Weekend reflections

"Love is the sea where intellect drowns." --Rumi

"The reward of our work is not what we get, but what we become." -- paolo coehlo

Oh, I love mails!

Kathleen Kelly: Once I read a story about a butterfly in the subway, and today, I saw one! It got on at 42nd and off at 59th, where, I assume, it was going to Bloomingdales to buy a hat that will turn out to be a mistake, as almost all hats are. [You've got mail, 1998, Nora Ephron]


* * *
KATHLEEN: Noel Streatfeild. Noel Streatfeild wrote Ballet Shoes and Skating Shoes and Theater Shoes and Movie Shoes... (she starts crying as she tells a lady shopper) I'd start with Skating Shoes, it's my favorite, although Ballet Shoes is completely wonderful.

SALESPERSON: Streatfeild.  How do you spell that?
KATHLEEN: S-T-R-E-A-T-F-E-I-L-D.

*Thank you Nora Ephron for this awesome romcom! 
It's one of my favorites, I watched this movie at least ten times. 
Especially I love the scene when Kathleen imagines herself and her mom twirling before closing down her shop... 
Thanks, I will always remember your humor and story telling whenever I see someone twirling and 
whenever I read shoes books!

Sustainability

Food is our source of energy, so we must always
eat right and eat healthy.

Up, down, in, out of the great wave

*I am not a skillful water carrier, but I learn to carry love ♥♪

I remember writing days ago that I plead to the waves that they be gentler, but I guess that wish requires more than just casual asking, we must pray harder for it. The elements composing waves: water and wind, are both forces of nature that humans cannot control. When these two forces collide, we can only watch in awe how they disrupt human structures/communities. Which brings to mind the discussion this morning in my Kasaysayan 101 class (History) about the Minoan Civilisation. Historians placed this civilisation as the basis for European Civilisation, I can just imagine how these Minoan subjects would feel today if they learn that they are looked upon by the European population as their heritage, the fragile root in which the Western Civilisation bloomed.

Of course King Minos, the priest king, is the leader -- said to be the son of Europa and Zeus. The civilisation thrived for thousands of years, mmm, need to do some background check though. But what I am driving at is that the GREAT Minoan Civilisation fell, in part, because of the explosion of a volcano called Thera, great waves upon waves swallowed the expanding civilisation, quakes shook the very foundation of their community, chaos and confusion reigned. Also there were some human unrest and rebellion happening inside the kingdom, so aside from natural calamities, the fall was caused by revolution and internal struggles as well.

Now I connect this to the great big wave that I am feeling internally. Maybe revolution from the inside. Maybe conflict. Maybe personal struggle. I thought it was easy to contain inner struggles, but it is really REALLY difficult. So this is a form of release for me, writing, telling you guys about how I visualise things and how I tend to connect outside realities from my inner reflections. Just like with the Minoan Civilisation, it collapsed and it fell apart, but it made way for the rise of the Classical Western Civilisation, a testament that after the pain, after the deluge, after the confusion, disruption and chaos, there is new life -- a better life -- a better tomorrow waiting.

Who knows, maybe the great classical phase is just waiting around the corner ^^

*Line from the song Aquarius by Regina Spektor

**for those interested, further reading on Fall of Minoan Civilisation can be found here on BBC report.

Embracing peace

Beginners

Denise Levertov

Dedicated to the memory of Karen Silkwood and Eliot Gralla

“From too much love of living,
Hope and desire set free,
Even the weariest river
Winds somewhere to the sea--“


But we have only begun
To love the earth.

We have only begun
To imagine the fullness of life.

How could we tire of hope?
-- so much is in bud.

How can desire fail?
-- we have only begun

to imagine justice and mercy,
only begun to envision

how it might be
to live as siblings with beast and flower,
not as oppressors.

Surely our river
cannot already be hastening
into the sea of nonbeing?

Surely it cannot
drag, in the silt,
all that is innocent?

Not yet, not yet--
there is too much broken
that must be mended,

too much hurt we have done to each other
that cannot yet be forgiven.

We have only begun to know
the power that is in us if we would join
our solitudes in the communion of struggle.

So much is unfolding that must
complete its gesture,

so much is in bud.

OWF* Isolation

Isolation.

Sculpture/installation art atop the door at Instituto Cervantes | event: Dia del Libro Manila 20120421



*OWF ---> one word friday.
This is going to be my regular Friday post: I will have a word and then pick the most appropriate representation of the word in photo snapped from various places and events that I visited.

Journey essentials (cuatro) Love the earth campaign

I am planting this idea for so long ~ to promote awareness about our environment ~ I am making good progress with the conceptualisation but it is still a vulnerable tiny bud, it needs to wait for a little bit before launching it out in the big world.

But I am excited to share the possible topics of this campaign

(1) Recycling
(2) Permaculture
(3) Living simple
(4) Conservation
(5) Alternative lifestyle

I do hope dear readers that you will read posts regarding this idea of mine and of course apply some ideas in your daily lives. So drumroll,  love the earth campaign coming very soon . . .  I have yet to create a better name for it so it's easier to recall.

night dears, have sweet dreams

Waves please be gentle

Oceans

~ Juan Ramon Jimenez

I have a feeling that my boat
has struck, down there in the depths,
against a great thing.
And nothing
happens! Nothing…Silence…Waves…

–Nothing happens? Or has everything happened,
and are we standing now, quietly, in the new life?

Love generation

This morning, I want to talk about dreams and sleeping. I had three weird dreams this past weekend concerning my Great Teacher, a friend and a tita. The dream about my Great Teacher was really disturbing. It was about a hunt for big people who envisions radical positive change among people, but unfortunately some elements of the society is not very happy about it. The dream was scary but the ending of it leaves a legacy in my unconscious -- more of like the movie inception -- because of the wisdom that the dream inspires, it actually moves me to do better at intense discipline and keeping my eye at the goal of emulating my Teacher's compassion and gentleness.

The next dream was about my friend, who I lost touch with because life had set different paths for us to follow. I dreamt of her having weird pets. She was about to cook dinner, but her mom arrived and told her to feed her pets first. It was just that, plain slice of life thing-y, but weirdly, I retained the dream in my memory and it feels kind of weird. Maybe it's because I miss her or that I felt how she felt coming home to two weird pets and having to follow her mother's wishes against what she wants to do (cooking dinner vs feeding pets) sigh, dreams have a way of communicating with us, right?!

Last is about my tita and a swimming pool or water reservoir. This was the tita who took care of me when I was just a toddler because mom and dad had to go to work. I was very close to her before but because she has her own family now, we barely talk and touch base. 

Sigh, we all grow up and we leave behind people as we continue following the life path designed for us. This is one reason why it is difficult to grow up. But as what Neil Gaiman said, everything changes and nothing is truly lost. I carry these words inside my heart as I thread my life's path, honestly, these days are really complicated and confusing, whenever this happens, I turn up the music a bit louder to keep the depressing thoughts out of my mind. So, when the world becomes too big for me, I listen to music:) particularly world music.

But I keep the faith that one day I will look back in this phase as a positive turning point in my life where possibilities for self-improvement abound. Moreover, this is a phase where compassion and love for others should flow from one person to another in harmonious fashion. 

So, I keep the resolve in my heart that we are the LOVE GENERATION. We must continue moving forward to harness our skills to help and serve people. We are the generation that will heal the environment. It is time to step up and heed the challenge.

*title of the entry love generation is taken from the song of same title by bob sinclair

happy new moon fellow travelers.

Against the grain

Positive Madness

After enrollment

So this is what BUSY means!

Rainy morning blues

Yes, I know it is just the first week but seriously,
it feels like a lifetime. But I can do it, I am dragging myself outta bed real soon.

Two big influences

This is called Blue Marble.
This picture is the view of earth from Apollo 17 travelling to the moon.
Taken in 1972, it was considered as a milestone in Space Photography.

His Holiness Dalai Lama talking with a girl.

My mind is non-communicative today. It would rather look passively at pictures, stories, blog entries, news, quotes than actively write or create. But for some weird moments, my mind alerted me about this story that I read somewhere, that the picture of our planet is a statement. For one, we have proof that our advanced technology can snap away at the profile of our blue planet. Also, it reinforces the idea that this fragile spherical mass is suspended on its own in this infinite dark space. Many environmental movements started out with this picture as their symbol. Some even mentioned that it can actually heal some people by just looking at it, though I am not really sure about that one. Perhaps, earth's picture is a good representation of one home -- despite varieties, despite diversities, despite differences -- there is wholeness/completeness. And we are all part of this one blue miracle.

Anyways I started searching for planet earth's pictures and eureka I found a lot! The one I pasted above is the 1972 photo called Blue Marble. If you want more pictures of earth go to Nat Geo or NASA.

Then on to His Holiness Dalai Lama. Last December I had read his autobiography My Land and My People. It was during a tumultuous time between Tibet and China (1960s) that He had to flee His land to keep the peace. Looking back, my life was also in a very complicated turning point last December and His endurance and positive attitude in the face of hardship helped me in my quest for peace during those times. I posted His picture because He is an image of stability and security for me. My moods are fluctuating lately, up one moment then down the next, must be quarter-life crisis, eh! And in this trying time, I guess I can count on him as a sturdy anchor as big waves attack me one after another.

Well, there, I posted two healing pictures for me.

*About busy days coming: Yes, I will start school tomorrow. My day will start at school, then office, then back to school library for research. Sounds busy, but I commit myself to it. Good winds everybody.

Busy days are coming

Tigers rule!

I am preparing myself for another semester of hard work and intense discipline. This is the start of my exciting journey, I will be a working student :) More on this later.

Don't burn books

If we listened to our intellect, we'd never have a love affair. We'd never have a friendship. We'd never go into business, because we'd be cynical. Well, that's nonsense. You've got to jump off cliffs all the time and build your wings on the way down.
Ray Bradbury

“You must write every single day of your life... You must lurk in libraries and climb the stacks like ladders to sniff books like perfumes and wear books like hats upon your crazy heads... may you be in love every day for the next 20,000 days. And out of that love, remake a world.” 
Ray Bradbury


Thanks for your wonderful legacy Mr Bradbury. Now spread your wings and guide us all from up there.

In praise of love

This is life :)

I imagine having this content and quiet moment with an intimate partner: side by side, enjoying some yummy treats from the nature, spending quality time together, ah heaven. Pandas, aren't they adorable?! I love pandas because they are loyal and simple and loving. A thought crossed my mind, maybe I was a panda in my last lifetime :) Anyways may this adorable picture send out waves of love out into the world. As John Lennon said it right, all we need is love.

Golden light

Bright bright moon!

Because it was full moon last night, I could not resist the urge to walk under its golden rays. I treated myself to tofu burger under the shadows of treelined grassy area on sunken garden. It was a marvelous experience. To walk under the gentle light of the moon reminds me of feminine tranquility. Deep, faithful, enduring, complete and committed. Happy full moon everyone.

Maligayang Buwan ng Hunyo

Bilang ang gabing ito ay isang wagas na random events na nagresulta sa pagsasama-sama naming mga magkakaibigan, gusto kong mag-alay ng isang maikling quote. Para sa mga katulad naming nagtatanong, curious at na-eexcite sa modern world at modern relationships, gusto ko lang ibato ang mga salitang ito sa big void :)

“What you perceive as "liberal" is my independence to choose what i do, with whom, and when. Moreover, it also means that i may choose not to do it, with anyone, ever.” 
― Ana Castillo