Spooky circle

My days of hocus pocus was at its height in the mid 1990’s. I was a course junkie and energy works vampire. Tell me there is some happening in town and you’d bet I will be there.

One night I was invited to a spooky gathering. As we reached the house I was taken aback a little as the whole house was in darkness. The host came out to welcome our ‘entourage’ of 7 healing practitioners from the Damansara Jaya Healing Center. A little more time into the normal pleasantries, the session started with about 15 people or so.

Candles were lit as this evening’s session required some vision. The group was challenged by the host to float a needle. Ooops 1 down, 2 also down, 3, 4 and 5.  According to the host, one needs to have very high energy levels to float a needle and it is no easy meat. I let out a small giggle and the host was not too pleased. He took it as a snigger. He challenged me to this feat which i politely declined. He jeered me of being afraid to let my buddies know my low energy levels. He intended to put me down. My buddies on the other hand cheered me onto it to prove Mr Host wrong.

I finally conceded to accept the challenge and Mr Host announced he will give me 3 tries. WOW! That was generous of him but I was not about to take advantage of my host’s generosity. I thanked him for his generosity and told him I only needed one attempt. Make It Or Break It!

I held the needle steadily between my thumb and index finger and ever so gently lowered it down onto the bowl of water. Yes, I made it.

Mr Host was not only impressed, he had very high regards for me from then on. I was invited by him to many special events meant only for ‘elite circle’ of the Spooks. I attended Ghost Busting (sending spirits to the Light), spiritual healing by different groups, past life regressions, rebirthing, past life readings, etc., all hosted by wives of expatriates living in Malaysia.

I have had my share of such exciting times. The Fine Wine has matured, its time to sit back and taste it. It was an era past, a chapter read.  And now I intend to re-read the lines.  Will be announcing the courses shortly.

A letter from Sendai, Japan

Received this from my good friend, Riza, from the Philippines

A letter from Sendai
Things here in Sendai have been rather surreal. But I am very blessed to have wonderful friends who are helping me a lot. Since my shack is even more worthy of that name, I am now staying at a friend's home. We share supplies like water, food and a kerosene heater. We sleep lined up in one room, eat by candlelight, share stories. It is warm, friendly, and beautiful.

During the day we help each other clean up the mess in our homes. People sit in their cars, looking at news on their navigation screens, or line up to get drinking water when a source is open. If someone has water running in their home, they put out a sign so people can come to fill up their jugs and buckets.

It's utterly amazingly that where I am there has been no looting, no pushing in lines. People leave their front door open, as it is safer when an earthquake strikes. People keep saying, "Oh, this is how it used to be in the old days when everyone helped one another."

Quakes keep coming. Last night they struck about every 15 minutes. Sirens are constant and helicopters pass overhead often.

We got water for a few hours in our homes last night, and now it is for half a day. Electricity came on this afternoon. Gas has not yet come on. But all of this is by area. Some people have these things, others do not. No one has washed for several days. We feel grubby, but there are so much more important concerns than that for us now. I love this peeling away of non-essentials. Living fully on the level of instinct, of intuition, of caring, of what is needed for survival, not just of me, but of the entire group.

There are strange parallel universes happening. Houses a mess in some places, yet then a house with futons or laundry out drying in the sun. People lining up for water and food, and yet a few people out walking their dogs. All happening at the same time.

Other unexpected touches of beauty are first, the silence at night. No cars. No one out on the streets. And the heavens at night are scattered with stars. I usually can see about two, but now the whole sky is filled. The mountains are Sendai are solid and with the crisp air we can see them silhouetted against the sky magnificently.

And the Japanese themselves are so wonderful. I come back to my shack to check on it each day, now to send this e-mail since the electricity is on, and I find food and water left in my entranceway. I have no idea from whom, but it is there. Old men in green hats go from door to door checking to see if everyone is OK. People talk to complete strangers asking if they need help. I see no signs of fear. Resignation, yes, but fear or panic, no.

They tell us we can expect aftershocks, and even other major quakes, for another month or more. And we are getting constant tremors, rolls, shaking, rumbling. I am blessed in that I live in a part of Sendai that is a bit elevated, a bit more solid than other parts. So, so far this area is better off than others. Last night my friend's husband came in from the country, bringing food and water. Blessed again.

Somehow at this time I realize from direct experience that there is indeed an enormous Cosmic evolutionary step that is occurring all over the world right at this moment. And somehow as I experience the events happening now in Japan, I can feel my heart opening very wide. My brother asked me if I felt so small because of all that is happening. I don't. Rather, I feel as part of something happening that much larger than myself. This wave of birthing (worldwide) is hard, and yet magnificent.

Thank you again for your care and Love of me,
With Love in return, to you all, Anne

Being busy in India

Today is my 28th day in India. Life had been a little on the go because of Losar (Tibetan New Year) and with my Tibetan friend’s wedding and also the wedding of the friendly neighbourhood vegetable seller. It was my first time attending a Tibetan and Indian wedding. Also took time off to attend the Graduation Day at the Shedra and yesterday was the start of the 3rd International Gongchig Conference, also at the Shedra. Samdung Rinpoche, the Prime Minister of the Tibetan Government in Exile, graced the occasion. Also had the company of some Malaysian friends (thanks for all the goodies you left behind Hun & Steven) who dropped by for 10 days. Lunches and dinners also were time stealers.

3rd International Gongchig Conference. Samdung Rinpoche arrival

Shedra graduation

Losar with Khenchen Rinpoche

Paldon La's house for lunch. Amarula wine from South Africa

At The Orchard

Losar with Tenzin La and family

Lhamo La's wedding (Tibetan style)

DKI had a tea party for us

Indian wedding

Teachings with Khenchen Rinpoche in his room

Tea with Khenpo Rangdol and family

This year’s spring is as cold as winter in November last year. There were 2 days where the mountains behind the Library were snow capped in the early mornings. Thunder roared and the wind howled. Dorje’s (the Library’s dog) barkings were silenced by the howling wind. Even up to last week we had to keep warm. Now the sun is out. We are enjoying Malaysian weather with cool, crisp wind (like in Cameron Highlands).

Bidding farewell to 6 Canada bound Lamas

Lunch at Lhamo La's house

This trip had been eventful – with all the above happenings plus the opportunity of meeting this little boy who is stricken with polio. I put a post in Facebook seeking sponsorship to get him a walking aid and within minutes a friend took up the full sponsorship (thanks Kong). I also received some contributions for the family to rebuild their house in Ladakh which was washed away during August 2010 mudslide

My new found friend

In another 10 days I will be heading to Amritsar, to the Golden Temple. Then I will be back into the real world – homebound. I look forward to that as I will have lots to catch up with my grandson.

Reliving childhood in Los Angeles

Three decades have whizzed by and the experience is just but a memory.

After 3 glorious days at Waikiki Beach, we headed for Los Angeles. Before then I have only heard of Disneyland and Universal Studio. We decided to rent a car and the most economical car then was the Honda Civic. We hit the streets from morning to nightfall - from LA Chinatown to Beverly Hills, the shopping malls.

The next day we hung out at Disneyland, reliving childhood dreams. We were ready to call it a day when we were told that there is a similar set up in LA - the Knotts Berry Farm. We were leaving LA the following day and we did not want to miss out on Knotts so we decided to make a quick run for it.

We had a hurried early dinner, dashed to the car, fished out the map and we were on our way. After about a hundred meters or so we noticed that the car temperature gauge was going up so we pulled the car over to the side. Being ladies and not knowing much about cars, we were like damsels in distress. I can't remember exactly what transpired in those few moments but vaguely remembered someone saying that we have a blown head gasket. And before long we had the Los Angeles auto repair attending to the car.

We had to extend our stay in Los Angeles for another day for us to cover Knotts before journeying on to San Diego.

Learning to bake and cook is fun

This weekend had been very tiring for me. I am taking inventory of all my tupperware goodies (I have boxes and boxes of them) and at the same time trying my hands at baking and the likes of it.

Learning to cook, bake, etc can be fun but at the same time tiring. Not for someone who is past over half a century and one who does not know what is the difference between yeast and baking powder etc. I rely greatly on the net and what you read from the net can be quite uncomprehending, simply because it all seems "french" to me.

Yesterday I tried hand kneading the bread dough and it turned out to be a laugh. It was edible but I would not risk it for fear of indigestion. Today's turn out was a disaster. Next I tried making kaya. Oh! it tastes real good (at least by my standards) but it was a little lumpy though. Anyone who cares to try the kaya, only on one condition. You must say it is good. LOL!

I am not resigning to the fact that I cant cook and stop at it. I will be hammering at it till I get some decent bread and kaya. And I have about less than a month to semi-perfect that.

It is so much fun learning. You are never too old to learn.

Traveling on the fast lane

Fifteen years ago I was studying hard to get my Ph.D (Permanent Head Damage) and fifteen years down that road I have long retired.  And last year I was pleasantly surprised at the Immigration when I went to renew my passport.  I did not have to queue up to get a number.  I had an accolade to my name – Senior Citizen.

I now have so much time – to read the newspaper from end to end and not skim through it; going for holidays without thinking how many days I will be away; stay up late at night without having to worry about waking up early tomorrow morning; enrol in courses totally unrelated to professional development; read mags that are not educational; learning how to bake cakes (this evening I baked my first loaf of bread), spend countless hours on the computer, enjoying the company of my 3 year old grandson and most importantly I am doing what I am best at – DOING NOTHING.

C’est la vie!!!! As the french says it.

For the past many years, time has just whisked by and before long I realised that once my teen daughter is now a mummy to the most adorable little boy.  If only we take time to take stock of our time, we then realise that we are living a good part of our life in the fast lane. Take time to smell the roses ….allow the wine to mature

My grandparents travelled by horse and carriage

They saw the country side

My parents travelled by car

They made stops along the way to say hello and for a picnic beside some stream

I travelled by plane

I missed them all ….

Retire from a job, never retire from life

One morning about 2 years ago I had this epic conversation with a friend.

Friend : “what are you doing?”

Me : “I am day dreaming”.

At the end of the day the same friend asked

Friend : “Are you tired?”

Me : “Yes, I’m tired of being tired”.

These replies came spontaneously.  As I reflect on these two answers it tells me that I started the day well with day dreaming. As the day rolled on I began to get tired and by the end of the day I was tired of being tired.

When we curtail mental and social activities we become bored and give up our great expectations, our dreams. Human beings have many needs apart from the daily requirements of food, air, water, etc. They need love, security, need for creative expression, recognition, self esteem, the list rolls on. To these I’d like to add another. The need for more life – the need to look forward to tomorrow and to the future with gladness, joy and anticipation. When we think of yester days and yester years we feel nostalgic. Can we not develop nostalgia for the future? This is to develop an enthusiasm for life, create a need for more life and you will receive more life.

We age not by years but by events and our emotional reactions to them. This is evidenced in widowhood. A widow may feel that her life has come to an end and has nothing to live for. Her attitude gives outward evidence in her gradual withering, her graying hair. Another woman, on the other hand, may blossom. She may embark on a career or a business or she may keep herself busy with an interest for which perhaps she has not had the leisure until now.

Faith, courage, interest, optimism, looking forward bring new life and more life. Futility, pessimism, frustration, living in the past contribute to old age. Which will you choose?