Quantum Red

I like taking pictures of pretty things and then I like to mess with the colors, light, shapes, relationship and form of each component, until I recreate my own version of what I perceive around me. I find this activity so therapeutic (not as in psychotherapy, but as in restorative) that I wish I could convince everyone to give it a try. I guess it's just playing with things, isn't it?

Sardines for breakfast

With a title like that, how can you ever expect to come across as spiritually evolved? You should choose something like "Morning Bliss", or "Enlighten Your Day".

(My non-confrontational self is at it again).

I realize that, but you see, I don't really care about how I come across and besides, Sardines for Breakfast is actually a great metaphor.

A buon intenditor, poche parole!
(Those who know, don't need a lot of words! - Italian proverb)

Sardines contain more calcium than milk, by weight, of the kind that is easy to absorb, unlike calcium from supplements. Sardines are also a good source of other essential nutrients, such as complete protein, vitamin A and D, zinc, manganese and iodine.

Best of all, they contain Omega 3 fatty acids, which are hard to get from our modern food, because they are delicate and oxidize quickly, but are absolutely essential if we are to stay strong and sane.

Why, our brain is practically MADE of the stuff!

When I used to counsel people, back in my "Nutritionist With A Twist" role, I used to recommend eating sardines for breakfast and this may be the main reason why I never made the cover of the New Yorker, come to think of it, even though everything I was saying, 10 years ahead of main stream science, turns out to be true.

People would look at me like I was a sardine myself. They'd twist their face, slightly, politely cancel their next appointment and then proceed to pay a fortune for what amounted to deodorized sardine extract some popular health guru had endorsed in an infomercial.

The same thing happens with spirituality, in my view.

We have everything we need to free our spirit, once and for all, and it doesn't cost us anything, if not our false persona. But when I suggest this possibility I start wondering if I really do look like a sardine, because I get the same kind of stare as I did back then.

Nothing wrong with spending money, wasting time and abdicating personal power in exchange for a cookie-cutter, diluted, deodorized version of someone else's spirituality. If that's what makes people happy, I'm all in favor of it, but that's not the case.

With all of the money and energy people spend on spiritual self-help these days, you would think there would be quite a few "graduates" of these disciplines, walking around in a cloud of joy and bestowing compassion left and right. Where are they?

Same thing with diets. Millions of $ later, and we are still f....

No, actually, we are f........

Oh, well. There goes my popularity, again.

It's OK. I'm not writing this stuff in order to be well-liked.

Then why are you writing?
(Asks my more sociable self?)

I'm not sure. Because I like to. Because I need to. Because maybe, just maybe, I'll find others who feel the same way, who are tired of hanging out in Plato's cave and still call it a castle.

But don't you think you should be a little more...amicable?

No, I don't. Friendly is nice, but doesn't provide the needed jolt.

But why is a jolt needed at all?

Don't you get it? Because it wakes us up!

A Spiritual Bottom Line

Bottom line is this:

I have lost my ability to digest yet another Enlightenment Package, Smiling Guru's Picture included (for one's altar), available for immediate download for only $ 59.95, plus tax, but only if I surrender my personal information to some PR Firm that will include me in a list of New Age Truth Seekers and spread vicious rumors about me until I'm buried alive under a mountain of bright and colorful Yoga magazines, Meditation Fliers, Psychic's Brochures, Earth-Friendly underwear catalogs, Shamanic Rituals Workshop announcements, Full Moon Celebrations, Spiritual Cruise cabin discount offers, Whole Health events, Longevity yogi-goji-noni-hunza-kombucha-super-anti-oxidant Supplement Packet samples and Single Parenting of Indigo Children Bulletins.

Mind you, it's not that I don't have faith in humanity's capacity to achieve excellence, spiritual, physical and everything else. On the contrary, I am convinced that there must be a good number of enlightened beings walking around on our planet at any given time, or else the whole thing would have already turned to dust.

It' just that I can no longer stomach the "spiritual" scene; the pack behavior, any time another bliss-bestowing, groupie mobbed GURU shows up; nor can I avoid turning into a veritable road-runner (complete with aerodynamic do) and flee any conversation the moment it disintegrates into spiritual lingo, with its trite cliche' repertoire and all of the stereotyped body language wide-eyed devotees adopt in order to convey affiliation to the politically correct "holy" group of the moment.

In conclusion of this second post (although rant might be a better choice of words), I respectfully request that all those who are interested in joining us for this worthy quest, refrain from referring to us using any trigger word that would associate us with any pre-existing spiritual discipline, enlightened teacher, philosophical tradition, etc., etc..

Rest assured, however, that our quest finds no barriers in our pursuit of truth and self-realization, and that we are sincere, relentless and unstoppable.

If our vision inspires you, you are welcome to join us.

Lay Down The Law

The Power Of Ciao - Mission Statement

• The Power Of "Ciao!" group's main goal is to facilitate the exploration of humanism, philosophy, religion, psychology, spirituality, science, Shamanism, healing modalities, mysticism, gnosticism, enlightenment and all other known sources of human knowledge, ancient or modern, in order to understand the cause of suffering and familiarize with the most effective ways to alleviate it.

• The group will remain non-denominational, since favoring one particular school of thought over another would eventually result in attitudes of preferential selectivity and lead to conflict or distrust among group members.

• Everyone is welcome to participate, regardless of personal belief, creed, age, gender, religion, race, ethnic background, social status, sexual preferences, education level, state of health and/or any other individual trait or personal choice.

• The Power Of "Ciao!" group is self-supporting. Our meetings are free of charge, but donations are gratefully accepted and encouraged, since they help us offset group related expenses.

• The group's facilitator is responsible for making sure everyone gets a reminder before a meeting, securing a meeting space and selecting study/discussion topics in keeping with the group's goal. The facilitator also serves as a moderator, responsible for making sure members share speaking time, stay on topic and refrain from giving advice to other members.

• It is assumed that we are all peers in this quest and that no one knows what is best for someone else. We have no leaders or followers within the group, but everyone is free to lead or follow whomever they choose, outside of the group's parameters.

• In order to maintain a relaxed atmosphere, engender a sense of emotional safety and prevent unnecessary tensions, we ask that members refrain from discussing political views, dwell on disturbing news reports, talk about anyone who is not present and engage in litigious debates while the group is in session and during breaks.

I am not dictating the "do's" and "dont's" in an attempt to control anything. On the contrary, I wish for everyone to feel welcome and safe. Please remember that the above list is a draft, open to revision and modification. If you have any comments or suggestions, please contact me through this blog.

Thank you for reading this post.

Welcome to The Power Of "Ciao"

Here we go. This is where you can read about "The Power Of Ciao" group and its evolution.

The goal of the group is really simple: we gather with the intention of putting an end to our suffering. I say OUR SUFFERING not because we don't care about other people, but rather because we know that everything worthwhile must be implemented within, before venturing out anywhere else.

In order to accomplish this simple, yet elusive goal, we are willing to explore any strategy that makes sense, regardless of its origin.

Buddhism, for instance, is one of our playgrounds, although not in a devotional sense. We may also entertain ourselves with presentations by brain scientists, psychologists, investigative reporters, religious leaders, gurus, theologians, physicists, renegades, rehabilitated alcoholics, former rock stars and/or whomever else sounds plausible in relation to our goal.

However, please do not mistake us as yet one more group of delusional, wishful thinkers, easily sold on the newest, decently marketed "schpiel" that promises Eternal Bliss, Nirvana, Sammadhi or the materialization of Buckwheat Pancakes for breakfast!

Blah! If I can say so...which, of course I can, since I'm the author of this Blogspot.

Honestly now, I cannot speak for anyone else, but if another spiritually aware person shows up at one of our meetings and mentions E.....(shut up JoMama, don't alienate people, come on, why send them out the door before they even sit down?). OK. OK. OK, I said.

That's my non-confrontational self stepping in, advising me on propriety, and I am being very cooperative, as you can see, at least for the moment.

Look, I won't make any names. However, as anyone can figure out from my title, I must make fun of this dire situation, or else I'll start enumerating my favorite Italian curses, and then what? I'll be censored and that'll be the end of this great blog idea.