Off To The Beach

This morning my weight has gone down to 49kg. This is a big improvement. All other indicators have seen improvements too. So today I could finally walk out of the hospital after eight days of 'solitary confinement'. After all we can still go to the beach for the New Year - a family tradition for the last eight years or so. Yay!!

Thanks for your support my dear friends and I wish you a fantastic New Year! See you all in the New Year!

Update

Here I am in the hospital on the 4th day and am still under observation. I don't know how long I am staying here for but a nurse told me that a patient with similar problem stayed 2 weeks. I am not in pain and am not taking any drugs. But the fluid in my body has caused much discomfort in that I can't move much as my movement causes shortness of breath. My weight has gone up from 47kg to 52 kg and I look no different from a 4 or 5 months pregnant woman. My blood is getting thicker and I am also in danger of getting blood clot. That's why they have to keep me here. No real 'treatment' is being carried out as I was told that the fluid in my body is not 'serious' enough to be drained.

In the meantime I was told that this problem is not likely to go away. While my tummy is so bloated that any food or drink would cause discomfort, it's the least concern to my doctor. They are concerned however about the fluid in my lung which is about 2 litres. I can no longer lie flat and sleep any more as that gives me huge difficulties in breathing. Last night I had to ask the nurse to give me oxygen so I could sleep.

The whole plan of Christmas and New Year is changed. Instead of going to Hawke's Bay to spend Christmas with hubby's family and have New Year at the beach, I am going to be a resident in the hospital for a while.

Noticing I got so bored in the hospital hubby came in this morning with my laptop. Unfortunately the hospital has a passway which we don't know how to access. I found an Internet in the postshop of the hospital but I suspect I am going to be using it much.

I know, it doesn't sound pleasant. But life is about going with the flow and accepting whatever happens. In my ward there are a few women who had cancer and one even had one breast taken out. By contrast my problem seems insignificant and less dramatic. So I try not to be too upset. I am staying in the best hospital in the country and I am in good hands, I am a lucky girl.

My ward is on the 9th floor and interestly enough the only building with a big enough sign that's readible says on the top of the building PEACE. I always believe that nothing happens by chance. Perhaps this sign is just there to remind me that at any time in any place one should always remember that peace is the only way to cope with this world and all our problems.

Despite all the problems I am going through, a nice surprise came to me - I am pregnant! And to a large extent it is the cause of the whole drama. So what have I got to complain? All the suffering will be worth it I hope!

My 30 minutes are running out. I've got to go. Thanks to all of you who have left such kind words in your reply to my prevous post. You have no idea how much I appreciated them. I miss you all and may peace be with you!

Merry Christmas!

A Break

Things are not looking good. My tummy swell hasn’t got any better over the last ten days or so. It is still full of fluid. And by the looks of it, it’s going up to my chest because since yesterday I started to feel a tight chest and shortness of breath. None of my pants/jeans fit me any more except my pyjamas. My movement is slow and I can’t eat or drink much as the room is already full. No. It’s not a good feeling at all.

So I am taking a break. I am not going to be posting for a wee while until I feel better. Hopefully the fluid will go away by itself if miracle happens. If not, I will have to be hospitalised and procedures will have to be done to drain the fluid out.

I was pitying myself for being sick at this time of year. But when I watched the 6 o’clock news tonight and saw those victims from the recent Kashmir Earthquake dying from freezing condition and lack of food supply, I realised how small my problem is and how lucky I am. I have got so many resources to help me and plenty of love to comfort me - what a good life I have!

I wish you all a wonderful festival season and a merry Christmas! Take care everyone!

Learning Tai Chi

Wanting to learn Tai Chi has been on my mind for quite some time. I remember attending to a Tai Chi class eight years ago ran by a friend of mine. Very soon I discovered that although I had romantic ideas about Tai chi, I was not ready for it. The slow movements almost drove me mad as I practised amongst a group of people most of whom were much older than me. After a few sessions I lost interest.

But I am ready now. Thanks to meditation, yoga and pilates which all started a couple of years ago and now have become parts of my life, these days I am able to feel quite comfortable just to be with myself, in stillness or in slow motion. Perhaps the word 'comfortable' is an understatement because I love these moments! I am no longer the active person who constantly had to be on the go and who only found satisfaction in doing fast exercises and having a good sweat. As I learn to train my mind to be quietened, I start to feel the connection with my inner self. I start to enjoy my company in those 'idle' moments. I have changed.

Recently I had an opportunity to learn a special type of Tai Chi - Maori Tai Chi. It was so cool even though I’ve only had one session so far. After the Tai Chi I immediately felt rejuvenated and reenergized. In this Tai Chi, a beautiful Maori music was played at the background with the teacher giving instructions as he demonstrated. Although I can’t remember the exact movements we were taught, I can however remember what each movement stood for. It went like this:

Inhale and exhale. Relax. Be receptive. Let go of all burdens and worries;

Give respect and worship to our ancestors;

Embrace our spirits;

Appreciate and connect to The Mother Earth;

Appreciate our muscular strength;

Appreciate our feminine wisdom;

Give love to the world; be of service;

Receive love from the world and show gratitude.

I noticed that Maori Tai Chi differs slightly from the Chinese Tai Chi in that Maori Tai Chi has an element of connection to spirit, ancestors and The Earth while Chinese Tai Chi is a manifestation of Tao philosophy in body movements and contains principles of yielding, softness, centeredness, slowness, balance, suppleness and rootedness. The combination of the two seems to make a perfect art that helps people feel better, think more clearly and become mentally stronger and calmer to deal with stress and problems.

No doubt it’s going to be a lot of fun ahead! :)

The Power of Affirmation

Recently I met a colleague of hubby at his work. Both him and I were helping out with hubby's seminar so I got to chat with him about things. During our chat I found out that although he has a very prosperous career being the top trader in the company, his personal life was not so perfect - he had been divorced twice and he was not seeing anyone at the moment.

"How come successful guys like you are not seeing any women? You seem like the kind of guy who should have the whole world!" I joked at him.

"All women are trouble. I've given up on them! All they are after is your credit card!" He sighed.

"Hmm... Maybe you are just unlucky! I am sure there are plenty of nice women around..." I said. I was temped to tell him that maybe his negative attitude towards women was holding him back from having a fulfilled relationship? He was not ugly, appeared to be a decent and down-to-earth bloke, earned good money... all of which made me think he is worthy and deserving. However I felt inappropriate to give any comments since I barely knew him! I just hope that one day he will find his love of his life and live happily ever after as he seems to be a worthy person apart from his negativity towards relationships.

On the other hand, a friend of mine has recently shared her positive affirmations which according to her, is a tool to realigh her thoughts and reinstill her self-confidence when the fuel is low. Since they are such illuminating affirmations I have decided to quote them below. I too use affirmation occasionally but mine is no way near her lengthy and detailed one!! Hope you can find some inspiration from them like I did! :)

* I think of dwelling in the serenity and peace of knowing the love for myself
* I think of sharing the joys of life with all around me and the sorrows with those who care.
* I think of appreciating those things that are funny and joyful to me and do not have to share that with anyone other than myself.
* I think of the beauty of stopping to appreciate the scent of the flowers and the feel of the warm rain on my face. I think of not letting any of these gentle moments pass without appreciating them because I have allowed myself to be bothered by what others think.
* I think about appreciating the gift of laughter and joy that good friends bring.
* I think about the satisfaction of being who I want to be in ALL things. Reacting out of the highest decisions for me, and what will allow me to be the best person I am able to become.
* I follow my passion for life in everything I do.
* I am warm and loving in my thoughts about myself.
* I am beautiful and giving in my relationships to others.
* I am strong in my support of what is right for me.
* I have defined what I will or will not do, while being open to the changes that will occur as a part of life.
* I feel loved and warm being in the company of others and will foster comfort in the company of good friends.
* I refine my goals and define Who I Want To Be and rejoice in who I am.
* I remind myself every day that life is a gift to be enjoyed and treasured.
* I remind myself that Love is a gift that is to be cherished and honored.
* I will be myself and let others remain whole.
* I will enjoy a unity where my life crosses others, and will openly share my reality and growth as we follow our individual paths.
* I do not covet the experiences of others, because it takes nothing away from my experiences.
* I feel the radiance of my soul and know that I will always be honest and true, no matter where the future takes me.
* I feel a comfort that I can be myself and others can be who they are and I will not judge or reject another for taking a different path.
* I focus on the joys and happiness in my everyday life and do not create wants or needs by allowing myself to feel that way.
* My constructive tendencies enable me to prevail despite outward circumstances.
* I recognize my positive tendencies and attitudes are among my most precious assets.
* I am promoting greater personal health, prosperity, emotional well being and mental efficiency today and every day.
* With intensity and repetition I have created the habits which bring success and higher consciousness.
* I am free to live, and love, and laugh. The world is a treasure and it is mine to enjoy.
* I will risk looking like a fool for love and for the adventure of being alive.
* I can disappoint another to be true to myself, I can bear the accusation of betrayal and not betray my own soul. I can be faithless and therefore trustworthy.
* I can be alone with myself and truly like the company I keep in the empty moments.
* I find serenity and tranquillity in a world I may not always understand.
* The pain I have known and the conflict I have experienced give me the strength to walk through life facing each new situation with courage and optimism.
* I have in my life those who encourage my growth, recognize my tenderness, and are open to expressing love.
* There are those whose love and understanding will always be there, even when I feel most alone.
* May a kind word, a reassuring touch, and a warm smile be mine every day of my life, and may I give these gifts as well as receive them.
* May the teachings of those I admire become part of me, so that I may call upon them.
* Those whose lives I have touched and who have touched mine are always a part of me, even if the encounters were less than I would have wished. It is the content of the encounter that is more important than its form.
* I place immeasurable value on the goodness in my heart.
* I find time in each day to see beauty and love in the world around me.
* I see my future as one filled with promise and possibility. I see everything around me as a worthwhile experience.
* I view everything as a worthwhile experience, and seek the lesson in each encounter.
* I have enough inner strength to determine my own worth by myself, and not be dependent on another's judgment of my accomplishments.
* I will always feel loved because my greatest love will always be for myself.

The Power Of Positive Thoughts

Wouldn’t it be nice to have a supple and flexible body so that we can bend, stretch and do all sorts of things with it without feeling stiff or hurting ourselves?

Well, if you have a stiff body, don’t despair. As a supple body, it’s just a thought away!

I am not kidding. I experimented it last night, during John Shackleton’s talk show where some one hundred people attended.

We were asked to stand up, right arm straight and far reaching to the front. We were then asked to turn our waist to the right, stretch as far as we can, and observe how far our arms could go. I was reasonably happy and satisfied that my right arm almost turned 270 degree – better than most of the people there.

When this was done, everyone stood there, waiting for what John had to say next. This time John gave some kind of hypnotic commentary like this: Close your eyes! Now imagine your body is very light and very flexible – so light that you feel like a feather and so flexible that you can stretch as far as you want... if negative thoughts come along just despise it and tell it to go away... when he finished his commentary, we were asked to do the same exercise one again. This time my arm kept going until I reached 270 degree… nothing stopped me… I kept going and going ... until I finally found my arm pointing to some 330 degree! WOW! That was amazing! I had never stretched that far!

When asked who stretched further this time, everyone put their hands up. EVERYONE!

What did I learn from this experiment? I have learnt that, whatever result we want in life, is just a thought away. That is, if you think you can, you can! Positve thoughts lead to positive results. That’s the power of positive thoughts!

Of course, positive thoughts don’t just come by as a cemented habit to us. As pointed out by John, it takes training; it takes self reflection; most important of all, it takes a shift in our self-belief. If we do not like the results we get from life, the answer always lies in understanding what we believe in. Until we do, our positive thinking only brings us limited success.

When you think about it, every thought stems from our beliefs, and these beliefs are what ultimately define and create who we are, as well as the lives we lead. Unless we are clear on what we believe, whether it’s love, relationships, money, gender roles, success, whatever, we may never experience the richness and joy of life that we are meant to.

If you think John was a lofty talker, check this one out: at age of fifty-two, he swims faster than he did at the age of eighteen when he was a competitive swimmer! He realised that the reason he could not rise to the world’s top swimmer in his competitive swimming career was due to his limited belief about himself. He just didn’t believe he was good enough. Sounds familiar?

Anyway, it was a wonderful evening and John talked with great energy and a good sense of humour. When I met him outside the venue, he looked rather ordinary - medium height, red faced and half bold. However by the end of the evening he looked big and charismatic! What has changed? My thoughts!!

Just remember: we are what we think. Whatever you want to achieve in life, it’s just a thought away!

Olive Oil

It’s nice to get into the habit of healthy living. As of recently, hubby and I have adopted some habits like only drink mineral water, only use olive oil and olive spread, and we only buy freshly produced food rather than processed food. It didn’t take us long to rule out sausages, crumbed or marinated meat, canned food, chips, cakes and biscuits and quick microwave meals. Also for any new food we try, we always read labels to see what nutrients are in them. Say if I read saturate fat, trans fat or too much sugar in the label, my brain automatically reacts in a way that puts me off buying. Doesn’t matter how good it looks or smells. I am not eating for the sake of flavour any more. As we get older, I think it’s important to be a mindful eater. We’ve been a slave to our taste buds for too long!

At home I am usually the ‘leader’ and hubby usually the ‘follower’ on this sort of things. What surprised me most was that, hubby start to give health advice to his client on what to eat, what not to eat and how to live a healthful life. WOW that was revolutionary cos he used to be a no-fuss guy and enjoyed whatever tastes good! Look at the email below he sent to one of his client:

Bruce,

This is what I found on Olive Oil. I don't think its all that bad to heat it. (Note: Bruce's doctor adavised him to stay away from olive oil if in frying..)

As to the behavior of olive oil in frying it is important to note the following:
Olive oil, as with any fatty substance, deteriorates during the frying process especially if it is used over and over and if the frying temperature is very high. High temperature destroys the good ingredients of any oil while it creates harmful agents for the liver, the arteries and the heart. It is important however to take into consideration that these harmful agents are less likely to be created in olive oil than in all other known vegetable oils and this is because olive oil has a different composition. It contains a high percentage of oleic acid, which is much more resistant to oxidization than the polyunsaturated acids, which are found in large amounts in seed oils. But more importantly olive oil contains natural anti-oxidizing agents such as phenols and vitamin E. Of course it should be noted that during frying olive oil smokes at lower temperatures than is the case with seed oils. The reason is that olive oil is a natural fruit juice and contains a certain quantity of olive pulp. This disadvantage can be dealt with if we keep the frying temperature low. This practice should be followed regardless of which type of oil we use. This analysis should be convincing enough to help us revise our conventual wisdom as to the suitability of olive oil for frying purposes.

I just thought it’s interesting that he and his client talk about olive oil rather than the money market which is what he is supposed to advise on!

John Shackleton Is Coming To Town!

I’ve heard about him. I’ve read his books. Now this famous Europe and Australiasia’s top inspirational speaker is coming to town!

His name is John Shackleton. He is a leading executive coach to CEOs and MDs, a highly successful businessman and property developer. He is a winning international sports coach, and a British and New Zealand master’s swimming champion. His unique business and sporting experience at the highest level have given him an unrivalled ability to build leadership and help people achieve extraordinary results.

You know what the most exciting thing is? I am going to meet this exceptional man tonight at a free community event! This event is organised by Brahma Kumaris – an organisation I frequently go these days for medication. Recently on an airplane one of our Brothers started talking to a guy sitting next to him and found this man incredibly interesting and inspiring. The next minute he found out that he was talking to John Shackleton! During the flight they became friends and the Brother invited Shackleton to give a speech during his stay in Auckland to the community. You know what! Shackleton generously agreed! Tonight he is going to speak about ‘the Power of Thought’.

I am so looking forward to the evening! It’s time for some inspiration and be empowered by these powerful people!

Feeling Good Again

This morning after my shower, I knew that I had 'come back'.

It’s a good feeling, to feel 100%. It’s a feeling I missed for an entire week. I had been on medication for a few weeks, and my hormone was all over the place. Starting from last week I constantly felt tired and faint. My body was aching, my mind was foggy, my mood was foul and my taste bud was gone. To top it off, my tummy swelled up overnight. I quickly popped on the scale, wow! A whopping 2kg weight gain! I looked four months pregnant overnight!

This happened on Thursday. After some panicking, hubby and I hurriedly rushed to the hospital in case something went terribly wrong as I'd just had a medical precedure the day before(last year things went terribly wrong the day after my surgery and I was admitted for a second surgery immediately... you can see why we had a fright this time). Fortunately after a scan and blood test my nurse was able to confirm that all was fine and my tummy swell would go down in time. That was good news but my tummy... I used to love my tummy! It was firm, flat and well-toned. Now carrying this strange shaped tummy, I almost don’t feel real! What’s going on inside me?

I'd be fine as long as the swell goes down by the end of the week as I have just bought some new party dresses for the Christmas functions for this weekend. Of course all of the dresses would not fit a four-month pregnant tummy or at least would not look decent! Things like this is beyond my control. Let's just see what happens. The main thing is that I feel normal again. The foggy mind, body aches and the fatigue .... have all gone! I am able to feel life again.

It’s hard to feel peaceful, loving, calm and happy when you are unwell. Once again I realise that the No. 1 valuable asset one can have is definitely health because without good health all the abundance in life seems so irrelevant to ya!

Accepting the Truth About Life

Wisdom for the day:

Most of the unnecessary pain we cause ourselves in life comes from not accepting the truth about the human condition and the realities of our lives. If we could just accept those truths and realities, we could move through our days and decades without so much unnecessary pain.
-- Lauren Mellin

I think the basic message from the above is that most pain we suffer is from our unrealistic or unreasonable expectations from life. Once we have accepted the human condition and realities, we can then learn to make decisions even when there are so seemingly good options.

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I was about to publish this post, my naughty cat just climbed on the net curtain in our living room. She clang onto it and tried to get out from the window only to realise that the window was not open. When she beat a hasty retreat upon our yelling, we noticed that she left behind a huge hole in the curtain. Hubby became very upset with our cat while I just laughed.

What else can you do? What's done is done and you can't control a cat's behaviour! I've learnt to accept the realities of being a cat owner! *grin*

City Of Sails - Some Random Pictures

Feeling Of Home

Can you live in a perfect city with the only thing imperfect being the weather?

Well, I used to but I can’t any more. When I lived in Wellington I thought it was a perfect city: perfect size, perfect neighbourhood, perfect people, perfect lifestyle and perfect pace...However I never got used to its weather. Wellington is famous for its wind. It’s ferocious, ruthless cold and nasty. It goes through your skin and straight into your bones, in all seasons. That’s why I almost never wore skirts during the entire six years when I lived in Wellington. Perhaps it is no coincidence that from my 2nd year on in Wellington I have developed a chronic back pain. Everyday I had to fight against the 'cold bitch' to keep her away! I was always cold and freezing. I had several wheat bags with me all the time and in my air-con office I still had to use my own heater. Life in Wellington had been a life in a big chilly bin!

My daily battle with the wind and coldness came to an end when we moved here five months ago. Although we've also had cold days and wind, the air and the wind in Auckland are much more gentle and pleasant! Accompanied with its gentle breezes is often a familiar tropical humidity - the kind just like my original home, Southern China. For the first time in many years, my passion for shopping on summery clothing such as bikini, skirts and shorts is back! Woohoo! Last weekend hubby spent the entire weekend shopping clothes with me tirelessly and with great enthusiasm. I’ve never seen him so happy and keen watching me spend money on shopping - he hasn’t seen me on skimpy outfit for years (except the odd tropical holidays we had overseas)!

I am finally able to feel relaxed and comfortable to go everywhere without worrying about if my clothes are warm enough. Thank God I also don’t have to tense my body up or hold my breath to fight an environment which is far too cold for me. These days my body is straight and my breath is deep. Finally I feel like at home. I enjoy myself and this environment more. I have no reason to feel stressed. A stroll to the Cornwall Park (where the famous One Tree Hill is) which is five minutes away takes all my worries away.

Yes, this is my home! Home - it's a concept that had never occurred to me until now. All the places hubby and I lived in the past felt like a 'temporary nest'. I suppose it's like a relationship - you can't force it; you just have to wait until you've found it! For hubby he has rekindled his passion for wind-surfing; as for me, I can go along with him and do kayaking which is my favourite water sport... Looks like we are going to hang around for a wee while!

I love this city!

Cat's Intuition

It’s hard to believe that this cat of ours is 5.5 years old. She still behaves like a kitten. Hubby and I had thought that her neediness, playfulness, naughtiness and madness were just typical behaviours of a kitten. Since she has never 'matured' or 'toned down', we have come to accept that this is what a Burmese cat is like - they never 'come of age'! They are hyper-active, hyper-intelligent and hyper-annoying!

Like dog owners who have to take their dogs out for daily walks, we have to have a few games with our cat on a daily basis and our games normally starts in the morning when she brings her favourite toy - a piece of string, to bed, begging for play. Occasionally this would happen in mid-night when she could not wait or has got the timing wrong *sigh*. Yes she LOVES to chase the string. Hubby and I both believe that string is what she lives for! If we start to throw the string, nothing else would entice her even her favourite food - salmon! If she is neglected by us, she would growl, run around the house like mad, get on top of the TV, rip off the curtains, throw up, follow you and claw your foot as you walk, tap your bum as you sit... you name it! If you have a Burmese cat, you’ll know that they need lots of attention almost like a young child!

Yet this super naughty cat can be incredibly intuitive. I have been unwell for the last few days and I had to go to the hospital yesterday to have a procedure done which involves anaesthetics. I was sick all the way home because of the anaesthetics. When hubby escorted me home at mid-day, I still felt so drugged and heavy-headed.

For the rest of the day I lay in bed, sleeping lots. I noticed that my cat was also in bed, beside me, all the time. Unlike her usual self, she seemed to know that I was unwell and that I needed her company. She was like an angel, making no noise, no movement, no trouble. She just stayed with me, silently and peacefully. Occasionally she would look at me and yawn yet there was no demands in her look. Her usual neediness and madness was no where to be seen. She seemed to understand what I needed - peace, silence and loyal company.

Cats are incredible animals. They sometimes sense things more accurately than we humans do. When I see the full personality demonstrated in my cat, I have no doubt that cats, like we humans, too must have a soul.

Car Park and Karmic Effect

Call it karma, cause and effect, yin and yang, sow and reap… life always seems to balance it out for you in a perfect way. Sometimes this balancing act take days, months or years, sometimes it takes several births. Recently hubby and I have experienced something trivial yet funny which amazed me as to how accurate the law of karma is.

We had just finished a seminar (delivered by hubby and I was there helping) and went back to the car park to get our car. As we gave the warden our parking ticket at the exit gate, I heard the guy said: 'Thirty two dollars please!'

'What?' hubby asked.

'Thirty two dollars please!' The warden repeated. 'There is a sign at the entrance. It says eight dollars per hour. I had to explain to two other people a minute ago. Like you, they didn’t read the sign either.' He added.

Eight dollars per hour! This was unheard of! In this country we had never paid more than $4 per hour on parking. This includes Auckland. I wondered what city can justify charging such a high parking fee. While I was in Sydney last year I noticed they charged $6 per hour in CBD and I thought that was hilarious.

Hubby didn’t seem to believe him. He quickly jumped out of the car and ran to the entrance to read the sign. A few seconds later he came back. This time he didn’t argue and handed over our bank card to the guy. Apparently the coinage in the car was not enough for our parking fee this time. I noticed that he was reasonably charming and cool in handling this situation. Some people would just moan, whine, complain or abuse.

Yet his fury surfaced as we drove away. He was angry not just because we felt ripped off. He was more concerned about his clients who came to this seminar and he told them to park their cars in this particular car park which means all the attendees had been ripped off as well. He felt sorry for his clients as although the seminar was free his clients would have paid a small fortune ($16 or $24) for the seminar on parking fee. Granted, it was not a big sum of money for him or the clients; yet it’s often the surprises that set people off.

I believe that everything happens for a reason, even at times we can’t accept it. Sitting in the car I thought about this incident and wondered if it, too, happened in a perfect way. Suddenly everything became clear.

I remembered that hubby mentioned to me about a parking fine he received recently for exceeding the time limit. While he was quite willing to pay the fine of $16, he noticed that the number plate on the ticket was incorrect - they had put another car’s number plate on his ticket! As a result, he didn’t pay the fine knowing that he could get away with it. I laughed out loud when I heard about this story and thought it was funny that some poor bastard would probably be pursued and he would have no clue as to why he was fined!

Did hubby really get away with his parking fine?

Not at all! He paid exactly the same amount back - $16; just a few days later, in a different way (if we had parked our car in any other car park we would have paid $16 max.)

Never expect to get away with anything! Our life, the whole universe is governed by its natural laws. For every action/deed/event/cause, there is always an equivalent balancing action/deed/event/effect. When undesirable things happen to us, don’t question why, and don’t judge, fight or resist; accept everything and just wait, as the answer will manifest to you when you least expect it. Believe it or not, everything happens to us and to this world is perfect, fair and in complete justice regardless you agree or not!

Mastering Unconditional Love

Someone shared the following article on "mastering the unconditional love". It is so beautiful and truthful! We all yearn for unconditional love as in unconditional love, we feel the best and become the best; yet few of us have mastered this secret wisdom. Have a read, hopefully you can find a thing or two which inspires you.

Radiating the resonance of unconditional love is the intention of all those who have attracted this message. You have come forth to teach one another to stay with the love, no matter what the conditions hold. You are love expressing and experiencing itself. This unconditional love stuff is the stuff of which you are made. It is the core of your very being. It is the highest, fastest frequency of vibration that you can exude while being physically incarnate.

When you resonate anywhere away from that core being, you will know it by the way that you feel. Unconditional love matches the vibration of your Inner Being, Higher Self or Oversoul. You more fully sense your Inner Being as you tap into the frequency that feels good. When you feel good you are glorifying God/Goddess, All-That-Is! You recognize your connection to the eternal Source of all things wonderful, therefore you feel wonder-filled. It is really that simple. A lover is what you came here to be. And when you are not being a lover to self first, by staying connected and feeling good, you are not being who you know yourself to be.

HOLD TO THE CONDITIONS YOU DESIRE, NO MATTER WHAT THE CONDITIONS HOLD.

As you start to play with this state of being an unconditional lover, you may find that it is simply not that simple...unless, of course, you make it easy, by being conscious of radiating this frequency of vibration at all times. This is what masters do.

Now it is time to recognize that the master dwells within your soul. Be that calm master within who is infinitely poised, centered, still and silent. Shed light on negative emotions. Know that those places that hold fear instantly respond to the flow of love.

When conditions present themselves as less than ideal in your view, what do you do? One way is to try to get by, by not reaching too high. You can attempt to harmonize with the reality you see. Why limit yourself to this version of what could be? For there is another way, a lighter way to play. Masters love to face what is in their face, because they know what is in their face is in their vibration.

And this is a key to transformation. Undesirable conditions don't control your experience. They are outside of you, and all your control comes from within. When you look at what you don't want, you draw those things to you. Connection is creation. So, connect to what you do want!

Unconditional love has nothing to do with putting up with conditions that are not the way you want them to be. That is conditional love. You must resonate with conditions the way you want them to be. As you do this, realities that do not represent you will fade away. Masters beam the dream as a broadcasting signal, no matter what conditions appear to be real. They know that if they hold their light on desirable conditions, they access their infinite power to manifest preferred realities.

Most of you want conditions to change so that you can feel good. That is magic in reverse. Cast this spell and you will do well: Find a way to feel good so the conditions can change. As you follow your heart and change the inner view, the outer will follow through.

If conditions are not acceptable, what would be acceptable? What kind of conditions would you love to see, personally or for humanity? Exercise your power as creator! As you exercise anything, it gets stronger. Imagine what a better life looks like. It is the most joy-filled step you can take towards the growth and evolution of your soul.

No matter how you have been conditioned, you can move mountains of unconditional love forward by tapping into the constant flow of love, under any and all conditions. There you will always find your Source. When you keep returning to the love, no matter what, you become saturated in that love. Life becomes increasingly easy and effortless.

As you stay with being and beaming the lover that you are, by imagining things that are the highest representation of you and others, you are radiating the resonance of unconditional love.

Masters know that the way they feel determines the strength of their connection to their natural state of well-being. They have integrated the life-giving principle within: conceive ideas, nurture their growth and give birth to same. They lovingly allow all things to be in their own time and place, starting with themselves. Masters know that true freedom comes from the release of resistance. They allow the manifestation of something to be their guiding light, to show them how they were thinking and feeling. They enjoy the process of creation and do not condemn their creations, because they see the correlation between their energy output and their experiential outcome. They take responsibility for their creations, knowing there can be no blame. They honor the secret wisdom they hold, by casting spells rather than pearls of wisdom before there time. They know that no One needs saving. They allow others their experiences. They teach through example. And in their wisdom, they know that in this "Youniverse", there are no victims, only awesome creators.
by Marelin the Magician

After Life And This Life

Last night there was a TV interview with Colin Fry, the famous international spiritualist, medium. I am not sure if you have heard of him but here in NZ he is a household name and he is so popular!

It’s always interesting and eye-opening to get to hear what these people have to say about the spirit world. I remember two points particularly he said about after life.

The first point about the spirit world, according to Colin Fry is that, the spirit world is not like what people think is. Different religions or cultural beliefs have different ideas and concepts as to what the spirit world is like and often they refuse to accept another version or possibility.

The second point is about the souls who took their own lives. According to Colin Fry these souls are not all trapped in a dark realm like most people seem to think. They can stay in the higher or lower realm just like other souls. He also said that there is no such a thing as punishment in the spirit world. Punishment is a concept we impose on ourselves.

I am a believer of the spirit world although I haven’t taken any religious path particularly or very seriously. I do have a strong leaning towards most oriental beliefs such as Buddhism though. I believe each of us choose our own paths and there is no ‘wrong’ path or ‘right’ path. Even heaven is a relative concept. How do you know this world we live in and the realities of each individual is not heaven? The same reality can be heaven to some, and hell to another. Heaven is neither perfect nor flawed, it’s just how we project ourselves to see or believe.

As to the souls who took their own lives and not necessarily be ‘punished’, I suppose the basic message is, there are no mistakes, only wrong thinking - and thoughts can be changed. Change your thoughts, and you change your reality, in an eye blink. If we can ‘change our minds’ anytime and decide to live positively, I suppose the souls can change the realms they decide to reside just the same.

Many people are so curious, fascinated and obsessed with the ‘after life’ while our realities are right here in front of us, in this very moment. The point is to learn to LOVE, and enjoy the journey, and to create it the way you want it, as you truly do have that ability within yourself. Heaven is not a goal, not something we strive for in this life. Heaven is right here for some, right now. It doesn’t matter what religion you believe and what path you take, as each is just ONE method to help us grow. The qualities of an elevated soul I believe are universally the same – love, compassion, kindness, acceptance, forgiveness etc.

Live each day as it comes. Sow the seeds now and let tomorrow takes care of itself.

Filling The Day

Today is the official beginning of summer over here. While it's getting cosier and warmer each day, I can hardly believe that this year is almost over. It has to be the fastest year I've ever lived! Am I getting older, or am I getting busier, to feel this way?

With so many things to do, everyday just spins. Each day is like an empty box, waiting to be filled. We can pack the box with treasures, or load it down with ballast. Many things we put in by habit, without even thinking, because it is easy and comfortable, and it's the way we've always lived.

Yet once the box for today is packed, that's it. You can't take anything out, nor put anything else back in. Once the day is done, the treasures you could have had are either yours or not yours. Tomorrow dawns early, another box duly arrives at the door. What are you going to fill in that box?

A tip I've learnt recently through my meditation on how to make each day valuable is, to give a theme to each day of the week, say Peace for Monday, Love for Tuesday, Power for Wednesday and so on, and stuff the theme into the activities during the day and to remain concious of it. In this way we live each day with treasures.

Each day comes fresh. Make them all special. May your day be filled with joy, peace and love!