David Howenstein Blog
This blog focuses on putting spirituality into action, and is based on the book JUMBO JUMBLE (by this blog's author).
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This blog focuses on putting spirituality into action, and is based on the book JUMBO JUMBLE (by this blog's author).
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Illustration by Miki Howenstein
(From page 80 of the book “Jumbo Jumble”) ……. The purpose underpinning these ponderings, and towards cultivating a loving spirit, is not to express an abstinence from unpleasant feelings towards others or existing personal barriers preventing us from fully loving others. Rather, the idea is to search for and understand these obstacles to love and find ways of diminishing or overcoming them..…… Author’s Comment: “You should love everybody.” How easy to say, and difficult to do. There are always going to be those who rub you the wrong way, or you despise their behavior. Cultivating a loving spirit (which indeed comes to love everyone despite the “bad feelings” some may engender) takes much training and effort, and those who have been able to do so remain humanity’s inspiration throughout the ages.
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Illustration by Miki Howenstein
(From page 48 of the book “Jumbo Jumble”) ……. Too often, spirituality is seen as a solemn endeavor. Such an idea is the primary reason why many have no interest in it. When spirituality is made to be instilled with fun, with things that uplift you while also making others‘ lives more joyful, how can people not be attracted to it, and to all of the good that it can bring to the world?…… Author’s Comment: How would you like to find joy in the simple things of life, releasing yourself of the burden to work hard in order to make a lot of money to buy goods and experiences that bring happiness? You find that these “external pleasures” are only temporary, while finding happiness and contentment within is more permanent. What could be more delightful than that? It’s far from being a “solemn endeavor.” Illustration by Miki Howenstein
(From page 14 of the book “Jumbo Jumble”) ……. Why wait until people are adults in order to self-reflect, to generate the awareness necessary to be who they really want to be? And how best to provide education for children, which instills within them these spiritual values that can be implemented to develop a more enlightened and fun-filled society—one that fills the real world with great hope? ……. Author’s Comment: Another year is upon us, often accompanied by New Year’s resolutions, most of which will be broken in the days ahead. How about making a promise to yourself to become more aware of what you REALLY want to be? And, if you have children, “play” with them to find those answers. Make it fun so that you (all) look forward to it. By becoming conscious of the kind of person you want to be, what you want to do and want to have more easily fall into place. Illustration by Miki Howenstein
(From page 378 of the book “Jumbo Jumble”) …….. You finally have the power to break free of the personal and cultural stories which have kept you chained down, while building on those that harmonize with your own deepest beliefs.…… Author’s Comment: One of the keys of living anew in the way which is truly right for you is to break the chains of baggage which are holding you back. The danger herein is that if you have nothing to hold onto after unlinking the chains, you go into free fall. Build a web of values, connections, and ways of life which reinforce each other and catches the nutrients which you need for wholistic growth. Illustration by Miki Howenstein
(From page 346 of the book “Jumbo Jumble”) …….. The kind of action you take depends on your character, environment, and, most important of all, what you have discovered about yourself through the many reflections (so far in this book) concerning the kinds of things which are fit for you.…… Author’s Comment: The best way to learn (and remember) is through experience or, in other words, by taking action. Preparing fertile ground for implementing action (through study, spiritual discipline, etc. as this book has largely encouraged in the previous 10 months) proves to become extremely beneficial; however, with the step of putting it into practice, it is fruitless, just like a seed in unproductive soil. Do the things most appropriate for you, unafraid of making mistakes, learning from them, and enlivening your (and others) existence. Illustration by Miki Howenstein
(From page 312 of the book “Jumbo Jumble”) …….. Awareness then becomes a seed for hope, not only for you to question these myths that you have been living by, but also to dare yourself to develop new paradigms and envision a sustainable future.…… Author’s Comment: THE GRAND CHALLENGE—to envision an inspirational story for yourself and others and cultivate a strong faith in it so it powers you to live it out. In doing so, you produce a multitude of seeds which can take root near and far and move the world into the much-needed new paradigm of your making. Illustration by Miki Howenstein
(From page 280 of the book “Jumbo Jumble”) …….. Our direct experience with nature stimulates our imaginations which, in turn, provide the seeds for our creativity to blossom. Nature’s beauty provides unfathomable inspiration for the arts, which uplift our lives. When we destroy nature, we are destroying our own creative and artistic capabilities…… Author’s Comment: Nature provides us with a host of benefits—clean air and water, stabilized soils, physical nutrition, relief from the heat to mention a few. Lesser recognized is its capacity to feed our creativity and uplift our lives. The countless forms of nature provide nourishment to mind and spirit which has cultivated the arts in cultures around the world. Preserving and building better natural environments helps us to build more inspirational works of art. Illustration by Miki Howenstein
(From page 246 of the book “Jumbo Jumble”) …….. There is no one and only correct way connecting with life, but everyone benefits when any one person finds her own right way. And when you truly find the way that is right for you, the connections breathe life into your spirit as your integrity inspires those around you. Author’s Comment: There are two key points here. First, there are many correct paths, meaning that no one path (political, religious, …) is the best for all. While there are universal guidelines and values to light the way, how they are applied (and in what balance) will vary. Secondly, any person who finds the right way for herself blesses others with the inspiration she has found. Demeaning another’s path (which leads to her integrity) is detrimental to both the aspirant as well as society as a whole. Illustration by Miki Howenstein
(From page 212 of the book “Jumbo Jumble”) …….. When society comes to perceive each person and all of life as being inherently valuable, extremism has no place to wrap its tentacles around and eventually withers away. When we treat people with dignity, they naturally comes to treat others in the same way.……. Author’s Comment: Treating people with dignity is key to creating a more peaceful society. When we act as if some lives deserve to receive respect while others deserve to be trashed, we provide nourishment for violence and extremism to flourish. Treating others with dignity doesn’t mean agreeing with them, but allowing them to be heard and understood (without coercion or the threat of violence from either side). Illustration by Miki Howenstein
(From page 180 of the book “Jumbo Jumble”) ……. We fail to seriously consider or understand the reasons why we wish for our desires. Then, on attaining them, we wonder why the initial exuberance doesn’t last, not realizing that it was only a step to something else, which still hasn’t been acquired..… Author’s Comment: Ever remember a time that you wanted that cake (doughnut, juicy steak, whatever) so much, and then after pigging out on it, you felt so bad? The desire in your mind didn’t harmonize with what the body really needed (or the amount which it needed). So it is with so many of our perceived desires—they don’t fit what our spirit or our lives really need. Understanding this, and developing the persistence to find what you so seek deep down, can unlock an invaluable treasure of contentment. |
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What Jambo Members Are SayingDavid Howenstein founded Jambo Japan in 1996. A man with many ideas on bettering the natural/human environment but also unsure how to implement them in a way to make a sustainable organization, he tried various courses of action throughout the years. Like many of you, he encountered frequent frustrations finding that the vast majority of his efforts ended in failure. However, through trial and error, he came upon a recipe for success in his adopted home. |
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