Remember how hard it was to move around? Or even try and put your arms down? Chances are you needed an assistant to help you put all the shirts on.

It was a fun prank when your friend walked in to see you dressed in every single garment they owned. The prank quickly turned dull when you, and your accomplice, had to work to get the shirts off. You needed help taking off the clothes and returning them to your friend because it was hard to move with all those layers covering you up.

Now apply this prank as a metaphor to the coats we put over our true selves every day. Imagine these coats like dried old layers of paint.

Here are examples of some of the coats I put on..

“I am Mike Murray”, the son of my father and mother, brother to my brother. At one point I was “four years old”. Then I became a “kindergartener”. Shortly after that I was a “sixth grader”, it was now time to act like a “big boy”. Then I “became” a soccer and basketball player, art student, drummer, boyfriend, senior in high school, college student, graduate student, chiropractor, doctor.

Somewhere within that period I became an “adult”. White male. 25… 29… 30.

Someday, most likely, I’ll become a husband, father, grandfather.

All of these are terms that I use to describe an aspect of my life, but non of those terms describe who I truly am.

Consider this post a friend who can help you takes off your coats.

KRS-ONE, a scholar, teacher, and hiphopper, is one of those friends as well…

“All of these coats, on top of self, help you to forget self. And what we do, is we begin to move by way of the coats, not by way of the self. Because we forgot the self. The coats begin to rule us. 

When you go into your job, you go to work, you put on the coat of whatever job you’re doing, and it works for while you’re working. But then when you leave the job and go home you’re supposed to take the coat off, hang it up, and be yourself.

…

If we take off all the coats, we will be left with nothing but self. Self is not something to gain, it’s always with you. Self is not someplace you’ve got to go and attain a new knowledge. The more knowledge you get, the more coats you’re putting on.” -KRS-ONE

So if those terms, those coats, are not who I am… then who am I?

Who are you? Who are we?

What are humans? Dogs? Birds? … besides more terms …

I am still trying to answer that question, “Who am I ?”, but I have a few ideas on the subject.

I am a being of light, an extension of the living source that breathes life into every creature on this planet. And if I am that, then so are you, and so is a dog, a bird, a tree, the ocean… Call it God, Allah, the universe, what have you… Those are still just more terms. They don’t even begin to accurately describe whatever that source may be. But whatever it is, we all came from it, and we’re all headed back to it when this final coat, this human shell, fades…

I had an interesting conversation with my roommate the other day about how we all want social change, but how none of us are really willing to do the work to bring it about. Both of us are guilty of apathy.

(Hats off to KRS-ONE for trying to instigate social change with his book Ruminations. I highly suggest reading at least the first 3/4 of the book. The end on the State of Hiphop is not appilicable to the average reader, but overall it is filled with some great ideas!)

Recently I’ve been wanting to write more, but the thought terrifies me. My mind can’t help but ask “What will people think?”, “What if they judge me?”, and so on…

Fear based living really… So here’s to judgement! Hip hip hurray!

Who knows what this blog will become, I just need to let it flow. But for today, here is a small attempt at inspiring some social change.

I vote everyday.

We all do. Most of us just don’t realize it.

We vote with our dollars, and how and what we spend our money on. Money talks. Where you put your money is where you stand when it comes to making change in our society. If you don’t care about what happens within the society that you live, then most likely you run around spending money unconsciously.

That’s all it really comes down to… Spending money consciously.

Here are a few examples of how I spend my money consciously:

1. I buy organic produce at the grocery store and support farmers via local markets or CSA’s – always. At this point I refuse to buy anything other that organic foods. It may be more expensive, but I just consider it planetary tax (taxes for living on this beautiful globe we call Earth). People will say that there is little difference nutritionally between organic and non-organic foods, and while this will always be a point of argument, I chose organic because it’s one small step that I can take towards supporting our planet and the human race. I chose organic because generally speaking; the practices that go into farming such foods are overall better for our planet’s health, which in turn, is better for our health. GMO foods and the practices that go into overproducing food of that integrity are destructive not only to the quality of soil that the vegetables are grown in, but they are also destructive to the ecosystem known as the ‘human body’. By buying organic I vote not to support companies that cause more harm then good.
2. I buy grass fed meat. Again, more expensive, but my reasonings are similar to those listed above. Why would I want to support a giant conglomerate that choses to slaughter it’s animals inhumanely, when I can support a local farmer and give back to the community that gives to me? No brainer, really.
3. I chose not to over-consume ’Things’. I like nice things, just like the guy next to me, but I don’t need an entire home FILLED with them. It becomes clutter after awhile, and takes my focus away from creative energies; placing them on thoughts about what shoes I should buy today, or how I (think I) need another sweater to keep up with the latest trends. One of the best things I ever did was throwing away my television. Commercials are brainwashing. Plain and simple. Their job is to cause you to think that you need a product that you could rather easily go without. Stop watching that light box and you’ll notice how your need for consumption will begin to decrease. You won’t be tricked into buying said ‘things’ if you’re unaware of them. Then begin to notice how your creativity will begin to increase. You’ll have excess time to spend reading, playing, and relaxing… All the while decreasing the amount of things you buy, which will create more physical space for said creative endeavors. Start buying out of need, not want.
4. Support Mom and Pop shops. This one is simple. That giant chain across the street; Dunkin Donuts / Starbucks for example, need your money MUCH LESS than the privately owned and run coffee shop. Buying your coffee or meals from the locally owned establishment puts money back into your community. They may not be able to charge $0.99 for any size coffee or burger (McDonald’s) but they probably have better standards when it comes to the goods that they prepare, and pride themselves on your satisfaction. You should pride yourself in the knowing that your dollars went towards supporting a fellow human, not a corporation (which is anything BUT human).
5. Support local/independent Musicians/Bands. This is also similar to the thoughts listed above. That band of wanderers touring around the country in a van needs WAY more support than the flashy guy on MTV with the new hot single on the radio. And let’s face it… Radio music is the same regurgitated formula over and over again. I’m actually amazed that it still even exists. Has anyone noticed that the target market keeps getting younger and younger? That’s because the target market keeps getting smarter. Eventually the market will be too young to care, and then (hopefully), the industry will fizzle out. Why would I want to support an industry whose entire purpose is to exploit naive artists only to let their careers flop a year later when they are no longer in the public eye? Over and over again, that’s what happens to the latest one hit wonder. When I go see a band perform I do my best to support them by buying a t-shirt or album. That money helps them eat the next day. And I’m not talking about the shows you see at Madison Square Garden, I’m talking about the shows you see at some hole in the wall art space in Brooklyn. And if you haven’t been to a show like that, let me tell you, YOU’RE MISSING OUT. Truth.

That’s all I’ve got for now… Happy voting!

They’ve flooded the streets
with hearts and beats,
loving their neighbors
and playing songs that move their feet.

Praise songs for the birds, frogs, and trees.

Songs filled with simple truths about love and life.

The thirst for knowledge is over.
We’ve concluded that the answers lie within.

We’re tired of sinfully missing the mark,
and have aimed to make our mark.
Mark this day.
Mark these words.

It’s time that all listened and learned

of their inner Divinity

the God within.

A fear of death. And worse.. Possibly going to HELL.

Hell is a scary thought for a child (adults too really).

These memories all came flooding back to my thoughts last night as I watched Jim Gaffigan’s latest stand up “Mr. Universe”. (Hilarious btw!) He was talking about how children never want to go to sleep.

I cannot help but wonder how many other children have had similar thoughts to mine. Maybe that is why they don’t want to go to sleep (the ones that were raised religiously anyways..).

Fear of going to Hell!

Yikes!

I definitely did not want to go there!

So what did I learn?

I was taught that in order to earn God’s love, I needed to behave a certain way in order to avoid going to hell.

Hell, forget getting to Heaven, I was fine with ‘purgatory’, I just didn’t want to go to hell!! Flames! Burning flesh! Gnashing of teeth! My young imagination imagined the worst!

I was raised to believe that love was conditional. That I had to do good deeds, and avoid bad deeds in order to receive the ultimate gift: God’s love, entrance to heaven, eternal life.

This seems like a sure fire way to get a child to behave (or again, an adult for that matter). Talk about being grounded.. Forever!

So what am I getting at here?

I can remember being very young in Sunday school, my friend Pam turning to me and saying, “God loves us all, he’s not going to send any of us to hell.” I was probably around 8 at the time, if I have to guess.. 18 years of being forced to go to church, and the one thing that TRULY stuck with me was that thought. Immediately in my head I agreed with her. That made perfect sense to me.

If God created life, then he would certainly love that life (lives), because they are all his children. It’s safe to say that parents LOVE their children. If a parent could choose between sending their child to ‘fun camp’ (heaven) or ‘jail’ (hell), forever, whether that child is well or ill behaved, I’m willing to bet the vast majority would send their kids to ‘fun camp’. Those that wouldn’t.. Well, that’s a whole other conversation. But I will comment that those who wouldn’t must have been raised to believe love was conditional.

If God is love, and God is all that is, then that would mean that love is all there is, and that there’s nothing we have to do in order to be love(d).

You are loved.

Know it.

Own it.

Be it.

Take a look at that photo for a minute..

Jesus – The Way. The Truth. The Life.

THE way?

THE truth?

THE life?

That’s a bold statement.

2,000 plus years later and we’re still worshipping a man. Or more so.. an idea about a man. But let’s pause to think, for just moment..

I want to pose a question..

Do you think Jesus wanted to be worshipped?

That flyer really stuck me this morning. So much to cause me to pause at the nearest park bench and write this out..

Jesus was a HUMBLE observer. His teachings focused on spreading love, and the universal oneness of us all.

I know the bible makes the claim that Jesus said “No one gets to the father except through me.”

But let’s face it. There’s no way those were his exact words. That previous bible quote is a TRANSLATION of what he said. A translation that has been molded to fit another man’s idea about what was said.

Allow “me” to pose an idea..

What if Jesus was talking about the me that resides within us all?

Maybe the word “me” is just a poor translation of their old word for “self”?

Then we could go so far as to interpret to quote to read “No one gets to the father/mother/God except by going through the self.”

Going inside…

To find God…

That possibility excites me!

In fact, I don’t even view it as a “possibility”. I view it as a fact.

“God” resides within me.

I use quotation marks because when it comes right down to it, the noises our voice boxes make for the word God, and these symbols that you’re reading on this screen, are our measly attempt to define and describe something that is rather intangible. Our puny little minds can not even begin to fathom the infinite existence of God, the universe, the source of all life.. whatever you want to call it.

Yet instead of viewing God as the source that breathes life into our lives (and everything around us for that matter), we try to personify God as some mythical man-like creature that lives in the clouds. (Don’t get me wrong, he’s up there too… But that’s not the only place he resides.)

Think about it.

What gives you life?

What is THAT, that is surging through your body right now?!?

Can you feel it?

If us and God are separate, then what is suffusing our bodies with life as we read this?

Some of you may argue that what I’m speaking of is the soul or spirit. And while that may be a valid conclusion.. that soul or spirit had to come from somewhere.. Another source.. Up in the sky .. All around

Jesus did not want to be worshipped. He was not teaching us that HE himself was THE way.

He came here to point us towards a universal truth – that God and “I” are one.

And that the way to truly know God is to go within and start to feel the energy that is animating our bodies.

So I’d like to make a new flier.. And maybe you’ll start to see them around town someday..

Because in my mind, “John”, left out a few words.

Jesus

SHOWED the way.

SPOKE the truth.

LIVED the life.

#twjwd

Great quote. However, not the case in my life yesterday..

Yesterday my time was a thoroughly enjoyed luxury!

How did I do that?

By turning off my damn phone!

The goal was to go 24 hours without checking my texts, emails, Facebook, Twitter, you name it.. No spending money. No work. Avoidance of all thing corporate.. None of it!

(I will admit, I spent $1 at the local coffee shop.. along with 3 hours engrossed in reading, writing, and chatting. However that dollar was NOT spent at Dunkin Donuts or Starbucks, so I feel okay with my decision.)

Peace and quiet all day. Just me and my thoughts.. Or lack thereof..

I didn’t even listen to music! If I heard any songs yesterday, they were the ones coming out of my mouth.

Success!

I was able to actually go 36 hours and 50 minutes without any of the above. It felt amazing.

No constantly checking my phone to see who was or was not texting me back.

No checking my Facebook to see who was or wasn’t “liking” my latest status update.

No checking my emails to see how my latest appointments were shaping up.

Instead I woke up without my alarm.

Meditated for a bit.

Read a book.

Wrote a book. (Not all in one sitting, but I worked on the book that I’m starting.)

Talked to a beautiful human being.. a stranger to boot!! (That’s what happens when your face is not buried in your phone with your headphones on.)

Finished my latest portrait.

Cooked my meals.

Sewed that pesky patch on a shirt. (I’ve now created the coolest J. Dilla shirt ever.)

Meditated some more.

Most importantly.. I breathed.

Full belly breaths.

In.

Out.

Pause.

Repeat.

I accomplished more in one day than I accomplish in one week normally!

I’m going to make this a new part of my routine.

Once a week I am going to shut my phone off for 24+ hours.. Maybe even twice a week. Maybe next time I’ll go all weekend without it.. Who knows?

What I do know is that it felt incredible to not be concerned with that tiny little robot that always resides in my pants pocket.

I also know that all the anxiety this thing causes came flooding back as soon as I turned it on.

No joke.

My breath shortened. My shoulders tensed. I felt a warm wave of heat run through me.. Yikes!

Mostly due to the 19 Facebook updates, 34 emailed, and 6 texts!

And I try to keep all of that to a minimum regularly. I can’t imagine what it must be like for those who truly live through their phone.

In the vain of Warren G and Nate Dogg..

Revolutionaries.. Mount up!

What will you accomplish without your electronics?

I’d love to know!

You know what I did before I wrote this blog post? I checked my text messages.

Out of reflex.

Almost checked my Facebook, but caught myself.

I was in Seattle recently, and happened to be there when the occupiers took to the streets on May 1st. I’m all for this movement, but let’s face it, it’s becoming a bit of a joke.

Breaking windows?

Teenage angst. I get it. We have all had it. Especially us old punk rock kids..

I saw the episode unfold live on the news, and quickly learned that the events took place only a block away. Of course I had to go walk past! So me, my family, and the rest of downtown Seattle stood outside taking pictures.

I took a ferry while in Seattle to the San Juan islands. Talk about revolution.. More like a revelation! Great spot for some solid camping on Orchas Island! I recommend Obstruction Pass State Park.

While there; my goal was to go “off the grid”.

Fail.

Don’t get me wrong, I turned off my phone.. Especially while I was sleeping. But while awake; only for a solid 5 hours at best.. I think.

Pathetic how attached we our to our phones. It’s like a little me. It goes everywhere I go, and it never really sleeps. Which means, I never really sleep.. Because what if it beeps?

Get it? Get it? Get it?

Would you believe I actually saw kids with 99% stickers on, taking cash out of a Bank of America ATM.

I saw protesters on the news; bandanas wrapped around their faces, videotaping the police WITH IPADS?!?!

Are you kidding me man?

What are you protesting? The man? Who makes your iGear and your foot gear. Doesn’t look like much of a protest.

My Plan

Tomorrow I’m not going to use my phone. For 24 hours; I’m not going to use my phone, go to the store, check the computer, purchase anything.. No Facebook, no Twitter, no text, no email.

Try my best to use as little electricity as possible. Let’s face it, I will need to cook food and use the fridge. But otherwise, try to go one full day without shopping, work (day off), Internet, phone.. You name it.

I was dissatisfied shutting my phone off for only 5 hours. I want to remember what it was like to be without a phone.. Or a computer..

Alone with my thoughts.. Or the lack there of..

Make some art! Write or read a book! Do something.

Other than stare at a screen on a tiny machine.

I’d much rather stare at a sunset.

When was the last time you sat and watched a sunset?

Being alone.. In the quiet.. will start wonders for your inner revolution.

Which is where true protest begins.

Sure marching on the streets will raise awareness, but how many of us really walk the walk? I don’t. But I want to try.

Don’t talk about it.

Be about it.

By breaking the routine.

Not breaking some glass.

I’m going to start a new routine.

Fill it with creativity.

Not everything I need.

Will you join me?

All creativity comes out of inner spaciousness. Once the creation has happened and something has come to form, you have to be vigilant so that the notion of “me” or “mine” does not arise. If you take credit for what you accomplished, the ego has returned, and spaciousness has become obscured.

-Eckhart Tolle, A New Earth

I thank God for the creativity that flows through me.

I wasn’t being entirely truthful.

However; in the sense that the question was asked.. I did not lie.

There is someone who haunts my dreams. Haunts my thoughts.

Takes up most of my free time.

She has no name. She only exists in the physical when I’m called to bring her forth.

I think of her when I’m with you all. In fact, there are few people in my life capable of actually holding my attention more than her.

She gives me a sense of peace unlike any other. I love her.

It’s not that I don’t want to spend time with you all.

It’s just that I’d rather spend time with her.

“It’s not you, it’s me.”

-Seinfeld

An older gentlemen passing by dropped his shopping bags and chased down the ball.

Mediocre dribbling skills and all, he managed to kick it back into the park.

Good work sir.

TWJWD