KITTY ON COMPUTER ON COMPUTER

I love my little buddy. Don't you?

Do you have a kitty cat that you would like to be honored as JAIBHAKTI'S Cat Of the Month for March? If so, please email me a photo and a brief write-up telling me all about your precious cat.

--Thank you, Bhakti

tags: jaibhakti, Kitty, photography

HAPPY SHIVARATRI!

HAPPY SHIVARATRI!

I just chanted the wonderful 'King Of Mantras': OM NAMAH SHIVAYA in honor of Shivaratri. As you can see, Kitty is still deep in meditation (or contemplation; it's hard to tell!).

May everyone, everywhere, benefit from the blessings of my prayers this evening. May my pain be enough so that no one else may have to suffer pain. May everyone, everywhere experience peace and love in their hearts. This is my wish. May it be so.

Tonight's chanting and meditation is dedicated to my beloved teacher, Sally Kempton Durgananda, and to my Beloveds-- Gurumayi Chidvilasananda, Baba Muktananda, and Bade Baba Nityananda.

Om Namah Shivaya!

Sadgurunath Maharaj ki Jay!

LOVE, Bhakti

tags: jaibhakti, Shiva, Shivaratri, Sally Kempton, Gurumayi,

VOTE For Your Favorite NEW Photo!

Photo 1: "Sunset in February"

Photo 2: "Ode To Magritte"

Photo 3: "Om Namah Shivaya~ Evening Sun"

Photo 4: "Will She Ever Learn To Relax?"

Photo 5: "Kitty Paws"

Photo 6: "What a smile!"

Please vote for your favorite photo; leave your vote in the comments section.

tags: jaibhakti, photography

All photos ©2006 D.L. Brophy. All rights reserved.

2 QUESTIONS

1. Call me crazy, but I just spent the past hour and a 1/2 creating my new 'stained glass' header. Do you like the new look?

2. Do you think I should run for President in 2008?

Guest Writer: J.L.

Once upon a time, I DON'T KNOW!

Thank you for taking the time to read my post. Please leave me some comments, I am going to check the comments area every hour. Thanks. --J.L. (almost 9 yrs. old).

Mystified...

I just took the Subversive Alternative Paradigm quiz and got these results:

You are a Spiritualist. You are most at home in the subtle realms of existence, and since you can't be there all the time, you communicate with spirits regularly to keep at least one foot on higher planes. As you progress, more and more of your interaction is based on planes other than the physical, and while this can draw strange glances from those who overhear, for the most part you are able to blend in and go unnoticed. It's a shame, really, because you have depths therefore unseen by your peers.
Spiritualist 85%
True Alternative 85%
Otherkin 80%
Mystic 70%
White Lighter 70%
Aimless Eclectic 45%
Magician 40%
Discordian 20%
I've always felt at home being called 'mystical', but had no idea I was 'Otherkin', whatever that is... Take the test and let me know your results!
Cheers,
Bhakti
( I found this quiz on Pradeep K.'s Endless Chasm blog.)

tags: jaibhakti, spirituality

Guru Kitty

Kitty Von Kitty Basking in the Sun

The other day, I was at my grandmother's house and she noticed that my eyes lit up and I smiled when my gaze fell upon this lovely blue antique lamp (pictured in the above photo). She said it made her feel so good to see me smile, and she offered me the lamp. Very lovingly, I accepted.

This lamp does bring a smile to my face every time I see it. I think it is absolutely beautiful, and I'm not one who usually cares either way about antiques. I think the one reason this lamp resonates with me is because I often see the same color blue while in meditation; its presence in my room has a calming effect on me. Not only is the lamp a remebrance of the peacefulness and serenity of meditation, but it is a remembrance of my grandmother's love for me, and my admiration for her.

A big shout out to my grandmother for thinking of my happiness; you are as self-less as they come. Thank you for you in the world.

xxoo,

Bhakti

tags: jaibhakti, love

Just Read & Listening To...

How I Became Stupid

This is a very quick and quarky read; a bit contrived, albeit humorous. The book follows Antoine, a 25 year old intellectual Parisian, in his search for infinite bliss through attempts at dumbing down his brain. In the beginning of the book, I laughed aloud at some of his feeble attempts to stupify. By the middle of the book, How I Became Stupid turns into a brutal social commentary on the definition of happiness, and how people go about achieving that goal. I would not say this is the funniest thing I have read, nor would I call it a masterpiece (it has the potential of Confederacy of Dunces , yet falls way short of the mark), yet I did find some sort of comic relief. I'm just not quite sure at whose expense I was laughing. People who like Catcher In The Rye (which I do consider a classic) will most likely be amused.

BHAJANANANDI

Bhajananandi is one of my favorite new musical finds. The vocals, provided by Arjun of Arjun and Guardians (see below), are as haunting as they are beautiful and sincere. Bhajananandi's music is devotional chanting at it's very bare-bones/grass roots best, with vocals, harmonium, tablas, and the occasional acoustic guitar producing a mix of heavenly melodic bhajans. I would recommend Bhajananandi's Vol 2&3 CD to anyone who loves music, devotional or otherwise. People who like Krishna Das and Jai Uttal will appreciate Bhajananandi.

Arjun and Guardians

(Click on the above link for a terrific bio on Arjun and Guardians.)

tags: jaibhakti, bhajananandi, entertainment, Arjun and Guardians, How I Became Stupid

Happy Cat

Something went drastically wrong with my flash...

tags:jaibhakti, cats

Icicles

5:00 PM Icicles on the House

9:00PM Full Moon With Icicles

tags: jaibhakti, photography

Out My Window: BLIZZARD 2006

02/12/06

12:30 AM
(15 second exposure)

4:30 AM

(15 second exposure)

12:30 PM

tags: jaibhakti, photography

MY RIGHT FOOT

sELF pORTRAIT #13

TAGS: jaibhakti, photography

How Am I Feeling??

Lots of you have so graciously been asking how I am feeling. Let me give you some background info: January was hell month. Literally. I hope that by my experiencing the pain that I felt in January that no one else will have to feel that kind of pain. That's a Buddhist tonglen meditation, and I hope it rings true.

Right now, I don't necessarily feel better physically, but my mental outlook has changed. The condition that I am left with after my spinal fusion is called neuropathy. It's root is at the C6 nerve root. It is a painful condition that is not curable, only treatable; i.e. the doctors will do the best that they can to help me live and deal with the pain.

I have an incredible outlook on life, and a great spirit. Couple that with an incredible family and a wonderful sense of humor, and I think I have all of the makings of someone who will beat this thing; or at least not let it ruin my life. I am, by nature, a very loving, giving person. I am also, by nature, someone who loves to laugh and smile. I will not let this neuropath condition change my outlook on life. In fact, it has only managed to strengthen my faith in everything that I love.


As you can see from the pictures that I have been posting lately, I have been looking for things of beauty that are very close to me, that I may have overlooked in the past. For example, the foggy night pictures. I was in awe of the beauty of that evening. (By the way, I have been posting pictures lately because it hurts too much for me to type right now. I am typing right now because I had another epidural injection this morning and am still feeling the beautiful effects of the Novocain and anesthesia.)


So, in answer to your questions about how I am feeling, well, I am still in physical pain. I am not back to work yet. However, as I stated above, my mental outlook on the situation is positive. You know, we always have a choice. I couldn't possibly change the physical condition that I am in today, but I definitely have a choice as to whether I am going to let it ruin my day or just accept it for what it is and then try to make the best of my day regardless. I choose the latter over the former: especially after learning that the pain(s) I am experiencing are due to nerve disease and, again, is not curable.


I love life. I love humor. I love learning. I love the sun, the moon, the Earth, and the sky. I love this world. I love my cat...my precious little angel. I love and thank God for my family and my friends. Everyone should be so blessed as to have a cousin as terrific as Cousin Chrissy (A.K.A. "CC") and a mom and dad and brothers and sister-in-laws as INCREDIBLE as I have been blessed with.


I also love all of you. I do. I can't thank all of you, my blogger buddies, enough, who have been such a source of joy and pleasure for me while going through this physical-health roller coaster for the past seven months.


I particularly wish to thank Gyrobo and Flatlander for ALWAYS making me laugh. Sometimes, when I was in too much pain to type, I would still look at other's blogs, and these two guys always brought a smile to my face. I don't know either of you personally, but I can tell you from the bottom of my heart, that you have filled my life with so much joy that I shall cherish you forever.


Also, a big hug to Miladysa--who went through a similar situation over the past several months. Thank you sweetie---big, big hugs for your love and support. To everyone who reads and comments on this blog--thank you dearly for filling my life with your presence and happy wishes. I appreciate all of you. I truly do.


To answer your question--"How are you doing, Bhakti?" Well, I may be in tremendous physical pain, but that is no matter. I have so much love in my heart. I will get through this. And I thank you all for keeping my spirits high.


Lots of love and all great blessings, Bhakti


PS I've been experimenting with self portraits lately. :)

tag: jaibhakti, photography

Foggy Night

I couldn't sleep the other night, so I placed my camera on my windowsill and took some long exposures of the foggy night. In the above photo, the orange lights you see are actually a fire truck barreling down a street adjacent to the street I live on.

This is a photograph of an Evergreen tree highlighted by headlights that are muted from the fog.

This is the view out my window (long exposure) at 1:30AM.

tags: jaibhakti, photography

photographs ©2006 D.L.Brophy

wHAT iF?

Imagine the anarchy that would ensue if a pine tree seed decided to grow into a gerbera daisy! The sheer audacity of that seed would go unsurpassed-- think about the repercussions! Wild flower seeds would think to grow into grape tomatoes; onion seeds into sunflowers; and, picture this--a mere pansy growing into an Evergreen!

Plant pansy seeds in your garden:

And end up with a tall Evergreen

staring down your neck!

WHAT IF?

tags: jaibhakti, humor

BHAKTI'S REVELATION: 2006

"The Earth is round, but the Universe is flat."
--©2006 Bhakti

tags: jaibhakti, humor