ETHICAL QUESTION #1: The Twinkie Dilemma

Wow--this one goes way back to my childhood:

When I was in third grade, a classmate of mine begged me for my Twinkie dessert. She promised that she would replace it the next day with either a Twinkie or something comparable. The next day she handed me a mini-bran muffin and said we were 'even'. I refused the bran muffin and said that she still owed me a Twinkie or at least something sweet that would constitute a (third grade) dessert. After all, I've seen her with pretty tasty looking desserts! She refused, and that pretty much ended our friendship.

I feel like she pulled one over on me. Was I right in getting upset at the bran muffin offering? Was she wrong in suggesting that a bran muffin is comparable to a Twinkie??

Twinkie picture downloaded from: www.bluegreenearth.com

God Exists In Everything He is and Does: Check it Out For Yourself!

Take a look at the picture on your left and tell me that God doesn't exist. Look at the beautiful colors: the light bouncing off of the leaves. I took this picture earlier this morning. The tree's beauty caught my eye while I was walking home from the coffee shop so I went home, got my camera, and headed back to the park where it stands.

When I first caught sight of the tree, my heart skipped a beat. I'm not joking. I was totally overtaken and consumed by its beauty. I stopped dead in my tracks and just stood there staring at it. Then, I took a deep breath in and thanked God for giving me the gift of seeing this tree in all of its 'fall' glory.

Then, it occurred to me, "God exists in everything equally just as much as he exists in this tree." I began to think about the fact that every single atom on this Earth throbs with God's energy (or Prana, Holy Spirit, Life-Energy, etc.: whatever you call it). I began to look at things differently and, all of a sudden, everything began to shimmer like the radiance of the tree leaves. Just remembering that everything contains the 'life-force' energy, that same energy that beats our hearts, is refreshing and rejuvenating.

So, I ask you to see for yourself just how amazing this 'life-force' is. Look at anything in your immediate vicinity and just stare at it. Look it over. See what it's made of and what unique characteristics it possesses. Then, look at that object with the awareness that every single atom that makes up this piece of matter is throbbing with the 'life-force' energy. Every single atom. I guarantee that you will see that object in a new light. Think of every atom in your very own body as containing this life-force energy. This type of meditation reminds us that everything in the world is made of the same energy--albeit in different forms. The Hindus make a great analogy for this concept: you can have 100 pieces of different shaped gold jewelry, but in the end, its all just gold.

We are ALL gold. Every single sentient and insentient thing in the Universe is made up of the same energy; I call this energy God. Take a look at the leaves in the photograph below and then tell me that God doesn't exist.



All photos copyright 2005 D.L. Brophy

KITTY VON KITTY

The Miraculous Kitty Von Kitty

a.k.a. "Swameowi Shaktananda"

Cats, by their very nature, are intuitive. My cat, Kitty Von Kitty, is one of the most miraculous cats that I've ever known. She is definitely the most intuitive creature (besides Gurumayi and Sally Kempton!) that I have ever crossed paths with. Can you believe that she knows when and where I am injured? I kid you not; she knows where I am feeling pain, and comes to my rescue. Here are some examples of her intuitive-pain-healing prowess:

1. I was hit by a car in 1997. As I lay in bed--unable to move my left side at all--she laid down and stretched out right along the length of the left side of my body.
2. In 1998, I had reconstructive surgery on my left shoulder. Right after the surgery, while laying in bed, Kitty Von Kitty perched herself atop my left shoulder as I slept. When my mother entered the room, this startled Kitty and she leapt up--pulling one of the stitches out while doing so!
3. Last August, I had a three level fusion done on my cervical spine. On the eve I came home from the hospital, Kitty Von Kitty tried her best to sleep on my neck! Of course, I would have none of that (for obvious reasons), but I did place a pillow behind my head for her to sleep on. My mother said that one morning she caught Kitty Von not only sleeping on the pillow--but she had both paws resting on the crown of my head!

There are countless other times that I could write about where Kitty Von intuitively knew where I was injured, but I trust you get the gist of what I'm trying to illustrate here through the above examples.

One of my physical therapists at the Hospital For Joint Diseases, in New York City, told me that there has actually been a study done on the healing powers of cats. She also said that nursing homes often allow cats to live amongst their patients not only to keep them company, but because of their healing powers: the cats would instinctively know which patients needed their company the most!

Kitty Von Kitty LOVES to Meditate!

As soon as I open my eyes and lift my head off the pillow in the morning, Kitty Von Kitty jumps off the bed and struts over to the meditation nook in my room. She sits facing my puja (alter) and waits for me to join her for our morning meditation. This happens every morning without fail!

When I am engaged in formal, seated meditation (on my meditation cushion) she will either sit on my lap or right beside me. She loves the shakti (meditation energy)! Most cats are drawn to meditation practices because of this loving energy. Kitty Von has been given the moniker "Swameowi Shaktananda" because of her love of meditation ('Swameowi' being a play on the word 'Swami' which means spiritual teacher).

Kitty Von Kitty: The Hunter (NOT!)

Although Kitty Von eats regular fish, beef, and chicken cat food, she is not, by her very nature, a hunter. When I lived in NYC, I would get the occasional mouse in my East Village apartment. Upon seeing a mouse, Kitty Von would usually chase it down, bat it around with her front paws, and then walk away from it. She wouldn't kill it to save her life (or mine!).

Kitty's Achilles Heel

Kitty Von Kitty, not too unlike most humans I know, does have an Achilles Heel. Her Achilles Heel is uncharacteristic of a cat: she lacks balance! She often falls off the bed in the middle of the night, and she has fallen out a window (first floor--no injuries). There's also something else I find quite amusing about her: she snores louder than most men I know. No joke! When I first got out of the hospital last August I needed 24 hour supervision. That translated to me sleeping on the couch in the living room with Kitty Von on the pillow behind my head, and my mother sleeping in a Lazy Boy chair about a foot away from us. One night my mother said, "You snore a lot." I said, "I'm not asleep, that's Kitty!"

Another thing I absolutely adore about my feline friend is her heart shaped nose. She has the biggest heart of any cat I've ever met. She follows me everywhere--always purring loudly--like my shadow.

These are just some of the things that make my Kitty Von Kitty so special to me. These are also the reasons why I'm giving her the honor of being named CAT OF THE MONTH (November) on the Jaibhakti blog.

Do you have a cat that you would like to be honored as CAT OF THE MONTH? Simply send me his or her picture and a brief write-up, and I'd be glad to honor your kitty!

Love to you all,

Bhakti (and Kitty Von Kitty: she's right here sitting on my lap as I type!)

All photos copyright 2005 D.L. Brophy

Public Service Announcement

Don't forget: October 29th is 'Bake Your Best Friend a Potato Day!!'

In honor of cousin Chrissie's birthday, I beg you ALL to fire up those ovens this Saturday and bake your best friend a potato. In keeping with the infamous Potato Story, I ask you all to refrain from using butter, or any other condiments, save for barbecue sauce. It is fine, however, to wrap the potato in tin foil--while baking-- so it keeps its natural moisture. (Click here for complete Potato Story details.)

Please send your festive potato stories and photos to me and I will be glad to post them at a later date! And be sure to leave Chrissie Happy Birthday wishes via the 'Comments' link!

Irish Potato Blessings to all,

Bhakti

I downloaded the potato picture from:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/lancashire/food_and_drink/

Red Tree Leaves

I love this time of year because the leaves change colors. My favorite tree changes from a dark, forest green to a cornucopia of pinks, reds, and orange.

I remember the first time that this tree caught my eye: it was September 12th, 2001. I had been stuck in my East Village apartment the night before (September 11th). All I could think about that evening was getting back home to New Jersey to see my family again.

On the day of September 12th, after visiting with my family, I went for a walk. I found myself sitting underneath this tree. I was captivated by its beauty. I would lay down under the tree and just stare up at the leaves. Their lush red and pink color gave me some kind of hope that the world was going to be okay. I watched as the leaves so nonchalantly fell from their branches.

Every year I make a point of going and visiting this tree that had been such a safe haven for me after the tragedy of 9/11. I still like to lay underneath it and stare at the sky through the leaves; and I like to hold the fallen leaves in my hands and investigate their unique color schemes.

This tree is like a sanctuary for me; a true gift from God. It's beauty still holds me in awe.

WRITING CONTEST: Every Picture Tells a Story

Here's the deal: I took this picture over the summer.

What I want to propose is that YOU write a story about this picture.

You can make up anything you want:

a mystery, a comedy, a drama.

Long or short.

Whatever you want it to be.

Email me* your story at JAIBHAKTI

and I will post the best, most original story in two weeks.

*Stories must be received by Friday, November 4th.

Have fun, but keep it clean!

Look Ma! I Learned How To Post My Photos On The Blog!

Here's a picture of my feet before my cervical spine surgery.

In the weeks to come, I will post a photo of my feet after the surgery.

QUESTION #3: Animal Crackers in my Vegetarian Soup

I'll humor you with some humor-- as a strict vegetarian, I need your help with the following matter:





Is it okay for vegetarians to eat animal crackers?

Postulating that Lying is Innate: or 'How NOT to Find the Truth'

As you can probably tell from the last two posts, I'm getting pretty bored being house-bound, so I decided to hitch a ride to the bookstore. After an hour of searching, I decided on three books that deal with the concept of 'lying':

• Lying, by Sissela Bok
• The Liar's Tale; A History of Falsehood, by Jeremy Campbell
• The Good the Bad and the Difference, by Randy Cohen

How I decided upon these three books is quite interesting. I was drawn to Bok's book simply because she writes about the consequences of lying, the definition of white lies, and excuses that people make to justify their lies. This was appealing to me because I've always been intrigued as to why people lie; why they think they're not going to get caught; and why they assume that their audiences are going to get duped by their lies. (I actually had a boyfriend in high school who's nickname was Compulsive Liar. He would come up with these outlandish lies that no one could possibly believe. Needless to say, the relationship didn't last too long!) Bok's position seemed to be that lying is not innate to the human condition; I agreed with that position. Nevertheless, I put the book back on the shelf simply because I didn't think that reading about a position I already held would be too interesting at this point.

Then I picked up The Liar's Tale. Campbell's book postulates that lying is innate to the human condition, and is actually somehow beneficial to survival. It seemed to me, after reading the book jacket and several pages, that he believes lying and defiance to be a natural part of the world. I found this to be preposterous! Maybe lying has become common place, but that doesn't make it somehow indigenous to the human spirit! It said right on the back cover that "(Jeremy Campbell) turns Sisella Bok's defense of truth on its head," so I knew I had to buy both of these books and compare and dissect their findings for myself.

Last night, I fell asleep reading Campbell's book. I was incensed that he inferred that deceitfulness is innate to the human condition. He based his findings on the work of Darwin, Kant, Freud, Nietzsche, etc. I mean, his book is a philosophical name-dropping expose. It occurred to me that everyone who he was quoting was a great 'thinker': all great thinkers, to be sure, but isn't it kind of a known fact that the Truth can't be found through the intellect? The intellect can't find the Truth. The Truth is beyond the mind. We use the mind to get us to the Truth, but not by thinking; by quieting the thoughts. Meditation.

So, I went to bed upset, saying to myself, "How could he (Campbell) expect to find the Truth when reading all Westerners. He should read some Eastern philosophy if he wants proof that Truth exists (not just spiritual Truth, but truth as is basic human goodness). How could anyone with a brain try to say that Truth (consciousness) doesn't exist without exploring the great Eastern thinker's work?" Then, you know, I sat there in bed wondering what I was getting so bent out of shape about. I mean, I had only read the Introduction and the first Chapter! Campbell's book definately struck a nerve!

It's just the idea that someone would propose a theory that humans aren't predisposed to goodness (and basically, that's what Campbell is proposing in this book) that gets me all worked up. I don't care what great minds you quote: tell about YOUR experience as a human being, not someone elses thoughts on the matter. If someone hasn't had the experience of the Self (God) within, it makes sense that they would be inclined to think that the Truth doesn't exist; but that doesn't prove that it doesn't. It's just great minds thinking thoughts.

I've always been the kind of person who makes it a point not to lie. I couldn't lie to save myself, anyway: people can smell the guilt from a mile away. Besides the guilt, I truly believe that the human spirit is GOOD. I believe humans have a predisposed goodness in them that we all try to achieve. Whether we achieve it or not is what we have to deal with as human beings. I believe even criminals know that their deception is wrong; and the ones who don't (without consciences), we call 'psychopathic'.

What do you think? Do you think that deception is a 'natural part of our world'? Campbell will quote 'Machiavellian intelligence' in theorizing that it's imperative for politicians to deceive in order to rule, and that the politician's deception is a part of 'natural order'. It seems to be the 'norm' that politicians lie to get ahead, but, like I said before, just because lying and deceit has become common place doesn't mean it's innate.

I believe humans are innately good, and the purpose of life is to find that goodness inside. What do YOU think?

I would like to make several points:

• I do believe that lies exist, and they make up a huge part of human existence. I just think they are a learned trait, and not innate.
• The third book I bought is a fun book on ethics by New York Times Magazine columnist, Randy Cohen. It's a collection of his columns that 'show us how to be good in the real world'. It's sort of the lighter side of the other two books!
• I'm going to propose ethical questions in the future in which YOU can answer them for yourselves and see which side of the fence you're on.

National Potato Day!

JAIBHAKTI has deemed October 29th to be the national "BAKE YOUR BEST FRIEND A POTATO" day!

So, get those ovens fired up, and bake away!

(Some of you may be wondering what this could possibly have to do with a 'grace filled life'.
O-come on! Laughter is love! Love is grace!)

LOL! #2: The Potato

One day, while on the way to school (where I taught 5th grade) my cell phone rang. It was my cousin, Chrissy, inviting me over to her house that evening for dinner. It seemed that her husband had to work late, so she was going to be able to cook us a strictly vegetarian meal. I remember telling her that I couldn't confirm until I saw how my day played out.

At lunchtime, I checked my phone messages: Chrissy wanted to know if I had made my mind up yet.

After school, yet another message: "Are you coming? Jake (her 1 year old son) really wants to see you!!" I called her back and said that I was just so busy with school, I didn't think I would be able to make it. I was exhausted. It was a grueling day. She laid on the charm (and guilt)--"O, come on. Jake wants to see his Aunt Donna, and I'm going to cook up a special vegetarian meal just for you!"

I decided that the appropriate thing to do would be to spend dinner with Chrissy and her son. After all, Chrissy is the kind of friend that one would die for. She's kind, friendly, considerate, and extremely funny! After all of the incredible things that she'd done for me over the years, I figured I could muster up enough energy to dine with her and Jake that evening.

I arrived at her house around 6pm. I hadn't eaten a thing since noon, and I was famished! I was met at the door by Jake, who reached up and gave me a big hug. I kicked my shoes off in the hall corridor, dropped my bag on an empty kitchen chair, and sat down to eat. I looked down and noticed that my dinner had already been served: a potato. A run of the mill Idaho potato. With nothing on it. No cheese, no broccoli; strictly potato.

I looked up at Chrissy waiting for the punchline. She blushed.

"I'm sorry. I thought I had veggie burgers, but I didn't."

I looked down at the potato, and then back up at Chrissy. "You begged me to come over for dinner to eat a potato?"

She shrugged her shoulders, a bit embarrassed.

"You left me five messages on my cell phone begging me to come over for this special vegetarian meal?"

"It's a good potato," she retorted.

"Well," I said, "Do you have any barbecue sauce? I love potatoes with barbecue sauce."

I smothered my potato in barbecue sauce, and I'll tell you something--that was the best darn potato I ever ate!

That infamous potato has been the source of so much laughter over the years. We still talk about it to this day. If you comb through the 'Comments' links on this blog, you'll see its legend lives on.

Turning Pain into Compassion

(Before sharing this piece, I would like to thank my spiritual friend/teacher Sally Kempton for her loving guidance. And also a great big shout out to the Dalai Lama for sharing his wisdom so freely.)

Yesterday was a complete roller coaster ride. I woke up later than I'd have liked to, and I was still exhausted. To top it off, I was having the worst case of the mean reds since last August's spinal surgery (for a definition of the mean reds go to this link or, better yet, go out and rent Breakfast at Tiffany's).

When I say I was having the worst case of the mean reds, what I mean is I was in a very dark area. In my Getting Out of the Blue Funk post (see link above) I spoke of a thick cloud-like sensation hovering around my heart area. I had this sensation once again, only worse. It felt crippling. I know I have all of the tools needed to dissolve this depression, yet I just couldn't connect to any of the practices; they all felt so foreign, so far away from me. In fact, at one point, while laying in bed, I felt like I was so disconnected from the Heart Center, from the innate bliss that's there for us at all times (although, in my experience, it's sometimes more difficult to find than others).

I cried a little; however, I knew it was an 'O, poor me' cry. It was an "I'm so helpless: my arm doesn't work right and is always in pain, I'm on all of these meds (which I can't stand to be on, but they are helping my spinal injuries heal, so I think I'll keep taking them!). I remember feeling like such a child, laying there with my eyebrows knitted, pouting. Then it hit me. Bang! The REAL crying began. For what seemed like three minutes, I lay in bed with my mouth wide open, my stomach clenched in as far as possible, and just cried. It was an involuntary cry. I didn't breath for the entire three minutes. The tears rolled down my face. It was a fantastic purge. I felt renewed; rejuvenated, and I could breath again. Although I was still in pain, I didn't feel any pity towards my condition, and I didn't feel unfortunate to be alive. I mean, come on, I could have easily been paralyzed before, during, or after my surgery. I can live with a little arm pain. I felt so happy that I went downstairs and worked on the computer. I've learned how to add pictures to my blog. (They look pretty cool, don't you think?)

So, lesson number one is: it's okay to cry. I truly believe that last night's cry released some major toxins from my body. Grace in action.

Now on to my next experience: how I turned the 'pain in vain' into compassion for others who are suffering. First of all, you may be wondering what I mean by 'pain in vain'. Well, I noticed that while I was in the throws of yesterday's depression, I kept wondering why I had to suffer so. What's the point? It seemed like such a waste of energy. I am a believer in karma, and I understand that what I am experiencing--both physically and mentally--are a part of the fabric of karma and the experiencing of samskaras. (For a GLOSSARY OF TERMS, click on the Siddha Yoga link on the Sidebar to your right, and click on their Glossary link found at the bottom of their homepage.) I suppose what I didn't understand was what lesson I was supposed to get from this suffering.

Before retiring to bed, I walked over to my bookshelf and just stared at the books. I always pick up the right book that I'm supposed to read at any given time (haven't you experienced this too?). I picked up H.H. Dalai Lama's Healing Anger. I haven't read one of his books in awhile, but, as fate would have it, I opened right to the page that I needed to read. In this text, the Dalai Lama outlined the meditative practice of tong-len. My great spiritual teacher, Sally Kempton, had introduced this practice to me about a month ago, but it hadn't resonated with me until just last night.

Sally Kempton

Tong-len is the "Mahayana (Buddhist) practice of 'giving and taking'." In this practice, the idea is that you take other's sufferings upon yourself. That sounds like it could be depressing, but believe me, from last night's experience I can virtually guarantee you that it does just the opposite!

Here's an example of how it worked for me:While in bed, I laid down in Savasana pose (Yoga's Corpse pose). I centered myself into the pose, and just became aware of my breath. I followed the breath in and out. Then, I began to repeat to myself a variation of the meditation the Dalai Lama proposed in his book: "May I, by experiencing this, save all other sentient beings from having to undergo this same pain." I did this over and over until I fell asleep. And I must say, I had a lovely sleep! This has a lot to do with the belief in Karma, but I suppose it would benefit anyone who tries it. Basically, what you're saying is: "May my suffering be enough so that others don't have to suffer. May I experience other's pain so they don't have to." In this way, you're offering the world your compassion. You're not trying to carry the weight of the world on your shoulders, you're trying to lighten the world a bit by offering your compassion to others who are suffering. You actually feel yourself turning others suffering into love. It's beautiful.

Right now I feel like I've been detailed, like a car! All of my carpets have been shampooed, my windows are clean, and the paint has been polished. It's a brand new day!

I guess I learned a wonderful lesson yesterday: Pain doesn't have to be in vain. It can become an opportunity to realize that you're not the only one suffering. It becomes the perfect time to offer compassion to the world.

Reflections on the Dalai Lama’s Visit to Rutgers Stadium, NJ

(This post was lovingly contributed to Jaibhakti by Janet Armstrong.)

Reflections on the Dalai Lama’s Visit to Rutgers Stadium, NJ

September 25, 2005

I got up this morning at 4:45 a.m. so as to arrive on the Livingston Campus of Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, prior to the massive traffic jams we’d been advised of for the past two months. The Dalai Lama was coming to town to talk about War, Peace, and Reconciliation. We arrived so early there were absolutely no traffic problems, which afforded my friends and me two hours to chat in the stands, buy food from the concession stands (they actually had humus and crackers!) – no meat ‘in honor of the Dalai Lama’s visit’, and enjoy the Tibetan monks’ chanting, and many musical and choral performances. My only preparation for this event was to watch the Brad Pitt film Seven Years in Tibet which depicted a friendship between the Dalai Lama when he was a child and an Austrian Olympic gold medalist. (Definitely worth seeing!)

The Dalai Lama pulled up behind the stage right on time at 10:30 and was greeted by a standing ovation of approximately 35,000 people. I had tears in my eyes because of the immense crowd who had come to listen to his words, and he was so well received. He was first conferred an honorary doctorate for his contribution to world peace. Then he simply stated he was going to start his lecture. He spoke initially in his native language and then thankfully the crowd realized his interpreter was right next to him. The Dalai Lama presented his thoughts in English and from time to time consulted with his interpreter.

He sat on a chair in center stage so as to have an informal talk with the crowd. He apologized for the lack of formality, but he told us we were just going to have to accept it - and that we did! What an unassuming, humble man. He described himself as a man with perhaps a different skin color, and a nose with a slightly different shape from others, however, his point was, we are all alike – he included. The Dalai Lama continued by saying if we had all come to the stadium that morning to hear great words of wisdom on war, peace, and reconciliation, then he was sorry that we were probably going to get bored and be disappointed because we had all most likely given a great deal of thought to these concepts, and he really had nothing new to add. His sense of humor was delightfully unexpected. He then pointed out that no matter what we got out of the lecture, we must all revel in the beauty of the weather of the morning and the flight of the birds overhead and know that this was important to the day.

He told us that war is an outdated concept. It has no use in these times. The idea of enemies is past, gone, extinct because we are all connected. We are all one humanity. To kill is wrong. The twentieth century was the century of war. The twenty first century will be the century of peace. The Dalai Lama said that people are innately mischievous but we need to be accountable for our actions. We must contribute to the common good in our local communities, however, we must think globally. We are spoiled and some of us are lazy, yet we must be responsible – to ourselves and each other. Respect is paramount. Education and knowledge will take us to the peace in our world we deserve.

The Dalai Lama spoke for a solid hour and then proceeded to answer questions emailed to the Rutgers’s website prior to his visit. In response to the question concerning Israel and the Gaza Strip he started by saying he was not an authority in that area, and then he continued with several statements about what he did know, while finally concluding with a definitive “I do not know the answer to the question”. He was interrupted by applause several times. The entire crowd who strained to hear and understand his every word appreciated his informality, humor, and honest straightforwardness.

I was honored and grateful to have been able to attend such a momentous event. I could never have imagined the splendid presence such a humble man created in that stadium of 35,000 people. Upon leaving, I was struck with the knowledge that I have heard his message before. These are the many teachings spiritual leaders have told us. We will have peace in the twenty first century. In fact this shift in consciousness is happening right now. We are accountable – to ourselves and each other because we are all connected.

Lovingly submitted in light, knowledge, and respect,

Janet Armstrong
© 2005 Janet Armstrong

QUESTION #2

I'm currently reading Freakonomics and Autobiography of a Yogi.
I'd recommend the former to anyone who likes to be entertained with interesting facts, and the latter to anyone who wishes to be enveloped in the spirit of love.

What book(s) are you currently reading?
Would you recommend them to your peers?

Sage of the Month: October 2005

October's Sage of the Month is no other than Sri Shankaracharya.

Suggested reading for the month: The Crest Jewel of Discrimination, by Swami Prabhavananda and Christopher Isherwood. Check out the Sidebar (to your right) to view an image of this loving saint.

Happy reading!

Getting Out of the Blue Funk; or Who's on First?

I love the Holly Golightly character in the movie Breakfast at Tiffany's. She's an anomaly. She's childlike; yet takes $50 for the powder room. She's innocent; yet steals from a five and dime. She wants love more than anything in the world; yet she creates an air of detachment from every soul she crosses paths with. (This facade is broken down when she gets reunited with her cat, appropriately enough named 'Cat', at the end of the movie.) My favorite thing about Holly Golightly is the way she classifies the 'blues'.

You see, today I woke up in what I like to call a blue funk. Holly Golightly would refer to this state as having a 'case of the mean reds: you know, when you are blue but you don't know why so you have the mean reds?" I think that's the worse case of the blues: when you don't know why!

I've been meditating and doing self-inquiry long enough to know that there's several things I can do to deal with this mood:

1. I can meditate and wait for the cloud-like feeling that is hovering over my heart to dissipate in the heart energy.
2. I can read a book that I know will get me out of the funk, or at least take my mind off the funk. (This would have to be a book that has the power to actually influence my state of mind, like some kind of spiritual book. If I simply read something humorous, that might work as a bandaide, masking the emotions rather than helping me transmute them back to the heart energy.)
3. I could beat myself up and constantly question 'Why am I in this mood? When is this going to end?" (I know this won't work. Like I said, it would only work to beat myself up. However, this awareness does wake me up to the fact that this mood needs to be addressed in some way.)
4. I could just accept the mood and move on.

I tend to start with #3. It's when I realize that I'm beating myself up that I go to #1. If that doesn't work, I revert to #4.

So, I woke up in this funk--which could simply be a byproduct of the health issues I've been dealing with lately--and I just didn't feel motivated to do anything today. I sat for awhile with the funk, then I decided to turn on the computer. I came upon this blog in which someone was stating that he no longer believed in the existence of God. The statement was very matter of fact, but it wasn't as if all hope was lost. This person knew that there was something directing the ways of the world, yet didn't think it was 'God', per se.

Okay...so what would happen if we threw away the word 'God' for a minute. Maybe that word holds too many limitations or adverse feelings for some people. Let's just ask the question: IS THERE AN UNDERLYING CURRENT THAT CAUSES MANIFESTATION OF EVERYTHING IN THE WORLD?

Let's look at the heartbeat. Who or what is beating the heart? What about the breath: who or what is causing us to breathe? Every thing in the world contains atoms: who or what is making the nucleus of the atom throb?

Think about it. There is an underlying current that exists in all things. The question is how do we get our head around it? How do we make sense about it? The answer, in my experience, is that we can't intellectualize this concept. That's more confusing than trying to figure out who's on first. However, we can tap into this current; this energy. Self-inquiry is the key.

The atheistic blog post was exactly what I needed to read today to help me get out of my funk. How could I stay in a funk when I know that I have the tools to reconnect with the loving heart energy, the bliss and joy that is innate to every human being? I have work to do. I need to take the energy of the funk and take it for what it is: it's a funk. And like all funks, this too shall pass. Underlying this funk is a loving current I call 'God', or Shakti, or the Holy Spirit. Whatever you call it, or don't call it, I believe it's there waiting to reveal itself in all of its glory. It's the 'treasure chest' I wrote about at the end of the GREETINGS post last month.

Happy wishes to you all.

Lose Your Mind!

Far too many people are emailing me telling me that they are either still 'working on their dinner lists' or too embarrassed to post their dinner lists because they might not be 'right' for this site.

Dear Ones, this site is ALL ABOUT letting go of the mind and living from the heart! What does that mean?

1. Stop censoring yourself.
2. Stop comparing yourself to others.
3. Stop judging yourself.
4. Let go.

One of my friends said she didn't post her list because the first two people on the list were President Clinton and President George W. Bush. I think that's a terrific beginning of a list! I would have added Monica Lewinsky, Al Gore, Anita Hill, Clarence Thomas, The Pope, H.H. Dalai Lama, and Britney Spear's new kid.

The only thing I ever asked was for you to have fun! Now I feel as though I must implement a set of criteria with regard to creating your dinner party list:

You may only spend 1-10 minutes creating your list. If you want to remain anonymous, sign in as 'Anonymous', rather than creating an account with Blogger.com. No problem.

Believe me, the first names that come into your head are pretty much the people that you want at your dinner party. Don't create unnecessary limitations in your life. You are perfect the way you are. Lose your mind and TRUST your HEART.

Click the following link to post your dinner party list: Question #1

Jnaneshwar Maharaj--Forgive Me!

I just cannot believe that I left Jnaneshwar Maharaj off my dinner list (see below)! How could I have forgotten the author of the Pasayadan--the nine verse commentary on the Bhagavad Gita? I remember how I cried the first time I heard Gurumayi's devotees singing this lovely poem; the words just melted the wall of ego that had set up camp around my heart:

"May all beings in the world be filled with joy, and may they worship God forever."

Jnaneshwar, I beg your forgiveness in the omission of your presence at my dinner party. Please accept this invitation not only to attend the party, but to sit between Jesus and Frank (see below).

QUESTION #1

Last night, while day dreaming in bed, I asked myself "If you could invite any ten historical people to a private, casual dinner party, who would you invite?" I came up with the following list:

• Jesus
• Bhagawan Nityananda
• Sri Shankaracharya
• Paramahansa Yogananda
• St. John (the Apostle)
• Ramana Maharshi
• Mother Theresa
• Hafiz
• Narada
• Frank Zappa

Then, I asked myself, "What if you could only invite two of them?" The choice was rather simple:

• Jesus
• Frank Zappa

What ten historical people would you invite to dinner?

Could you narrow it down to two?

Share your list with other Jaibhakti readers by clicking the 'Comments' link and posting your list online.

LOL! # 1: The Gray Hair Dilemma

(This is the first installment in Jaibhakti's new LOL! series. In the future, I'll be asking for YOU to submit stories that can be included on this site. This particular segment, The Gray Hair Dilemma, comes to you straight from...my mom, a.k.a. "Mimi". I think it's the perfect example of how Divine Intervention sometimes comes in the form of humor.)

The events of this story took place on the evening of my daughter Bhakti's cervical spine surgery. To relax a little after a day spent in the waiting room of our local hospital, I decided to take my seven year old grandson, Kevin, to Friendly's restaurant for dinner. After ordering our food, Kevin reached for the crayon box on the table and began to draw on his paper placemat.

"Look, Mimi, I'm drawing a picture of you. Are your eyes green or blue?" he asked.

"They're blue, just like yours," I replied.

Upon completion, he handed me the drawing with a big smile on his face. I said, "Kevin, I don't have blonde hair!"

"Well, Mimi, I don't have a gray crayon!"

Exciting New Features!

I have great news! Now you can make Jaibhakti your one-stop-blog for a daily dose of inspiration! I'd like to introduce you to some new features on the site:

Do yourSelf a favor: scroll down on the sidebar and click on "Today's DailyOm". Check back every day for a new dose of Om!

I hope you can take the time to visit some of my friends/teacher's sites. Sally Kempton is a Master meditation teacher who travels extensively and writes a column for Yoga Journal. Dean Sluyter is a terrific writer and teacher; he has an uncanny ability to meld his sense of spirituality with his sense of humor! Jai Uttal is one of the most talented, loving, humorous, loving, talented (you get the picture!) kirtan leaders in the world! If you love to sing, you'll love Jai!

Now you can EMAIL me by clicking on the link at the top of the sidebar (to the right!). Send your comments, stories, poetry, and or anything you wish to share.

To get on the Jaibhakti mailing list, send me an email with "NOTIFY ME!" in the subject area. I'll send you a notification when I post anything new on the site. Coming up soon: Jaibhakti's Spiritual Life Poetry Contest. Look for more details in the 'mail'!

My greatest wish is that you enjoy the site. Is there a particular topic you would like to read about? Do YOU want to write a story or article to be posted on Jaibhakti? Don't be shy, email me today!

Love and Blessings.