At 40’s, people would think we are at the top of our game … have we given any thoughts on that? There is just so much I have embraced and would like to embrace out of life, so being ‘on top of my game’ really depends on what that game is all about. Personally, from my point of view, it is about the miracle of loving myself, spiritual realization, treasuring the gift of family and friends, appreciating the beauty and wonders of nature at each break of dawn and resting of the dusk. Being able to appreciate the true essence of life, something to see, something to do, something to hope and something to be thankful for.
So … each time I blow out the candles on my cake … 41, 42 and blink! 43 and from now on each additional number is a celebration to the gift of ‘life’! I suppose it’s the same with all those around me especially my childhood friends who are in their 40’s today (who enjoyed and are still enjoying the frills of the Flower Power Era!) …. remembering 'Old is Gold!' After awhile we really do stop counting the years and start living them up instead. Sounds good to me!
Hmmm …… and then there is this inevitable bundle of annoying fine lines on the face (trying to put it as mildly as possible!), often cracked feet just in weeks if we missed the heel cream!, silver threads running along the crowning glory, sagging butts and crackling bones … and the list goes on! But what’s that compared to feeling so assured of our inner self because of wisdom and strength. We've been there ~ almost every place, in and out, up and down and yet nailed everything down to experience. Would we rather that or trying so hard to relive our good old 16's and 21's, dressing, walking, talking and thinking … not actually knowing, what the real world can finally bounce back towards our direction whilst we are too carried away on the fast track and ultimately lose track! I found my answer.
When reality of life sets in …… don’t ever run away from it! It is here and now that we truly find ourselves without the layers of our hidden walls and when we finally find it, it’s an immeasurable meaningful journey and experience of life. Never for a moment lose the grip of it but continue on living your life enjoying change from within ... inside, out!
~ We cannot have everything, where would we put it? ~
Friday, 31 May 2013
... wisdom comes quietly ...
Indeed ... the joy of a New Beginning!
It always amazes me to look at these little, wrinkled brown seeds and think of the miraculous rainbows in them! You couldn't hardly believe there was life in these tiny things, some no bigger than grains of wheat or mustard seeds, let alone colour and scent, if you hadn't seen the miracle, could you?
"Sow with a view of righteousness, Reap in accordance with kindness." ~ Hosea 10 : 12 ~
... and wisdom comes quietly ...after awhile you learn joy by God's sustaining grace you can really endure; that you are really strong and that you really have worth.
NewBeginning ...intheHorizon!
One of my favorite thing to do at early dawn is to go down to the garden before the 'universe' wakes up! The tranquility that surrounds me accompanied by the music of nature ~ birds chirping greeting from one end to the other and the deep hum from the stream not too far away goes beyond words.
The sunlight doesn’t reach the garden this early in the break of dawn, so everything lingers in a bluish hue left over from the night. I walked along the hilly terrain pathway through the ironed slope, must be my footprints walking back and forth for the last few months eversince I first spotted this amazing scenic view of the radiant horizon from the garden!
So, with my eyes, I traced the line of the horizon ... silver lining ~ thin and fine. The unforgettable artwork and brilliant shades of the dawn was beyond imagination ... new every morning, but there was something significant, something amazing about today's sunrise whilst my eyes gazed towards the rays of the sun!
Then the light gradually started to flow through the garden, it unveiled all the treasures that resided there ~ the feeling of a new beginning, the colours of the magnificient flowers and lush greenery slowly revealed itself! For a moment the pace felt like slow motion as the sunrays began to follow its journey from sunrise and soon after to the resting of the sunset, steadily closer to the horizon!
Have you ever noticed that there’s always a presence of effortless life in the garden? The buzzing of bees, swallow tail butterflies, ant colonies, beetles and birds of countless species and sometimes even a squirrel that takes the wrong left turn and oops! misses out on a nut to another! It fills me up like a cuppa, relishing the beauty of the garden especially in the break of dawn!
Everything is possible in the early dawn in the garden ... stretch, breathe, read, write, sing, ponder and harvest the splendour of herbs and spices!
'The seed is hope; the flower is joy.'
The newness brought to mind the freshness of the tangy lemon zest! Lemon tea with a dash of honey ... I call it ~Tea time bliss ~!
HONEY & LEMON TEA
~ Ingredients ~
3 tablespoon lemon juice
2 teaspoons of black tea leaves
6 tablespoon honey
3 cups or more of hot water
~ Directions ~
Put honey and lemon juice into a tea cup or mug.
Add hot water over tea leaves and steep for about 3 minutes.
Combine the tea, lemon juice and honey mixture and stir.
Add more lemon juice, honey, or hot water to taste.
Cuppa Lemon Tea makes 3 servings
It is comforting especially when one has a cold, and is served with a hot cup of honey and lemontea!It’s just tea leaves, honey, lemon juice, and hot water. But it’s so good, especially if you have a cough or congestion. The lemon juice helps cut through congestion and the honey soothes the throat.
You may also like to add fresh ginger to your honey and lemon tea. Sometimes I’ll just have the hot water over ginger. That’s good too! But usually, it’s just honey and lemon. Scuzi, while I reach out for that lovely zesty sunrise lemons ... iced one would be great for the sunshine today!
I believe in the 'Endless Freshness of Life.' I know that life is always creating itself anew over and over again ... in the language of every new dawn! All that God is, brings to each of us a new beginning as we walk each and every moment in this journey of life.
God is the Celebration of New Beginnings!
I'm learning that this journey of life is a reflection of response-ability. These passing years have taught me that my life is the life with God's purpose expressed profoundly right where I am. Everything that I choose today becomes that part of me which allows me radiate together with it. Each of us are called to embrace the newness and the allness with an open and willing heart. I am the Celebration of New Beginnings! Watching the magnificent 'silver lining' of the horizon today, brought to mind once again God's enduring beauty in abundance which is more fulfilling than anything I have ever thought of, felt or discovered! With the grace of God I am beginning to embrace the courage in letting go and trusting God's divine presence and not just waiting to see and know what each new beginning looks like. Therefore I stand in awe to the freshness of God's presence in my life. Life is a celebration! This is My Life as a New Beginning!
There is so much to be thankful for in this pathway of life. I trust and believe that as I open the door to my heart together with this beautiful celebration, my heartfelt gratitude goes towards my own life and the lives of others. I am grateful to be in this Celebration!
As we continue to take a step away from the known ... for only when we leap do we realize, we have a winged heart tofly!
Thetree of life... awakens to the gifts of this significant dawn after resting in silence from the midst of the dusk. Crystal clear and still recalling the immeasurable memories of life giving experiences of nature a week ago in the midst of a Pine Forest Reserve ~ couldn't be better! Today, I was totally awed with the beauty and the warm gentle rays of the sunrise once again that was just too magnificient for it to pass me by! I reached out for my favourite fine pastel hand painted cuppa. Without missing out the moments that is ticking away, I put my kettle to boil! My homemade vanilla pod jar on my herb and spice rack was calling out for me sending messages to my taste buds .... Vanillatea ... obviously it's my personal favourite, 'Vanilla Tea' ... it is! Here I come! Certainly that would fill and inspire my day to the brim!
VANILLA MILK TEA
~ Ingredients ~
2 1/2 cups water
1 1/2 cups of steam milk
1 vanilla bean pod
4 teaspoons English breakfast tea leaves or other black tea leaves
~ Directions ~
Place water in a large saucepan. Split vanilla bean and scrape seeds into water; add bean for added taste.
Add milk and just bring it to boil.
Place tea leaves in a teapot. Pour vanilla water over tea leaves; cover and steep for 3 minutes. Strain the tea leaves, discarding leaves and bean.
Cuppa Vanilla Tea makes 4 servings.
Walked out to my terrace and took a breath of the priceless freshness of the morning dew and the breath taking aroma of the blooming flowers! Whilst waiting for a few minutes before I hear the sound of the kettle switch tick ... I knew that would mean ... ready to brew? I took some time and rested on my favourite rustic woven cane mat which actually shares my age! The gentle morning breeze passed me by as I continued watching the handmade chicks sway in the cool early breeze ... with soft and gentle sound in the background ... the ambience of the day was getting more and more peaceful! My garden winged friends were unusually chirpy today. Every spot in the garden was in full bloom and my eyes was drawn to a beautiful graceful looking tree, with a splash of satin red flowers like a magnificient jeweled crown!
It was a scorching ruby red blooming on the young sprigs that had started to reach for the skies, nestled among the luscious emerald green of the fresh burst of leaves! The contrast of the red and the green against the rays of the sunrise from the terrace mesmerized me and the beauty of the 'flame' tree with a back drop of the majestic trees! It was a longer walk, but it promised abundance of shade from the overgrown branches of the tall trees along the path. Looking up, I spotted the first hints of red petals among the entwined branches right from the top. Last night it rained all through. Today morning while I took my usual pathway, I found myself standing on a carpet filled flowered with the flame of the forest, fallen like rain together with the raindrops last night. I couldn’t tether the child in me so I took my tiny paced steps until I reached my favourite spot and by that time I realized both my hands were filled with the 'flame' petals somehow!
Reminiscing ... the silence of the day, the only thought that came to my mind that very moment is my easel, my colour filled oil paint tubes, my canvas, paint brush and palette knife ... how could I forget my magical cuppa tea!
I imagined the handiworks of our 'Painter in the Garden' instead ... a tangible manifestation of 'Haven on Earth'! A picture paints a thousand words ... and I knew that there was something awaiting me.
I found my favourite cosy corner and placed my canvas as it rested comfortably on my easel ... I recalled these words that came to mind, a week ago, 'Relishing God's Creation In Silence' and as I add to that ... a heartfelt Three Day Miracle Pathway! Silence of the heart ~ this masterpiece sharing which I was drawn towards almost instantly, the very moment my winged heart rested in this little corner of Haven!
~ SILENCEOF THE HEART ~
Silence usually is understood to be something negative, something empty, an absence of sound, of noises. This misunderstanding is prevalent because few people have ever experienced silence ~ all they have experienced is noiselessness. But silence is totally a different phenomenon. It is utterly positive. It is existential, it is not empty. It overflows with a music that you have never heard before, with a fragrance that is unfamiliar to you, with a light that can only be seen by inner eyes. It is not something fictitious; it is a reality that is already present in everyone ~ we just never look in.
All our senses are extrovert. Our eyes open outside as do our ears; our hands move outside, so too our legs ... all our senses are meant to explore the outside world. But there is a sixth sense which is asleep because we have never used it. And no soceity, culture or education system helps people to make the sixth sense active.
In the East, the sixth sense is called " the third eye". It looks inwards. And just as there is a way to looking in, so there is a way of hearing in, and of smelling the fragrance within. Just as there are five senses moving outward, there are five counter senses moving inward. In all, we have 10 senses, but the first sense that starts the inner journey is the third eye, and then other senses start opening up.
Your inner world has its own taste, fragrance and light. It is utterly, immensely, eternally silent. The mind cannot reach there, but you can reach because you are not the mind. The function of the mind is to be a bridge between you and the objective world, and the function of the heart is to be a bridge between you and yourself.
The silence is the silence of the heart. It is a wordless song without sound. Out of this silence flowers of love grow. Here you can find the Garden of Eden. Meditation is the key to open the doors of your own being.
The body knows its own silence ~ that is its own well-being, overflowing health and joy. The mind also knows its silence, when all thoughts disappear and the sky is cloud-free, just pure space. But the silence I am talking about is far deeper. I am talking about the silence of your being.
Other silences can be disturbed. Sickness can disturb the silence of your body, and death is certainly going to disturb it. A single thought can disturb the silence of your mind, the way a small pebble thrown into a silent lake creates thousands of ripples,and the lake is no longer silent. The silences of the body and mind are fragile and superficial, but in themselves they are good. To experience them is helpful, because if indicates that there may be deeper silences of the heart. And the day you experience the silence of the heart, it will be again an arrow of longing, moving you even deeper.
Your centre of being is the centre of a cyclone. Whatever happens around it does not affect it; it is eternal silence. Whatever happens and whenever, the eternal silence of your being remains exactly the same ~ the same soundless music, fragrance of godliness and transcendence from all that is mortal and momentary.
It is not your silence. You are silence.
Fr. Paul Vaz, SJ
Loyola Institute of Spirituality, Ecology & Leadership (LISEL)
Seva Niketan,
Mumbai
Completely refreshed, I reached out for the oil paint tubes and my brushes, allowing myself to go with the flow ... my canvas awaiting for the splashes of colors of life! I recalled the amazing 'dancing of the trees' with the music of the rustling leaves on that glorious new dawn when I looked out for my 'spirit friend' through the gift of nature. The majestic and graceful pine trees came to mind. As I placed the brush towards my first touch of color ... I knew that this artwork is going to paint a thousand words indeed!
The journey with my 'spirit friend' began ... through the colors of life in all shades of nature! Shades of rich mahagony to start off the strong foundation of the tree roots and the impressive solid branch! This was a depiction to reflect the depths of my rooted faith in Abba Father. A reflection of total awareness, existence and His purpose in my life. As I continued with my paint brush, I explored the shades of detailed expression of the skyhigh pine trees ... standing tall with the grace of His enduring strength. This reminded me of the detailed handywork of His hands in my life through the pathway that He had already paved for me. The palette knife came in handy ... I gently carved each stroke to the bark of the tree to remind me that each fine stroke was a reflection of each and every moment He was there with me at every chapter of my life ... the seconds ... the minutes ... the hours ... the days ... the weeks ... the months ... the years ... the moments ... the silence!
I recalled the rustling gentle leaves singing melodious songs each time the breeze swept by from time to time. The 'singing leaves' was a depiction of my inner spirit. I was looking forward to this as I knew that I will be able to explore the wonder of colours as I used the palette knife and brush bringing out an amazing array of magnificient and rich colors of the leaves! The inner spirit ... as Abba Father brings to mind the gift of a joyful spirit of praise and thankgiving each passing day, am I grateful for each new dawn? As the leaves continued to dance with the gentle breeze, it radiated a constant reminder that ... am I open to Abba Father's Door of Faith, to be able to surrender without reservations and doubt ... to believe that all is well and all will be well! As I reflected deeper I understood the true essense to follow the wind of trust in relation to the tree branch which is strongly rooted deep beneath the ground. It can weather any seasons of life ... the storms, rain, drought and winds of change. His presence is constant. I slowly began to see this painting of the 'Tree of Life' gradually taking shape ... the same incredible way that Abba Father has carved each of us in the palm of His hands taking shape too.
My thoughts went back to the dawn again when I embraced the 'silence of the heart' ... I recalled the movements amidst the silent stillness. I'll refrain from saying complete stillness because there was none. There was this ever constant aura of life even if the eyes could not fathom. It reminded me of the moments in my life when Abba Father seemed far away but only to know that He has never once left my sight. I placed the palette knife on the oil paint palette and I started adding more and more new leaves of different shapes and sizes to the art piece. God is ever faithful.
The beautifully shaped pine cones ... each was unique in it's own way! This reminded me of the sprinkles of little gifts each time I walked down the pathway of this endless trail of pine trees! With a joyfilled spirit I placed a few of these unique little beauty with a lovely shade of dual colour of oil paint. I thanked Him for the gift of beauty and life in abundance. Each time I reached out to pick a pine cone, I could not resist but to say ... thank you ... grazie ... thank you ... there is just so much to be thankful for!
Falling leaves ... as I added a few rust coloured leaves to the painting! A depiction of a constant renewal of my inner self. This would allow new shoots and buds to take shape and continue to bloom from within.The gift of letting go and let God allows me to acknowledge my setbacks of the past and opens new doors of forgiving love and embracing forgiveness as a gift from God.
As I continued working with the magical colours, I added more and more pine trees all around to filll up the canvas! A few tree branches reaching out to one another, all closely knit as a community of trees! We draw strength and affirmations from all those around us and at the same time we encounter challenges and differences from one another. We learn, grow and change from these differences. Most importantly, despite all of these winds of change the pine trees continues to dance with His enduring graces and in all circumstances. These brought to mind to never lose faith ... never give up and no turning back. The seasons come and go and the beauty of nature continues to bring joy with a touch of newness from each rising of the sun. The morning dew in each leaf is a depiction of God's tears of joy to know that He has so much to give to each of us ~ His beloved children! My painting is almost complete and I realized ... it spoke more than I could ever imagine!
My final touch is here ~ added the amazing beauty of the sun rays peeping through the well spread pine trees ... what a splendour! God's gentle and warm healing presence in our lives! It's complete now!
The world is so vast ... filled with immeasurable beauty ...
hold on to what is good, even if it's a handful of earth.
Hold on to what you believe, even if it's a tree that stands by itself.
Hold on to what you must do, even if it's a long way from here.
Hold on to your life, even if it's easier to let go!
"I saw a tree in the middle of the world; it was very tall. The tree grew taller and stronger, until it's top reached the sky and it could be seen, from the very ends of the earth. It's foliage was beautiful, it's fruit abundant, in it was fruit for all. For the wild animals it provided shade, the birds of heaven nested in it's branches, all living creatures found their food on it."
Rose Petal Tea can be made from rose hips or rose petals. This tea has a lightly floral taste with a slightly tangy flavor. A very elegant tea to serve for your afternoon and it's perfect with jam and biscuits!
~ Rose PetalTea~
Ingredients ~
2 cups fresh fragrant rose petals (about 14 ~ 16 large roses)* 3 cups water Honey or granulated sugar to your taste buds!
Preparation ~
Clip and discard bitter white bases from the rose petals; rinse petals thoroughly and pat dry with a soft cloth. In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, place the prepared rose petals. Cover with water and bring just to a slow simmer; let simmer for approximately 5 minutes, or until the petals become discolored (darkened).
Remove from heat and strain the hot rose petal liquid into your favourite teacups. Add honey or sugar to taste.
Cuppa Rose Tea makes 4 servings.
~ Tips for Making Rose Petal Tea ~
Use roses that are free of pesticides. If you collect rose hips or use roses for crafting, this may not be difficult. If you don't have pesticide free roses this year, a couple of your most fragrant varieties for next year and use organic protection methods to make them available for culinary use (that way you can make rose wine, too!)
Blown blooms (fully mature flowers) that haven't browned will make the most flavorful tea petals!
Rose petals dry quickly if you're using a heat source, so watch them closely to make sure they don't scorch. They should be "shatter" dry, but not brown. In a dehydrator, they just take a couple of hours to dry completely (in a single layer).
The most fragrant rose varieties typically make the best tea.
Although you can use any color of rose, you may find that sticking with a single color or color range makes the most visually appealing tea especially if you're giving rose tea as a gift ~It indeed makes a lovely gift!
The scented Rose Tea cuppa is ready!
I took a breeze towards the garden terrace with my aromatic cuppa tea ... cherished moments of the brand new day to enjoy the morning sun ... the freshness of the new earth and the gift of life through the rose scented air all around me! As I looked up, I saw a string of colourful birds looking down at me, gliding from one pine tree to another ... 'happy as a bird' waltzing with full of delight! Blew my sky greetings to them ... 'buon giorno' as I took a sip of my specially brewed tea! Amazingly a beautiful red feathered 'winged friend' peeped from the wide spread pine branches ... caught my eyes and it was truly a magnificient sight to have a glimpse of the 'madre'
gliding with all 'her' heart and soul to build 'her' lil' castle for the arrival of 'her' 'crowning glory'! I knew that my 'winged friend' was here to greet me this dawn with a thought for me to ponder for the rest of the day!
I continued watching 'her' 'waltzing' ... wow! 'She' was about to 'paint' 'her' masterpiece on the skyhigh tree top! My 'winged friend' carefully picked 'her' choice of best twigs, fresh leaves as the veins of dried leaves would be stiff and brittle ... fresh ones made 'her' 'artwork' easier! 'She' then continued 'her' 'waltz' by collecting soft fallen feathers to cushion the final touch of 'her' 'piece of art!' 'She' began 'her' first 'shade' by tying the leaf fibers around the twig of the tree. 'Her' precious feet held down one end of the strip against the twig while taking the other end in 'her' beak. To prevent the fibers from falling apart, 'she' weaved them together into 'her' own 'tapestry'!
Slowly 'her' masterpiece created a circular shape that formed the entrance to the nest ~ 'door of faith' ~ I thought. Soon after, 'she' used 'her' beak to weave the other twigs together and during this process, 'she' had to envisage the required grip to hold 'her' nest together and to be able to visualize the finished structure ~ wisdom ~ I thought.
Once'she' finished weaving the 'door of faith', 'she' continued to complete the interior of 'her' 'castle.' I was awed as I watched 'her' hanging upside down as 'she' placed 'her' final touch working from the inside of the 'art piece' and 'her' mission accomplished to a stunning weaving 'castle' called 'FOR BIRDS ONLY!'
Watching the splendor of my 'winged friend', it captured my heart to embrace the enormous Gift of Love, Faith, Courage, Hope & Enduring Strength through the simplicity of God's blessings!
The True Essence of LoVe ~ lies neither in the giving nor in the receiving. LoVe is simply what overflows out of the heart that is full of peace. The heart that is full of peace ultimately begins to glow and overflow. And the heart full of peace cannot help but do this ~ for this is the essence of inner peace which radiates and become more than we can ever be!
As we continue to radiate peace from within there is a reflection of giving, since others can share in the peace. Amazingly, as peace continues there is a reflection of receiving, because you are receiving the heart of the world through everyone and everything!
The epitome of love derives from love for self, love within, unconditional love. Love for self nurtures the growth of wisdom and fosters the principle of truth. Let's plant seeds to embrace the true essence of love and most importantly to cherish the Gift of Life!
Love is never tired of waiting, love is kind, love has no envy, love has no high opinion of itself, love has no pride.
Corinthians 13 : 4 ~ 7
Goes without saying that the True Essence of Love surpasses all understanding!
Tuesday, 1 January 2013
New Dawn...enfolds!
with a thanksgiving heart
... and wisdom comes quietly ...
As you embrace the glimpse of the New Dawn 2013 ... may your today be one of those amazing and meaningful times you'll always remember, a time when HOPE is restored and PEACE renewed and may you find comfort knowing that each day you wake up is another way you have been given to do with as you wish!
The Lord’sloving kindnesses indeed never cease, For His compassions never fail. They are new every morning;
Great is Your faithfulness.
Lamentations 3 : 22 ~23
As you enjoy each cuppa, in this brand New Year 2013 altitude, let it be filled with sprinkles of JOY to the brim!
