"The journey to Nirvana weaves in and out of rehab."
Before you head out on your journey of enlightenment through pharmaceuticals, you should know it is a difficult path. You, much like The Chemical Buddha, may doubt your path and decide you're tired of sleeping outside, having sex with strangers to score drugs, not bathing, and alienating everyone who ever came into contact with you. It's during those dark times, you might decide to get your shit together by going to rehab and cleaning up. Whatever your personal journey, The Chemical Buddha found his wove in and out of various detox centers. Fortunately for all of us, he was committed to his path and found everything he needed to eventually find Nirvana.
Are you committed to your path?
What do you try to distract yourself with from your true path?
And what do you need to do to stay on it?
Monday, September 7, 2009
Sunday, September 6, 2009
Wake Up?
"I regain consciousness almost daily."
If the goal of enlightenment to gain total consciousness of all actions and to do everything with a purpose and reason, then The Chemical Buddha rationalized that those among us who regain consciousness daily were truly the most enlightened. Unfortunately, no matter how hard The Chemical Buddha tried to apply this logic, he was only able to regain consciousness almost daily. That was because his blackouts would stretch for days and weeks. But he took solace in the fact that he was totally conscious of his unconsciousness and figured that made him just as enlightened as those who were conscious of everything.
Where in your life are you asleep?
What do you not want to know about?
What do you need to wake up to you in life?
What do you need to be conscious of today?
If the goal of enlightenment to gain total consciousness of all actions and to do everything with a purpose and reason, then The Chemical Buddha rationalized that those among us who regain consciousness daily were truly the most enlightened. Unfortunately, no matter how hard The Chemical Buddha tried to apply this logic, he was only able to regain consciousness almost daily. That was because his blackouts would stretch for days and weeks. But he took solace in the fact that he was totally conscious of his unconsciousness and figured that made him just as enlightened as those who were conscious of everything.
Where in your life are you asleep?
What do you not want to know about?
What do you need to wake up to you in life?
What do you need to be conscious of today?
Saturday, September 5, 2009
What was the Question?
"Drugs are rarely the answer, but they'll help you forget the question."
Later in The Chemical Buddha's life, he thought that maybe, just maybe drugs weren't the answer to all his problems and questions about life. But to seriously consider that thought may have required him to undo the years of work he had invested into his path and teachings. So he figured there must be a way out of this setback. After thinking about it for at least several seconds, he realized that he couldn't remember his questions, or better yet, his problems. (Truth be told, he couldn't even remember his own name and address). So maybe drugs were actually a help after all? After this profound insight, The Chemical Buddha taught (and smoked, injected, fucked, and drank) with a new verve.
What are you using to distract yourself from the big issues in your life?
What reality are you avoiding?
If you are avoiding something, why?
Do you think avoiding it will make it go away?
Later in The Chemical Buddha's life, he thought that maybe, just maybe drugs weren't the answer to all his problems and questions about life. But to seriously consider that thought may have required him to undo the years of work he had invested into his path and teachings. So he figured there must be a way out of this setback. After thinking about it for at least several seconds, he realized that he couldn't remember his questions, or better yet, his problems. (Truth be told, he couldn't even remember his own name and address). So maybe drugs were actually a help after all? After this profound insight, The Chemical Buddha taught (and smoked, injected, fucked, and drank) with a new verve.
What are you using to distract yourself from the big issues in your life?
What reality are you avoiding?
If you are avoiding something, why?
Do you think avoiding it will make it go away?
Friday, September 4, 2009
The Smartest Idiot
"Smart people know we're all idiots."
After spending years pretending like he knew everything, The Chemical Buddha eventually came to understand that he didn't know very much. He reasoned that if he didn't know everything than no one could know everything. Years later, he figured out that that meant there might actually be someone who knew something he didn't. So in the eyes of that someone, he was an idiot. (Because TCB thought people who didn't know stuff he did were obviously idiots.) Although The Chemical Buddha never realized it before passing away, we have come to theorize that those who realize they're an idiot are at least slightly ahead of those who think they know everything. But of course, you also don't know what you don't know. We're pretty sure if The Chemical Buddha was still with us, he would say if you don't know what you don't know then why learn anything at all?
How curious are you about life?
Is there something in your life that could benefit from an outside opinion?
Do you ask people who know things you don't know for help? Why or why not?
After spending years pretending like he knew everything, The Chemical Buddha eventually came to understand that he didn't know very much. He reasoned that if he didn't know everything than no one could know everything. Years later, he figured out that that meant there might actually be someone who knew something he didn't. So in the eyes of that someone, he was an idiot. (Because TCB thought people who didn't know stuff he did were obviously idiots.) Although The Chemical Buddha never realized it before passing away, we have come to theorize that those who realize they're an idiot are at least slightly ahead of those who think they know everything. But of course, you also don't know what you don't know. We're pretty sure if The Chemical Buddha was still with us, he would say if you don't know what you don't know then why learn anything at all?
How curious are you about life?
Is there something in your life that could benefit from an outside opinion?
Do you ask people who know things you don't know for help? Why or why not?
Thursday, September 3, 2009
It's Lite Beer Though
"You might be an alcoholic if you drink beer to sober up."
As has been reported several times over through the teaching of The Chemical Buddha's Daily Meditations for the Medicated, TCB may have had a substance abuse problem. Or, as he liked to call, a substance abuse 'friendship'. As he explored deeper and deeper levels of his 'friendship', even TCB started to worry about his drinking when he realized having a few beers helped him sober up. But instead of seeing that as a sign to stop, he was grateful to have such a helpful friend and eventually decided that if it worked, he should keep doing it. Which is what he did.
What lesser problems are you using to justify/hide your bigger issues?
How might solving the little problems help you confront what's truly holding you back?
As has been reported several times over through the teaching of The Chemical Buddha's Daily Meditations for the Medicated, TCB may have had a substance abuse problem. Or, as he liked to call, a substance abuse 'friendship'. As he explored deeper and deeper levels of his 'friendship', even TCB started to worry about his drinking when he realized having a few beers helped him sober up. But instead of seeing that as a sign to stop, he was grateful to have such a helpful friend and eventually decided that if it worked, he should keep doing it. Which is what he did.
What lesser problems are you using to justify/hide your bigger issues?
How might solving the little problems help you confront what's truly holding you back?
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
I Don't Believe in Karma
"Bad Karma is when the cops find half a joint in your car's ashtray."
As shown on the September 1st insight, the universe/Karma can give. But what the universe gives, it can also take away. Sometimes, it can even take away in handcuffs. Back before pot wasn’t that big of a deal, The Chemical Buddha was pulled over for a routine traffic stop for driving on the sidewalk. The attending officer took one look at The Chemical Buddha's bloodshot eyes and decided to search his car where he found half a joint and someone to put in the back of his police car. The Chemical Buddha chalked this up to being at the wrong place at the wrong time. And it was the universe/Karma's way of telling him he should have been someplace else.
What is waiting in your life to trip you up?
(Again, if you know the answer, you know what it is.)
What are you getting back from the universe?
(That might help you figure out what you're putting out into the universe.)
As shown on the September 1st insight, the universe/Karma can give. But what the universe gives, it can also take away. Sometimes, it can even take away in handcuffs. Back before pot wasn’t that big of a deal, The Chemical Buddha was pulled over for a routine traffic stop for driving on the sidewalk. The attending officer took one look at The Chemical Buddha's bloodshot eyes and decided to search his car where he found half a joint and someone to put in the back of his police car. The Chemical Buddha chalked this up to being at the wrong place at the wrong time. And it was the universe/Karma's way of telling him he should have been someplace else.
What is waiting in your life to trip you up?
(Again, if you know the answer, you know what it is.)
What are you getting back from the universe?
(That might help you figure out what you're putting out into the universe.)
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
I Believe in Karma
"Good Karma is when you find half a joint in your car's ashtray."
Some call it luck. Some call it Karma. The Buddhist belief of Karma is based on the idea that you get back from the universe what you put out. In the case of today's insight, when The Chemical Buddha found half a join in his ashtray, he assumed it was because the universe was paying him back for all the good work he was doing to promote enlightenment. In fact, he created an entire story around that one event that explained his entire life to bring him to this one moment where he would find half a joint just when he needed one most. Words cannot explain the elation he felt.
What hidden benefits are out there in your life?
(If you know the answer to this one, then it's not hidden is it?)
What are you putting out in the universe and what are you getting back?
What do you want to put out and what do you want to get back?
Some call it luck. Some call it Karma. The Buddhist belief of Karma is based on the idea that you get back from the universe what you put out. In the case of today's insight, when The Chemical Buddha found half a join in his ashtray, he assumed it was because the universe was paying him back for all the good work he was doing to promote enlightenment. In fact, he created an entire story around that one event that explained his entire life to bring him to this one moment where he would find half a joint just when he needed one most. Words cannot explain the elation he felt.
What hidden benefits are out there in your life?
(If you know the answer to this one, then it's not hidden is it?)
What are you putting out in the universe and what are you getting back?
What do you want to put out and what do you want to get back?
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