This week I was so privileged to see the Dalai Lama and hear him speak not once but twice in one day. He was truly inspiring and his message of compassion and humanity is delivered in a humble, down to earth, and honest way that resonates with everyone he meets. The positive effect of his presence is undeniable.
December 9, 2009
November 24, 2009
Blue
Blue is special - blue planet, blue ocean, blue sky - blue is clear, happy and transcendent. From the earth comes lapiz, turqouise, aquamarine. Intense blue tiles on the mosques of Isfahan,
the blue painted houses of the Greek isles, the blue doors and window trims of adobe houses in Taos, New Mexico, the palest birds egg blue of a porcelain cup, the blue of travel. Blue is everywhere; royal blue, duck egg blue, sky blue, marine blue, airforce blue, sea blue, midnight blue, cerulean blue.
My Chinese horoscope and Fengshui chart for 2009 predicted that pale blue is THE colour for me this year. To enhance my water element and give me insight, foresight and to arouse feelings of harmony and friendship. So I pulled out a, never worn, aquamarine ring given to me by a friend many years ago. The ring from Mexico has a strange silver acanthus leaf setting which I always thought unappealing. Now, with this ring circling the middle finger of my left hand I’m overjoyed everytime I look at it, this is the colour of the water at the edge of a tropical ocean the sand bleached and shifting below. A colour in which to be released and absorbed into the liquid crystal clarity and purity of life. ‘The blues’ where does that come from? Blue is optimistic happy uplifting cool and calm. Fantasies of coral atols and ancient ceramics aaah…
Siva blue: Penang Hill, Malaysia
Tropical blue seas: Moreton Island, Queensland Australia
Persian wall tiles: Victoria and Albert Museum, London
June 14, 2009
Diary of a silent meditation retreat: Day 6
Tuesday – Coming out of the bubble
Well yesterday afternoon went well but I hardly slept last night, three hours at the most. Believe it or not, I feel over stimulated by meditation which is a bit crazy considering there has been so little external stimulus and the objective has been to achieve a calm and peaceful state. But I’m at the point where I just feel like I want to keep meditating because my mind is primed for it, if that makes sense?
June 5, 2009
Diary of a silent meditation retreat: Day 5
Monday – Expanding consciousness
Slept well and the morning meditations were better. I’m making a real effort to relax into the ‘outside’ beyond the confines of the physical body. The Instructor read some poems by Lalla, the 14th century Kashmiri saint and mystic, and something struck me about getting outside your mind. So I’ve been trying to do this and expand away from the confines of thoughts.
June 2, 2009
Diary of a silent meditation retreat: Day 4
Sunday – Struggle
Woke up really out of sorts today. Got angry at my friend for ‘stealing’ the last piece of toast from me at breakfast… Wooooaahh very irrational … I’m cranky and irritable and increasingly annoyed by the actions of others, hogging food is my particular irritant… oh boy not good… But this is what meditation is all about right? To illuminate what is really going on, or not going on, in your mind, and to realise how out of control it is? There was no escape I just had to sit with it.