Information in - Creativity out

Time: 9:42AM

At this time I would usually be reading. Well, still reading.

Lately I have had this feeling of not being able to fully express myself. Not being able to find the words that I want to speak. (Even now as I am typing this.) 

So, I decided to pick up an old book of mine that I read at the beginning of this year, because I came to a sort of epiphany last night as my friend was editing this painting in front of me. (His creativity is flowing.)

Well, in a sort of non-western philosophy regarding chakras, the fifth chakra is the house of creativity and communication. One of its major connections is the second chakra where sensations and information enter into the body. 

As my mind started to make some connections I realized that, well, there is a lot of connection going on in my body. (Not necessarily mind-body connection quite yet, rather body-body, mind-mind.) 

Recently, my biggest work in yoga has been releasing my hips/lower back (second chakra), and the tightest part of my upper body, my neck/shoulders (fifth chakra). Until today I didn't realize that both were connected. 

So, revelation, uncovered. 

Fresh out of college, well-traveled, loved, active, happy, yet missing my full potential for creativity. 

The only conclusion I have come to is that instead of consistently letting new information flood my brain, it is time to simply create and re-organize all that I have gathered. To help release the beauty of knowledge and creativity within myself the only thing I have left to do is physically create. Whether that be cooking, singing, dancing, writing (like I am now), meditating, etc. 

Thanks for reading.

Thanks for filling your second chakra for the day. 

Consider it your daily dose. 

Where would you go?

I was sitting with my grandpa Tom the other day...

We got to talking and I asked him if he could go anywhere where would he go? Because these days he is at home, almost 90, a bit hard of hearing, and not in the greatest of health.

You know, he didn't give me quite the direct answer, rather he answered with that he would need to go to the doctors a lot. Although he wasn't sad about this, just matter of fact about it. And when I asked again for a solid answer he said he didn't really have any where he wanted to go.

I wondered why...
Why is it that he is okay with just being where he is? Is it because he is not in the best shape? Is it because his family, friends, sports, and reading are enough? Or is it because he worries about not being able to physically go anywhere?

It scares me, these days of marketed medicine and honestly the quality of life.
If we are living by the way of (pharmaceutical) drugs, barely, are we really living?
Granted, I am so incredibly happy to have Tom in my life. He has all of his marbles, in fact he is more put together than most of us, but is that enough for him?
If I were to ask Tom this he would undoubtedly say yes. Because grandpas always know what to say.

Life is a precious thing, one we are so lucky to have, but what does this extension by way of technological advancements serve?

Happy

Time: 22:26
Consuming: Peppermint tea

A thought struck today when out with some women.
What does happy mean?

According to Dictionary.com there are a few definitions, but for today we'll mention two that are of utter importance.

1. characterized by or indicative of pleasure, contentment, or joy
2. favored by fortune; fortunate or lucky

Coming from Los Angeles I hardly have much to complain about, and frankly neither should anyone else. To be living in this city is a blessing in itself- the weather, the accessibility (of food, places, culture), the mere freedom to be an individual, and of course community. The reason I mention this is because I was taken aback as to what I felt was such a high amount of negativity from dear friends that I was spending the day with. It seemed that living in such a beautiful place, well-off to eat and an ability to spend on entertainment should be "enough,"  that having a day to do such would be, I don't know, splendid. The thing was though, even seeing a business owner and a fresh graduate from University (something that many people strive for) still did not show me a person who was happy.

As I am discovering my path in life I take into account those things, people, events, and experiences that I think will make me happy. But as I consider this, is being happy even enough? Is happy a drawn out word that needs to be replaced? If happy is just being content or fortunate is that even enough?

Frankly, from what I am gathering being "happy" is not what we should be striving for. Perhaps what we really need to be trying to attain is a sense of individual truth. We do not need to be delighted or lucky, we need to be fulfilled and ever-searching. Being content is nothing but an excuse to settle. Happiness may be good in the short-term, but what is it that serves us at a deeper and more personal level? What is it that invigorates us to the core?

Perhaps our compasses need re-adjusting.
Perhaps we just need to find our own North star.

How I came to find my values in a black sock.

While the clock says I should be asleep, my body thinks it's midday. 

This 15 hour time change from LA to Beijing is by far the worst jet lag I have experienced. 

Thankfully, the trip was well worth it. 

Post graduation: B.A. in Psychology 

Future: Open

You know, I didn't have any expectations for China. My friend Sean says "If you never have expectations, you'll never be let down," and that is some wise wisdom.

On this journey of the Asian world I discovered more than jian bings and stinky tofu; I had some conversations that delved deep into what values mean to a person. 

Being post-graduates we started to think about and discuss what it is that is most important for ourselves. It seems simple enough and it does put things into perspective, but how often do we as humans really consider our values in our careers? Are they ideals we think about every so often? Are they words we simply speak in conversations? Or are they actions seen in our daily lives- our regular standard of living?

I don't know if it was the culture shock I personally experienced, the simple ways of living I observed, or the chaos of the drivers I had to maneuver around, but being in China brought a brighter sense of focus. Now to just hold on to those discovered values for the future that is to be created. 

As for the sock that I value... well, it became toilet paper in a dire situation on a squat pot. Yep. That is the honest truth. 

 

The French Palate.

I got to thinking today...
Why is it that Americans are so obsessed with diet fads and New Years resolutions to kick those little lbs, all while depriving themselves of nature's goodness?

You see, while I haven't been to France I can say that after meeting some French people I couldn't believe they were so slender from their eating habits.
Cheese here, cheese there, more wine, more meat, those baguettes, and don't forget the sweet stuff! (and some chain smokers)
But how can this be?
Well, you see... it may all be high in "fat," but they are more accustomed to ENJOYING their food.
In America, with all of our fast food and rush hour traffic we have become accustomed to eating with only a couple of our senses, rather than all of them.
If we were to say, take our time to cook and take our time savoring that melt in your mouth cheese we wouldn't need to be concerned with diets and eating habits. This being said, an issue we have is taking the time to enjoy our meals, taking our time to structure our lives around that which sustains us.
To have an appreciation for food and what it means to commune with family and friends can change more than just our waistline. It can change a lot of our views and even our respect for the world we live in.

Eating is about the senses, about the immersion of mind, body, and soul.
That's all folks.

Francois, a French man, with his home-made French Bread. 

A Salute to Coffee

Time: 11:39 AM
Place: California State University Northridge


Currently, I'm about 2 cups of hallway coffee in, but that doesn't compare to the usual Bullet Proof French press I usually make on a typical morning. And when that first peak hits, it's sooo good.


Ha!


Over this past week I have been quite swamped with a very fun research project that I am doing with a professor of mine. During this week I have noticed that the time I usually allocate to my mornings has been lost, and so has my apparent ability to get enough caffeine in my system.


It's crazy to think that the only people considered addicts are those that abuse drugs deemed more harmful, when in reality the caffeine category could classify people just the same.
As a society we have grown to either promote or deny certain drugs, foods, people, orientations, religions, clothing brands, etc. We only make decisions as to what we are okay living with. What ever it is that makes us feel good. We are all wanting to have that pleasure, and when things are a little off or not quite what we're use to, we can see it come out in our personality or our reactions to others. In times such as these it is important to remember that a deep breath goes a long way. A concluding statement would be nice... and to that I want y'all to think about what you do, what you consume, and what you judge... How does that affect your interactions, and how does that in turn allow you to see yourself from an outside perspective? Hmm...
Cheers,
Your friend a cup of Joe.

Preparing for the Unexpected.

Time: 3:15 PM
Place: Santa Clarita, CA
Weather: Raining (for real)

A few weeks ago I was in San Francisco with my teammate, his family, and some friends. It was one of those nights- you know, a little bit too much alcohol, a little too forward with my questions- but all in all a grand time, a memory created. However, on that night, as I was trying to keep my clumsy self together I stumbled... upon a fortune on the ground. Why I picked it up wasn't the weird part, that's just something I normally do... but what it said struck me in the weeks that followed.

"It would be wise to prepare for the unexpected."-The Great Insightful Panda Express

When I lifted this little white piece of paper from the ground I thought nothing of it,  and simply put it in my wallet. But as time went on and things around me started to unexpectedly change I thought-hmmmm... could a fortune really have been correct?

On a side note- Do we ever remember the wishes we made on those shooting stars, that broken wishbone, those blown eye lashes, or those made at 11:11? Do we remember the fortunes we find?
Or is it that things never really strike us as "coming true" until they are actually happening?

So, I got to thinking about this fortune- whether it was good/bad/neutral or had no meaning at all. Because how does one prepare for the unexpected if we don't know what it is going to entail? We can't live our lives frightened of what will occur next and we can't live ruthlessly without being somewhat responsible- and that just leaves the present. But living in the present sounds so New Age Hipster, I'm getting sick of it already. All that is left is simply understanding, understanding that we can't have expectations of what's coming. Hence we live with the continuation of doing what we love and realizing that what ever the outcome, we are further than we were before. The unexpected could be positive or negative, but in the end we will learn from it, grow from it, and move forward.

In conclusion, it would be wise to not pick up any more drunken fortunes around SF.
Or it would be wise to prepare for the next unexpected fortune.