese? is brilliant for those experiencing being stuck. It is a reminder of what happens when you choose to embrace change and the new opportunities that result. It is a short read but has many powerful messages throughout. Check it out if you’re in a rut or are looking for a motivational read.

Movie of the Week:

The Matrix

With The Matrix Resurrections coming out later this year, I thought it’d be fun to look back at the first Matrix movie. The Wachowskis wrote and directed a brilliant film that is a visual masterpiece that makes you think. Many action movies that come out nowadays don’t require much engagement. The Matrix treats its audience as intelligent beings and poses questions and riddles that allow for a philosophical exercise wrapped in a Sci-Fi/Action storyline.

Thomas A. Anderson is a programmer for a software company who has a double life as a computer hacker. His alter-ego Neo searches for the answer to the question “What is the Matrix?” and finds out the rabbit hole goes much deeper than he could have imagined.

The film presents many existential questions, like “What is real?” Neo explores this question and embarks on a journey from Nihilism to Enlightenment. The YouTube channel, The Take, has a fantastic video that breaks down the themes and structure of the movie. They show Neo’s Hero’s Journey with the main stops being Dreaming, Destruction, Reconstruction, Self-Knowledge, Doubt, Belief, and Love. The video is a beautiful deconstruction of the film and adds a greater depth to those who’ve seen the movie before.

If you haven’t seen The Matrix, it is definitely worth checking out. It can be a little intense, so read up on it a bit before you give it a watch. If you’ve seen it before, check out The Take’s video and see if that gives you a different perspective for your next viewing.

Brainfood of the Week:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JBA8W3ldPrA&list=WL&index=40

The Challenge of Self-Esteem – Eckhart Tolle Teachings

I’ve covered Eckhart Tolle in Sunday Supplement #7, but he is a person worth revisiting. He is a spiritual teacher, public speaker, and best-selling author. Tolle’s #1 New York Times bestselling book The Power of Now has Deepak Chopra’s endorsement, “One of the best books to come along in years. Every sentence rings with truth and power.”

Tolle has a YouTube channel where he posts clips of his talks. In this video, he talks about the challenge of self-esteem and how to avoid a negative perception.

The video beings with Tolle explaining how we often live in a conceptual reality and identify with how we are thinking. How we see ourselves is rooted in typically rooted in our thoughts. The image of self often comes from comparison related to ego. We tend to rank ourselves based on material things or abilities to gauge our existence against others. 

Tolle maintains that the only healthy perspective of self-esteem comes from a deeper place of presence. When you are aware of simply being, no narrative is required to justify your existence. His beliefs around this remind me of those moments when I am conscious and in the moment. I am not thinking but am feeling present and am in awe of the world.

Those moments don’t happen as often as I want, but I know they are there, and I focus on doing my best each day to build the habit of being present. I still plan for the future, but the less I worry about it, and the more I have faith that things will work out, the more I find myself at peace. Tolle is one of the authors I enjoy most, and I think his material is well worth checking out. Let me know what you think!

Closing Spiritual Passage:

“No snowflake ever falls in the wrong place.”

– Zen Proverb

This Zen proverb reminds me that everything happens for a reason. That is a challenging perspective to have when many things in life are always sad or horrible on one level. After I’ve processed more difficult times, I try to remind myself that I get to choose how I view the event and how I want to move forward.

That perspective allows me to take control of my life and my thoughts. I can reframe a painful experience as one I can learn from. I’m not always able to do this, but I try to catch myself when I am depressed. I try to be kind and remind myself that I can choose how I want to continue.

I hope this passage rings true with you, and I hope you see countless beautiful snowflakes in your future.

Have a blessed week ahead!

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Benjamin Franklin, The Courage to Be Disliked, The Martian, Eckhart Tolle, and The Four Immeasurables

Benjamin Franklin, The Courage to Be Disliked, The Martian, Eckhart Tolle, and The Four Immeasurables

Published by Drew Alexander Ross on June 27, 2021


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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