The Ten Perfections Buddha (Parami)
Dana - Perfection of Charity
Sila - Perfection of Morality
Nekkhamma - Perfection of Renunciation
Panna - Perfection of Wisdom
Viriya - Perfection of Preserverance
Khanti - Perfection of Forbearance
Sacca - Perfection of Truthfulness
Adhitthana - Perfection of Resolution
Metta - Perfection of Loving Kindness
Upekkha - Perfection of Equanimity
THE PRISON of LIFE
Freedom is salvation from prison
~ this is a discourse on non-attachment from a booklet from Wat Palalei - a translation from Than Achan, Surat Thani Province.
Life itself is prison
The instincts are prison
The senses are prison
Superstition is prison
Sacred institutions are prisons
Teachers are prison
Holy things are prison
Goodness is prison
Views are prison
Purity is the highest prison
Voidness is no prison
Apr 16, 2010
Apr 15, 2010
Never Give Up ~ H.H.DL
Never give up
No matter what is going on
Never give up
Develop the heart
Too much energy in your country
Is spent developing the mind
Instead of the heart
Develop the heart
Be compassionate
Not just with your friends
But with everyone
Be compassionate
Work for peace
In your heart
And in the world
Work for peace
And I say again
Never give up
No matter what is going on around you
Never give up
~ His Holiness 14th Dalai Lama
No matter what is going on
Never give up
Develop the heart
Too much energy in your country
Is spent developing the mind
Instead of the heart
Develop the heart
Be compassionate
Not just with your friends
But with everyone
Be compassionate
Work for peace
In your heart
And in the world
Work for peace
And I say again
Never give up
No matter what is going on around you
Never give up
~ His Holiness 14th Dalai Lama
My Poem ~ Life is Precious ~ H.H Lati Rinpoche
This is written to honour His Eminence Kyabje Lati Rinpoche
Life is Precious
Once in a lifetime i meet a sage
humble, wise, in simple robes, perhaps like i imagined
being around your presence was humbling, forgiving, a blanketing warmth
alike an unconditional open heart waiting for me to come home
since the day we met, the trust was well-founded
your presence moved me, silently, subtlely, absolutely
when the last prayers were done, i could sense
your Eminence's committment to Great Compassion
life is fragile, life is precious
every moment every second
i can only try to do my best
and never give up
this is my promise
for having the greatest loss deep within
if there is a wish I know for sure, it is
to be in your presence to be blessed by you again, my dearest teacher.
I reverently prostrate with my body, speech and mind,
to the Buddha, Dharma and the Supreme Assembly.
May I quickly attain the state of Enlightenment,
for the sake of all sentient beings.
I am deeply grateful that I have the good fortune to have met His Holiness Lati Rinpoche within this lifetime, to receive his teachings and blessings. May this connection and affinity with Lati Rinpoche, a great practitioner, continue for many more future lifetimes.
His Holiness Kyabje Lati Rinpoche went into Nirvana (passed away) at the age of 88 years old on 12/04/2010 in the morning at 5:25am(india time), in Dharamsala India. His Holiness Kyabje Lati Rinpoche was full of Dharma Wisdom and a very Compassionate Greatest Highest Lamas of Gaden. He had benefited the Monastery and all sentient beings during his existence.
Rinpoche’s contribution towards teaching and spreading the Dharma was widely recognized by all, and was deeply respected by many devotees all over the world.
Lati Rinpoche was recognized as a reincarnation of a great practitioner and became a monk at the age of 10. He was the Abbot Emeritus of Gaden Shartse Monastery in Mundgod, South India. Belonging to a very rare class of scholar, saint and high practitioner who completed his training in an independent Tibet, Rinpoche continued to spread the Dharma by teachings at various monasteries and schools, after he followed His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama into exile in 1959. In 1964, Rinpoche arrived in Dharamsala, and was subsequently appointed as Spiritual Advisor to His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama. Rinpoche served His Holiness faithfully till today. Rinpoche’s contribution towards teaching and spreading the Dharma was widely recognized by all, and was deeply respected by many devotees all over the world.
Rinpoche passed away peacefully in his residence unexpectedly. He was not hospitalized. This morning when Rinpoche woke up, he did his usual prayers and told his personal assistant, Sopon-la, he wanted to take his bath. This was unusual as Rinpoche normally had his breakfast before his bath each morning. Prior to that, he had also circumambulated His Holiness the Dalai Lama's temple.
After his bath, Lati Rinpoche instructed Sopon-la to leave his room, and said: "it is time for me to go". With that, Rinpoche entered into clear light meditation. Rinpoche's body is currently still warm and in the meditative state. This is a sign of an Enlightened being. We do not know how long Rinpoche will be in this state, can be 3 days, 7 days, 21 days etc... As and when his consciousness leaves him, Rinpoche's body will then be brought back to Mundgod, his monastery, for the fire puja (cremation). Arrangements are in the process to construct Rinpoche's stupa which is expected to house his relics when the time comes. Rinpoche's monastery, Gaden Shartse, will be making offerings to the 3 great monasteries on behalf of Lati Rinpoche's name, which will be to Gaden, Sera and Drepung monasteries. The number of Sangha in these 3 monasteries alone totals 10,000 monks. Lati Rinpoche was a great, deeply respected Gelug master and one of the most senior Buddhist teacher in these 3 monasteries. All the Sangha will be conducting prayers for Rinpoche in their respective monasteries and many more are expected to attend his fire puja as well as to pay their last respect to Rinpoche.
Copyright reserved. All text in italics & pictures belong to online sources.
May Thy love shine forever from the sanctuary of my devotion and may I be able to awaken Thy love in all hearts ~ Paramahansa Yogananda.
Prayer for the Quick Return of Kyabje Lati Rinpoche,
specially composed by HIS HOLINESS 14TH DALAI LAMA
by Gaden Shartse Dro-Phen Ling on Sunday, April 25, 2010 at 10:57pm
Dear Dharma Brothers & Sisters,
His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama has specially composed the below QUICK RETURN Prayer for us all to recite and pray for our precious teacher's swift return. Please continue to unite in prayers and make strong dedications.
Here is a note (attached with the prayer) from His Holiness:
"The students of Lati Labrang, the assembly of Gaden Shartse monastery, Trijang Labrang, Zong Labrang, Dro-Phen Ling Center Singapore, Phende Lekshe Ling Center Malaysia, Buddhist Center Taiwan, Gaden Shartse Education Committee, Phukhang Khangtsen, as well as Thepo Khangtsen approached me with a request to compose a prayer for the quick return of the late Lati Rinpoche. As I have had close association with this authentic spiritual teacher for over fifty years and have enjoyed a bond of pure faith and commitment, I have written this aspiration prayer. May the aims of this aspiration be fulfilled as prayed for.
This was composed by the Buddhist monk, the Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso, on the 5th day of the 3rd month in the seventeenth Rabjung cycle of the Tibetan calendar, namely, on 19, April, 2010."
PRAYER FOR THE QUICK RETURN OF KYABJE LATI RINPOCHE
O peerless savior and supreme Teacher, Shuddhodhana’s son,
O the seventeen masters and adepts, Nagarjuna and Asanga, and so on,
O Dipamkara as well as sovereign father Tsongkhapa,
Gloriously appear here today to grant auspiciousness.
On the great path leading to the heart of Enlightenment,
You’ve traversed by means of the perfect threefold discipline,
And have enhanced ever higher the realizations of enlightened qualities –
O glorious Guru, we offer our supplications at your feet.
Pray return gloriously to propagate the teaching of Lobsang,
By tying well the sash of monastic disciplinary precepts,
And, generating the altruistic intention to free all beings,
Engage in the tantric yogas of the two stages.
Think of the unbearable pain of the sentient beings
Who’re enveloped in the forces of five degenerations;
And to open wide the lotus grove of the Buddha’s teaching,
May your reincarnation appear soon as a source of merit for us.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Translated by Thupten Jinpa, student of the late Kyabje Lati Rinpoché.
May the sun of H.E Lati Rinpoché’s reincarnation shine soon.
- - - - - - - -
Om Mane Padme Hum
---------------
Mar 27, 2010
Cittaviveka
Teachings from the Silent Mind by Ajahn Sumedho
THis chapter titles 'Letting Go'.
Truly, wisdom springs from meditation;
without meditation, wisdom wanes;
having known these two paths of progress and decline,
let one conduct oneself so that wisdom may increase.
- Dhammapada 282
...if u fill your mind with more concepts and opinions, you are just increasing your ability to doubt. it's only through leaning how to empty the mind out that you can fill it within things of value - and learning how to empty a mind takes a great deal of wisdom.
... meditation is a skilful letting go, deliberately emptying out the mind so we can see the purity of the mind - cleaning it out so we can put the right things in it.
You respect your mind, so you are more caferful what you put in it. If you have a nice house, you don't go out and pick up all the filth from the street and bring it in, you bring in thingfs that will enhance it and make it a refreshing and delightful place.
.. when you are suffering - 'why am i miserable?' because you are clinging to somethin! Find out what you are clinging to, to get to the source. 'I'm unhappy because nobody loves me.' That may be true, maybe nobody loves you, but the unhappiness comes from wanting people to love you. Even if they do love you, you will still have suffering if you think that other people are responsible for your happiness of your suffering. Someone says "You are the greatest person I've met in my life!' - and you jump for joy.
Someone says "You are the most horrible person I've met in my life!' - and you get depressed." Let go of depression, let go of happiness. Keep the practice simple: live your life mindfully, morally, and have faith in letting go.
it's important for you to realise that none of us are helpless victims of fate - but we are as long as we remain ignorant. As long as you remain ignorant, you are a helpless victim of your ignorance. All that is ignorant is born and dies, it is bound to die - thats all, its caught in the cycle of death and rebirth. And if you die, you will be reborn - you can count on it. And the more heedlessly you lead your life, the worse the rebirth.
So the Buddha taught a way to break the cycle, and thats' through awareness, trough seeing the cycle rather than being attached to it. When you let go of the cycle, then you are no longer harmed by it. So you let go of the cycle, let go of birth and death, let go of becoming. Letting go of desire is the development of the Third Noble Truth which leads to the Eight Fold Path.
---------
THis chapter titles 'The 5 Hindrances'
Just as, 0 King, the bhikku, so long as these five hindrances are not put away within him, looks upon himself as in debt, diseased, in prison, in slavery, lost on a desert road. But when these 5 hindrances have been put away within him, he looks upon himself as a freed form debt, rid of disease, out of jail, a free man and secure ....
- Digha Niaya II - 73
In meditation one develops an understanding of the 5 hindrances - how, when one of them is present, you investigate it, you understand it, you accept its presence and you learn how to deal with it. Sometimes you can just tell it to go away and it goes; sometimes you just have to allow it to be there till it wears out.
We have subtle ways of being averse to that which is unpleasant and we tend not to be very honest about our intentions. Our habits are that as soon as something unpleasant arises we try to move away from it or destroy it. So long as we are doing this, we don't have any samadhi or concentration. It is only when these 5 hindrances are absent, or we are no longer attached to them, that we find any peace of mind or a concentrated heart.
It is only in the moment when a hindrance actually arises that we can really penetrate it and have insight. If you have noticed, you may go to some of these lectures and gain profound understanding of the Dhamma, but you can still get angry or feel desire for things. When the actual situation arises, you are not mindful; you tend to resist or resent or just judge.
The Buddha spoke of "5 Hindrances" on the spiritual path:
1 - sense desire (greed, lust)
2 - ill will (anger)
3 - dullness (sloth/torpor)
4 - restleness and worry (agitation)
5 - sceptical doubt
... In life, wisdom arises within us when we understand the things that we are experiencing here and now. You don't have to do anything special. You don't have to experience all kinds of extreme pain in order to transcend pain. The pain in your ordinary life is enough to be enlightened with. All these feelings of hunger or thirst, or restlessness or jealousy or fear, of lust and greed and sleepiness - all these we can regards as teachers. Rather than resenting them, saying, "What did I do to deserve this?" you should say, 'Thank you very much. I'll have to learn this lesson some day; I might as well do it now, rather than put it off."
THis chapter titles 'Letting Go'.
Truly, wisdom springs from meditation;
without meditation, wisdom wanes;
having known these two paths of progress and decline,
let one conduct oneself so that wisdom may increase.
- Dhammapada 282
...if u fill your mind with more concepts and opinions, you are just increasing your ability to doubt. it's only through leaning how to empty the mind out that you can fill it within things of value - and learning how to empty a mind takes a great deal of wisdom.
... meditation is a skilful letting go, deliberately emptying out the mind so we can see the purity of the mind - cleaning it out so we can put the right things in it.
You respect your mind, so you are more caferful what you put in it. If you have a nice house, you don't go out and pick up all the filth from the street and bring it in, you bring in thingfs that will enhance it and make it a refreshing and delightful place.
.. when you are suffering - 'why am i miserable?' because you are clinging to somethin! Find out what you are clinging to, to get to the source. 'I'm unhappy because nobody loves me.' That may be true, maybe nobody loves you, but the unhappiness comes from wanting people to love you. Even if they do love you, you will still have suffering if you think that other people are responsible for your happiness of your suffering. Someone says "You are the greatest person I've met in my life!' - and you jump for joy.
Someone says "You are the most horrible person I've met in my life!' - and you get depressed." Let go of depression, let go of happiness. Keep the practice simple: live your life mindfully, morally, and have faith in letting go.
it's important for you to realise that none of us are helpless victims of fate - but we are as long as we remain ignorant. As long as you remain ignorant, you are a helpless victim of your ignorance. All that is ignorant is born and dies, it is bound to die - thats all, its caught in the cycle of death and rebirth. And if you die, you will be reborn - you can count on it. And the more heedlessly you lead your life, the worse the rebirth.
So the Buddha taught a way to break the cycle, and thats' through awareness, trough seeing the cycle rather than being attached to it. When you let go of the cycle, then you are no longer harmed by it. So you let go of the cycle, let go of birth and death, let go of becoming. Letting go of desire is the development of the Third Noble Truth which leads to the Eight Fold Path.
---------
THis chapter titles 'The 5 Hindrances'
Just as, 0 King, the bhikku, so long as these five hindrances are not put away within him, looks upon himself as in debt, diseased, in prison, in slavery, lost on a desert road. But when these 5 hindrances have been put away within him, he looks upon himself as a freed form debt, rid of disease, out of jail, a free man and secure ....
- Digha Niaya II - 73
In meditation one develops an understanding of the 5 hindrances - how, when one of them is present, you investigate it, you understand it, you accept its presence and you learn how to deal with it. Sometimes you can just tell it to go away and it goes; sometimes you just have to allow it to be there till it wears out.
We have subtle ways of being averse to that which is unpleasant and we tend not to be very honest about our intentions. Our habits are that as soon as something unpleasant arises we try to move away from it or destroy it. So long as we are doing this, we don't have any samadhi or concentration. It is only when these 5 hindrances are absent, or we are no longer attached to them, that we find any peace of mind or a concentrated heart.
It is only in the moment when a hindrance actually arises that we can really penetrate it and have insight. If you have noticed, you may go to some of these lectures and gain profound understanding of the Dhamma, but you can still get angry or feel desire for things. When the actual situation arises, you are not mindful; you tend to resist or resent or just judge.
The Buddha spoke of "5 Hindrances" on the spiritual path:
1 - sense desire (greed, lust)
2 - ill will (anger)
3 - dullness (sloth/torpor)
4 - restleness and worry (agitation)
5 - sceptical doubt
... In life, wisdom arises within us when we understand the things that we are experiencing here and now. You don't have to do anything special. You don't have to experience all kinds of extreme pain in order to transcend pain. The pain in your ordinary life is enough to be enlightened with. All these feelings of hunger or thirst, or restlessness or jealousy or fear, of lust and greed and sleepiness - all these we can regards as teachers. Rather than resenting them, saying, "What did I do to deserve this?" you should say, 'Thank you very much. I'll have to learn this lesson some day; I might as well do it now, rather than put it off."
Mar 26, 2010
R ~ Smile like a Millionaire
i remember one of my many precious lessons in Sept 2005 ~ "smile like a millionaire".
its free, it makes me happy and it brings joy to others.
and i remember my college crush - because the guy had a very sunny smile.
the most difficult thing i find is smiling at those who do not like to smile, or do not smile back. when i'm in my smiling mode however, no long face will stop the smile from being contagious!
oh, how wierd that even a person is usually not sincere, but when one smiles, there will be a gradual growth in sincerity. ; D becos its contagious, its a blessing to oneself and others.
oh, how is it that many tries to achieve so much in life - spiritual, mental, physical, wealth, etc etc.. but with such a painful face! haha.
and also in my himalayan yoga experience, there was a repeat of words i loved - remember to tell my forehead to smile!
and i must always remember to smile more so others will smile with me. even when i have stuffy nose!
my highest service and offer to those around me is to keep smiling. so if u see me not smiling, pls smile at me! thank you in advance for doing so.
N.
its free, it makes me happy and it brings joy to others.
and i remember my college crush - because the guy had a very sunny smile.
the most difficult thing i find is smiling at those who do not like to smile, or do not smile back. when i'm in my smiling mode however, no long face will stop the smile from being contagious!
oh, how wierd that even a person is usually not sincere, but when one smiles, there will be a gradual growth in sincerity. ; D becos its contagious, its a blessing to oneself and others.
oh, how is it that many tries to achieve so much in life - spiritual, mental, physical, wealth, etc etc.. but with such a painful face! haha.
and also in my himalayan yoga experience, there was a repeat of words i loved - remember to tell my forehead to smile!
and i must always remember to smile more so others will smile with me. even when i have stuffy nose!
my highest service and offer to those around me is to keep smiling. so if u see me not smiling, pls smile at me! thank you in advance for doing so.
N.
Mar 3, 2010
Patience, Kind Awareness
...
Take all the time in the world to endure the unendurable. What seems to be unendurable is endurable if you are patient. Remember the world happens to be as it is, and right now that's the only way it can be. The only thing we can do is to be patient with it. It doesn't mean that we approve, or like it any the more ... it means we can exist in it peacefully, rather than complaining, rebelling and causing more frictions and confusion, adding more confusion through believing in our own confusion.
We can allow conditions to be just as they are, because they come and go - their nature is to go away, so we don't have to make them go away.
We 're free and patient and enduring enough to allow things to take their natural course. In this way we liberate ourselves from the struggle, strife, and the confusion of the ignorant mind that has to spend all its time evaluating and discriminating trying to hold onto something, trying to get rid of something.
... taken from Cittaviveka (Teachings from the Silent mind) by Ajahn Sumedho
excitement
fascination
enjoyment
revulsion
aversion
dullness
fear
doubts
opinions
concepts
chaos
likes
dislikes
principles
beliefs
N.
Take all the time in the world to endure the unendurable. What seems to be unendurable is endurable if you are patient. Remember the world happens to be as it is, and right now that's the only way it can be. The only thing we can do is to be patient with it. It doesn't mean that we approve, or like it any the more ... it means we can exist in it peacefully, rather than complaining, rebelling and causing more frictions and confusion, adding more confusion through believing in our own confusion.
We can allow conditions to be just as they are, because they come and go - their nature is to go away, so we don't have to make them go away.
We 're free and patient and enduring enough to allow things to take their natural course. In this way we liberate ourselves from the struggle, strife, and the confusion of the ignorant mind that has to spend all its time evaluating and discriminating trying to hold onto something, trying to get rid of something.
... taken from Cittaviveka (Teachings from the Silent mind) by Ajahn Sumedho
excitement
fascination
enjoyment
revulsion
aversion
dullness
fear
doubts
opinions
concepts
chaos
likes
dislikes
principles
beliefs
N.
Dec 31, 2009
Salad Recipe
Mango Salad
Red Cabbage sliced
Mango
Cilantro
Lime
Cider Vinegar
Sugar
Pepper
Kale Salad
* 1 bunch kale (ribs removed), chopped
* 4 scallions, chopped
* 3 carrots, shredded
* 1/2 cup toasted almonds
* 1/4 cup toasted sesame seeds
* 1 red bell pepper, diced
* 1 cup cubed baked firm tofu or fried tempeh
* 1/4 cup Veganaise
* 1/4 cup nut butter (I like almond)
* 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
* 2 tablespoon soy sauce
* 1-2 tablespoon rice vinegar
* several tablespoon water
Directions:
Combine Veganaise, nut butter, sesame oil, soy sauce, and rice vinegar. Thin to dressing consistency with water. Toss with vegetables. This is a very versatile recipe, and you can add any additional veggies, fruit, or nuts that you like.
==========
Zucchini patties
5 - 7 cup peeled, grated, drained zucchini or
mixed zucchini (green, yellow, any shape)
1/2 Cup flour
1/2 cup bread crumbs or flour
1/2 Tsp salt
1 beaten egg
5 - 7 tbsp. olive or salad oil
1. Grate zucchini very finely and pour off the juice.
2. In a bowl, combine together flour, grated, drained
zucchini, salt, beaten egg.
3. Make patties from this mixture. Roll them in the bread
crumbs or flour coating them completely.
4. Add oil to skillet; Heat oil in skillet over medium heat,
rotate skillet to coat with oil. Add patties. Place over a
medium- high heat and when hot fry the patties for approx.
5-6 minutes per side or until done to suit your taste, or
until zucchini begins to brown and is tender-crisp. When
all patties will be fried, return zucchini patties to
skillet, heat through.
5. Serve with Tomato sauce, or Soy sauce. Very good with
sour cream on each patty.
==========
Refreshing Fruit Salad
* 1 green apple
* 1 red apple
* 1 orange
* a bowl of grapes
* raisins
* peanuts
Directions:
Peel the green apple and grate it into a bowl. Peel the red apple and chop it up. Peel the grapes and chop them up. Mix all of them together. Squeeze the orange juice onto the mixture. Crush the peanuts and add them into the mixture with the raisins. VERY refreshing.
Green Salad
* 1 carrot, finely diced or grated
* 2 cucumber, finely diced
* 2 onion, finely chopped
* 3 green chillies(depends on u), finely chopped
* 1 tomato, finely diced
* coriander leaves, a small bunch-finely chopped
* mint leaves (optional)
* ginger, optional
* a few lettuce leaves, finely cut
* a few cabbage leaves, finely cut
* juice of one lemon
* sea salt to taste
Directions:
Mix all the chopped items with salt and lemon and use as a good salad.
==========
Cucumber Salad
* 3 medium cucumbers, peeled if waxy, and thinly sliced
* sea salt
* 5 tablespoon (or less) vegetable oil
* 1/4 cup raw vinegar
* freshly ground pepper
Directions:
Toss cucumber slices with salt and set aside to "sweat" for an hour or two. Drain liquid. Combine oil and vinegar, and add to cucumbers. Grind black pepper over top, toss, and serve.
This goes well as a side dish on the rijstaffel.
Serves: 4
Preparation time: 15 minutes
====================
Italian Recipe
SALAD "DEL PREVOSTO"
Boil in their skins three good-sized potatoes, peel them and slice
them, then put them into a salad bowl, and pour over them one-half a
glass of white wine. Do this about two or three hours before they are
wanted, so the potatoes will have time thoroughly to absorb the wine.
From time to time mix them with a fork and spoon to let the wine
permeate. A few minutes before the meal make a good French salad
dressing, add some pickled peppers cut up, some capers, and some
chopped-up parsley, pour on the French dressing, mix up well, and
serve.
"ALLA POLLASTRA" SALAD
Chop up six lettuce-leaves and three stalks of celery, cut up the
remains of a cold fowl in small pieces, and mix with one tablespoon of
vinegar and salt and pepper in a salad bowl. Pour a cup of mayonnaise
sauce over, and garnish with quarters of hard-boiled egg, one
tablespoon of capers, six stoned olives, and some small, tender
lettuce-leaves.
Red Cabbage sliced
Mango
Cilantro
Lime
Cider Vinegar
Sugar
Pepper
Kale Salad
* 1 bunch kale (ribs removed), chopped
* 4 scallions, chopped
* 3 carrots, shredded
* 1/2 cup toasted almonds
* 1/4 cup toasted sesame seeds
* 1 red bell pepper, diced
* 1 cup cubed baked firm tofu or fried tempeh
* 1/4 cup Veganaise
* 1/4 cup nut butter (I like almond)
* 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
* 2 tablespoon soy sauce
* 1-2 tablespoon rice vinegar
* several tablespoon water
Directions:
Combine Veganaise, nut butter, sesame oil, soy sauce, and rice vinegar. Thin to dressing consistency with water. Toss with vegetables. This is a very versatile recipe, and you can add any additional veggies, fruit, or nuts that you like.
==========
Zucchini patties
5 - 7 cup peeled, grated, drained zucchini or
mixed zucchini (green, yellow, any shape)
1/2 Cup flour
1/2 cup bread crumbs or flour
1/2 Tsp salt
1 beaten egg
5 - 7 tbsp. olive or salad oil
1. Grate zucchini very finely and pour off the juice.
2. In a bowl, combine together flour, grated, drained
zucchini, salt, beaten egg.
3. Make patties from this mixture. Roll them in the bread
crumbs or flour coating them completely.
4. Add oil to skillet; Heat oil in skillet over medium heat,
rotate skillet to coat with oil. Add patties. Place over a
medium- high heat and when hot fry the patties for approx.
5-6 minutes per side or until done to suit your taste, or
until zucchini begins to brown and is tender-crisp. When
all patties will be fried, return zucchini patties to
skillet, heat through.
5. Serve with Tomato sauce, or Soy sauce. Very good with
sour cream on each patty.
==========
Refreshing Fruit Salad
* 1 green apple
* 1 red apple
* 1 orange
* a bowl of grapes
* raisins
* peanuts
Directions:
Peel the green apple and grate it into a bowl. Peel the red apple and chop it up. Peel the grapes and chop them up. Mix all of them together. Squeeze the orange juice onto the mixture. Crush the peanuts and add them into the mixture with the raisins. VERY refreshing.
Green Salad
* 1 carrot, finely diced or grated
* 2 cucumber, finely diced
* 2 onion, finely chopped
* 3 green chillies(depends on u), finely chopped
* 1 tomato, finely diced
* coriander leaves, a small bunch-finely chopped
* mint leaves (optional)
* ginger, optional
* a few lettuce leaves, finely cut
* a few cabbage leaves, finely cut
* juice of one lemon
* sea salt to taste
Directions:
Mix all the chopped items with salt and lemon and use as a good salad.
==========
Cucumber Salad
* 3 medium cucumbers, peeled if waxy, and thinly sliced
* sea salt
* 5 tablespoon (or less) vegetable oil
* 1/4 cup raw vinegar
* freshly ground pepper
Directions:
Toss cucumber slices with salt and set aside to "sweat" for an hour or two. Drain liquid. Combine oil and vinegar, and add to cucumbers. Grind black pepper over top, toss, and serve.
This goes well as a side dish on the rijstaffel.
Serves: 4
Preparation time: 15 minutes
====================
Italian Recipe
SALAD "DEL PREVOSTO"
Boil in their skins three good-sized potatoes, peel them and slice
them, then put them into a salad bowl, and pour over them one-half a
glass of white wine. Do this about two or three hours before they are
wanted, so the potatoes will have time thoroughly to absorb the wine.
From time to time mix them with a fork and spoon to let the wine
permeate. A few minutes before the meal make a good French salad
dressing, add some pickled peppers cut up, some capers, and some
chopped-up parsley, pour on the French dressing, mix up well, and
serve.
"ALLA POLLASTRA" SALAD
Chop up six lettuce-leaves and three stalks of celery, cut up the
remains of a cold fowl in small pieces, and mix with one tablespoon of
vinegar and salt and pepper in a salad bowl. Pour a cup of mayonnaise
sauce over, and garnish with quarters of hard-boiled egg, one
tablespoon of capers, six stoned olives, and some small, tender
lettuce-leaves.
Recipe!
DONNA HAY
SPICED COCONUT PRAWNS
Cheemy Chewy Argentinian & Fresh Oregano
Sherry Wine
Cloves
Salt
Lemon
Red Pepper
Unsalted butter (room temp)
soda lime & tequila
grapefruit, oranges, lime (all quartered)
Shivani's Recipe! Yellow Daal
Boil 2 cups yellow daal with about 4 cups water. Cook in pressure cooker – after first whistle, turn down fire. Ready after another 3 whistles. (about 10 mins)
Put mustard seed (abt 2 teaspoon) in hot oil till it starts popping, then add cumin seeds (abt 2 tspn)
Add chilli
Turn down fire and add asafoetida (this burns easily)
Pour in cooked daal
Add mango powder (1 tspn), salt
Add water for desired consistency
Turn off fire
Add coriander leaves.
Brinjal and potato dish
Put mustard seed (abt 2 teaspoon) in hot oil till it starts popping, then add cumin seeds (abt 2 tspn)
Turn down fire and add asafoetida (this burns easily)
Pound the following together and then add to the hot oil above:
• Ginger
• Garlic
• Coriander
• Chilli
Then add large portion of chopped onions to the above
Add diced tomato
Add dry mango (1 tspn)
1 tspn garam masala
add salt
Pour in potato and bringal pices
Add water and simmer for about 15 mins.
-end-
Naked Chef's Recipe!
Coriander Dip
To blend:
Natural Yoghurt
garlic
ginger
green chilli (de-seed)
coriander
salt
Lemon Zesty Dip
To stir fry in order:
Oil
Mustard seed
Curry leaves
Lemons (small quarters)
Chilli powder
Black dhal (some)
White vinegar
salt
(lemon becomes sweet when heated)
====
Pineapple with Sweet Mint Sauce
Sliced thin ripe pineapple
Mint leaves pounced with sugar (to dehydrate)
Sprinkle over pineapple to serve!
=====
Curry
Oil
1 tsp Mustard seed
Curry leaves
* garlic bits
onion (finely diced)
ginger (2 thumbs)
6 tomatoes (diced)
1 tsp turmeric
1 cup water
coconut milk
salt to taste
=====
Sauce for Basmati Rice
Oil
Mustard seed
Black dhal
curry leaves
lemon skin (scrapped in slices)
Squeeze lemon juice on steamed basmati rice
salt to taste
coriander
=====
Green Mango & Beans Salad
Garlic
Dried shrimps
Green chilli (de-seed)
Lime juice
Fish sauce
raw Green Mango thinly sliced
Palm sugar
raw long Beans (in 1 inches)
raw Tomato
+++++++++++++++++++
Thai Recipe!
THAI STIR FRY RICE NOODLES - very quick dish
Fry together in order:
Dried prawns
Shallots
Beancurd (strips)
Preserved radish
Egg
Rice Noodles
Stock Water
Lime Juice
Fish Sauce
Sweet Tamarind
Spring Onions
Bean Sprouts
Crush peanuts
Dried Coconut
Coriander Leaves
====
Thai SPICY CRAB
Stir fry in order:
Shallots & Onions (pounced and crushed for juice)
Crab pieces
Roasted chilli paste & eggs & light soya sauce & chilli oil
Chillipadis
Chinese celery
Spring onion
======
Refreshing Beans
Stir fry In order hot Peanut oil:
Garlic & Chilli chopped & Fish sauce & paste (pounced)
Green Beans 1 inch
Prawns (de-shelled) (optional)
++++++++++++++++++
SPICED COCONUT PRAWNS
Cheemy Chewy Argentinian & Fresh Oregano
Sherry Wine
Cloves
Salt
Lemon
Red Pepper
Unsalted butter (room temp)
soda lime & tequila
grapefruit, oranges, lime (all quartered)
Shivani's Recipe! Yellow Daal
Boil 2 cups yellow daal with about 4 cups water. Cook in pressure cooker – after first whistle, turn down fire. Ready after another 3 whistles. (about 10 mins)
Put mustard seed (abt 2 teaspoon) in hot oil till it starts popping, then add cumin seeds (abt 2 tspn)
Add chilli
Turn down fire and add asafoetida (this burns easily)
Pour in cooked daal
Add mango powder (1 tspn), salt
Add water for desired consistency
Turn off fire
Add coriander leaves.
Brinjal and potato dish
Put mustard seed (abt 2 teaspoon) in hot oil till it starts popping, then add cumin seeds (abt 2 tspn)
Turn down fire and add asafoetida (this burns easily)
Pound the following together and then add to the hot oil above:
• Ginger
• Garlic
• Coriander
• Chilli
Then add large portion of chopped onions to the above
Add diced tomato
Add dry mango (1 tspn)
1 tspn garam masala
add salt
Pour in potato and bringal pices
Add water and simmer for about 15 mins.
-end-
Naked Chef's Recipe!
Coriander Dip
To blend:
Natural Yoghurt
garlic
ginger
green chilli (de-seed)
coriander
salt
Lemon Zesty Dip
To stir fry in order:
Oil
Mustard seed
Curry leaves
Lemons (small quarters)
Chilli powder
Black dhal (some)
White vinegar
salt
(lemon becomes sweet when heated)
====
Pineapple with Sweet Mint Sauce
Sliced thin ripe pineapple
Mint leaves pounced with sugar (to dehydrate)
Sprinkle over pineapple to serve!
=====
Curry
Oil
1 tsp Mustard seed
Curry leaves
* garlic bits
onion (finely diced)
ginger (2 thumbs)
6 tomatoes (diced)
1 tsp turmeric
1 cup water
coconut milk
salt to taste
=====
Sauce for Basmati Rice
Oil
Mustard seed
Black dhal
curry leaves
lemon skin (scrapped in slices)
Squeeze lemon juice on steamed basmati rice
salt to taste
coriander
=====
Green Mango & Beans Salad
Garlic
Dried shrimps
Green chilli (de-seed)
Lime juice
Fish sauce
raw Green Mango thinly sliced
Palm sugar
raw long Beans (in 1 inches)
raw Tomato
+++++++++++++++++++
Thai Recipe!
THAI STIR FRY RICE NOODLES - very quick dish
Fry together in order:
Dried prawns
Shallots
Beancurd (strips)
Preserved radish
Egg
Rice Noodles
Stock Water
Lime Juice
Fish Sauce
Sweet Tamarind
Spring Onions
Bean Sprouts
Crush peanuts
Dried Coconut
Coriander Leaves
====
Thai SPICY CRAB
Stir fry in order:
Shallots & Onions (pounced and crushed for juice)
Crab pieces
Roasted chilli paste & eggs & light soya sauce & chilli oil
Chillipadis
Chinese celery
Spring onion
======
Refreshing Beans
Stir fry In order hot Peanut oil:
Garlic & Chilli chopped & Fish sauce & paste (pounced)
Green Beans 1 inch
Prawns (de-shelled) (optional)
++++++++++++++++++
Dec 19, 2009
My Lesson In This Life
I have asked myself this question off and on. Ad hoc. I check up. See if its real. See if its influenced by fear whatsoever. If its ego self centered. If its solid. If its true to me.
At this moment, i'm repeatedly told that my lesson in this life is to remember that Change is the Only Permanence.
I'm here to remember that attachment can come in every form.
Sense emotions
Family ties
Friendships
Relationships
Opinions
Beliefs
Superstitions
Dislikes
Wanting to live
Worry Thinking
Things Stuffs
Knowledge
In control
Security
Love
Joy
Fear
When death comes knocking, it seems only then, I will truly breath, truly live, truly love, truly have urgency.
So i must remember that the death bird is sitting on my shoulder, anytime, anytime, anytime. I may even be living on borrowed time.
When I die, my wish is that my breath pace, my mind focus, my heartbeat, is all at peace and unshakable within. No fear.
I need to maintain my practice to gain this peace.
N.
At this moment, i'm repeatedly told that my lesson in this life is to remember that Change is the Only Permanence.
I'm here to remember that attachment can come in every form.
Sense emotions
Family ties
Friendships
Relationships
Opinions
Beliefs
Superstitions
Dislikes
Wanting to live
Worry Thinking
Things Stuffs
Knowledge
In control
Security
Love
Joy
Fear
When death comes knocking, it seems only then, I will truly breath, truly live, truly love, truly have urgency.
So i must remember that the death bird is sitting on my shoulder, anytime, anytime, anytime. I may even be living on borrowed time.
When I die, my wish is that my breath pace, my mind focus, my heartbeat, is all at peace and unshakable within. No fear.
I need to maintain my practice to gain this peace.
N.
Nov 20, 2009
My Poem ~ Being You, Being Me
In life, no matter what age, rank, situation or experience...
We grow with each other,
We learn through each other
We teach each other.
We are channels to deliver Truth.
We are also here as a witness.
Joy will be in us, just being us.
Let us fully embrace with courage
All our adversity and challenges,
Knowing this.
If I am not for myself, who will be for me?
If I am not for others, what am I?
And if not now, when?
~ Rabbi Hillel
We grow with each other,
We learn through each other
We teach each other.
We are channels to deliver Truth.
We are also here as a witness.
Joy will be in us, just being us.
Let us fully embrace with courage
All our adversity and challenges,
Knowing this.
If I am not for myself, who will be for me?
If I am not for others, what am I?
And if not now, when?
~ Rabbi Hillel
Oct 16, 2009
Quotes
The goal of life is to manifest that Divinity within by controlling nature internal and external. Do it by Work or Worship or Philosophy or Psychic control, by one or more or all of these and be Free.
Come out into the universe of Light, Everything in the Universe is yours, stretch out yr arms and embrace it with love.
- Swami Vivekananda
Desire for truth removes all other desires;
then it dissolves and what remains is bliss.
- unknown
Come out into the universe of Light, Everything in the Universe is yours, stretch out yr arms and embrace it with love.
- Swami Vivekananda
Desire for truth removes all other desires;
then it dissolves and what remains is bliss.
- unknown
Oct 10, 2009
Crudo Recipe for healthy living
BASIC STOCK
2 large onions
2 sticks celery with their leaves
4 leeks, trimmed
4 large carrots, trimmed, peeled
3 tomatoes, quartered
2 sprigs thyme
1 large sprig rosemary
2 bay leaves
6 peppercorns
couscous with raisin
-----------------
http://www.living-foods.com/recipes/
SMOOTHIES
------------------
Ice to crush (optional), raw eggs (optional) Serves 1 to 2
Banana Smoothie — 2 bananas, 1 dragonfruit / kiwi fruits
Orange Smoothie — 2 oranges, 1 raw eggs
Papaya Smoothie — 1 ripe papaya, 1 raw eggs
TUNA YU SHENG
-------------------------
This can be made either with akami, the leaner, bright red cut of tuna or chutoro, the fattier, pale pink cut. Daikon sprouts, called kaiware in Japanese, look innoicent but have a pungent hot radish flavour. The ingredients can be found at Japanese supermarkets. Serves 2 to 3
Dressing:
3 Tspn of cold pressed mild flavoured olive oil
1 Tspn plum sauce
2 tspn lime juice
3/4 tspn raw honey
1/8 tspn ground cinnamon
salt and white peper to taste
1 small red grapefriut
1 small cucumber
200g sashimi-grade tuna, well chilled
2/3 cup loosely packed daikon sprouts
1. Whisk dressing ingredients untill smoothly blended. Set aside
2. Peel grapefruit and separate its segments. Remove all pith and membranes, break grapefruit flesh into small bits. Set aside.
3. Peel cucumber. Still using the vegetable peeler, shave cucumber into long, thin slices, stopping when you reach the seeds. Stack the slices and cut into thin julienne shres. Soak strips in cold water until needed.
4. With a very sharp, thin-bladed knife, slice the tuna as thinly as possible. Lay the slices out on a serving plate and drizzle dessing over them.
5. Pat cucumber shreds dry with paper towels and sprinkle over tuna with daikon sprouts. Finally, crush and sprinkle rice crackers over all. Serve immediately.
The flavours of this recipe are already balanced, but if you'd like to include a larger variety of compatible tastes and textures in the spirit of traditional yu sheng, you could add the following to the mix:
• julienned pickled ginger
• julienned green mango (not too much)
• pomegranate seeds
• sesame seeds
• pine nuts
• bits of pomelo flesh
• finely shredded Japanese shiso leaves
For pic go to http://siy-siy.buzznet.com/user/
2 large onions
2 sticks celery with their leaves
4 leeks, trimmed
4 large carrots, trimmed, peeled
3 tomatoes, quartered
2 sprigs thyme
1 large sprig rosemary
2 bay leaves
6 peppercorns
couscous with raisin
-----------------
http://www.living-foods.com/recipes/
SMOOTHIES
------------------
Ice to crush (optional), raw eggs (optional) Serves 1 to 2
Banana Smoothie — 2 bananas, 1 dragonfruit / kiwi fruits
Orange Smoothie — 2 oranges, 1 raw eggs
Papaya Smoothie — 1 ripe papaya, 1 raw eggs
TUNA YU SHENG
-------------------------
This can be made either with akami, the leaner, bright red cut of tuna or chutoro, the fattier, pale pink cut. Daikon sprouts, called kaiware in Japanese, look innoicent but have a pungent hot radish flavour. The ingredients can be found at Japanese supermarkets. Serves 2 to 3
Dressing:
3 Tspn of cold pressed mild flavoured olive oil
1 Tspn plum sauce
2 tspn lime juice
3/4 tspn raw honey
1/8 tspn ground cinnamon
salt and white peper to taste
1 small red grapefriut
1 small cucumber
200g sashimi-grade tuna, well chilled
2/3 cup loosely packed daikon sprouts
1. Whisk dressing ingredients untill smoothly blended. Set aside
2. Peel grapefruit and separate its segments. Remove all pith and membranes, break grapefruit flesh into small bits. Set aside.
3. Peel cucumber. Still using the vegetable peeler, shave cucumber into long, thin slices, stopping when you reach the seeds. Stack the slices and cut into thin julienne shres. Soak strips in cold water until needed.
4. With a very sharp, thin-bladed knife, slice the tuna as thinly as possible. Lay the slices out on a serving plate and drizzle dessing over them.
5. Pat cucumber shreds dry with paper towels and sprinkle over tuna with daikon sprouts. Finally, crush and sprinkle rice crackers over all. Serve immediately.
The flavours of this recipe are already balanced, but if you'd like to include a larger variety of compatible tastes and textures in the spirit of traditional yu sheng, you could add the following to the mix:
• julienned pickled ginger
• julienned green mango (not too much)
• pomegranate seeds
• sesame seeds
• pine nuts
• bits of pomelo flesh
• finely shredded Japanese shiso leaves
For pic go to http://siy-siy.buzznet.com/user/
Aug 29, 2009
Saucha: Purity/Clarity
A precondition actually to everything we manifest.
My favourite being Mona - refraining from talking for the day ; )
Did you know most thoughts we garner comes from external influence? Most of us hardly hear our own internal voice. The real voice that reveals truth i mean. ; ) Not the loud egocentred. Of course knowing the difference and finding it is a journey in itself..
So, those who haven't found their voice, saucha can sometimes help. Because only when we purify within & our habits, we can then recognise what is purity. (Bare in mind there's a difference being attached & obsessed in cleanliness too.)
Benefits for the lay: Being in touch with our highest (purest) integrity & values elevates our pure intent in the heart (tots & mind gels together as always) - to share complete love, joy, beauty of all things good. Exuding all this first must come from within. It clears away negative physical and mental states, in which most of us feel trapped in.
***
excerpt text: http://www.yogachicago.com/mar04/saucha.shtml
Every day we can practice purification in a variety of ways. Different faith traditions and cultures have their own purification techniques, but there are many common themes. In addition to our culturally prescribed bathing, tooth brushing and flossing, here are some other examples: mindfulness walks in nature (yes, even in winter), singing, chanting mantras, ringing of bells, smudging with sweetgrass and incense, blessings with water, rituals with fire, anointment with oil, use of the neti pot (to cleanse the nostrils), tongue cleansing, fasting from sleep or food, mona (refraining from talking for a day), abstaining from television, clearing out clutter and excess from our lives, recycling, surrounding ourselves with a bath of white light and even laughter.
Physicists say that 99% of matter in the universe is energy and space, invisible to the human eye. Those who practice saucha are more attuned to these subtle energies and often can discern the need for a brief ritual cleansing after experiencing negative energies. Using simple ways to clear our energies each day helps eliminate obstacles we cannot see. Practicing saucha is a way to increase our consciousness and spiritualize our everyday lives.
***
excerpt text: http://www.lakecenteryoga.com/html/saucha_-_purity.html
Saucha is cleanliness of body, heart, mind and environment. This involves making choices about what you take in as food, through all channels, mouth, ears, eyes and mind. Purity of body, cleanliness, good health habits, a clear and orderly environmen
Do you let any thoughts come in your mind at random, or anything to go into your mouth, or listen to anything that may even be disturbing to your being?
Practice evenness of mind, thoughts, speech and discrimination. Keep the environment clean and clear.
Practice orderliness surrounding the self and our thoughts. Orderliness of environment. Clearing of energy.
By the practice of mental purity one acquires cheerfulness, one-pointedness and vision of the self.
In an ancient Upanishadic hymn, a sage prays:
Oh Lord,
May my body become pure.
May I be free from impurity.
May I know myself as Divine Light.
Oh Lord,
May my mind become pure.
May my self become pure.
May I know myself as Divine Light.
Oh Lord,
May I realize You with my purified understanding.
May I realize the highest bliss with my purified understanding.
May I realize You who are the highest bliss with my purified understanding.
Namaste.
My favourite being Mona - refraining from talking for the day ; )
Did you know most thoughts we garner comes from external influence? Most of us hardly hear our own internal voice. The real voice that reveals truth i mean. ; ) Not the loud egocentred. Of course knowing the difference and finding it is a journey in itself..
So, those who haven't found their voice, saucha can sometimes help. Because only when we purify within & our habits, we can then recognise what is purity. (Bare in mind there's a difference being attached & obsessed in cleanliness too.)
Benefits for the lay: Being in touch with our highest (purest) integrity & values elevates our pure intent in the heart (tots & mind gels together as always) - to share complete love, joy, beauty of all things good. Exuding all this first must come from within. It clears away negative physical and mental states, in which most of us feel trapped in.
***
excerpt text: http://www.yogachicago.com/mar04/saucha.shtml
Every day we can practice purification in a variety of ways. Different faith traditions and cultures have their own purification techniques, but there are many common themes. In addition to our culturally prescribed bathing, tooth brushing and flossing, here are some other examples: mindfulness walks in nature (yes, even in winter), singing, chanting mantras, ringing of bells, smudging with sweetgrass and incense, blessings with water, rituals with fire, anointment with oil, use of the neti pot (to cleanse the nostrils), tongue cleansing, fasting from sleep or food, mona (refraining from talking for a day), abstaining from television, clearing out clutter and excess from our lives, recycling, surrounding ourselves with a bath of white light and even laughter.
Physicists say that 99% of matter in the universe is energy and space, invisible to the human eye. Those who practice saucha are more attuned to these subtle energies and often can discern the need for a brief ritual cleansing after experiencing negative energies. Using simple ways to clear our energies each day helps eliminate obstacles we cannot see. Practicing saucha is a way to increase our consciousness and spiritualize our everyday lives.
***
excerpt text: http://www.lakecenteryoga.com/html/saucha_-_purity.html
Saucha is cleanliness of body, heart, mind and environment. This involves making choices about what you take in as food, through all channels, mouth, ears, eyes and mind. Purity of body, cleanliness, good health habits, a clear and orderly environmen
Do you let any thoughts come in your mind at random, or anything to go into your mouth, or listen to anything that may even be disturbing to your being?
Practice evenness of mind, thoughts, speech and discrimination. Keep the environment clean and clear.
Practice orderliness surrounding the self and our thoughts. Orderliness of environment. Clearing of energy.
By the practice of mental purity one acquires cheerfulness, one-pointedness and vision of the self.
In an ancient Upanishadic hymn, a sage prays:
Oh Lord,
May my body become pure.
May I be free from impurity.
May I know myself as Divine Light.
Oh Lord,
May my mind become pure.
May my self become pure.
May I know myself as Divine Light.
Oh Lord,
May I realize You with my purified understanding.
May I realize the highest bliss with my purified understanding.
May I realize You who are the highest bliss with my purified understanding.
Namaste.
Aug 20, 2009
My Poem ~ Ode to Fear
Instead of fear, let there be Empowerment, Respect, Trust & Integrity.
In the moment of fear, this is what I heard,
"Those who fear are those who bully
Those who fear are those who forces
Those who fear are those who pretend & buy favours
Those who fear are those who are void & insecure
Those who fear are those who are bounded
Those who fear are those who are chaos within
Those who fear are those who are in reality, lost
Those who fear are those who's untrue, unwise, unwelcome
Those who fear are those who forget groundedness
THose who fear are those who never dare to walk alone
Those who fear are those who seek others' approval
Those who fear are those who cannot face truth
Those who fear are those who lack self trust
Those who fear are those who has no peace"
If only we knew that fear IS and will always be a simple matter of choice.
In every second of fear, there's a choice and chance to breathe fear out, just as much as a chance to breathe in courage, peace & love.
Where there is love, there is no fear.
In every breathe, there's an opportunity to let go of it.
In every breathe, there's an opportunity to let love in.
~N
In the moment of fear, this is what I heard,
"Those who fear are those who bully
Those who fear are those who forces
Those who fear are those who pretend & buy favours
Those who fear are those who are void & insecure
Those who fear are those who are bounded
Those who fear are those who are chaos within
Those who fear are those who are in reality, lost
Those who fear are those who's untrue, unwise, unwelcome
Those who fear are those who forget groundedness
THose who fear are those who never dare to walk alone
Those who fear are those who seek others' approval
Those who fear are those who cannot face truth
Those who fear are those who lack self trust
Those who fear are those who has no peace"
If only we knew that fear IS and will always be a simple matter of choice.
In every second of fear, there's a choice and chance to breathe fear out, just as much as a chance to breathe in courage, peace & love.
Where there is love, there is no fear.
In every breathe, there's an opportunity to let go of it.
In every breathe, there's an opportunity to let love in.
~N
Jul 11, 2009
is procreation an egoistic need?
proof me wrong please.
because no matter how I put/see it, it is still the same results.
few reasons why I would consider procreating, and the same reason why I don't want to, because it seems selfish and a self proclaimed will...
- to have younger ones to care for me/ partner when I'm ill, bedridden or weak
- to continue the good work of human kind if I didn't do enough of it within my life
- to carry my values for a better world
- to fulfill the wish of another to carry on their family name
i wonder if others who had procreated ever thought of these...
because no matter how I put/see it, it is still the same results.
few reasons why I would consider procreating, and the same reason why I don't want to, because it seems selfish and a self proclaimed will...
- to have younger ones to care for me/ partner when I'm ill, bedridden or weak
- to continue the good work of human kind if I didn't do enough of it within my life
- to carry my values for a better world
- to fulfill the wish of another to carry on their family name
i wonder if others who had procreated ever thought of these...
Jul 6, 2009
Poem ~ GOD has a good sense of humor
GOD has a good sense of humor
Because He created you to Terrorize & Create Nightmares for others
He gave you the Voice to Whinge, Whine, Nag & Deafen others
He educated you to say Rude things to others with a Fake British Accent
He said ‘Bow to God’s Temple’ but you misheard it as Bow to Your Temper
He proclaimed Divine Truth, you mistook it as that’s Divine Me, Myself & I
He directed your Heart to work with your Brain but Forgot to Activate Both
He led you to believe the Biggest Joke that the World Revolves Around you Alone
He accidentally presses Rewind & Play instead of Erase & Eject …
GOD has a great sense of humor indeed.
~ inspired by someone who is real, and hitler like in real life. for me, it is a positive personal experience to convert an unpleasant experience to something creative & positive ; )
Because He created you to Terrorize & Create Nightmares for others
He gave you the Voice to Whinge, Whine, Nag & Deafen others
He educated you to say Rude things to others with a Fake British Accent
He said ‘Bow to God’s Temple’ but you misheard it as Bow to Your Temper
He proclaimed Divine Truth, you mistook it as that’s Divine Me, Myself & I
He directed your Heart to work with your Brain but Forgot to Activate Both
He led you to believe the Biggest Joke that the World Revolves Around you Alone
He accidentally presses Rewind & Play instead of Erase & Eject …
GOD has a great sense of humor indeed.
~ inspired by someone who is real, and hitler like in real life. for me, it is a positive personal experience to convert an unpleasant experience to something creative & positive ; )
Jun 30, 2009
Open Heart
Today, my heart is open. And thanks to the art of being in union, I have been able to focus on being open with less and less blockages - in physical, in mental, in emotional. it is a practice i would love to keep at.
Before my day begins, there is a gesture I could do, to direct the base energy to the heart chakra, and from the intellect to the heart as well.
In lay language, what i mean is, Intention & Motivation is one of the most important thing to set before we actively move in thoughts, words and action. THus, a chance to direct daily intentions and motivations towards our beautiful heart chakra.
That we may or could dedicate our pure heart & offer it to every being's benefits, in what we say, do or act.
Looking at life as a whole, I'd sum it up as:
When we die, we ask ourselves if we had lived and given with all our heart
When we are living, we seek so desperately to feel belong and yet need space to expand
When we are entagled in our own life cycle of self driven desires, we want so much to be free from pain derived from the natural formation of having desires.
But Be wary that we very naturally speak from self driven desires.
One binds us, the other frees us.
One gives us a black face, the other makes us glow, shine.
One makes us feel heavy, rigid and stagnant, the other light and flowy like an open channel.
An Open Heart brings nothing but joy, happiness, warmth and love into our hearts. When we have loads of that lovely juice, we would naturally flow and expand that out. life will only be sweeeeeet.
How can anyone and who would ever want to resist this awe inspiring experience? Of course the one who taste the sweetness will keep doing it to get this selfish results too. ; )
Channel your thoughts, your desires, through your pure heart and to live your life's purpose, even if that means we would have to walk new paths, meet new people, let go of our past or serve those to whom we do not like, or walk the same road of others we do not approve off in virtue.
Every opportunity is an opportunity and platform to be this open channel, and to learn to remain our open self and be unshaken like a mountain - peaceful and steady on the inside. Strong and flourishing, on the outside. A sanctuary for many.
Namaste.
Before my day begins, there is a gesture I could do, to direct the base energy to the heart chakra, and from the intellect to the heart as well.
In lay language, what i mean is, Intention & Motivation is one of the most important thing to set before we actively move in thoughts, words and action. THus, a chance to direct daily intentions and motivations towards our beautiful heart chakra.
That we may or could dedicate our pure heart & offer it to every being's benefits, in what we say, do or act.
Looking at life as a whole, I'd sum it up as:
When we die, we ask ourselves if we had lived and given with all our heart
When we are living, we seek so desperately to feel belong and yet need space to expand
When we are entagled in our own life cycle of self driven desires, we want so much to be free from pain derived from the natural formation of having desires.
But Be wary that we very naturally speak from self driven desires.
One binds us, the other frees us.
One gives us a black face, the other makes us glow, shine.
One makes us feel heavy, rigid and stagnant, the other light and flowy like an open channel.
An Open Heart brings nothing but joy, happiness, warmth and love into our hearts. When we have loads of that lovely juice, we would naturally flow and expand that out. life will only be sweeeeeet.
How can anyone and who would ever want to resist this awe inspiring experience? Of course the one who taste the sweetness will keep doing it to get this selfish results too. ; )
Channel your thoughts, your desires, through your pure heart and to live your life's purpose, even if that means we would have to walk new paths, meet new people, let go of our past or serve those to whom we do not like, or walk the same road of others we do not approve off in virtue.
Every opportunity is an opportunity and platform to be this open channel, and to learn to remain our open self and be unshaken like a mountain - peaceful and steady on the inside. Strong and flourishing, on the outside. A sanctuary for many.
Namaste.
Jun 23, 2009
Application
What's the use of having All the Paper Qualification, All the Knowledge, All the Language, All the Right Books, when we don't know how to apply it for the benefit and abundance for ourselves and for others?
Excellence
Excellence. Boy, am I oozing fire on this topic! Now, let me start.
This reminds me of a book I read: There's No Such Thing As "Business" Ethics: There's Only One Rule For Making Decisions by John C. Maxwell
I liked and agreed with John.
THe summary of it is - If you behave in excellence at home, you would apply it in business. So, if its true, that would mean, if I am a liar, i'd be a liar everywhere. If I am rude, I'd be rude everywhere.
And being with/accepting double standard. DOES IT EQUATE TO INTEGRITY?
The level of integrity a person has equates to everything about him/her.
Otherwise, nobody would, should and will ever believe, and want to be any way related to him.
Let's think for a minute...A person WITHOUT integrity. Really, is that someone you'd like to associate with?
Now, let's bring that home to me and you. Habits - no matter how tiny, forms our daily thoughts. So, if I don't have an attitude for delivering excellence in one area, do you think I'd have it in others?
Perhaps, you'd argue, well, we have to be selective sometimes due to time frame, etc.
Acceptable if its within your own space. We are not perfect, not even Superman is.
But when we throw our second, third base, or worst attitude to others - do you think that's something excusable?
If it is intentional, i don't think so.
If it isn't, I'd say - accept it, apologize, and move on & forward.
I personally see BEING IN EXCELLENCE IS A HABIT.
A daily practice in mind, heart and spirit.
I had also build an opinion that I should walk my talk. And to be expecting excellence from others, I would need to BE IN excellence myself. ; )
Lastly, may I add, that just like everything else in life and topics, the level of excellence still depends on one's perspective and own experience in their own exposure/environment. Hence, one's level can differ from another - so effective communication between two parties are key important factors.
So, if we are coming from a Win Win, it's good and very important to see both sides of the story.
I know there's unlimited room for improvements. Let's do it together shall we!
Excellence = Mastery. My key interest of course...!!!
~ Namaste to my teachers along the way
This reminds me of a book I read: There's No Such Thing As "Business" Ethics: There's Only One Rule For Making Decisions by John C. Maxwell
I liked and agreed with John.
THe summary of it is - If you behave in excellence at home, you would apply it in business. So, if its true, that would mean, if I am a liar, i'd be a liar everywhere. If I am rude, I'd be rude everywhere.
And being with/accepting double standard. DOES IT EQUATE TO INTEGRITY?
The level of integrity a person has equates to everything about him/her.
Otherwise, nobody would, should and will ever believe, and want to be any way related to him.
Let's think for a minute...A person WITHOUT integrity. Really, is that someone you'd like to associate with?
Now, let's bring that home to me and you. Habits - no matter how tiny, forms our daily thoughts. So, if I don't have an attitude for delivering excellence in one area, do you think I'd have it in others?
Perhaps, you'd argue, well, we have to be selective sometimes due to time frame, etc.
Acceptable if its within your own space. We are not perfect, not even Superman is.
But when we throw our second, third base, or worst attitude to others - do you think that's something excusable?
If it is intentional, i don't think so.
If it isn't, I'd say - accept it, apologize, and move on & forward.
I personally see BEING IN EXCELLENCE IS A HABIT.
A daily practice in mind, heart and spirit.
I had also build an opinion that I should walk my talk. And to be expecting excellence from others, I would need to BE IN excellence myself. ; )
Lastly, may I add, that just like everything else in life and topics, the level of excellence still depends on one's perspective and own experience in their own exposure/environment. Hence, one's level can differ from another - so effective communication between two parties are key important factors.
So, if we are coming from a Win Win, it's good and very important to see both sides of the story.
I know there's unlimited room for improvements. Let's do it together shall we!
Excellence = Mastery. My key interest of course...!!!
~ Namaste to my teachers along the way
May 23, 2009
MINT my fav balm
MINT'S IMPERIOUS
Courtesy of Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall kicks off a three-part series on favourite summer herbs - The Guardian, Saturday 23 May 2009
http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2009/may/23/hugh-fearnley-whittingstall
but in case they change sites:
This week I'm going mint-al with a little celebration of all things minty, part one of a three-part series celebrating the herbs of summer. And mint is deservedly first on to the chopping block.
It's hardly an exclusive passion - it would be entirely possible to draw a minty map that spans the globe, from our own, beloved mint sauce to the kofte of Turkey and the dolmades of Greece, to the teas and tagines of Morocco, the yogurty, minty sauces and tabboulehs of the Middle East, and the raitas and chutneys of India; from the pungent salads and dipping sauces of Thailand to the mint juleps of the American south. Mint is truly the herb sans frontières.
It's fitting that a herb that's used so prolifically and grows so promiscuously - rampaging over scrubby ground, pushing through cracks in paving and colonising spaces set aside for more rarefied and reticent plants - has humble origins. Its name comes from Minthe, the nymph who so captivated Pluto that his jealous wife, Proserpina, transformed her into lowly, humble mint, destined for ever to creep along the ground. Well, Pluto's loss was our gain, and ever since we've been enraptured by her fresh, fragrant, saucy charms.
Mint is the common name of most plants of the genus Mentha, and there are hundreds of varieties. They hybridise easily, friskily, so it's sometimes confusing, but for the cook they can be roughly divided into two categories. Spearmint is the one we call "garden mint" or "common mint", and it's also the most usual "cooking" mint, the one we scatter over peas and potatoes. Peppermint is more fiery, peppery and spicy, but it has a soothing, cooling quality, too. It has more menthol notes, the chemical compound that stimulates cold sensors on your tongue, tickling and tricking your brain into feeling a soothing chill.
Commercially, the only kind of mint that's widely available is common mint, but it's easy and rather exciting to grow your own, more unusual varieties. Mint grows wonderfully in pots - in fact, given the herb's invasive nature, it's often best grown this way. If you do want to plant it in the ground, sink it into the earth in a large, bottomless pot, to limit its growth. Plant different varieties away from each other, too, because they can lose their distinctive flavours if planted close together. Chop back regularly to encourage fresh growth - younger leaves are more tender and tasty - and harvest before flowering when its oils are at their most potent.
Ginger mint is good in salads, with tomatoes and melon; spicy Moroccan mint is great in tea, and in yogurt and cucumber salads; chocolate mint, with its beautiful, purple-veined leaves, is delicious with, well, chocolate and other puds; pineapple mint adds its sweet freshness to fruit salads and drinks (it's the ultimate Pimm's mint); and Corsican mint really does creep along the ground, as Proserpina intended - you're not really going to cook with this variety, but if you can encourage it to grout its way along the cracks in garden paving, every time you walk along the beds you'll be rewarded with a menthol rush rising up from your steps.
Of course, we have long loved mint in jellies and sauces to accompany meat, most particularly lamb (much to the amusement of the French, who think it a rather barbarous habit), but it's also a perfect companion to spring and early summer veg. Asparagus, broad beans, peas and, later, aubergines and courgettes taste wonderful with a buttery kiss of shredded mint.
It's good, too, to try mint in place of other herbs, to ring the changes. Try a gremolata with mint in place of the parsley, or toss it over roasted or sautéed potatoes, or sprinkle it over lamb or pork. Later in summer, try usurping basil and sticking mint - lots of it - in your tomato salads.
And then, after all of that feasting, try a cup of fresh mint tea, the best herbal infusion there is. It's delicious on a hot day, lightly sweetened, cooled and poured over ice. As the kids would say, "Mint."
Cider apple brandy mojitos
My West Country twist on the minty mojito, using Somerset cider apple brandy in place of rum. Serves one.
10 fresh mint leaves, plus 1 nice sprig to garnish
About 2 tsp caster sugar, or to taste
1/2 lime, cut into wedges
40ml cider apple brandy
Ice
100ml sparkling water or soda water
Angostura bitters
With the handle of a wooden spoon, muddle together the mint, sugar and lime in a glass, bashing them well to ensure the leaves are bruised and combined with the sugar and lime. Add the brandy, then fill the glass with ice, top up with the sparkling water and add a splash of bitters. Stir, garnish with the mint sprig and serve immediately.
Mint and mascarpone ice-cream
Cooling and creamy, this is the perfect ice-cream for a hot afternoon. It also makes a delicious "after dinner mint" with a slosh of chocolate sauce or a dense, dark little chocolate biscuit on the side. Serves six to eight.
1 very big bunch fresh garden
mint, about 100-120g
200g caster sugar
4 egg yolks
200ml whole milk
200ml double cream
1 vanilla pod, split
200g mascarpone
Strip the mint leaves from the stalks and reserve the stems - snip them with scissors if they're very long. Put the stems into a pan with 350ml water and 100g of the sugar, and bash them a bit with the back of a wooden spoon. Over a low heat, stir gently to dissolve the sugar, then bring to a boil and simmer for eight to 10 minutes until syrupy - watch it for the last couple of minutes, to ensure it doesn't reduce too much. Allow the syrup to cool, then strain out the stalks.
Bring another pan of water to a boil, drop in the mint leaves, blanch for a few seconds, drain and refresh in iced water. Drain, pat dry, then blitz with the cooled syrup until you have a very fine, green paste.
Whisk together the egg yolks and remaining sugar until light and creamy in colour - this takes about five minutes in a mixer, 10 by hand.
In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, stir together the milk and cream, along with the split vanilla pod, and bring to just below boiling point, when a few bubbles appear at the edges of the pan. Scrape out the vanilla seeds and stir into the cream.
Slowly pour the warm cream over the egg yolks, stirring all the time, until well combined. Pour into a clean saucepan and cook gently over a low heat, stirring constantly, until thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon. Transfer to a bowl or plastic container, and cover the surface with baking parchment to prevent a skin from forming. Cool, then chill in the fridge.
Beat the mascarpone slightly, then whisk in the custard and mint paste until smooth. Churn in an ice-cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions, then put into a plastic tub and freeze; defrost for 10 minutes before serving.
Lamb kofte with yogurt sauce
In many southern European and Middle Eastern dishes, dried mint is used in preference to fresh. Here we've used dried mint in the kofte and added an extra zing of fresh mint in the sauce. It's our version of double mint. Serves six to eight.
For the kofte
1 small onion, grated
1 garlic clove, minced
1 rounded tbsp dried mint, crumbled
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 good pinch ground allspice
1 good pinch cinnamon
650g lamb, coarsely minced
4 tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley
90g fresh breadcrumbs
3 tbsp olive oil, plus 1 tbsp for shaping the kofte
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Some long, mild green chillies - we used Carliston peppers (optional)
For the sauce
100ml plain yogurt
100g soft goat's cheese
12 or so mint leaves, chopped
1 good pinch sea salt
Pitta bread, for serving
Skewers (if using wooden ones, soak them in water for 30 minutes)
Using your hands, mix together the kofte ingredients, seasoned generously with salt and pepper, until well combined. Leave to rest for at least 30 minutes, then fry off a small piece of the mixture to test - adjust the seasoning as necessary. When you're satisfied with the taste, wet your hands first with water and then with the remaining tablespoon of oil, and shape the kofte into thin sausages about 7cm long. Now thread the kofte on to the skewers, along with the chillies (if you're using them), pressing firmly on the minced lamb so it's firmly attached. Put the skewers on an oiled grill over the hot coals of a barbecue or on a rack under a preheated grill, and cook for about eight minutes, turning once halfway through.
While they're cooking, make the sauce by stirring together the yogurt and cheese until fairly smooth. Mix in the chopped mint and salt.
Serve the kofte hot, with warmed pitta bread and the sauce.
• The River Cottage Handbook No 5: Edible Seashore, by John Wright, is out now at £14.99 (Bloomsbury). To order a copy for the special offer price of £8.99, go to rivercottage.net
Courtesy of Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall kicks off a three-part series on favourite summer herbs - The Guardian, Saturday 23 May 2009
http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2009/may/23/hugh-fearnley-whittingstall
but in case they change sites:
This week I'm going mint-al with a little celebration of all things minty, part one of a three-part series celebrating the herbs of summer. And mint is deservedly first on to the chopping block.
It's hardly an exclusive passion - it would be entirely possible to draw a minty map that spans the globe, from our own, beloved mint sauce to the kofte of Turkey and the dolmades of Greece, to the teas and tagines of Morocco, the yogurty, minty sauces and tabboulehs of the Middle East, and the raitas and chutneys of India; from the pungent salads and dipping sauces of Thailand to the mint juleps of the American south. Mint is truly the herb sans frontières.
It's fitting that a herb that's used so prolifically and grows so promiscuously - rampaging over scrubby ground, pushing through cracks in paving and colonising spaces set aside for more rarefied and reticent plants - has humble origins. Its name comes from Minthe, the nymph who so captivated Pluto that his jealous wife, Proserpina, transformed her into lowly, humble mint, destined for ever to creep along the ground. Well, Pluto's loss was our gain, and ever since we've been enraptured by her fresh, fragrant, saucy charms.
Mint is the common name of most plants of the genus Mentha, and there are hundreds of varieties. They hybridise easily, friskily, so it's sometimes confusing, but for the cook they can be roughly divided into two categories. Spearmint is the one we call "garden mint" or "common mint", and it's also the most usual "cooking" mint, the one we scatter over peas and potatoes. Peppermint is more fiery, peppery and spicy, but it has a soothing, cooling quality, too. It has more menthol notes, the chemical compound that stimulates cold sensors on your tongue, tickling and tricking your brain into feeling a soothing chill.
Commercially, the only kind of mint that's widely available is common mint, but it's easy and rather exciting to grow your own, more unusual varieties. Mint grows wonderfully in pots - in fact, given the herb's invasive nature, it's often best grown this way. If you do want to plant it in the ground, sink it into the earth in a large, bottomless pot, to limit its growth. Plant different varieties away from each other, too, because they can lose their distinctive flavours if planted close together. Chop back regularly to encourage fresh growth - younger leaves are more tender and tasty - and harvest before flowering when its oils are at their most potent.
Ginger mint is good in salads, with tomatoes and melon; spicy Moroccan mint is great in tea, and in yogurt and cucumber salads; chocolate mint, with its beautiful, purple-veined leaves, is delicious with, well, chocolate and other puds; pineapple mint adds its sweet freshness to fruit salads and drinks (it's the ultimate Pimm's mint); and Corsican mint really does creep along the ground, as Proserpina intended - you're not really going to cook with this variety, but if you can encourage it to grout its way along the cracks in garden paving, every time you walk along the beds you'll be rewarded with a menthol rush rising up from your steps.
Of course, we have long loved mint in jellies and sauces to accompany meat, most particularly lamb (much to the amusement of the French, who think it a rather barbarous habit), but it's also a perfect companion to spring and early summer veg. Asparagus, broad beans, peas and, later, aubergines and courgettes taste wonderful with a buttery kiss of shredded mint.
It's good, too, to try mint in place of other herbs, to ring the changes. Try a gremolata with mint in place of the parsley, or toss it over roasted or sautéed potatoes, or sprinkle it over lamb or pork. Later in summer, try usurping basil and sticking mint - lots of it - in your tomato salads.
And then, after all of that feasting, try a cup of fresh mint tea, the best herbal infusion there is. It's delicious on a hot day, lightly sweetened, cooled and poured over ice. As the kids would say, "Mint."
Cider apple brandy mojitos
My West Country twist on the minty mojito, using Somerset cider apple brandy in place of rum. Serves one.
10 fresh mint leaves, plus 1 nice sprig to garnish
About 2 tsp caster sugar, or to taste
1/2 lime, cut into wedges
40ml cider apple brandy
Ice
100ml sparkling water or soda water
Angostura bitters
With the handle of a wooden spoon, muddle together the mint, sugar and lime in a glass, bashing them well to ensure the leaves are bruised and combined with the sugar and lime. Add the brandy, then fill the glass with ice, top up with the sparkling water and add a splash of bitters. Stir, garnish with the mint sprig and serve immediately.
Mint and mascarpone ice-cream
Cooling and creamy, this is the perfect ice-cream for a hot afternoon. It also makes a delicious "after dinner mint" with a slosh of chocolate sauce or a dense, dark little chocolate biscuit on the side. Serves six to eight.
1 very big bunch fresh garden
mint, about 100-120g
200g caster sugar
4 egg yolks
200ml whole milk
200ml double cream
1 vanilla pod, split
200g mascarpone
Strip the mint leaves from the stalks and reserve the stems - snip them with scissors if they're very long. Put the stems into a pan with 350ml water and 100g of the sugar, and bash them a bit with the back of a wooden spoon. Over a low heat, stir gently to dissolve the sugar, then bring to a boil and simmer for eight to 10 minutes until syrupy - watch it for the last couple of minutes, to ensure it doesn't reduce too much. Allow the syrup to cool, then strain out the stalks.
Bring another pan of water to a boil, drop in the mint leaves, blanch for a few seconds, drain and refresh in iced water. Drain, pat dry, then blitz with the cooled syrup until you have a very fine, green paste.
Whisk together the egg yolks and remaining sugar until light and creamy in colour - this takes about five minutes in a mixer, 10 by hand.
In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, stir together the milk and cream, along with the split vanilla pod, and bring to just below boiling point, when a few bubbles appear at the edges of the pan. Scrape out the vanilla seeds and stir into the cream.
Slowly pour the warm cream over the egg yolks, stirring all the time, until well combined. Pour into a clean saucepan and cook gently over a low heat, stirring constantly, until thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon. Transfer to a bowl or plastic container, and cover the surface with baking parchment to prevent a skin from forming. Cool, then chill in the fridge.
Beat the mascarpone slightly, then whisk in the custard and mint paste until smooth. Churn in an ice-cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions, then put into a plastic tub and freeze; defrost for 10 minutes before serving.
Lamb kofte with yogurt sauce
In many southern European and Middle Eastern dishes, dried mint is used in preference to fresh. Here we've used dried mint in the kofte and added an extra zing of fresh mint in the sauce. It's our version of double mint. Serves six to eight.
For the kofte
1 small onion, grated
1 garlic clove, minced
1 rounded tbsp dried mint, crumbled
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 good pinch ground allspice
1 good pinch cinnamon
650g lamb, coarsely minced
4 tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley
90g fresh breadcrumbs
3 tbsp olive oil, plus 1 tbsp for shaping the kofte
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Some long, mild green chillies - we used Carliston peppers (optional)
For the sauce
100ml plain yogurt
100g soft goat's cheese
12 or so mint leaves, chopped
1 good pinch sea salt
Pitta bread, for serving
Skewers (if using wooden ones, soak them in water for 30 minutes)
Using your hands, mix together the kofte ingredients, seasoned generously with salt and pepper, until well combined. Leave to rest for at least 30 minutes, then fry off a small piece of the mixture to test - adjust the seasoning as necessary. When you're satisfied with the taste, wet your hands first with water and then with the remaining tablespoon of oil, and shape the kofte into thin sausages about 7cm long. Now thread the kofte on to the skewers, along with the chillies (if you're using them), pressing firmly on the minced lamb so it's firmly attached. Put the skewers on an oiled grill over the hot coals of a barbecue or on a rack under a preheated grill, and cook for about eight minutes, turning once halfway through.
While they're cooking, make the sauce by stirring together the yogurt and cheese until fairly smooth. Mix in the chopped mint and salt.
Serve the kofte hot, with warmed pitta bread and the sauce.
• The River Cottage Handbook No 5: Edible Seashore, by John Wright, is out now at £14.99 (Bloomsbury). To order a copy for the special offer price of £8.99, go to rivercottage.net
May 8, 2009
Maya ~ Sankalpa ~ Sanyama
I'm reflecting.
my illusions ~ intention ~ my vow to break free
first, my blessings, my offerings, my prayers.
I am blessed with this awareness to claim centredness on my path. and blessed with so much positive energy around me from all i've crossed path with. with love through my parents, family, everyone who thinks good for me. for my enemies who are my lessons to detach to aversions, who becomes my best teachers. to my devoted guides, who imparts the wisdom.
My offering is always to Divine.
My vow is to achieve this through my sadhana and to remain focused, for this 2 months. The fruits will come and my practice will show in its form, and I will be able to be a fountain of knowledge to those who seek.
Namaste.
my illusions ~ intention ~ my vow to break free
first, my blessings, my offerings, my prayers.
I am blessed with this awareness to claim centredness on my path. and blessed with so much positive energy around me from all i've crossed path with. with love through my parents, family, everyone who thinks good for me. for my enemies who are my lessons to detach to aversions, who becomes my best teachers. to my devoted guides, who imparts the wisdom.
My offering is always to Divine.
My vow is to achieve this through my sadhana and to remain focused, for this 2 months. The fruits will come and my practice will show in its form, and I will be able to be a fountain of knowledge to those who seek.
Namaste.
May 7, 2009
My Poem ~ Wipe every single drop away
Haunting sounds chills the cold still night
When the wind flute hums a lull-laby
How it must feel for those with none on their side
with no divine friendship in light, no family in sight
In the streets, come day or night
Kinship a plenty, but trust is shifty
But O' Behold ... when you look closely,
For there is a sign ~ a hope in sight!
For every tear drop, is never forgotten
For every tear drop, is interdependent
Sometimes when a blessing is in disguise,
It is hard to recognize
But there will be,
A very special night
when the full moon shines,
when the energy arise!
Joy glows at high tide
Peace beckons upon reflection
The years of tears now caresses the shore
Perhaps a thirst quenching oasis’ for all
If Thy raindrops could wipe
every single drop of your tears away
Let her fall, let her fall,
let her fall ...
When the wind flute hums a lull-laby
How it must feel for those with none on their side
with no divine friendship in light, no family in sight
In the streets, come day or night
Kinship a plenty, but trust is shifty
But O' Behold ... when you look closely,
For there is a sign ~ a hope in sight!
For every tear drop, is never forgotten
For every tear drop, is interdependent
Sometimes when a blessing is in disguise,
It is hard to recognize
But there will be,
A very special night
when the full moon shines,
when the energy arise!
Joy glows at high tide
Peace beckons upon reflection
The years of tears now caresses the shore
Perhaps a thirst quenching oasis’ for all
If Thy raindrops could wipe
every single drop of your tears away
Let her fall, let her fall,
let her fall ...
Wise words
What you think is worth doing, is worth doing well.
The world does not care what you lack, they are interested only in what you can offer.
Leave some things to the imagination.
Don’t worry too much about life. Even an earthworm can find food to eat.
Do exactly what you would do if you felt most secure.
He who would be serene and pure needs but one thing, detachment.
If the only prayer you said in your whole life was, "thank you," that would suffice.
~ Meister Eckhart
Desire for truth removes all other desires;
then it dissolves and what remains is bliss.
The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated. ~ Gandhi
Live now, the past is gone, the future has yet to come.
Live this day as if it is your last, you will discover the true priorities of your life - The Buddha
"The aim of education is to help the child develop their intellectual, aesthetic, emotional, moral, spiritual being and communal life…"
~ Sri Aurobindo~
All God wants of man is a peaceful heart.
Every creature is a word of God.
You may call God love, you may call God goodness. But the best name for God is compassion.
General practice is needed. God has given us discriminatory powers. Through that, you have to think of yourself. If there's no feedback try finding you from presentations what is wrong. And then decide what is better ~ BKS Iyengar
The world does not care what you lack, they are interested only in what you can offer.
Leave some things to the imagination.
Don’t worry too much about life. Even an earthworm can find food to eat.
Do exactly what you would do if you felt most secure.
He who would be serene and pure needs but one thing, detachment.
If the only prayer you said in your whole life was, "thank you," that would suffice.
~ Meister Eckhart
Desire for truth removes all other desires;
then it dissolves and what remains is bliss.
The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated. ~ Gandhi
Live now, the past is gone, the future has yet to come.
Live this day as if it is your last, you will discover the true priorities of your life - The Buddha
"The aim of education is to help the child develop their intellectual, aesthetic, emotional, moral, spiritual being and communal life…"
~ Sri Aurobindo~
All God wants of man is a peaceful heart.
Every creature is a word of God.
You may call God love, you may call God goodness. But the best name for God is compassion.
General practice is needed. God has given us discriminatory powers. Through that, you have to think of yourself. If there's no feedback try finding you from presentations what is wrong. And then decide what is better ~ BKS Iyengar
Dec 26, 2008
Ask
My Passion which will continue as the year goes:
Spiritual ~ Mastery through discipline of awareness & mindfulness. Reverence.
WellBeing ~ Practice, deepen, master deep relaxation. therapy. Do more Art
Career ~ Start on Book Ideas & Improvements. Do more art, music, reading.
Family, friends ~ Empowering their life's through listening, sharing, support, empowerment
Spiritual ~ Mastery through discipline of awareness & mindfulness. Reverence.
WellBeing ~ Practice, deepen, master deep relaxation. therapy. Do more Art
Career ~ Start on Book Ideas & Improvements. Do more art, music, reading.
Family, friends ~ Empowering their life's through listening, sharing, support, empowerment
Nov 26, 2008
My homework
My HOMEWORK: and my affirmation
1. Make my yoga part of my morning ritual.
Get to bed 15 minutes earlier so my yoga practice does not cut into my sleep time.
2. To sit down with my weekly calendar and cross out activities that is not serving me anymore (be brutally honest).
3. Find support for my home practice - practice with a member of family or a friend.
Practice with a class, or video. Being held accountable by others can get you to the mat on the dreariest of days. I know once I get to the mat, the magic often takes over after a couple of minutes, and I'll find yourself vibrating with the music of yoga.
Ideally, to start early, sitting and gradually waking up, go into listening to my body on what to practice.
Asana practice, pranayama, and meditation would follow.
What a great way to start the day — centered, awake, internal, and listening.
Because taking that time for myself helps me be more present, grounded, patient and open to the little moments of joy.
inspired by rodney!
1. Make my yoga part of my morning ritual.
Get to bed 15 minutes earlier so my yoga practice does not cut into my sleep time.
2. To sit down with my weekly calendar and cross out activities that is not serving me anymore (be brutally honest).
3. Find support for my home practice - practice with a member of family or a friend.
Practice with a class, or video. Being held accountable by others can get you to the mat on the dreariest of days. I know once I get to the mat, the magic often takes over after a couple of minutes, and I'll find yourself vibrating with the music of yoga.
Ideally, to start early, sitting and gradually waking up, go into listening to my body on what to practice.
Asana practice, pranayama, and meditation would follow.
What a great way to start the day — centered, awake, internal, and listening.
Because taking that time for myself helps me be more present, grounded, patient and open to the little moments of joy.
inspired by rodney!
Bringing My Yoga Practice Home
Today i realised, I had nearly forgotten why I loved yoga so much.
Inspired by Rodney's words...
yes, now it is up to me to recreate and rediscover the magic that had been revealed. Many years of home practice is the answer, going into my own body and asking it to be my teacher. Listening is the practice of yoga. Nothing replaces the home practice. It is a time when I can find my own rhythm, my own breath, my own revelations. It is where the genuine knowledge arises.
"I was told early on that in science, when one invents something, everyone benefits and can utilize that invention; however, in spiritual practice you must discover the wheel on your own. Get on your mat. Colleen and I can inspire you, but you have to sweat your own prayers."
Namaste,
courtesy of Rodney, Cofounder of the Gaiam Yoga Club
Inspired by Rodney's words...
yes, now it is up to me to recreate and rediscover the magic that had been revealed. Many years of home practice is the answer, going into my own body and asking it to be my teacher. Listening is the practice of yoga. Nothing replaces the home practice. It is a time when I can find my own rhythm, my own breath, my own revelations. It is where the genuine knowledge arises.
"I was told early on that in science, when one invents something, everyone benefits and can utilize that invention; however, in spiritual practice you must discover the wheel on your own. Get on your mat. Colleen and I can inspire you, but you have to sweat your own prayers."
Namaste,
courtesy of Rodney, Cofounder of the Gaiam Yoga Club
Oct 5, 2008
When I Go
My life, may not have an answer to the beginning of life, till the ending of it.
But the full experience has just been truly amazing, such a blessing. This is why I remember to say my thanks with each meal. My favourite part about having a meal is appreciating the sharing of life - to give thanks to having sensory ability, physical limbs to eat with, meals that miraculously appear in front of me through such an amazing cycle of life and energy exchange from earth to life to the infinite sacrifice of life/s, just to feed this body of mine.
The Tibetan Buddhism tradition says, there's 3 ways to go.
1) when we've exhausted our life span through accumulation of good altrustic deeds
2) when we've exhausted our physical body's life span
3) when we meet with accidents - unprepared, unexpected
So, I guess, we never really know when I will be gone, will we? they say, high practitioners do. ; )
It would be realistic to say that, you would surely be a part of all the infinite thoughts I will flash before my eyes, mind or heart, and if i never had the chance to say this to you, today i will do that.
I guess it never seems like a right time to say this when we are alive and well, usually going about like tomorrow will not end.
Well, in those chaotic life journey moments, there has been at least one really special moment, that I was really present with you, saw you from inside out, i could feel through you. the real quiet honest you.
This moments and presence when I was with you, I may not have been happy, smiling or nice. It could've been when I was being quiet. Or observing, or listening, or sharing, or seemingly aloof, or totally attentive.
it was a moment. and in this moment, I was really with you. when we crossed path.
i could close my eyes, and have a full sense of you, all over again. i guess i may not look like i care. but the depth cannot be described in words, cannot be manipulated in expressions. it may be felt in the quietness in your heart, perhaps. or perhaps when u're sitting with one single link to a whole completion of all thats around u.
yes there.
some say, we love and care not always for altruistic reasons. well, i feel that i care because its basic human nature to reach out and extend, expand. embrace.
what I know for sure is, i would only wish you peace. love. joy. because we are an entity in unity.
you shall have all that life's blessings has to offer ~ it is with you.
you shall have the highest respect in divine love and friendship ~ from me to u.
I would deeply thank you for everything you've shared and taught me, through your expansion, through you.
may peace always be with you.
namaste.
But the full experience has just been truly amazing, such a blessing. This is why I remember to say my thanks with each meal. My favourite part about having a meal is appreciating the sharing of life - to give thanks to having sensory ability, physical limbs to eat with, meals that miraculously appear in front of me through such an amazing cycle of life and energy exchange from earth to life to the infinite sacrifice of life/s, just to feed this body of mine.
The Tibetan Buddhism tradition says, there's 3 ways to go.
1) when we've exhausted our life span through accumulation of good altrustic deeds
2) when we've exhausted our physical body's life span
3) when we meet with accidents - unprepared, unexpected
So, I guess, we never really know when I will be gone, will we? they say, high practitioners do. ; )
It would be realistic to say that, you would surely be a part of all the infinite thoughts I will flash before my eyes, mind or heart, and if i never had the chance to say this to you, today i will do that.
I guess it never seems like a right time to say this when we are alive and well, usually going about like tomorrow will not end.
Well, in those chaotic life journey moments, there has been at least one really special moment, that I was really present with you, saw you from inside out, i could feel through you. the real quiet honest you.
This moments and presence when I was with you, I may not have been happy, smiling or nice. It could've been when I was being quiet. Or observing, or listening, or sharing, or seemingly aloof, or totally attentive.
it was a moment. and in this moment, I was really with you. when we crossed path.
i could close my eyes, and have a full sense of you, all over again. i guess i may not look like i care. but the depth cannot be described in words, cannot be manipulated in expressions. it may be felt in the quietness in your heart, perhaps. or perhaps when u're sitting with one single link to a whole completion of all thats around u.
yes there.
some say, we love and care not always for altruistic reasons. well, i feel that i care because its basic human nature to reach out and extend, expand. embrace.
what I know for sure is, i would only wish you peace. love. joy. because we are an entity in unity.
you shall have all that life's blessings has to offer ~ it is with you.
you shall have the highest respect in divine love and friendship ~ from me to u.
I would deeply thank you for everything you've shared and taught me, through your expansion, through you.
may peace always be with you.
namaste.
Oct 1, 2008
Yoga Facts
* Yoga is over 3,000 years old
* Yoga builds strength, flexibility and coordination
* Yoga creates cardiovascular health
* Yoga relieves stress and helps keep you healthy
* Yoga creates mental clarity, focus and emotional balance
* Yoga is safe for all ages and body types (choose a right teacher with depth)
* Yoga facilitates healing from injuries
* Yoga is not a religion
courtesy of Purna Yoga: purnayoga.com
The most open, gentle and loving teacher i've learned from: Aadil Palhivala, Purna Yoga. Very safe. Full of light and flow of love. Awesome space.
* Yoga builds strength, flexibility and coordination
* Yoga creates cardiovascular health
* Yoga relieves stress and helps keep you healthy
* Yoga creates mental clarity, focus and emotional balance
* Yoga is safe for all ages and body types (choose a right teacher with depth)
* Yoga facilitates healing from injuries
* Yoga is not a religion
courtesy of Purna Yoga: purnayoga.com
The most open, gentle and loving teacher i've learned from: Aadil Palhivala, Purna Yoga. Very safe. Full of light and flow of love. Awesome space.
Sep 16, 2008
The Secret Affirmation
An affirmation for the rest of your life.
In the new picture of the coming years, "I see my life growing and expanding in everything: in health, youth and unlimited energy at all times and in all circumstances. I see myself in complete freedom. I see unlimited growth in my personal capacity, mental power and intellectual brilliancy. I see constant improvement in all the elements of my personality and my body. I see daily growth in my wisdom, understanding. insight and realization.I see myself in peace, harmony, love and joy, and I see my character expanding to stronger and more beautiful.I see the never ending betterment of friends associations and environments.I see myself in everlasting joy and infinite bliss."
courtesy of The Secret - http://www.thesecret.tv/
In the new picture of the coming years, "I see my life growing and expanding in everything: in health, youth and unlimited energy at all times and in all circumstances. I see myself in complete freedom. I see unlimited growth in my personal capacity, mental power and intellectual brilliancy. I see constant improvement in all the elements of my personality and my body. I see daily growth in my wisdom, understanding. insight and realization.I see myself in peace, harmony, love and joy, and I see my character expanding to stronger and more beautiful.I see the never ending betterment of friends associations and environments.I see myself in everlasting joy and infinite bliss."
courtesy of The Secret - http://www.thesecret.tv/
Sep 14, 2008
Marriage Commandments
hilarious!
COMMANDMENT 1
Marriages are made in heaven.
But so are thunder and lightning.
COMMANDMENT 2
If you want your wife to listen and pay strict attention to every
word you say, talk in your sleep.
COMMANDMENT 3
Marriage is grand -- and divorce is at least 100 grand!
COMMANDMENT 4
Married life is very frustrating.
In the first year of marriage, the man speaks and the woman listens.
In the second year, the woman speaks and the man listens.
In the third year, they both speak and the neighbors listen.
COMMANDMENT 5
When a man opens the door of his car for his wife, you can be sure of one thing: Either the car is new or the wife is.
COMMANDMENT 6
Marriage is when a man and woman become as one;
The trouble starts when they try to decide which one.
COMMANDMENT 7
Before marriage, a man will lie awake all night thinking about
something you say. After marriage, he will fall asleep before you finish.
COMMANDMENT 8
Every man wants a wife who is beautiful, understanding, economical,and a good cook. But the law allows only one wife.
COMMANDMENT 9
Marriage and love are purely matter of chemistry.
That is why wife treats husband like toxic waste.
COMMANDMENT 10
A man is incomplete until he is married.
After that, he is finished..
BONUS COMMANDMENT STORY
A long married couple came upon a wishing well.
The husband leaned over, made a wish and threw in a penny.
The wife decided to make a wish too.
But she leaned over too much, fell into the well, and drowned.
The husband was stunned for a moment but then smiled and said,
Hey! This thing really works!
courtesy of some anonymous being...
COMMANDMENT 1
Marriages are made in heaven.
But so are thunder and lightning.
COMMANDMENT 2
If you want your wife to listen and pay strict attention to every
word you say, talk in your sleep.
COMMANDMENT 3
Marriage is grand -- and divorce is at least 100 grand!
COMMANDMENT 4
Married life is very frustrating.
In the first year of marriage, the man speaks and the woman listens.
In the second year, the woman speaks and the man listens.
In the third year, they both speak and the neighbors listen.
COMMANDMENT 5
When a man opens the door of his car for his wife, you can be sure of one thing: Either the car is new or the wife is.
COMMANDMENT 6
Marriage is when a man and woman become as one;
The trouble starts when they try to decide which one.
COMMANDMENT 7
Before marriage, a man will lie awake all night thinking about
something you say. After marriage, he will fall asleep before you finish.
COMMANDMENT 8
Every man wants a wife who is beautiful, understanding, economical,and a good cook. But the law allows only one wife.
COMMANDMENT 9
Marriage and love are purely matter of chemistry.
That is why wife treats husband like toxic waste.
COMMANDMENT 10
A man is incomplete until he is married.
After that, he is finished..
BONUS COMMANDMENT STORY
A long married couple came upon a wishing well.
The husband leaned over, made a wish and threw in a penny.
The wife decided to make a wish too.
But she leaned over too much, fell into the well, and drowned.
The husband was stunned for a moment but then smiled and said,
Hey! This thing really works!
courtesy of some anonymous being...
Laws of Cat Physics ; )
Law of Cat Inertia
A cat at rest will tend to remain at rest, unless acted upon by some
outside force - such as the opening of cat food, or a nearby scurrying
mouse.
Law of Cat Motion
A cat will move in a straight line, unless there is a really good
reason to change direction.
Law of Cat Magnetism
All blue blazers and black sweaters attract cat hair in direct
proportion to the darkness of the fabric.
Law of Cat Thermodynamics
Heat flows from a warmer to a cooler body, except in the case of a cat,
in which case all heat flows to the cat.
Law of Cat Stretching
A cat will stretch to a distance proportional to the length of the nap
just taken.
Law of Cat Sleeping
All cats must sleep with people whenever possible, in a position as
uncomfortable for the people involved as is possible for the cat.
Law of Cat Elongation
A cat can make her body long enough to reach just about any counter top
that has anything remotely interesting on it.
Law of Cat Acceleration
A cat will accelerate at a constant rate, until he gets good and ready
to stop.
Law of Dinner Table Attendance
Cats must attend all meals when anything good is served.
Law of Rug Configuration
No rug may remain in its naturally flat state for very long.
Law of Obedience Resistance
A cat's resistance varies in proportion to a human's desire for her to
do something.
First Law of Energy Conservation
Cats know that energy can neither be created nor destroyed and will,
therefore, use as little energy as possible.
Second Law of Energy Conservation
Cats also know that energy can only be stored by a lot of napping.
Law of Refrigerator Observation
If a cat watches a refrigerator long enough, someone will come along
and take out something good to eat.
Law of Electric Blanket Attraction
Turn on an electric blanket and a cat will jump into bed at the speed
of light.
Law of Random Comfort Seeking
A cat will always seek, and usually take over, the most comfortable
spot in any given room.
Law of Bag / Box Occupancy
All bags and boxes in a given room must contain a cat within the
earliest possible nanosecond.
Law of Cat Embarrassment
A cat's irritation rises in direct proportion to her embarrassment
times the amount of human laughter.
Law of Milk Consumption
A cat will drink his weight in milk, squared, just to show you he can.
Law of Furniture Replacement
A cat's desire to scratch furniture is directly proportional to the
cost of the furniture.
Law of Cat Landing
A cat will always land in the softest place possible.
Law of Fluid Displacement
A cat immersed in milk will displace her own volume, minus the amount
of milk consumed.
Law of Cat Disinterest
A cat's interest level will vary in inverse proportion to the amount of
effort a human expends in trying to interest him.
Law of Pill Rejection
Any pill given to a cat has the potential energy to reach escape
velocity.
Law of Cat Composition
A cat is composed of "Matter" plus "Anti-Matter" plus "It Doesn't
Matter".
courtesy of some anonymous being...
A cat at rest will tend to remain at rest, unless acted upon by some
outside force - such as the opening of cat food, or a nearby scurrying
mouse.
Law of Cat Motion
A cat will move in a straight line, unless there is a really good
reason to change direction.
Law of Cat Magnetism
All blue blazers and black sweaters attract cat hair in direct
proportion to the darkness of the fabric.
Law of Cat Thermodynamics
Heat flows from a warmer to a cooler body, except in the case of a cat,
in which case all heat flows to the cat.
Law of Cat Stretching
A cat will stretch to a distance proportional to the length of the nap
just taken.
Law of Cat Sleeping
All cats must sleep with people whenever possible, in a position as
uncomfortable for the people involved as is possible for the cat.
Law of Cat Elongation
A cat can make her body long enough to reach just about any counter top
that has anything remotely interesting on it.
Law of Cat Acceleration
A cat will accelerate at a constant rate, until he gets good and ready
to stop.
Law of Dinner Table Attendance
Cats must attend all meals when anything good is served.
Law of Rug Configuration
No rug may remain in its naturally flat state for very long.
Law of Obedience Resistance
A cat's resistance varies in proportion to a human's desire for her to
do something.
First Law of Energy Conservation
Cats know that energy can neither be created nor destroyed and will,
therefore, use as little energy as possible.
Second Law of Energy Conservation
Cats also know that energy can only be stored by a lot of napping.
Law of Refrigerator Observation
If a cat watches a refrigerator long enough, someone will come along
and take out something good to eat.
Law of Electric Blanket Attraction
Turn on an electric blanket and a cat will jump into bed at the speed
of light.
Law of Random Comfort Seeking
A cat will always seek, and usually take over, the most comfortable
spot in any given room.
Law of Bag / Box Occupancy
All bags and boxes in a given room must contain a cat within the
earliest possible nanosecond.
Law of Cat Embarrassment
A cat's irritation rises in direct proportion to her embarrassment
times the amount of human laughter.
Law of Milk Consumption
A cat will drink his weight in milk, squared, just to show you he can.
Law of Furniture Replacement
A cat's desire to scratch furniture is directly proportional to the
cost of the furniture.
Law of Cat Landing
A cat will always land in the softest place possible.
Law of Fluid Displacement
A cat immersed in milk will displace her own volume, minus the amount
of milk consumed.
Law of Cat Disinterest
A cat's interest level will vary in inverse proportion to the amount of
effort a human expends in trying to interest him.
Law of Pill Rejection
Any pill given to a cat has the potential energy to reach escape
velocity.
Law of Cat Composition
A cat is composed of "Matter" plus "Anti-Matter" plus "It Doesn't
Matter".
courtesy of some anonymous being...
Sep 13, 2008
Siem Reap - beautiful Cambodian smiles melt my heart
When I returned from my trip, I could not stop glowing in grins. These were due to memories of how I fell in love with the beautiful Khmer cambodian smiles from the heart which did melt my heart.
They were graceful, humble, sincere, caring, forgiving, happy, compassionate, so full of love and devotional. That's what i felt, hear, and saw.
Angkor Wat facts:
81 hectares, comparable in size to the Imperial Palace in Beijing. Its distinctive five towers are emblazoned on the Cambodian flag and the 12th century masterpiece is considered by art historians to be the prime example of classical Khmer art and architecture. Angkor Wat's five towers symbolize Meru's five peaks - the enclosed wall represents the mountains at the edge of the world and the surrounding moat, the ocean beyond.
Places we went :)
- Ancient capital of Angkor Thom (12th).
- South Gate with its huge statues depicting the churning of the ocean of milk, the Royal Enclosure
- Phimeanakas, the Elephants Terrace, the Terrace of the Leper King
- Bayon Temple (unique for its 54 towers decorated with over 200 smiling faces of Avolokitesvara)
- Ta Prohm Temple of similar design to the Jayavarman VII temples. A quiet sprawling monastic complex partially cleared of jungle overgrowth. Intentionally left partially unrestored, massive fig and silk cotton trees grow from the towers and corridors.
- Watch sunset at Bakheng Mountain.
Sep 12, 2008
Why Not?
We need men who can dream of things that never were, and ask why not.
George Bernard Shaw
In an indian movie I saw recently, a villager leaves home for the first time to travel to the city of Bombay. When he returns, his family and friends crowd around him, asking what it was like in the big city. His laconic reply sums up our era: "Such tall buildlings ... and such small people."
If we were asked to give an accounting of our society's achievements, we could claim many great technological developments and scientific discoveries, plenty of skycrappers, and the amasement of huge sums of money, but few truly secure, truly wise, truly great men and women. It is not for lack of ability of energy, though; it is because we lack a noble goal.
To grow to our full height, we need to be challenged with tasks that draw out our deeper resources, the talents and capacities we did not know we had. We need to be faced with obstacles that cannot be surmounted unless we summon up our daring and creativity. This kind of challenge is familiar to any great athlete or scientist or artist. No worthwhile accomplishment comes easily.
Taken from A Daily Guide to Leading an Exceptional Life, Words to Live By by Eknath Easwaran
George Bernard Shaw
In an indian movie I saw recently, a villager leaves home for the first time to travel to the city of Bombay. When he returns, his family and friends crowd around him, asking what it was like in the big city. His laconic reply sums up our era: "Such tall buildlings ... and such small people."
If we were asked to give an accounting of our society's achievements, we could claim many great technological developments and scientific discoveries, plenty of skycrappers, and the amasement of huge sums of money, but few truly secure, truly wise, truly great men and women. It is not for lack of ability of energy, though; it is because we lack a noble goal.
To grow to our full height, we need to be challenged with tasks that draw out our deeper resources, the talents and capacities we did not know we had. We need to be faced with obstacles that cannot be surmounted unless we summon up our daring and creativity. This kind of challenge is familiar to any great athlete or scientist or artist. No worthwhile accomplishment comes easily.
Taken from A Daily Guide to Leading an Exceptional Life, Words to Live By by Eknath Easwaran
If not now, when?
If I am not for me, who will be?
If I am not for others, what am I?
And if not now, when?
~ Rabbi Hillel
If I am not for others, what am I?
And if not now, when?
~ Rabbi Hillel
Aug 14, 2008
Declutter Your Finances! tips
Step 1. Envision the Life You Want
Step 2: Look at the True Cost of Your Debt
Step 3: Explore Your Limits
Step 4: Assess Your Spending Habits
Step 5: Discuss Necessities vs. Luxuries
Step 6: Consider Your Happiness Quotient
Step 7: Create Space for What Really Matters
Step 8: Make It Real
courtesy of oprah.com - peter walsh
http://www.oprah.com/slideshow/oprahandfriends/pwalsh/20081010_oaf_pwalsh_101
Step 2: Look at the True Cost of Your Debt
Step 3: Explore Your Limits
Step 4: Assess Your Spending Habits
Step 5: Discuss Necessities vs. Luxuries
Step 6: Consider Your Happiness Quotient
Step 7: Create Space for What Really Matters
Step 8: Make It Real
courtesy of oprah.com - peter walsh
http://www.oprah.com/slideshow/oprahandfriends/pwalsh/20081010_oaf_pwalsh_101
Jun 22, 2008
Celebrating Silence with HHSSS
~ compilation of talks by His Holiness Sri Sri Shankar
Celebrate while you are alone and celebrate when you are with people. Celebrate silence and celebrate noise. Celebrate life and celebrate death ~ New Delhi, March 13 1997
SENSES - HABITS - VICES
The senses are like fire. Your life is like fire. Some fires pollute and others purify. The same fire that supports life in winter also destroys. If your senses are engaged in goodness, you will create light and fragrance. It is samyama that transforms the quality of fire in you. ~ Montreal Ashram, July 24, 1995
Life wants to be fre and when a soul does not know how to be free, it wanders through lifetimes desiring freedom. The way to break habits is through vows. Rise above habits through samyama. All those habits that bother you, that bring you pain – bind them in vows, in samyama. A vow should be time bound, and the time and place for making the vow should be considered. ~ Brookfield, Connecticut, July 30, 1995
Your inability to break a habit causes a pinch and when you are deeply pained by something, the pain will rid you of that habit. If you are pained by your shortcomings, then you are a sadhak - a seeker. Pain takes you out of addiction. ~ LA, Jan 30, 1997
If you cannot eliminate vices, magnify them. Give them a bigger dimension and a different direction. Be averse to aversions. Attach yourself to the guru. Get intoxicated with the Divine. ~ Rishikesh, April 3 1997
DESIRES
Desires for sensory pleasures are electric in nature and these desires get neutralized as they move towards the object of your senses. They are nothing but energy and you are the source of it - the pure electricity. Dedication and devotion maintain the purity of your electricity, moving you upward. Once you realize that you are pleasure or electricity, your craving subsides and serenity dawns. ~ Milano, Italy, Jan 7, 1998
Desire kills joy yet the goal of all desires is joy. Yet all that we desire is happiness. The conclusion "My desires have killed my happiness." ~ Bangalore, April 26, 2000
Have you thought about the nature of desire? It simply means tomorrow, and not now. But joy is never tomorrow, it is always now. That is why desire is maya - illusion. ~ Banagalore, March 6, 1996
A desire arises with the memory of a pleasant experience or with past impression. It might also arise through listening. Desire can be triggered through association with people and places. Someone else's desire may manifest in you as your own. When someone is hungry, you might have a desire to feed them. Desnity, may trigger a desire but you will not be aware of the reason for your actions. ~ Dharamshala, April 6, 2000
Desire arise on their own. When they come, if you say that you do not want any desires, then that want becomes another desire. On the journey of life, you have to keep submitting your desires and not hold onto them. As you keep submitting your desires, fewer desires arise. Unfortunate are those who keep on desiring yet their desires are not fulfilled. A little more fortunate are those whose desires get fulfilled over a long period of time. More fortunate are those whose desires get fulfilled as soon as they arise. The most fortunate are those who have no desires because there is fulfillment even before the desire arises. ~ Swargashram, Rishikesh, March 20, 1996
Buddha said that desire is the cause of all misery. If desire does not get fulfilled, it leads to frustration. If it does, it leaves you empty. Vasishta says desire is the cause of pleasure. You get pleasure from an object or a person only when you desire them. Whatever gives you pleasure binds you and bondage is misery. WHEN YOU DESIRE TRUTH, all other desires drop off. Desire for truth removes all other desires; then it dissolves and what remains is bliss. ~ Denpasar, Bali, May 11, 2000
Your desires and sankalpas - or intentions - separate you from God. Offer all your desires and all your sankalpas to the Divine. Then you are divine. You are God. You are free - lacking nothing. ~ Bangalore, Oct 16, 1996
Pleasure and pain are intense sensations in this body. All your misery surrounds the 'I, I, I...'. Just let go. Remember - the sun rises and sets, the moon shines and I am here forever. ~ Bad Antogast, Germany, May 14, 1997
ATTACHMENTS
Often people fail to see the spirit behind the attraction, and merely hold onto the outer shell. And the moment you try to possess the shell, you will be left with an empty shell in your hands and tears in your eyes. Krishna means the most attractive. He is the divinity, the energy that attracts everything to it. The mind moves towards beauty, joy and truth. Krishna tells Arjuna, "I am the beauty in the Beautiful, the strength in the Strong, the wisdom in the Wise." In this way he arrests the mind from moving away from him. ~ Rotterdam, Netherlands, Aug 16,195
Attachments cause feverish breath. Feverish breath takes away your peace of mind. Rid it through surrender and sadhana - spiritual practices. When you are drowning in the ocean of attachments, surrender is a life jacket. Without fighting attachments, observe your feverish breath and go to the cool place of silence within. our first step in this direction is directing your attachment to knowledge, to the Divine. Your non-attachment to the mundane is your charm. Your attachment to the Divine is your beauty. ~ Sydney, April 3, 1996
CONFUSION
Decision comes only when there is confusion. When there is no confusion, there is no decision. If there is a piece of wood and a biscuit on your desk, do you decide which one to eat?
A decision is always about choice and choice is confusing. So, all decision makers are confused. Are you confused, decided or happy? When you are confused there is no freedom.
Action is spontaneous when there is no actor. In you, there is an actor and there is a witness. An actor is either confused or decisive, but the witness smiles and realized that the action is spontenous.
The more decisions you make, the more confused you are, and as a result you swing between pain and pleasure. The more the witness grows in you, the more playful and untouched you are. Trust, faith, love and joy all manifest in and around you. ~ Hamburg, April 29, 1998.
DOUBT
Doubt cannot come when there is a sense of closeness. Doubt needs distance to appear. You never doubt something that is dear to you, close to you. The moment you doubt something, it is no longer dear to you, a distance has come. You may doubt yourself, but you do not doubt that which is yours. Self-doubt is a lack of closeness to oneself. Belonging, closeness and intimacy are all antidotes for doubt.
~ Rishikesh, March 11, 1999
Doubt is a gray area. Gray is neither black or white. Doubt means you want to get rid of something. It is a temporary state. It is neither up nor down and that is where tension arises.
So how do you eliminate doubt? An event, knowledge or conventional wisdom cannot help. What can help"? Accept what you doubt as either black or white. Make it black and accept it or make it white and accept that, regardless of wheter is it black or white or something in between. See the gray as just a shade of black or white. Either way, you accept it. Honest or dishonest - accept it. Then the mind is quiet and you are no longer in the gray area. ~ Montreal, July 20, 1995
Celebrate while you are alone and celebrate when you are with people. Celebrate silence and celebrate noise. Celebrate life and celebrate death ~ New Delhi, March 13 1997
SENSES - HABITS - VICES
The senses are like fire. Your life is like fire. Some fires pollute and others purify. The same fire that supports life in winter also destroys. If your senses are engaged in goodness, you will create light and fragrance. It is samyama that transforms the quality of fire in you. ~ Montreal Ashram, July 24, 1995
Life wants to be fre and when a soul does not know how to be free, it wanders through lifetimes desiring freedom. The way to break habits is through vows. Rise above habits through samyama. All those habits that bother you, that bring you pain – bind them in vows, in samyama. A vow should be time bound, and the time and place for making the vow should be considered. ~ Brookfield, Connecticut, July 30, 1995
Your inability to break a habit causes a pinch and when you are deeply pained by something, the pain will rid you of that habit. If you are pained by your shortcomings, then you are a sadhak - a seeker. Pain takes you out of addiction. ~ LA, Jan 30, 1997
If you cannot eliminate vices, magnify them. Give them a bigger dimension and a different direction. Be averse to aversions. Attach yourself to the guru. Get intoxicated with the Divine. ~ Rishikesh, April 3 1997
DESIRES
Desires for sensory pleasures are electric in nature and these desires get neutralized as they move towards the object of your senses. They are nothing but energy and you are the source of it - the pure electricity. Dedication and devotion maintain the purity of your electricity, moving you upward. Once you realize that you are pleasure or electricity, your craving subsides and serenity dawns. ~ Milano, Italy, Jan 7, 1998
Desire kills joy yet the goal of all desires is joy. Yet all that we desire is happiness. The conclusion "My desires have killed my happiness." ~ Bangalore, April 26, 2000
Have you thought about the nature of desire? It simply means tomorrow, and not now. But joy is never tomorrow, it is always now. That is why desire is maya - illusion. ~ Banagalore, March 6, 1996
A desire arises with the memory of a pleasant experience or with past impression. It might also arise through listening. Desire can be triggered through association with people and places. Someone else's desire may manifest in you as your own. When someone is hungry, you might have a desire to feed them. Desnity, may trigger a desire but you will not be aware of the reason for your actions. ~ Dharamshala, April 6, 2000
Desire arise on their own. When they come, if you say that you do not want any desires, then that want becomes another desire. On the journey of life, you have to keep submitting your desires and not hold onto them. As you keep submitting your desires, fewer desires arise. Unfortunate are those who keep on desiring yet their desires are not fulfilled. A little more fortunate are those whose desires get fulfilled over a long period of time. More fortunate are those whose desires get fulfilled as soon as they arise. The most fortunate are those who have no desires because there is fulfillment even before the desire arises. ~ Swargashram, Rishikesh, March 20, 1996
Buddha said that desire is the cause of all misery. If desire does not get fulfilled, it leads to frustration. If it does, it leaves you empty. Vasishta says desire is the cause of pleasure. You get pleasure from an object or a person only when you desire them. Whatever gives you pleasure binds you and bondage is misery. WHEN YOU DESIRE TRUTH, all other desires drop off. Desire for truth removes all other desires; then it dissolves and what remains is bliss. ~ Denpasar, Bali, May 11, 2000
Your desires and sankalpas - or intentions - separate you from God. Offer all your desires and all your sankalpas to the Divine. Then you are divine. You are God. You are free - lacking nothing. ~ Bangalore, Oct 16, 1996
Pleasure and pain are intense sensations in this body. All your misery surrounds the 'I, I, I...'. Just let go. Remember - the sun rises and sets, the moon shines and I am here forever. ~ Bad Antogast, Germany, May 14, 1997
ATTACHMENTS
Often people fail to see the spirit behind the attraction, and merely hold onto the outer shell. And the moment you try to possess the shell, you will be left with an empty shell in your hands and tears in your eyes. Krishna means the most attractive. He is the divinity, the energy that attracts everything to it. The mind moves towards beauty, joy and truth. Krishna tells Arjuna, "I am the beauty in the Beautiful, the strength in the Strong, the wisdom in the Wise." In this way he arrests the mind from moving away from him. ~ Rotterdam, Netherlands, Aug 16,195
Attachments cause feverish breath. Feverish breath takes away your peace of mind. Rid it through surrender and sadhana - spiritual practices. When you are drowning in the ocean of attachments, surrender is a life jacket. Without fighting attachments, observe your feverish breath and go to the cool place of silence within. our first step in this direction is directing your attachment to knowledge, to the Divine. Your non-attachment to the mundane is your charm. Your attachment to the Divine is your beauty. ~ Sydney, April 3, 1996
CONFUSION
Decision comes only when there is confusion. When there is no confusion, there is no decision. If there is a piece of wood and a biscuit on your desk, do you decide which one to eat?
A decision is always about choice and choice is confusing. So, all decision makers are confused. Are you confused, decided or happy? When you are confused there is no freedom.
Action is spontaneous when there is no actor. In you, there is an actor and there is a witness. An actor is either confused or decisive, but the witness smiles and realized that the action is spontenous.
The more decisions you make, the more confused you are, and as a result you swing between pain and pleasure. The more the witness grows in you, the more playful and untouched you are. Trust, faith, love and joy all manifest in and around you. ~ Hamburg, April 29, 1998.
DOUBT
Doubt cannot come when there is a sense of closeness. Doubt needs distance to appear. You never doubt something that is dear to you, close to you. The moment you doubt something, it is no longer dear to you, a distance has come. You may doubt yourself, but you do not doubt that which is yours. Self-doubt is a lack of closeness to oneself. Belonging, closeness and intimacy are all antidotes for doubt.
~ Rishikesh, March 11, 1999
Doubt is a gray area. Gray is neither black or white. Doubt means you want to get rid of something. It is a temporary state. It is neither up nor down and that is where tension arises.
So how do you eliminate doubt? An event, knowledge or conventional wisdom cannot help. What can help"? Accept what you doubt as either black or white. Make it black and accept it or make it white and accept that, regardless of wheter is it black or white or something in between. See the gray as just a shade of black or white. Either way, you accept it. Honest or dishonest - accept it. Then the mind is quiet and you are no longer in the gray area. ~ Montreal, July 20, 1995
Sep 24, 2007
My poem ~ to Spirit of Yoga's beautiful music
Intoxicating beauty to the heart and soul,
it creeps like mist in a field of snow.
The haunting ethereal sounds,
strums like a river
like tears in my heart
in joy,
in peace,
and in sorrow.
A deep sense of a familiar homeland,
A depth so deep, a million lives that lived.
All this is, but resonance of Everything in all.
Oh how blissful when she strums and she sings.
Oh, how beautiful it is, when she dances with us.
Oh how beautiful it is when we weep with her.
and hereforth we share this everlasting essence of our earth.
The everflowing, the essence of peace. Recharged, renew, revisited
once more.
it creeps like mist in a field of snow.
The haunting ethereal sounds,
strums like a river
like tears in my heart
in joy,
in peace,
and in sorrow.
A deep sense of a familiar homeland,
A depth so deep, a million lives that lived.
All this is, but resonance of Everything in all.
Oh how blissful when she strums and she sings.
Oh, how beautiful it is, when she dances with us.
Oh how beautiful it is when we weep with her.
and hereforth we share this everlasting essence of our earth.
The everflowing, the essence of peace. Recharged, renew, revisited
once more.
Jul 17, 2007
The famous 10 Actors Studio's Questions
1. What is your favorite word?
2. What is your least favorite word?
3. What turns you on creatively, spiritually or emotionally?
4. What turns you off?
5. What is your favorite curse word?
6. What sound or noise do you love?
7. What sound or noise do you hate?
8. What profession other than your own would you like to attempt?
9. What profession would you not like to do?
10. If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates?
here's my list ;) whats yours?
1. love
2. kill
3. divine love & nature (grace, reverence, selflessness, compassion etc) & sensitive observers
4. whiners
5. HOLY 'anything'
6. total deep silence
7. mental noise
8. philanthropist with entrepreneur skills
9. the one who orders to kill
10. love has arrived.
2. What is your least favorite word?
3. What turns you on creatively, spiritually or emotionally?
4. What turns you off?
5. What is your favorite curse word?
6. What sound or noise do you love?
7. What sound or noise do you hate?
8. What profession other than your own would you like to attempt?
9. What profession would you not like to do?
10. If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates?
here's my list ;) whats yours?
1. love
2. kill
3. divine love & nature (grace, reverence, selflessness, compassion etc) & sensitive observers
4. whiners
5. HOLY 'anything'
6. total deep silence
7. mental noise
8. philanthropist with entrepreneur skills
9. the one who orders to kill
10. love has arrived.
Jul 12, 2007
little things in life...
...makes a big difference
magnetic smiles
lovely memories
kind gestures
hot coffee & tea
animated conversations
a friend who listens and shares
someone who truly cheers me up
magnetic smiles
lovely memories
kind gestures
hot coffee & tea
animated conversations
a friend who listens and shares
someone who truly cheers me up
Jul 1, 2007
Loosing myself
"Why are we so full of restraint? Why do we not give in all directions?
Is it fear of losing ourselves? Until we do lose ourselves there is no
hope of finding ourselves." -- Henry Miller
"The impulses that make a fool or worse of us in certain circumstances
may be necessary for our happiness." -- Gertrude Atherton
We were born to shine! Andrea Bocelli!
"Let me arise and open the gate, To breathe the wild warm air...." --
Violet Fane
Is it fear of losing ourselves? Until we do lose ourselves there is no
hope of finding ourselves." -- Henry Miller
"The impulses that make a fool or worse of us in certain circumstances
may be necessary for our happiness." -- Gertrude Atherton
We were born to shine! Andrea Bocelli!
"Let me arise and open the gate, To breathe the wild warm air...." --
Violet Fane
Jun 26, 2007
My Poem - Symphony in the Sky
Last night at Fort Canning Hill,
I lay on someones sarong throw.
Over the prickly grass,
stretching feet wide,
hands by my side.
My ears perks wistfully,
To melancholy tunes,
Unplugged, with vocalists in duets,
audiences abreast.
I lay face up watching the sky
And this is what I see ...
A wonderful glimpse it was,
Of a yearned craving met,
of a merged oneness,
with the night sky above.
Darkness has fallen but
Sky looks daylight blue,
Stars’ abundant,
winking back at me.
Air high high above,
Fresh, clear and crisp.
White Clouds floating by,
in different shapes and sizes,
In very slow motion,
waving and chuckling at me.
In different layers,
sequenced unplanned,
unfazed by each other's
type of dance.
Floating by like a symphony,
orchestrated beautifully
in this very musical night.
Yet in this sequence,
There is a special quietness
A stillness in his gaze.
A stillnes in her gestures.
In this stillness
Lies a peaceful grace,
In this thoughtless moment,
lies complete silence.
O’ Blue Sky, O’ White Clouds, O’ Starry Night,
My symphony in the sky.
In this stillness, in this silence,
How I fell in love with thee.
I lay on someones sarong throw.
Over the prickly grass,
stretching feet wide,
hands by my side.
My ears perks wistfully,
To melancholy tunes,
Unplugged, with vocalists in duets,
audiences abreast.
I lay face up watching the sky
And this is what I see ...
A wonderful glimpse it was,
Of a yearned craving met,
of a merged oneness,
with the night sky above.
Darkness has fallen but
Sky looks daylight blue,
Stars’ abundant,
winking back at me.
Air high high above,
Fresh, clear and crisp.
White Clouds floating by,
in different shapes and sizes,
In very slow motion,
waving and chuckling at me.
In different layers,
sequenced unplanned,
unfazed by each other's
type of dance.
Floating by like a symphony,
orchestrated beautifully
in this very musical night.
Yet in this sequence,
There is a special quietness
A stillness in his gaze.
A stillnes in her gestures.
In this stillness
Lies a peaceful grace,
In this thoughtless moment,
lies complete silence.
O’ Blue Sky, O’ White Clouds, O’ Starry Night,
My symphony in the sky.
In this stillness, in this silence,
How I fell in love with thee.
Jun 19, 2007
Maya Angelou
Sharing another inspiration to me..
Maya Angelou, shares some thoughts about the important virtue of courage, growing into the seventies and defining our principles.
Oprah and Maya AngelouListen in on Oprah's one-on-one conversation with Maya Angelou in link below.
She is hailed as a remarkable Renaissance woman, a beloved poet and best-selling author and an actress. She has moved generations with her talent and passion for social change and is recognized around the world as a leading civil rights activist.
http://www.oprah.com/omagazine/200012/omag_200012_maya.jhtml
Maya Angelou, shares some thoughts about the important virtue of courage, growing into the seventies and defining our principles.
Oprah and Maya AngelouListen in on Oprah's one-on-one conversation with Maya Angelou in link below.
She is hailed as a remarkable Renaissance woman, a beloved poet and best-selling author and an actress. She has moved generations with her talent and passion for social change and is recognized around the world as a leading civil rights activist.
http://www.oprah.com/omagazine/200012/omag_200012_maya.jhtml
Awesome Songs/Artists
MICHAEL JACKSON - Earth Song
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rch7ey-v7ks
What about sunrise
What about rain
What about all the things
That you said we were to gain.. .
What about killing fields
Is there a time
What about all the things
The That you said was yours and mine...
Did you ever stop to notice
All the blood we've shed before
Did you ever stop to notice
The crying Earth the weeping shores?
What have we done to the world
Look what we've done
What about all the peace
That you pledge your only son...
What about flowering fields
Is there a time
What about all the dreams
That you said was yours and mine...
Did you ever stop to notice
All the children dead from war
Did you ever stop to notice
The crying Earth the weeping shores
Aaaaaaaaaaah
I used to dream
I used to glance beyond the stars
Now I don't know where we are
Although I know we've drifted far
INDIA.ARIE
Hear: I am not my Hair Remix Feat. Akon, Little Things, God is Real
http://www.indiaarie.com/ (under Media)
Lyrics: http://www.treehouse.cz/india/lyrics/
Julia Fordham
Hear: Love moves in mysterious ways
http://www.juliafordham.com/looklistenbuy.php
MY other favs:
Ben Leinbach - The Spirit of Yoga
Sting
Seal
Andrea Bocelli
Queen
Movies in my books:
Splash
Phenomenon
Always
Big Blue
I dreamed of Africa
Motorcylce Diaries
5th Element
Girl on the Bridge (Fille sur le pont, La)
Powder
Shawshank Redemption
Million Dollar Baby
Elephant Man
My Left Foot
Le Papillon
Braveheeart
Schindlers List
A Beautiful Mind
Lord of the Rings
Wedding CRashes **
THe Pianist
The World's Fastest Indian
Ocean's 11/12
City of Joy
The Last Samurai
The Untouchables
The Notebook
Shine
Letters from Iwo Jima
Too Hot to Handle
Forest Gump
Babel
Once Upon a Time in CHina series
Hero
etc etc etc
and all others with Richard Gere of course
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rch7ey-v7ks
What about sunrise
What about rain
What about all the things
That you said we were to gain.. .
What about killing fields
Is there a time
What about all the things
The That you said was yours and mine...
Did you ever stop to notice
All the blood we've shed before
Did you ever stop to notice
The crying Earth the weeping shores?
What have we done to the world
Look what we've done
What about all the peace
That you pledge your only son...
What about flowering fields
Is there a time
What about all the dreams
That you said was yours and mine...
Did you ever stop to notice
All the children dead from war
Did you ever stop to notice
The crying Earth the weeping shores
Aaaaaaaaaaah
I used to dream
I used to glance beyond the stars
Now I don't know where we are
Although I know we've drifted far
INDIA.ARIE
Hear: I am not my Hair Remix Feat. Akon, Little Things, God is Real
http://www.indiaarie.com/ (under Media)
Lyrics: http://www.treehouse.cz/india/lyrics/
Julia Fordham
Hear: Love moves in mysterious ways
http://www.juliafordham.com/looklistenbuy.php
MY other favs:
Ben Leinbach - The Spirit of Yoga
Sting
Seal
Andrea Bocelli
Queen
Movies in my books:
Splash
Phenomenon
Always
Big Blue
I dreamed of Africa
Motorcylce Diaries
5th Element
Girl on the Bridge (Fille sur le pont, La)
Powder
Shawshank Redemption
Million Dollar Baby
Elephant Man
My Left Foot
Le Papillon
Braveheeart
Schindlers List
A Beautiful Mind
Lord of the Rings
Wedding CRashes **
THe Pianist
The World's Fastest Indian
Ocean's 11/12
City of Joy
The Last Samurai
The Untouchables
The Notebook
Shine
Letters from Iwo Jima
Too Hot to Handle
Forest Gump
Babel
Once Upon a Time in CHina series
Hero
etc etc etc
and all others with Richard Gere of course
Remembering Your Spirit
The Nurture of Nature
"My spirit is honored when I think of my connectedness to the Universe."
Sidney Poitier
When Sidney Poitier remembers his spirit, his mind wanders back to the Bahamas where he grew up..
"The sounds that came to me as a boy were sounds of the environment, the sounds of insects, the sounds of water against the shore," Sidney says of walking the beach for hours by himself. "There was a purity. There was a closeness to nature. I know that it was a most powerful influence on the rest of my life."
Sidney honors his spirit when he thinks of the core values his parents instilled in him as he grew up. "My father didn't define himself by material things. He loved us. And he cared for us. And he talked to us. And he nurtured us. My mother's spirit is always around me. Always there, guiding me almost. I first felt that sense on Cat Island. I never lost that."
The virtues of simplicity and the values he learned from his parents have kept him connected to the powerful inner spirit that continues to guide him.
"I feel that I am a part of everything. I am a part of nature."
"My spirit is honored when I think of my connectedness to the Universe."
Sidney Poitier
When Sidney Poitier remembers his spirit, his mind wanders back to the Bahamas where he grew up..
"The sounds that came to me as a boy were sounds of the environment, the sounds of insects, the sounds of water against the shore," Sidney says of walking the beach for hours by himself. "There was a purity. There was a closeness to nature. I know that it was a most powerful influence on the rest of my life."
Sidney honors his spirit when he thinks of the core values his parents instilled in him as he grew up. "My father didn't define himself by material things. He loved us. And he cared for us. And he talked to us. And he nurtured us. My mother's spirit is always around me. Always there, guiding me almost. I first felt that sense on Cat Island. I never lost that."
The virtues of simplicity and the values he learned from his parents have kept him connected to the powerful inner spirit that continues to guide him.
"I feel that I am a part of everything. I am a part of nature."
Jun 9, 2007
AUM
Aum (also Om, Devanagari, Chinese: 唵) is a mystical or sacred syllable in the Dharmic religions. It is placed at the beginning of most Hindu texts as a sacred exclamation to be uttered at the beginning and end of a reading of the Vedas or previously to any prayer or mantra. The Mandukya Upanishad is entirely devoted to the explanation of the syllable.
Origin, name and written symbols
With preceding a or ā, the o of om in Sanskrit grammar in sandhi (Sanskrit: संधि, "joining") does not form vriddhi (au) but guna (o) per Pāṇini 6.1.95.
The Sanskrit name for the syllable is praṇava, from a root nu "to shout, sound, praise", verbal pra-nu- being attested as "to make a humming or droning sound" in the Brahmanas, and taking the specific meaning of "to utter the syllable om" in the Chandogya Upanishad and the Shrauta Sutras. More rarely used terms are akṣara or ekākṣara, and in later times omkāra becomes prevalent.
The Aum symbol is a ligature of Devanagari ओ+ँ (oṃ, encoded in Unicode at U+0950 ॐ, the Tibetan script variant ༀ at U+0F00, and the Chinese 唵 at U+5535 or 吽 at U+543D) it is said to represent the vibration of the universe.
In Hinduism
is first described as all-encompassing mystical entity in the Upanishads. Today, in all Hindu art and all over India and Nepal, 'Aum' can be seen virtually everywhere, a standard sign[citation needed] for Hinduism and its philosophy and mythology.
Upanishads and Sutra literature
Further information: Mandukya Upanishad
The syllable is mentioned in all the Upanishads, specially elaborated upon in the Taittiriya, Chandogya and Mundaka Upanishads. set forth as the object of profound religious meditation, the highest spiritual efficacy being attributed not only to the whole word but also to the three sounds a (a-kāra), u (u-kāra), m (ma-kāra), of which it consists.
The Katha Upanishad has:
"The goal, which all Vedas declare, which all austerities aim at, and which humans desire when they live a life of continence, I will tell you briefly it is Aum"
"The one syllable [evākṣara, viz. Aum] is indeed Brahma. This one syllable is the highest. Whosoever knows this one syllable obtains all that he desires.
"This is the best support; this is the highest support. Whosoever knows this support is adored in the world of Brahma." (1.2.15-17)[1]
The Chandogya Upanishad (1.1.1-1) states:
om ity etad akṣaram udgītham upāsīta / om iti hy udgāyati / tasyopavyākhyānam
"The udgitha ["the chanting", that is, the syllable om] is the best of all essences, the highest, deserving the highest place, the eighth."
The Bhagavad Gita (8.13) has:
Uttering the monosyllable Aum, the eternal world of Brahman, One who departs leaving the body (at death), he attains the superior goal.
The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali states in verse (1:27):
"tasya vacakah pranavah" which translates as, "God's voice is Aum."
In the following sutra it emphasizes, "The repetition of Om should be made with an understanding of its meaning".
Taken from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aum
Om Mani Padme Hum
"Hail the Jewel in the Lotus"
Here's His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama's definition
"It is very good to recite the mantra Om mani padme hum, but while you are doing it, you should be thinking on its meaning, for the meaning of the six syllables is great and vast... The first, Om [...] symbolize the practitioner's impure body, speech, and mind; they also symbolize the pure exalted body, speech, and mind of a Buddha[...]"
"The path is indicated by the next four syllables. Mani, meaning jewel, symbolizes the factors of method-the altruistic intention to become enlightened, compassion, and love.[...]"
"The two syllables, padme, meaning lotus, symbolize wisdom[...]"
"Purity must be achieved by an indivisible unity of method and wisdom, symbolized by the final syllable hum, which indicates indivisibility[...]"
"Thus the six syllables, om mani padme hum, mean that in dependence on the practice of a path which is an indivisible union of method and wisdom, you can transform your impure body, speech, and mind into the pure exalted body, speech, and mind of a Buddha[...]"
-- H.H. Tenzin Gyatso, 14th Dalai Lama, "Om Mani Padme Hum"
Jun 3, 2007
Symphony in the sky
Last night as i lay down on sarong on the grass, strecthing out my feet, with my hands on my side, to enjoy the unplugged performances of some vocal artists, i found a peaceful thoughtless moment, high up above.
Just a glimpse of this: it's like a merge of oneness with the night blue sky above me. Although darkness has fallen, Sky almost looks daylight blue, so clear and clean the air above. Momentarily covering it is White Clouds. In many shapes and sizes, of many types and formations, White Clouds float by in very slow motion. They are waving, smiling. They are playing and laughing.
They are enjoying, happy.
Everything was Still. Although White Clouds floating by. Still in his gaze. Still in her gestures.
In different layers, sequenced unplanned, yet remaining unfazed by each other's type of dance. They float by like a symphony orchestrated in a beautiful starry night.
How i fell in love with thee.
O' Blue Sky, O' White Clouds, O' Starry Lights,
How I fell in love with thee.
Just a glimpse of this: it's like a merge of oneness with the night blue sky above me. Although darkness has fallen, Sky almost looks daylight blue, so clear and clean the air above. Momentarily covering it is White Clouds. In many shapes and sizes, of many types and formations, White Clouds float by in very slow motion. They are waving, smiling. They are playing and laughing.
They are enjoying, happy.
Everything was Still. Although White Clouds floating by. Still in his gaze. Still in her gestures.
In different layers, sequenced unplanned, yet remaining unfazed by each other's type of dance. They float by like a symphony orchestrated in a beautiful starry night.
How i fell in love with thee.
O' Blue Sky, O' White Clouds, O' Starry Lights,
How I fell in love with thee.
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