happiness and Paris

aawwwh just look at the blog post from Shannon Eileen...

her blog is called: Happiness is...

breathe in the romanticism

love, m

Yearning

I think what makes romantic movies so powerful is the yearning displayed..
that intense, almsot sad, aching desire.

how powerful.
tonight I meditate on "yearning" or longing.
m

Mystical Maya Angelou

This is the header of Maya Angelou's blog. Go there by clicking here.

She is beyond amazing and impactful.
I share with you today, an extract of her poem: "On the pulse of morning".
She read this at former president Bill Clinton's inauguration.

"... acrosss the wall of the world,
a river sings a beautiful song,
Come rest here by my side.

Each of you a bordered country,
Delicate and strangely made, proud,
Yet thrusting perpetually under siege.
Your armed struggles for profit
Have left collars of waste upon
My shore, currens of debris upon my breast.

Yet, today I call you to my riverside,
If you will study war no more. Come,
clad in peace, and I will sing the songs
The Creator gave to me when I and the
Tree and the stone were one...."

happiness and hot

yes yes I do not want to comment on the heatwave....
July is coming and it will be too icy to go for a run... ( I repeat this until I can fall asleep )

last week at current workplace.. bit unreal.
Thanks all for the lovely words, thoughful and sweet.
I stack them together like a little ladder
I'll use to stand on when I'm feeling blue and need some perspective.

person of the week: Amelia van der Merwe

Amelia wins person of the week....

she is as light as a feather..

light in laughter and light in criticism

yet weighty with conviction and strength. 

a joyous contradiction

a clever lady (third from the right)

a team player

a leader

not afraid of standing alone

but welcoming the wisdom and warmth

of company in her life.

a balanced soul.

2 magic-mystically- wise-women

The one awesome lady I follow regularly : Tara Sophia Mohr, made mention of this magical woman:
Jennifer Louden.

this is an extract of her recent blog post on "fool proof ways to make a difference"
read more over here.








super talented-gifted- Jennifer writes:

Acknowledge that you want to.

Feel into the ache in your heart or the tug in your belly. Bow to your desire.

Maybe your desire is to educate girls, end under-earning, heal veterans, open a dialogue between warring neighbors, stop bullying in your kid’s school, get people dancing…. whatever it is, embrace your longing.

Here’s the secret that will set you free: the longing doesn’t go away. Ever. It’s your fuel. And your compass. Listen to its insistent whispers. Learn to live with the itch.

so- what do you itch for??

m

kyk hier !!! Golden section

Ek loop hierdie raak op Etsy:
Golden Section Fine art.

dit is op my wenslysie.

stunning blog: The Sartorialist

feel like something pretty,
head over here.
The Sartorialist.

they did some work for Tiffany & Co.
swoon
beautiful
swoon
romance and joy
heartbreaking
tender
eternal

project:
true love in pictures.

(credits: The Satorialist and Garance Doré)

too soon old too late smart

I'm reading this cute little book.( Thanks Blanche )

Too soon old Too late smart .
Gordon Livingstone.
Chapter 10 extract:


"... this is the final and controlling paradox:
Only by embracing our mortality can we be happy in the time we have.
The intensity of our connections to those we love is a function of our knowledge
that everything and everyone is evanescent.
Our ability to experience any pleasure requires either a healthy denial
or courageous acceptance of the weight of time
and the prospect of ultimate defeat."



beautiful!

sweaty Sunday

It is hot
the quiet hot
the type of hot that keeps you downstairs
the type of hot where you wish for a splash-pool
and you consider ripping out the (beautifully, newply planted) greenery & shrubs to make space for the (imaginery) splash pool.
the type of hot that causes you to forget what day it is

Cape Town hot day


Maria

And so it goes

if you get up early and you pray/meditate

your day is awesome

m

kindertjies klein kindertjies rein

BADISA

helping those who have lost hope...

to help themselves.

Dankie aan almal wat Sept 2011 bygedra het tot Badisa se "farmworkers aid".

Onlangs is die laaste van die fondse aangewend vir skoolklere (en klein bederfies) vir die kinders wat my ma in pleegsorg geplaas het.

Dit beteken dat die kinders "sorgbehoewend" gevind is.

Groot woord,

wat impliseer dat hul verwaardeloos is en die ouers nie te vinde is nie, of nie in staat is om na hul om te sien nie.

kyk die blink skoolskoene links!

(ek het nog baie stories en fotos.

Wou net baie Dankie se vir elkeen.)

Hierdie maaitjies hoef nou nie skaam te wees om

volgende week skool toe te gaan nie.

Hulle het skoene en elk 'n witboordjie hemp

Groete

Maria

een konsep... een gevoel

waarheid
oplet
teenwoordig wees
onafgewaterde aandag
liefde

m

to find the goose that lays the golden eggs

e p i c

with age...

Memories fade
and we forget the good laughs
after a few years...

but our hearts never forget

and true friendship is
epic


m

new beginnings

sometimes we know what needs to be done

but it is not neat or clear.

sometimes we know what needs to be said

but it cuts the listener.

sometimes we know we have to leave

but the comfort and promises of "it will be better"...

is alluring and tugging at your adventurous heart.

and so: sometimes

I just need to act

out of boldness

risking for more

and trusting

It is by risking and opening your hand to more,

that you will find.

you will find adventure

challenge

and more...

Maria

Person of the week: Rob Pattinson

just because he is so so so gorgeous

thank you Rob! (queue sound: 13 year old teenage sob )

yeehaaa party time.

Newlands Forest Christmas year end picnic....

lovely time was had by all

stil

een van my hartskamers is stil
die stoel is geskuif
dit maak dat die mat so krul staan
daar was beweging
maar ek hoor nie jou stem nie

soveel vriende & geeste & stemme & siele in my hartsgange
en soveel pret en lag en gesels en gee
maar ek kan nie 1 vriend as plaasvervanger vir 'n ander he nie
elkeen
sy eie plekkie
onvervangbaar
die stilte lui
soos 'n sirene
in my kop

Julie Daley Rocks !!

Blog from Julie Daley:

What do you want?

What do you really want? That is what you will get. Not what you think you want. What you really, really, really want. If you really want what is true, it’s its own protection. ~Adyashanti

I listened to these words last night as I was working.

I like to listen to Adya’s satsangs, just taking in his words and the transmission that comes through them.
I have a sense these words wove their way through me last night as I was sleeping, because in meditation this morning, I could see how deeply ingrained my thinking is to choose something that will please others, get their approval. It is fairly unconscious still…until now.

I could clearly see it this morning.
And so as I noticed this, I wondered, “Do I even know what it is to choose what I want? Do I know what I want? Do I really know what is true for me?

Am I willing to look, to know for myself?

Am I willing to ask the hard questions?”
This comes down to being able to tune into this self, this being.

This ego has been all about pleasing others (and of course the equal and opposite force of rebellion against that pleasing, but then that’s much more under the surface, but not as under as it used to be).

This coming into oneself, trusting the organic flow from within,

trusting one’s own desires, is key to being an alive, creative being.

And, it really doesn’t care about pleasing. It doesn’t know pleasing. It just is.

_________________ dit het so baie vir my beteken vanaand _______________________

the road splits ahead

and so I came to a fork in the road

and left looked happy and familiar

and right looked bright with new colours I've not seen before

so which road do I take

we have but 1 chance

Maria

ek aanvaar

ek is nou 31 (amper 3 maande al )
en ek leer van aanvaarding... nie soos kennis in jou kop inprop-leer in die sin van teësinnig leer nie, maar 'n sagte leer.

ek aanvaar dat die botter ook soms hard is in die deftige restaurant se brood-mandjie
ek aanvaar dat die tee nie altyd sterk genoeg is nie ( al het ek die sakkie lank ingehou )
ek aanvaar dat ek skrikkerig is vir die tegnologiese -golf wat ons huis inrol... blackberries, ipads, ipods, dstv, wi-fi-, bla bla, HD, bla -afkorting-bla
ek aanvaar dat dit okay is om te huil na die Twilight-flieks ( al is ek 31 en nie 13 nie )

ek aanvaar dat ander mense Kersfees op 'n ander manier vier
ek aanvaar dat baie mense nie Kersfees vier nie


ek sal nog aanvaardings- deel deur die loop van die week.
x
m

troubled

i keep feeling that something is about to happen

like Edward won't love Bella anymore...

or dread enters this heart...

Person of the week: Jak de Priester

Wow die opwinding was groot Saterdag-aand in Lourensford se wynkelder.
Regstreekse uitsending van "Varstrap" ( DSTV se Kyknet )

Ronel het my met die " Jak de Priester"- wortel aan die neus daar in die hart van die boeremusiek ingelei...

en dit was PRET !!

lewensgrootte kameras, video-toerusting, lank en aantreklike program-aanbieder, klank stuff, sexy gay "stage"- bestuurders, grimering vir mans onder die genadelose beligting, die hele lot!
Showbiz honey !!

Jy word gesê wanner jy moet klap en skree. Hulle "queue" jou.
alles baie opwindend.



die name van die orkeste ewenaar slegs die titels van die snitte wat hul bied... dit is 'n ander wêreld !!! Maar natuurlik vat Jak de Priester die "person of the week: toekenning vir sy oulike liedjies oor pa- wees en sulke tipe realiteite.
so net vir vermaak: die name van die finalis-boeremusiek orkeste:

• Donkiekar
  
• Die Penkoppe
• Die Boere Biscuits (ekt gedink hulle is nogal goed!)
  
• Die Korrelkoppe


• Witwatersrand dames orkes
  
• Distrik 7
  
• Die Kaapse Affodille
  
• Die Sandvelders
  
• Witblitz
  
• Brink Botha en sy orkes
  
• Bakgat
  
• Bredell Dansorkes
  
• Andre Victor se orkes
  

hooked!

Darling husband

i love you like a thirteenth cheque
i love you like the 1st cup of coffee in the morning
i love you like the satisfied heartbeat after a long run
i love you with the colour and excitement of an indie-craft-shop

thank you

image credit: Mahoney Joe

quiet

the conversation has gone quiet
and i can't figure it out
the lock does not fit the key
anymore

empty lost

empty
sounds echoing through the room
I'm talking
and you
just
barely
tolerating
it
strange
distance

person of the week: Wouter van Velden

person of the week..... an award not to be mistaken for frivlous admiration or manipulative "Pedestal- placement" ...but rather a true gesture of greatness...
such words find their meaning in the humble, brilliantly smart and sensitive spiritual leader/ shepherd of the NG Church in Wolseley.

this picture is for Ds Wouter.
For teaching us the pure, radical inclusivity demonstrated by our Great Spiritual Father during His time on earth.
We are enough, because He died for us.

x

friday fun after the frantic rush

One of the themes of my last month was:
running at break-neck speed and trying to get a billion little things done (in a day)
so this post by Marianne Elliot (in conversation with Tara Mohr, picture above) resonated with me:

"My ongoing challenge is overestimating how much I can do in a day (or an hour, for that matter) and then feeling rushed, like I’m always trying to catch up with the pace I’ve set for my own life.


One of the practices I’ve developed that helps with that is a morning check-in where I set myself some very realistic and simple “conditions of satisfaction” for the day (I learned this from Jen Louden)."


so- this weekend I'll try to slow down, reflect, breathe, eat slowly, have hours and hours of conversation with my parents and reconnect with my true pace.






I can't wait.
love, m

cuteness

too cute
too special not to share
hold on to your heart
greatness is about to start
unfolding in your
life.x

happy

enjoy the day!

More rules...

On a recent trip to Centurion I bought a book at the airport:
The Rules of life
by Richard Templar.
It says: "a personal code for living a better, happier, more successful kind of life"


Now immediately my mind asks:
better.....?
How / what is better? It is not the same for you than for me...
successful....
my definition? your definition?


Anyway- I'll stop being difficult and wade through the wisdom:
Rule number 9: Be on the side of the angels, not the beasts.
Richard says on page 20;
"Every action we make has an effect on our family, people around us, society, the world in general.
And that effect can be positive of detrimental.
It is usually our choice.

Does it hurt or hinder?
or does it help?"

I love simple messages. I love this Rule number 9.

try it

m

beautiful Thursday

Thank you Lord for a good night's rest
Thank you for convincing me that a 5km run would be "taking care of my temple"
Thank you for the cool weather

I pray for all the farmers.
I pray for all the employees of all the companies: that they may apply themselves truthfully and aim for Light.

Amen

gaan vir goud

eks mal oor hierdie uitdrukking:
Gaan vir goud.

die alliterasie is lekker...
die boodskap sterk

gaan groot
gaan beslis
gaan met mening
en dit alles: vir kwaliteit
die beste
die duursame
die blywende
goud


m

what do i need...

As I go through all kinds of feelings and experiences in my journey through life -- delight, surprise, chagrin, dismay --

I hold this question as a guiding light:
"What do I really need right now to be happy?"

What I come to over and over again is that
only qualities as vast and deep as love,
connection
and kindness
will really make me happy in any sort of enduring way.

—

Sharon Salzberg


♥
Awesome Sharon!