“Digging deep within the hidden files, he discovered a few articles that were suprisingly of interest, but long forgotten. How long had it been since these were written? Had it been three years, three thousand years, or three million years? He could not be certain.”

Building One’s Armor – Part 1: This American Sadhu Archives

Untouched from April 15th, 2015

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Why this blog could change the world. 

Add featured picture of Ababa Ramji dancing with link to his real picture. Hopefully it comes out nice! (Pic of table) 

Contentment ever dwells in the heart of the wise one who lives on whatever happens to come to him, and who wanders about at pleasure, resting wherever he is when the sun sets. – Astavakra Samhita 18:85 

What is this blog about? 

This blog is a platform for daily spontaneous explosions of consciousness wanting to be expressed through various forms, primarily with the mediums of writing, painting, music, photograph and video. 

It will be a daily recording of my life living as a sadhu or at least my style of sadhuism; like a modern-day version who shares his happiness and abilities with the world daily, rather than just those within his general proximity. 

I have no idea what the consciousness will want to express from day-to-day as I am constantly changing throughout my spiritual journey. I only have a general idea, but won’t try to control or guide what the mind decides to create each day. 

According to various definitions online, a sadhu is a “wandering traveler, a holy man, an ascetic, a sage, a mendicant, and usually a Hindu.” I would say this definition is pretty precise, but I don’t consider myself to be Hindu, nor do I label myself as any specific religion, even though I am quite “religious”. 

Once you label me you negate me. – Soren Kierkegaard 

I love and cherish all the religions equally and have greatly benefited from the spiritual counterparts of each faith. If there was a perfect religion, we would already know about it. Surely it is not here… yet. 

I take openly from what has been passed down from our spiritual and religious elders. When they passed down their wisdom, it was for all of us to use if we wanted it, not just some of us. 

What will be some of the focuses? 

I have been “backpacking” outside of the U.S. for 3 out of the past 5 years. There are many things that I have learned along the way that I would like to share with other fellow travelers. One being how to travel extremely cheap or even free across the world over the course of a long time period. Another is how to travel extremely minimalistically with few possessions, which tend to just cause worry and can hold us back from reaping the benefits that travel can truly offer. 

If we travel or go “backpacking” and yet bring half the world in our backpack or suitcases then we won’t be able to break free from our “old lives” and desire to constantly acquire “new things”. If we limit our pack choice then there will be no room for adding possessions unless an 

exchange occurs. At first I traveled in the “pack rat” way and carried a huge 65 liter backpack along with a smaller backpack on my chest. I see this all the time in my travels and laugh thinking about when I used to do the same. Slowly I have downgraded to where I now carry next to nothing and enjoy it tremendously. Traveling allows us the opportunity to do this as a sedentary “home life” tends to always end up with a gradual acquisition of “stuff” that is not used or needed. Perhaps, if one is considering taking a journey, this blog will help them to think about what they really need to bring before it starts. 

Soon from now, a new leg of my journey will start in India and I will be traveling minimally and on a tight budget of $10 a day or $300 a month or lower. Every penny will be documented and shared with the reader. 

Living austerely is ultimately more rewarding then living lavishly, especially when traveling. You appreciate more what you do have and can do. I have lived and traveled in both extremes. As lavish as anyone I have ever met. Overall, I have come to the conclusion that low budget travel mixed with volunteer work is the most enjoyable form of travel, and most viable for long term. When bearing in mind the types of people encountered and unique experiences obtained, it outshines either lavish or extreme “freegan” austere travel. It’s the middle path, at least for me, of traveling. 

I am trying to show others a lifestyle that can be led if the correct steps are gradually taken. I have no bills to pay, no house to maintain, no car, no “job”, and no immediate family or friends who are continuously with me in my travels. 

Add about sila, meditation and yoga practice. Surrendering to the divine plan and receiving protection and guidance. 

As an American sadhu, I am my own guru. My own master. The only person who I would consider to have been my guru passed away in September of 2013, so I can now live and set my own discipline and rules. Most sadhus or yogis only practice or focus on a single form of yoga, but I combine all of them into my practice. Janic (meditation), kriya (purification through pranayama and asanas), bhakti (devotional mantra chanting), and karma (selfless giving without expectation). The journey that I am about to embark on will be an open book with no set storyline and no idea of an end. 

I will do my best to hold what is called “pancha sila” for the duration of one year at least. This can be translated as the five precepts of morality. What are they? The five are no lying, no stealing, no sexual misconduct, no killing of any living beings (some would consider this to be vegetarian, as do I), and no intoxicants. Not such an easy task, but I will make a strong effort to follow it strictly. 

Three of them are easy. I promise for the rest of my life I will never kill another living being, steal anything that is not given to me, or tell an intentional lie. But I cannot promise past this year that in the future I will not eat a piece of meat, drink a cold beer, smoke a rolled cigg, or make love to a beautiful woman. 

I practice between 2-4 hours of meditation daily, depending on how busy I am during the day. Furthermore, I do around one hour of pranayama and yoga in the mornings. A spiritual practice 

doesn’t so much as make us “superhuman” as it just removes what was holding us back before bringing us back to our natural state of highly productive and creative potential. 

What happens when one is living a strong moral life continuously purifying the spirit through yoga and meditation? One becomes “protected”. One becomes “guided”. One becomes “invulnerable”. Relatively bad things just don’t happen and relatively good things tend to happen more often. We will see if this holds true, but it has for the past two years since I’ve been living this type of life, off and on. 

Neo: What are you trying to tell me? That I can dodge bullets?
Morpheus: No, Neo. I am trying to tell you that when you’re ready, you won’t have to. 

Before becoming “spiritual”, I used to get into trouble often in my travels. Bar fights, heated arguments and confrontations, animal attacks, and things being stolen or going missing. Now it is all good. Is this from clear thinking or “divine protection”? I don’t know but it makes me appreciate it and enjoy it more when I consider it to be the latter. 

When this happens, one becomes fearless. The fear may arise, but I am immune to it’s effects and does not last long. There is nothing inside of me that would hurt a fly, nor anything that wants anything at all, especially fame or fortune. This is the secret recipe. 

If we have full trust and full faith in the divine. If we are confident that the best happens for us always, we will never fear. – Swami Brahmdev 

It makes for a very fun way of life and I thought now would be a good time to start sharing it with others besides myself and friends and family on Facebook, but in a linear progressive way telling an ongoing story to keep track of. 

The past two years for me has been a giant swing in the direction of the “spiritual life”, whereas the previous 29 years were focused on building the “materially worldly life”. Eventually, I have realized that they are completely equal in importance in all regards. This blog and project are my attempt to combine the two into one equal path. 

Perhaps sometimes I would like to sleep on the ghats, why not eh? Many times as I travel I find myself in situations that people would be scared of or would fear trying. A major part of my life is fearlessness and doing whatever sounds good to me at the time. With a strong faith in dharma and the divine plan, what is there ever to worry about? 

Add about writing everyday in many styles. “Travel style” – “Theory style” – and “Story style” 

I plan on writing quite a bit over the course of the next year. Many times the words come when I am in different spiritual frames of mind. Like channeling the inner voice, although I don’t know how to technically channel. 

I enjoy writing my own philosophical and spiritual contemplations for others to think about and respond to. Perhaps I trigger something in a reader who then responds and triggers something in me. That’s the way innovation and inspiration works. I won’t do substantial proof-reading and editing and will post what I write in my journal or straight onto the blog. 

Since I used to write screenplays, I am going to experiment and write a continuous story that happens to me on the journey, one page a day, in all styles, 1st, 2nd, and 3rd person. Sometimes the stories will be dramatic, action-oriented, comedic, or whatever the style of the moment was like. Sometimes there will be hidden meanings and metaphors that everyone may not initially understand. Some may like it and some may not. The main thing always is I have no idea what my mind will come up with each day as it is changing constantly from travel and spiritual practice. 

They say do and write what you love. I love traveling, writing, spirituality, and helping others out so this is a combination of those four. 

The best kind of story is one that is presently being created, a la the wonderful invention of internet blogging. If God knows a story is in the process of being made, does He step in to make it more interesting, more special? 

I enjoy theorizing new possibilities for the future because the “idea” must precede the “action” from taking shape. Once the idea is there, it becomes a possibility for us collectively to achieve. Every single day there will be fresh content, heartfelt true stories and thought provoking ideas that have never been read or heard before. I would like to test the reverberations of a single blog to other parts of the web. I’d like to see how and where this info flows. 

Add about daily paintings. 

I will attempt to paint a new painting every day or every other day of various scenes that I see along the way. Either spiritual or historic places, or sadhus that I meet randomly on the street, whatever strikes my fancy I will try to paint it and share it with the readers. At the end of the year, I will hold a raffle for all the readers to win the books that were used to paint in. Perhaps ten readers will receive a book from a specific month of painting and drawing. 

Add pic of first painting. 

To many this lifestyle may seem a bit extreme or unnatural, but to me it is not. At one time yes, but it is now just the natural progression of the path that I have been on. It is fun, and becoming better by the day. Why do I do this? I do this because it’s the most fun thing I can think to do. Loving people. Loving nature. Loving the creation that was made for us to love! 

This is a fun way to walk the spiritual path. Not having fun is doing it wrong. As humans we tend to sway too far towards the material life or too far towards the spiritual life. When, as a society, we can fully merge the two and utilize the gifts we receive spiritually for worldly aims, we will have reached a plan long in the making. 

Maybe people will come here for the writing, and get hooked on the painting. Maybe people will come for the painting, and get hooked on the writing.
Maybe some will come here for the traveling, and get hooked on the spirituality. Maybe some will come here for the spirituality, and get hooked on the traveling. 

When do I start and where am I going? 

Around April 22nd, 2015 I will start day 1 of a one year blogging journey in the great city of Varanasi, India, land of the sadhus. I only know where I will be for the next 3 months, but after that the next destination will be up for voting from readers as the date draws closer. Furthermore, there will be voting on which cities to go to and which projects to work on as time goes by. 

When one is a sadhu or spiritually inclined, one opens up to a new world of possibilities. Things happen to or for you that could not be planned. Since India is pretty much the craziest and most unpredictable place in the world, anything could happen. Since I am on a tight budget I will stay with friends when possible and will serve two or three vipassana courses over the time period. 

What makes this blog unique? 

One of the main factor of enlightenment that householders can build within themselves is the giving of dana or donation, whether service or financial support to others. This blog and my travels through India and beyond will from this point forth be continually donation-based. Not only that, but half of all donations will be channeled to random strangers or causes that I encounter along the path. I will not actively seek them out, but will keep an eye out and will donate with discretion to those who truly are in need. Furthermore, I will be doing various volunteer service, whether on a small or big scale, as time goes by. The part that makes this unique is that I will give up the karma that would normally be generated for myself and pass it on to the readers and supporters of this blog. Karma being simply defined as “what you sow, you eventually reap.” Through reader’s donations, I will be able to sow and the readers will in theory reap the benefits of my actions, since technically I wouldn’t be anywhere without them. 

With the combination of daily optimism, stemming from spiritual and philosophical contemplation, with non-profit and non-expectation giving of work and aid to others, a reader may be surprised to notice a change within themselves, but this may not always be true. It is my aspiration that this will happen and it will be interesting to see the progress of what occurs as the days go by. 

There is approximately 11 million people in the U.S. who work and live off of non-profit charity. According to a 2012 report by the Center for Civil Society Studies at Johns Hopkins University, nonprofit employment represents 10.1 percent of total employment in the United States in 2010. I don’t see a big difference between what I am doing compared to the rest of the non-profit sector. My method is extremely transparent and will be detailed down to every penny that is donated, whereas many times when people donate to large charities there is no telling where the money actually goes and into whose wallets. 

I won’t beg for money or support, but if it is given from abroad or in person I will humbly accept it with gratitude and thanks for it comes from the creator through the giver. 

Every penny donated will go to the intended purposes of the blog, which will be to teach people how to travel materially and financially austerely and to openly donate to individuals and organizations who are in need along the way. 

The donations will be divided into daily donations and larger donations to random causes or organizations that are in need of financial support. Each day I will give 10 Indian rupees to the first ten sadhus that cross my path. Furthermore I will give 50 rupees to the first 3 people that are begging and cannot possibly earn the money themselves. This will work out to around $5 a day. 

Sadhus have lived this way throughout history, living off the charity of others. This blog and project is just a modern day version of what has been going on for thousands of years: the modern day sadhu. Sadhus travel from place to place as “karmic sinks” for the population or karma generators as I like to call them. When someone gives to a sadhu without expectation or intention, then the benefits will eventually come to them, whether in this life or the next. With that said, I will attempt to be a karmic generator for the readers and supporters of this blog, channeling the karma that I may have received for providing service or financial aid to those in need. 

This blog will accept donations in many different ways. Soon we will be able to accept credit card, debit card, wire transfer and even Bitcoins. Perhaps, this may be the first time that a sadhu has accepted Bitcoins but hey this is the 21st century. 

It is all about generating the maximum amount of happiness. If it makes me happy and it makes them happy and it makes the readers happy then it is a win-win for all. 

Where will all this lead? 

Who knows! I may have an idea, but to me there is no “end” to this project and so will continuously evolve as time goes by. I don’t make plans, I make options. Plans always fall through, but options are just there to be taken or left aside until another time. 

I am just attempting to show a lifestyle that can led by others. Perhaps, this idea will catch on and other people will follow suit. Soon we may have This English Sadhu, This Jamaican Sadhu, This Japanese Sadhu, etc. It is a new idea that can be replicated with ease if the proper example is set for all to see. 

At the end of one year, one option is that I will publish all of the continuous “story pages” into a single but loose narrative book. As an aspiring book author, this would be a step in the right direction to better learn the publishing business. 

I am not trying to be a sadhu… I am a sadhu, just in my own way. 

Even if there are no readers or supporters of this blog, I promise I will take great joy in this journey and sharing everything along the way. I believe new spiritual ideas or values that come from individual consciousness automatically spread through the collective consciousness overtime whether they are read or not. Perhaps if ideas are read and disseminated they spread faster, but either way once they come they are here to stay or grow. 

If at anytime this blog seems to be egotistical then I must say it is not my intention. Perhaps it is the last hurrah of a once great but dying ego building the foundation for a future egoless entity to write what an egoless entity writes about. We will just have to see. There is a small feeling 

that if the egoless state permanently arises, there will be no more desire to write and share these ideas or messages, so I’m “getting them out there” now, not worrying about what may or may not happen in the future. 

No matter what, I will always be myself throughout the blog even if that self is constantly changing. The measure of a person should not be judged on success financially or materially. It should be judged on how happy they are, how happy they maker others, and how they show others how to be happy themselves. This new project perfectly encapsulates this idea of success and if this is true, I aspire to be the most “successful” person ever. Inshallah. 

Thank you for being observers and for anyone who supports the blog by making comments and spreading it to others. For those who give donations or dana thank you for being willing participants in moulding the story. 

Perhaps there are many American sadhus, perhaps there are not. This is just the story of this one. 

Blessed. 

I am a hole in a flute that the Christ’s breath moves through. Listen to this music. – Hafiz 

Add final picture of me at Sadhana. Or at Lumbini. 

Though pleased he is not pleased, though pained he does not suffer any pain. Only those like him understand his wonderful state. – Astavakra Samhita 18:56 

What is fate? 

Originally posted on April 19th, 2015

Anyone can reach a high spiritual state. What is difficult is to learn how to sustain it, what you use it for in real life, and how you share it with others. I am looking for other “seekers” that are interested in the same things that I am and will take this journey with me online. Even if you may be sitting at home or working somewhere in the world, I will do my best to be a vicarious traveler or spiritualist, or someone that can “be lived through”. I have always been a very private person, so this will be a good challenge that I believe I am prepared to take. I believe that is my “fate”.

To me fate means that whatever happens in the present moment or has happened in the past was supposed to happen or it had to happen that exact way in this existence. On the other hand, the future is uncertain and there are an unlimited amount of possibilities for what could happen. The future will happen how we want it, but we must have an idea of how we want it before the actuality can manifest. How long can we continue in the same direction?

That is what I talk about when I say an idea or theory must precede an action from occurring. If new ideas or theories are not presented to the world to ponder then which direction will we go? The same way into the wrong direction or a new way leading closer to where we would like to be? Hopefully this blog will present a steady flow of new ideas that the “consciousness” wants to express for others to ponder. Whether they happen or not only time will tell.

Per the theory of fate, whatever happens is supposed to happen. Whatever you are doing at this moment is exactly what you are supposed to be doing at this moment. Whatever you believe at this moment is exactly what you are supposed to believe. It couldn’t be any other way. Perhaps it may be different in the future, but at this moment what you do and believe is “perfect” in that it couldn’t be any different then it actually is.

Whoever is drawn to this blog and reads the posts everyday are supposed to. Whoever doesn’t read this blog, they are not supposed to. It’s pretty much that simple. I will be equanimous to the readership of this blog for I know that it is “out of my control”. At the moment my main focus is to continue to build the main structure of the project and blog before the first day begins in India. I am getting to a point where I will solely be focused on writing and the entire experience without having to worry about the “behind the scenes” work. I will continuously write things that I think are important and “helpful”,  but this blog is also a way for me just to remember everything that I experience. If people like it, great! If not, I will still continue on. Perhaps it is better to have a few dedicated readers than thousands or millions, but we will see.

Whatever happens happens.

In this mindset, every post I write will be exactly as it should be. This takes a lot of the weight off of my shoulders, because occasionally I can be a perfectionist. The imperfection of my writing will be perfect for it’s “job”. Something I write may “be for a specific reader”, even if other readers or myself don’t fully understand it. It may be a “trigger” or something that will answer a deep question that person had. This is the way that dharma works. This is how we are all connected.

 A “Tree” of Sadhu blogs

I believe it is the fate of this blog to exist and to thrive. I believe if done correctly, it could spark a movement or new paradigm of living and traveling. If this site grows in reach and the donations increase, I would like to pass the “surplus” of the donated expense account to other people who want to start their own “sadhu” blog. If the expense account rises to a level of say $10,000 and my average expenditure is $10 a day, that will last for 3 years! Couldn’t this money go to a better cause by having one or more people doing the same thing as I?

If i deducted $1000 and distributed the “start-off” money for a new “sadhu” blog, the original donors of the combined $10k would in theory be a part of the new blog just as much as this one. As the new blogger builds up their donations, eventually they could start their own branch. This would be the start of a tree of “sadhu” blogs.

It is not so easy to find others “like me” and so one reason for this blog is to “put out thefeelers”. I have full faith that this blog will be a “beacon” for this purpose and that the dharma will connect me with people who I am looking for or who are looking for me.  It will surely be the work of fate to bring fellow “seekers” to the blog.

This blog and project are an “expirement” for me letting the “new” ego room to spread it’s legs and breathe. It has been “under attack” for some time now, but I am realizing the importance of it in the worldly existence. The ego is special in the fact that we must consider the worldly existence and ultimate existence to be of equal importance. The Buddha emphasized that we must be aware of the relative and absolute truth. Relatively, we have a self and an ego. Ultimately, we do not. We must learn to set the rules for our mind to follow, and not allow the mind to set the rules for “us” to follow.

The Buddha called the uncontrolled ego a “wild elephant” because it could ruin lives, families, and nations. Once we learn to tame the “wild elephant”, only then can it go to properly helping society. To build a project such as this one must use the ego to create the “role” that one is to play. The key is to learn how to purify the ego to keep it in check; to not get a “big head”. This is where most fail when attempting something like this, when the ego gets out of control. Since I will be traveling with nearly nothing, spending very little money, and continually purifying myself through my own sadhana, I believe it will be a success in these regards.

During this trip, I will make a strong determined effort to continue to “rise” spiritually and perhaps one day “ego-death” may arise. Maybe, maybe not. If this occurs, which it nearly has in the past, I have no idea what to expect because I have never fully experienced it. Hopefully the egoless entity that will be writing this blog will continue it’s mission, but I can’t guarantee it. In the past when it has been close to happening, I have given away all my stuff because there was nothing left that considered anything to be “mine”. Since I will be traveling with limited belongings, hopefully it will keep these tools to continue the blog and project that is now being set. Furthermore, I believe we can still aspire even with zero desire.

Maybe some will come here for the writing, and get hooked on the artwork. Maybe some will come for the artwork, and get hooked on the writing. Maybe some will come for the traveling, and get hooked on the spirituality. Maybe some will come for the spirituality, and get hooked on the traveling. Fate will decide.

Nothing has to be done. 

There is no such thing as a “last chance” in spiritual terms. We will always have a chance until one day we take it.  There is only the illusion that there is a last chance. Of course, the idea of a last chance  is very important for progress to happen, especially throughout history. The only way for religion to have grown the way it has the past 2,000 years is because it was spread through fear of one’s “last chance” to make things right. When we realize fully that there is no such thing as a last chance, that we will always have a chance, it will be a turning point for this existence.

We may occasionally lose a battle here or there, but it is impossible for us to lose the war.

Today I will add a new small feature of the blog. Occasionally, I will record an original song from one of the street musicians from wherever I travel to. Afterwards, I will post the song online for people to listen to. This guy’s name is Sam, from Kathmandu, and his song is titled “Wave Of A Tide.”

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Why I had to leave the U.S. and eventually learn to love the world.

Originally posted April 21st, 2015

“Complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.” – Philippians 2:2-4

What characterizes America? Competition. We love it and can’t get enough of it. In all walks of life. Politics, sports, education, jobs, wars. It’s all about competing for competition’s sake. One day I was finally fed up and just gave up competing, always trying to win an invisible race that could never be won. When I gave up my desire for competition I was no longer able to survive in the US as competition is always expected in life and in the marketplace.

America is slowly crippling itself from within by it’s constant desire to compete in all aspects of life. We compete in politics; even if one candidate is better suited for a job, one will compete for his or her candidate to win. We compete in law; even if a suspect is known to be guilty, someone competes to “win” his innocence. Wall Street competes to see who can “steal” the most wealth from the people, while Washington complies.  Competition in creating the best product is natural, competiton for who can hoard the most wealth, individually or by corporations, is unnatural and poisoning.

The United States is in constant competition against other countries. State versus state. City versus city. Corporation versus corporation. Religion versus religion. Church versus church. Race versus race. Class versus class. Family versus family. Friend versus friend. Father versus son. Brother versus brother. Neighbor versus neighbor. Christianity within the United States is more like a business than a religion, or “clubs” where members pay their dues and their “status” is assured.

When will we learn to stop competing and start working together again? This inability to connect with others because of the underlying competition always involved makes it difficult to live in the U.S.A. In all aspects of life, America is in constant competition with itself and it’s slowly dying from within.

The very idea of a common America is incomprehensible at the moment. The question always asked is which party are you apart of or which team do you support. Or what is your job which means how much do you make. If I answer I am not a member of any party, of any religion, I don’t have a favorite sports team, nor do I have a job, most Americans would think I was crazy, at least ten years ago.

Perhaps, things are slowly changing. Competition is a hallmark of the ego’s desire to distinguish itself from the external world. Furthermore, if the United States is the most competitive society ever created, it is also the most ego-driven society ever created. The ego sustains itself by constantly comparing oneself to others and labeling them to be either inferior or superior. Gotama the Buddha compared the untamed ego to a “wild elephant”.

What happens when we stop competing with others? We stop competing with ourselves, with our minds, and finally with the law, with God, and surrender… and ahhhh… what a moment. It was not until I started to travel that I realized how the rest of the world was not the same as the U.S. There are similarities, but the extreme that the US has gone is unprecedented.

I am very lucky to have began my travels nearly six years ago in Nepal. Once again I am about to leave Nepal for India and am looking for an adventure.

Unless we learn to work together again and drop the mindless over-competition from ruining the country and the world, the “wild elephant” within the U.S. will continue to unleash it’s havoc to other countries.

A major focus of this blog will be to find out how we can tame this wild elephant before it crashes the “China shop” and brings down the house. Once we learn to tame our own ego, we can begin to work on it collectively. Inner peace will bring outer peace. Until this begins to happen, I don’t see why I would stay in the U.S. if other areas throughout the world do share my same values. I am confident one day though that the US will start to work together again.

Removing Obstacles from our path. 

When walking the spiritual path, we must be willing to realize and remove all obstacles that are holding us back from absolute freedom and liberation, whether externally or internally. By slowly detaching ourselves from those that are holding us back and cleansing the mind of the impurities of reaction and ego, we come to a time where the deepest operations can occur and the pristine state can be reached. If we can’t remove obstacles from our current path, then occasionally we must remove ourself from the obstacle. This made it nearly impossible for me to stay in the U.S. throughout the past six years.

Although it is possible to walk this path around others, it is more conducive when walked alone and/or strictly celibate. That is until the “destination” is reached. That is why the Saints and sages of the past have emphasized not being attached to our friends and family. Gotama left his wife and child without even saying goodbye. Jesus said, “If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters–yes, even their own life–such a person cannot be my disciple.” I feel this also to be true and I’m sorry to those that have felt hurt because of this tough choice. It’s a continuously hard decision but I hope you all see what I am trying to do and forgive me.

This is why I had to leave the U.S., I had to see the world. Since I have been traveling I have noticed that the rest of the world shows glimpses of “working together” that I have not seen within the U.S. Year by year the values of the United States, for better or worst, have been transferring to other countries around the world. If the U.S. can set the proper example, the world will hopefully return to a time of “working together” to achieve our common interests. But, at the moment, most would consider this to be a stretch.

Artwork

The featured picture above is a painting I did in March of 2014. It sort of represents my journey of breaking free of the web of the U.S. As you can see, there are many more birds wanting and waiting to break free. Hopefully this blog can help lead the way for others.

Nepal

Nepal has been a wonderful shelter for me throughout the past six years. I have met some amazing people in all my travels, but Nepal is a place where you can meet them everywhere you go, every single day. Whether in Pokhara or the Annapurnas, or Kathmandu, or Lumbini, or Solukhumbu, wherever I go I have made some of the closest friends that I know.  Even though I am constantly coming and going, I know that my friendships here will always last and that is a “comfort” for me to remember. I am sure that I will be back soon.

In the past three months, I have gone from Kyoto, Japan to Kathmandu where I spent my first week in Bauddhanath near the stupa. Afterwards, I spent one month in Lumbini sitting a course at Dhama Janani and afterwards 16 days at the Korean monastery helping light candles for the Chinese New Year. After this I spent around 17 days in Pokhara, doing yoga and meditation at my good friends Asanga and Durga’s Sadhana Yoga. Lastly, I sat one satipattana course in Kathmandu and have been waiting the past week for my Indian visa. The past eight days I have spent at the Razzmatazz guesthouse near Durbar Square in Kathmandu. I have stayed all over this city, and this has been one of the best places so far with an extremely welcoming staff. I highly suggest anyone coming here to try it out.

I collected the visa today and so will be heading off this morning on a bus to Sunauli where I will then take another bus across the border to Gorakpur. And lastly, I will be taking the night train to Varanasi. It will probably be a warm welcome to the wild land of India. Two years ago, when I was in India, it was hot as hot can be. But somehow my body adjusted and eventually I began to like the heat. I hope this will be the same pattern as last time, but who knows. Bring it on.

I’m not for sure when I will get to post again. Probably 24-48 hours from now. From then on I will begin making additions and deductions from the Dana bank. I am pretty sure the initial Bitcoin donation link is now up. Here is a link that should work. I’ll write a long post soon about the implications of accepting bitcoins on a blog such as this. This is the first time that I am dealing with them so I’ll slowly be learning.

I humbly ask God and Dharma to put me in touch with the holy people of India, whether high or low caste, so that I may experience a truly epic and spiritual journey through this magnificent and historical country.

Blessed.

I will participate in the game. It is a wonderful, wonderful opera – except that it hurts. – Joseph Campbell, The Power of Myth

Om Gan Ganapataya Namah:  http://chirb.it/6Gh0bF

A Spiritual Revolution Cometh… Part 1

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Originally posted May 9th, 2015

Nothing great has ever been accomplished in the world without passion. – Georg Hegel

Vrindaven

Day 17

I tend to contemplate a lot about what I believe is coming in the near future. I call it the “Spiritual Revolution”. It’s not so much that I think about it, it has sort of embedded itself into my consciousness or vision of the future and it’s not showing any signs of going anywhere. I thought I would share a bit about what I see as an impetus, as well as what could possibly happen a few years into the “revolution.”

The details and date are not yet set in stone, but the assuredness that it will happen is quite concrete in my mind. I will do a multi-part series on the topic. To understand me, it may help to understand the world that I see coming. If you like what you read, aspire with me. Combined aspirations bring about change faster especially if the visions and “dreams” are pure.

Objectively, looking at the path that we are on, with meditation, yoga, and other purification techniques spreading across the globe like wildfire, it is hard for me to imagine that it will all be for naught, that there won’t be some sort of momentous culmination or change coming soon. One of the “coolest” things about this revolution is very few people, unless you have similar beliefs as me, will see it coming. It is going to sneak up on us and change our world faster than we can possibly imagine.

Because of what it entails, who it entails, and the significant ramifications of the events, it will be predictable in some ways and unpredictable in others. Although I may be wrong in certain specifics, I am confident I will not be wrong in generalities. Some may think it will be far in the future, but I am of the belief it is right around the corner.

I’d like to start it with this prediction. A teacher will come along somewhere in the world, it doesn’t matter where. This teacher will have found what was once lost. He or she will have discovered the key to reaching the highest states of the spiritual ladder in a short amount of time. The key to “going home”. And the biggest key of all, to teach others how to reach this level themselves, whoever and wherever they are. This is the key that has been lost. Most believe it takes a lifetime, but I do not believe this is the case. Two things are very important which have been lost; the ability to teach anyone in the world and in a very short amount of time.

The message or “key” that has been lost is that there is a perfect form of meditation and furthermore a perfect way to perform the perfect meditation. When the two are combined, taught by a perfect teacher, transformation can happen extremely rapidly. Once the highest levels are reached, they are permanent and lasting and cannot be undone.

Through their teachings, they will “create” hundreds or thousands of other teachers with their same capacity without diminishment. These people will then spread out to the four corners of the globe to further spread the “key”. It will be much like a virus, only holy and heavenly. Once the first comes along, it will be impossible to stop it from spreading and there will be no way to bring the revolution to an early and disappointing close.

The revolution will be characterized by a lack of leadership and hierarchy and those who have reached this level will be “protected” to carry on “the plan” because their karmic loops have been deleted. They will have “no more strings attached” and full “free will” will be their gift to use. This person that is coming and those that are “unlocked” will be characterized by one main attribute: Perfection. I know many people will dismiss this idea, that perfection is impossible, but this idea has been spread by imperfect people. They will exude love, peace, and inspiration wherever they go.

The very fact that “perfect” individuals have existed throughout history should give proof that more will exist in the future. We just have never seen any of them within our lifetimes. I love how Eckart Tolle describes it in The Power of Now. He talks about how millions of years ago there was no such thing as flowers. There were only plants, but eventually one day the first flower came about through evolution. No one was there to appreciate it, but it was there. Eventually there were beautiful flowers covering the globe. This is the same as with humanity. We have seen a few “flowers” here and there throughout history. It is only a matter of time before the “flowers” of humanity cover the entire globe.

The seed of this perfection is equal and existent in every single being, regardless of race, class, gender, or genus. The revolution may be initiated by one, but it will be carried by many. The spirituality of the current moment is just like a “web” trying to catch this single person necessary for it to begin. For the first time in our lives, we will see genuine miracles happening across the world. For the first time, we will have people around who will be flawless in every sense of the word. Many people will for the first time have a true example to look up to and aspire to be like. Many will for the first time have someone to trust. Perhaps, there are some on this earth who have never trusted anyone in their life before. If it is their genuine wish, they will become flawless too and will be carriers of the message to others. The message will be an open book for all to read.

Inspiration has always been the source for change in the world. Inspiration leads to passion. Currently, we have lost our inspiration as a whole. When we find it again, this time in quantities never seen before, it will change the world rapidly in every aspect. Tomorrow I will explain how this inspiration will change the world and present some theories that may or may not come true.

Everyone is waiting on it to come,
especially the ones we cannot see.
Take it from me, if you want to believe,
I can show you a view of the shining sea.

A Spiritual Revolution Cometh Part 2

Originally posted May 11th, 2015

Vrindaven, India

Day 20

In the last post, I described what must be the impetus for a true spiritual revolution to occur. Any type of “manufactured” revolution like we have seen throughout the world the past few decades, brought upon by an external agency, is doomed to failure, especially spiritually. A true “spiritual revolution” must follow the steps that I listed yesterday. It has happened in the past and will happen again in the future. Today I would like to speculate a bit on what might occur after the revolution has begun and specifically within the U.S.A.

I would like to reemphasize the point once again that “ideas” precede actualities from taking place. Perhaps these new “ideas” are the first time that some have been heard and that after contemplated and aspired towards, can actually happen in the future. Or perhaps these are old ideas that have been forgotten or are no longer considered plausible so are no longer aspired towards. The changes that will occur will be purely because of inspiration. People as well as entire countries will change because they are inspired to do so. There will be a new possible way of life that did not exist before. Changes will happen on their own and they will be “guided” by pure aspirations.

Meditation Mecca

It is important to understand the difference between a revolution where people are inspired to change their lives, rather than one where people are persuaded or obligated to change. People will be inspired and will request that they have the opportunity to change. The U.S. will slowly transform into a spiritual or meditation Mecca of sorts. When people truly understand the benefits that come from meditation, mentally and physically, centers will begin to pop up across the country at an insanely fast rate. It will be breathtaking to watch it happen so fast.

Government Reform

I like to consider new possible ways that the government could change in the U.S. and the world. I believe a new form of government will emerge starting in the U.S. that is a combination of libertarian and socialist/communist beliefs. Most will probably read this last sentence and roll their eyes, but wait. We are already living in this sort of paradigm, it is just not official. Two opposite sides of the spectrum are already operating within the government. It is not so far fetched that this will become official in the future.

Perhaps half the population wants some sort of libertarian government where they are left alone. The other half wants the government to take care of them and to provide for their basic necessities. I do not see how either side will ever “win” this argument and will convert the other side. So why not allow both forms to exist, side-by-side, with no strings attached? People can have the right to be left alone and to go about their business without the intrusion of the government or if they like they can accept support from the government in the forms of free food, free housing, free healthcare, free education, free everything for whoever wants it. If you don’t want it that’s perfectly fine. Most will once again roll their eyes at this, but I believe this will happen.

People can choose to be half-libertarian and half-socialist, accepting limited support and still being free to do as they please. People can go back and forth without being looked down upon by anyone. If you are doing well and do not want to accept help, that is fine. If you are down on your luck and need help, then it will be provided. We have plenty of resources in the U.S. and throughout the world, we have just not learned to properly utilize or distribute them without wastefulness. Once this is taken care of, the sky is the limit.  When fully purified minds are put into leadership or management roles, unimaginable things can be accomplished. This was true for my teacher’s teacher Sayagi U Ba Kin of Burma who at one point was the head of four government departments at the same time because he was so effective.

In a recent study, it was found out that 1/3 of all food is wasted in the world. This percentage is probably higher in the United States. When this comes to a stop, it will be easy to provide free healthy food for whoever would like it. There are millions of empty or abandoned homes in the U.S., and many people own too many homes that are their “vacation homes” or just “investment properties”. There is no reason why their should be so many homeless when we have so many open homes across the country with millions more being built every year.

I believe there will be a big movement of turning old homes into new modern efficient ones, as well as building new cheap affordable housing for anyone that wants it. A full “tiny” home can now be built for a few thousand dollars. I see no reason why this price couldn’t drop further and anyone that wanted to  own a home could have one.

This is very important change in my opinion. The obligation to work will be removed. People’s work,  when it is obligated or compelled for whatever reason, is usually a very low quality. People who want to work, on the other hand, their work is a very high quality. The idea that we must have this extremely low unemployment rate will no longer be important. If people want to stay home with family, they can. If people want to work a farm and grow vegetables without worrying about how they are going to make it, they can. If they want to practice meditation or spirituality everyday, they can. If they want to create art, or write, or make films, or play sports, they can. This is true freedom. People should not be obligated or compelled to work if they do not want to. Of course, many people love their work and love to work and so they will be allowed to work.

Technological and Healthcare Reform

Greed and corruption will eventually be extinguished by inspiration and spiritual purification, which will eventually lead to the natural extinction of a “for-profit” business model.  Technologies that either have been “held back” from society because of their probability of taking market-share and profits from the major corporations will be released into society. Those that have not been thought up yet, will also be discovered as human beings will be thinking “more clearly” than they have before.

One major technology will be “free energy” that will change the world as we know it. This technology is either known or will be known soon from now, but it has not been allowed to be released because of the ramifications it will have on the energy producers in all fields. People like Elon Musk and others are already challenging the major energy producers by releasing energy cells for home and car use. Huge increases in renewable energy sources like solar and wind are occurring everyday. Furthermore, it is only a matter of time before fusion becomes widely adaptable. Fusion and energy cells equals free energy for all.

One day people will look back at the US healthcare system and think that it was all one big joke. The idea of a “for-profit” business model when it comes to pharmaceutical companies and hospitals is repugnant to me at the moment. People are literally dying just so others can make a few extra dollars for whatever reason. There are cures for every known disease (I believe), but they are not released because it would not make financial sense to the pharmaceutical companies. Anytime they are discovered, they are “held back” by whoever is funding the research and those that try to make them public “disappear” before it can happen.

They dont make money on cures, they make money on treatments and keeping people sick. It is ridiculous to contemplate. This will change however and people will be cured of their diseases. If the cures are not created yet, they will be soon. Furthermore, meditation has the ability alone to cure nearly any disease, physically or mentally. These combined will radically transform the healthcare system.

As people become healthier and the profit motive drops from healthcare and Big-Pharma, a huge amount of money will be free for other purposes. A visit “from a doctor” and not “to a doctor” will once again become a rare occurrence. These former megalith buildings can be transformed into housing, distribution centers, or meditation teaching centers. The only way for-profit healthcare has survived in the U.S. is because of lobbyists (which will also become extinct) and perhaps inventing new illnesses, whether physically or imaginatively.

In the future, there will not exist this huge movement to prolong life past certain ages. When people realize that once they die, they are going to “be alright” there will not be this huge attachment for their current body and life. Why hang on to “old clothes” when new ones are waiting for you in the next life?

Law Reform

One of the main things that I see happening is all laws that have been passed beyond the ones expressly stated in the constitution will be done away with the stroke of a pen. America will once again be the land of the free. 🙂 No strings attached.

The income tax will be revoked as it is already an illegal tax as it is. The original income tax was passed because it was going to pay for a specific war or project in our past. Now 100% of the income tax goes to pay the interest on our national debt, which is specifically illegal. People will once again keep 100% of their earnings. Production will skyrocket because of this alone. Perhaps excise taxes will still be charged for certain things; aka people who drive pay a gas tax to maintain the roads. Eventually though, all taxes will be unnecessary. I won’t go into exactly why at the time.

I believe all drugs will be legalized soon after the spiritual revolution occurs. The war on drugs has been a complete failure since it’s inception. When will we realize that if people want drugs they are going to find them? Criminalizing drug possession or usage is one of the greatest failures of the past century. We must treat the underlying causes. There are now very simple methods to purify addiction, whatever it may be for and however strong the case.

Drugs will first be completely legal and swiftly they will become less and less used until they eventually become extinct. The only reason that the drug war is still going on is two reasons. Pharmaceutical companies have a ton to lose from marijuana and other drugs being legal and there are plenty of people in government who are paid “under-the-table” from the profits that illegal drugs bring in.

Prison Reform

In the United States, we currently have the greatest prison population that the world has ever seen. There are around 2.5 million prisoners and another 5 million parolees spread across the United States. Furthermore, we have moved into a for-profit prison system where the more prisoners there are, the more someone is actually make money off of them and charging the taxpayers.

I believe meditation courses will be implemented in all prisons and for parolees as a way to bring down a sentence. This is already happening in the U.S., in India, and other countries around the world. As soon as the higher levels of spirituality are achieved and verified, the prisoners will be rendered unable to perform malicious acts of violence or crime and can then be released back into society with their slates cleaned and records expunged, regardless of past crimes and sentences. They will be treated the same as everyone else. They can and will no longer be threats to society because of the transformations that have taken place within. It’s dharmically impossible. Prisoners will become a rare breed, until they are extinct. The former prisons can also be easily converted into either housing or meditation centers.

Corporation and Financial Reform

I believe corporations will be treated the way that they used to do a hundred years ago or so. Corporations used to not be a permanent part of life. They would come and go when they were necessary for a specific reason. Corporations would have to prove that they were doing something for the common good of the people. They would have to apply for their corporate status once every year and would have to show what they did during the previous year. This is a much better system in my opinion.

The idea that a corporation can exist just to make money would make our founders roll in their graves. If we went back to the laws that existed before, every single one of the banks and Wall Street companies that are sucking America dry would lose their charters and only the companies which provided specific reasons in helping people would be allowed to stay. We are already starting to see signs of corporations changing back to this paradigm and many are very important for our day-to-day life.

Competition is perfectly ok when it comes to developing the best product for the best price. It is not ok when we corporations compete to hoard wealth. The market and financial system propagate this world. Competition for who has or can make the most money. Competition over who is the best con men. That is all it is. A big con and everyone is in on it. It’s only a matter of time before it fails. Once it does, it will never be built again and the world will be an infinitely better place.

The very idea that one can make millions or billions of dollars with a few clicks of a keyboard is a travesty. Anyone that doesn’t feel bad about this ability has little to no objective ability and can’t empathize with those who toil and sweat for their own hard-earned money. I have worked in the financial industry and when I reached a point where I was making “crazy money” I gave it up, realizing that it was just building my ego and separating me from people who actually have to work for their money.  I will say with 100% assuredness the current financial system of trading public stocks, commodities, and bonds will not last for another few decades from now.

Immigration Reform

I believe the U.S. will be the first country to allow un-restricted visa-free access to every single human being of the world. The free amenities, including food, housing, healthcare, etc. will also be offered to every immigrant. Our country has more land and resources than India or China and yet we have 1 billion less people in our country!  There are literally millions and millions of un-used acres within the U.S. What other reason would they be there then for them to eventually be used for people to spread out and to learn to grow their own food, etc.?

Military and Law Enforcement Reform

I would be surprised if in 20 years from now our police and military was even 5% the size of what it is now. Hard to believe, but I think it is true. What need when there are no more criminals and no wars to fight? The spiritual revolution will “connect the world” in that we will no longer see other countries as our enemies, but as our brothers and sisters. We will be sorry for the damage and conflict that we have waged for such a long time. The money saved from our military expenditures will be enough to pay countries back for the damages that we have caused.

Furthermore, there will no longer be this cops vs. citizens war that is currently going on. The fear will be removed on both sides.  Crime will cease to exist because of the amount of inspiration that is exuded in every community within the United States. Once again, people will be connected like never before.

Overall:

Because of the huge amount of money saved from healthcare, protecting our borders, paying for wars and the police state, imprisoning civilians, wasteful and needless bureaucratic expenditures, fighting a “drug war”, money stolen by Wall Street, we will have plenty to pay down the national debt and plenty leftover to use for free food, housing, healthcare, etc. for anyone that comes to the U.S.A. It may seem far-fetched, but something like this will occur.

Some may read this and think I am delusional. I would only ask you to consider these to be “possibilities” that may occur. In the future, I believe the best possibilities are more likely to come true, however likely. If this is true, then these speculations are more then likely to happen. I’d like to apologize at the “unpolishedness” of this post. I’ve been quite sick recently and so my “polishing” skill is not at full capacity. I wanted to get a post like this up before I served the vipassana course though so here it is. I will be back at 100% once the course is finished with plenty of new ideas and realizations to share.

Have you ever seen a tree or plant waving at you? Occasionally, when I go for walks in nature, I can find trees and plants that seem to be waving at me. To see them, it helps to be a windless day. They are characterized by the entire tree or plant to be relatively still and a single branch or leave shakes profusely and it looks very much like a “wave”. Every time I see them it makes me happy and I always wave back. See if you can find any waving trees!

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The Inevitability of the Return – Part 1 – Originally posted June 5th, 2015

“Fightin’ for Fightin’s Sake”

The man walked along the dusty road with his hand on a holster and his mind on God. The road led to where he was supposed to meet the “council” to discuss what “councilors” talk about; real important stuff.

Turning off the road onto a canopied driveway, the man felt in the back of his mind he was being watched. Granted he always felt like he was being watched, especially with them damned satellites constantly following his implanted “microchip”. All the past soldiers had them or so he believed. His problem was even the x-rays could not spot his to take out. He was sure it was there somewhere.

After the “War on Terror” ended, the bases shut down across the world and the troops all came home. All of them. He had been a sniper for the Marine Corp doing one tour in Iraq and one tour in the Ukraine. Now he worked as a volunteer firefighter in the small town of Bingston, Arkansas.

The meeting point was an old barn turned machine shop for car reconstruction and the occasional bomb-build. Whatever one needed for either job could be found there. He crossed over the Stone Creek bridge and in front of him the octagon-shaped rusty barn laid in semi ruin. He approached slowly, going from tree to tree, checking to make sure no funny business was brewing otherwise he would have to pop out the trusty .44 Mag.

He could have gone in through the front, but decided against it and crawled under the bull fence to go around to the side entrance. He stepped into the barn through a door built as a horse entrance. The rest of the group must have been waiting for him for some time. He snuck in slowly without anyone being aware. A giant of man was sitting on top of a stack of square hay-bails looking out a window near the front entrance.

“Hey!”, shouted the sneaking man with a surprise.

Nearly losing his balance and falling off the hay-bails, the giant man was obviously shooken up. “Why you… “, he thought better about what he was going to say. “Where the hell you been Earl? You’re late…”

“You know I gotta be careful leaving town Samson. You forget who I work for?”, responded Earl.

“Nah, I didn’t forget… but maybe you are just being too paranoid again.”

“Paranoid? How can you call me paranoid when you are the one tryin’ to use some got-damn dove to deliver Timmy messages cause you think they still tracking our cellphones?”, said Earl.

“It’s a good idea if you ask me. They are still tracking our cellphones, no matter what they say. That ole libertarian wannabe president may seem like a good ole boy, but you know who is backin’ him.” He paused and stared at Earl with his eyebrows raised. Whisperingly cupping his hands around his mouth, Samson said, “The big one.”

“I know who is backing him. And because of that, we are losing strength everyday. Joshua quit last week and Mary-Anne the week before. Now there is just you, me, and the Timster. Where is that joker anyways?”

A squeaky-looking man in his early 20s slid out from under the 1950 pink Thunderbird covered under years of dust.

“I think I can get her fixed up again. Could maybe get three or four-thousand credits out of her easy-peazy.”

This was Timmy, a wild-eyed red-headed greasehead with a slight lisp.

“I’m gonna buy me one of them new hoverboards. Been wanting one real bad ever since I saw Tony Hawk ride across the English Channel. You see that vid? 1080s over waves man!”

Earl walked towards the tool table while shaking his head. “Yeah I saw it, but we need the money for more important things….”

“Like what?”

“Like bullets. That’s what. You know how damn hard it is to find .308 shells for my Winny these days? Some hoverboard bullshit don’t matter at this moment. What matters is stemmin’ the tide.”

Samson jumped down from the hay-bails and landed a few feet from Earl. “Stemmin’ the tide of what?”

“Of people going to the other side of course.” He paused and picked up a scope on the table. Looking through the lens he could pinpoint a squirrel eating some nuts on the post outside. “Every since he performed all those honkey-dorey miracles on 5th avenue, we can’t keep even our grandma from converting to their new religion. What do they call him now?”

“Some are callin him the Savior, some call him Matri-somethun, some the 2nd comin’…”, Timmy responded.

“And yet he calls himself just a man…” Samson broke in.

“Just a man? Yeah right just a man. What is their group going by now-a-days? The Forgiveness movement or Unification of Religions… seems to change everyday”, said Earl.

“I watched one of his speeches the other day and…”, Timmy responded but was immediately shouted at by Earl stepping quickly his way.

“You what? I told you no watching ANY of his speeches. He has a way of converting through pure psy-onic waves through the computer and television. I seen it myself. My sister went from a hater to a bonafide A.C. lovin’ piece of white trash in 24 hours… I seen it myself. I told her to find a new trailer park to live in.”

Earl walked through the middle of the barn with his head down trying to muster up the charisma for a speech to bolster his troops.

“It is up to us now to stop him and this movement. There is no one left. Literally everyone in the world has given their allegiance to him and his followers. The Islamists, the Jews, those meditatin’ Buddha-lovers, the damn Hindus, and even the freaking Pope and his mass of followers. We true Christians know who he is… he ain’t Jesus or the 2nd coming that’s for damned sure! If he was, I would know, best darn believe.”

The group was trying to get pumped up, but Earl’s speeches were slightly hollow as of late with the loss of support from his sister Mary-Anne. A topic he didn’t want to further discuss.

“Well, the world sure has changed since he came. Not necessarily in such a bad way…”, Timmy hesitantly pointed out. “The people… they seem to love him.”

“I don’t give a rat’s ass who they love… he is the Devil in disguise. You know what it says in the good book, he will be a charismatic figure who rises quickly and takes power. It’s him! No doubt about it. We have to stop him! It says so in the book!”

“You are right… it says so in the book, but what if… what if the book is wrong?”, said Samson with a question on his face. “He doesn’t seem to be so bad.”

Earl’s face turned a bright shade of red and moved towards Samson so fast he was like a cheetah coming to his prey. Shoving Samson against the table of tools and standing on his tippy-toes. Although Samson was big, he wasn’t too smart, nor courageous enough to stand up to the former sniper. “What did you just say? You are doubting the word of God?”

“Not doubting… just… questioning. I just don’t want to fight just for fightin’s sake, you know?”

“Listen… I’ll fight until I can’t fight no longer… I don’t give a damn who they say he is. I know he is the damn anti-Christ and my Bible tells me Jesus is a comin’ soon to stop him. Nuff said!”

“So what are we going to do next?” asked Timmy.

“I’ll tell you what we are going to do next… I hear from the department that one of those ‘Enlight-gineers’ is coming to Little Rock soon. I say we put a b-u-l-l-e-t in his b-rain. What do you think about that?”

Samson had an averse look on his face, but shook his head up and down with consent. Timmy smiled and giggled. “A bullet in his brain. A bullet in his brain. Let’s take the horse-train to put a bullet in his brain!” He jumped up-and-down and ran to the gun case.

Earl beat him to it and pushed him aside before he could reach it. He lifted a necklace out from his sweaty white t-shirt with a key attached. He used the key on the gun case and slowly opened the two revolving doors. There, well cleaned and by its lonesome was a tactical .308 Winchester hunting rifle, used for deer, hogs, and the occasional human being.

“Enough is enough. We ride for Little Rock in the morning,” Earl told the others with a grin.

These three were what was left of the leadership of God’s Chosen, a ragtag rebel group fighting against the “One World Order” conspiring all along with the US government and specifically against a man they believed to be the risen “anti-Christ”. One small problem for them is there was no one fighting back. In the past revolutions there has always been a “You’re either with us or against us” mentality. In the latest “spiritual revolution” as they were calling it, there has been no one forcing anyone to change. Even worse most of their old “friends” were all for it and were actually supporting the “new way of life” that had emerged.

Perhaps since no one forced anyone to change, more people were prone to join their cause, or were doing so whenever they were ready. The God’s Chosen didn’t care… They were fighting because they believed fighting was the right thing to do, and they weren’t going to give up so easily. They were not going to fall for the “guvement” or “his” tricks any longer. Now was there time to start fighting back. This is their tale.

 

Blessed.