Capitalist salesman Kevin Trudeau says he was initiated into uncle's "The Brotherhood"
Feel the feelings without clinging to them.
There is a saying we should all know. For by knowing it, we can love it and live it. Kevin Trudeau [Hevin' True Dough?] the miracle way to happiness is to take 100% responsibility for everything that happens to us.
"Well, that's impossible!" we may exclaim. "I can't be responsible for what others do to me!" Are we going to wait for them and react accordingly? Wouldn't it be better to act as if everything that happens to us were our fault?
"The buck stops here." If it stops here with me then it starts here with me, too. That is a good and useful way to approach "karma" -- the POWER OF OUR DEEDS TO PRODUCE RESULTS (eventual fruit and immediate mental resultants), now and in the interminable future.
Rather than wasting time wondering if everything is our fault, the advice given to successful Trudeau was to act as if everything were our fault. Love it. Live it. Because when we do, we will see a miracle.
There's no more waiting for the universe or others or anything to do things. It's just us.
Blue Monday is on Jan. 19 this year: Blue Monday is the name given to the third Monday in January by former Cardiff University health psychologist [1] Cliff Arnall in 2005 [2, 3, 4]. Prof Arnall is a current member of The British Psychological Society (BPS) [5]. It is said by UK travel company Sky Travel to be the most depressing day of the year. It takes into account weather conditions and only applies to the Northern Hemisphere temperate zones. More
For example, say a gal were lost on a desert island in the middle of the sea. Should she wait for lunch, or ruminate about who's to blame for her getting there? Is there anything to learn from being there? Are those coconuts just going to climb down?
Get up, dig for fresh water, find a way to scramble up the palm tree, bring a broken rock to cut down a coconut, which provides purified drinking fluid full of electrolytes and protein rich healthy fats in a delicious gel. Keep the shells. They'll come in handy for lots of things. Take a dip in the sea and gather some seaweed. Lay it out in the sun, which will make it very taste. Then the herb, root, fruit, and vegetable hunt begins. There's gathering to be done. Fire and cooking will come soon, and this forsaken wilderness will be converted into a paradise, a Blue Lagoon (based on the novel The Blue Lagoon).
Oh, but doesn't it feel so much better to feel sorry for ourselves?
What is Blue Monday?
Each January, a certain Monday carries a reputation for being the year’s most emotionally difficult day.
Known as "Blue Monday," it’s often linked with low moods, depleted motivation, and a post-holiday slump.
While the idea started as a publicity stunt, it has since become an annual reminder of something real and important: Mental health matters – especially when days are short and emotions feel heavy. In 2026, Blue Monday falls on January 19th.
Ram Dass (Dr. Richard Alpert) in India, meets guru
What is it? Blue Monday 2026 is observed on the third Monday in January and is often described as “the saddest day of the year.”
The label may be more symbolic than scientific, but the feelings it points to are common. After the holidays, many people experience a dip – financially, emotionally, and physically.
Cold weather, shorter daylight hours, and pressure to stick to resolutions can all contribute. More
The Buddhist Way to Give at Christmas | No stress, just pure joy
(Buddha's Wisdom)
Dec. 23, 2025: What if we could give at Christmas without stress, guilt, or keeping score?
🎁 CHRISTMAS DOESN'T HAVE TO FEEL HEAVY.
DISCOVER HOW BUDDHIST WISDOM CAN TRANSFORM GIVING.
For 2,600+ years, Buddhists have practiced dāna (letting go, giving, sharing, generosity, charity), the art of generous giving that liberates both giver and receiver.
This ancient wisdom offers a profound alternative to the anxiety, obligation, and reciprocity calculations that often shadow modern Christmas giving.
Through Buddhist teachings, human psychology, and everyday Christmas moments, this video shows how giving without attachment changes not only the holiday season…but the mind/heart behind it.
📿 DISCOVER:
The ancient practice of dāna and its three stages of joy (before, during, and after giving)
Why expecting gratitude turns giving into stress
Why the Buddha said the "gift of Dhamma [the Teaching, Doctrine, Dharma] surpasses all other gifts" and what this means for our Western pagan holiday we call Christmas (Christ's mass)
The three moods of giving: reluctant, calculated, and free (and which one we're actually practicing)
The hidden emotional contracts behind Christmas gifts
How to give, and receive, without pressure, debt, or obligation
🙏 If this changes how you experience Christmas this year, subscribe to Buddha's Wisdom for weekly explorations of ancient practices that address modern life. The next video might be exactly what someone needs
⏱️ TIMESTAMPS:
00:00 Christmas magic meets Buddhist wisdom
01:19 The Christmas giving paradox
03:19 What is Dāna? The Buddhist art of generosity
06:13 The three moods of giving
11:01 How to practice dāna at Christmas
17:29 The ultimate Buddhist Christmas gift
19:30 The one gift experiment
📱 JOIN COMMUNITY:
Instagram (buddhaswizdom), Facebook (buddhaswizdom), X (x.com/BuddhasWizdom), Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/show/5ndnBU5...), TikTok (buddhas.wisdom). ☕ Support the channel:
buymeacoffee.com/buddhaswisdom
ALD Teens Skate Day x Altadena Boys
Saturday, Nov. 8, 2025, 1:00–3:00 pm
Free event featuring a pro skater, lessons, food
ALD Teens Skate Day x Altadena Boys
Location Main Library Parking Lot
Audience Tween (8-12 years old), Teen (8th-12th grade). Come be in community. Watch a pro skater shred, get a quick skate session (if a liability form has been signed), and enjoy the vibes!
STAND UP FOR ALTADENA, Wednesday, Nov. 12, 2025, 7:00 pm
Featuring: Marc Maron, Frankie Quinones, Robby Hoffman, Ron Funches, Dulce Sloan, Beth Stelling, Chris Garcia.
Comedy: Stand Up for Altadena
Stand Up for Altadena Comedy Show with Marc Maron and Friends
All proceeds from tickets ($30) go toward Greenline Housing Foundation's Eaton Fire Relief
Eagles Hall, 455 E. Woodbury Rd., Altadena, Los Angeles County, California 91001
SK8 HAVEN
Pro skaters, resources, instructors, autism spectrum/ADHD-friendly Sk8 HAVEN coaches will be on site. Teens on the autism/ADHD spectrum can come earlier (12:30-1:00 pm) to sign up for skateboard coaching.
EVENTS: 1:00–1:20 pm → Welcome + Free Skate
1:20–1:40 pm → Pro Demo (introduce skater)
1:40–2:15 pm → Mini Clinics (basics for beginners, trick session for advanced teens)
2:15–2:45 pm → Open skate
2:45–3:00 pm → Thank Yous + Group Photo.
If participants want to partake in the skating sessions/lessons, they must have a parent/guardian sign an ALD Liability Form. No exceptions.
What began with one child's generosity has grown into a movement. When Samantha Mora shared the story of boys affected by the Eaton Canyon fires with his 8-year-old son Logan, the response was immediate:
"He can have my Xbox and PC!"
That selfless moment sparked a realization: if one child were willing to give his prized possessions to help another, how powerful could a community-wide effort become?
On January 12, @AltadenaBoys was born with a simple Instagram post. By January 17—just five days later—it hosted its first pop-up donation event, proving that the community was ready to rally behind boys in need.
What began as a response to a specific crisis has evolved into a broader mission to support boys' well-being throughout our community. Website: altadenaboys.com
There's a small Cat in a tall Hat, and that's that.
Discover Alan Watts' profound insight into the Western illusion of meaning and the freedom found in Eastern surrendering to life’s mystery. In this powerful lecture from his 1959 TV seriesEastern Wisdom and Modern Life, Watts explains why our desperate "search" for purpose can often lead us AWAY from true peace.
Embrace the present, let go of control, and understand why [the sense of] nonsense might just be the key to enlightenment.
In 1958, Watts toured parts of Europe with his father, meeting the Swiss psychiatrist Carl Jung and the German psychotherapist Karlfried Graf Dürckheim [29]. Upon returning to California and the Bay Area in the United States, Watts recorded two seasons of a TV series (1959–1960) for KQED public television in San Francisco, Eastern Wisdom and Modern Life [30]. More
Jon Stewart on Trump’s heel turn on Zelenski in favor of Putin’s New World Order | The Daily Show
(The Daily Show) March 3, 2025: Jon Stewart dives into the Oval Office meeting between Trump, Vance, and Zelenski, which shocked viewers more than John Cena's heel-turn. Plus, Jon calls bullsh*t on Elon Musk's challenge to an interview. #DailyShow #JonStewart #Zelenskyy
Trump berates Zelenski, Vance wants thanks, Jimmy's Oscars recap, drunk Guillermo on the Red Carpet
(Jimmy Kimmel Live) March 3, 2025: The Oscars were across the street last night and there was an earthquake afterward, boring Adrien Brody won best actor for his work in The Brutalist and gave the longest acceptance speech in Academy Awards history, Kieran Culkin won for best supporting actor and used the speech to remind his wife that she promised him another baby if he ever won an Oscar, Conan O'Brien did a so-so job as host, so so-so that Jay Leno is being offered the position for next year, the word of the year on the carpet was “giving,” the meeting between Pres. Trump and Ukraine's Pres. Zelenski was as embarrassing as it gets, top-flight journalist Brian Green from the venerable Real America’s Voice asked the most obnoxious question ever about Zelensky’s outfit, JD Vance jumped in saying Zelensky hasn’t thanked us even though he has at least 94 times, Ladybug Lindsey Graham and all the other POTUS parasites circled the wagons, JD celebrated his Zelensky sucker punch by taking a ski trip to Vermont where he was heavily protested, and Guillermo hits the Oscars Red Carpet for his annual tequila fueled report with Hollywood’s biggest stars.
Simpsons' fun predictions for 2025
(Top 5 Best) March 1, 2025: The Simpsons is just a cartoon TV show. It knows nothing, predicts, nothing and is not made by a bunch of writers in and around Hollywood. It's just that sometimes there are coincidences, uncanny alignments with reality, and predictive programming.
DISCLAIMER:
The content presented is intended solely for entertainment purposes. This video compilation may draw upon facts, rumors, and fiction, so viewers should not interpret any part of the content as factual or definitive information. Enjoy responsibly.
For copyright matters, please contact through email. Space being infinite, there's always a chance that one comes across something that will blow the mind and give one goosebumps.
How this content was made: Altered or synthetic content. Sound and visuals were significantly edited or digitally generated.
The shaman climbed the mountain, gathered sacred flowering herbs and berries along the way -- Datura moonflowers, toloache, Brugmansia angel's-trumpets, Salvia apianakasiile sage, toyon, holly -- until delirium overwhelmed him with lurid and ecstatic visions of hell and heaven. Then he returned to the human world.
Word spread of him. People asked, "Is it true, as they say, that you have seen hell?"
"I have."
"What's it like?"
"It's hideous, ironic, horror beyond imagination," the shaman winced to relive, nearly blinded by his recollection:
When do we eat? - We're eaten.
"There's food everywhere, but no one eats, and drink aplenty, but no one drinks. There are long wooden spoons with which to partake, but their bodies have only tiny appendages for arms, too short to bring such elongated spoons up to their shriveled lips. Parched slaver forms ashes in their mouths, and bodies waste away. Struggle as they might, everything goes to wrack and ruin. They bellow in agony."
The people shrank away, with growing acreage dedicated to burying their discarded surplus, collapsing under smoldering heaps of trash.
"And heaven?" asked the hopeful. "Is it true, as they say, that you have seen heaven?"
"I have."
"And what's it like?" they pleaded.
"Heaven," the shaman revealed, "is exactly the same."
"What!?" cried the people. "The same? Surely that is no heaven!"
How they faced one another.
"There is one difference," the shaman went on to explain.
"In heaven, there is an abundance of food and drink, long wooden spoons, and bodies with tiny appendages too short to bring these utensils up to their mouths. But the beings there, without hesitation, use the long spoons to feed one another.
"There is no want. No request goes unanswered, no desire unfulfilled. Acts of kindness overflow as do the spoons. Spoon fed and cared for, there are continuous cries of gratitude and rejoicing as beings fall over one another to be the first to give.
Time to eat? - For us? - No, for them.
"There is food, and they eat. There is drink, and they drink, and they relish their bounty and diversity. They care for one another, nourish one another, thank one another. The sweetness of their caresses, gentleness of their words, and kindness of their eyes," the shaman wept to recall, "make the place so beautiful that I only wish I could show one world to the other."
Southern California's shocking new Autofire: This is beyond normal
(JR Cuyam)
Breaking: A new fire has erupted next to Los Angeles in Ventura County, leaving devastation in its wake. This video shows the latest updates and exclusive footage sourced from international media, capturing the scale and intensity of this unfolding disaster. Stay informed as we dive into the impact on the local community and the ongoing burn.
Jon Stewart calls out GOP hypocrisy with L.A. wildfire disaster relief | The Daily Show
(The Daily Show) Jan. 13, 2025: Jon Stewart examines how Trump's finger-pointing and the GOP's (Republican Party's) threats to withhold disaster relief for the L.A. wildfires are missing the bigger picture: nature is f**ked, and helping those in pain shouldn't be a political issue. #DailyShow #LA #Wildfire #GOP
COMMENTS
(@RobinLee-kb3xj) Do you remember what happened in the Maui fires? The poor lost everything, even their land. We all know who bought the land. It sure wasn't the poor people of Maui.
(@deeprollingriver52)
I can barely stand to listen to the politicians.
(@jmldreamer)
Fires starting miles and miles apart? Like 10 and 20 miles apart is no coincidence!
(@raybrock5917) Gov. Newsom is already talking to investors. This is no accident.
Capitalism (via the Hallmark Corporation) compels us to shop for others, and what do you get for someone who understands nothing you say, like the friendly monk at the Buddhist temple. It would be nice to clarify his wisdom and answers to our many questions without the embarrassing pressing and straining to communicate or having a bad human translator present to apologize, sway, and utter euphemisms in place of real answers. If AI can't, maybe this tiny device can. This is not a cellphone app and does not need to connect to Wi-Fi to work.
Mom, are you defecating? No, that's okay. I'll just wash this dress shirt. *Smiles*
"Meditators, I will teach about a person without integrity and one with integrity. Listen, pay close attention, and I will speak."
"As you say, venerable sir," they responded.
The Buddha then said, "Now what is a person without integrity? A person without integrity is ungrateful and unthankful. This ingratitude, this lack of (knowing what has been done for one) thankfulness, is promoted by rude people.
"It is just the sort of thing people without integrity do, whereas a person with integrity is grateful and thankful. This gratitude, this thankfulness, is promoted by civil people. It is just the kind of thing people with integrity do."
People in the world
{II,iv,2} "I say, meditators, there are two people who are not easy to repay. Who are these two? One's mother and father.
"Even if you were to carry one's mother on one shoulder and one's father on the other shoulder for 100 years, and were to look after them by anointing and massaging them with oil, bathing them, rubbing their limbs, even as they defecated and urinated right where they sat [on one's shoulders], one could not in that way be able to pay or repay one's parents.
"Even if one were to establish one's mother and father in absolute sovereignty over the whole of this great earth (every country and territory), abounding in the seven treasures, one could not in that way be able to pay or repay one's parents. Now, why is that?
"Mother and father do much for their children. They care for them, nourish them, introduce them to this world.
"However, anyone
who rouses one's unbelieving mother and father, settles and establishes them in confidence (saddha, faith, conviction),
who rouses one's unvirtuous mother and father, settles and establishes them in virtue (sila),
who rouses one's stingy mother and father, settles and establishes them in letting go (dana, generosity),
who rouses one's foolish mother and father, settles and establishes them in wisdom (panna, direct knowing and seeing, discernment),
"to this extent one indeed pays and repays one's mother and father."
(Lion's Roar) It was this Burmese Buddhist monk’s first visit to America, and it was my first real visit with a monk. He was staying at a house in the Chicago suburbs, teaching anapanasati meditation — “watching the breath” — to anyone interested enough to stop by.
I was eager to learn how to meditate (without bursting out laughing, like the first time I tried it), so he invited me to come and hang out for a few days.
The Dharma of Star Wars
Those five days in late October were a cultural exchange. The monk taught me how to watch my breath: in-out, in-out, breathing in, breathing out. And if I remember correctly, I got him to watch Star Wars.
On the morning of October 31st, somewhat disconnected from the world, I suddenly remembered it was Halloween. I explained that children might be coming by that night trick-or-treating and that we should be ready. He’d never heard of Halloween and asked me to tell him about it. So I did.
I gave him the lowdown on the holiday: ghosts, goblins, costumes, skeletons…
“Skeletons!” he exclaimed suddenly. “That is wonderful, wonderful! In Burma we do skeleton meditation[charnel groundcontemplations on repulsiveness]. Very good, very good. We must get a skeleton! Continue.”
Then I explained trick-or-treating.
“Oh, that is wonderful. So much opportunity for giving. We must have lots of candy for the children and tell them all to come here. Wonderful, wonderful!”
"Train yourself to let go of everything you fear to lose" is wise advice either way.
.
Why are you always so cheerful, R2D2?
So we hopped in the car, and I drove him to a big discount store. Or at least tried to — it was raining hard, and my windshield wipers were stuck, so I couldn’t see anything. We got lost, ending up on a highway I never meant to take.
“No matter,” he said, reassuring me with a serene smile. “This is wonderful. Now I am seeing more of this city. Very good.”
When we finally found the store, I took him to the Halloween aisle, where he carefully scrutinized the skeletons to find one that would serve our purpose best. And what would that purpose be, exactly? I wasn’t sure whether we were going to hang the skeleton on the outside of the front door or sit facing it with legs crossed, contemplating our mortality.
In the end he settled on the biggest one he could find, a four-foot hanging skeleton made of black-and-white cardboard bones strung together that glowed in the dark. I grabbed as many bags of candy as I could afford with the cash I had on hand (my favorite brands, of course).
There were already a few people in costume out and about, buying last-minute supplies. My monk friend was wearing the same [Buddhist saffron, purplish, ochre, pumpkin-colored] rusty-brown robe he wore every day, wrapped around him like a pleated toga and rubber flip-flops totally unsuited to the fall weather.
In the checkout line, we received lots of puzzled looks and raised eyebrows as people tried to figure out what exactly this guy was supposed to be dressed up as.
When we got back to the house, my monk friend started shoving the one-pound bags of bite-size candy bars, unopened, up against the windows.
“This is so the children will know we have candy for them,” he said, beaming with pride.
“They will see the candy and they will come here.”
I explained that having the lights on would probably be a good enough sign and that hanging the skeleton on the door would also be, um, a dead giveaway. I suggested we put the candy on a tray, but he insisted we leave at least one bag where the kids would be most likely to see it [and know where to put the rock to grab it]. He put the rest into a big salad bowl.
Finally, shortly after dark, the first kids arrived.
“TRICK OR TREAT!” the little voices shouted as the monk opened the door, then their eyes went wide. “What are you supposed to be?” they asked, looking up, amazed and befuddled by his costume.
“I am Buddhist monk!” he said, grinning. That didn’t quite register with the kids, who quickly shifted their attention to the candy on offer.
“Take more, take more!” he insisted. “We must giveif we want to receive.”
After closing the door, he turned to me with a radiant smile.
“All my life I have begging bowl. But this is not begging bowl. Today I have giving bowl! Wonderful, wonderful. I like Halloween!”
The next day, my monk friend sat and stared serenely at the glow-in-the-dark skeleton, contemplating [the repulsive aspects of this body and] his own mortality, while I munched on leftover bite-size candy bars, contemplating my unusual Buddhist Halloween.
AUTHOR: Peter Aronson is a freelance journalist and former NPR contributor currently living in Dharamsala, India. In addition to his writing, he is attending courses in Buddhism at the Library of Tibetan Works and Archives.
Peter Aronson (lionsroar.com); edited and expanded by Team Halloween and Sayalay Scary, Wisdom Quarterly
All materials on this site are submitted by editors and readers. All images, unless otherwise noted, were taken from the Internet and are assumed to be in the public domain.
In the event that there is still a problem, issue, or error with copyrighted material, the break of the copyright is unintentional and noncommercial, and the material will be removed immediately upon presented proof.
Contact us by submitting a comment marked "private."
Do not follow this journal if you are under vinaya or parental restrictions. Secure protection by Sucuri.
Wisdom Quarterly: American Buddhist Journal is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 United States License. Permissions beyond the scope of this license may be available at creativecommons.org/about/licenses.
_in_Burmese_art.jpg)
.jpg)
