b75 (1/9/2015): i beat you

i beat you [1]
by sel f. esteem
 
the cowboys beat the redskins
the angels beat the whores
it doesn’t make me better (just because my team beat yours)
 
chess, cricket, spring olympics, honeymoon (or crew)
it doesn’t make me better (when i claim that i beat you)
____________________________________
 

• in sports, politics and war… there will always be strap-hangers who feel that, just “because mine beat yours, i’m better than you.” 

• on planet earth, whole towns/cities/states and nations can suffer dramatic changes in self-esteem because of a ‘win’ or a ‘loss.’ 

• but what if it’s just a myth?  what if “i beat you” simply means that “i’m an a--hole”? 

• when my very sense of self-worth can be affected by the results of a handful of 19-year olds, playing (a game) with a ball -- then my sense of self-worth needs a major reality check. 

• if my team beats yours (or vice-versa) is says nothing about who is better than who.  even if i beat you, right now, that doesn’t mean that i am better than you. 

• in fact, why do we want to be ‘better’ than anyone else?  who came down (from on-high) with those directions? 

• instead of ‘being better,’ why not just ‘Be’? 

________________________
martino, j. (1.9-1.15). i beat you. book 75: lost & found. © 2015 by joal martino. 

b75 (1/3/2015): lost & found

lost & found [1]
by i. m. lost
 
stumble round the house… with nothing left to do
fifty-six years old (i’m told) and wondering “what’s new?”
glass of wine in hand (it seems there’s lots of that around)
feels as though (i’m lost) of course, just hoping to be found
____________________________________
 

• there are times, after trips and connections and holidays and experiences…

 

• …when i contemplate the big picture: death, afterlife, Be-ing, the Uni-verse, etc.

 

• there are a million things that i could/should do, but i find myself (here), writing to you, as if you could hear me (now), or care (then), when.

_____________________________________
[1] martino, j. (1.3-1.15). lost & found. book 75: lost & found. © 2015 by wellnesseducation.us

b74 (6.16-3.2014): time, it flies (Here/Now)

time, it flies (Here/Now) [i]
by t. imeless
 
time (it flies) hello/goodbyes,
who, what, where, when, why, how
i stop and look into y/our eyes, oh,
time, it flies (Here/Now)

______________________
[i] martino, j. (6.16-3.14). time, it flies (Here/Now). book 74: round trip © 2014 by joal martino.

b73 (2.13-1.2014): sen sationalism

sen sationalism [1] 
by zen sation 

although it might seem like a conspiracy, it is just human expression (coupled with capitalism).

every channel, website, commercial, newscast, etc. has one, ultimate goal (which you already know is not to report the truth).  this is different, however, from a conspiracy to lie.

the goal is simple: to get you to tune-in.  heck, we even do this (in the human sense) as part of the dating and mating game.

businesses make $$ (and people gain power) when they have y/our attention.  by design, the ‘news’ that gets reported/emphasized will be the stuff that gets y/our attention.  the photos, the verbiage and the predictions will sensationalize exponentially – knowing that today’s story will become yesterday’s news old.

that's why the news gives us the most sensational aspects of:

• storms
• catastrophes
• human drama
• war
• nature

are they lying?  are they 'bad'?  are they manufacturing the news???  that is for the (individual) viewer to decide. *

as consumers/viewers, it is our responsibility to re-center, and to re-cognize that newsmakers don’t care (so much) about reality as they do about getting us to tune-in.

again and again. 

_______________________________

[1] martino, j. (2.13-1.14).  book 73: round trip © 2014 by joal martino. 

* truth be told, it is we (by our attention to it) that brings the (apparently external) news upon ourselves. 

b77 (1.21.2014): posturing and posing

posturing and posing
child, mountain, moon
upward-facing dog (we might be forward/folding, soon)
stand up for y/our future
balancing (an act?)
postures/poses/changes (does it matter?)

welcome (back) 

____________________ 

martino, j (1.21.2014). posturing and posing. book 77. round trip. copyright 2014 by joal martino.

*note: the video is not part of the e-book, but it is blogable.

*amy cuddy provides one of my favorite ted talks of all time!

b70 (5.30-1.2013): death/life/death/life/death

death/life/death/life/death [1]
by dead o. r. alive
 

from the moment born, until the final gasp of breath

brother, be forewarned, your future:

death/life/death

 

every morning sunrise

every evening (set)

every day: a chance to meet with those of whom you’ve never met

every thought: a path to future pleasure/future pain

every-thing (again, again, again, again, again)

 

so here you are: a tiny interplanetary being

so here you are, apart: but yet a-part of everything

so here you are: a sister/brother/parent/husband/wife

so here you are:

death/life/death/life/death/life

____________________________

 

·       there is no way (that we know of) to escape death.

 

·       have you ever wondered if the same is true for life?

 

·       in other words, what if the Spirit-world requires us to incarnate?  are there Spirit-essences, sitting around (enjoying their Spiritual experiences), who are destined to ‘die’ into physical form – and who experience subsequent ‘birth’ on ‘planets’ in a Uni-Verse?

 

wwwwhaaaaaaaat????

 

·       what if G∞d recycles?   what if the death/life/death/life/death/life experience is a part of the fabric of Is-ness?  what if it’s none of our business?

---

[1] martineau, l. (5.30-1.2013). death/life/death/life/death. book 70: re-View. © by wellnesseducation.us 

b77 (3.3-1.2013): the ghost in the machine

the ghost in the machine [i]
by eye i. I
 
holographic Universe
micro-scopic Dream
in it, people wonder why we’re here and what it means
in it, only memories of what we’ve touched and seen
in it, maybe wIe are just the ghost in the machine
_________________________________
 

• wave forms of the present pass through receptors that provide us with the sense experience of space and time (touch, smell, hearing, sight, taste, and intuition). 

• intuition is akin to a sixth-sense that integrates all of the sense-able, sense-ory information that an individual is able to assimilate, in the present Now moment. 

• as wIe appear to pass from one dream-world to the next, our previous dreams tend to fade away, leaving us with the newer Dream and the newer ‘memories’.  the new Dream (of course) comes complete with some type of stimulation or drama. 

• this is why nobody’s world, anywhere/anytime is devoid of complications, challenges, and ‘good/bad’ scenarios.  there is no Perfect, Bliss-full world, b/c such an existence would be boring. 

 
 
 

---

[i] martino, j. (3.3-1.2013). the ghost in the machine. book 71: lao j. onitram © 2013 by wellnesseducation.us. 

b72 (2.6-1.2013) endings or beginnings?

endings or beginnings?

by b. e. ginning

endings or beginnings (what's the message that we send)?

maybe it's the Same (here in this game of let's pretend)

___________________________ 

* let's pretend is a game that allows us to imagine that we are experiencing a different world than the real world.

* what if our (start/stop, good/bad) life (on planet earth) is deeply embedded in the game, while the Real World sits back in Co-experiential Harmony? 

* could a game of beginnings and endings exist within a Larger  framework that doesn't end when the game is over? 

_________________________ 

written during book 72: re-view.

b77 (1/17/2013): dead sparrow

dead sparrow [1]
by al i. veforever
 

i picked-up a dead sparrow
i swear i saw her move
i think that (maybe) sparrow had a little more to prove
 
she turned her head and looked at me, with softness in her eyes
and then she held my hand (so tight); so gentle, yet so wise
 
and with a look of sadness… (i wanted her to stay)
i opened up my heart (i smiled)
i let her fly away
 
and with a look of sadness (we all wanted her to stay)
we opened up our hearts (we smiled)
we waved goodbye, today

_____________________________
 
* at donna’s house, small birds are sometimes attacked by a hawk, and the fleeing birds have been known to fly into the kitchen window -- in an effort to escape.   we heard the familiar ‘thump’ on the window, and several family members saw the hawk leave its prey on the snow-covered deck, just in front of the sliding-glass door.
 
* this particular sparrow appeared to be lying there, lifeless in the snow, so we decided to leave her there… essentially allowing the hawk to come back and have “nature, take its course.”
 
* but something strange happened.  after what seemed like 15-20 minutes of lying, face-down in the snow, i thought that i saw her move!   …so i went outside and cupped her into my hands.
 
* she (almost immediately) sprang to life, but instead of trying to fly, she clutched onto my hand with her tiny little claws.  we took a few photos, and then brought her into the house so that tom could attempt to revive her.  he went to get a box, and the plan was to let her slowly regain some sense of control. 

i brought her over to dad, and he, visibly moved, 

petted her head, lovingly... as if he was re-membering his wife (r.i.p. jo) 

who left this planet just a few days prior: 

waaaaaaaay too soon.  

she (this re-incarnation, this sparrow) seemed to get stronger!

 
* and when tom brought the box, and when i tried to lower her into it, she would not let go.   she was determined, powerful, and unyielding.  one might say, "jo-esque."
 
* donna could sense that this bird was ready to fly, and she mentioned something about the challenges associated with birds, flying around (inside of the house), so i walked outside, with bird in hand.
 
* with family looking on in suspended disbelief, our (apparently) dead sparrow took on New Life... and flew away.
 
 
 
 

---

[1] martino, joal. (1.17-1.2013). dead sparrow. book 77: re-view. © 2013 by joal martino. 

later on, in the airport...

b70 (6.17-1.2012): young life

(young) life [1]

by f. r. agility
 
young life:
 
so delicate, so fragile...
so full of possibilities, so full of potential challenges...
so thick and rich in real drama, so present in that which really matters...
so meaning-full

may we wallow in it,

may we celebrate it, and

may we savor the Love, experienced as it unfolds

_____________________________________ 

* on this father's day, allow me to praise and honor all parents.

* there is no way (for me) to be able to truly relate to your experiences of Ultimate Joy and (potential) pain, so it's "hat's off" to you -- again, and again, and again

---

[1] martino, j. (6.17-1.2012). young life. book 70: Hoooooome. © 2012 www.wellnesseducation.us. 

  

11 & 11 = One

11 & 11 = One
by t. h. eway

one and one is two
two and two is four
two and two and three and three (let's open every door)

two and two and three and three and One (a day for Fun)
One becomes variety,
11, 11:
One
__________________________________________________

* the summation of everything, created in the image of the One, is the One... meaning that the One (One-ing, ex-panding, Love-ing, Be-ing, re-Create-ing, Play-ing) becomes the 11, which (in turn) is the One.

* it's prime time:

 

b68 (3.23.2010): triangulation

triangulation

by joal

 

triangulation: a term used in orienteering, research and relationships.  it is a technique by which a navigator can pinpoint or define an unknown location by using two known locations.  in research, triangulation refers to a process of validating the analysis by using two (or more) research methods to “triangulate.”

 

in relationships… uhhhhhhhhhhhhhh…

 

triangulation happens all of the time, when three people know each other.  here’s how it works:

 

“given a group of three, when one member is absent,

the remaining two will talk about the one who is absent.”

 

the (above) quote shows another, very good reason to stay Present, but that’s another story, in and of itself.

 

in triangulation, when two people are talking/gossiping about a third, and interesting phenomenon is taking place:

 

• if the self-esteem of the talkers is healthy/high, they will tend to focus on the positive aspects of the absent individual. 

• if the self-esteem of the talkers is unhealthy/low, they will tend to focus on the negative aspects of the absent individual. 

this phenomenon also occurs constantly in the media, and media-ocre-ite (viewer) is bombarded unendingly with the low self-esteem projections of (apparently) confident media personalities who are (very likely) miser-able.

 

but this is the interesting part:

 

the talking/gossiping does not mean that all talkers/gossipers are “bad” people.  all it means is that they are actually saying more about themselves than they are about the third party.

• judgment defines the judge

• Praise defines the appraiser

• criticism defines the critic

• Forgiveness defines the For-giver

• anger defines the angry

• Love defines the Lover

•  shame and blame define the bestower

…but there’s even a deeeeeeeeeper level, Here:

 

triangulation doesn’t define the person, but rather, it defines how an individual is feeling at that particular moment.  it allows us to introspectively determine whether we are moment-arily centered in fear or in Love; in ego or in Union; in physical or in Spirit.

 

once we Awaken into self-Consciousness, we can then decide how to proceed from tHere.

 

-the Beginning.

_________________________

from book 68 (wonder-Full) by j. martino. copyright 2024 by j. martino.

b68 (2.2-1.2010): why i am single

why i am single [1]

by joal martino

 

the purpose of this essay is to describe why i am single.

 

it (kind-of) answers the question, posed to many humanoids nowadays, which is:

 

“you’re such a nice (cool, fun, etc.) guy, why haven’t you ever been married?”

 

note: this is not a marriage-bashing essay.  we “single” people (contrary to popular belief) Love married people!  some of our best friends are married.  some of our best relatives are married.  many of us are very, very glad that our parents got married.

 

married people: we Love you.

 

it’s just that we aren’t married (yet, and maybe never will be, and maybe that’s okay).

 

b.t.w: this essay is just for me, so do not ever, ever, ever feel obligated to read it.  

it’s just for moi.

 

allow me to describe my day, so far today (it’s exactly 12:27 pm; just after/during lunch/siesta), eastern standard time.  i’ve been up since 0600.

 

the alarm jolted me out of bed at six-o’clock, and i’d set it with no time to spare, since i had a job interview at 8, and the weather was predicted to be “ice, with a wintery mix.”

 

i shut off the alarm, and promptly slithered back into bed (just for a second), only to awaken to the knowing that it was late, i was late, and i should slap myself silly (if i only had time).

 

shave, shower, go.  lots of traffic.   at 7:58 (two miles from the interview) i call “debbie” to let her know that i’m stuck on the brookshire street exit.  in my mind, the mantra “cities suck, cities suck!” is ringing -- very, very loudly.

 

instead of panic, i chill.  i breeeeeeeeeeeeeeeathe.  i smile.

 

at 8:01, i enter the interview building, and i’m actually ahead of schedule (since the committee is preparing themselves, in the interview room).

 

paperwork, etc.

 

i proceed to kick the interview’s ass.   i’m exponentially overqualified for the job, but there were 279 applicants, and i’m just happy to get into the pool of the final eight.  i flow.  i don’t need the job anyway (because nobody needs any-thing, anyway), but i let the committee know that i’d be nothing short of dynamite in this position.  yes, yes, yes, i gave them handouts, 13 potential references (true), and we spoke to each other like happy siblings at a family reunion.

 

i exit, smiling.  i thank the committee.  in the lobby, i shake the hands of the next two interviewees, and i tell them that i hope that we’ll all get hired, so that we can all work together.  i’m not lying… it’s just that i’m envisioning how these guys would do very well, working for me.

 

i call the love of my life, and (even though she’s 40 miles out of the way), i ask if she’d like 15-minutes of company before she goes off to work.

 

she (of course) loves the idea, and she prepares a giant cup of coffee for me as i approach the hacienda that can only be referred to as “casa-susita.”

 

i enter her house; i kiss her delicious face, and we proceed to express our appreciation for one-another for the next 10 delectable minutes.

 

we exit, and i drive home.  upon arrival, i proceed to throw my suit-jacket and tie onto the ironing board.  ((yes, i ironed my shirt late last night, and neglected to move the ironing board out of the living room.))  

by the way, do you have issue with that? 

 

i look left, i look right.  it’s 1013.  school has been cancelled at the college, and i’ve got the day off. 

 

i look left, and again i look right.  i open the fridge, and pop open magic hat winter seasonal (porter), and i smile, knowing that my girl would love to be right here, right Now, sharing what cheryl crowe might call a “beer buzz, early in the morning.”    another part of me is quite happy to be able to enjoy this moment by myself, in my own place, in my own time, in my own way.  and guess what?  nobody can say nothin.

i take off my shirt.

 

with siesta in mind, i begin to cook the most fantastic meal that you will ever savor, ever:

 

          ·    grilled veggies (with onion and garlic, since i’m alone)

·     blackened mahi mahi (can you say “YUM?”)

·      trader joe’s white wine (because i’m now officially “out of beer”)

 

as the adventure progresses, my attire morphs into the following:

• dress pants (belt removed, and then thrown across the living room – because i can)
• black shoes replaced by florida state university slippers (go ‘noles!)
• a fleece “providence, rhode island” sweatshirt (blue, in color)

i eat, i drink.  the cellphone is off.  there is no television, there is no noise.  …not even a bit of background music. 

nada, baby, nada.

 

…and i get to think of you, the humanoids that i love, love, Love.  …and i get to write to you, and to open-up to you. …and i get to feel Connected to you!   i Love you, and i Love this!

 

and that is why i’m single.  i’m not saying that being single is “right”… i’m just sayin’…

 

love, joal

___________________________________________________

[1] martino, j. (2009). why i am single. book 68: wonder-Full. © 2010 by joal martino.

* but here's the real reason: you can do what you want, when you want, how you want, where you want, with who you want, for the reasons why you want... and nobody can question your reasons.  you've got no ring, no contract, no promise, no commitment, no kids, no dog, no debt... and nothing but time and options.

...and you've got no tolerance for anyone who wants you to behave a certain way (so that they will be happier).

------------------------------

here's a 2025 update on the issue:

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qEWaeRcYbGw 

entitled "the solo man's revolution."

b67 (8.6-1.2009): merry-go-round

merry go round [1]
by c. a. rousel

"a merry-go-round is an entertaining ride that takes one around in circles."

we hop onto fake animals, benches, etc., and then we experience apparent movement while (Really) going NowHere. ..we laugh, we cry, and the time (of our life) appears to pass by.

of course, the ride comes complete with ups & downs. ..we go backwards & forwards.

carousels can also carry a lot of baggage. ..some people even experience sickness on the roundabout.

"a merry-go-round is an enterain’ting ride that takes us around in circles."

interestingly enough, the go-round is but one of the infinite, merry diversions to be found (as we carouse here) in this, a particular-ly magical amusement park.
_____________________________________

[1] martino j. (8.6.1-2009). book 67: melt. © 2009 by joal martino. graphics from microsoft clipart. 

-the picture of john & steve ...is at the crescent park merry-go-round, rhode island (1970-something).

* in a material world where everyone talks about the importance of Being pre-sent, maybe we are Spirit's Present. 

b67 (8.5-1.2009): funnel vision

----------------note: for the Nondual bretheren, this post pertains to life in the dual world.


funnel vision

by nowyoud think wedgetit

funnel vision (filter)
funnel vision (Fun)
funnel vision (limitation)
funnel vision (One)

___________________________________________

* funnel vision (like tunnel vision) allows us to filter out large amounts of potential data -- in order to better focus on a tiny portion of that which is available.

* interestingly enough, our experience becomes that which we sense/assimilate.

question: why does this even matter?

1. humans have quite a bit of choice over what we decide to view, smell, taste, hear, feel and think. ..our experience (if we lived in a world surrounded by infants, nature & Love) would be completely different than one surrounded by violence, pollution, & fear.

2. imagine using funnel vision with a goal (e.g. "drinking more clean water" as a wellness practice). ..by design, an increased focus on water-wellness would result in a filtering-out of toxic sense-ations, and Higher-Level Wellness would simply be a factor of how funneled our vision was.

3. the Law of Attraction isn't mysterious, it's my-story-us. ..we get more of that which we focus on, and we get less of the other stuff. ..it is important to note that this works in the positive and negative, which is why there is a major difference between:

• focusing on "wanting to lose weight," vs.
• focusing on "becoming leaner, lighter, and more flexible"

if we focus on "wanting to lose weight," we might actually gain weight (because we'll get more of what we focus on, which is "wanting to lose" it). ..thoughts of "want" attract more want. ..in addition, our bodymind's survival mechanism doesn't react favorably to restrictions, resistance and denyAll.

sample mantras:
i consume consciously; i eat/drink mindfully;
i eat & exercise in accordance with my perfect weight;
i shop for healthy, whole, natural foods, therefore:
i am leaner, lighter, and more flexible every day.

imagine "funnel vision" during a supermarket shopping experience. ..would there be a difference between the shopper whose funnel consisted only of the outer "U" versus the shopper who paid attention only to the middle of the store?

hmmmmmmmmmmmmm...

* for more on how the Law of Attraction works, click on the link (below):

25 april..... power of thoughts (2008)

the "power of thoughts" essay is vitally important to "getting" this post, and
fun-da-mental to understanding many of the other ideas put forth on this website's blog.

-------------------------------------------------
epilogue: the above thoem, funnel vision, uses the final line to hint that even our separate, small, individual, tiny worlds are One.

maybe the Uni-Verse (First Cause, the All, Oneness, etc.) Is Vision, and maybe each one of us is like a little funnel, allowing for an infinite number of apparently separate experiences.

it would be as if the Universal Is could tune-in to an infinite selection of channels, shows, sit-calms, plays, and experiences while Being Free from any thought that any of it was Real.

wouldn't that be Heavenly...

it would be as if the One could Be the many, and could (moment-arilly) become lost in the most fantastic virtual-reality tell-a-vision avail-able.

* funnelnote: at this, the dual-world level, we assimiate strongest when we "shut down" external data and funnel on only one thing. ..when watching t.v. or sitting in front of the computer, the human bodymind is often a vegetative, void, blank slate, extremely open to picking up whatever messages are placed upon the screen.

questions to self:

1. what's new, in the news? ..does the message favor fear, or love?

2. what is the primary message of all commercial advertisements?**

3. what have i been channeling lately?

4. what are my kids channeling?

__________________________________________________
martino, j (8.5-1.2009). funnel vision. book 67: melt. copyright by joal martino. 

* graphics by microsoft clipart.

** answer to question #2: commercial advertisements of all kinds provide us with the same negative, erroneous message, which is:

"you are not okay as you are, and if you purchase this product, you'll be okay-er."

if there is a common theme to the wellnesseducation.us blog, it is this:

"You are Perfectly Perfect, just the way You Are."
(Now... is there anything that you would you like to experience differently?)