Presence and Presents - Doha, Qatar

The gift of now, often referred to as the present, isn't just wrapped with anticipation, it is the blissful moment of excitement.

WELCOME TO DOHA, QATAR

Often so, fleeting bliss seems to come and go, yet the present doesn't flee, its constant. Are you here with me?

I'm engulfed w gratitude, traveling to a new land that perhaps carries the spirit of my DNA. I think certainly does.

BLUE SKIES AND DUSTY NEIGHBORHOOD ROADS

My first trip to the Middle East, endorsed by an employer, partnered with mom, welcomed and hosted by family, and blessed by right now.

SOUQ WAQIF

The call to prayer commonly filling the streets as do 4x4 Toyotas and delicious Turkish shawarma! Someone pass me a tissue.

 SAND CRUISER AND A LAND CRUISER 

The opportunity to pick up where we left off after a 14 hour non-stop flight, landing in Doha, Qatar, leaves a man feeling seamless, or better felt - in flow. The water feels cool.

DOHA PORT

The regularity of tea time and afternoon naps support an adjusting circadian rhythm. So refreshed and so grateful for His wrench.

MAMOO, MAMI, CUZ, AND MOM

Yearning for a sense of belonging for decades, it felt met after 1 week under a scorching sun and along side caramel colored people (and animals).



"Habibi!" Said no one, yet "Habibi!" was felt at Mamoo's house and in the desert sands of a place I've never consciously known.

SEALINE SAND DUNES, QATAR

Absorbing a vibration through my toes, we raced through kilometers of sand dunes, revving and ripping through treacherous and enduring carvaned ancient pathways. Under tents, on top of carpets, and offered fresh tea is where we rested. It was the rush of thrill that detoxed our suffering. Oh so present!

   SEALINE SAND DUNES, QATAR

The sun smiled while it burned yet the Toyotas begged for a challenge.

Kings who serve us sweets. Ceilings dedicated to the sky. And structures that make you wonder - how the fuck?

DOWNTOWN DOHA

The birth of our history is born bold. Yet unafraid to be speak softly it uncovers its balance. Love is our leader.

MUSEUM OF ISLAMIC ART

NATIONAL MUSEUM OF QATAR

The present of this fresh new breath. Feeling inspired and connected as a gift wrapped box when presented.

With gratitude - thank you.

DOHA, QATAR 2019

A Monkey and Barking Dogs

"When Ram asked Hanuman, 'what are you monkey?' Hanuman said 'when I dont know who I am, I serve you. When I know who I am, I am you."

Joy, bliss, peace, abundance, love, and serenity. A finger more than a handful of emotions we all seem to seek. How these states are reached is our choice. Go for run. Drink a little Henney. Consume a piece of fruit or a bowl of ice cream. Volunteer. Pop a pill. Golf, rest, or even drop a satisfying deuce.

The goal is the same. The difference lies in the return on investment of the chosen activity.

Joy, bliss, peace, abundance, love, and serenity are kept from us because we think it is to be collected or achieved. If we work more hours and earn more money. If we are recognized by our peers and revered on social media. If we can just gain that social status. If we can collect more stuff. If... then I'll make it to the house of joy, bliss, peace, abundance, love, and serenity.

But wait, what if I cant make it there, I'll be doomed. I'll be sad, anxious, incomplete, unaccepted, uncool, an outcast. Life will be a failure. I will be a failure. I fear. So I'll work harder and collect more. That vicious cycle. I'll watch television to ease my stress at the end of the day and when my guards are down and my consciousness is catching its breath, I'll absorb the media message of more consumption and more fear. My insecurities will be highlighted and then I'll need more stuff that I certainly don't fucking need. More validation from my peers, and more money to find a temporary smile. That vicious cycle.

Those fears and insecurities are barking dogs are the gates of the joy, bliss, peace, abundance, love and serenity house. And those dogs look like Suge Knight, ruthless. But - they aren't real. They are only conditions and emotional traumas that are ready to be undone.

Do not run from the dogs. Do not avoid the dogs. Do not fear their teeth, for they cannot bite. They are a mirage that has appeared after years of walking through dry deserts that lack love, compassion, patience, and, forgiveness.

See the dogs. Approach the dogs. Let them bark and growl. Sit in front of them and look at them in the eye. And smile. Like magic, watch the dogs turn into puppies and become your loyal escorts into the house of joy, bliss, peace, abundance, love, and serenity.

I chose to meditate everyday. I chose to be present everyday. To sit with uncomfortable feelings, breathing, and watching them dissipate. I learn to feel the energy that flows through me. I notice the thoughts and actions that bring emotional joy. I notice the thoughts and actions that bring pain and suffering. I do not judge. I just am. I do this everyday. I surrender to the divine current assigned to me.  And I smiled largest when I found that I had always been in this house.