Love you MOM!

66 years ago today was the birth of Janet Lee Pohnke, my beloved mother :) Her open heart and mind gave me ability to explore the depths of my true nature and allowed me to explore what it is that I am here to do. She only suggested ways 

and never pushed me towards her own belief systems on how life should be or what I should do. She loved and nurtured me and those whom were around her. She was always the super cool mom that all my friends adored growing up. She made us laugh and she always made everyone around her loved, respected and just great. It has been 12 years since she left her body, but there has never been a day that I forget about the woman whom inspired me to BE all I can be, to live free and to SEE. Mom, I have taken all the residue of fear that lived in your system and transformed it into love, I have freed myself which i know also frees you. You did great Mom, the ABSOLUTE BEST you could have ever done and I am blessed to see how I can even make it better, you allowed for that higher guidance by not attempting to mold me in anyway. When I have a daughter, I hope you come back as her so I too can give you the gift you gave me and so that you can carry the learning of life beyond me, then I would be happy to come back as your son again (that is if I don't complete the cycles with this incarnation :) Mom, you live in my soul .... and .... one day .... I too .... will be coming home. I love you.

Ganapati and Me - A Love Story

When I began my travels in India, I noticed that almost every car, rickshaw, bike, bus, home, shop ect. had a statue, sticker, cloth or some form of material that was printed with elaborate images of a shiny elephant. When I came to find out more about this image, I learned that many people in the Hindu tradition look to this particular god for protection, success and any form of safety in travel or new journeys, hence seeing many of them on the front of motorcycles and car dashboards. So when I began my motorcycle journey in India, I followed suit and got myself a sticker that I placed on the front of my bike.

For the next year, I was placed in situations on and off the road that most people from back home in the USA would feel life threatening. Swerving people crossing the road at top speed, coming centimeters away from being swept off the road by cars, buses and lori's (the indian 18 wheeler). I was stranded in secluded areas where my bike would break down, I even had a few accidents while traveling. But here I am, in one piece and the most that ever happened was a small cut or a bruise. For some reason, I always felt guided and protected on the journey and felt more safe then most of the roads back in the USA. Now this could be for many reasons, due to the fact that I always feel guided and protected, but, when I first passed a real live elephant crossing the road and captured the wisdom and depth in the beings eyes, the strength and grace in its movements, I felt there had to be some connection, physically and spiritually, and that is what a lot of the Hindu tradition is about.

Then I arrived in Mumbai, a few days before this Ganesh Chaturthi festival that I mentioned above. Something was pulsing when I arrived and when it started, people came in hoards and sang GANAPATI BAPA MORIYA on the streets, played loud music, drummed the night aways and sang songs to idols of many sizes all with the elephant god shape. Each one was unique with different dress, expression and style, almost tailored to the family, usually a family of 70 + members, that was hosting it. I could not help but get involved.

A dear friend invited me to his home for the celebrations and even let me carry the idol home (which is a great honor in the tradition) which immediately got me in the spirit of the whole festival. The next I tailored some hindi words and made my own mantra for the season and began sharing it will people from all walks of life and it was a huge hit!!

So now, almost 4 years later we are here in Mumbai celebrating the festival again. Later today I will go to the beaches where the immersions began and sing the night away with all the devotees, smiling and relishing in the gratitude that I feel for my connection to this Hindu God and India itself. To me, all of this is part of the joy of life, finding something you believe in, devoting time, words of prayer and love to it. So whether it is a hindu god, a book, a song, a relationship or a garden, our devotion keeps us alive, feeling high inside and I thank India, Hinduism and Mumbai for keeping that wonderful spirit alive!

Ganapati Bapa …. Moriya!!!!

Enjoy the song and journey and thank you always for your support and love.

You can thank Julie Isaacs for this incredible dipiction of the journey through her real life artistic style.

Here are a few more links about Ganesh and the holiday if you are interested ….

Ganesh

Ganesh Chaturthi

The Story of "High"

WATCH THE VIDEO HERE

It was in one of the weakest moments in my life that the melody of this "High" vibrational offering came through me.  Here is the album insert text…..

"3 years, 10,000 miles and 5,400 meters above the substance based life I lived in the not-so distant past, I found myself sluggishly pulling myself over the final pass on the Annapurna Circuit in Nepal.  It was in these moments that the melody of “High” came to me like a welcomed friend, there to aid in my completion of the circuit. The lyrics came as a reminder of all the blissful experiences of deep meditation that lifted me to great heights since I had given up drugs and alcohol on my 30^th birthday."

But there is much more then that to tell in this story.  This song lifted me up!  Brought me back to LIFE in many ways, musically and actually.  It was a gift. This song was a pivotal moment in my life.  

Musically, I knew it was a hit immediately.  It was the first real CATCHY melody that I had ever wrote and there was just something about it even before I wrote the lyrics.  So when the lyrics began to come, I found them reflecting the inner peace that comes from meditation and I was lifted to great heights, emotional, physically, spiritually, mentally and actually.  This song shed light on a LIFE PATH and on a deep knowing that NO MATTER WHAT, I always have the ability to go inside and feel blissful and alive.   

I began to share it and found it having a similar effect on those around me.  It was the highlight of concerts and gatherings and then when we went into the studio, which summed up went something like this …..

"Young and upcoming producer Joseph E-Shine came into the production of high shortly after finding his path in yoga and meditation.  Much to our surprise, the confident 21 year-old came into the studio and, with determination and focus, knocked out our first single in just under 8 hours. Much to his surprise, I nailed the lead vocals in 1 take, Twice. "

I knew this song, this message, this energy, this joy, this vibration was meant to be NOW!

So what to do for the video? OK, let's create a dance out of it we thought, lets get some flashmob action going.  Lets put as much fun and light behind this message as possible, because that is what the world NEEDS!  LIGHT!!!  There is so much heaviness around reflected in our daily lives.  This LIGHT, that we all have access to INSIDE is what I see to be the thread of of our lives, and if this video can trigger ANYONE to take that look, even for a moment …. well …. SUCCESS!!!  And I also believe that a SMILE is our greatest currency.

Why are we going for 1 Million here in such a short time?  Why?  Because!  Life is a game and I am here to PLAY it!  Yeah, this isn't a video of a talking cat or a stoned rainbow man, but it is one that will put a smile on your face, a bounce in your step and maybe, just maybe, make you look inside and sing ba-pa-dap-ba-dap yourself, bringing the seriousness of everyday life to that light inner joy that is accessible in every moment, INSIDE!  Let's bring that love to the forefront of the online video charade.

And speaking of INSIDE, This Love has been actualized in collaboration with many people, most importantly, the devotion, encouragement and steady stream of love and commitment from my dear partner Mai Segev.  She made the final decision on the production direction in the studio, produced the music video and has believed in "High" from the very first moment it touched her heart!

THANK YOU for sharing and for daring to look inside.

DOWNLOAD THE SONG HERE

Natural Persuasion

I just finished watching a highly sensitive and genuinely insight PBS special "The Persuaders" (Please Watch) on the persuasive mechanisms of the Marketing and Advertising Industry and how they are increasingly getting more and more hungry to connect to the consumer at an emotional level.  I think the ending statement sums up the bottom line of the whole message, "the secret of all persuasion is to induce the person to persuade themselves."  I immediately got stars in my eyes of how these manipulative process is now being used for good.  

On the first watch, I find myself despondent and thoroughly disgusted by the whole matter, but, in the same breath, equally intrigued.  I ask myself questions like, "How can we use these techniques to get the messages of inner peace and self-transformation to the masses?"  or "How can we find ways to persuade the consumer to buy into their own liberation and out of materialization?"  

I am quickly met by the past reality of the enormous budgets that are put into the constant battle for consumer attention.  The professional research that is done to insure that the consumer is reached on a multi-sensory level as well as the teams of people that stand behind these creative sub-cultures of illusion.  

But now the times have changed!!  And this is where we can bank on the enormous possibility of a massive shift in human consciousness by naturally being ourselves, which is by far the greatest advertising tool out there.  

With the extensive amount of ADS clogging our minds at every corner, nobody is standing out anymore.  And what is amazing is that, because nobody is standing out, they are having to go person to person to achieve their advertising success.  AHA!!!

This is where all of us transformative light seeking conscious revolutionaries come in.

Let me make one thing clear, we are a different kind of revolutionary.  We are not the ones that stand in the streets and spout our philosophies and beliefs.  No NO.  We are the ones that have committed to doing what it takes to break through dysfunctional belief systems, through patterns that do not serve us, through limiting beliefs into the life of our dreams, interconnected, respected and liberated from fear and doubt.  What an amazing time!

So back to my point, I believe in the changing tide of advertising, we can easily shift the illusion into one of transformation.  I believe we can persuade people to learn more about themselves naturally using the same techniques.  How will we get the budgets?  We are the budgets.  We are the persuasion.  It is in our day to day life and interactions is where the real advertising comes from.  We stand for a better world and that touches the hearts and souls of everyone we come into contact with.  

So the next question comes from the spiritual entrepreneurs, "How do I meet my Monetary Needs with this philosophy?"  "Don't I need to advertise something that will bring me profit?"  Good good question.   A simple answer comes.  Listen to your heart.  Create the products and life that is most reflective and authentic to your journey.  Share it with everyone you meet.  Price yourself HIGH, believe in whatever you do and you will be amazed, no matter what it is that you do, how much abundance will come in.  And, all in all, you didn't have to persuade anyone, you just were being YOURSELF and that just changed a consumer into a transformer.  mmmmmmm

Please comment, I would love your feedback and take on this matter!

Notes about Wayne Dyer's Movie "The Shift"

Please, EVERYONE, take a few hours of your life for an extremely important film.

I have always loved Wayne Dyers work and appreciated the way wisdom moves through him but after viewing his 2009 Movie release "The Shift" I have reached a whole new level of respect and love.  

First of all I want to thank Hay House for sending me the DVD "FREE OF COST" to India.  It was a gesture above and beyond what I expected simply because my online stream of the movie was not working. 

I want to look at the exterior of the movie first and get that out of the way quickly.   The cinematography is WOW and the acting is great! compared to most movies of this caliber in which the acting could be compared to a b rated soft porn film.  I was blown away by it's tastefulness as a visual stunning and well acted film.

Now to the juicy stuff, the interior.  Dyer has an amazing way of delivering his message which has a profound way to instill peace of mind in your heart and soul.  I would say all and all, this movie is about FAITH and getting out of the way, as in recovery they say "Let Go and Let God."   Not in a way that is complacent or inactive, but a place that is full of inspiration and connection. The movie touches on various Religious Pathways by triggering our innate desire to stay in tune to that source that is guiding the ship of our lives.  The film is done in a way that serves to be relatable to people from all walks of life.  You have the rich asshole, the overworked housewife the stressed out up and comer, the wise servant janitor (surprise) and the calm awakened singer whom left his hustle and bustle to follow his heart.  The show goes on and we watch these people have their subtle "Shifts."  There is no over the top AH HA moments or major Unbelievable happenings of life changing circumstances, we just get to view various people interacting with Spiritual Leaders (outspoken and subtle) and with each other and how that effects their life, all while enjoying the stream of wisdom that naturally pours through Wayne Dyer.  I could go further into the reflections of consciousness that this film moves through but my intention with this writing is to ask everyone to give it attention and highly fascinating spiritual blabber could possibly negate that intention.  

I have to say this movie EXCITES me beyond belief.  To see something that is so accessible to all walks of life.  It moved me!  I truly have felt a SHIFT in my consciousness just from watching it, and I have been on the move with this type of work for a long time.  I cannot even begin to imagine what it will do for those on the brink of their own AWAKENING!  

Shine on DYER and everyone involved in this production!  1000s of thumbs up and may this reach the hearts of the masses. 

A nice post about Los Angeles by Derek Sivers and my response

First of all Read this post from Derek Sivers on LA, he has a nice outlook ....

http://sivers.org/la#comment-33888

Then this was my response as I spent most of my life there.


Nice one Derek!

I have a few things to add as I spent about 15 years in the city and was born just outside.  In all honesty, it was a love hate relationship struggle for me for a long time until I turned 30 and moved into a van on the banks of Palisades Park in Santa Monica.   Yes, you have to be full of optimism to take that plunge and I was but this is what I learned from the experience ....

1. There is quite a dynamic Metro system mingling throughout the city.  There is a bus from the beaches of Santa Monica, right to the heart of downtown LA.  There are many busses that run through the lanes of all the major streets and THEY ALLOW YOU TO PUT BIKES ON THE BUS, so you can move around when you get close to a destination.  Obviously to paint that whole entire city in Public Transport would be next to impossible, but it has come along way, and there is a great Underground downtown to the valleY.  Get a map, get confused and explore, I had a blast and ended up practically mastering it in a few months as I decided I would rather sit in traffic with a book and writing materials in hand then behind the wheel.

2.  The Spiritual Smorgasborg.  yeah I spelled that wrong, but there is an enormous spiritual community resting on the banks of Santa Monica Venice that will blow your mind!  Multiple events every evening, tons of uplifting music and workshops and even more optimism then you can ever imagine!  It is lovely.  I had a chance to start a small Conscious Community called 4DALOVE.org and had a blast doing it.  Get out your yoga mat and mingle with the healthy LIFERS, it completely transformed my life and was a gateway to INDIA, which is where I reside now.

3.  Learn to accept EVERYONE as they are.  LA has more people more more cultures doing more things then I have ever seen anywhere in the world.  If you can walk the city with an open mind and heart like a child, it is an endless display of creation and collaboration.  You can learn almost anything, play any style of music, learn any language, play any sport, meet any partner from any place in the world and you can also just take up a lounge chair and watch it all unfold, truly it is magic.

4.  More on the VAN.  Now, many people may think that living in a van is shameful and ludicrous.  But let me tell you how I turned it into the good life, free of rent in multi-million dollar property.  First, I parked regularly on the cliffs of Palisades Park.  The locals new I was there, but I worked a 9-5 while playing gigs, hosting events and having a social life so I wasn't there much more then the mornings.  My front yard was the most beautiful view overlooking Santa Monica Beach.  I would host pick nick, Yoga Classes and Play Music when I could.  My toilet had the same view and my shower was a 5 star Day Spa with all the mineral baths and extras the I indulged myself in just a few blocks away.  Sometimes I would drive up the coast and find another cliff to park on.  When I needed to go to the city late and did not feel like driving home, I just got in the back and rested.  I had a bike locked to the back for freedom and I just explored like I had just come to town, even though I had been there for the last 30 years.  Truly, it was some of the most vibrant days of my life.  Full Freedom, full connection, full on life for a fraction of the price as most rentals in the area are about 1500 for a shoe box not much larger then the inside of the van.

Anyways, I could go on and on as I am yearning to go back, but the right time will come.  If now is your time, open up and enjoy!