When the Make-A-Wish foundation in San Francisco endeavored to grant the wish of a 5-year-old leukemia patient, thousands of people from all over the US wanted to help. Miles Scott wanted to be a superhero, and Batman was his favorite. Batkid Begins chronicles the day his wish came true.
Today's "Daily Pondering" comes from the world of Manga, "Jesus and Buddha take a gap year..."
The Gayatri Mantra is an ancient and powerful Sanskrit mantra from the Rig Veda, dating back 2500 to 3500 years12. It is considered one of the most sacred and significant mantras in Hinduism, often referred to as a universal prayer5.
The Apple of Discord is a famous myth from Greek mythology that symbolizes how a small provocation can lead to significant conflict. At the wedding of Peleus and Thetis, Eris, the goddess of strife, was not invited. In retaliation, she threw a golden apple inscribed with the words "To the Fairest" among the guests124.
Hermann Hesse's novels explore several profound themes that resonate deeply with readers:
Creativity is at the heart of spirituality. Most artists sense that their inspiration comes from within and beyond themselves. And they are right for spirituality to be both within and beyond.
"Slice of Life" is an artistic narrative technique that depicts mundane, everyday experiences in various forms of media, including literature, theater, film, and anime12.
Valentine's Day often brings out some quirky and unexpected stories! Here are a few memorable ones:
A spirit animal is a spiritual concept rooted in indigenous traditions where an animal serves as a mystical guide or protector in a person's life journey. In shamanic beliefs, this animal is thought to share similar characteristics with the individual and provides guidance, protection, and wisdom.
The Enlightenment was a time when esoterica and mysticism flourished alongside reason and science, reflecting the era’s rich and multifaceted approach to knowledge and understanding.
Automatic writing is a fun way to try to connect with your intuition. The basic idea is to ground yourself, quiet your mind, and then let the words flow without trying to anticipate or make sense of them. You can use a journal or a computer, whichever you prefer. Some people like to light a candle to set the ambiance. Setting a timer may help free your mind; you know you’re done when the timer goes off instead of trying to discern when you’ve gotten an answer.
The Sailboat metaphor is a way to look at your life to clarify how things are going. It’s a tool articulated by a psychologist named Hugo Alberts and can be found in more detail at positivespychology.com
George Saunders is a NYT bestselling author. His novel Lincoln in the Bardo won the Man Booker Prize and his short story collection the Tenth of December was a finalist for the National Book Award. He teaches at Syracuse University and was included in Time’s list of the one hundred most influential people in the world.
Years ago, I met a man who wrote spiritual self-help books. He confessed to me that he felt like a fraud because he himself was depressed and unable to follow his own advice. At the time I told him that didn’t mean his book wouldn’t help someone, and now that it was out there it was separate from him, its own entity on its own path. I meant it then, and I still believe that now.
RIP David Lynch
We’ve talked about Valarie Kaur and her Revolutionary Love tour, a much-needed call and plan of action to heal our fractured society. Here are a couple of excerpts from her book, See No Stranger.
Daruma dolls are symbols of good luck and fortune and tenacity and perseverance. They are modelled after the Bodhidharma, who in lore is said to have meditated for nine years straight until his arms and legs and eyelids fell off. (Yikes! This explains the round shape of the dolls.)
I looked up some New Year’s Eve traditions and picked the ones we might actually do. (aka food.) I’m pretty sure no one wants to throw a broken dish at a loved one’s front door. (But if you do, more power to ya! That’s a Denmark thing and is supposed to wish them luck.)
Since we’ve been thinking about authenticity and staying true to one’s self, I thought I’d mention this documentary: Jodorowsky’s Dune. Alejandro Jodorowsky is a filmmaker. In the 70s he made a couple of really wild, wacky, gross cult movies. He made them how he wanted to make them, despite the opinions of others.
In the movie, Pig, Nicolas Cage’s character, a former chef, talks to a chef who once worked for him and now runs a very successful restaurant. I posted the clip below, and I won’t do it justice if I try to describe it. I will just say it is a plea for authenticity, and the sentiment struck me.
“I am Abraham. I am your spiritual guide.”
In 1901, Beatrix Potter self-published her first book, the Tale of Peter Rabbit, after several publishers had turned it down. It was picked up by a publisher the next year and was so popular it was reprinted six times by the end of the year. Potter went on to write 20 more children’s stories, becoming one of the most beloved authors of all time.
Consciousness of neutrality refers to a state of awareness characterized by impartiality, non-judgment, and detached observation. This concept is explored in various philosophical and spiritual frameworks, including David R. Hawkins' Map of Consciousness.
