Bikes, Buses and Trains…OH MY!
By yooper | July 28, 2008
- I bought a bike. I have not OWNED a bike since I was a kid. If you are into bikes, I got a GIANT FCR 3. It’s a “fitness bike”, that is good for using to ride 10-20 miles…like if you want to ride to work. I want to ride to work…someday.
- I am riding the “Metro” today. Metro is LA’s public transport system. I am taking a bus to the train station and a train to work. There is walking involved so…
- …I am wearing work out clothes to work and taking my work clothes in a backpack.
Mostly, I am doing this for fitness. Riding a bike is a blast. I forgot how much fun it is to ride a bike. It’s so fun, I don’t even think I am working out, and I am getting a great work out. Also, my knees are pretty much shot and the bike doesn’t make that worst like running.
The only downside to the bike is that it still hurts my butt/crotch after a while. I hear one gets used to this or learns to ride in a way to minimize this affect. I used to ride all the time when I was a kid and it never hurt, so I think I will get used to it.
Once, I get the metro route down, I will start taking my bike with me, to ride between stops. Next, I will ride 1/2 way to work and use Metro for the other half. Finally, I want to ride to work one way and Metro 1 way.
Perhaps someday, I will ride both ways on my bike…but that would be 22ish miles per day, so if may be a while before I want to do that.
Topics: What's up | No Comments »
Being Peace by Deepak Chopra
By yooper | July 24, 2008
I love Deepak Chopra. I have read one of his books (How to know God) and watched several of his videos. Also, I listen to his wellness radio show every Saturday that I am home.
His newsletter is called Namaste, and it being summer time, I am behind on my reading…but I just checked out the June issue…and he asked me to pass on peace. He wanted me to email all my friends, but who wants more email you didn’t ask for…even if its from a friend?
Peace is a means to peace. If you want peace, you need to find peace within your mind, body and soul. In order to give peace (or use or create peace), you must HAVE peace or better yet…BE PEACE. Then you can pass it on.
Topics: The Meaning of Life, What's up | No Comments »
TEDTalks: My Stroke of Insight
By yooper | July 23, 2008
This video is about a brain doctor who had a stroke. When she had the stroke, her left brain stopped working and she slowly lost her connection with her “body identity”…and was still alive. She felt as big as the universe and found it hard to believe that her consciousness could fit into a little body.
I hope you can check out the video—if these link doesn’t work, search for “TEDtalks stroke” on YouTube.
Topics: Dreams and Reality, The Meaning of Life, What's up | No Comments »
Free Hugs!
By yooper | July 20, 2008
This is a fun video I got from Deepak Chopra’s newsletter Namaste. If you can’t watch, or it does work, just search YouTube for free hugs.
One dude walks around with a sign that says “FREE HUGS”…eventually people start hugging.
If you know me, I hug quite a bit, so I like hugs.
Enjoy!
Topics: Health, The Meaning of Life, What's up | No Comments »
Global Consciousness Project Index: It is RED…what is coming?
By yooper | July 13, 2008
This index tracks “the global consciousness” of events on earth…it went bright red for a few hours before MAJOR events like 9/11.
http://noosphere.princeton.edu/gcindex.html
As of the date/time of this post…the dot is RED…so what do you think is about to happen? I have had a feeling that something was coming since the 4th of July trip…no clue what it is though. Perhaps something in the Pacific Northwest?
If anyone has any idea what is coming…post your guesses as comments…might be fun!
Topics: Dreams and Reality, The Meaning of Life, What's up | 3 Comments »
Travel Log: Vancouver Canada
By yooper | July 6, 2008
We returned from a 2 night/3-day trip to Vancouver Canada last night.?? Here is the photo summary:
??Day 1:?? Thursday 3 July
??Get up way too early to catch the early flight.
Arrive and??get some lunch at Tim Horton (Tim bits are doughnut holes…very tasty)
Then we went for a Bike Ride in Stanely Park…
??By the way, our hotel room had a great view (even on a cloudy day)…
Day 2:?? Lynn Canyon Park
Day 3:?? Van Dusen Gardens
I was pretty pooped out:
Yayoi was still ready to rock!
If you want to see all the pictures check out this link:
http://picasaweb.google.com/yoopersmith/Vancouver2008
Topics: Travel, What's up | No Comments »
Global Consciousness Project: “You Can Know the Future”
By yooper | June 26, 2008
As you know (maybe), I am working on a new web page at:
www.shift-your-consciousness.com
I was researching the “Global Consciousness Project” and found this link:
http://www.mondovista.com/future/index.html
This is a very cool project and this page is a lot of fun in a nut shell, it says we are all at least 1/2 second - to five seconds ahead of reality in our perceptions of events in the external world.
They also talk about our ability to affect the outcomes of Random Number generators.
The project set up these random number generators all over the world and use the internet to monitor spikes in activity…they found some very cool results:
Hugh spike four hours BEFORE 9/11 attacks!
Hugh spike before Princess Di’s funeral
Hugh spike before the Tsunami in Indonesia
Very interesting project…check it out!
Topics: Dreams and Reality, The Meaning of Life | No Comments »
Reality Examined: Separation
By yooper | June 15, 2008
“Nothing real can be threatened.
Nothing unreal exists.
Herein lies the peace of God.”
– A Course in Miracles (Text)
I feel happy. When I get tired or upset in anyway, first I take care of my physical needs: Rest, comfort, food, drink etc. Then I remember “the truth” as I believe it.
When I tell myself “The truth is still true”, my negative thoughts are laughed and chuckled away, like when a child has a bad dream and cries until a parent reminds the child “it’s ok, it was only a dream”.
Sometimes, I forget that my life on earth is really just a dream compared to what I consider…reality.
These ideas and beliefs are not easy to express and articulate plainly…that’s why mystics and master teachers always talk in circles and contradict themselves. The truth is really unexpressable with words…so here I go with yet another attempt to express the “unexpressable”.
I decided to break down the idea of “the truth” into smaller pieces that might fit in categories and or sub-headings. This might take a while to make any kind of sense, but heh I’m willing to give it a shot.
By the way, I don’t claim to know the truth…this is just what I call the truth, while at the same time, I know its not really true…it’s kind of like my best guess at what truth might be, or what I choose to believe is true for now.
Fundamental to my version of “the truth” is the idea of “the separation”.
This is not a new idea. Teachers, yogis, mystics and masters have been talking about “the separation” since those kind of guys have been walking and talking.
The idea goes something like this:
1. At some point “humans” began to believe that they were separate from god, the universe, the cosmos. Before the separation, “beings” existed and consciously were aware that they were all unified in one consciousness.
2. The separation is not real. It is a belief held so profoundly by “humans” that this single idea creates this dream that we are separate from the “universe”. If it were possible to be separate from the universe, it would be possible to “not exist”…which I just don’t believe.
3. Since humans “believe” they are separate from the universe or an island of consciousness with private thoughts…they also learn to believe in the idea of “others”. By the way, babies live on earth for about 1.5 years or so in complete unity consciousness. In other words, before certain experiences in our lives, we KNEW the truth, and could not perceive ourselves as separate from our environment or the “others” in it.
4. So, at some point humans learn that 1) this is me, I AM a body; 2) That person out there is a different body and is NOT me; 3) these things that I sense are things and they are also NOT me.
If you kept reading this far THANKS! I know this all sounds pretty dumb, but it is fundamental to figuring out how to be happy and at peace, regardless of your environmental situation on earth.
Think about the implications of the fundamental “error” in our belief that we are separate islands of consciousness.
1. We identify ourselves as a body. When the body dies…we cease to exist. Well, sure the body ceases, but it wasn’t really there to begin with! Your consciousness does not need a body to exist. If you want a new body, I’m pretty sure you can get a new one…you made the first one, why do we think we can’t just make another one?
2. If I am a body, I have needs. Physical needs, desires, will. If you have needs and you fear dying, then you have to defend what you have. At the personal level, this leads to people lashing out and attacking others that might threaten to harm you or take your stuff. At the national level, this creates a fear-based society, that always endeavors to domainate and control weak individuals and countries to “defend” and “protect” our way of life.
Once I realized that I am a sprit (or consciousness) having a human experience and NOT a human having spiritual experiences, I let go of a lot of fears and learned that the opposite of fear is LOVE.
If the idea of the separation is not true, then my entire “earthly” experience is all me. There is no “out there” out there. There are no “others”, they are just projections of the unity consciousness trying to teach me some lessons. Primary to the teaching is that the separation is a fundamental “error” and if we correct this error, we might be able to move forward with less fear and more love.
So, the next time you feel anger at that “other” person…give yourself a break…that’s you out there and there is no spoon NEO!
Topics: Dreams and Reality, The Meaning of Life | No Comments »
Travel Log: Back in L.A.
By yooper | May 18, 2008
Hey!?? This is me trying to stay awake!!!?? More tomorrow, my brain is fried tofu at the moment.
Age-y00p!
Topics: Travel, What's up | No Comments »
Japan Travel Log: Day 11…more time travel
By yooper | May 17, 2008
It’s Sunday morning in Japan.?? I will get on a train soon and my flight leaves Japan at 3:00 pm Japan time.
I will arrive in LA at 9:45 on Sunday.?? Yes that is before I left Japan.
Time and space may be illusions, but jet lag sure feels real.
Japan has come along way and I am more at home here than I was years ago.?? The high speed internet connection at home is very nice.?? Also, there is really good cable tv options for a good price.
The beer still needs improvement.?? I really like ale, and they are hard to come by in this country.?? I might have to start home-brewing again if I ever move back to Japan.
This trip was a great test-run for our future life on the road.?? I was able to update the blog from virtually anywhere, and I would get better hardward to make it easier and more fun.
Next update will be from LA…and will be kinda??groggy.
??y00p—getting ready to fly again.
Topics: Travel, What's up | No Comments »
« Previous Entries Next Entries »