Fight or Flee ......

When we are approached by any danger our first response is fight or flee. From the time of stone age to even today, these two responses are almost like a reflex action. We don't even have to think about it. 

When we are confronted with anything that we don't like or agree with , most immediate response is either flee ( in the form or ignore, push it under the rug, just avoid, resist ) or fight . 

If we pay attention , we can catch our self doing it in something very simple as finishing an important task we don't like or complex issues in relationships , taking care of our health or inner feelings of discomfort, old pain, PTSD etcNothing changes , neither the situation or us or how we feel with these responses. 

Something as small as walnut becomes as big as a mountain.

Third option , which is not something that comes naturally to us, is to face it head on. 

This is the options of facing the fear,

accepting situation as it is 

and meeting the challenge. 

This is the path where we put down that piece of cake or bag of potato chips and face our inner turmoil...This is the path where we pick up that file and finish what has been hanging on our shoulders for way too long...This is the path where we have that difficult conversation...This is the path where we put on those shoes and step out for a run...This is the path where we get comfortable with being uncomfortable....

This is the path where we say enough of running away 

or fighting ,

both are way too tiring and gets us no where , 

lets just face it. 

This is where we enter new unknown territory. This is the way out of infinite loop. This is the exit door. This is where all growth happens. This is the path that leads us to change.

When we face any situation or people,
with only love and faith as our armor, 

completely ignoring fear and doubt,

we reach other side 

where mountain turns into a size of walnut .

It is very obvious option when we teach a child to swim or ride bicycle without training wheels for the first time. We tell a child to just let go of the fear and try. We forget to apply it on us when we grow up. It is just that simple, let go and just jump. Once we jump, we realize it was't so bad after all.

The question is,

Are we even aware to stop and make conscious choice 

or we are making unconscious choices all day long, 

fighting and fleeing

and wondering why are we so depleted of energy ?

I wonder what is that we are trying to avoid  ........uncertainty or certainty ?
I wonder what are we running away from........ life or feelings ?
I wonder what are we trying to numb ........ emotions or Self ?
I wonder who are we trying to become ........ other or an image of other ?
I wonder what do we really want ....... to be happy or to be something/someone ?
I wonder what are we seeking ........ connections or disconnection ?
I wonder what makes us happy ............ love or things ?

Insanity : Doing the same things over and over again and expecting different results.
Insanity : Trying to fix a broken mirror and wondering why your own image is distorted.
Insanity : Trying to change things that we cannot change, avoiding things that we can change and convinced that we know the difference between the two.

Sanity is..
When we become friends with uncertainty and stop trying to change certainty
When we acknowledge our feeling instead of running away from them
When we give space to our emotions without judgment and process it instead of numbing our self from it
When we stop trying to be someone or something and just be who we are and feel worthy in our own flesh
When we take small moments of our life to do things that makes us happy and not just running like crazy trying to finish our to do list
When we seek connections and honor vulnerability instead of avoiding vulnerability that harbors disconnection
When we understand what makes us happy is not the things, gadgets , places, vacations , titles..... These things may give us fleeting sense of gratification. What makes us really happy  or joyful are moments spent attuned with love
When we are with people, we are with them not in our todo list, past regrets or future worries and planning...
When we are doing something, we are doing it with full presence without resistance .

Lets get our sanity back ......

That daunting Fear

Thought of the day....

At every moment we have a choice. We can either chose to operate from the inner space of fear or love. 

This fear can appear in various forms e.g.  fear of failure, fear of uncertainty, fear of loosing, fear of 

being abandoned, fear of other people's opinion, fear of making mistakes, fear of making a wrong choice etc. .. they may be very daunting fear, or operate in the back of our mind in a very subtle way in our day to day small choices. 

When our choices are based on fear, it strips away the authenticity and inner peace. It can never lead to fulfillment . 

When our choice is based on love, self worth, from inner space of knowing Who is standing by us all the time, it leads to peace.

Strength is in knowing Who is in control,  even when we lose control. 

Strength is in knowing Who is standing by you,  even when you may feel you are alone.

Strength is in knowing Who created you, even when you feel not worthy. 

Step into life from the space of courage and strength regardless of fear. 

Know that any thought that is based on Fear is not true. ... don't let it imprison your spirit.

Fear imprisons us while pretending to be our protector.

It is moment to moment choice, overcoming it once does not mean it will not show up again. It will show up again in different form shape or size as long as we are enrolled in this school called life.

When we feel stuck and need answers,  don't go looking, searching for some guru, teacher or master,

look for answers, seek answers, ask for answers and right teacher for that moment will appear 

Woven Movie

Amandeep ( Own Ambassador )

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Woven  ..... A Dream.... A Journey

Everyone has dreams, big or small, but some people live on the path of their dreams. They know exactly what they want to do and are extremely passionate about it. Salome Mulugeta is one such person.  She is a beautiful, vibrant, warm-hearted person with a smile on her face and confidence in her stride. It’s just a coincidence how we met each other on the escalator at The Grove's parking lot in L.A. 12 years ago. It was her sparkling top that got us into conversation. One thing led to another, and for the first time I heard about "Woven", a movie she was working on.

Salome Mulugeta

Her dream, as she told me, is to tell stories of the world using movies as a medium.  As a filmmaker, she wants to use this medium to not just entertain, but also to spark a light of inspiration and introspection on topics that help elevate collective consciousness and highlight unity in diversity through stories of people from all over the world.

The movie “Woven” was conceived 12 years ago and brought Salome to L.A. This is where she wrote the script with Ryan Spahn who shares similar passions and creative energy.  Salome has since moved to New York where the film was shot.

Salome and Ryan Spahn

“Woven” underwent many trials and turbulence. Salome and the movie had to go through many struggles and challenges that any new filmmaker has to face.  One of the major struggles was funding. Because of the passion and determination, the entire community stood by to support them. Woven had a very successful fundraising event in New York that was sponsored by “ The Lower East Side NYC”, “ MAC Cosmetics “, award-winning chef “David Burke “, "Ethiopian Airlines”, “Spur Tree”, “Marcus Samuelsson Group”, “Gem Hotel in New York“ who were among many others; most importantly friends and family. The Daily Kos featured an article with Salome, Michael Urie and Ryan Spahn about the film and the fundraiser:

The Daily Kos:  Ethiopian-American Film Co-Produced by Ugly Betty Star Michael Urie

Nagwa Ibrahim

When someone is in the pursuit of their dreams, the entire universe conspires to help them achieve it. In the case of “Woven”, that blessing is Nagwa Ibrahim an Egyptian American who joined hands with Salome to direct the film with her. Their mutual support, trust and strong bond has been a pillar of strength. This affinity between the Egyptian and Ethiopian women sets an example especially during times when Egypt and Ethiopia are having problems because of the Nile. They both are like ride or die chicks. As Salome once told me that there is no one else she could have directed this film with but Nagwa. She calls her an angel.

As Salome mentioned, “Woven” is a story that revolves around the lives of two families, Ethiopian and American, who are interwoven around a mysterious tragic event. It’s a movie that will take you on a journey of rich culture, emotions, tragic events, and then unfold into a beautiful message.

Woven is the first Ethiopian-American SAG film ever shot in the New York (US).

Charles Shyer

Charles Shyer is one of the executive producers for the film.  He is also known for "Private Benjamin", "Alfie", "Baby Boom", “Father of the Bride”, and many others.

Ryan O' Nan

One of the leading roles, is played by Ryan O'Nan who has also worked in "The Frozen Ground "(2013), "The Iceman"(2012), "Eat Pray Love " (2010), “Dry land” (2007), and most recently in the TV show, "Ray Donovan."

The other lead role, is played by Salome herself.

Alemtsehay Wodajo

One of the lead supporting roles, is played by a very well known, award-winning, Ethiopian actress Alemtsehay Wodajo. She is known for her great acting performances, songwriting and theater .

Pedro Gomez Millan

The film was shot by Pedro Gomez Millan who was recently featured on the Daily News for his work with James Franco.

Salome Mulugeta

Twelve years ago, Woven was just a story.  It took determination, tenacity, the amazingly diverse, collaborative effort of a team of people who worked behind the camera, the love and support of friends and family, and a Dream to complete the film; now Woven is ready to go to film festivals.

The anticipation among people is very evident by the overwhelming response on social media.  Woven drove more than 3,800 likes on its Facebook page in just few days. A sneak peak promo trailer had 27K likes on EthioTube in just one day and 11K views on Youtube in just a few days.

The Woven team can’t wait for people to see Woven .

Here are few links for Woven:

Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/WovenFilm?ref=br_tf

Twitter : @WovenMovie

Youtube : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MyPB3klvPoY

#WovenMovie

Feel free to like Woven’s Facebook page, YouTube video, follow them on Twitter, and leave comments.

Much Love

Amandeep

Sit... Listen ....


Let us feast on the now




Right here, right now

  beauty all around us
  the mist on the leaves
  soft touch of the wind on my checks
  warmth of the sun rays falling on the gazing flowers.
   
Let us feast on the now,
   we get it for free, it costs nothing
   we get it again no matter how much we had messed up last time,
   we all get the same, no matter what our status is, no matter how many followers we have .

Let us feast on the now
   It is nourishing and refreshing
   sweeter than the sweet
   it is always fresh and always new.
 
Let us feast on the now,
    pure and clean
    not contaminated with past regrets or future worries.
    It is always new and always fresh
    poor or rich we all get the same
    It is not the things nor the luxuries
    it just is ....



Let us feast on the now,
    its ever flowing, like a never ending river
    we cannot grasp it in our hands,
    nor can we save it in our treasure box.
    It can neither be contained nor saved
    nor can it ever be lost .


Let us feast on the now,
    the most precious of all is free for all
    It is that secret which is so common
    that we miss the point.

Let us feast on the now,
   the resting place
   a doorway to creativity
   answer to all questions
   untouched and pure.
 
Let us feast on the now,
    and feel full for the first time
    quench our thirst
 
Wake up
Let us feast on the now

how do i tell ....
how do i teach .....
It is beyond the scope of mind

Let us feast on the now




Now never ends .....
  

Eye of the storm

Life is not about waiting for the storm to pass or waiting for the sunshine. We cannot create sunshine neither can we avoid storms.

So what do we do, when we are in the midst of a storm and see no ray of sunshine ….. ?

A storm could be anything : a health challenge, It could be tough financial situation , family issues, relationship breakups, business downtime, may be all of them at the same time or just a mental chaos of many small situations happening at the one time.

   

At times, our willpower is strong enough to keep our ship sailing. Harder the storm, stronger the will power,or faith. Our will power/ faith can help us sail through many tough times.  

At times we get help from outside sources. It could be a close friend who offers a listening ear, a compassionate family member or a friend, maybe a book or an inspiratioanl audio or video we come across on social media or  guidance from a mentor or spiritual leader who we look up to. Whatever the source may be , it can serve as an anchor that prevents our ship from sinking . Its a support at right time . We all need it from time to time.

We learn to take one day at a time when we go through challenges like loss in business during down time or a seeing loved one in pain, or you suffered huge financial loss, or you experience crack in  relationships. It may be hard to comprehend our future or reconcile our past right away, so we learn to live one day at a time holding on to our anchors, keeping our will power and our faith strong and figuring it out along the way.

Then there are some storms that I wish no one ever gets to experience. They can test your will power or faith beyond anything you can ever imagine. They will put your faith to test , I mean ultimate test. No amount of support or will power seems enough to save your ship from sinking . This is when nothing seems to work  and you see no way out whatsoever. What do we do during these storms …………… ?

Time like this unimaginable storms, taking one day at a time may seem very long, even few hours may seem very hard. You feel like you have been choked…. gasping for air…..anxiety is at its peak, balance is almost lost. No amount of support seems strong enough… …

What do we do …. ?

At times like this, its all about living one breath at a time, not one day or one hour . Yes, its just One Breath At A Time . You take one deep breath and then next …. Ok …. you survived this …. now next breath. You live just one breath at a time.

Each breath gives you little bit of peace and you did not choke . Just few breaths of peace is good enough to give you little strength, little hope . Its like few rays of sunshine peeking through thick dark clouds...scary clouds.

This is enough for you to stay afloat a little bit longer.  Just one breath at a time will take you in the “eye of the storm”, a resting place. Just few peaceful moments will probable remove clouds from our mind and give us little clarity to even begin to think straight . We can then find our flow in the storm.

“ In God I live , breath and have my being “

Storm will pass in its own time, Sun will shine in due time. Neither storms are permanent nor is sunshine.

Change is the only thing we can be sure of . Impermanence is the way of life.

That one breath which is neither touched by the past nor by the future , pure uncontaminated breath has the power to take us through ….and help us find our way.

Each storm makes us little bit stronger and more prepared for next voyage.

How to get your enthusiasm back .....

 "Enthusiasm, Optimism & Contentment springs from faith in the goodness of the self and Life."

It is very simple yet very deep. Just contemplating on it brings a greater awareness.

So next time we need a dose of enthusiasm and optimism , and we all do from time to time, we need to check our Faith-O- Meter and look for goodness in self and in life. We get so consumed with challenges in life and if we are not centered enough, our self talk can create lots of doubts and criticism not only toward life but also toward our self . That is when we lose confidence and lose faith that there still is goodness in our self and in life.

As long as our creator still loves us , there has to be some goodness in us .  If we cannot find anything , just that stamp " made by " on us is enough. That tag is precious .  And all things with the same tag , or we can say same "brand name " has same goodness associated with it. It's just a small shift in mindset . 

Just thinking about it creates good feelings inside .

So if you know someone who needs enthusiasm , you just have to show goodness to them and build there faith . It is not the faith in future or faith in your supporters, or faith in their capabilities, it's faith in the fact that there still is goodness in them and in life . And that is the faith in the creator, who still is in charge and is in process of creating His art . It's when we are in awe of all that is, we create that electrifying energy within that is termed as Optimism and Enthusiasm.

Add serenity to it and we get contentment.