Isn’t it funny how thoughts and ideas seem to congregate between like minds? For instance me and Betsy the Zen Mama are always on the same page… as are many of our online Zen buddies. Then on Monday I posed the question of “What’s good or right in the world” on Facebook and the next day I decided to watch a taped segment from January 1 that Oprah did for her Soulful Sunday show. It was about a guy who asked, “What’s wrong with the world and what can we do about it?” By the end he was asking the same question I did.
Oprah’s show was centered around a big time Hollywood director who made a documentary called “I Am”. (The link is to his site where he’s selling the DVD but since Oprah aired it for free I’m sure you can find the whole thing online.) In a nutshell, it’s about this ubber rich guy who felt he was lacking something in life. Obviously it wasn’t money considering he is rolling in dough and lived in one of three houses (one was 17,000 sq. ft.) He decides to give up most of his possessions and move to a 1,000 square foot mobile home (on the shores of a Malibu beach, lol – sounds rough) and instead of working 18 hrs a day, he now “plays” 18 hrs a day.
At the start I found myself wondering why this is getting so much press. There’s a TON of regular people out there experiencing the same thing, with the exception of – we’re not rich, and we can’t afford to actually take time off to explore all the sacred sites on earth to find ourselves. Totally not reality for many of us. The majority of us do not have the luxury to take all the time we need and have an unlimited expense account to discover ourselves. We’re paying a mortgage, raising children, and getting by on the pittance of a paycheck. We certainly cannot afford even 2 hrs of play… let alone 18 hours! lol. You most certainly will not see our stories on Oprah.
But I hung in there, watched, and really enjoyed it. In the end, it’s about the journey to find yourself – and that’s what it’s all about. Rich, poor, in between - we all eventually make that personal journey. Anyhow, this documentary is packed with a lot of great footage, interviews, and spiritual stuff. I guess it just reinforces the belief that you can have every monetary advantage and every material possession and still not be happy — because happiness comes from within, not from outside.
Ironically my last book, “Booyah! Spirit” covers almost everything in this documentary (and much more) – only I go into a lot more detail and provide ideas for your personal journey. (Ideas for regular people, lol)
You really do not need to travel the globe in search of spiritual answers… all that lies within you. Here are a few tools for the regular Jane (or Joe) on their journey:
Honor Your Spirit
Find your Spirit
10 Simple Steps to a Happy Mind and Body
Forgiveness Tips
Building Confidence
Practice Compassion
I would love to hear your stories of your own journey! If you have one please share it in the comments! If you’ve blogged about it before, please share the link in the comment area too! While I find a millionaire’s journey fascinating… I tend to be more interested in people more like me. Those who are looking within while trying to figure out how to pay the gas bill!
