Jaibhakti

When Someone Tries to Crush Your Spirit...Always Remember:

2011-06-20T17:23:00.002-04:00

"Great spirits have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds."

--Albert Einstein

My Blog Has Been Deleted

2011-03-30T12:38:00.013-04:00

If you tried to access your blog and found that it has been deleted, you are not alone. This morning I tried to access my blog and was greeted with this wonderfulmessage (enter anxiety ridden sarcasm here):

Sorry. The blog at jaibhakti.blogspot.com has been removed. This address is not available for new blogs.
Did you expect to see your blog here? See, "I can't see my blog. Where is it?"

Here are the steps I took to retrieve my blog:

1) I clicked on the link provided: "I can't see my blog. Where is it?"

2) I was instructed that it is recommended to sign in to receive the best customer support available.
3) I signed in and a new window opened. Google asked me for my cell phone number so they could either TEXT or VOICE MAIL me a "Verification Access Code". I typed in my phone number and was immediately called with an access code. I typed the access code into the area provided and waited.

4) I was redirected back to the original GOOGLE sign in page. I signed in again.

5) I was bummed to find out that the "Customer Support" I was promised was actually the "Help Forum" where users type in questions and give each other support. I visited this page and was happy to find out that I was not alone: a Google Help Support guy named "Brett" started a thread that stated Google was aware that many blogs have been deleted. I read through the comments on this thread.
6) I checked my URL and my blog was up and running!

I realized that many of the items on my sidebar were deleted, and I have to re-format my blog (the archives are messed up). It seems that HTML is not working either. I had to format this post myself--that's why it looks so bad. I haven't written HTML in a long time.

I recommend that you follow the steps provided by Google, just like I did. I was sceptical about giving out my cell phone number, but it seems to me that this was Googles way of verifying that I was the actual "owner" of this blog.
I hope you find the information in this post helpful. May your blog be restored sooner than later.
Regards, Bhakti

Bhakti Brophy Says:

2011-03-30T12:18:00.004-04:00

Stop ... Relax ... Listen ... Let go

The above mantra is a Trademark of D.L. Bhakti Brophy and may not be reproduced without permission.

There is a Light...

2010-10-21T16:48:00.004-04:00

Your Light is always on.
Fear is real.
Fear is not real.
Anger is real.
Anger is not real.
Love is real.
Love is...
Love is.
Your Light is always on.
Leave your ego beside the threshold
of the door...
And Shine!
I beg you...
Bow down.
Put your Heart above your mind--
Experience THAT!
That which sustains you;
nourishes you;
breathes you;
and Loves you!
It is all I ask of you.
Find your Self
and your work here is done.

--Bhakti Brophy 10/21/10

Hello friends!
It has been a long time since my last post: I have missed the Blogosphere, to be sure. Unfortunately, the past two years have been rather hell-ish. I do loathe using the word "hell"; here I am using it to mean I was going through the most trying of trials--physical pain beyond belief, and I also was bedridden about 85-95% of the time. This messed with my body in a way that it never had before: being unable to walk around--well, you know the phrase, use it or lose it.

This past July 4th weekend I had experienced the worst physical pain in my entire life (and you all know how much I have endured already). I had a migraine headache that lasted about 4 days. I had my head covered to block any light from my eyes, and I spent the days using earplugs to drown out any noises. I had had enough. At first I wasn't depressed because I knew that I would make it through, once the migraine passed. But the migraine didn't pass the way it used to. It parked itself right in my left eye socket. At one point I picked up my cell phone and emailed everyone who was able to help me in the past, either by sending me strong energy (Dr. Kam Yuen); doing Reiki on me and sending me strong healing energy (my friend Bobby); or by sending me tsunami strength prayers (my dear friend Sally Kempton).

Bobby got in touch with me and was able to alleviate the migraine. I spent the next two weeks reading Dr. Yuen's books regarding working with and deleting pain from your body and mind. What a lesson! I started talking to Dr. Yuen on the phone. I learned his "method" by taking teleseminars and by talking to him on the phone and by reading his books over and over. My friend Bobby kept in touch and kept my level of energy up.

By the end of July I was walking around WITHOUT MY NECK BRACE ON for the first time in...almost a year. I started making myself walk to the end of the driveway and back (about two car lengths). Finally, I made myself walk around the block (about 1/5 mile). Of course, being me, I did too much too fast and ended back in bed with the pain on the rise.

People often make comments such as, "Why do you do that to yourself? You start feeling a little bit better and then you make yourself worse by doing things."

Personally, I have never understood how anyone could ask that question . I don't think anyone could truly understand WHY I do what I do unless they were in my position. If you live with severe chronic pain--you know what I'm talking about. (Let me give you a gauge on what I mean by "severe" chronic pain. After being hit by a car in 1997, I flew straight up in the air, flipped over in a fetal position, and landed on the lower left side of my lumbar spine. The sciatica I had from that accident was the worst pain I had ever felt, and I thought it was probably "severe" chronic pain. But compared to the pain I live with now, from the crushed nerve roots in my spine, the sciatica is about a 3 on my pain scale, and my pain is relatively an 8-9.)

So, why do I do things when I start to feel a little better?
A) Because I don't want to lose the use of my legs and body.
B) Although I try to make the best of it, by reading and learning and keeping my mind sharp, I cannot stand being in bed anymore.
C) I am an extremely creative person. I wish to be able to go outside and see nature. I love to look at the sky. I find much strength and rejuvenation by going outside and staring at the moon--oh, and it's especially cool when the moon is out during the day!
D) What is the point of having good days if I don't embrace them and make the most out of them?
E) The truth is, from a psychological point of view, when you live with a chronic condition and you are bedridden most of the time, getting a "good" day is such a gift--there is the feeling that one must not squander it; but there is also the fear that "this may be the last 'good' day I am blessed with, so I am going to do everything I can with the time I have!" This is the main reason why so many people who live in severe chronic pain, or any other chronic condition, tend to push themselves too far when we have good days. We're not masochistic...and we're not doing anything wrong by taking advantage of the blessing a good day brings.

I think people who are able to get up everyday and do the things they love (or do things they don't love, but have the ability to get up in the morning) forget what a gift it is. I don't mean this as a judgment. I mean it sincerely. If you spent two years unable to do the things you truly loved, wouldn't you spend every last ounce of energy you had doing something if your body actually decided to function the way it is meant to?

It takes strength to endure. It surely does. And people have called me courageous and inspirational, but the truth is...the Truth is what sustains me. Knowledge of my inner Self. Of course, my Mother and Father--wow, was I blessed with great parents! It is true that my Father had an extremely difficult time dealing with my disability the first two years I was 100% disabled--most likely due to the fact that he watched me build up a photography business and career in NYC and then watched as I lost it after my accident. Then I got back on the horse and got a teaching job four years later, and I lost that due to the Sept. 11th attacks...I think my father was taking his anger out on me. His anger over all of my losses and trials. But I must tell you--I feel it is my duty to tell you--WE HAVE SO MUCH MORE STRENGTH AND COURAGE AND POWER WITHIN OURSELVES THAN YOU COULD EVER IMAGINE! I know this from experience.

I was fortunate enough to have been born innately "spiritual"; by this I mean I have always--since the age of three--been asking questions like, "Who is God?", "Why are we here?", "Who made us?" These questions used to freak my Mom out when I was a youngster!

The Truth is...there IS an answer. And you must find it yourself. No one can give it to you. No one can take it away. It is always present.

As I was stating above, I was fortunate enough to experience this before becoming totally disabled, and this knowledge has served me well. I can go through a day of hell-ish pain and then start reading The Upanishads, or Jesus's words, or I can start to simply focus my attention on my Heart Center. The joy is always there...ALWAYS present underneath the fear, anger, guilt, sadness, happiness, etc.. The joy is ever present--just like the sun.

It always struck me as funny that we say, "The sun is rising," and "The sun is going down." No it's not. We are spinning, not the sun. The sun is ever-present, as seen by it's reflection on the moon.

Your Light is ever-present, too. You have to find it. lt is always on--for as long as you are alive, your Light is shining...and when you die, it will merge with the Greatest Light Of All, like a river merges with the ocean...and you will shine on in Eternity.

You are That.

Much love
and Warm Regards,
Bhakti

Howard Zinn 1922-2010

2010-01-31T16:04:00.005-05:00

My love and respect go out to the family of Howard Zinn--perhaps the greatest thinker of the Twentieth Century. My words could never do his life's work justice, so I ask that you read his books and essays, watch the archived video and print interviews (on Youtube and howardzinn.org, respectively), and see if you are not moved by his passion for equality among all human beings. Following in Thoreau's footsteps, Zinn reminded us all that the greatest form of patriotism is holding your government accountable for its actions.

Zinn never subscribed to violence--not in his actions, nor in his speech. He often smiled while lecturing, never expecting the listener to take his words at face value, but asked that we, as citizens of the United States, educate ourselves, for an ignorant people is a government's wet dream. He believed civil-disobedience to be the greatest way to wake up a government that won't answer to its constituents; the keyword here being 'civil'.

Howard Zinn was one of the greatest patriots of the United States of America. God Bless him, and may he rest in peace, knowing that by taking immediate action against race discrimination, the Vietnam War, and womens' rights, he helped start movements that paved the way for lasting change to take place. He was a pioneer who demanded that his government live up to the ideals set forth in the Constitution, and own up to the rights of all citizens mandated in the Bill of Rights because even though these rights were written by the rich and powerful, they were written for all citizens of the United States of America.

photos credits:
http://www.semnap.org/Images/howard-zinn.png
http://www.cbc.ca/gfx/images/arts/photos/2010/01/28/zinn-howard-cp-8026854.jpg

METTA PRAYER

2009-10-27T14:18:00.003-04:00

May all beings be peaceful.

May all beings be happy.

May all beings be safe.

May all beings awaken to

the light of their true nature.

May all beings be free.

May it be so,
Bhakti

GUITAR WORLD Letter to the Editor

2009-05-09T18:59:00.006-04:00

GUITAR WORLD was cool enough to publish my 'Letter to the Editor' in which I thanked them for honoring the great STEVE VAI on the May 2009 cover as well as printing an article on the great JASON BECKER in the same issue.

Check out the July 2009 issue of Guitar World to read all about it.

Thanks Brad Tolinski!

THE CLOSER, TRUST ME, AND AN EARTHQUAKE!

2009-02-03T16:50:00.006-05:00

Last night, I had the worst migraine in the world (although it was not the worst migraine I have ever experienced in my lifetime, I knew it had to be the worst migraine anyone on the entire planet was experiencing at that precise moment. That's the power of the migraine talkin', baby.). The migraine started in the back of my head and then wrapped around the right side of my skull and parked itself inside my right eye socket. With ice packs wrapped around the back of my neck, I made my way upstairs into the beautiful lightness of my darkly lit bedroom. There's something about darkness that dispels the urgency of a migraine. As I slipped under the covers--Kitty Von Kitty nestling herself beside me--I felt the migraine losing its feverish grip upon my sanity. With a deepish in-breath (not too deep; didn't want to strain the already fighting muscles wrapped around the skull), I envisioned the tension in my body and released it on the out-breath. I repeated this four times, much like one would repeat the wash and rinse cycle while shampooing.

At 9 PM, after having expelled most of the migraine into the ether, I turned on the television and watched The Closer-- perhaps the most original detective series created since Prime Suspect. I must say that Chief Brenda Johnson's (Kyra Sedgwick/The Closer) obsession with eating food on the job is quite reminiscent of Superintendent Jane Tennison's (Helen Mirren/Prime Suspect) obsession with eating food on the job. Mirren and Sedgwick worked together on Losing Chase (directed by Sedgwick's husband, Kevin Bacon) back in the early 1990's. Is the food obsession a coincidence? I certainly hope not. This wonderful episode of the Closer ended, as usual, with Brenda breaking the case by relating the circumstances of the case to the goings on around her household--namely by listening to her fiance talk about this or that.

After The Closer, I began watching Trust Me, a modern day version of Madmen. I have been a lover of all things Madmen since the first episode, drawn to the show because of its truthfulness to the era it portrays: the language, dress code, blatant sexual discrimination, and sexual infidelities. Madmen portrays an America on the cusp of exchanging sexual repression for a sexual revolution. As I watched Trust Me I was waiting for a clincher--something that would pique my interest and make me want to watch the show for an entire hour. Minutes passed and no clincher: just another show about dysfunctional relationships and coworkers. Anyone interested in watching that treatment done to its fullest potential, go rent all six seasons of THE WIRE; the best cop show no one was watching until the sixth season and everyone should have been watching since McNulty uttered his first drunken word.

At around 10:30 PM my world was (literally) rocked. My bed began to rock from side to side. The stained glass angel hanging from my window-lock began banging against the window. Kitty Von Kitty awoke from a purring slumber. I muted the TV just as my Mom yelled upstairs, "Did you feel that? What was that?"

"It felt like an earthquake to me!" I yelled downstairs.

"I'm turning on the news," Mom yelled back.

The tremor only lasted 2-4 seconds. Thoughts raced in my mind, "Did a large truck just fly over the speed bump in front of our house? No...that would have caused the bed to shake up and down. What about an explosion far away? No...again, the bed was shaking back and forth, as if the floor was sliding back and forth beneath it." My mind was still contemplating the movement of the house as I turned the volume back on the TV. I watched the last half hour of Trust Me both in awe of how interesting the experience of the earthquake had been and how far off the mark Trust Me came from rocking my world. Two great actors a great show does not make.

The local papers confirmed that a .03 earthquake had occurred in Rockaway, a town twenty minutes from my house. I live 45 minutes west of New York City; a city that literally sits on hollow ground (the subway system) which itself is seated upon a fault line. Could the scientists predictions of an earthquake hitting New York City be correct? Anything can happen in a world where flowers bloom.

LET FREEDOM RING!

2009-01-20T16:46:00.006-05:00

Thank you, Dear Lord,

For letting me be witness

to this most beautiful

day in American history.

With Great Love and Honor

I give praise to this,

our 44th president.

I thank him

for his humility,

character,

and enthusiasm.

May everyone catch his spirit of hope.

Love,

Bhakti

JASON BECKER

2008-12-08T11:47:00.008-05:00

CLICK ON LINK ABOVE TO BUY JASON BECKER'S
NEW ALBUM: 'COLLECTION'. YOUR EARS WILL
THANK YOU!

As many of you know, I have been a great fan of guitar virtuoso Steve Vai for over twenty years. You also know that I had the great pleasure of meeting him last year. What you may not know is that when I told Steve about how my physical limitations have made it virtually impossible for me to play the guitar, drums, etc., he told me about Jason Becker's spiritual triumph over his physical limitations. Steve introduced me to the life of a man who would become my inspiration to keep making music, even if that meant writing a piece of music one month, programming the drum track another month, recording the drum track to my 8-track digital recorder another month; you get the picture. I was used to writing a tune in one day and recording all of the instruments myself until the piece was finished, most times working through the entire day and staying up all night. It never occurred to me that I could enjoy recording my music any other way, but after reading about Jason's story and watching videos illustrating his unique music writing style on YouTube, I have learned to discipline myself. I am recording again, albeit slowly but surely, and Jason is my hero.

Jason Becker is a TRUE guitar hero. He has been living with ALS (Lou Gehrig's Disease) for almost twenty years. In a nutshell, he went from being a famous guitar prodigy in the late '80s, to a man not able to breathe by himself. He never lost his spirit or desire to live. I don't think I would be remiss to say that our physical 'dis-eases' have brought both of us closer to the Truth than we could have ever imaged. Perhaps I have that backwards: maybe it was our innate knowledge of the Truth from a very young age--our thirst to find that Truth--that has sustained us both.

An artist MUST create. Jason is a true artist. I could go on and on and write about what I know of Jason's life, but I would ask that you go to the source. PLEASE WATCH THIS TRIBUTE TO JASON BECKER'S LIFE. Your life will be changed for the better after you watch this video. There is nothing greater than being in the presence of greatness: Jason is the personification of how great the human spirit truly is.

FOR MORE INFO:

http://www.jasonbecker.com/

www.myspace.com/jasonbecker

TO MAKE A CONTRIBUTION TO JASON BECKER PLEASE GO TO HIS WEBSITE AND CLICK ON THE APPROPRIATE LINK.

Thank you.
Warm Regards,
Bhakti

tags: Jaibhakti, Bhakti Brophy, Jason Becker, Jason Becker Collection, Steve Vai, Guitar Hero, Jason Becker Tribute,

President-Elect Obama

2008-11-06T18:10:00.006-05:00

Thank you for giving disabled people a voice. Your presidential acceptance speech was moving and enlightening.

God Bless and Much Love,
Bhakti Brophy

ENGRISH!

2008-08-30T20:17:00.003-04:00

The funniest website I have EVER found is called ENGRISH. I suggest you visit it often and a lot, whichever comes first.

http://www.engrish.com/

While there, you can learn how to create your own Engrish!

"Steve's vai is the electric guitarist where the world is best!!"

I hope this finds you all well and happy,
Love,
Bhakti

THE LIVES OF OTHERS

2008-04-08T14:08:00.005-04:00

I have many movie reviews to post--but for now I must insist that you run as fast as you can to your respective movie-rental-outfit and rent THE LIVES OF OTHERS.

It was over a year ago that one of my loyal readers suggested that I watch this film. I am only sorry that it took me so long to take his advice.

I will not write anything else about this film save for it is a must see movie for all of my readers--i.e. people who live from the heart and stand up for the truth when they see it, regardless of the consequences.

Thank you for stopping by.

With Great Respect-
Love,
Bhakti

tags: Jaibhakti, Bhakti Brophy, The Lives of Others, Berlin Wall

JAIBHAKTI MOVIE REVIEW: "I AM DAVID"

2008-02-18T18:40:00.005-05:00

"I Am David" (click on title for information)

PAUL FEIG: Writer/Director

If you don't cry during this movie, you aren't alive.

This past weekend, I watched "I am David" three times (on IFC: the Independent Film Channel). Ben Tibber, the young man who played David, deserved an Oscar nod for his performance as a young man who escapes from a Stalinist Labor Camp and heads out on a journey to find his true home, which is illustrated in colorful flashbacks throughout the film. The movie works because the whole is created by a cast of superior parts: the acting, the scenery, the wardrobes, the dialogue, and most especially Stewart Copeland's magnificent score, moves the story along at the most appropriate pace--the exact pace you would expect a young person of David's stature to absorb and assimilate his experiences. Never boring; always intriguing; my only wish is that the movie went into greater detail: the movie could have easily gone on for another half hour.

Joan Plowright's character is one of the all-time most compassionate, most humane characters I have ever scene on film. I wish so much her character to be an actual person: I would relish the chance to visit her for a spot of tea or sit beside her while painting watercolors of the lush scenery down by her favorite lake. The character she created shall forever be etched in my mind, and for that I thank her. She truly has made the world a better place by creating a character whom I believe we all should aspire to match in compassion, grace, and good humor.

At the end of the movie, "Cold Water", the very poignant and appropriate Damien Rice song, pulls us deeper and deeper into our hearts as the story comes to an end...which is really just the beginning. In my mind I bent down and swept David up in my arms, kissed his forehead, and told him I loved him. I believe you will too.

tags: Jaibhakti, Bhakti Brophy, I Am David, Joan Plowright, Ben Tibber, Paul Feig, Jim Caviezel, Damien Rice, Stewart Copeland,

Heath Ledger Has Died

2008-01-22T17:24:00.000-05:00

My prayers go out to the family and friends of Heath Ledger, who died today at 3:30PM in his Soho apartment.*

I would also like to extend my prayers to the family and friends of Brad Renfro, who died last week of an accidental overdose. * *

Om caitanyam, shasvatam shantam
Vyomatetam, nuranjanam
Nada Bindu Colatitam
Tasmai Shree Gurave Namaha

Shanti,
Bhakti

SOURCES: *OKmagazine.com; **Entertainment Weekly, #975

tags: Jaibhakti, Bhakti Brophy, Heath Ledger, Brad Renfro,

OPPOSE THE NORTH AMERICAN UNION!!!!

2008-01-20T19:46:00.001-05:00

President W. Bush has illegally engaged us in a pact with Canada and Mexico that dissolves our borders and creates what is being called the NORTH AMERICAN UNION (NAU). Our U.S. currency will be replaced with the 'Amero', much like the European Union is using the 'Euro'.

Please CLICK HERE to read an article by a Harvard Lawyer regarding the illegality of President Bush signing this agreement without consulting the Congress or the American people.

Here's a list of more articles/websites regarding the North American Union (NAU) and it's ramifications. This list will be updated as I find any new press regarding the NAU:
http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=14965
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_American_Union

Z-DAY: MARCH 15, 2008

2008-01-20T18:36:00.001-05:00

http://www.zeitgeistmovie.com/

I just received a link to this movie. It is so absolutely thought provoking--and many of the ideas in it are relative to the way I think (i.e. that TV and the entire entertainment industry is dumbing down America; and that the government--through bogus programs like No Child Left Behind-- are creating an environment in the classroom where teachers are forced to teach to the test and not actually teach to the individual students, thus cheating children of a good education). I can't actually say that the information contained in the film is shocking; some of it I had already heard and/or researched myself.

I do not profess to know or even believe that everything contained in this movie is true, yet I do think it is, as stated above, thought provoking and the ideas contained within are certainly in our best interest to investigate further. For example, I was in Manhattan on 911 and I photographed WTC Building 7 as it fell. I also photographed many other buildings around the Twin Towers that were already half-way demolished by the impact of the debris from the falling Twin Towers. It's not hard to understand how a lowrise building like Building 7 would simply collapse in on itself. It's not like this type of building is going to fall over on it's side; according to physics, that would be impossible. Also, the man who designed the Twin Towers designed them so that if they ever fell that they would fall down in the exact manner that they did on 911. He did this to ensure that the Towers would never 'fall over'. The floors fell one-on-top-of-another just like they were designed to do. I'm not sold on the 911 Conspiracy Theory. However, I absolutely do believe that that 911 was used by the W. Bush administration as an excuse to start a war that they had already planned on waging.

The second example I will use to show that I don't believe everything in the ZEITGEIST movie is that Jesus's 'real' birthday was not December 25; that is merely the date that Christians celebrate His birth. This shoots down the astrological theories put forth in the first section of the movie. If you visit the Zeitgeistmovie website you will find that the film maker addressed this issue in the 'Clarification' section of the movie's website.

The part about the U.S. Federal Reserve did prick up my ears--and that is the part that makes the most sense to me and that I feel every American should look into for him or herself.)

The film is broken into three sections. I ask that you please at least watch the part about the Federal Reserve and the international bankers. You can fast-forward to the part that illustrates how the government is forcing the middle and lower classes into monetary dire straits--via the U.S. Federal Reserve controlling the value of the dollar bill and the amount of money in circulation at any given time-- by forwarding the arrow to around 1:12:00.

You can read more about the Federal Reserve and the Federal Reserve Act of 1913 by CLICKING HERE.

It truly is time for all spiritual leaders and Knowers of the Truth to step forward and stop the rich and powerful warmongers and international bankers from creating a world of unbelievable poverty for the majority of human beings living on this great planet.

It is the wish of these money hungry war mongers to create ONE GOVERNMENT on the entire planet. In other words: we will be the peasants and 'they' will rule US. (I will publish information about this subject in my next post.)

If you not only believe, but you KNOW that love is more powerful than fear--it's time to step up to the plate and make your voice be heard.

Pray for everyone, everywhere to know the peace, love, and joy of the Heart.
Pray that everyone, everywhere may know good health.
Pray that everyone, everywhere has enough food to eat, water to drink, and a safe place to live.
Pray that the GOOD people of this great earth come together and demand a true change in this world.
DEMAND THAT THE WORLD BE GOVERNED NOT BY FEAR, BUT BY LOVE.

Amen.

Love to all of you,
Bhakti

tags: Jaibhakti, Bhakti Brophy, Zeitgeist Movie, Z-Day, United States Federal Reserve, war mongers,

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

2008-01-01T03:15:00.000-05:00

Dearest Friends--I wish you all a very Happy and Healthy New Year. May all of your dreams of peace, love, and joy come true for you. May you find the inner peace you have been searching for; and if you already have found that jewel inside the Heart (the Self), may you continue to enjoy the pure joy of communion with your true Self.

Love and All Great Happiness,
Bhakti

PHOTOS FOR MILADYS...

2007-12-11T14:56:00.000-05:00

c. 2007 D.L.Brophy

This is one of my favorite photos I have ever taken.

I may have already posted it last winter, but I think it's worth another look.

c. 2007 D.L.Brophy

Wouldn't you agree that Kitty Von Kitty has the most exquisite black lips? (Note to viewers: Right after my mother saw this photo, she took Kitty to have her teeth cleaned!)

c. 2007 D.L.Brophy

The view from my grandmother's backyard.

c. 2007 D.L.Brophy

A few days ago last week, this beautiful leaf greeted me on my way out the door.

c. 2007 D.L.Brophy

It may appear that Kitty Von Kitty has gained a lot of weight;

have no fear--it is a mere illusion...

c. 2007 D.L.Brophy

...Kitty is as tiny and cuddly as ever.

Leaf experiment #1 for Miladysa

Leaf experiment #2 for Miladysa

Leaf experiment #3 for Miladysa

(You can visit Miladysa on the web by clicking here.)

Here's me and Steve Vai at Atlantic City in New Jersey.

My parents paid for me to go down there to meet Steve.

Steve's management was kind enough to let me lie down backstage for 2 hours during the sound check and opening act so that I could rest my neck and arm and actually stay to enjoy Steve's show. Kudos to Steve and his crew. Steve is a great man.

c. 2007 D.L.Brophy

Here's one of the photos I took of Steve during his show at Atlantic City.

I had my tiny digital camera resting on my boot when I took this photo.

In this photo he's playing "FLO", one of his many brilliant Ibanez guitars.

***All photographs in this post--whether noted as such or not-- are the property of D.L. Brophy and may not be used or reproduced in any way without the written consent of the copyright owner.***

tags: Jaibhakti, Bhakti Brophy, Steve Vai, nature photography, the moon, fall+leaves,

LIFE GOES ON...

2007-12-10T17:45:00.000-05:00

Hello Everyone--It has been a long time since my last...post. I am trying SO hard to get back into the blogging game again--it's just difficult after spending the past year virtually in bed, trying to find some way to live with this chronic pain. It seems as though I've been getting bombarded with one thing after another. For example, in the past week alone, I have found out that the L4 and L5 discs are bulging in my lower back; I thought that problem had been resolved years ago. Now, with the onset of severe lower back pain (only on the left side) and the recurrence of sciatica, I find that the discs are still bulging--or 're'bulging, if you will. Just today I found out that I am majorly vitamin D deficient, I have traces of Lymes disease (which explains the cramping hands/knees/joints), and I have high cholesterol (I just KNEW eating a half gallon of ice cream every-other-day would kill me!).

Well, this is not the topic that I chose to write about today. In fact, I tried to upload 5 new photographs that I took in honor of my great friend from across the pond, SA, a.k.a. 'MILADYSA', but Blogger has failed me. So, instead of not posting anything at all, I posted the first thing that came to mind: and I suppose my health has been on my mind today.

The GOOD news is this: when I thought about the fact that I have borderline Liver damage (I found out all of this 'great' health news via blood work, by the way; except for the bulging discs, which were found via an MRI test), all I could think about was "I don't want to die so young. I don't want to die at all!"

I sat down with this statement in my head, and I must admit, it threw me for a loop! I had been dealing with depression and suicidal thoughts (NOT suicidal tendencies--there is a GREAT difference between the two) ever since I have been wrestling with the severe chronic pain condition. Sometimes I just thought there was simply no way I could go to sleep at night knowing I was going to wake up feeling the same pain. Ultimately, not only my faith in, but my knowledge of the Self within saved me from such dark thoughts. Connecting to the Self within (also known, as Sally Kempton points out, as the Buddha Mind, or as I would point out, as 'The Way') is the ONLY way to overcome depression and the only way to get through the darkest hours of our lives. We have to know that there is something greater than our minds that is running the show. We're only the puppets in this here game called life, people. "Believe-me-you", as my elderly first grade teacher used to say.

When I had the thought that I didn't want to die of liver failure, I got out my laptop, lied down on the bed, and just let myself think about what it was that really scared me about the thought of dying of liver failure. What's the difference of dying from spinal disease, dying of old age, or dying of liver failure? I don't think there is a difference, but the thought of dying from liver failure scared the hell out of me.

As I lie on the bed, I let the feeling of fear run throughout my entire body; I knew running from it would make it worse. I wanted to go into the fear and see what it was all about. It truly made no sense to me whatsoever that I should feel such a fear of death; I thought I had dealt with--and gotten over--that fear a long time ago. I was wrong.

When I turned on the computer I immediately turned to my friend Sally Kempton's website (http://www.sallykempton.com/) and just began to navigate my way through her site; I wasn't looking for anything in particular, but Sally tends to be a vehicle in my life that leads me to the answers I am looking for. Ultimately, I wound up reading this kick ass article about loneliness that truly struck a chord with me. It described my experience of loneliness to a T. (In general, I think people fail to realize how lonesome it is to live with a long illness. I believe the deep depression I went through last month had to do with dealing with the loneliness that was crippling me throughout the last year--since my last surgery in November of 2006.) The article also touched on the importance of connecting with the inner Self while dealing with loneliness. As soon as I began to breathe deeply and connect myself with the loving warmth of the Self within, my fear of death literally lifted. It vanished. My fear of dying of liver disease lifted, too. I now know that it truly DOESN'T matter how I die. The point is: DEATH IS INEVITABLE.

CLICK HERE to read Sally's article.

My fear of dying of liver disease was actually my fear of dying in general. My immediate thought was "I don't want to die yet! I haven't accomplished what I wanted to do in this lifetime yet! I haven't served the world enough! I haven't been able to show my good heart to the world!" That wasn't coming from an ego point of view, it was sincere and was coming from my heart. Albeit, it was still fear of death.

Once I read Sally's article and established myself in the Self--i.e. once I let myself dissolve in the Ocean of Love also known as Pure Consciousness (the Self/Buddha Nature), I rested easy knowing that whenever I die will be the right time for me to die. If I die young, perhaps that's because God has other things in store for me than what I think He has in store for me in this lifetime. It's not my call--that's GOD territory. GOD, of course, being another name for the Self within.

With much love, I pray you all know that I miss you, my blogger friends, and I hope you leave a comment so we can converse again, just like we used to in the olden days. ;)

Bhakti

tags: Jaibhakti, Bhakti Brophy, Sally Kempton, the Self, Buddha Nature, severe chronic pain,

2012: For the Love of God

2007-10-09T11:58:00.000-04:00

Shree Hanuman Hugging the Great Lord Rama

As you know, my spiritual name is 'Bhakti'. This is a Sanskrit word that means "love and devotion (to God/the Self within)". Bhakti is a longing for union (yoga) with God; longing for the Truth. I have been blessed with this longing since I was a young child.

A few moments ago, Jai Uttal sent out an email letting his friends know when and where he'll be leading kirtan. In this email was the above illustration of Shree Hanuman hugging his beloved Lord Rama (in Hinduism "Rama" is synonymous with the word 'God'). Shree Hanuman is the greatest lover of God.

I recall the first time I saw a murti (statue/representation) of Hanuman: I spontaneously fell to his feet and wept tears of joy. My connection with Hanuman is real: He is the aspect of ourselves that represents the great love of God. When I see an image of Hanuman, I recall the great strength I behold within and remember that I can achieve anything in this lifetime.

Om Shree Hanuman!!

____________________

I just got through writing a message to a friend telling her that even if the Mayan calendar is correct and the world as we know it gets destroyed by a war between the Christian fundamentalist fanatics and the Muslim extremists, those of us who know the Truth within will be reborn into the Age of Enlightenment. Everything in the world is cyclical: the seasons change four times a year--and the Yugas change as well.

Writing this email caused me to pause and think about the year 2012: only 4 years and a few months away. When I look at the path President Bush is taking---now talking about bombing Iraq, I wonder if Nostradamus's' prediction and the Mayans' may be correct. I thought, "Perhaps the Christian/Muslim war will be the end of our great society."

A few moments later, while reading other emails, I came upon this newsletter from Master Kam Yuen--the doctor who is helping to heal my body. Wouldn't you know that in the email he addressed the issue of 2012! Grace is a wonderful thing!

Master Dr. Kam Yuen

“Yes! There is nothing out of the ordinary that is going to happen in 2012!" We might as well create the future that we want now. --Master Dr. Kam Yuen

I have always admired the way Grace presents Herself. Don't you love when you have a question--you send out the vibe to the universe that something is puzzling you--and She (the Great Mother) sends you the answer you are looking for, whether it be an email, a smile from a passing stranger, a phone call from a Master healer, a loving look from your cat, or anything. Anything at all can be a message from the Great Universe. I believe that the Truth of it all is that the message actually comes from inside. That is the great mystery. We are That which we are looking for. The world is a mirror. The answers actually come from inside our Heart.

Well, I'll leave it at that and contemplate what I wrote for awhile.

Thank you for visiting JAIBHAKTI.

Warm Regards,

Bhakti

tags: Jaibhakti, Bhakti Brophy, bhakti, spirituality, Master Kam Yuen, Yuen Method, Shree Hanuman, Ram Rama,

Steve Vai:Jeff Buckley:Master Yuen=My Mystical Muses ...Plus: It's YOUR Turn to Write!

2007-10-05T21:25:00.000-04:00

Hi Folks--Sorry it's been such a long time since I've written anything substantial: I was gearing up and getting ready to go on my trip to see Master Steve Vai (Steve does not consider himself a 'master' guitarist. That's no matter; when I refer to him as "Master" I am referring to his spiritual, mystical capabilities. It is no small wonder that Steve Vai loves Jeff Buckley: you might recall my lovely tribute to the ever-graceful JB in one of last year's posts. If not--CLICK HERE.) Steve plays the guitar in the same mystical way Jeff sang. Breathtaking; spiritual to the very core.

So, while I'm letting my body heal from last weekend's trip, why don't you tell me what you are listening to, and what books are currently in your hand, on your night stand, on your desk at work, or where ever they may be.

Tell me what you're listening to and why it appeals to you; your favorite song; your favorite lyric or musical passage.

Tell me what you're reading: include the titles, authors, and whether you are pleased with your reading selection, why you are reading this book (school, personal research, pleasure, to fill in the gaps of time that have been diminished to mere milliseconds now that computers, microwaves, and cell phones have bled every second of our lives dry: the speed of life is catching up to the speed of light and sound.

I have only wonderful things to say about Steve Vai; I shall save those stories for another day. For now, I would like to thank Master Dr. Kam Yuen for taking time out of his busy schedule to do major healing work on my nerves, hands, arms, neck, legs, mind, etc. so that I may heal more and more every day. Thank you Master Yuen--I honor you for your service.

Beloved Master Dr. Kam Yuen

"Dr. Yuen was granted the title Grandmaster of Shaolin Tai Mantis Kung-Fu by his peers and has been featured on the covers of numerous martial arts and natural health magazines. He is featured as a living legend of the martial arts in the World Black Belt Organization by WorldBlackBelt.com." click here to read more... (http://www.yuenmethod.com/)

Love and All Great Blessings to Everyone, Everywhere,

Bhakti

Steve Vai photo: http://www.georgeslife.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/05/picture-5.png

My photos of Steve are coming soon!

tags: Jaibhakti, Bhakti Brophy, Steve Vai, Jeff Buckley, Master Kam Yuen, chronic pain doctor healer

COME HELL OR HIGH WATER, I AM GOING TO SEE STEVE VAI!!!!

2007-09-07T23:18:00.000-04:00

Hello everyone. It's been awhile..but I'm back with a vengeance. I ordered a Steve Vai CD via the Internet, and when I received it in the mail I noticed that there was a free "Meet and Greet" backstage-pass in the CD case. Just the day before, I had written this message on the dry erase board that's in my immediate view upon waking up in the morning: EXPECT GOOD THINGS. LIFE IS GOOD. The "expect good things" was just something that I wrote because...well, I want good things in my life. "Remember: life is good" is what Steve Vai says at the end of one of my favorite Vai songs titled Warm Regards (it's the last song on the Fire Garden CD. If you don't already have this CD, please do your ears--and heart--a favor and bookmark this blog, put your computer on standby, run to the closest CD store and buy it. Your ears will thank you later. Trust me. I'm a professional Vai-ist. In fact, I've been listening to his guitar playing for so long that I wasn't even aware of it!! [?] Yes--that's a fact! I used to listen to Public Image Limited--aka P.I.L.--while in high school. And, of course, who can forget that I loved putting Zappa's vinyl "Ship Arriving Too Late To Save A Drowning Witch" on the turn-table while enrolled in the same aforementioned high school?) Oh yeah...back to my story: I wrote the message "Expect Good Things" on my wall, and the next day I get the Steve Vai Meet and Greet backstage pass. I figured there was no way in hell that I'd be able to stand through a concert--I can't even stand in the shower! (That's not really true...it's late and I just thought that was a funny visual.) Therefore, I logged on to Steve's website (http://www.vai.com/) and discovered that he's playing in Atlantic City, and it's a place with actual SEATS! My mom and dad agreed not only to pay for my ticket--but they upgraded my ticket to an EVO UPGRADE PACKAGE---which means that I'll be able to sit through Steve's sound check and then sit in an question and answer type of thingy. It just sounds so cool.

Click on the title of this post to watch a video I just created!

People, I'm here to tell you that I am going to the show...even though riding in the car the 10 minutes it takes to get to the doctor upsets the nerves in my neck so much that I have to lie down for a couple of hours when I get home; yes, I am going to be driven 2 1/2 hours down to Atlantic City to spend about four hours before the show with Steve and the band (including the great Dave Weiner. Check out http://www.daveweiner.com/ for great guitar info. He's terrific. Full of wisdom and willing to share. That's an enlightened guy. Young, talented, with his ego checked at the door. I love it.)

You probably all know by now that I have very cool parents who have always been supportive of every endeavor I've ever endeavored to endeavor. They happen to LOVE Atlantic City. They're not high rollers by any means, they just enjoy the slot machines. My Uncle Bob agreed to let us stay in his condo--which is a mere 10 minutes from Atlantic City--for two nights. That way, we can drive down on Friday--I can sleep all night and ice my neck, arm, and hands. Then, I can sleep in until right before the EVO package events begin--and I'm good to go!

I'm very happy that I decided to 'expect good things'. As a lifelong student of spirituality and meditation, I know that the mind is a very powerful thing and that our thoughts do, in fact, shape our reality. However, there is something extra special about making an intention; or, in my case, stating exactly what I want to happen. Thinking is extremely powerful. We must always be aware of the thoughts that are playing like a broken record in our minds.

I would like to take this opportunity to say that yes, I do remember that life IS good.

As you know, you all bring so much incredible joy to my life. Carmi leaves me these incredibly thoughtful, humbling comments. I am so gracious that my offerings affect you in such an inspirational way, Carmi. I love when you visit. And to the ZombieSlayer--who is an avid music lover, I thank you for visiting often. And to my beloved Gyrobo (little metal guy), you know I am forever grateful for the lovely avatar you have created for me. I am on fire (literally!). And Jinn, I got the virtual chocolate truffles you telepathically sent to me. They tasted fabulous, and even though they were virtual chocolates, I still gained twenty pounds from them. I hate when that happens.

Lest I digress,. I've created a video letter to Steve telling him how incredibly excited I am to be meeting him. I created the video on Monday and Tuesday and have been 100% 'unabled' ever since: i.e.
disabled. Oh well, I know my pain will subside a bit in a few days (as you know, it never fully goes away--thank GOD I learned to meditate at a very young age. If you still don't know how to practice meditation--put that on your list of things to do right after you get back from the record store!) I'd rather be creative for an hour and then spend four days immobilized, rather than succumb to my disabilities and give up and be a blob of a person lying in bed dreaming of being creative again. You know what I mean? This is the hand I've been dealt. My doctors are amazed that I can do anything. But then again, they're not really---because they know me. Nothing can break my spirit (although I must admit that the withdrawal from lowering the Oxycontin by 40 mg almost threw me over the edge. It actually did break my spirit--but, as Adi Shankaracharya says--"Nothing is ever lost". In other words, you can't lose what you've always had in the first place! More on that later.)

For now, won't you please watch the video I created for Master Vai and perhaps leave a comment on Youtube? If you don't have an account with them, it's real easy to create one; and remember I'M WORTH IT!!! :)

Big smile--big hugs,
Warm Regards,
Bhakti

Click Here to watch the video!!!

(Update: It's now September 13, and I am still unable to play the guitar due to the fact that when I created this video for Steve Vai, I just fell into an artistic zone and couldn't feel any pain: My mind was focused 110% on what I was trying to achieve in that moment. Unfortunately for me--once I came out of the zone, there's physical hell to pay. That's what I deal with: that's the cards I've been dealt. If I choose to type on the computer today, I know that I will have to ice my arm, neck, and hands before bed in order to get some relief in order to sleep. That's just the way the cookie crumbles for now. It just 'is'. As long as I know that, I can deal with it in stride--well, okay, sometimes I get quite bitchy, but what's a woman to do?)

tags: Jaibhakti, Bhakti Brophy, Steve Vai, Evo upgrade, Taylor Guitars,music, humor, zappa

Steve Vai photo: http://hypertensao.blogs.sapo.pt/arquivo/steve%20vai.jpg

MILIIONS

2007-08-08T11:54:00.000-04:00

During the past winter, I spent a lot of time watching movies. My plan had always been to write reviews of my favorites, such as DOUBLE INDEMNITY and BRICK, but my cramped hands wouldn't allow me to type and I never got around to it. This morning, however, I watched a movie in which the lead character, Damien, reminded me so much of me that it brought tears to my eyes (and no, it wasn't THE OMEN--even though, strangely enough, the lead character's name is Damien and he's a Christian mystic). Throughout the movie, Damien sees Saints everywhere: they are guiding him. His mystical experiences differed from mine in content, but his intention in life is the same: at one point in the movie he says to a Patron Saint--"I just want to be good."

The name of the movie is "MILLIONS". It's about this young English lad who's family thinks he's a bit loony because of his mystical inclinations (save for two scenes in the movie, they don't see or hear the Saints that Damien interacts with during the rest of the film and don't quite understand his being spiritually bent). That's not to say that he is not loved: MILLIONS is a wonderful story about familial love. The story unfolds with Damien, his older brother Anthony, and his father moving from one part of England to another.

One day, while sitting beside some railroad tracks in a cardboard fort made from moving boxes, a large bag of money comes crashing down from the sky and lands on his fort. Damien believes the money was sent to him from God and wishes to share his 'millions' with the poor. He shows his older brother the money and, right away, Anthony begins thinking of ways to invest the money to make a profit, for example by purchasing real estate. We are immediately introduced to the different personalities of these brothers.

The filming is extraordinary--eye candy if there ever was such a thing. Alex Etel, the young lad who played the role of Damien, is by far the most talented child actor I have ever seen. How do you get a child to look as though he sees everything everywhere as Divine? During the film's conclusion, the whimsical look in young Etel's eyes brought tears of joy to mine. Brilliant. Danny Boyle (Trainspotting, 28 Days Later) creates a visual story completely in sync with the story being told, yet he manages to leave enough room for the viewers imagination to take flight as well. There's one scene in particular where Damien crawls into bed with his father after stating "I don't like having my own room". I cannot recall ever seeing a scene in which the acting, directing, lighting, and music are so perfectly choreographed. I rewound this scene several times to catch every nuance.

(For a beautifully crafted, indepth review of MILLIONS, click here.)

This movie reminded me that it is vitally important to remember that we are all good; we should never allow ourselves to forget that--never allow ourselves to lie to ourselves. Goodness is an innate trait each of us carries within our hearts. Some of us get blinded by the 'vanities' of the world; and by the labyrinth of the caverns of the mind. It's so dangerous to give our power of knowledge away--and by 'knowledge' I am referring to the spiritual knowledge.

Yesterday; I received a catalog in the mail from the Vedanta Society. On the first page I found the following quote. It's relative to the movie MILLIONS in that it resolves the conflict between Damien and his brother in that no matter what actions nor paths either boy chose to take, they were still, ultimately, on the path to Truth:

"Right and Wrong Conduct: All ethics are merely a means to the end of finding God within ourselves. "Right" action is action which brings us nearer to the knowledge of God. "Wrong" action leads us away from that knowledge. Our ideas of "good" and "evil" are therefore only relative values and must not be used as an absolute standard to judge others. All of us have our own problems and our own path of development. But the goal is the same for all."

"'Wrong' action leads us away from that knowledge." That is the part of the quote that cheered me up. The medications I'm on make it difficult for me to think clearly, and I obsess over things that are not necessary--nor productive--to obsess over. The above quote reminded me that following and listening to this obsessive train of thought is a 'wrong' action. Listening to the 'chatterbox mind' is a direct train out of the town of freedom in our lives (both mental and physical freedom).

Getting back to MILLIONS; we all know children are blessed with innocence. This movie is a celebration of the many personality types that live together (or try to, at least) -- and shows the place and importance of the mystic within the scheme of things. While subtly addressing the loneliness of the mystic, it ultimately celebrates the joy of this open-hearted, compassionate person.

This movie has the power to remind us of our innate goodness; I believe it may also have the power to ignite the fire of this recognition in those who never believed it to be so.

MILLIONS illustrates the epitome of the word 'bhakti' (love and devotion).

Enjoy! And, as always, please let me know what you think about the movie.

Warm regards,
Bhakti

tags:Jaibhakti, Bhakti Brophy, Millions,Danny Boyle, Bhakti, Divine Love, Alex Etel, mysticism, Vedanta Society

OM SHREE SHREE GURUMAYI...JAYA!

2007-07-30T12:51:00.000-04:00

"In truth, the gift of life must always be recognized and never be taken for granted. Why is life so precious? In Siddha Yoga philosophy, we recognize that in this human life we have a rare opportunity. We can transform an ordinary perception of this universe into an extraordinary vision. To be on this planet and to behold the universe from the divine perspective is a sign of an illumined heart. To put this vision to best use in the best way possible is a human being’s highest duty."

--Gurumayi Chidvilasananda
Sadhana of the Heart, Vol. I, pg. 162

To see everyone, everywhere as a manifestation of Divinity is a rare gift. For this gift, I thank my Beloved Jesus Christ, the Light Within, and my physical spiritual teacher, Gurumayi Chidvilasananda, for giving me the key-- for showing me that I am the Guru I have been searching for; I am That, the Self. She is the manifestation of the Self--showing me my Truth. It is only with this supreme knowledge, and through this gift of knowing the Truth that I have been able to get through the past two years of "hell". Even while going through my darkest times, through the worst physical pain and mental anguish, it is the knowledge of the Truth that has made it possible for me to go on. It is my knowledge of how precious this very life is that carries me through the darkness, even when "I" can not see the light. I know it's there. 'IT' is always present; the Self, the Guru within and without, is always present--even when our minds cannot perceive this notion; even when we feel as though we have sunk so low that we feel we have lost everything we have ever worked for (spiritually speaking), the Light is shining.

When I feel I can no longer live with the physical pain and mental anguish caused by the level of pain I am in, there is always something that gets me through those incredibly dark, wretched times. That 'something' is the Light Within. That something is the knowledge that EVERYTHING, EVERYWHERE is of a divine nature. Yes, EVERYTHING. I recall that even my worst feelings and emotions, and the darkest places in my psyche are a manifestation of pure consciousness. Nothing exists that is not God.

As the Hindus say: 'Nothing exists that is not Shiva'.

In the New Testament John proclaims that Jesus was made before him, even though he is IN him!

The Creator is the Created, and vice-versa. (Take a breath and chew on that one for awhile--it does make sense, I promise!)

Yes, that is the key.

I have been struggling--REALLY struggling--these past few months with issues of life vs. death. How is one to live with this amount of pain? And worst still, how am I supposed to live with the knowledge that my disability is taking a toll on my mother?

The answer, my friends, is recognition that all is Divine! Once experienced, it's a simple recognition; it's like riding a bicycle. The problem occurs in remembrance, i.e. 'how to remember this while in the throws of despair?' Not such and easy task!

When I'm in a deep, dark hole (created by my mind no longer being able to handle the level of physical pain--coupled with the toxicity of the meds I'm on), I find it virtually impossible to remember that this, too, is Shiva. This too is a manifestation of God. It's all good! Even the 'bad' is good. Actually, if we take the concept of 'good' and 'bad' out of everything, we are left with simple 'being'. (And I very graciously thank Master Dr. Yuen for reminding me of this TRUTH.)

In short, I have not been posting on this blog for some time now for the simple reason that I had nothing inspiring to write. I was loathe to write about my struggles with keeping my head above the water. My journey since last November's surgery has been brutal: the greatest thing I've learned is that I don't care what anyone thinks anymore. If people don't want to be supportive of my condition, that's their decision, that's their choice, that's their prerogative. It's also MY prerogative to focus on the good--to focus on the people who actually take an interest in helping me survive. People who are willing to admit that one of their loved ones is suffering and that I need their help, rather than making every excuse in the book to run the other way.

The truth is, I have PLENTY of supportive, loving people in my life. The problem used to be that I spent so much energy trying to get the people who DIDN'T understand,-- and who DIDN'T want to help me-- to understand what I'm going through, and I wasn't focusing on the people who ARE here for me, who ARE helping me.

I was taking care of some online business when I came across the above quote--and that's when remembrance hit me. The question of life vs. death is no longer going to be in my vocabulary. (When did that question even enter my vocabulary? I'm the one of the most positive people I've ever met. I know the answer to that question: the level of pain mixed with the high level of pain medications.) This life IS a gift. I have been to the darkest caverns of my soul--to the darkest corners of my mind--and I've survived. I will continue to survive.

I spent the past three weeks withdrawing from 1/3 of the total amount of Oxycontin that I take for my pain. This has been a hellish experience, to say the least. I have experienced hell in all of it's forms since July 29, 2005, when my neck decided to fall apart; however, trying to lower the dosage of Oxycontin was hell: shaking, irritability, restlessness, loose bowels (eww! but true!), insomnia, crying, and more shaking. I reached a point where I had to admit that I am no longer living for myself; I am alive for the sake of my mom and dad; for my nieces and nephews, etc. What is the purpose of experiencing all of this pain, day in and day out? That's the conclusion that I drew last week. That's a terribly low place to be.

I don't think it's hard to imagine how this could wear a person down--two years of third-degree-burn-like sensations going down your left arm, into the wrist, and palm, through the middle and ring fingers; going down your back into both shoulder blades. Etc. You've heard it all before.

But the answer to my question is simple. And, of course, my Beloved Gurumayi Chidvilasananda revealed it to me just when I needed it: Life is a gift. Focus on the positive.

There are plenty of people in my life who don't give me the time of day. They make it a point to tell me that it is 'difficult to be around you' and talk about my bad moods, etc. They ignorantly tell me to 'get out more'--not knowing that if I could, I would--DUH! Although I no longer have patience for this kind of behavior anymore, I forgive them, and I thank God that they know nothing of the pain that I am going through. They may have forsaken me, but that's not my problem. It's not even my business, really. What others' think and/or feel about me is not my business.

I have been blessed with the knowledge and vision that everything, everywhere is Divine, albeit I don't live in this state of unity awareness all the time. Even the greatest sinner has the Light Within, shining brightly--the problem is, they can't see it; they don't know it exists--and that's why they do ungodly things, such as kill, molest, rape, etc. 'Forgive them, they know not what they do.' I say, 'They know not what they are.' I believe when Jesus was on the cross saying "Forgive them, they know not what they do", he was saying--they don't know that My Light is shining right within them. They are ignorant of their own divinity.

Jesus came to Earth not merely to show us that He was God, but to show us that WE, too, are God. We have the eternal flame burning inside every cell of our bodies! The nucleus of every atom in our body throbs, pulses, stating 'The Word' (Om---God!). "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was God." The 'Word' was God. In other words, God created sound, and the Sound was God: sound was made of God--and God was in sound. The early Hindus explained it thusly: you have pure gold. You melt the gold and make necklaces, rings, picture frames--heck--even the interior of one of Elvis' Cadillacs. Even though the gold has taken different forms, it's still gold. If you melt down a gold earring, you have pure gold. This is what I believe the author of Genesis was stating when he said "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was God": God began creating--and He is in everything He is, and He is in everything He does.

Lest I digress, I must say thank you to everyone who has kept in touch. I will try to hold my head up high--thanks to Dr. Kam Yuen, I can actually hold my head up for up to 5 hours at a time, and he got rid of my stomach spasms and my migraines--I'm going to write an article on him soon. Stay tuned. (If you are in any kind of chronic pain, please click on his name for more information on instant healing. This is no joke--he is the real deal.)

Darkness is ALWAYS dispelled by Light. It can be no other way. If you feel like you can't go on, like you have no purpose in life anymore; if you are on medicine that makes you depressed, or if you feel you aren't getting the support you need, pray for help. Pray for guidance. Reach out to someone in your neighborhood. If you have to, beg for mercy. I begged for God to dispel some of the darkness I was experiencing-- and two days later I happened across the above quote by my beloved spiritual guide. Not to mention the fact that my friend Sally paid for me to have an alternative healing session with a woman named Anne--who in turn sent me to her husband--who in turn introduced me to Master Yuen.

I just thought of a funny image: For the past three weeks I have been feeling as though I was at the absolute end of my rope--and believe me, this is not a place I've been many times before. And then yesterday, something clicked. I found the Gurumayi's quote. I got more insight from Master Yuen. It seemed like the sun came out after a long winter's sleep. I realized that yes, perhaps I was at the end of my rope--but it was then that I realized that I merely had to look up, look around, and I see that there were other ropes to grab hold of. I stopped banging my head against the same wall over and over again (figuratively speaking, of course) and grabbed a different rope; or should I say a different 'life preserver'.

Prayer is so powerful--and I'm not talking about blind faith. You have to believe, you have to know that we (the entire world, universe) is, on some mysterious level, a collective soul. If you ask for help, someone will hear you; something will happen to you that will open your eyes and begin the healing process. Even something as simple as a quote, or as gracious as an email from a Master healer can open your eyes to the beauty of life--and the knowledge that life is precious--and should not be taken for granted.

My love always and forever to Gurumayi Chidvilasananda---the One who gives freely of her love, support, knowledge, and wisdom. I have given her my heart and she has given me the world.

Om Shree Maha Ganapatayi Namaha!

Om Shree Shree Ganesh,

The remover of obstacles.

Go in peace, my friends.

In the famous words of my beloved favorite guitarist (tied in first place with Frank Zappa, of course) STEVE VAI: "Remember: LIFE IS GOOD!'

~Bhakti

tags: Jaibhakti, Bhakti Brophy, bhakti, Gurumayi Chidvilasananda, Divine Love, quotes, spirituality, steve vai, pain management, Dr Yuen,

No Matter How Much Physical Pain I Must Endure Before I Am Healed and Set Free--I know the following verses to be the TRUTH.

2007-07-02T13:29:00.000-04:00

SHVETASHVATARA UPANISHAD

Forgetting our divine origin,
We become ensnared in the world of change.
And bewail our helplessness. But when
We see the Lord of Love in all his glory,
Adored by all, we go beyond sorrow.(br)

What use are the scriptures to anyone
Who knows not the one source from whom
they come,
In whom all gods and worlds abide?
Only those who realize him as ever present
Within the heart attain abiding joy.(br)

Chapter IV; Verses 7 & 8

Dearest Friends, I am so happy to be back online. I went through the 9th Gate of Hell with my physical pain and am now crawling out the other side. I am working patiently yet diligently with Dr. Kam Yuen--a Master Healer who is helping me free myself from the chains of my current physical ailments; those which keep me a bound soul. Love to you, Bhakti
tags: Jaibhakti, Bhakti Brophy, Shvetashvatara Upanishad, spirituality, mysticism, Vedas Vedic Hinduism, /Divine Love, Bhakti,

Another Farewell...

2007-04-29T23:18:00.000-04:00

David Halberstam

1934 - 2007

A writer/historian/journalist with integrity.

You, my friend, will be sorely missed.

Thank you for sticking to the facts,

and keeping the news 'news',

rather than turning it into

the three-ring-circus

it has become

today.

In 1993, my Aunt Anne gave me a first edition copy of David Halberstam's book The Fifties. I read it front to back and have literally turned to it for reference at least a hundred times since then. Just last month, while researching information about Edward R. Murrow and Senator Joseph McCarthy, I flipped through its pages knowing I would get an indepth, and an unbiased-as-possible journalistic view of the so-called 'McCarthy Era' or 'McCarthyism'. My mom saw me reading the book and said--"What's that big book you're reading?" I quiped, "This is the best book ever written about 1950's history. It's one of my favorite books--I'm reading a bit about J. Edgar Hoover and the FBI. I've always been interested in the FBI."

"I know. And Watergate and Nixon. Was that the book you were reading when you were into Edward R. Murrow last month?" asked my mom.

"Yes. This is the book," I replied.

"Wow. You've had that book a LONG time. I think I'd like to look at it sometime. It sounds interesting!"

This was the first time my mother had heard about David Halberstam. I told her a little bit about him. She was hooked and said she couldn't wait to finish reading her current novel so she could sink her teeth into The Fifties--that was, after all, the decade she spent as a teenager. I've always envied her for that: rock-n-roll was invented; James Dean was gracing the silver screen with teen angst and an unparalleled display of on-screen emotion; politics were heated; the Beat Poets were assembling and being heard all the way from New York to San Francisco; drive-ins were all the rage; McDonalds was born. (Okay--perhaps that wasn't such a great thing after all--but back then it sure was 'swell'.)

Halberstam's book, The Fifties, truly makes me feel as though I'm somehow back in the Fifties. It's as if I'm taking a literal tour of the Fifties and Halberstam is my tour guide. His writing elicits great visuals. His writing is so fluid that he can take a string of facts and glue them together so poetically you feel as though you're reading a fictional Book of the Month selection, rather than a history book filled with thousands of facts, names, and dates.

As I stated above, I was reading The Fifties just last week, on Sunday, April 22. I am saddened to report that David Halberstam passed away on Monday, April 23, in a car crash.

This news struck me as unbelievable considering he died just a day after I was reading one of his books. Similarly, Kurt Vonnegut died just a day after I finished reading A Man With No Country. Go figure. Two of my favorite authors dying within weeks of each other--both dying a day after I finished reading a selection of their work, respectively.

I know one thing's for sure: I'm not reading any Paul Auster books for a VERY LONG TIME!

May my beloved Kurt Vonnegut and David Halberstam rest in peace.

Love,

Bhakti

tags:Jaibhakti, Bhakti Brophy, David Halberstam, The Fifties, James Dean, Paul Auster, authors, journalism,

Currently Reading: Currently Watching

2007-04-22T00:06:00.000-04:00

I am currently reading Roger Ebert's great book of cinema aptly titled GREAT MOVIES. I've always been a cinefile, yet I haven't seen most of the films in this catalog of 'must see movies'. Ebert has done the film viewing community an incredible service by writing essays on films he views as classics, yet films that may be falling by the wayside, considering today's film students are (according to the introduction) no longer very interested in black and white film (not that all of the films written about in this book are black and white). I happen to think that most color films do not hold a candle to black and white when it comes to power and impact: think THE THIRD MAN or TOUCH OF EVIL. I'd be hard pressed for anyone to find a film more suspenseful than Harold Lloyd's SAFETY LAST--that's black and white and silent, to boot (see image above. NOTE: Despite losing half of his left hand in a fireworks accident, Harold Lloyd still did all of his own stunts.). Was there ever a more charming love story than Chaplin's CITY LIGHTS? I think not. Just because a movie was made over 50 years ago doesn't mean that it's a bad film: quite the contrary. Many people make the mistake of thinking black and white films are somehow boring. I think not, once again. I bet the only black and white films most people have seen is CITIZEN KANE. I thought that film was so boring; I was calling my friends and begging them to tell me who/what Rosebud was. I'm not joking. I'm not ashamed to admit that I didn't enjoy the CITIZEN KANE storyline; however, I did love the filming. I believe this was the first film where everything in the view of the camera was in focus (in other words, the backgrounds were not out of focus, as they normally would be to draw your eye to the subject in the foreground).

There are so many great films that have been forgotten about because, well, there aren't many places left in the world that show old films--unless, of course, you live in New York City or San Francisco (United States). Now, with Netflix, for example, most of the classic movies that Ebert writes about are available for your viewing.

I am going to be watching many of these old classics--some for the first time, and others for the second, third, or even fourth time--and then I am going to write my own review/essay regarding the film. I will also place a link to Roger Ebert's online review (when available). I am hoping to keep some of the films that inspired me to be a photographer alive for a very long time. (Yes, I used to watch old films to get ideas for modern day photo shoots when I photographed rock-n-roll bands, famous artists, and even lawyers, etc.)

I would like to invite anyone who has a NETFLIX account to become a 'Netflix Friend'--whereby we can view each other's queue and trade thoughts on movies we've rented and watched. Cousin Chrissy and Cousin G are already Netflix friends--it's pretty cool to see who likes what movies and why.

To sign up to be a Netflix Friend of Jai Bhakti, simply go to your Netflix account, click on the 'FRIENDS' tab at the top of the page, and send me an email invite. Here's my email address: jaibhakti@aol.com

Movies are a great pastime because they take us out of our own worlds and let us see the world through someone else's eyes and imagination. Don't be afraid of 'black and white': I can guarantee you that many of the classic black and white films are far superior to some of the crap that Hollywood puts out these days.

Happy Viewing!
Bhakti

tags: Jaibhakti, Bhakti Brophy, humor,movies, Roger Ebert, Harold Lloyd, Safety Last, Citizen Kane, movie reviews, Charlie Chaplin, City Lights, Touch of Evil, Third Man, black and white films,

Mr. Vonnegut: thank you for sharing your humor and intelligence in the form of letters. I honor you. You will be missed.

2007-04-13T11:34:00.000-04:00

No matter how corrupt, greedy, and heartless our government, our corporations, media, and our religious and charitable institutions may become, the music will still be wonderful....

If I should ever die, God forbid, let this be my epitaph:

'The Only Proof He Needed For The Existence Of GodWas Music'

Kurt Vonnegut

1922-2007

Bibliography:

Player Piano

The Sirens of Titan

Mother Night

Cat's Cradle

God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater

Slaughterhouse Five

Breakfast of Champions

Welcome to the Monkey House

Slapstick

Jailbird

Deadeye Dick

Galapagos

Bluebeard

Hocus Pocus

Three Complete Novels

A Man Without A Country

(bold titles are highly recommended!)

tags: Jaibhakti,Bhakti Brophy, Kurt Vonnegut, Breakfast of Champions,

I'M IN THE ENCYCLOPEDIA!

2007-04-04T21:01:00.000-04:00

Yeah! or should I say "JAYA!"--

JAIBHAKTI has been listed as the #5 most important 'Bhakti' website on the entire Internet! Click HERE to go to Sirchin: Free Online Encyclopedia and scroll down a tiny bit: the info is on the main post part of the blog.

BHAKTI LOVE POEMS also got a big shout out as an important blog (see sidebar for kudos to Bhakti Love Poems blog).

Om Namah Shivaya...

Sadgurunath Maharaj ki Jay!

tags: Jaibhakti, Bhakti Brophy, Bhakti Love Poems, Donna Lynn Brophy, bhakti, spirituality,

Rosie O'Donnell and 911 Attacks

2007-04-01T23:56:00.000-04:00

I don't usually get heated over television debates, but I have to go on the record and say that Rosie O'Donnell has no idea what she is talking about with regard to how World Trade Center Building 7 fell. I lived in New York City from 1987-2001 (with a 1 year hiatus in NJ in 1992). I was in New York City on September 11--it was my first day of teaching elementary school in Harlem, up on 109 Street.

After the towers were attacked, I had to walk from 109 Street to my apartment on 10 Street--in the East Village. I grabbed my camera an ran downtown. Yes, it was a harrowing thing to do--but seeing as the subways and trains had all stopped by that time, I was stuck in the city, I was in shock, and I needed to do something to keep my brain from thinking about what was actually going on. I never went anywhere without my camera; my camera thus being like a security blanket.

I ran downtown and made it all of the way to Houston Street around Lafayette Avenue. I bought myself a Coffee gelato from the Italian bakery on that block--yes, I really did think that I was going to die that day and I wanted to die while enjoying my favorite Italian treat. I was standing on Houston Street, eating my gelato, when the man in front of me screamed. EVERYONE DUCKED! We thought another plane was coming towards the city. However, what was happening was that Building 7 was falling. I dropped the gelato, put my camera to my eye and started shooting away. I have a ton of pictures of the dust and smoke rising as the building fell; people running up the street; and then, out of nowhere, a caravan of black dumptrucks with Army men and women aboard drove from East Houston Street to West Houston. It was the strangest thing in the world--this caravan of dumptrucks simply appeared out of nowhere.

I spent the entire night holed up in my tiny East Village apartment with my cat. My cousin Chrissy (yes--THAT Cousin Chrissy) talked to me on the phone all night: I was literally scared to death as all I could hear were fighter planes overhead and ambulance sirens soaring down 1st Avenue, right within earshot of my bedroom windows.

I went home to N.J. for a couple of days, and then went back into the city and volunteered at ground zero. I also figured out how to take a subway to City Hall (it was the only subway running down there). One time, an Arab looking man and myself were the only two people on the train. I was scared: yes, it was racial profiling, but give me a break. He was as scared of me as I was of him. It was actually quite tragic to realize that it had come to this kind of unease amongst the innocent. I would take the subway to the City Hall stop with my huge camera bags. None of the Army/Reserve soldiers ever stopped me or asked me what I was doing down there. Many of them were kind enough to pose for photographs.

I became friendly with one Army Reservist in particular. I was taking pictures of Ground Zero and realized that I was having an asthma attack. The reservist I am speaking of gave me an inhaler (most of the Army men and women were using inhalers as the air was still thick and black in most places. One of the reasons I moved out of NYC was because even a month after the towers fell, black smoke that smelled like burnt plastic--from the computers burning--was still wallowing into my bedroom windows causing me to have major breathing issues.)

I would stand next to this kind Army Reservist and he would show me all of the buildings that were being re-aligned (I can't remember the technical term) so that they wouldn't fall. Holy Christ; you can't even begin to imagine the damage that some of these buildings withstood.

The photo studio where I shot most of my commercial magazine work was four blocks north of the North Tower. The fence around the perimeter of Ground Zero was right in front of the doorway to the studio--that's how close it was. I took pictures of the buildings that had all caved in. My friend who owns the loft that I used as a photo studio said that when the airplanes hit the towers her building shook so hard that-- after the second plane hit --she was ordered to evacuate the building because it was slated to fall. It was shaking that much.

When I hook up my printer/photo scanner, I will post the pictures I took of Ground Zero. ALL of the buildings surrounding the Twin Towers were a wreck; a lot of them caved in on themselves. I know for sure that the Unemployment Building lost most of its windows and the north side of it was shredded to pieces. That was a shame because an new acquintance of mine worked in there (I never found out if he survived or not).

Hey Rosie: I was there when Building 7 fell. I listened to it fall. I tasted the air/smoke/dust as it fell. I saw the buildings around it shredded and fallen in on themselves. I took pictures. I was there. I'm not a rocket scientist, but I don't think it actually takes a rocket scientist to understand that when two fully fueled airplanes crash into the tallest buildings in New York City and cause them to fall, that the surrounding buildings just might not be able to withstand the jolting, pounding, shaking, and thundering fall of the steel buildings as they hit the ground.

I used to be benevolent to your rants and raves. I could care less; but now you've struck a nerve. You are ignorant. You owe everyone who died in the Twin Towers an apology. I was there when the buildings fell. I photographed the surrounding buildings for three days in a row: They were ALL a mess. Bits and pieces of all of the buildings were scattered all around the street. Yes, it looked like a bomb had hit, and, to be sure, two bombs did hit--in the form of two airplanes. But the Earth was also shaken like an earthquake when the Twin Towers fell. You can't even begin to believe the way the earth shook beneath me when Building 7 fell; I can only imagine how much more it shook when the towers fell.

I do think you have the right to voice your opinion--freedom of speech; but I also think that it would be wise of you to lose the air of being the authority on every subject: your ego will be your downfall. You might want to think about the power that you hold as TV personality and then ask yourself if you are really the person who should be making the aligations that 911 was a conspiracy. Are you truly the person for this job? Did you think your opinion and thoughts through before you opened your mouth and spoke? Words are sometimes the most powerful weapons we, as humans, can ever use. Choose them wisely; once you give life to them you can never take them back. Thoughts come and go: words live forever.

Bhakti Brophy

UPDATE: Zombieslayer has found proof that Building 7 fell in on itself due to the amount of debris that fell on it when Building 1 collapsed. Click here to read an article by Popular Mechanics that recounts Rosie O'Donnell's ignoramous remarks, as well as illustrates how Building 7 fell.

tags: Jaibhakti, Bhakti Brophy, Rosie O'Donnell, The View, 911,
September 11, 911 Conspiracy, World Trade Center Building 7,

Hi There...

2007-04-01T22:31:00.000-04:00

Hey kids, just a heads up to let you know that I am in the middle of writing an essay on our country's current ~~dictators~~ administration. In the mean time, why not Google the name Tom Scully (click on his name to read about what a wonderful man and rolemodel he is for the citizens of America) and read all about how he manipulated Congress into passing the Medicare Prescription Drug Plan--and then left Congress to become a lobbyist for some of the biggest drug companies. (We, the American people, MUST honor the men and women in uniform and make sure that they are risking their lives for the sake of the safety and preservation of our country. More on that subject later.)

After reading about that arm twisting fiasco--take a deep breath and read my latest poem on Bhakti Love Poems (Yes, thank God there are some of us out here who do believe in the innate goodness of the human heart; and we're bold enough to share our love with others.)

Speaking of other people who choose to live enlightening, rather than cheating and lying lives, click on the links below and acquint yourself with some of my favorite teachers, friends, and other spiritual warriors.

Have fun--and, as always, take a deep breath and know that goodness will win in the end. Lightness always dispels the darkness. Always. It can be no other way.

Sally Kempton (my great friend on this spiritual journey called life)

Ken Yuen (I will be using Master Yuen as a spiritual healer in the next few months; I have heard great things about him. I know, working together, we will heal my spine and rid me of the karmic risidual pain forever. Amen.)

Harold Lloyd (One of my favorite film makers of all time. The greatest comic actor that ever lived. His movies are available on Netflix.com. Check out "Safety Last". A classic.)

Joseph Campbell (Mr. Campbell is brilliant. Watch his 'Power of Myth' interviews with Bill Moyers; he outlines the mythical pattern within all cultures and organized religions, thus proving that all paths do lead to the same doorl= your own heart!)

Gyrobocop (This robot always brings a smile to my face! A great blog, to boot!)

Pema Chodron (This monk's generosity is boundless; her heart is wide open, ready to show you how to find the strength within through simple breathing and awareness techniques.)

Byron Katie (Byron Katie's 'Work' is phenomenal. Is the story going through your head right now--the thoughts that are playing over and over like a cassette tape that's been looped to repeat the same words over and over--really true? All good energy. I love "The Work".)

tags:Jaibhakti, Bhakti Brophy,
Tom Scully, Joseph Campbell, Sally Kempton, Gyrobo, Ken Yuen, Bhakti Love Poems, Harold Lloyd, good kind people,

All Great Blessings to you all.

Love,

Bhakti

Books on the Nightstand

2007-03-17T16:01:00.000-04:00

Here's a list of what I am currently reading:

BOOKS ON THE NIGHTSTAND:

CRIME AND PUNISHMENT (Fyodor Dostoevsky)
I have finally finished this classic, but I feel I must write a blurb in honor of its greatness: Crime and Punishment has kicked Call It Sleep to the number two position in my all-time-favorite-book category. I cannot tell you why, but Raskolnikov, the murderous protagonist who set out to prove his theory that certain people can get away with crimes--as long as they are not the 'lowly' ones, touched my heart in a unique way. I don't admire his actions, yet I can understand why he felt that he had to commit murder: he was either going to go crazy thinking about committing murder or he was going to go crazy from the guilt of having committed murder. Either way, he stood to lose. In great Dostoevsky fashion, the reader is drawn into his world--albeit repulsed and disgusted with his choices--but there is sympathy; again, the work of a great writer. Crime and Punishment has not only knocked Call It Sleep off the summit, it has also helped me decide once and for all that I do love Dostoevsky's work more than Tolstoy's work. If you are a lover of fiction and have never read Dostoevsky's work, start with The Brother's Karamazov to get a sense of the literary themes he explores with great magic. Then, take a shot at Crime and Punishment. I guarantee--you will be pleased.

CANDIDE (Voltaire)
I promised myself I would read this classic as soon as I finished Crime and Punishment. The time has arrived. I am about thirty pages in and, from what I’ve read so far, I’m loving it; very entertaining, witty, odd, and unique. I can only hope the book’s momentum keeps building so the ending is as great as the beginning.

ARTHUR SCHOPENHAUER; ESSAYS AND APHORISMS
I am currently contemplating issues of mortality and human kindness as research for a short story I have outlined in my head. I find Schopenhauer’s writing to be a great catalyst for such mental inquiries. Schopenhauer is, to me, the mystic's philosopher.

THE TIBETAN BOOK OF THE DEAD: First Complete Translation (Translated by Gyurme Dorje; Edited by Graham Coleman with Thupten Jinpa)
After realizing the Truth of the Self within, I think it is only natural that one would want to explore how we came to have birth in this human body, and how our soul makes the transition from death to rebirth (if rebirth is necessary for the fulfillment of enlightenment to occur). I am interested in the space between death and rebirth. The Tibetan Book of the Dead is an important book and should be on every spiritual aspirants bookshelf (or, better yet, on their nightstand). This 'first complete translation' is a boon, to say the least. I've spent countless days reading and contemplating its pages. I would venture to say the Tibetan Book of the Dead is as important as the Bible, The New Testament, the Kuran, and the Torah. It's one thing to contemplate our origin and the reason for being born; it is equally as important and enlightening to contemplate where we are going, and to help steer our souls in the direction we wish to go after death.

A POWER government cannot suppress (Howard Zinn)
Howard Zinn should be required reading for all American citizens-- especially with the way today’s administration bypasses the wants and needs of democratically elected officials (i.e. Congress) to meet their own needs. Yes, we as adult citizens have a right to vote, and we do wish that our elected officials will carry out our will while voting on the House and Senate floor; but there is only so much that elected officials can do—especially, as stated above, when the leader of our democratic society decides do his own will, rather than the will of the people. In reading Howard Zinn’s work, we realize that we, the people of the United States of America, do hold a power that even George W. Bush’s administration could never suppress: we have the power of unity, the power of numbers, and the power of the knowledge that this great country deserves to be represented by someone who loves and promises to uphold the dignity of the democratic society. I am currently exploring my options as an American citizen; learning what rights I have and what I can do to make sure that the will of the people is being done. This is why A POWER government cannot suppress sits on my nightstand, waiting patiently to be devoured.

A MAN WITHOUT A COUNTRY (Kurt Vonnegut)
Pairing Vonnegut with Zinn is like putting ice cream on birthday cake: you just can’t have one without the other; different genres and approaches to the same problem. The great factual historian meets the sarcastic cynic and everyone’s happy. Well, at least I am. I grew up reading Vonnegut when he was still a ‘Jr.’; I wouldn't be the person I am today if I had never read Vonnegut's work, that's for sure. His writing is whimsical, cynical, and necessary. A Man Without a Country is supposed to be his best work in years. Here’s a quote from the book we are now discussing:

“Do you think Arabs are dumb? They gave us our numbers. Try doing long division with Roman Numerals.”

THE FOUR AGREEMENTS (Don Miquel Ruiz)
When you are sick of trying to please everyone else, and finally come to the realization that living a spiritual life doesn’t mean being a doormat for everyone who comes knockin’, it’s time to read this book. I know it will be on my night stand for a long time: I know I will need a refresher course every now and then.

What's on your nightstand?

tags: Jaibhakti, Bhakti Brophy, Dostoevsky, Crime and Punishment, Schopenhauer, Howard Zinn, A POWER Government Cannot Suppress, Tibetan Book of the Dead, Kurt Vonnegut, The Four Agreements, A Man Without a Country, Voltaire, Candide,

Last Supper?

2007-03-11T23:41:00.000-04:00

Hi friends--I am in the process of writing a post that will make up for the last two weeks of silence. In the mean time, I have a question: If you could only eat one more meal, what would you ask for if you could have anything you wanted (limit 12 different items)? Your meal doesn't have to be limited to typical dinner food; you can have a little bit of everything you love. Why not humor me and list your 'last supper' request in the comment section of this post.

Here's my 'last supper' request:

Saag Paneer (Indian dish: spinach and farmer's cheese)

Chai tea (homemade from Shree Muktananda Ashram)

Kichari (from Shree Muktananda Ashram)

Dunkin Donuts coffee (half-n-half and 1/2 packet of sugar)

Lindt Dark Chocolate Truffles

Cascadian Farms granola w/plain yogurt and strawberries

Mango 1 peeled and sliced

Mandarin Orange seltzer with 1/4 part cranberry juice and a splash of lemon juice

Edie's Slow Churned Coffee ice cream (pint) with hot fudge

*#^*#^*#^*#^*#^*#^*#*#^*#^*#^*#^*#^*#^*#

If I could only have one item, I would choose the mango.

What about you? What would you eat if you knew you could only have one more meal while living it up here on Planet Earth?

tags: Jaibhakti, Bhakti Brophy, last meal request, last supper, blogger polekti, humor, anthropology, food, fun,

Congratulations Are In Order For Helen Mirren

2007-02-26T17:00:00.000-05:00

Congratulations to my all-time favorite actress--Helen Mirren--for taking home the Oscar for Best Actress during last night's Oscar ceremonies. Did any of you happen to catch her acceptance speech? 'So classy.

After I congratulated Ms. Mirren for taking home the Golden Globes for Best Actress (in both a movie and a made for TV mini-series) just a couple of posts ago, I promised my readers that I would list some of my favorite Helen Mirren roles (in both film and TV). Ladies and gentlemen, may I present to you my favorite Helen Mirren movies and TV series roles:

The Queen: If you have never seen Helen Mirren act before, I suggest watching The Queen, Prime Suspect, and Losing Chase all back to back. The only thing that could possibly remind you that you are watching the same woman act in all three roles is the sheer calibur of acting. Forget about knocking it out of the ballpark; she knocked this one out of the universe!

Prime Suspect (1-7) This series is a MUST SEE for anyone who enjoys Helen's acting, or just great acting in general. The stories are as terrific as the acting! If you've never seen Helen in anything except The Queen, start here!

The Cook, The Thief, The Wife, And Her Lover--I actually walked out of the theater with 5 minutes to go during it's run in New York City (circa 1989). However, I rented it a while ago just to see Mirren's work. There is one scene in particular, where her husband is berating her at the dinner table; she stops paying attention to him, looks across the dining hall towards her lover and gives him a smile. This is the single greatest act of defiance I have ever seen on film--she used only her eyes to convey the fact that she had the upper hand in the marraige, and that she was the one with all of the control. Incredible. Warning: This movie is not for the squeemish.

Losing Chase: I don't think I've ever seen or heard it mentioned with regard to Mirren's filmography; regardless, this is one of my favorite Mirren movies. In it she plays a married woman who finds herself stifled in a marraige: she knows that she has never truly known love before. Her family and friends think she has lost it, yet she's only coming to find her true self.

The Pledge: Who wouldn't love the chance to see Helen Mirren and Jack Nicholson on the same screen? Great plot; incredible acting.

Some Mother's Son

Where Angels Fear to Tread

The Comfort of Strangers

Mrs. Greenfingers

So there you have it: a glimpse of some of my favorite Helen Mirren movie (and TV) roles. There's a little bit of something for everyone within the list: Mirren has a diverse a filmography as she has acting chops.

ALL HAIL THE QUEEN!

tags: Jaibhakti, bhakti brophy, Helen Mirren, prime suspect, movies, oscars, The Cook the Thief The Wife and Her Lover,

Cervical Posterior Foraminotomy: ANIMATED

2007-02-19T13:53:00.000-05:00

(I have had two major cervical spine surgeries due to radiculopathy of the C-5, C-6, and C-7 nerve roots. If you have any questions regarding either a cervical spine fusion or a foraminotomy surgery (i.e. the recovery time, etc.) please don't hesitate to email me at jaibhakti@aol.com. There isn't much info on the web about radiculopathy; I will share whatever information I do have. --Bhakti)

When I got my new laptop, I made the mistake of thinking I was in my late teens and in art school, and began having marathon typing sessions in which I tried to get everything down on paper that had been stuck inside my head for the past six months. My mistake. I do this all the time: I get an idea in my head and I rush out of the starting gate like a race horse that hasn't peed in a year, just trying to achieve my goal. I don't know how to pace myself. Couple that with the fact that my pain levels have doubled since my last surgery--and that my hands have also been afflicted with two new physical conditions due to the surgery--and it's easy to see how I shot myself in the foot by typing as if I don’t have physical limitations.

I must confess, the first few days I had my laptop, I went a little overboard with the typing and didn't listen to my body when it let me know that I should stop and rest for awhile. I enjoyed my reentry into the blogosphere so much that I even created my Bhakti Love Poems blog. Then, the proverbial shit hit the fan and I began waking up unable to open my fingers (my hand clenched in fist position), and got sharp, lightning bolt pains down both sides of my back. Now, I get burning sensations from my neck down either side of my spine when I type too long --the same pain as in my left arm. It's quite painful. I know I am to blame for some of this because, as stated above, I didn't honor my body when it told me to stop typing (who can stop typing after a mere half hour when there are so many ideas waiting to come to fruition?), and, I must admit, I hadn't been sitting in the most ergonomically correct position while typing.

I'm telling you about this because I just found an animated version of the surgical procedure I had done on my spine this past November. After watching the video animation it became a little clearer to me why it is so important to hold my head up straight while typing--and throughout the day in general; my spine is, as my doctor says, "very unstable in the back of the neck."

Anyone who has been reading JAI BHAKTI since it’s inception knows that the front of my neck fell apart and is held together with a four inch plate and eight titanium screws, however I never actually understood what my neurosurgeon did to the back of my neck until I watched this animation.

CLICK HERE to watch an animated video illustrating what a cervical posterior foraminotomy looks like. I was enlightened; perhaps you will be too!

Click here to see both x-rays of my neck.

Maybe now that I've seen the, cervical posterior foraminotomy animation I'll be a little easier on myself with regard to why I feel so much pain all of the time. On a physical level, I understand why I am in so much pain. On a spiritual level, I do not understand the 'why' of it at all; but it certainly has been one heck of a ride.

tags: Jaibhakti, Bhakti Brophy, foraminotomy, meditation, spinal surgery,

CONTEMPLATION: Death WILL Knock...

2007-02-15T13:11:00.000-05:00

Here is a traditional meditation/contemplation practice. I ask that you contemplate this practice for a moment, and then report your thoughts and conclusion.

" What is the most important thing for you to do at this moment, knowing that death is certain, but time of death is uncertain?"

tags:Jaibhakti, Bhakti Brophy, meditation, contemplation, death, life, spirituality,

BHAKTI LOVE POEMS

2007-02-13T15:44:00.000-05:00

Just a friendly reminder that while you are waiting for a new JAI BHAKTI post, you can zoom on over to BHAKTI LOVE POEMS, where I publish new, original poems nearly every day.

Blessings,
Bhakti

HOW'S YOUR NEWS?: Bhakti Film Review

2007-02-10T16:08:00.000-05:00

If you are a member of Netflix, you are probably familiar with their ‘Recommendations’ feature. What happens is, you open a Netflix account, and while browsing for movies you rate the movies you have already seen with a 5-star rating system. In return, Netflix provides you with a (rather extensive!) list of recommended movies based on what you’ve enjoyed in the past. I happen to love watching non-fiction work, so a large chunk of my recommendations are documentaries.

A couple of weeks ago, Netflix recommended a documentary film that I was unfamiliar with. The cover of the DVD had a shooting star coming out of it; that meant that it was not only recommended, it was highly recommended. The title of the film was How’s Your News. The Netflix write-up said “this film, a favorite on the festival circuit, dispels the notion that disability limits opportunities and choices by showing just how the quintet, who cruised the country in an RV, knocks down myths with plenty of humor and heaps of grace.”

I put the movie at the top of my queue--meaning it would be the next movie I'd receive from Netflix--based on two things: 1) the fact that Netflix said that this film ‘knocked down myths’ about disabled peoples’ abilities; and 2) the fact that I am 100% disabled and wanted to see this cast of five people with various disabilities ‘knock down’ these myths.

The DVD arrived in about a week. I put it on and waited enthusiastically through previews for the film to begin. I was astonished—not in a pleasant way—when the music began playing over the MENU screen. I couldn’t believe my ears. I thought to myself, What is this? Is this a mockery of disabled, mentally challenged people? Who in their right mind would put this person’s voice on the menu screen? It got worse. The opening scene introduced the cast: two of whom can’t even talk! Who in GOD’S name would include two people who can’t even talk to go across country to report the news?

I was so angry I stopped watching the film and put it back in the Netflix holder with the intent of throwing it in the mailbox the following day.

Later that night, I told my mother about the film and my reaction to it. She said, “Oh, I think you should watch the rest of it. I bet there’s a bright side to it that you just haven’t seen yet. I really think you should give it another chance.”

Thank god I listened to my mom’s advice (I’ve learned to ALWAYS listen to her advice. She is ALWAYS right—without fail. If I had listened to her and not ridden the bicycle in New York City like she asked, it's likely I wouldn’t be 100% disabled right now.) I watched the rest of the film the following day and realized that part of my initial disliking of the film was due to the fact that I was watching it while experiencing high levels of pain; so high that by nighttime I had literally thrown up from the pain-induced nauseau. My patience was slim; such intense pain tends to close this usually open mind of mine. Nevertheless, by the end of the movie I had tears in my eyes (beware—last scene end spoiler coming up!), especially when Susan began running full-speed into the water. I was sitting in my bedroom--all by my lonesome-- clapping my hands and saying yes! they made it!

In my opinion, How’s Your News ? did not, as Netflix attests, “knock down” any myths regarding disabled people. Netflix’s statement implies that the five disabled cast members pulled off anchoring the news with the agility and deftness of a dime-a-dozen network news anchor; thus "knocking down the myth" that it could never be done. How’s Your News? doesn’t pull that off, but the important thing to note—and the point that Netflix missed altogether—is that How’s Your News? probably didn’t set out to knock down any myths, especially that disabled people can’t present the news like your average network anchor. How’s Your News? made it totally okay for disabled people to take a cross country trip, report the news that they felt was important enough to be reported, and present it to the general public with no reservations. That is totally different than dispelling myths. I also think it is a far greater achievement. The film makers went beyond dispelling myths; they broke new ground.

The great thing about How’s Your News? is that it doesn’t coddle the general public. It doesn’t make any excuses whatsoever with regard to how ‘difficult’ it might be (for the public at large) to watch Larry try to get a word out while conducting an interview—if anyone actually stops to be interviewed him at all; and doesn’t have any problem showing Robert for who he is—a grown man who understands everything that is said to him; who appreciates social interaction, but who does not have the ability to talk in the ‘normal’ sense of the word.

Not only did I give the film 5-stars when I rated it and wrote a review on Netflix, but I also contend that How’s Your News? has the best Special Features of any DVD I have ever rented or bought. I read a review on Amazon.com where the viewer said that the film never showed you any insight into the five main cast members. Quite obviously, this person did not watch the Special Features, of which I list below:

*Commentary by: the entire castUnknown Format

*The original pilot

*Foogate of festival appearances and Q&As with the cast after screenings in Toronto, New York, L.A., and Amsterdam

*IFC's vanguard show, Split Screen, goes behind the scenes at HYN?

*NPR's This American Life talks to director Arthur Bradford and to reporters Ron Simonsen and Sue Harrington

*Reporter Ron Simonsen interviews actor Chad Everett

*An interview with Matt Stone and Trey Parker conducted by the HYN? reporters

*Photo gallery

I highly recommend this movie. I will end my review here because, quite honestly, I could go on forever singing the praises of this film. In closing, I would like to say thank you to Arthur Bradford for making such a lovely film, and I trust that he may have a better understanding of how someone could initially find this film exploitative towards its stars; I certainly hope he understands that his (and the other crew members) selflessness changed my mind.

Click on following link for the How’s Your News? website:

ABOUT HOW’S YOUR NEWS

tags: Jaibhakti, bhakti, bhakti+brophy, How's Your News?, Arthur Bradford, Bhakti Film Review, people with disabilities, overcoming disabilities

TODAY...ON MY MIND:

2007-02-05T14:33:00.000-05:00

I like to think of everyone and everything everywhere as Shiva (the Lord) with a costume on. I see things this way and I believe it to be true. If Christians were to study the Gospel of Thomas, they would come to know that Jesus is not someone or something outside us, but He IS ourselves. Thomas quotes Jesus as saying "Anyone who drinks of My cup becomes Me, and I him." I have come to know that everything everywhere is a manifestation of the Divine.

If one were also to compare the Gospel of Thomas to basic Hindu texts--say the Katha Upanishad--one would find that our two religions are basically saying the same thing, but with different symbols and languages. Joseph Campbell was right in saying that all 'myths' tell the basic need of each culture to make sense of their own existence/divinity. And as one of my teachers, Baba Muktananda, says--"All paths lead to the same door."

This is lovely! It is my contention that if people stopped paying attention to the mere words of their religious texts, but took them to be symbols of a deeper meaning, more people would realize that most of the major religions are talking about the same concepts. It is the language and the cultural plurality (and the human interpretation) that cause the differences and the strife. Think about it: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam are ALL Biblical religions (that is, they use the 5 books of Moses as a basis of their religion)--and yet they are the three religions that are causing the conflict in the Middle East.

Literal interpretation of the Bible is dangerous. My experience of Jesus 'ascending to Heaven' means that He ascended above the solar plexus chakra (energy field/circle) and rose higher to the Heart Center, Ajna Chakra (Third Eye), and then finally to the Sahasrara, located at the top of the head. To me, this is the literal meaning of 'ascension'. Science (not to mention mere logic) has proved that a physical Heaven couldn't possibly exist. Think about: what is above us? The sky. Other Universes. Other Galaxies. What is below us? There is no 'below', because the Earth is round. There is only the center of the Earth.

That is not to say that Dante was wrong in his description of the 12 gates of Hell. I believe in the existence of Hell, although not a physical place. Hell, to me, is when we descend into the lower chakras. These are the energy places in the body where, when situated there, they allow us to cheat, lie, steal, murder, etc. This is NOT, by any measure, anywhere near the seat of the Lord. The purpose of our being born is to find the path that leads to the ascension of our spiritual energy to union with the Lord within (hence the word 'yoga').

Since globalization is the wave of today, and is obviously going to be the way of the future, we (the collective people inhabiting planet Earth) need to start taking into account that we come from not only different places, but we have different stories. Our forefathers all told different stories based on their own experiences. The story of Jesus of Nazareth is not going to make as much sense to a Native American as it does to a Christian European. Native Americans have their own myths and legends (in using the word 'myth', that is not to say that I don't believe that Jesus was an actual man); their stories illustrate the pursuit of man in finding his own Divinity; his own purpose; his highest good.

Let's come together and start comparing our religions before we wage wars over signs and symbols that may have the exact same inherent meaning, even when written in different languages, by different cultures. The time is now. There are no more excuses for faith based wars. We are ONE world.

""It will not come by watching for it. It will not be said, 'Look, here!' or 'Look, there!' Rather, the Father's kingdom is spread out upon the earth, and people don't see it." --Gospel of Thomas

"The self-existent pierced the openings outward;therefore one looks outward, not inside the soul.A certain wise person, however, seeking immortality,looking within saw the soul." --Katha Upanishad

Heaven is right here, right now. Look inside and find it.

Love,

Bhakti

TAGS: Jaibhakti, Bhakti, mysticism, Joseph Campbell, Bhakti Brophy, religious war, peace, spirituality,

BHAKTI LOVE POEMS BLOG

2007-02-03T00:21:00.000-05:00

Dear Friends-- I have some exciting news: I finally received my new laptop. Yeah! I am sitting here in bed, typing away. It feels so good to be able to type without having to worry about getting neck pain, etc. The tall and short of it is that you can expect to see me around the blogosphere again. I am looking forward to visiting all of you!

In other news, I have decided to start a separate blog devoted exclusively to my poetry. I have found that my devotional ('bhakti') poetry doesn't truly fit in with the feel of this blog; somehow my poems are a bit esoteric. Therefore, I've created a new blog called BHAKTI LOVE POEMS in which I am going to post all new poems, as well as my 5 year archive. Please click here to check it out (if you want, you could let me know what you think about the layout, etc.).

It feels great to be a part of the blogging community once again.
Love,
Bhakti

tags: Jaibhakti,bhakti,Bhakti Brophy, poetry

FOR GURUMAYI...

2007-01-24T18:52:00.000-05:00

* These poems were written on January 23, 2007 during and after in intensely Divine-Love filled meditation. May they inspire the immense joy in your heart to spring forth and overwhelm you. May they bathe you in the nectarean ocean of the Divine's Love--a reflection of your own pure heart. Love, Bhakti.

A Loss For Words....

O Bhakti,

what can you possibly write?

A loss for words...

The joy and bliss and love

Have shattered my being

And refuse to let me

reassemble myself

into something small!

A loss for words...

Can there be greater bliss than this?.

______________

Someone Smashed My Ego!

'See through my Eye

completely now.

'Understand what it means

to fall back into the physical realm.

'Understand the need for forgiveness all around:

'Their eyes are veiled;

'Hearts encased in stone.

Long ago,

An artist with a chisel

took my ego by the hand--

And recently smashed it

into 1,000 pieces!

In slow motion--

shards of grayish-blue glass

flew in every direction.

'No more questions.

Nothing to do now

Except renounce the suffering--

as a part of this grand affair!--

and take refuge

in the sultry Sun of the Heart.

So be it.

________________

Sitting In The Boat With My Beloved

Is there no

end to this

Divine Love?

The gift of

the bounty

within -

Clear as day.

'See the

peaceful calm;

a sea of stillness

radiating Divine energy.

Supreme Bliss!

O, Gurumayi--

I would ride this wave

to your shore

if you weren't already

rowing the boat!

________________

The Gift

My face cannot

contain the smile

my Gurumayi elicits.

I laugh aloud

in wondrous joy

At the gifts she gives...The Gift!

______________________

Won't You Excuse Me, Please?

I must go

Put down this pen

And melt into

My Guru's LOVE.

(All poems written and ©January 23, 2007 D.L. Bhakti Brophy

Please do NOT reprint without written permission.

Thank you.)

TAGS: Jaibhakti, Bhakti Brophy, Gurumayi Chidvilasananda, poetry, mysticism, spirituality, Bhakti, Divine Love,

RUMI MEETS JOSEPH CAMPBELL WHILE PLAYING CHESS AND DREAMING OF THE BLUE PEARL OF CONSCIOUSNESS! AND BHAKTI SMILED.

2007-01-22T14:06:00.000-05:00

What a week of synchronicity it has been for me. One minute I'm caught up in the turmoil of the physical world, only to be swept away by a surge of my Beloved’s love. Om Namah Shivaya.

The long and short of it is that I have once again been reminded that everything is in perfect order, and that no matter what happens in the ‘outside’ world, there is space within me in which nothing exists but LOVE: transcendence of all dualities, as Joseph Campbell would say.

I speak of this place often: the Heart Center. I have learned that I must live there if I am to remain sane. Why flit back and forth between turmoil and peace, transcendence and duality when you don’t have to? I say that if I continue to let myself slip back into the physical realm of opposites that I shall merely slay the same dragons repeatedly: to what end? Insanity. There could be no other end. Would you choose to live in a life that bounces back and forth between Heaven and Hell if you knew that the key to Heaven was within your reach? You merely committ yourself whole heartedly and say-- “That’s it! I’m sick of these dragons!”

Until next time, may you rest in the innate state of transcendence that is closer than a heartbeat away.

Love,
Bhakti
tags: Jaibhakti, Bhakti Brophy, mysticism, Joseph Campbell, spirituality

And The Winner Is...

2007-01-15T23:10:00.000-05:00

(Photo link: www.smh.com.au)

This evening, Dame Helen Mirren took home the Best Actress in a Drama Award at the Golden Globes. It is my opinion that Ms. Mirren is one of the most sensually beautiful women to ever grace the silver screen. , so I say:

All hail the queen!

Congratulations Helen Mirren, wherever you are--

I've got my fingers crossed for the Oscars!

Click HERE to visit the Helen Mirren Appreciation Society.

Who is your favorite actress?

What film(s) would you recommend?

(Note: I will add my favorite Dame Helen Mirren movies at a later date.)

Thanks for visiting;

enjoy your day!

Love,

Bhakti

tags: Jaibhakti, Bhakti Brophy, Helen Mirren, The Queen, Golden Globes,

The Coin

2007-01-07T17:58:00.000-05:00

"Heaven and hell:

flipsides of the same coin."

--Bhakti

January 6, 2007

.tags: Jaibhakti, Bhakti Brophy, mysticism, Heaven, Hell,

Doctor's Orders!

2007-01-05T21:21:00.000-05:00

Hi friends!

I just wanted to let you know that my doctor has ordered me to start blogging again. No joke! I was in his office and he said that I didn't seem as happy as I used to be, and that I never mentioned the computer anymore (i.e. the blog!). He said, "I want you to do the computer work again. It made you happy."

YEAH!!

I have been taking time away from the blog for many reasons, but now--I'm comin' back! And when I finally DO come back full-time, I will be better than ever!

I am in the process of buying a laptop computer that will enable me to type more often without hurting my neck, arm, spine, etc.

So, in this new year, I look forward to blogging with all of my friends again and I am anxious to see how many wonderful new people I will meet. :)

As I've said many times, you bring so much light into my life--even my doctor noticed that I've been somewhat depressed since I have stopped blogging. I've missed you all, and I love you all.

I may be physically unable to do many things due to my spinal disease; however, I am going to spend my time blogging. Just like in the past, I will offer my love and inspiration to you, and you will do the same for me.

I've also said that together we can change the world, and I believe that we can!

As soon as I get the laptop I will be able to blog more, and
I can't wait!

Until then,
Much love!
Bhakti

tags: Jaibhakti, Bhakti Brophy

Sending You Love and Happy Wishes...

2006-12-23T20:32:00.000-05:00

May the troubles of the world fade away
As you find immense pleasure
In the simple things.
May you bask in the wellspring
Of joy, light, and love within.
May you rest in the knowledge
That you are loved.

During this season of
Spiritual remembrance
And re-awakening,
I send you my love
And a prayer of
Eternal happiness.

Bhakti.

tags: Jaibhakti, Bhakti Brophy, mysticism,
poetry, prayer,

"HOLY CRAP!"

2006-12-13T20:30:00.000-05:00

Peter Boyle

(1935 - 2006)

"Rest in peace, you funny man;

and thank you for all the laughs!"

Love, Bhakti

tags: Jaibhakti, Bhakti Brophy, Peter Boyle, Everybody+Loves+Raymond,

The OFFICE Crossword Puzzles

2006-12-03T22:41:00.000-05:00

'Just wanted to pop by the blogosphere and let you all know that I am still in the recuperation phase of my latest surgery. This last surgery was four hours; my doctors tell me that I am looking at a ten month recovery period before I'll know how much pain I'll be left with for the rest of my life (and, of course, we're praying for no mas mucho!).

I am HIGH-ly medicated (pun intended, of course), so I sleep a lot of the time away. Nevertheless, I must say that I spend my waking hours VERY wisely--as I'm sure you will agree: I have been watching season one of THE OFFICE (US) over and over and over and over...infinity. Oh my god! I have never seen anything this wryly funny on American TV before, and I challenge anyone to prove me wrong.

Have you seen this situation comedy? Every single character is worth their weight in a million bucks of gold. I wasn't joking when I said that I have been watching season one repetitively; I have. You can't possibly catch every facial expression and every crazy little nuance in one viewing. Besides, the story lines and actors are so incredible that I can't help but push the PLAY button again when the end credits begin to roll. Steve Carell kicks major buttocks in the category of comedic butt-kicking. Wouldn't you agree?

I went through roughly a week of not being able to read anything because the meds made it comepletely impossible for my eyes to focus on anything less than three feet away from me. That's a real shame because there's nothing worse than being stuck in bed and not being able to read. Now that my eyes have calmed down a bit, Ive decided to ease my way back into reading by casually flipping through magazines. Then--by osmosis--I found an incredible crossword puzzle in the back of New York magazine. I jogged my brain for most of the day figuring out the clues and then trying to find the corresponding numbers inside the puzzle to record my answers. When Cousin Chrissy came over to deliver some homemade dinner (she's so cool!), I talked her into filling in several answers. Hint: she's the crossword puzzle guru of the family!

All tolled, I ended the puzzle with only five empty spaces. As luck would have it, my mother brought me the latest issue of New York, which had the answers to the puzzle I tried to conquer, and I was able to check my answers against the answer key. I did pretty good! I only made up two words--and they seemingly only made up two (that I've never heard of)!

Needless to say, my eyes are freaking out again; not from the meds as much as from the crazy tiny crossword puzzle font and the crazily numbered boxes where the answers are to be written.

In a nutshell, I feel like I'm working again: I wake up, eat breakfast, do a bit of the crossword while eating, watch THE OFFICE, take a break for lunch, take a nap, watch some more of THE OFFICE, take another nap, wake up and do some more crossword puzzling, eat dinner, then I crash. It's as if I'm in New York City in the corporate world once again--only I have much more comfortable seating, I'm only awake and cognitive about four hours a day, and the bathroom is clean as a whistle (whatever that means).

tags: Jaibhakti, Bhakti Brophy, The Office, Steve Carell, humor, comedy, crossword puzzles,

I'm Alive!

2006-11-21T14:47:00.000-05:00

Dearest Friends--'Just a little note to let you know that I am home from the hospital. My surgery lasted four hours and my hospital stay was four days. I didn't have the greatest experience this time: the Neurology floor, at Morristown Memorial Hospital, couldn't get their act together with regard to giving me my pain medications on time. In fact, I went without pain meds for the first 8 hours after my surgery! I had a low dosage of pain killers to combat the surgically induced pain, but they neglected to give me my maintenance drugs for my chronic pain/radiculopathy condition! Can you believe that? I'm happy to state that my neurosurgeon was pleased with the condition of my spinal chord--he stated that all of my pain is caused by damaged nerve roots and that I have no damage to my spinal chord itself--i.e. there is no 'mechanical' problem with my spine. I suppose that IS a good thing--although I am hardly able to celebrate that fact because of the amount of pain I am experiencing. I have NEVER experienced pain like this before. I actually had to visit the Emergency Room--and be admitted to the hospital--the day after I was released from the hospital from my surgery! I went to the ER for two specific reasons: 1) the pain was excruciating--so much so that every time I tried to roll over in bed, I would get a sharp/lighting bolt type of shooting pain down my back and up my skull--all starting from the place of the surgical incision. Once I got to the ER, I was treated for a fever, too. (It never ends!!!)

Something horrible happened after I was admitted to the hospital from the ER; I won't go into all of the specifics, but--in a nutshell--the admitting doctor refused to let me see a pain management specialist! He wouldn't even talk to MY pain management doctor on the phone (so that my doctor could assure him that I truly DO suffer from a chronic pain illness and that I hadn't gone to the hospital just in order to score some new pills.) The NERVE of this man--insinuating that I am less than a model citizen and that I lacked character. Basically, that's what he was saying. He yelled at me; I yelled back at him! Ultimately, I left the hospital in more pain than when I arrived at the ER just 16 hours earlier!

A lot more happened than that, but I'm so incredibly sore and tired, I don't want to go into it right now. I think I will tell you this one other thing (hey Gyrobo, I think you'll like this!): I kept waking up with blood on my pillow-so I assumed it was my incision that was oozing, as incisions tend to do after surgery. No such luck. It turns out that I had about six needles stuck into my skull so that my pain management physiologist Dr. Rao--a very kind and funny man from India, whom I love to death--could monitor my brain waves and nerve reactions. This enabled him to tell my neurosurgeon, Dr. Chun, when he was getting too close to my spinal chord. Well, it was one of the puncture wounds from the needle that kept bleeding onto my pillow. The needles he used were about the size of acupuncture needles (extremely tiny in diameter), which made me wonder how such a tiny hole could bleed so profusely. That's when Dr. Rao--whose office I visited yesterday--told me that one of the needles was larger than all of the rest and had to be screwed into my skull!!! EEEeeewwww! I have this hole in the side of my head that is about 1/3 the size of a dime. That's pretty big!

Well, that's it for now. I am on very high levels of medication right now, and I am unable to move around freely--I am supposed to stay in bed for at least the next two weeks. I will not be posting anything during those two weeks. However, if I get up the strength, I will check in to read your comments.

Thank you for all of your well wishes. By the way, I am happy to report that meditation, contemplation, and being in the company of friends and family are the three things (besides the drugs!) that have gotten me this far along on my recovery: my doctor surely wasn't joking when he said that this recovery would be ten times worse than my last surgery!

I hope this finds YOU well.
Enjoy your Thanksgiving!
Much love,
Bhakti

tags: Jaibhakti, Bhakti Brophy, spinal surgery, Dr. Jay Chun, Dr. Rajesh Rao,

SPINAL SURGERY: TUESDAY NOVEMBER 14

2006-11-13T14:27:00.000-05:00

My Aunt Annie just sent me this nastalgic photograph of myself (right) and Cousin Chrissy down at the Jersey Shore about...hmm...probably 30 years ago. (Many of you who have been with me since the inception of JAI BHAKTI will remember that Cousin Chrissy--or 'C.C.' as she prefers to be called--is the kind relative of mine who once begged me to come over for dinner and then served me a baked potato; she had nothing else vegetarian in the house. CLICK HERE for details.)

Well, friends, tomorrow is the day: I am going into the Morristown Memorial Hospital to have another spinal surgery. This time around, my (incredible!) neuro-surgeon, Dr. Jay Chun, is going to try to free up some of the space around the C-5, C-6 nerve roots (in the back of my neck) so that I do not experience so much pain from the cervical radiculopathy that causes so much of my pain.

I know it has been a long time coming; I've actually been waiting for over a year for this surgery! I want to thank you all for your continued love and support. While I'm gone, you can check out my other blog: A LITTLE BENT. This is where you will find my memoirs (note: I use the pseudonym Marcy_Peanut for my memoirs). They're pretty hilarious. Enjoy!

Much love,
Bhakti

tags: Jaibhakti, Bhakti Brophy, Dr. Jay Chun, radiculopathy, spinal Surgery,

Why I Am Wearing A Hat!

2006-11-11T15:00:00.000-05:00

Now THAT'S a bad hair day!

tags: Jaibhakti, bhakti brophy, bad hair day, humor

CRIME AND PUNISHMENT

2006-11-08T22:25:00.000-05:00

I've just started reading Crime and Punishment, by Fyodor Dostoevsky--one of my favorite all-time authors. Have any of you read this book? If so, WITHOUT GIVING THE ENTIRE PLOT AWAY would you mind giving me your critical analysis of this book--perhaps in comparison with The Brothers Karamazov? Also, if any of you out there in the great blogosphere are into Russian writers in general--as I am--would you mind telling me who your favorite author is, and why? So many people say that Tolstoy was a far superior writer than Dostoevsky; I'm just not too sure about that. I just finished reading War and Peace this past summer; I suppose my thoughts on Crime and Punishment may inform who's writing I like the best. For now, I love them both! (Along with Gogol, too.)

Thanks for your input.
Love,
Bhakti

tags: Jaibhakti, Dostoevsky, Bhakti Brophy, Crime and Punishment, Tolstoy, Gogol

Artwork found at THIS LINK

VOTE FOR YOUR FAVORITE MOON PHOTO!

2006-11-06T22:27:00.000-05:00

On the evening of November 4, I took photos of the spectacular moon. Which one is your favorite?

(1)

(2)

(3)

(4)

(5)

(6)

(Hey Bill--I got the tripod out just for you!)

tags: Jaibhakti, Bhakti Brophy, moon photography, moon, photography, night photography

Out My Window

2006-11-01T18:41:00.000-05:00

"I saw the crescent; you saw the whole of the moon."

What song are these lyrics from?

tags: Jaibhakti, moon photography, moon

Letter to President George W. Bush

2006-10-18T15:50:00.000-04:00

In honor of the Midterm Elections that will be taking place in the United States in 20 days, I have written a letter to President Bush (entitled "Integrity"). The letter outlines my thoughts and concerns regarding the USA's present political climate, among other things. Click on the link to read my bit.

LINK

Love,
Bhakti

tags: Jaibhakti, President Bush, Midterm+Elections, terrorism, gay marriage, stem cell research, Iraq War, USA United States, politics

'Cool Rays of the Moon...

2006-10-17T15:05:00.000-04:00

What is it about the moon

that beckons me back to you?

My Love--You are a reflection

of my great Self--

The Sun of all suns;

The Light of all light.

Some Kiss We Want

There is some kiss we want with

our whole lives, the touch of

spirit on the body. Seawater

begs the pearl to break its shell.

And the lily, how passionately

it needs some wild darling! At

night, I open the window and ask

the moon to come and press its

face against mine. Breathe into

me. Close the language-door and

open the love-window. The moon

won't use the door, only the window.

--Rumi

(English translation rendered by Coleman Barks. I suggest this book to everyone who has ever swam in the ecstatic ocean of Rumi's poetry: The Soul of Rumi: A New Collection of Ecstatic Poems, © 2002 Harper Collins. Click on the book title to preview and/or purchase the book.)

Which photograph of the moon do you prefer? Why?

tags: Jaibhakti, Bhakti Brophy, moon, spirituality, poetry, mysticism, Rumi, Some Kiss We Want,

Photographs © October 2006 Bhakti Brophy All rights reserved.

Surgery Rescheduled

2006-10-10T14:52:00.000-04:00

Dear Friends--Due to a low-grade fever, my surgery has been rescheduled for November 14. This will afford me the time I need to get my body and mind as strong and healthy as possible before the surgery.Thank you for your continued love and support.

Blessings,
Bhakti

FREEDOM

2006-10-06T12:06:00.000-04:00

Mountain Way, 2 minutes from my house. The sky limitless.

Windowpane.

A splash of fall.

Carmi, a fellow blogger of WrittenInc fame, is correct in stating that regardless of the hiccups (understatement) in our countries' democratic processes, there is no better place to live than a democratic, FREE society. Kudos to Carmi for bringing up that point. It is a point well taken. Please visit Carmi for insightful essays and beautiful photographs of his homeland, Canada.

While you're surfing the blogosphere, do be sure to check out this jewel in the mud--APersonal Tao-- in which a kind Taoist named Casey guides us through the beauty of life, one poem and wise thought at a time.

Big props to Kitty Von Kitty for the eternal smile she continually offers to my face and heart:

WHICH PHOTO IS YOUR FAVORITE? WHY?

Enjoy your day,

Love,

Bhakti

tags: Jaibhakti,
Bhakti Brophy, photography, freedom, democracy, spiritualityBrophy, tao, taoism

Democracy

2006-09-29T21:37:00.000-04:00

im·pe·ri·al·ism n.
1. The policy of extending a nation's authority by territorial acquisition or by the establishment of economic and political hegemony over other nations.
2. The system, policies, or practices of such a government.

------------------------

Yesterday, I had a chance to relax-- to stay at home and recline on the Lazy Boy; my body felt calm and peaceful for the first time in over a month. Centered from a few days of intense—yet ever joyful!—meditation, contemplation, chanting (i.e. singing the name of God), and journaling my thoughts and emotions, I began watching the U.S. Senate debate regarding the “Detainee Treatment and Trials Bill”. I sat in awe as I watched these highly intelligent men and women read their speeches and express their views on subjects such as interrogation and detention of prisoners in this ‘war on terror’. Overall, I was so glad to see democracy in motion as the Democratic Senators pleaded with the Republican majority to listen to their views and to take their proposed amendments to the Detainee Bill seriously. It did not take long to realize that the Democrats’ efforts were in vein. Although the Republicans seemed to listen to the substantiated arguments put forth by the Democratic Senators as they outlined their amendments—for example, Senator John D. Rockefeller IV (D-West Virginia and Vice Chairmen of the United States Senate Committee on Intelligence)—they made it clear that they were not going to budge. As the Vice Chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, Senator Rockefeller proposed an amendment that would give Congress the oversight they need to ensure that our intelligence gathering agencies stay within the law—that our PRESIDENT stays within the law. The amendment, in my estimation, was flawed in that it made mandatory quarterly field reports. However, if President Bush had given the Senate more than a couple of hours to debate and pass the bill, both sides of the political party would have had the time to work together to create the best bill possible, which could have included at least a little more congressional oversight, as Senator Rockefeller intimated needs be.

That brings me to my first major point: WHY IS THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES STRONG-ARMING LEGISLATION. THAT IS NOT THE WAY WE DO BUSINESS IN THE DEMOCRATIC POLITICAL ARENA WE CALL THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA! The Constitution makes it clear that Congress has legislative power:

All legislative powers herin granted shall be vested in Congress of the United States, which shall consist of a Senate and House of Representatives.

For the president of the United States to (angrily and forcefully—if you saw his news conference) demand that Congress should pass his Detainee Treatment and Trials Bill at the threat of him shutting down the CIA terrorist intelligence programs is dictatorial, at best. President Bush asked Congress to pass this incredibly important piece of legislature in an infinitely small amount of time, and I’m supposed to feel secure that his motives aren’t political? He also held a closed meeting last weekend to update the bill without inviting any Democrats—including the Vice Chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee himself, Senator Rockefeller!

Given this information, I was literally shocked to hear that earlier this morning Bush had the audacity to make the following political remark about the Democrats: "the party of FDR and the party of Harry Truman has become the party of cut and run."

“The Party of Cut and Run?” Then what should we call his party—“the party of deceit, denial, and exclusivists?” I find it amazing that more Republicans are not outraged by the deceit, denial, and exclusivist actions of our current administration. I would have thought that by now most republicans would be sick of being lied to and would not want an imperialist republican as our leader. (If by calling Bush an ‘imperialist' anyone thinks that I am a ‘bleeding heart liberal’ or a ‘far left-winger’, you need only read the definition of the word above. You will see that he fits the bill.)

This bashing of the Democratic Party is unsubstantiated. President Bush and his administration got us into the War in Iraq not only preemptively, but also without immediate cause. He did not wait for Congress; he did not wait for the U.N. to finish their investigation into Iraq having WMD. Of course he didn’t! How could he when he KNEW that Iraq did not have nuclear weapons (read the book Blowing My Cover, by Lindsay Moran—one of the CIA officials sent to Iraq in 2003). To pull our Special Forces troops out of Afghanistan when Osama Bin Laden was-- by all estimations--cornered, so that our current administration could over-throw a country that they think the United States should control (in the name of creating democracy over there) is just outrageous! Iraq did NOT have weapons of mass destruction and our intelligence agencies found no ties to Al Qaeda. I am not saying that the War in Iraq should have been avoided (or could be avoided) forever; I do not pretend to be a politician or an Army general. However, I know in my heart that if President Bush’s true intentions for invading Iraq were to stop terrorism and to create a democratic society in Iraq, he would not have deceived the Congress and the American People. He would not have pulled our Special Forces out of Afghanistan without first finding Bin Laden. If you stay away from the ‘entertainment media’ (i.e. Fox News, MSNBC, etc.) and, instead, invest your time in scholarly articles like the “Misimpressions of Iraq”, by the University of Maryland, you will see just how many lies we are fed every day—not only by the president himself, but by the news media. I know that all politicians and presidents lie, and that it is sometimes for a good reason. Nevertheless, you would truly have to be ignorant to believe that our country does not feed us propaganda. Just look at the ‘fear’ inducing rhetoric President Bush has used his entire presidency; so often so, that people aren’t buying into it that much anymore. This might explain why he squirms around so much, anxiously bites his lower lip, and is so quick to anger in his most recent press conferences.

(Breathe in….Breathe out….Breathe in…Breathe out…. Ah, the political arena is such a great place to practice meditation, self-awareness, and calming breath techniques!)

Here’s a statement made by Bush after the Detainee Bill was signed by Congress yesterday: "As our troops risk their lives to fight terrorism, this bill will ensure they are prepared to defeat today's enemies and address tomorrow's threats."

I TOTALLY agree that our men and women in the troops should be supported 100 percent—and I DO support them. To be sure, when some of my friends went over to Iraq to serve this great country, I collected items and mailed them abroad, along with letters of love and encouragement. As illustrated in the above quote, President Bush has been lashing out against critics of the Iraq War; but how could there NOT be critics when no planning went into this war except for the initial takedown of the country. Our men and women—our friends and loved ones—were sent over to Iraq without the military providing them with sufficient armor for themselves or their vehicles! Most troops who wanted body armor to protect themselves from shrapnel from IEDs (improvised explosive devices) had to purchase it for themselves or have their families buy it on the private market and send it to them.

This is how America sends their troops off to war?

Speaking of war equipment, are you aware that Louisiana’s National Guard was almost fully depleted by the time Hurricane Katrina hit, and that almost all of their amphibious vehicles had been shipped over to Iraq for use by occupational forces? This is why the forces that were left in the state were unable to reach the many people who were stranded in the part of New Orleans where the water was more than nine feet deep. Look at this timeline of events and tell me if you think President Bush has the best interest of the people in the home front at heart:

HURRICANE KATRINA DATE OF EVENTS:

· Friday, August 25, 2005—Convinced by hurricane experts that New Orleans would face a direct hit by Hurricane Katrina, Louisiana Gov. Kathleen Blanco declared a state of emergency
· August 27, 2005—Hurricane Katrina upgraded to a Category 3 storm. Blanco calls President Bush (vacationing at his ranch in West Texas) and asks him to declare a federal state of emergency in Louisiana. In her plea, she stated to the president “I have determined…that effective response is beyond the capabilities of the State and affected local governments…”
· August 28, 2005—Hurricane Katrina upgraded to a Category 5 storm. Katrina made landfall and packed 160-mph winds.
· —New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin begins mandatory evacuation of the city.
· —Bush, Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff, and FEMA Director Michael Brown were all “directly warned about the likelihood of a levee failure by that day" by Max Mayfield, director of the National Hurricane Center.
· --President Bush stays on vacation at his ranch in West Texas. He does not exercise his position as commander in chief and authorize deployment of the National Guard to the Gulf area. He does not help move along the red tape of the Homeland Security and FEMA.
· August 29, 2005—Hurricane Katrina hits New Orleans. By 8:00 A.M., Mayor Nagin reports that the levees are being breeched.
· President Bush attends a birthday party for Senator John McCain in Phoenix Arizona.
· Millions watch on TV as thousands of people are stuck in the Superdome—with no food, no water, no working toilets, and as people are stuck in their attics, standing on their roofs, and drowning.
· Gov. Blanco makes another plea to President Bush, stating—“Mr. President, we need your help. We need everything you’ve got!” President Bush does not act on her request.
· August 30, 2006 President Bush attends a California fund-raiser, and later plays guitar for a photo-op with country singer, Mark Willis.
· August 31, 2006—FOUR DAYS AFTER RECEIVING WARNINGS FROM THE NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER, AND 48 HOURS AFTER THE STORM HITS NEW ORLEANS, PRESIDENT BUSH FLIES BACK TO WASHINGTON, STATING THAT HE IS GOING TO PUT TOGETHER A TASK FORCE TO DEAL WITH NEW ORLEANS.
· President Bush’s staff has to compile a CD of news footage for the president since he did not bother to watch any news about the hurricane in general or New Orleans in particular.
· September 1, 2005—Homeland Security Regional Director Terry Ebert declared the federal response to the crisis ‘a disaster’.
· September 2, 2005—President Bush travels to Alabama and praises FEMA director Michael Brown, stating—“Brownie, you’ve done a heck of a job."
· February 28, 2006—The Associated Press acquires a video recording it obtains through a Freedom of Information Act request. The video made August 28—two days before the storm—showed Bush and Chertoff being repeatedly warned by FEMA officials and hurricane watchers that the levees in New Orleans could be breeched, and that the Superdome was not equipped to handle a Category 5 storm. *

Need I say more? So many sources of accurate information outline President Bush’s negligence as Commander in Chief and his blatant disregard for the Constitution of the United States of America. By accurate information, I mean actual transcripts; news conferences given by Bush; as well as no-bid contracting allotted to political cronies with regard to the Iraq War and Hurricane Katrina: not to mention the indictment of Scooter Libby and Jack Abramanoff, etc. I don't have enough time to delve too deeply into Vice President Dick Cheney's transgressions (did you know he still receives a $170,000 annual "deferred compensation" income from Halliburton--the same company that has made over 11 billion dollars in the clean up of Iraq? He also lobbied Congress against a measure introduced by Senator John McCain that would outlaw torture. Torture is not only an International crime, it is also a Federal crime.).

With the leakage of the NIE, it is no longer ‘secret’ that President Bush’s actions are creating a hotbed for terrorist recruiting. The Taliban has regrouped in Afghanistan, and Al Qaeda has set up shop in Iraq. It doesn’t take much logic to figure out why Iran wants WMD—not that I think they should have them! I don’t. I’m saying that it doesn’t take much logic to figure out that if the President of the United States declares that he will strike-- not only those countries who threaten us, but who we suspect MAY someday pose a threat to us, of course smaller countries are going to create Weapons of Mass Destruction. Cause and effect; it is as simple as that. To read a statement by Senator Rockefeller regarding the leaked NIE material, click here.

The other day, I witnessed a great tragedy while flipping through the channels on my TV set. I turned on MSNBC (and I do not—as a rule—watch or listen to any talking head political shows). There was a man screaming his head off—the veins in his neck popping out—about how college students who protest the War in Iraq are ‘anti-American’ and should go live somewhere else if they don’t like it here. Why is it that whenever someone (or in Bush’s case, a whole lot of people) express their views of discontent with the government, it is somehow based in ‘anti-Americanism’? Here is what I have to say to anyone who reads this who might think that I am somehow anti-American: Do you think I would take an entire day out of my life to write this, knowing that sitting at the computer for this long causes excruciating pain in my neck and left arm, if I DID NOT love America? America IS a great country and I thank God that I live here. However, I have wanted to write an essay about my disgust at the current administrations’ disregard for the Constitution—and the democratic processes that we have followed for the past two hundred plus years—for a couple of weeks now. With yesterday’s Congressional events turning out the way they did, coupled with President Bush’s scathing remarks about Democrats today, I knew the time was right.

It is time that America came together as a whole. There has to be a way that the two parties can work together. President Bush stated that the Democrats made it difficult to get the work done (with regard to the Detainee Bill). Perhaps if he gave the Democrats some input into the bill, rather than excluding them in the first place, they wouldn’t have had to introduce so many amendments in the first place. It is just too convenient that Bush rushed this bill through congress days before campaigning begins. How much faith are we supposed to put in a president who places such an important bill before the Congress just to get a leg up politically?

We can—and must!--fight the war on terror without making America look like a moral-less empire. Otherwise, we are left with the Bush-factor: more terrorists, more violence, no justice. We MUST stand by our Constitution—and force our president and his administration to do the same. America stands for democracy. What’s the point of a democracy if the president (and his staff) repeatedly deceit us and go above the law. I understand that the terrorist threat on our own soil is new (I lived in NYC and was teaching in Harlem when the towers fell), and these men and women need to be dealt with in a way that will send a message to other terrorists. I’m not insinuating that we’re being too harsh on the terrorists. What I AM questioning is the way our current administration conducts their business. A little less imperialism, and little more democracy, please.

----------------------------------------------
About two weeks ago, the thought entered my mind that I HAVE to write about my disgust with the current administration before I have my next spinal surgery (see last post for details). I used to shy away from discussing—let alone writing—about politics at all costs. Politics is NOT going to be a new trend on this blog. However, as an American, I felt it was time that my voice was heard. It is also very interesting to see if, as a friend of mine says, I can “work with the issue of how to be spiritual and an activist without making (myself) crazy.” So far, so good! God bless our current administration; may they have the country’s best interest at heart.

Love,
Bhakti

*Historical facts culled from within the pages of The Case For Impeachment: The Legal Argument for Removing President George W. Bush from Office, by Dave Lindorff and Barbara Olshansky. © 2006, Thomas Dunne Books

tags: Jaibhakti,President Bush, Iraq War, democracy, United States of America, NIE, Senator Rockefeller,

2006-09-26T20:30:00.000-04:00

On October 12th, at 7:30 AM, I will be undergoing another spinal surgery; this time to try to 'make some space' around the nerve roots in order to alleviate some of the pain I have been living with for the past 13 months. I am SO looking forward to this surgery (you know you're in pain when you are actually looking forward to having your neck sliced open!). I can't wait--bring on the scalpal, boys!

Lest I jest, what I am looking forward to is being able to wake up in the morning without my arm feeling like I have a hot butcher knife sticking out of it (the stabbing feeling in my arm is unbelievable. It truly is beyond words.). The feeling in my upper left arm is akin to a tattoo needle buzzing away day-in-and-day-out. Yes, the last time I got a tattoo the tattoo artist was surprised that I didn't flinch once. I told him, "I live with this kind of pain every moment of my life--except when I'm in deep sleep or in deep meditation."

My energy levels have been really low for the past month: my adrenal hormones are actually running low. It's not difficult to image why, is it? Dealing with this level of pain for 13 months straight is bound to wear a person out; and, believe me, it has. I actually lost my temper in a HUGE way last week--but I'll save that for another post. Right now my only interest is in focusing on getting my energy levels back up. This takes a good deal of inner energy work; my background in Chi-Kung is proving fruitful. But more than that, I also need the aide of others. I am currently looking into finding a Pranayama breath/energy healer who is actually able to transmit healing energy.

Why am I telling you this? Hey--because I also need YOU! Yes--once again, I would like to ask you to please pray for me. Even if you aren't given to prayer, perhaps you could take a moment and just contemplate the fact that I am asking for healing energies from the universe--from you! And then eat a bar of chocolate in my honor (Yes! Dark chocolate scores higher points in the 'I'm not prayin' but I'll eat chocolate for ya' department!).

In closing, I would like to say that I really do feel your prayers, so please keep them coming. And, if you would be so kind, please pray that my energy supply is replenished a.s.a.p..

Thank you!
Until next time,
Love and All Great Blessings to you all,
Bhakti

tags: Jaibhakti, Bhakti Brophy, spinal surgery, cats, cat photography, prayers, spirituality,

Bad Hair Day #57

2006-09-17T15:19:00.000-04:00

What happens when Bhakti pulls a rubber band ponytail out of her hair after sitting mobile on the Lazy Boy while watching four consecutive episodes of 24?

You guessed it: Bad Hair Day #57

tags: Jaibhakti, Bhakti Brophy, bad hair day, humor

Introduction to THE EGO...

2006-09-14T12:28:00.000-04:00

Hello. It's been a long time since I've posted, but I knew in my heart that I needed to take some time away from the ritual that had become my life in order to do some major soul searching. I think it's good to 'drop out' for awhile. For me, it helps gain perspective. Of course, there are many ups and down when one takes on this endeavor: the ego doesn't like to be toyed with or challenged. The ego doesn't like when we try to get rid of everything in our minds that keeps us down and keeps us small. I spent a lot of time (and continue to spend time) pulling out the weeds of repressed emotions and old thought patterns that needed to be purged like last year's news. Wow, I didn't expect the ego to put up such an intense fight. (By 'ego' I mean the limited mind; that which is NOT our intuitive mind. The 'ego' is the part of the mind that thinks it knows what's best for us, when, actually, the ego is only interested in keeping itself afloat.)

Does this make the mind sound a bit disjointed?

Well, dualistic maybe, but not disjointed. All humans have an ego-mind and an intuitive sense. There's the duality. There's God, and then there is the limited self. The intuitive mind is innate, although it is sometimes buried way beneath the ego mind. I'll write more on this topic later. For now, I will just say that this past year has forced me to look at the things in my thought beliefs and life patterns that keep me bound, and I have to tell you--it's all the doing of the ego. The ego wants to keep us small. It's not so difficult to understand this Truth once the ego is understood. Basically, the ego is that which tells us that we must be careful, fearful, full of guilt, and needy of punishment. In other words, it's the ego that keeps us from knowing the innate Truth within.

We are greater than we could ever imagine! All of us. Just by taking birth we are great--a manifestation of God. Yet the ego keeps us bound.

Why?

Because if we aren't bound, then we are free. No more need for the ego. Our self that was once tethered by the ego becomes a Self swimming in the knowledge of undying existence, love, and bliss absolute (to borrow from ancient Hindu philosophical speak) which can never die.

Think about it: our bodies die, our personalities dissolve. What is left? The spirit. The Self. I have found that knowing the Self within and experiencing the Self is not enough. By the Grace, love, and knowledge of my spiritual teachers it was brought to light that, indeed, knowing the Self is not enough. We must sustain the experience of the Self within.

But how???

Get rid of the ego. Dissolve the ego. I needed to (and continue to) forgive myself for all of the guilt that has been locked away in my subconscious for so long. With guilt comes fear; fear of punishment. Where does this guilt come from? Look inside. Meditate. As the emotions come up, experience them and let them go. Dissolve the emotions, fear, and anger that keep you bound. I had found that many of my not so memorable childhood experiences were still informing my decisions in my adult life. It was time to take out the garbage, for sure.

This is a very lofty, time consuming, emotional rollercoaster of an endeavor, to be sure; however, it is my wish that everyone gets to this point in their lives. The point where they KNOW that their True Reality, the reality of their existence, is LOVE. We are all nothing but love. We are all love. We come from Love; we exist by the Grace of this Love; we find this Love by our longing for something real, something constant, not transient; and we dissolve back into this Love when our bodies/minds die.

May the light within shine so brightly that you long to know this Truth within. And if you know this Truth, share it with others. One by one, we will enlighten this world. One person at a time, until everyone learns the value of their lives. When we know the value of our own lives and truly honor the Self within, we have no choice but to love our fellow man. We must honor all of God's creation--from the largest boulder to the tiniest blade of grass.

Please look upon your fellow man with love. We are all connected. If a fellow man transgresses, know that they are doing their best, even if their best falls incredibly short of the mark of goodness and right action. Some people cannot see the light within; they have no knowledge of the incredible source of love and joy that is within their own hearts. They are blind. Yes, blind. They do not have knowledge of the Truth, therefore, they believe their physical existence is the only reality. That is why they start wars, commit genocide, rob, steal, and punish others. They are truly punishing themselves. They only have personal desire and greed. Blind. Therefore, forgive. And pray that everyone everywhere may know the Light of God, the Love of God, and the immense Grace of God that is right within!

Find the jewel within. All of your Earthly desires will fall away. What is there left to desire when you have knowledge that everything is transient except for this Truth? This doesn't mean you have to give away all material things. It is truly the cessation of longing for things in the outer world simply because you have found That which you are looking for.

Won't you join me in this search? No dogma. Only love. Share it with yourself and your fellow man.

Om Namah Shivaya,
Love,
Bhakti

tags: Jaibhakti,
Bhakti Brophy,
ego, spirituality, Om Namah Shivaya,
Divine Love, Divine Truth, Bhakti

PUBLIC NOTICE:

2006-07-31T13:29:00.000-04:00

Hello friends. This is a notification to let you know that I will be offline throughout the month of August. I am currently doing tremendous inner work, and I need some quiet time (which would seem incredibly confusing to anyone who knows that I have spent MOST of the past year in the house, by myself! However, I spent that time trying to get better...you know, pushing the river. Now it is time to live in the present and see what is really going on.) I leave you with a poem that my great friend Sadiq and I wrote last week.

Be well, and enjoy your summer (or winter, depending on which hemisphere you live in ).

Blessings,
Bhakti

Today i Met a Soul…

1 Today i met a soul,
whose light showered my path
even from the other side of the world

2 Today my love of Self as One
became realized as a love of One
Oneness without boundary

3 Today i spoke with a soul,
the voice came rushing
right into my heart
and melted my whole existence

4 Today, a faraway stranger
rekindled my love for the knowledge
that nothing is neither near nor far
here nor there
just is.

5 one heart sang in tune with another.
who said, we are far?

6 The Light of God
raining upon two souls
focusing their vision of Oneness into Reality

7 i know i have been given this blessed touch
to reunite with a close soul, i knew already
long back in some unknown lives.

8 ‘Just about giving up sharing my mysticism
for fear of being deemed MAD
in an outward looking world

9 So, we unfolded our wings of love eternal
embracing to unite the two souls
and looked at the Glorious Light,
the Source from where all souls descend.

10 And the ‘who’, ‘what’, ‘where’, and ‘why’ disappeared
into the ether
and all that was left was
nothing
but
Light.

© July 18, 2006, Bhakti Brophy and Sadiq Alam
(Odd numbered verses written by Sadiq, even numbered verses written by Bhakti.)

tags: Jaibhakti, mysticism, Inspirations and Creative Thoughs, Bhakti Brophy, Divine Love

The Madness of the Mystics!!! Hurray for OSHO!!!

2006-07-18T15:55:00.000-04:00

Below is an excerpt from some words spoken by Osho:

"It is better to be mad in a divine way
than to be sane in a human way."

---
You can check out the entire quote at Inspirations and Creative Thoughts, which is a powerfully moving blog written by my fellow mystically mad friend, Sadiq.

Enjoy!
Much Love,
Bhakti

tags: Jaibhakti, mysticism, Osho, Inspiration and Creative Thoughts, Oneness, Divine Love, Bhakti+Brophy

The Mind Can Free Us or Enslave Us: The Choice is Yours!

2006-07-11T16:17:00.000-04:00

“When will you live today?” is one of my favorite quotes. I have it written on the wall in the basement, right next to my drum set because I used to play the drums when I was trying to escape feelings like anger, anxiety, fear, etc. The quote reminded me that every moment I spent being angry, anxious, or fearful, I lost the precious moments of the day at hand. This quote reminds me that if I spend my time being upset about the past, or worrying about the future, then I am NOT living today. I am not living in the present moment.

Many of us have a million and one diversions that keep us from dealing with our strong emotions and negate our ability to live in the present moment. I live with chronic pain due to an incurable spinal disease. Yesterday was a particularly bad day—I could not handle the pain level and it made me intensely angry and mentally stressed. Instead of doing a meditation practice that I knew would dissolve the energy of the strong emotions, I walked up to the ice cream shop and got a double dip of coffee ice cream with chocolate sprinkles. At the time, this seemed like a much easier way of pacifying the horrible day I was having than doing a simple meditation practice. On my way home from the ice cream shop, I sat upon the steps of my local church and prayed for help with the current situation. As I truly allowed myself to feel and experience the mental pain and anguish caused by the physical pain, I cried, and the intense emotions dissipated. The rest of the day was pleasant, and I was able to interact with others—and myself-- more lovingly. I had reconnected with the peace within. The key to finding this peace is living in the present moment. The only place where peace truly exists is in the present moment. Moreover, the only way to connect with the present moment is through mindfulness meditation.

Most people cringe when I mention the word ‘meditation’. They get this look of fear on their face, tell me they have tried to meditate once or twice before, and inevitably say things like:

“I couldn’t stop thinking.”

“My mind was driving me crazy. There was no peace anywhere to be found. My mind was thinking more than usual!”

“All I could hear was my heartbeat and it nearly drove me insane. Plus, I kept thinking the same thought repeatedly.”

“I gave up trying to meditate because I couldn’t get my mind to stop thinking. I’m just not cut out for it.”

Friends, allow me to clarify one thing with regard to the mind: the mind is not the enemy. It is the innate function of the mind to think, reason, acquire and apply knowledge. Therefore, when sitting for meditation, the key is not to stop the mind from doing its job, but to ‘Witness’ the mind. The key thing to remember is that the beginner’s goal in meditation is to watch the thoughts that arise in your mind. Simply be aware of the thoughts as they arise and disappear, and do not get ensnared by their drama. Just because you have a thought does not mean that you have to react to it. It is the mind’s job to think, so no matter what, unless you give it some downtime (i.e. meditation) and give it the space to turn in on itself, it will just keep thinking, and thinking, and thinking.

I know from experience that this may not be the easiest concept to grasp. The thought of ‘not being attached to thoughts’ and merely ‘witnessing’ them may seem rather odd, or even impossible. Thoughts come and go; it is as simple as that. As the Buddhists say, just think of them as clouds passing by in the sky. Alternatively, you can think of them like this: imagine that you have just poured yourself a tall glass of seltzer. You stare at the glass and watch as the bubbles at the bottom of the glass rise up, reach the top, hang out there for awhile, and then—POP—they’re gone. This is the way of thoughts: they are pulsations of energy that come and go.

When I say that the mind is not the enemy, I must make one thing clear. If you stay attached to your thoughts 24 hours a day, then the mind does enslave you. You have become a slave to your thoughts. However, if you learn some mindfulness techniques to help you begin a simple meditation practice, you will find that your mind is the vehicle that sets you free. You need your mind for Self-Realization. Your mind takes you to the Truth (peace) within yourself. Your mind is always seeking for something, always attaching itself to some sensory desire. As Osho says in his Book of Secrets, “The mind has to be turned from seeking to nonseeking.” This is done through meditation. The mind stops reacting to the world outside and begins to explore the incredible world within.

In future columns, I will be teaching you mindfulness techniques, simple meditation techniques, as well as sharing with you some important life lessons I have learned on my spiritual journey. For now, I would like to share with you the most simple meditation technique that you can do anywhere.

Find a comfortable position, perhaps sitting cross-legged on the floor with your back straight and your knees supported, or sitting upright on a chair with your feet hip width apart and your arms comfortably positioned at your side. Now, take a deep breath. While breathing in, count to four-- fill your entire lungs with air. Hold the air inside the lungs for a moment, and then slowly exhale—for approximately six to eight counts. Repeat this process three times. Feel as if you are filling a jar with water, and then slowly emptying the jar. This practice will help still the mind.

Close your eyes. Now, breathe naturally, and simply. Sit quietly and focus on your breath, not forcing anything, just watching your breath as it comes in and goes out. If you like, you can even say to yourself ‘breathing in’ on the inhalation, and ‘breathing out’ on the exhalation. Continue this practice for as long as you feel comfortable. If you begin to focus on your mind and become carried away with thinking, that is perfectly okay—your mind is used to being the focus of your attention. Just come back to your breath. Simply breathing in and breathing out.

Again, if you find yourself being enmeshed in your thoughts, please do not beat yourself up, be thankful that you have become aware of being caught up in the thought process and then go back to focusing on the breath.

You can do this exercise with your eyes open, as well. You might want to try it while waiting in line at the bank or the super market, or during commercials while watching TV. You can even do this practice as a walking meditation, being mindful of your breath and your surroundings. Of course, please do not try this or any other meditation while driving.

Until next month, be mindful of your breath as much as possible. The breath is the life force. It is the key to finding the freedom and peace we were born to find. The TRUTH that we are all searching for is closer than you could ever imagine. As Lao Tzu said in the Tao te Ching, “The greatest journey starts with one step”. Consider your new mindfulness breathing exercise your first step to innate freedom, joy, and bliss absolute.

Warm Regards,
Bhakti Brophy

PS HAPPY GURUPURNIMA!!!!

tags: Jaibhakti, Meditation, Bhakti Brophy, Osho, Siddha Yoga

Mystical Union With My Beloved Guru: A Poem

2006-07-02T14:21:00.000-04:00

Communion with Gurumayi.
Sweet Communion.

I have been doing a
"Silent Weekend Retreat" at home.
Reflecting on The Self.
Contemplating the fact that I see
God everywhere, in every thing that exists.
(Why me? How did I get to this state?
Many lifetimes of inner work?
I am blessed beyond belief! Amen.)
Feeling the love and joy of the World
Pouring through my veins
While sunbathing in the backyard.

Earlier in the day, a doe pranced up to me--
She stopped about twenty feet away.
We gazed at each other for several precious moments.
I instantaneously recognized the doe
as a manifestation of Gurumayi.
(Gurumayi has an affinity for deer.)

Several hours later,
While lying on my stomach
Basking in the rejuvenating rays of the sun,
An image of myself sitting across
from Gurumayi entered my mind.
I felt her presence sitting across from me--
Her in a light-golden silk robe,
Sitting with her bare feet on the floor.
We were at her ashram
In a vanilla ice cream colored room.
I sat silently,
Absorbing her presence.
I was basking in OUR energy-
Our Love.

I drifted out of the lovely darshan
And began wondering if I could ever
Get a privite sitting with Gurumayi.
I began contemplating writing
to her ashram with this inquiry in mind.
I got only so far as beginning to wonder
What I would write in this letter
When I realized that
I WAS in the presence of my Beloved Gurumayi.
She WAS sitting before me,
Blessing me with her darshan.

We sat across from each other--
Gazing into each other's eyes.
I was absorbing our energy--
While she sat reflecting my purity, my spirit,
my light, and my innate Love.
No need for answers;
There are no more questions to ask.

(Two years ago,
I had already thanked her for
Everything she has already given to me--
Mainly igniting the dorment
Light of God within.)

This current darshan was pure LOVE.
I contemplated bowing down and kissing her feet.
She made it clear that this was not necessary.
Gurumayi sat across from me
And she slowly became transparent--
I, too, dissolved.
Our energies merged.

Gurumayi blessed me with her darshan
In such a graceful way
As to bless me with my own darshan.
We are One.
We have merged.

Our love is beyond words.
Our love is the purest form possible--
Indescribable,
And all intoxicating.
Our love is the reflection
of the light of God within.

Om Namah Shivaya.
Sadgurunath Maharaj ki Jay!

My wish is that everyone, everywhere realize that the light of God (please substitute whatever name you give to the sustaining force of the universe) is right within your own heart. You possess the light of God. You are a manifestation of God. No matter how 'bad' or 'sinful' you think you are, the light within your own heart is ten-million times stronger than any transgression. No matter how much pain and suffering you are undergoing, remember that
there is a calmness underneath that 'storm'. Meditation is the key in finding that peaceful place within.

Life is good.
My love,

Bhakti

For guidance in understanding the mystical experience of 'darshan', here is the Wikipedia definition: Darshan is a Sanskrit and Hindu (also used to some extent in Urdu) term meaning sight (in the sense of an instance of seeing something or somebody), vision, apparition, or a glimpse. It is most commonly used for visions of the divine; that is, of a god or a very holy person or artifact. We could have a "darshan" of the deity in the temple (at the gross level) or have a "darshan" in that inward eye of a light or awareness (at a subtle plane).

Definition of Guru: One who dispels the darkness of ignornance. (On a personal note, I would like to personally add that a 'true' Guru is one who ultimately teaches you that what you are searching for is right inside yourself. I would be weary of any guru who teaches otherwise. My Guru (Gurumayi) has showed me the light within myself. I am forever grateful, as I believe the above poem reflects. )

tags: Jaibhakti, mysticism, Gurumayi, poetry, darshan, Self-realization