Oṃ āḥ hūṃ

Hey, it’s Michael bringing you my thoughts this evening. Before we start, thanks for taking the time to listen, and be sure to visit our website linked in the description for research surrounding the episode. This morning,

I arose a little tired from a relaxing night's rest. After spending a few moments lying in bed with Leia, my loving cat, I arose to get dressed and head to McDonald's for a quick breakfast sandwich and morning brew. Upon arriving back at my apartment, I quickly threw on a polo for a sales interview on Teams. After the interview concluded, I felt unsure if the job would be the right fit. Almost immediately afterward, it was time to leave for work. I had the chance to meet with a new coworker today. After hearing how his role played into the roles of other departments at the bank, I was reminded of my previous experience as a sales rep, where I struggled to succeed. If only I had some kind of advanced knowledge or great abilities, maybe, just maybe, I could’ve been great right off the bat. Instead, despite grand intentions, I failed to reach my goals.

This made me question whether or not I am good enough or if I can be relied on by others. Looking back on the last few months, I feel that asking myself questions like this one has stunted me more than I may have realized. Attending several years of college, along with work experience, has allowed me to learn a lot of “things”. Little bits of knowledge that may or may not be deeply useful or carry much weight. Why even bother learning stuff if it can’t be put to use? Furthermore, does the pursuit of success matter more than failure? With these questions weighing heavily on my heart, it was time to begin my evening meditation and mantra. Tonight's selection, guided by prompting ChatGPT, was Om Ah Hum. 

Om Ah Hum originates from Mahayana Buddhism and refers to the emptiness of one's deeper self. Our ambitions, surroundings, hopes, and aspirations are all false prophecies clouding impermanence. Since our bodies will eventually cease to be useful and our minds decay, what we think we want is futile in the grand scheme of the universe. Krishna enlightens us that following him means letting go of earthly desires. All of this sounds lovely, however, we unfortunately cannot live our lives meditating under a bodhi tree. 

We can, however, follow Mahayana logic by remembering to take compassionate actions like saying hello to someone or holding open a door. Everyone is going through different struggles, however, kindness can make us one. Connect with the show by following our socials, visiting zen-egg.com, or joining the daily thoughts email club. Namaste. 

read mindful books:

• Bezonomics

• The Bond King

• The Bhagavad Gita

• Atomic Habits