love Archives - Finding Swamy

#114 Morning Pages – A Useful Technique For Anyone Interested In Improving Their Lives

I first heard about Morning Pages from Julia Cameron, an American teacher, author, artist, poet, playwright, novelist, filmmaker, pigeon fancier, composer, and journalist. Needless to say, she’s a BAD-ASS, a term I grew up with, used to describe someone that is amazing at what they do.

She was also married to Martin Scorsese, who happens to be the director of one of my all-time favorites movies, Goodfellas (RIP Ray Liotta).

Julia Cameron describes morning pages as spiritual windshield wipers. She said morning pages should be spelled mourning pages. It’s a farewell to life as it was, and an introduction to life as it needs to be.

Morning pages is a writing exercise to conduct first thing in the morning.

#113 – Forgiveness is a Selfish Act

“Forgiveness is the fragrance the violet sheds on the heel that has crushed it.” ~ Mark Twain

When I first heard this beautiful quote my heart skipped a beat, goosebumps arose throughout my body and my eyes began to tear up. Twain tells us that even when the heel of a foot crushes the violet flower, it still permeates its sweet fragrance.

Learning how to forgive yourself is one of the most important things you can do for yourself in this lifetime. If you have experienced hurt and are able to forgive others and yourself, you soon come to realize that no one can take anything from you, rather in every interaction you give someone something to remember you by.

Before learning how to forgive yourself, you must understand why we forgive.

#78 Wash Your Spirit Clean

Around the 1860s about 95% of the Redwood Forests were cut down for lumber, to be used by ranchers, developers, and loggers.

John Muir, a disrupter of that time, as well as a naturalist, author, philosopher, and early advocate for all things nature, saw this problem and took action.

As passionate as he was about preserving nature, he needed help.

His beautiful essays, poems, and pictures of the Yosemite Valley caught the attention of President, Theodore “Teddy” Roosevelt.

When Roosevelt was 25, his mother and wife fell ill. They ended up dying on the same day. To this, he said, “The light has gone out of my life.”

#61 A Godly Experience

Since the birth of consciousness, we have possessed the innate desire to understand the world around us. When food, shelter, and warmth were no longer a dire necessity, we have wondered and pondered at the most primordial question. Why?

#36 Self Surrender

With the ones dear to me, I hold you as my branches for I am the tree;

My heart is deeper than the deepest roots,
So deep that even the vast oceans seem shallow;

But there is a caveat to my strength, I have not surrendered.

#34 Sometimes You Need to Know You’re an Asshole

““Self love is good thing, but self-awareness is way more important.’” – Louis CK

My mother called me earlier this week. Our conversations usually revolve around the same spiel.

When are you going to get married?
What are doing with your life?
I’m worried about you.

#31 Treat Everyone Like They’ll Die Soon

After all the meditation, philosophic readings, and walks in nature I have learned very little. I thought the lessons in life would guide me to learn something profound. I thought I’d find a calling, perhaps some purpose, and maybe some meaning to all this madness.

#27 First Encounter — An Unforgettable Date

We exchanged messages for a month, talked on the phone once, and pretty much followed the cliche protocols that one assumes with online dating. Today was the day. Expectations were ruled out because I’ve been here before. You know, the same monotonous conversations about career, past dating history, horoscopes, hobbies, etc. Everyone talks about the proverbial spark of when you meet someone. I call it bullshit because science will tell you that chemicals can do some amazing things. Sometimes it’s fucking great and most of the time, not so much. Although I may seem down, it was quite the contrary as a remnant of hope flickered dimly somewhere within.

#25 Timeless (No BS) Lessons to Live a Better Life

Is the glass half empty or half full? I’m sure you’ve heard of this expression. It’s a simple concept and it carries its weight in truth. To live, breathe, and embody the belief that the glass is half-full is another story. Today I wanted to help you understand, and in no particular order, why this is so. The topics I will touch on today are:

Taking a 30,000-foot view
Everything is energy
Forgiveness is a selfish act
Contemplating death
Presence is the only drug you’ll ever need

#19 – Joyful Confusion

Whether you like it or not, we are bound by one another. Emanating from the same source, as the tree emerges from a single seed, we are just a leaf of a bigger design. I’ve spent 3-4 years in solitude trying to answer the following questions: