"Onofre" by Bodhi Smith

Oct 28, 2022

"onofre" is my new impression and blog...
 
"my doggie climbed up beside me, and together we sat on this bench contemplating life, the universe and everything...then, as i was in deep thought looking out to sea, besos kissed me on my cheek for no particular reason, but the meaning was clear. this moment was ours and we did not let it pass us by without realizing the importance" ― bodhi, onofre
 
"the earth isn’t solid. it's made of molecules and atoms, tiny universes filled with space. it's a place of mystery, light, and magic, if you only open your eyes" ― dan millman, way of the peaceful warrior
 
"the warrior knows that intuition is god's alphabet and he continues listening to the wind and talking to the stars" ― paulo coelho, warrior of the light
 
"all eternity is in this moment" ― mary oliver  
 
"peace isn’t the absence of distraction or annoyance or pain. it’s finding me, finding peace and calm, in the midst of those distractions and annoyances and pains" ― glennon doyle melton, carry on warrior
 
"peace comes when you stop trying to control the world around you and instead take responsibility for the world within you" ― erwin raphael mcmanus, the way of the warrior
 
"the strongest of all warriors are: 1. time, and, 2. patience" ― leo tolstoy, war and peace
 
"a warrior is always engaged in a life-and-death struggle for peace...warriorship is none other than the vitality that sustains all life" ― morihei ueshiba, the art of peace
 
"the strength of a warrior is not defined by the wars he wins; but the times he seeks for peace" ― aniket s. sharma, through the eyes of the young warrior
 
"a warrior doesn't give up what they love, a warrior finds the love in what they do" ― dan millman, way of the peaceful warrior
 
"a peaceful warrior has the insight and discipline to choose the simple way—to know the difference between needs and wants. we have few basic needs but endless wants. full attention to every moment is his pleasure. attention costs no money; the only investment is training. that’s another advantage of being a peaceful warrior. the secret of happiness, you see, is not found in seeking more, but in developing the capacity to enjoy less" ― dan millman, way of the peaceful warrior
 
"inside.
this moment. 
so peaceful. 
so soulful. 
so beautiful. 
such tranquility.
such contentment. 
such love. 
right here.
right now.
inside." 
 
some very peaceful and beautiful instrumental music for my impression and blog today ... samurai warrior meditation music. ...and ... japanese drums (meditation)  (just click on any of the words in the powder blue links to listen to the tune and watch the video) ...
 
"on this night, there's no conflict. there's no tough decision to ponder. there's no stress, no worry, no fogginess. there's clarity in relaxing and letting go of the unimportant. there's only peace. there's only love. there's only the next breath entering my lungs, followed by the next exhale letting me know i'm alive. so alive...this is life, and life is good" ― bodhi, onofre
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MEANING
"most of the time, i'm at peace with the only thing i need to be happy: myself...it's at those other times when i truly need the therapeutic focus of my photography" ― bodhi, onofre
 
between oceanside and san clemente at san onofre state beach in late october 2022, a lone bench sits atop a cliff with a beautiful view overlooking the pacific ocean below while basking in the glow of the milky way and stars of southern california above...and i wish to point out these are stars that were really seen from this spot on a clear night late in the milky way season (this image is NOT a composite)...
 
"onofre" is spanish in origin and means "defender of peace" or "peace warri0r"...
 
imagine if we all could defend the peace within each of ourselves. become a peace warrior and strive for inner peace every day. meditate to feel it, and spread only love and peace to all the others around us...maybe i'm a dreamer, but wouldn't that be so nice to have peace and calm rub off on one another, letting go of all the inner conflicts. taking time to live in the now, in this moment, because there are no ordinary moments...
 
"there are no ordinary moments" ― dan millman, way of the peaceful warrior 
 
after i captured the images i needed to make this impression here, i packed up my camera gear. but i did not head up the trail to my vehicle and leave on the 3o minute drive back to my house yet. instead, i sat down on the this bench to enjoy the view, to take everything in and just be...i wanted to feel more deeply the peace and beauty, soak in the magnitude of this moment (the very essence that this composition is trying to convey to you right now)...
 
without me asking him, my doggie climbed up beside me, and together we sat on this bench contemplating life, the universe and everything...then, as i was in deep thought looking out to sea, besos kissed me on my cheek for no particular reason, but the meaning was clear. this moment was ours and we did not let it pass us by without realizing the importance...
 
inside this moment. so peaceful. so soulful. so beautiful. such tranquility. such contentment. such love. right here. right now. inside...
 
"i'm alone with only my doggie. yet, something so beautiful comes out of all the loneliness when the stars come out at night, and living again takes my breath away" ― bodhi, peace warrior
 
and it's absolutely perfect that this bench would be located in this spot high atop a cliff over a beach, situated to be looking out to sea, in a place that was named "onofre" (peace warrior)...just beautiful alignment of meaning for me personally and spiritually...and within that meaning, the way of the peaceful warrior by dan millman. has always been a huge influence on my life, and so as it is here for this impression...
 
a peaceful warrior has the insight and discipline to choose the simple way--to know the difference between needs and wants. the secret of happiness is found in developing the capacity to enjoy less, to extend the length of moments, never taking any moment for granted. this is the way of the peaceful warrior. 
 
the dry concepts of the mind obscure your direct perception. you have to 'lose your mind' before you can come to your senses. don't take for granted what you can do; don't be sloppy with your life. devote life to a higher purpose: service to others. a warrior doesn't give up what they love, a warrior finds the love in what they do...
 
and there's no need to fight to be a warrior...it's more about refusing to quit in the face of adversity. it's about being prepared to face a challenge at any cost, no matter what. it's having deep faith in a way you believe so strongly, a cause for which you're willing to do whatever it takes to make happen. as long as you tread the way, you are a warrior. the way is now; it always has been...
 
being a warrior need not be about the act of fighting. because the battles we fight are almost always on the inside...in fact, it's often so much harder being a warrior that maintains a peaceful equilibrium inside when conflicts arise...it's so much harder to turn the other cheek and still love those who have hurt and wronged us...
 
however, in times like on this night, there's no conflict. there's no tough decision to ponder. there's no stress, no worry, no fogginess. there's clarity in relaxing and letting go of the unimportant. there's only peace. there's only love. there's only the next breath entering my lungs, followed by the next exhale letting me know i'm alive. so alive...this is life, and life is good.
 
"the chosen weapon of the peace warrior is love, and his shield is kindness" ― bodhi, onofre
 
some more peaceful and beautiful instrumental music to accompany my impression and blog today ..."peaceful warrior" by dj taz rashid  ...and... "japanese zen flute"  ... (just click on any of the words in the powder blue links to listen to the relaxing music and watch the video) ...
 
"you are a warrior for the inner peace within you. have courage to embrace this and live. confront life head on, and make every moment count no matter what. especially at times when everything seems to be falling down around you, reach out and hold on simultaneously, wrap a smile around a giggle, persevere through, feel the peace inside of every breath. and you feel more alive than ever" ― bodhi, onofre
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THE WAY OF THE PEACEFUL WARRIOR BY DAN MILLMAN
"be happy now without reason, or you will never be happy at all" ― dan millman, way of the peaceful warrior
 
it fits in truly wonderfly with the deeper meaning of my blog today, so here is my personal take from the inspirational book by dan millman, the way of the peaceful warrior. (that was also made into a pretty good movie in 2006, the peaceful warrior.<--MOVIE TRAILER.)...this international bestseller conveys piercing truths and humorous wisdom, speaking directly to the universal quest for happiness through self awareness and spirituality.
 
this theme of the book is echoed throughout:
  • where are you? … HERE.
  • what time is it? … NOW.
  • what are you? … THIS MOMENT.
the only time is now and the only place is where you currently are. pay attention to your surroundings. there's never nothing going on, so look around you and notice all you can and be present. you and the world and everyone in it is one. be right here, right now. don’t be in the past, reminiscing. the past is only a shadow in your mind. the future is only a dream. be in the present, awake and living. all you have is right now, this moment...

"there is never nothing going on" ― dan millman, way of the peaceful warrior

most people do not live much at all. they do not pay attention to this moment. they let moment after moment escape them. each moment lasts longer when you are in tune with it, the moment itself stretches out, time slows down, the more you experience each moment, the longer your life becomes. so experience the moment. be fully engaged in the moment. savor the moment. the most important thing in life is this moment right now. every moment is worthy of your full attention, there are no ordinary moments...

"there are no ordinary moments" ― dan millman, way of the peaceful warrior

take out the trash. don’t miss out on what’s going on by letting your mind fill up with noise. noise is senseless trash. clear you mind of the trash. clear it of everything you don’t need like doubt, past regrets, future worries...trash is anything that keeps you from the only thing that matters which is the right here and now, this moment. do not let anybody or anything, especially your thoughts, draw you out of the present. you cannot worry about what others think. you’ll never be better than anybody, the same way you’ll never be any less. you control you.  master you. meditate. master the ability to clear your mind and focus on the moment. silence is a warrior's art, and meditation is his sword. the best warriors have the quietest minds in the most unpeaceful times. so take out the trash...
 
"silence is a warrior's art, and meditation is his sword" ― dan millman, way of the peaceful warrior
 
"action always happens in the present, because it is an expression of the body which can only exist in the here and now. but the mind is like a phantom that lives only in the past or future. its only power over you is to draw your attention out of the present" ― dan millman, way of the peaceful warrior

happiness = satisfaction over desires. if you have just enough to cover your desires you are rich. do not fall into the trap of thinking "if i only had this, or if i achieved this...i'd be happy." don’t pin your success on outcomes. the journey is the success, not the destination. remember that all you purchase and all you achieve are equally enjoyable and equally unnecessary. you can achieve your goals and still be unhappy. you can have a lot of money and never be happy. achievement and money does not equate to happiness. if you do not get what you want, you suffer. but if you get what you want, you still suffer because you can't hold on to it forever. let go of your attachments. cultivate a simple lifestyle. happiness comes from the capacity of enjoying less instead of seeking more...act happy. be happy without a reason in the world. then you can truly love and live...

"the secret of happiness, you see, is not found in seeking more, but in developing the capacity to enjoy less" ― dan millman, way of the peaceful warrior
 
"happiness doesn’t come from getting everything we want, because we never will; true happiness comes from wanting whatever we get" ― dan millman, way of the peaceful warrior

life is not suffering. we only suffer until we learn to let go, allow things to just be. freely accept that whatever happens, happens (que sera sera), and then love whatever happens (amor fati). learn from your life experiences instead of complaining or revelling in them. intead, have thoughtless awareness (satori). when the mind resists life, thoughts arrive. thoughts are an unconscious reaction to life. your moods are a direct outcome of your thoughts–not the events themselves. don't let your emotions control you. the way to control your emotions is to never repress them, instead let them flow freely and then let them go. true emotion is pure energy which should be directed outward and never withheld. many people try to holdback their anger. but remember that anger is more powerful than fear or sorrow. it can generate action where fear and sorrow turn you away from action. still, never give in to unconscious impulses. urges don't matter, actions do. a warrior acts; only a fool reacts....
 
"you are not your thoughts, don't let your thoughts run your life...a thought is no more real than a shadow of a shadow" ― dan millman, way of the peaceful warrior

do what you do, but do it well, and with purpose. pay attention to your actions. when you eat, eat. enjoy the entire process of eating–the preparation, chewing, breathing, and the feeling of lightness after the meal. and remember that what comes out of your mouth is just as important as what goes into it! speak less, listen more. and when you do speak, speak deliberately and purposefully. when you sit, sit. when you stand, stand. no matter what you do, don’t wobble. do it with all your might and focus. better to make mistakes with the full force of your being than doing something mediocre while being unsure. and remember there really are no mistakes, only lessons. everything is either a learning or growing opportunity. so, it doesn’t matter what you do, or how you do it. but you must love what you do, and you must do it as best you can...

"take responsibility for your life. no excuses. no blaming. no complaining." ― dan millman, way of the peaceful warrior

a warrior is as a warrior does. a warrior does what they love. the warrior doesn’t give up what they love. the warrior finds the love in what they do. a warrior does the thing they are put here to do. but being a warrior is not about perfection. being a warrior is about absolute vulnerability. the goal is not invincibility but complete and transparent vulnerability. a warrior is not something you become. it's something you already are, or aren't yet in the present moment. the way itself is what creates a warrior. it’s the journey through every moment, not the destination.
 
"the journey is what brings us happiness, not the destination" ― dan millman, way of the peaceful warrior
 
here's a really awesome animated summary by wisdom for life about the way of the peaceful warrior.
 
 
"the chosen weapon 
of the peace warrior is 
always love, love, love" 
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MORE QUOTES FOR EXTRA MEANING
impression and blog today ..."peacekeeper" by fleetwood mac. ... (just click on any of the words in the powder blue links to listen to the tune and watch the video) ...
 
"we make all of our suns the same. every one will suffer the fire we've made. they all explode just the same, and there's no going back on the plans we've made. peacekeeper, take your time. wait for the dark of night, soon all the suns will rise. peacekeeper, don't tell why, don't be afraid to fight, love is the sweet surprise...only creatures who are on their way ever poison their own well. but we still have time to hate, and there's still something we can sell. peacekeeper, take your time. wait for the dark of night, soon all the suns will rise. peacekeeper, don't tell why, don't be afraid to fight, love is the sweet surprise...when the night is cold and still, when you thought you'd had your fill, take all the time you will. this is not a test, it's not a drill. take no prisoners, only kill. you know all of our friends are gods, and they all tell us how to paint our face. but there's only one brush we need. it's the one that never leaves a trace. peacekeeper, take your time. wait for the dark of night, soon all the suns will rise. peacekeeper, don't tell why, don't be afraid to fight, love is the sweet surprise...peacekeeper, take your time. wait for the dark of night, soon all the suns will rise. peacekeeper, don't tell why, don't be afraid to fight, love is the sweet surprise...when the night is cold and still, when you thought you'd had your fill. this is not a test, it's not a drill. take no prisoners, only kill" ― fleetwood mac, peacekeeper
 
"those who attempt to conquer hatred by hatred are like warriors who take weapons to overcome others who bear arms. this does not end hatred, it only gives it room to grow" ― gautama siddhartha buddha, sayings of buddha
 
"the best fighter is never angry" ― lao tzu, tao te ching 
 
"don't lose hope. through these dark times, you must simply learn to look harder for the light. it will come to you in flashes of unexpected beauty: the helping hand of a friend, a compliment given or received, a quiet moment of inspiration or peace. collect these tiny fragments of light wherever they come, until at last your sky is so full or stars, you are finally able to see the way forward" ― beau taplin, here at dawn  
 
"sometimes the things that never were, pull at us, because they feel incomplete, but maybe they are imperfectly perfect as they are, exactly the way they were always meant to be. we can be ourselves. we are alive. we are this moment" ― c. ara campbell 
 
"the present moment dies every moment to become the past, it's reborn every moment into the future. all experience is now. now never ends" ― deepak chopra, buddha
 
"know your limits at this moment in time. real love is no easy path, readiness is everything. may we grieve loss without personalizing it. may we learn to love ourselves in the absence of the lover" ― jeff brown  
 
"life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away" ― vicki corona, tahitian choreographies  
 
"we must pass through solitude and difficulty, isolation and silence, to find that enchanted place where we can dance our clumsy dance and sing our sorrowful song. but in that dance, and in that song, the most ancient rites of our conscience fulfill themselves in the awareness of being human" ― pablo neruda   
 
"people say, "he's mad." or, "he lives in a fantasy world." or even, "how can he possibly believe in such illogical things?" but the warrior knows that intuition is god's alphabet and he continues listening to the wind and talking to the stars" ― paulo coelho, warrior of the light
 
"you are rich if you have enough money to satisfy all your desires. so there are two ways to be rich: you earn, inherit, borrow, beg, or steal enough money to meet all your desires; or, you cultivate a simple lifestyle of few desires; that way you always have enough money" ― dan millman, way of the peaceful warrior
 
“everyone tells you what's good for you. they don't want you to find your own answers. they want you to believe theirs" ― dan millman, way of the peaceful warrior
 
"you have to ‘lose your mind’ before you can come to your senses" ― dan millman, way of the peaceful warrior
 
"you are not your past. you are the warrior that rose above it to become the example of someone who didn't just survive, but thrived in creating the most beautiful last chapter of their life" ― shannon l. alder
 
"if you want to bring the world closer to peace, be a peacemaker by creating peace whenever you can. if you find yourself engaged in an argument that only stirs anger in the heart, quickly make peace and carry on" ― suzy kassem, rise up and salute the sun
 
"the journey to a thousand stars is not too far a journey in the quest to have true love abiding in a pure heart" ― c. joybell c.  
 
"who never turned and ran, but stayed?
this is a warrior, born, not made.
living in peace, aye many a season,
calm in life and sound in reason,
till evil arrives, a wicked horde
driving the warrior to pick up his sword
the challenger rings then, straight and fair,
justice is with us, beware, beware."
― brian jacques, the legend of luke
 
"the essence of warrior traits are demonstrated by integrity with self, and honesty with others" ― soke behzad ahmadi
 
"patience and forgiveness are at the heart of a warrior's success, they help engender necessary intervals of space and time to evaluate difficult encounters" ― soke behzed ahmadi, dirty fighting
 
"there is no shame in failure. for a warrior, the only shame is in not trying" ― dave grossman, in combat
 
"as a fallen warrior, you feel like nothing has been going your way lately, and that you do not have any fight left. do not dwell on the past or what is thrown at you; instead, use it as fuel to be a powerful warrior... as you become this warrior, learn how to balance and focus on your inner peace. keep a steady, positive mind and remind yourself that nobody has the power or authority to bring you down" ― charlena e. jackson, a woman's love is never good enough
 
"you take a step; rocks and dust fall off the cliff. you stumble and you move forward. the voices in your head call you a coward. you are beginning to second-guess yourself because you want to throw in the towel. you close your eyes; a tear falls and travels to your chin. as your eyes are closed, the great divine’s voice is louder...yet, calmer, soothing...and you feel peace instantly. your mind feels light, and your body feels balanced. the great divine whispers gently and softly in your ear: "fallen warrior, i know you have given everything you’ve got, and you feel like you have nothing left to give. fallen warrior, i know it’s been a while since you smiled. fallen warrior, i see that you are hurting, and i feel your pain. fallen warrior, this is not the end. this is the start of your new beginning. fallen warrior, do not doubt my or your abilities; you have more going for you than you have going against you. fallen warrior, keep moving, you have what it takes; perseverance is your middle name. fallen warrior, you are not the victim! you are the victor!"...so you step back because you know why you are here. you know why you are alive. sometimes you have to be your own hero" ― charlena e. jackson, a woman's love is never good enough
 
"i’ve learned that courage and compassion are two sides of the same coin, and that every warrior of peace is built to live with both. in fact, to create peace, or just to live a good life requires of us—of every one of us—that we be both good and strong" ― eric greitens
 
"rise up and lift your sword, peaceful warrior. keep it strong and steady. you've already lived and fought a thousand battles, and you're not here—again—to cower in fear and pain" ― anne clendening, bent: how yoga saved my ass
 
"hate destroys, love builds: be a creator...fear closes, love opens: be an advocate for life...guilt stagnates, love permits: be a peaceful warrior...anger takes away, love gives: be a foundation for life...a defeatist attitude makes its own bed, while love has the power to design its very own house" ― madelaine standing, heaven In the meat packing district
 
"this silence, this moment, every moment, if it’s genuinely inside you, brings what you need. there’s nothing to believe. only when i stopped believing in myself did i come into this beauty...sit quietly, and move outside the tangle of fear-thinking. live in silence, live in this moment" ― jalaluddin rumi, bridge to the soul 
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ABOUT THIS IMPRESSION
"the best father is time. the best mother is nature. the best teacher is life. the best warrior is truth. the best feeling is peace. the best thought is silence. the best light is wisdom. the best wealth is happiness. the best religion is love. the best love is inside. the best moment is now" ― bodhi, onofre
 
although this spot at san onofre state beach has super bright lights and thus a shit-ton of light pollution to both its south (oceanside) and north (san clemente), it has no light pollution out over the pacific ocean to the west, only dark skies (and minimal, but still some light refraction from the surrounding lights, especially with salt and air pollution present here in the lower atmosphere)...
 
i've had the idea for this image for quite awhile and researched it back in the summer, and using the app photopills on my iphone, i discovered that there actually was a small window in time when this picture could happen in middle october...
 
so, even though the colorful milky way core is higher in the sky in the late spring and summer, at this location, it's located too far south to line up with the park bench and the dark dark skies due west out over the pacific ocean...too early in the season and the milky way would be inland, or worse, over the lights of oceanside...and too late in the season and the milky way core has already set and is beneath the horizon by the time the night sky is dark enough after the sunset and later over the lights of san clemente (usually about 1.5hrs past sunset)...
 
on the night i captured this impression (october 18, 2022), the photo was possible for only a short 45-minute window from about 7:37pm to 8:23pm, with the colorful core getting lower and lower in the sky until it set at 8:23pm...the stars in this photo were captured at 7:44pm, with the foreground and park bench shot almost exactly an hour earlier and about 30-mins after sunset at 6:44pm...the two images were captured an hour apart in the same frame, at the same focal length (55mm), aperture (f2.8), and shutter speed (11seconds) with the only difference being the iso setting in each of the two frames...bench iso = 64, stars iso = 1600...
 
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 the park bench/ocean exposure of this composition (f/2.8@55mm for 11 secs, iso-64), i used two progreyusa filters  along with the progrey g-120z antarctic magnetic holder  to secure these filters to my nikon d850 with a nikon nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 lens.... 
 
first, a 3.0nd progrey antarctica filter  to bring the light in the image down 10 stops and permit for the 11 second exposure which smooths out the waters of the ocean thus making the image more dreamy, but also at the same time easier to merge with the frame of the stars at the horizon line...plus the longer exposure naturally saturates all the blue hues in the image...
 
combined with the second filter, a 0.9 gnd progrey aurora filter  to help balance in-camera overall the image the way i envisioned it...in this case, to stop down the much brighter light in the sky, theppost-dusk light, an extra three stops and help permit details in park bench to expose properly and help bring out the details in the shadows under the bench and in the gravel and stones in the foreground to come out better in the exposure... 
 
for the separate exposure of the stars and milky way (f2.8@55mm for 11 secs, iso-1600), no filters were necessary in the star exposure, so none were used...
 
as always, i wish to openly thank my sponsors who have supported me through both the good and bad times...for truly this long exposure impression with the stars over the ocean would not be possible without the use of my induro phq3 series 5-way panhead with an 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 
 
"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 photo
 
"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
 
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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