Hello Everyone,
Happy Liberation Day Korea!
I hope that your week is going well.
News
No new updates for this week.
Instead of sharing a quote and my thoughts this week, I wanted to share a poem with you written by a very famous Korean poet:
SELF PORTRAIT
by Yun, Dong-ju
Coming round the mountain, I go up alone to
the solitary well at the edge of the rice field
and peer in, quietly.
Inside the well, the moon is bright, the clouds flow by,
the sky spreads out, and a light blue wind blows;
autumn is there.
And a man is there.
I turn away because I hate the man, somehow.
Pondering over him as I set out to leave, I feel sorry for him
and go back and look in: he is still there.
Again I turn away hating the fellow.
I think of him, again setting out, and begin to miss him.
Inside the well, the moon is bright, the clouds flow by,
the sky spreads out, a light blue wind blows;
autumn is there, and a man, like a memory.
Have an incredible week!
Bob
Showing posts with label Thoughts. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Thoughts. Show all posts
Wednesday, August 15, 2012
Monday, December 12, 2011
Banishing a Ghost
News
No new updates for this week.
Instead of a quote and my thoughts this week, I wanted to share this Zen story with you. I suggest you spend some time this week pondering it's meaning.
Story
The wife of a man became very sick. On her deathbed, she said to him, "I love you so much! I don't want to leave you, and I don't want you to betray me. Promise that you will not see any other women once I die, or I will come back to haunt you."
For several months after her death, the husband did avoid other women, but then he met someone and fell in love. On the night that they were engaged to be married, the ghost of his former wife appeared to him. She blamed him for not keeping the promise, and every night thereafter she returned to taunt him. The ghost would remind him of everything that transpired between him and his fiancee that day, even to the point of repeating, word for word, their conversations. It upset him so badly that he couldn't sleep at all.
Desperate, he sought the advice of a Zen master who lived near the village. "This is a very clever ghost," the master said upon hearing the man's story. "It is!" replied the man. "She remembers every detail of what I say and do. It knows everything!" The master smiled, "You should admire such a ghost, but I will tell you what to do the next time you see it."
That night the ghost returned. The man responded just as the master had advised. "You are such a wise ghost," the man said, "You know that I can hide nothing from you. If you can answer me one question, I will break off the engagement and remain single for the rest of my life." "Ask your question," the ghost replied. The man scooped up a handful of beans from a large bag on the floor, "Tell me exactly how many beans there are in my hand."
At that moment the ghost disappeared and never returned.
Have an excellent week.
No new updates for this week.
Instead of a quote and my thoughts this week, I wanted to share this Zen story with you. I suggest you spend some time this week pondering it's meaning.
Story
The wife of a man became very sick. On her deathbed, she said to him, "I love you so much! I don't want to leave you, and I don't want you to betray me. Promise that you will not see any other women once I die, or I will come back to haunt you."
For several months after her death, the husband did avoid other women, but then he met someone and fell in love. On the night that they were engaged to be married, the ghost of his former wife appeared to him. She blamed him for not keeping the promise, and every night thereafter she returned to taunt him. The ghost would remind him of everything that transpired between him and his fiancee that day, even to the point of repeating, word for word, their conversations. It upset him so badly that he couldn't sleep at all.
Desperate, he sought the advice of a Zen master who lived near the village. "This is a very clever ghost," the master said upon hearing the man's story. "It is!" replied the man. "She remembers every detail of what I say and do. It knows everything!" The master smiled, "You should admire such a ghost, but I will tell you what to do the next time you see it."
That night the ghost returned. The man responded just as the master had advised. "You are such a wise ghost," the man said, "You know that I can hide nothing from you. If you can answer me one question, I will break off the engagement and remain single for the rest of my life." "Ask your question," the ghost replied. The man scooped up a handful of beans from a large bag on the floor, "Tell me exactly how many beans there are in my hand."
At that moment the ghost disappeared and never returned.
Have an excellent week.
Monday, August 29, 2011
Feeling Alive
News
No new updates for this week.
Quote
"Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever."
-Gandhi
My Thoughts
When was the last time you really felt alive? When was the last time you were truly excited, or you walked around with a genuine smile on your face? For most people the answer to those questions is "I don't remember.".
The traditional advice for feeling alive again is to do something that pushes you out of your comfort zone. Live on the edge and take risks. All of that is great advice. That is what I did and I can't even remotely describe all the changes that have occurred in my life since then. But perhaps this advice isn't best for everyone.....or at least not the best course of action at this time in their life.
So what is another way to feel alive?
Focus on the present moment. Why? Because when you focus on the present you will begin to notice more sights, sounds, smells, etc.. Eventually you will start to see more and more beauty in all things. That sounds too simple though, right? Well it may sound simple but it certainly isn't easy. Most people live in regretting the past, fearing the future, or both. Focusing on the present takes practice, but over time will develop into a habit.
Personally, I feel it's easier to stay present during meditation and from there you can do it in daily activity, but perhaps you don't meditate. Here is another way that may help you during your day: Become aware of your breathing. Notice your inhaling and exhaling. Thoughts will occur, but just let them come and go as they please. Then try really looking and listening to what is going on around you. Look at the trees, buildings, people, signs, etc... Listen to nature, cars, voices, construction, etc.. Just be in the present moment. Even in seemingly mundane tasks you can be present. Ex: Washing the dishes. Usually your thoughts are someplace else when washing the dishes. Instead, focus on listening to the sound of the running water, focus on feeling the water and the texture of the sponge, etc...
When you are present you will notice that not only will you start to enjoy whatever task you are doing but you will perform the task much better.
I encourage you to make an effort to be present at least three times this week.
Have an awesome week.
No new updates for this week.
Quote
"Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever."
-Gandhi
My Thoughts
When was the last time you really felt alive? When was the last time you were truly excited, or you walked around with a genuine smile on your face? For most people the answer to those questions is "I don't remember.".
The traditional advice for feeling alive again is to do something that pushes you out of your comfort zone. Live on the edge and take risks. All of that is great advice. That is what I did and I can't even remotely describe all the changes that have occurred in my life since then. But perhaps this advice isn't best for everyone.....or at least not the best course of action at this time in their life.
So what is another way to feel alive?
Focus on the present moment. Why? Because when you focus on the present you will begin to notice more sights, sounds, smells, etc.. Eventually you will start to see more and more beauty in all things. That sounds too simple though, right? Well it may sound simple but it certainly isn't easy. Most people live in regretting the past, fearing the future, or both. Focusing on the present takes practice, but over time will develop into a habit.
Personally, I feel it's easier to stay present during meditation and from there you can do it in daily activity, but perhaps you don't meditate. Here is another way that may help you during your day: Become aware of your breathing. Notice your inhaling and exhaling. Thoughts will occur, but just let them come and go as they please. Then try really looking and listening to what is going on around you. Look at the trees, buildings, people, signs, etc... Listen to nature, cars, voices, construction, etc.. Just be in the present moment. Even in seemingly mundane tasks you can be present. Ex: Washing the dishes. Usually your thoughts are someplace else when washing the dishes. Instead, focus on listening to the sound of the running water, focus on feeling the water and the texture of the sponge, etc...
When you are present you will notice that not only will you start to enjoy whatever task you are doing but you will perform the task much better.
I encourage you to make an effort to be present at least three times this week.
Have an awesome week.
Sunday, February 27, 2011
Reflection
News
I've decided to open up Bob Proctor's "Success Puzzle" program for group coaching. Out of all the programs I've done, "Success Puzzle" has had the most profound effect. It completely changed my life.
Here are just a few benefits I received from the program:
-It is because of this program that I gained the deepest insights into myself and what I would like my life to look like.
-It is because of this program that I ventured to Northwestern India on a life changing journey. I'll share the full story during the coaching.
-It is because of this program that I've meditated almost every day for the past year (more about that below).
I am only going to work with five people for this program in order to keep it very personal. Actually one person is already signed up so only four more people can join.
You should only join this coaching if you are seeking serious change and are committed to your own growth.
For more info on the program, please go to www.oneamazinglife.com and click on the "How" section.
Dates: Saturday, March 12th - Saturday, April 30th
Time: 1:00-3:00pm
Number of Sessions: 8
For more information, please email me: bob@oneamazinglife.com
Quote
"Follow effective action with quiet reflection. From the quiet reflection will come even more effective action.”
-Peter F. Drucker
Thoughts
We sometimes get so caught up in work or taking action that we forget to stop and see if we are taking effective action. Simply working hard without regard to effectiveness won't really get you very far.
It's like the fly constantly smashing itself into the window to get outside. It's goal is to get outside, and it's working very hard. However if it stopped and reflected it would notice that there is an open window nearby and without so much hard work it could easily achieve it's goal.
So the point is it's very important to stop and see what impact your action is having. If you find that the action you are taking is ineffective, then you can look at other options. Is there another way you could be doing it? Is there something you have not tried yet?
Another area that has tremendously helped me is meditation. While I was doing the "Success Puzzle" program a little over a year ago, I decided I was going to meditate every day for 90 days. I accomplished that task. Then I wanted to keep going so I decided I was going to meditate every day. What happened?
In the last 13 months I've missed 12 days. Overall not too bad, but room for improvement. I usually meditate for 15 minutes a day, although sometimes I'll go as long as an hour.
It has helped me become much more aware of what thoughts are running through my head and allowed me even greater control over my emotions.
I practice zazen. However, I think almost all forms of meditation are useful.
I encourage all of you to spend some time reflecting, you may be surprised at what you find.
Have an outstanding week.
Sunday, December 5, 2010
Focusing on Thoughts
Hello Everyone,
I hope you had an outstanding weekend.
News
No updates for this week.
Quote
"As a single footstep will not make a path on the earth, so a single thought will not make a pathway in the mind. To make a deep physical path, we walk again and again. To make a deep mental path, we must think over and over the kind of thoughts we wish to dominate our lives. "
-Henry David Thoreau
My Thoughts
You have probably had thoughts that could have made you a millionaire, and/or thoughts that could have helped millions of people and changed the world. So what happened? Did you hold on to those thoughts? Did you focus on them? Did you write them down? Did you imprint those thoughts into the very core of who you are? The answer for most people is of course, no. The thoughts show up and you may think about them for a day or two and then it's gone replaced by something else.
In order to really create something, we must think about it over and over and over again. However, simply thinking about something won't really change much, we must act. Action is the key.
Which brings me to a slightly controversial point. But I offer you this as perhaps a chance to shift your perception. This is about one of the founders of Facebook, Mark Zuckerberg. I have not seen the movie "The Social Network", but I have heard about it so much over the last two months that I feel like I have. From what I understand, the movie doesn't portray a flattering picture of Mark Zuckeberg. Now I have never met this man, but I will tell you how incredibly easy it is to depict people however you want them to be seen - many news programs are incredibly good at doing with stories as well. Remember, if there are bad things about Zuckerberg and Facebook then there must also be good things. Have Zuckerberg and Facebook done any good for the world?
Think back over your own life for a moment. Now what if I went around and asked people about you? However what if I made sure to mainly ask the people that don't like you for one reason or another? I would then easily be able to make you look not so good.
My point is all of us have done things in the past that maybe we could have handled better had we known more facts. So do I know 100% if Zuckeberg is a great guy? No. Do I know 100% if he's a bad guy? No. I am sure he has his better points and not so better points. Many people will say but he should be, or could be doing better. Could he be doing better? Maybe. But the question I propose to you is could you be doing better? Possibly. Could I be doing better? Definitely.
What does any of this have to do with Thoreau's quote?
The reason I use Zuckerberg's story is because it's very recent. I could have done the same with other big businesses(which many people consider "evil") such as: Coca-Cola, Microsoft, Apple, etc... You see Zuckerberg had an idea, one that he thought about, one that he focused on, and of course one that he took action on. Other people may or may not have had his idea or a similar idea, but only one of them moved quickly. It's been said that when you get a great idea, never assume that you are the only one that has had that idea and that someone somewhere could be working on the very same idea.
To sum this up, if you have an idea that excites you, you must capture it. It can not be a fleeting thought. Write it down. Think about often. Take whatever action you can.
Have an amazing week.
Bob
I hope you had an outstanding weekend.
News
No updates for this week.
Quote
"As a single footstep will not make a path on the earth, so a single thought will not make a pathway in the mind. To make a deep physical path, we walk again and again. To make a deep mental path, we must think over and over the kind of thoughts we wish to dominate our lives. "
-Henry David Thoreau
My Thoughts
You have probably had thoughts that could have made you a millionaire, and/or thoughts that could have helped millions of people and changed the world. So what happened? Did you hold on to those thoughts? Did you focus on them? Did you write them down? Did you imprint those thoughts into the very core of who you are? The answer for most people is of course, no. The thoughts show up and you may think about them for a day or two and then it's gone replaced by something else.
In order to really create something, we must think about it over and over and over again. However, simply thinking about something won't really change much, we must act. Action is the key.
Which brings me to a slightly controversial point. But I offer you this as perhaps a chance to shift your perception. This is about one of the founders of Facebook, Mark Zuckerberg. I have not seen the movie "The Social Network", but I have heard about it so much over the last two months that I feel like I have. From what I understand, the movie doesn't portray a flattering picture of Mark Zuckeberg. Now I have never met this man, but I will tell you how incredibly easy it is to depict people however you want them to be seen - many news programs are incredibly good at doing with stories as well. Remember, if there are bad things about Zuckerberg and Facebook then there must also be good things. Have Zuckerberg and Facebook done any good for the world?
Think back over your own life for a moment. Now what if I went around and asked people about you? However what if I made sure to mainly ask the people that don't like you for one reason or another? I would then easily be able to make you look not so good.
My point is all of us have done things in the past that maybe we could have handled better had we known more facts. So do I know 100% if Zuckeberg is a great guy? No. Do I know 100% if he's a bad guy? No. I am sure he has his better points and not so better points. Many people will say but he should be, or could be doing better. Could he be doing better? Maybe. But the question I propose to you is could you be doing better? Possibly. Could I be doing better? Definitely.
What does any of this have to do with Thoreau's quote?
The reason I use Zuckerberg's story is because it's very recent. I could have done the same with other big businesses(which many people consider "evil") such as: Coca-Cola, Microsoft, Apple, etc... You see Zuckerberg had an idea, one that he thought about, one that he focused on, and of course one that he took action on. Other people may or may not have had his idea or a similar idea, but only one of them moved quickly. It's been said that when you get a great idea, never assume that you are the only one that has had that idea and that someone somewhere could be working on the very same idea.
To sum this up, if you have an idea that excites you, you must capture it. It can not be a fleeting thought. Write it down. Think about often. Take whatever action you can.
Have an amazing week.
Bob
Sunday, May 2, 2010
Who's in Charge?
Quote
"A man has to learn that he cannot command things, but that he can command himself; that he cannot coerce the wills of others, but that he can mold and master his own will: and things serve him who serves Truth; people seek guidance of him who is master of himself."
-James Allen
My Thoughts
Are you focused on what everyone else is doing, or are you focused on what you are doing? In situations do you find yourself reacting emotionally, or do you pause and think about the situation? Do you find yourself wishing everyone else would change?
We all sometimes find ourselves wandering through life on autopilot. We may look back and say "Wow it's already May, where did the time go?". And for that brief instance we may become aware of our thoughts and attempt to shift direction. Unfortunately, for so many people they end up going back on autopilot and the months turn into years. These people find themselves looking back over life wishing they had done this or that.
What can be done?
The first step is that when you have this moment of awareness, acknowledge that you are off track and would like to change (this assumes that you are off track and you want to change; sometimes people are comfortable in their own misery).
After realizing you want to change, ask yourself "What steps can I take right now to bring about this change?".
Finally, start taking the steps. Remember the steps may appear small at first, but you must do them.
It is no good to merely wish for something. You need to take action.
These steps will eventually build themselves into habits.
You will be amazed as you look back and realize that what appeared to be a small decision to change altered your entire life.
I encourage all of you seeking change to be honest with yourselves.
If you really want change, is the time for change now? Is it next year? Is it when you are 60?
Only you can honestly answer that question.
Stop denying the life that is calling you and start living up to your fullest potential.
Until next time...
"A man has to learn that he cannot command things, but that he can command himself; that he cannot coerce the wills of others, but that he can mold and master his own will: and things serve him who serves Truth; people seek guidance of him who is master of himself."
-James Allen
My Thoughts
Are you focused on what everyone else is doing, or are you focused on what you are doing? In situations do you find yourself reacting emotionally, or do you pause and think about the situation? Do you find yourself wishing everyone else would change?
We all sometimes find ourselves wandering through life on autopilot. We may look back and say "Wow it's already May, where did the time go?". And for that brief instance we may become aware of our thoughts and attempt to shift direction. Unfortunately, for so many people they end up going back on autopilot and the months turn into years. These people find themselves looking back over life wishing they had done this or that.
What can be done?
The first step is that when you have this moment of awareness, acknowledge that you are off track and would like to change (this assumes that you are off track and you want to change; sometimes people are comfortable in their own misery).
After realizing you want to change, ask yourself "What steps can I take right now to bring about this change?".
Finally, start taking the steps. Remember the steps may appear small at first, but you must do them.
It is no good to merely wish for something. You need to take action.
These steps will eventually build themselves into habits.
You will be amazed as you look back and realize that what appeared to be a small decision to change altered your entire life.
I encourage all of you seeking change to be honest with yourselves.
If you really want change, is the time for change now? Is it next year? Is it when you are 60?
Only you can honestly answer that question.
Stop denying the life that is calling you and start living up to your fullest potential.
Until next time...
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Awareness
How aware are you of your thoughts? Do you just go through the day like a robot? Or do you recognize what you are actually thinking about every day?
I think for so many of us we just wander around the day fairly aimlessly. We wake up, brush our teeth, maybe eat some breakfast, go to work, work, go home, eat dinner, watch TV, go to bed, and repeat the process. What's interesting about all of this is we often expect something to change yet, if we keep doing the same things day in and day out how can we expect change?
The first step to breaking this monotony is setting a goal. Decide what you want your future to be. After you choose your goal start being consciously aware of what thoughts are running through your head. Stay focused on the positive ones. When you do catch yourself being negative try switching your perception.
Here is an example:
Imagine, you are driving to work minding your own business when someone cuts you off. Instead of complaining about that person (because once you start you will notice every other driver starting to annoy you). Tell yourself maybe he has an emergency and he's headed to the hospital. You may think this sounds funny but if you tell this to yourself enough times you will eventually start to limit your complaining.
Until Next Time......
I think for so many of us we just wander around the day fairly aimlessly. We wake up, brush our teeth, maybe eat some breakfast, go to work, work, go home, eat dinner, watch TV, go to bed, and repeat the process. What's interesting about all of this is we often expect something to change yet, if we keep doing the same things day in and day out how can we expect change?
The first step to breaking this monotony is setting a goal. Decide what you want your future to be. After you choose your goal start being consciously aware of what thoughts are running through your head. Stay focused on the positive ones. When you do catch yourself being negative try switching your perception.
Here is an example:
Imagine, you are driving to work minding your own business when someone cuts you off. Instead of complaining about that person (because once you start you will notice every other driver starting to annoy you). Tell yourself maybe he has an emergency and he's headed to the hospital. You may think this sounds funny but if you tell this to yourself enough times you will eventually start to limit your complaining.
Until Next Time......
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