John Valadez on November 9th, 2009

I try not to look too deep into things. It seems the more I did, the more clutter gets in the way. Instead, I’m advocating a “face value” approach. Why not take people for exactly what they say, mean or blurt out? If someone says, “Get out of my way,” I’ll get out of their [...]

Continue reading about Abstractions of the Brain

Spirituality has gripped the American public around the throat over the last three decades. What started as a movement of enlightenment in the late 1960s, with the Beatles visiting the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, has gradually gathered moss among new age philosophers and recently mainstream Americana. With devout American church-goers aging, the Generation X and Millennial [...]

Continue reading about Spirituality, the New Religion:Are Americans beginning to choose liberation over salvation

Every major religion denounces the notion of human beings deriving from God. Most people were raised with the notion that we are created in God’s image, but that is as far as most are willing to believe. The concept of humans deriving from God is not blasphemous, just a different understanding of our improbable existence. [...]

Continue reading about Human Beings are Divine Creatures, not in Need of Spiritual Guidance

John Valadez on October 14th, 2009

I met with a friend, a professor, that is one of the most intelligent people I know, but unfortunately, he constantly worries about the future and complains about any and everything – a useless combination. I use to be one of those constant complainers. I would say things like, “the government is out to get [...]

Continue reading about Intelligence doesn’t ensure Happiness

John Valadez on October 12th, 2009

I’ve been meditating about ahimsa now for the past week. I’ve also been reading about Buddhism and the way Buddhists practice ahimsa. Eastern philosophies differ greatly from our western point of view, and so much gets lost in the translation that I must point out a major disparity. When people hear the phrase, “to cause [...]

Continue reading about Accepting Violence ensures Violence

John Valadez on October 10th, 2009

I recently had some people ask me why I choose to be a vegan. They pushed, am I a vegan because of religious beliefs? Am I a vegan for health reasons? Am I a vegan to make some kind of statement? Although all of these reasons have credible answers, I am a vegan simply to [...]

Continue reading about Veganism equals Healthiness and Spirituality

John Valadez on October 8th, 2009

The title of this post was made famous by our 16th President – Abraham Lincoln. The sentence was taken from his first inaugural address on March 4, 1861. This statement is easily the most quotable from the speech, more so than, “the mystic chords of memory” or “by the better angels of our nature” articulations. [...]

Continue reading about Nothing Valuable can be Lost by taking Time

John Valadez on October 2nd, 2009

If it’s real comfort food you crave than Paula Deen’s cheesiest chicken empanadas with chili con queso dip is just for you. Being a vegetarian, I really can’t comment on the taste but judging by my family and how long these empanadas were in plain sight I’m thinking they’re pretty good. I was suppose to [...]

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John Valadez on September 30th, 2009

People often ask me,
“How do you do it?”
“Do what?”
“You know the kids, writing; finding time for relationships, family and schooling.”
“Yes, the important things that makes up a life. I meditate every morning.”
Meditating assists in calming the mind. Have you ever felt like your head is going to erupt with your “to-do” list? They can be [...]

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John Valadez on September 28th, 2009

Fall is upon us. The summer came very gently and left without notice. As the weather begins to change, leaves start to fall and Halloween costume outlets litter vacant store fronts for the next month; the amount of free time with the children is quickly nil. I’m spending the majority of time working, schooling, working [...]

Continue reading about Struggling to Spend Time with the Kids