"No'ono'o" by Bodhi Smith

May 27, 2022

"no'ono'o" is my brand new impression and blog...
 
​"by reflecting on our lives, where we have been, where we are now, and where we want to be, we can take a journey of transformation...we walk the path that finds us evolving into a more spiritual being by letting go of ego and self-pity, so we can reflect the light of love which is reflected into each of us by the universe. it's an endless light reflected everywhere from everything. and when we reflect this love unto others, we all become interconnected, reflecting each other in one endless perfect circle of love...​and ​this universal love will save each of us" ― bodhi, ​no'ono'o​
 
"​awareness and reflection are necessary for change​" ― bo syrotiak
 
"​a​s for life,
​i​'m humbled,
​i​'m without words
sufficient to say

how it has been hard as flint,
and soft as a spring pond,
both of these
and over and over,

and long pale afternoons besides,
and so many mysteries
beautiful as eggs in a nest,
still unhatched

though warm and watched over
by something ​i​ have never seen –
a tree angel, perhaps,
or a ghost of holiness.

​e​very day ​i​ walk out into the world
to be dazzled, then to be reflective.
It suffices, it is all comfort –
along with human love,

dog love, water love, little-serpent love,
sunburst love, or love for that smallest of birds
flying among the scarlet flowers.
​t​here is hardly time to think about

stopping, and lying down at last
to the long afterlife, to the tenderness
yet to come, when
time will brim over the singular pond, and become forever,

and we will pretend to melt away into the leaves.
​a​s for death,
​i​ can't wait to be the hummingbird,
can you?" 
 
​"​whatever it is you choose to think, your subconscious mind takes it very seriously and your experience will reflect your thinking​" ― marianne williamson, ​illuminad​a
 
"​o​ur self-perception determines our behavior. ​i​f we think we’re small, limited, inadequate creatures, then we tend to behave that way, and the energy we radiate reflects those thoughts no matter what we do. ​i​f we think we’re magnificent creatures with an infinite abundance of love and power to give, then we tend to behave that way. ​o​nce again, the energy around us reflects our state of awareness" ― marianne williamson, a return to love
 
"​self reflection is lovingly looking inside and aligning what we find with the truth that is love" ― bo syrotiak, no'ono'o
 
"in my darkest moment, the moon tells me a secret, my confidant. as full and bright as i am, this light is not my own and a million light reflections pass over me. it's source is bright and endless...​leave behind this place so negative and blind and cynical. and you will come to find that we are all one mind, capable of all that's imagined and all conceivable. just let the light touch you, and let the words spill through. and let them pass right through. bringing out our hope and reason" ― tool, reflection
 
"​a​ll that we are is a result of what we have thought.​...and ​o​ur life is shaped by our mind; we become what we ​reflect upon​. ​j​oy follows a pure thought like a shadow that never leaves" ― gautama siddhartha buddha, sayings of buddha
 
"​d​o you know what you are?​ y​ou are a manuscript oƒ a divine letter.​ y​ou are a mirror reflecting a noble face.​ t​his universe is not outside of you.​ l​ook inside yourself;​ ​everything that you want,​ ​you are already that" ― jalaluddin rumi, bridge to the soul
 
"reflection in the mirror, 
embracing reality yet fantasy. 
reflecting wholeness of a reunion with 
oneself. alone together. 
still, time stands still. 
calmness, tranquility, no noises, 
a freedom from craziness of 
today's world...he and his reflection both knew, 
they are holding a precious vision 
entwined in each other. 
smiling with their eyes 
reflecting back the infinity of
​t​he moment. a once in a lifetime 
kind of moment, written forever in 
the heart. the reflection of each other, 
their cherished gift, inseparable. 
they know, they are alive in 
that reflection...they are love" ― bodhi, no'ono'o
 
this song ​from the disney animated feature mulan in 1998​ ​is a beautiful duality around the concept of our own reflection, being both a thought and an image, very beautifully sung and so poignant to today's world...​: "reflection" by christina aguilera ... (just click on any of the words in the blue links to listen to the musical selection).... 

"​look at me​. y​ou may think you see​ w​ho ​i​ really am​. b​ut you'll never know me​. e​very day​ i​t's as if ​i​ play a part​. n​ow ​i​ see​ i​f ​i​ wear a mask​,​​ i​ can fool the world​. b​ut ​i ​cannot fool my heart​...w​ho is that girl ​i​ see​ s​taring straight back at me?​ w​hen will my reflection show​ w​ho ​i​ am inside?​ i​ am now​ i​n a world where ​i h​ave to hide my heart​ a​nd what ​i​ believe in​. b​ut somehow​ i ​will show the world​ w​hat's inside my heart​ a​nd be loved for who ​i​ am​...w​ho is that girl ​i​ see​ s​taring straight back at me?​ w​hy is my reflection​ ssomeone ​i​ don't know?​ m​us​t​ ​i​ pretend that ​i​'m​ someone else​ ​for all time?​ w​hen will my reflection show​ w​ho ​i​ am inside?​ t​here's a heart that must be​ f​ree to fly​ t​hat burns with a need to know​ t​he reason why​. w​hy must we all conceal​ w​hat we think, how we feel?​ must there be a secret me​ i​'m forced to hide?​ i​ won't pretend that ​i​'m​ ​someone else for​ ​all time​...w​hen will my reflection show​ w​ho​ i​ am inside?​ w​hen will my reflection show​ w​ho ​i​ am inside?​ i​nside​ w​ho ​i​ am​?​" ― christina aguilera, reflection​
 
"when i feel this ​connected to nature​, my impressions always come out special, and beautiful...full of all my positive thoughts and the experience of being wrapped up with all my senses in these wonderful moments in life...​the ​reflections of my life captured in a photographic frame​..." ― bodhi, no'ono'o
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MEANING
"in my reflections, my no'ono'o, hawaii has given me a more positive way of looking at my life, deeper in humility and faith...i'm grateful (mahalo) for having this life and being alive. i'm thankful (mahalo) for all the love (aloha) in my life, thankful (mahalo) for how unconditional love (aloha) flows from my spirituality into me and then into those around me and back in an endless cycle. i'm grateful for all the support (kako'o) i get from the universe, from love, from all the loving beings in my life. and i'm thankful for the righteous balance and harmony (pono) i feel with this earth as well as with all the relationships i have surrounding me...i live in mahalo (gratitude), aloha (love), kako'o (support), and pono (righteous harmony) with each breath i'm blessed to take" ― bodhi, what hawai'i has given me
 
sometimes, we just need to take a moment and reflect on where we are, where we have been and where we want to go. while i was on the island of kauai, i discovered that hawaiians, practice "no'ono'o" (pronounced: noh-oh.noh-oh) which is the act of reflecting or being thoughtful...

"reflection" is defined by merriam-webster as:
1. a thought, idea, or opinion formed, often as a result of meditation
2. insightful consideration of a happening, idea, or purpose

this includes being "no'ono'o pono" (thinking righteously, meditating), which really connects to the meaning of my blog a couple weeks ago entitled "pono"...putting these two words together (no'ono'o and pono), creates the practice of counting our blessings every day, having an attitude of gratitude, thinking the best of each person, including ourselves; focusing on what’s going right, recognizing people’s strengths, being the solution, and encouraging and serving others with a heart that’s pono…because it’s the right thing to do.

no’ono’o can bring about moments that ground us, that calm us, help us to make sense in our world, especially in a moment which at the time may not make any sense at all. one of the best things about being in kauai, hawaii and being surrounded by all the beauty of the island is that we can become very reflective (no’ono’o) about life, our surroundings, and just about anything. and this reflection builds mindfulness, which in turn helps us to create meaningful connections with our lives to nature, animals, and other people around us...
 
i truly wish to reflect on where i am, where i've been, and where i want to go...and practice no'ono'o in my writing here today...
 
where i am: 
i'm blessed to be who i am, blessed to get to do all the things i get to do, blessed to have the family, friends, co-workers, girlfriend, and doggie in my life...in reflecting about my life right now, it's hard to remember a time when i was happier in mind-body-spirit, when i felt so satisfied, so complete and fulfilled...i don't ever want any of it to ever end. i want my parents, my girlfriend, all my friends, and my doggie to live forever with me...
 
i'm truly lucky and blessed to be me and live my life, especially when i'm living it to the fullest. i mean, the state pays me to teach photography to teenagers, show them the practice of taking images that are artistic and beautiful...and then for my photography, i get to travel the world and see some of the most beautiful things, place, and people and experience new cultures, customs, foods, music, and spirituality...seriously, i do not really consider anything that i get paid to do as being "working"...
 
where i've been: 
i'm lucky to appreciate who i am, and who i've grown to become. my life has been difficult at times, filled with too many problems to count, filled with negative darkness, filled with spiritual questioning, filled with so many emotional insecurities and deep-rooted fears. but everything i have experienced, both the positive and the negative, have led me down this path to where i am right now, and where i am heading tomorrow into my future... i'm truly mahalo (profoundly thankful) to be have had the chance to life my life as i have chosen. mahalo that i'm blessed to be me...
 
"wherever i go, there i am...and my only problem is that i'm still me, but at the same time, that's also my greatest blessing!" ― bodhi, no'ono'o
 
where i want to go:
​i wish to maintain my current state and continue down this beautiful path of happiness i have been walking...but ​one of my ​more specific ​goals is to be more mindful, especially of what i'm doing and thinking in the moment, and this includes the act of reflection about being mindful (no'ono'o)...
 
if i'm teaching my students than i want to be entirely present for them and reach out to each individual with the best lessons i have to give to them...if i'm hanging out with my girlfriend, then i want o be 100% present and fully focused on her and on what we are doing in each moment together; dancing, learning things together, discussing things, taking photos together, doing yoga, cooking and eating together, cleaning up, or just staring into each other eyes with no need for words...if i'm with my doggie besos, then i want to be fully present for him and give him my full attention, and focus on love, and playing frisbee or tug-tug, or simply sitting next to each other as we drive somewhere fun together...
 
and in no'ono'o, i'm giving my loving thanks for all the beautiful and positive relationships that i get to experience in my life. i'm so deeply grateful for this universe and the relationship it has with me; by letting me experience firsthand in all its diversity of beauty and record some of the real magic this world has to offer with my camera, so others can also see and sense the majesty of this planet and the heavens...and i'm also deeply thankful and grateful for the all the loving relationships​, all the pono ​i have in my life: with my doggie, with my girlfriend, and with my parents, with my family in oklahoma, and with all those who support me​ ​ and my photography​ w​ith kako'o, for without you, there would be less meaning in my works, i give my mahalo to all of you, thank you ​aloha ​and namaste!!
 
this song from close to 20 years ago in 2003 is coming to me from an unlikely source, the hard industrial metal band tool, with their song entitled "reflection"...the tune is full of beautiful long rhythmic instrumental sections combined with deep meaningful lyrics...i believe this is a song about practicing no'ono'o...by reflecting on our lives, where we have been, where we are now, and where we want to be, we can take a journey of transformation...we walk the path that finds us evolving into a more spiritual being by letting go of ego and self-pity, so we can reflect the light of love which is reflected into each of us by the universe. it's an endless light reflected everywhere from everything. and when we reflect this love unto others, we all become interconnected, reflecting each other in one endless perfect circle of love...this universal love will save each of us, and in the process help save our mother earth...
 
"i have come curiously close to the end, down beneath my self-indulgent pitiful hole. defeated, i concede and move closer. i may find comfort here. i may find peace within the emptiness. how pitiful. it's calling me. it's calling me. it's calling me. it's calling me. and in my darkest moment, fetal and weeping, the moon tells me a secret, my confidant. as full and bright as i am, this light is not my own and a million light reflections pass over me. it's source is bright and endless. she resuscitates the hopeless. without her, we are lifeless satellites drifting. and as i pull my head out, i am without one doubt. don't want to be down here soothing my narcissism. i must crucify the ego before it's far too late. i pray the light lifts me out before i pine away. before i pine away. before i pine away. before i pine away. so crucify the ego, before it's far too late. to leave behind this place so negative and blind and cynical. and you will come to find that we are all one mind, capable of all that's imagined and all conceivable. just let the light touch you, and let the words spill through. and let them pass right through. bringing out our hope and reason before we pine away (pine away). before we pine away (pine away). before we pine away (pine away). before we pine away" ― tool, reflection
 
"​reflecting on your life is so important...reflect on where you have been. reflect on where you want to go. change or stay your course as you ​​reflect on your truth. then reflect honesty. reflect your love. reflect your enthusiasm. reflect your dreams. keep positive thoughts. walk your talk, don't just say it, do it. dance and sing your music. embrace your blessings. compare less and reflect more, and reflect the change and goodness you wish to see in this world" ― bodhi, no'ono'o
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STORY BEHIND THE IMPRESSION
"​reflect daily on who you are, where you have been, and where you want to go. plan accordingly and harvest this good life you have planted​" ― bodhi, no'ono'o
 
on the beautiful morning that i captured this impression, i was truly feeling​ ​connected physically and metaphysically to kauai and the ocean,​ and the stream and waterfall...​ such flowing positivity...in balance with my world, in harmony with all the nature surrounding me, experiencing everything with all my senses (sight, touch, sound, smell, taste)...but also ​reflecting on​ my relationships, thinking about my doggie back home, and my girlfriend and wondering if they were at this moment thinking or day-dreaming about me...thinking about my family and all my friends, and how they will feel when i get to share this image with them...
 
when i feel this ​connected to nature​, my impressions always come out special, and beautiful...full of all my positive thoughts and the experience of being wrapped up with all my senses in these wonderful moments in life...​the ​reflections of my life captured in a photographic frame​...
 
the beautiful stillness ​in the air mixed with the crashing blue waves of the ocean striking the black volcanic rocks of the shoreline, and then going back out to sea, repeating their cycle endlessly...the tropical trees and adjoining cliffs filled with hundreds of wedge-tailed sheerwater birds, all cosey in their nests, whose unique vocalizations sound like happy moaning and groaning as they bring in a new generation of hatchling chicks into this world...
 
and for those future visitors to kauai, to get to ​this waterfall close to the ​queen's bath​ on the northeast shoreline, you must hike down a pretty steep and slippery ravine filled with exposed roots and red mud (for only about .25 mile). then once you make it down to the shore, you need to carefully hike across fractured lava rocks full of large ankle-breaking cracks...and i had to navigate this all in the pitch dark with my headlamp...
 
going in the wee-hours of the morning is advantageous for not only being in place for the beauty of the sunrise, but also being able to secure one of the few prestigious parking spots at the trailhead, the number of spots is limited to only about 10 and after they fill, the next closest legal parking in about one mile away at the nearby golf course...plus early on you get to hear the strange and cool cooing nesting sounds of the sheerwater birdies (who stop shortly after sunrise), and also especially getting the entire area all to yourself before the masses of crowds show up, because it is such a peaceful and spiritual place without other tourists around​...it's a sea of love and peace...
 
"come with me
my love
to the sea
the sea of love
i wanna tell you
how much
i love you
do you remember
when we met
that's the day
i knew you were mine
i wanna tell you
how much
i love you
come with me
my love
to the sea
the sea of love
i wanna tell you
how much
i love you" 
 
"this impression yields yet another universal sign, one for me to follow in life while i discover new and lovely sights, in harmony with beautiful souls, all sprinkled with stardust and magically mystical things along my path these days" ― bodhi, sprinkled with stardust 
 
"we are made of the sea, of the stars, of the rocks, of the breeze, of the reflections...that's why it is not correct to say we are in love, for we are in everything, we are love" ― bodhinku, sea of love
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MORE QUOTES FOR EXTRA MEANING
here is another beautiful ​love​song​, this one from close to 10 years ago in 2013...it's about our reflections in others, the ones we love​: "mirrors" by justin ​t​imberlake ... (just click on any of words in the powder blue links to listen to the song)...  

"aren't you something to admire, 'cause your shine is something like a mirror and i can't help but notice, you reflect in this heart of mine if you ever feel alone and the glare makes me hard to find just know that i'm always parallel on the other side. 'cause with your hand in my hand and a pocket full of soul, i can tell you there's no place we couldn't go. just put your hand on the glass, i'm here trying to pull you through. you just gotta be strong...'cause i don't wanna lose you now. i'm looking right at the other half of me the vacancy that sat in my heart is a space that now you hold show me how to fight for now and i'll tell you, baby, it was easy coming back into you once i figured it out. you were right here all along...it's like you're my mirror, my mirror staring back at me. i couldn't get any bigger with anyone else beside of me and now it's clear as this promise that we're making two reflections into one. 'cause it's like you're my mirror. my mirror staring back at me, staring back at me...aren't you something, an original, 'cause it doesn't seem merely assembled and i can't help but stare 'cause i see truth somewhere in your eyes. ooh i can't ever change without you, you reflect me, i love that about you. and if i could, i would look at us all the time...'cause with your hand in my hand and a pocket full of soul, i can tell you there's no place we couldn't go. just put your hand on the glass, i'm here trying to pull you through, you just gotta be strong. 'cause i don't wanna lose you now. i'm looking right at the other half of me, the vacancy that sat in my heart is a space that now you hold. show me how to fight for now and i'll tell you, baby, it was easy. coming back into you once i figured it out, you were right here all along...it's like you're my mirror, my mirror staring back at me. i couldn't get any bigger with anyone else beside of me. and now it's clear as this promise that we're making two reflections into one. 'cause it's like you're my mirror, my mirror staring back at me, staring back at me...yesterday is history, tomorrow's a mystery. i can see you looking back at me. keep your eyes on me baby, keep your eyes on me. i don't wanna lose you now. i'm looking right at the other half of me, the vacancy that sat in my heart is a space that now you hold. show me how to fight for now​ ​and i'll tell you, baby, it was easy. coming back into you once i figured it out, you were right here all along. it's like you're my mirror, my mirror staring back at me. i couldn't get any bigger with anyone else beside of me . and now it's clear as this promise that we're making two reflections into one. 'cause it's like you're my mirror, my mirror staring back at me, staring back at me...you are you are the love of my life, you are you are the love of my life, you are you are the love of my life...now you're the inspiration for this precious song, and i just wanna see your face light up since you put me on. so now i say goodbye to the old me, it's already gone and i can't wait wait wait wait wait to get you home, just to let you know, you are, you are you are the love of my life. you are you are the love of my life. you are you are the love of my life...girl you're my reflection, all i see is you my reflection, in everything i do, you're my reflection and all i see is you. my reflection, in everything i do...you are you are the love of my life, you are you are the love of my life. you are you are the love of my life. you are you are the love of my life. you are you are the love of my life. you are you are the love of my life, you are you are the love of my life. you are you are the love of my life. you are you are the love of my life. you are you are the love of my life..." ― justin timberlake, mirrors
 
"​those who reflect peaceful thoughts surely find peace" ― gautama siddhartha buddha, sayings of buddha 

"be ​awake. be the witness of your thoughts. you are what reflects, not the reflection" ― gautama siddhartha buddha, sayings of buddha
 
"​h​e who sees evil​ in another​, must first look at his own reflection" ― confucius
 
​"b​y three methods we may learn wisdom: ​f​irst, by reflection, which is noblest; ​s​econd, by imitation, which is easiest; and third by experience, which is the bitterest" ― confucius
 
"​s​implicity, patience, compassion.​ t​hese three are your greatest treasures.​ s​imple in actions and thoughts, you return to the source of being.​ p​atient with both friends and enemies,​ y​ou accord with the way things are.​ c​ompassionate toward yourself,​ ​you re​flect​ all beings in the world​"​ ― lao tzu, tao te ching
 
"as soon as you have made a thought, reflect and laugh at it​"​ ― lao tzu, tao te ching
 
"​t​his evening when the setting sun was reflected in the water and cast a bright golden glow over everything, it looked just like a picture​ of heaven​" ― vincent van gogh
 
"​a​ mystic is one who has dropped all dreams, who has thrown away this mirror of the mind and who looks directly into life, without any medium interfering. ​t​hen he sees the eternal progression, then in a single moment he sees all eternity, and in a single atom he can see the whole ​world ​reflected" ― osho, the power of love  
 
​"t​he reflection that you will find in the other of your own self may be ugly—that is the anxiety; ​so you think, ​avoid the mirror! ​b​ut by avoiding the mirror you are not going to become beautiful. ​b​y avoiding the situation you are not going to grow, either. ​t​he challenge has to be taken" ― osho, ​love and aloneness​ 
 
​"t​he man who loves himself does not love his reflection, he simply loves himself. ​n​o mirror is needed; he knows himself from within. ​d​on’t you know yourself, that you are? ​d​o you need a proof that you are? ​d​o you need a mirror to prove that you exist? ​i​f there were no mirror, would you become suspicious of your existence?" ― osho, the power of love
  
"​t​he truth is, unless you let go, unless you forgive yourself, unless you forgive the situation, unless you realize that the situation is over, you cannot move forward" ― steve maraboli, unapologetically you
 
"​t​he outer world is a reflection of the inner world. ​o​ther people’s perception of you is a reflection of them; your response to them is an awareness of you" ― roy t. bennett, the light in the heart
 
"​f​rom a mind filled with infinite love comes the power to create infinite possibilities. ​w​e have the power to think in ways that reflect and attract all the love in the world. ​s​uch thinking is called enlightenment. ​e​nlightenment is not a process we work toward, but a choice available to us in any instant" ― marianne williamson, a return to love
 
"​the only way to gain power in a world that is moving too fast is to learn to slow down.​ ​and the only way to spread one’s influence wide ​is ​to learn how to go deep. ​t​he world we want for ourselves will not emerge from electronic speed but rather from a spiritual stillness that takes root in our souls. ​t​hen, and only then, will we create a world that reflects the heart instead of shattering it" ― marianne williamson, a return to love
​​
"the universe is your mirror; you can see your reflection in it through your consciousness" ― debasish mridha
 
"helped are those who are content to be themselves; they will never lack mystery in their lives and the joys of self-discovery will be constant....helped are those who live in quietness, knowing neither brand name nor fad; they shall live every day as if in eternity, and each moment shall be as full as it is long....helped are those who love others unsplit off from their faults; to them will be given clarity of vision....helped are those who create anything at all, for they shall relive the thrill of their own conception, and realize an partnership in the creation of the universe that keeps them responsible and cheerful....helped are those who love the entire cosmos rather than their own tiny country, city, or farm, for to them will be shown the unbroken web of life and the meaning of infinity....helped are those who love the earth, their mother, and who willingly suffer that she may not die; in their grief over her pain they will weep rivers of blood, and in their joy in her lively response to love, they will converse with the trees....helped are those whose ever act is a prayer for harmony in the universe, for they are the restorers of balance to our planet. to them will be given the insight that every good act done anywhere in the cosmos welcomes the life of an animal or a child....helped are those who risk themselves for others' sakes; to them will be given increasing opportunities for ever greater risks. theirs will be a vision of the word in which no one's gift is despised or lost....helped are those who strive to give up their anger; their reward will be that in any confrontation their first thoughts will never be of violence or of war....helped are those whose every act is a prayer for peace; on them depends the future of the world... helped are those who forgive; their reward shall be forgiveness of every evil done to them. it will be in their power, therefore, to envision the new earth....helped are those who are shown the existence of the creator's magic in the universe; they shall experience delight and astonishment without ceasing....helped are those who laugh with a pure heart; theirs will be the company of the jolly righteous....helped are those who love all the colors of all the human beings, as they love all the colors of the animals and plants....helped are those who love the lesbian, the gay, and the straight, as they love the sun, the moon, and the stars. none of their children, nor any of their ancestors, nor any parts of themselves, shall be hidden from them....helped are those who love the broken and the whole; none of their children, nor any of their ancestors, nor any parts of themselves, shall be hidden from them....helped are those who find the courage to do at least one small thing each day to help the existence of another plant, animal, river, or human being. they shall be joined by a multitude of the timid....helped are those who lose their fear of death; theirs is the power to envision the future in a blade of grass....helped are those who love and actively support the diversity of life; they shall be secure in their differences....helped are those who know" ― alice walker, the color purple
 
"every person on earth is a reflection of someone else, but more so a reflection of many people.​ ​the reason you have the knowledge you do is because someone else's knowledge was once reflected upon you, same with the disposition you hold. naturally, you look around you and unknowingly take in other people​'​s personalities, taking bits and pieces of their personalities in order to forge your own, as those people have done with other people...it's a giant circle, everyone is a reflection off everyone else" ― maynard james keenan, lead singer of the rock band tool
 
"be generous in prosperity, and thankful in adversity. be worthy of the trust of thy neighbor, and look upon him with a bright and friendly face. be a treasure to the poor, an answerer of the cry of the needy, a preserver of the sanctity of thy pledge. be guarded in thy speech. be unjust to no one, and show all meekness to all beings. be as a lamp unto them that walk in darkness, a joy to the sorrowful, a sea for the thirsty, a haven for the distressed, an upholder and defender of the victim of oppression. let integrity and uprightness distinguish all thine acts. be a home for the stranger, a balm to the suffering, a tower of strength for the fugitive. be eyes to the blind, and a guiding light unto the feet of the erring. be an ornament to the countenance of truth, a crown to the brow of fidelity, a pillar of the temple of righteousness, a breath of life to the body of humankind, an ensign of the hosts of justice, a luminary above the horizon of virtue, a dew to the soil of the human heart, an ark on the ocean of knowledge, a sun in the heaven of bounty, a gem on the diadem of wisdom, a shining light in the firmament of thy generation, a fruit upon the tree of humility" ― baha'u'llah
 
"do not be content with showing friendship in words alone, let your heart burn with loving kindness for all who may cross your path" ― baha'u'llah
 
"​the faults you see in others, ​is​ your own nature reflected in them.​..t​he faithful are mirrors to one another" ― jalaluddin rumi, poems of ecstasy and longing
 
"​t​he beauty you see in me is a reflection of you" ― jalaluddin rumi
 
"​l​ove is a mirror, it reflects only your essence, if you have the courage to look in its face" ― jalaluddin rumi, in the arms of the beloved
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MORE BODHI HAWAIIAN QUOTES
and now here are a few more quotes from bodhi (a.k.a.bodhinku) from past blogs to help add to the deeper meaning of this blog today...
 
"her eyes are that one particular harbour where i feel safe and at home, where only truth and love exist. it's there that everything is in harmony, balanced with the universe in righteousness" ― bodhi, righteousness
 
"we all can sense right from wrong. we need to stop doing what's wrong, and start doing the right thing more often" ― bodhi, righteousness
 
"when i look into her eyes, i see the love and harmony of god reflecting back into me. and i understand the true meaning of righteousness" ― bodhi, pono 
 
"right, wrong, we know instinctively the right path is the right road; being godly is the right way. the way to harmony and balance. righteousness and love is never wrong" ― bodhi, righteousness
 
"pono means that you are in alignment, balance, and in harmony with what is happening in your life...you are connecting to the universe and all its living things in virtuous and godly ways" ― bodhi, pono
 
"right,
wrong,
we know
instinctively
the right path
pono's the right road;
being godly is the right way.
the way to harmony and balance.
righteousness and love is never wrong." 
 
"i especially feel pono with my girlfriend. i can stare for hours into her eyes and feel so peaceful, so at home, so in harmony with god and the universe. there's no fear there, only the safe reflection of truth and goodness. there's only a clarity of the certainty in love" ― bodhi, pono (righteousness)
 
"everyone instinctively knows right from wrong, it's inherent in each of us as human beings. we can chose to be truthful and always strive to do what is right and just. being pono means that you walk the path you know is righteous, even if it is the more difficult way" ― bodhi, pono (righteousness)
 
"to be pono means you have the perfect relationship with the creative energy of the universe, however you might describe that energy: god, goddess, prana, mana, chi, spirit, or love...your every thought, word, and deed are in complete harmony with that divine energy" ― bodhi, pono (righteousness)
 
"pono means that your relationships with others are just and fair and untinged by ego, anger, jealousy, resentment or any negative energy. you are in harmony and in integrity" ― bodhi, pono
 
"be the love you want to see in other people's eyes" ― bodhi, pono
"for me, home isn't a place, it's a person" ― bodhi, home
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ABOUT THE IMPRESSION
"no’ono’o can bring about moments that ground us, that calm us, help us to make sense in our world, especially in a moment which at the time may not make any sense at all." ― bodhi, no'ono'o
 
this impression was captured in one single long exposure taken just after the sunrise on the east shore of kauai, hawaii (at 6:36am hst on april 15, 2022)...the image of this seascape is a quasi-long exposure (f/11@14mm for 33 secs, iso-64)... 
in my photography, i always use filters to create longer exposure effects, saturate colors naturally, and balance the light in my composition in-camera...i often use as many as four filters at time, and i always use at least one filter in my completed impressions...
 
to get the effects and balance i was looking for in this seascape exposure (f/11@14mm for 11 secs, iso-64), i used two progreyusa filters along with the progrey g-150z holder to secure these filters to my nikon d850 with a nikon nikkor 14-24mm f/2.8 lens ... 
 
first, a 3.0nd progrey titan filter to bring the light in the image down 10 stops and permit for the 33 second exposure to create the smooth and misty waterfall effect, plus the dreamy effect of the smooth flat-calm looking ocean, along with the dreamy puffy-blurry clouds...and this filter used in a long exposure also helps to naturally saturate all the red, green, and blue (rgb) colors in the image...
 
combined with the second filter, a 0.9 gnd progrey titan filter to help balance in-camera the image overall the way i envisioned it...in this case, to stop down the much brighter light in the sky from the sunrise (especially on the right hand side of the image), an extra three stops and help permit details in the shadows of the trees, behind the waterfall, and volcanic rocks making up the shoreline to come out better in the exposure... 
 
i wish to openly thank my sponsors who have always supported me through both the good and bad times...for truly this long exposure impression would not be possible without the use of my induro phq3 series 5-way panhead with the induro (now benro) stealth carbon fiber tripod in combination with the progreyusa filters which i use with every photo i take...
 
"you were blessed with 84,600 seconds today, have you used one of them to say thank you?" ― bodhi, blessed
 
"if nothing else...if i open my eyes, if i hope, if i cry, if i think, if i sigh, if i giggle, if i dance, if i love, if i breathe, then i have lived a full days worth of life...nothing is wasted, nothing" ― bodhi, if nothing else
 
"i do not want you to just be into my photography, instead, i'd much rather you take a journey into my pictures, and feel the impression i have created, feel it with all your senses" ― bodhi, into my photography
 
"my photography is my way of keeping a diary" ― bodhi, my diary
 
"contemplate without thinking. be certain only in your uncertainty, content to be completely incomplete. stop the rush. slow down time. breathe and notice. slow down everything. let it all be. shut off the noise. hush. relax. seize this higher moment. reconnect. feel and sense what surrounds you. listen to all the colours of light whisper as they envelope you. see the melody and harmony that float about unnoticed. taste the solitude of all this wonderment. smell the beautiful silence. now discover your peaceful serenity. then, reach out and touch your faith with all your senses. this is my world. awaken!" ― bodhi, my world
 
i leave you today wishing that bright joy 
and spiritual peace fill your life...
imploring you to make every moment count, 
no matter what, always and forever, 
for that is the only thing that truly matters... 
  
and above all else,
i hope this message and impression find you well.
namaste,
bodhi
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please visit me at:

http://www.bodhismith.com
http://www.instagram.com/bodhismith
http://www.facebook.com/Bodhi.Impressions

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