Monthly Archives: December 2020

It is the philosophy of the Tao that we are all falling off a tree, at every moment of our lives

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Zen Flash

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When a cat falls out of a tree, it lets go of itself. The cat becomes completely relaxed, and lands lightly on the ground. But if a cat were about to fall out of a tree and suddenly make up its mind that it didn’t want to fall, it would become tense and rigid, and would be just a bag of broken bones upon landing.

In the same way, it is the philosophy of the Tao that we are all falling off a tree, at every moment of our lives. As a matter of fact, the moment we were born we were kicked off a precipice and we are falling, and there is nothing that can stop it.

So instead of living in a state of chronic tension , and clinging to all sorts of things that are actually falling with us because the whole world is impermanent, be like…

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Tucson Winter Sunset

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Becoming is Superior to Being

Sunset On Blackett's RidgeTucson Winter Sunset — Photo-Artistry by kenne

“Unless one is able to live fully in the present, the future is a hoax.”

— Alan Watts

“There is never time in the future in which we will work out our salvation.
The challenge is in the moment; the time is always now.”

— James Baldwin

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Within …

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In Heaven On Earth

… the sorrow, the despair, the pain, is beauty if you but look to see. The year 2020 has been in my humble opinion, the most difficult and painful year I believe any of us have ever experienced. Yet those of us who know how to find beauty, do, and by doing so, we are able to create a safe haven away from the chaos and utter madness of the world.

It’s Christmas, a very special time of year for our love to shine ever so brightly, as an example how to live every day of our lives. The evil I have witnessed in this world especially this year only strengthens my personal convictions that I live my life according to love and according to me. No one can take the meaning of Christmas from you, unless that is, you allow it. As I’ve stated before, I will not bend…

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Merry Christmas!

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Saania's diary - reflections, learnings, sparkles

Despite this year being a gravely miserable and pitiful one, Christmas is a holiday that reinforces our beliefs to feel happy, transform, and become a part of a society with the same common spirit that connects us all.

However, there are people out there who don’t get that magical, cozy, wintery Christmas of twinkling lights and mandarin oranges that all of us run after. There are some people who are carrying silent burdens throughout these weeks. Some who are cold, alone, sad,unwell, or struggling – and they are all around us. So for any of us who are feeling the Christmas spirit, we can spread love this season and acknowledge the fact that we are blessed. This time of the year is all about giving gifts and celebrating, and we can spread gifts of kindness in a world where it is needed the most.

Christmas even teaches us to let…

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LITTLE BIG THINGS. A special post

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Tales Told Different

I saw the Angel in the marble,

And I carved till I set him free.

~Michaelangelo~

The Spartan and Poseidon

Behemoths wade freedom’s current
And giants roam routes a thousand years old

An elephant never forgets
Its memory is one with emotion

To a shoal of sardines
Penguins are the monster

To the gentle ladybug
A hamster is the nightmare

You cannot understand
That the smallest of things for you
Is a mountain for another

Ancient gods of the wild

Monster is relative
But kindness is universal
The angry buffalo harbours an oxpecker
Deadly sharks shelter small remora
And the lonely rich lady next door
Caters for orphaned migrants in shelters.

They say that birds of the same feather flock with eachother
But giants and minnows often thrive together
One bringing the wisdom of humility
The other opening a world of possibility

Little things, little deeds
How big your impact…

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Managing Expectations

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DeclutteringMinds

Expectations

Rhonda Bryne in her best-seller has rightfully said that ‘Thoughts can become things’, and thoughts can attract events into our lives. But many of us assume mistakenly that just by expecting something to happen, it will happen. Expectations don’t work in a way similar to thoughts.

Expectations with our own selves can be helpful, in a way: they can give us a sense of motivation and direction, or help us meet certain standards. However, when expectations influence our thoughts too much, or when we give into others’ wishes instead of following our own path, it can greatly affect our personal wellbeing.

Many of us expect a lot from our own selves, often on unrealistic levels. These can lead to a lot of stress, self-criticism, maybe depression too. Set goals, be flexible, give yourself time, be kind to your own self.

Expectations from Others

All…

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Life experience

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Realtalkwithmatty

Life experience can have you feeling that you’re on an emotional roller coaster that we don’t even know if we are coming or going and seems like there’s no end in sight.

The state of uncertainty and confusion sometimes has us searching for answers to what is going on but everything that you go through is done for a reason you just have to figure out why and class is in session.

Life is the greatest teacher of them all and sometimes when the lesson is being taught we don’t always get it the first time so you have to repeat the course until you learn.

Things that you go through in life are all part of your journey and no two people are alike so your path is for you to travel to help you better a better human being.

Just remember the trials and tribulations the obstacles that…

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How To Encourage Someone To Seek Counseling?

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Reconnecting World

Talking about mental health is still a societal stigma for many people and this restricts them to get the right help that they needed. Encouraging your loved one is important for their well-being and pulling them from a tough time. It’s a big challenge to find out specifically how one must go about supporting them.

If you want to help your loved one then the first thing you can do to identify whether or not they need help. Look for the continued outbursts of anger, behavioural changes, anxiety and physical changes that suggest that they might need help.

Here are some top ways to support your loved one to start meeting counselor or a psychotherapist.

1. The Strategy

Be suggestive in your plan and open up the access for meaningful conversation. By asking simple question maybe they pour their heart out and you need to comfort them. Address them with…

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La Serenissima Repubblica di Venezia

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Revive Old memories , great pictures . love all

Figures of Grace

Outdoor Cafe, Venice, Italy, 2017

In my last blog entry, I posted some photos of a model wearing a mask that I had purchased during my last trip to Venice, Italy, in 2017.  I wrote that I still had a lot of photos of Venice to scan from that trip, and scanning some of those photos is what I have been doing this past week.
Here, then, are some of them, taken from my wanderings around the place once known as “La Serenissima Repubblica di Venezia” – the Most Serene Republic of Venice.
All of the photos are from the same roll of 120 film.

Gull, Venice, Italy, 2017

Gondolas, Venice, Italy, 2017

Shoppers, Venice, Italy, 2017

Gondola Ride, Venice, Italy, 2017

Canal Doorway, Venice, Italy, 2017

Boaters, Venice, Italy, 2017

Around the Corner, Venice, Italy, 2017

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Ashgabat: A Walk in the Park

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Figures of Grace


Cotton Candy, Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, 2019

The Central Asian nation of Turkmenistan – bordered by Iran to the south, Afghanistan to the east, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan to the north and the Caspian Sea to the west – is not a country that many people have visited.  In fact, gaining access is not the easiest thing to do.  Many countries require visitors to obtain a visa for entry, but Turkmenistan also requires one to first apply for what I call a “pre-visa,” which I think is technically called an invitation to apply for a visa.

Family, Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, 2019

Then there’s the fact that being granted a visa is not guaranteed.  The Lonely Planet guidebook to Central Asia indicated that its authors had to get their information about Turkmenistan from other sources because they themselves were not able to gain access.  On my own tour there, our guide (from another country) said…

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Great vs. Snowy Egret

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35Sparrows For All Things Birding & Nature

Confession time… This post was going to be about the Great Egret only. I had some decent photos, so I thought. But wait… something is wrong here. The egret below does not have a yellow bill. It is a SNOWY egret!

Snowy Egret, Cape May Point, NJ

The egret pictured above is pretty large, somewhere between 20-27″/51-69 cm. This feathered friend has a BLACK bill & black legs. It should also have yellow feet, but unfortunately I didn’t get to photograph them.

Snowy Egret, Cape May Point, NJ

Above, you can see the yellow around his or her eye & the hint of a crest behind the head.

Great Egret, Cape May Point, NJ

Above is a great egret. A beautiful white egret, larger than the snowy egret, measuring 35-41″/89-104 cm. Slightly smaller than a great blue heron, this great egret has black legs and a large yellow bill.

Great…

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If Only I Could Love and Like Myself … — Don’t Lose Hope

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Coaching Skills International

If only I could love and like myself … But for so many people, this can feel impossible. It’s an uphill battle, and a constant, daily struggle to really love themselves, and to feel that they’re worthwhile. If this describes your life, I hope the following will help you: 1. Instead of thinking about everything […]

If Only I Could Love and Like Myself … — Don’t Lose Hope

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In Conversation With Arun

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SharmaJi's Solutions

Yeah,You Read It Right. It’s My Conversation With Arun. Arun Is Not a Philosopher, Scientist,Actor, Writer Or Politician. He Is Surely Not Tom Cruise, Donald Trump Or Albert Einstein. He Is Not The One Whose Opinion Matters Or Even Heard. But I Decided To Hear It. Me and Arun However Belong To The Same Social Class and We are Not Elite Definitely But There’s a Difference. I Know That World Doesn’t Care About Me and Arun Doesn’t Care About The World. He Is a 14 To 15 Or Maybe 19 Years Old Boy As He Tell Others and He Makes Tea On a Dhaba Near My Workplace.

It’s Winter Here So I Went To His Dhaba at Sharp Eight For Some Tea. He Was Listening To a Vulgar Bhojpuri Song on His Mobile While Chewing Gutkha Or Tobacco and Singing along With It. I asked Him To make The Tea…

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Busolă

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ore de drum

Paris, 2019

Am văzut expoziția Orientul pictorilor de la Marmottan Monet în compania lui Franz, personajul plăsmuit de Mathias Enard.

Franz e un muzicolog fascinat de Orient, care a petrecut mult timp în stagii de cercetare prin Turcia, Iran, Irak, Egipt, Siria, Liban.

Nici că se putea găsi un contrast mai mare între reședința sa principală, Viena, și locurile străbătute la care visează mereu și mereu.

Din înțepatul Imperiu, cu obiceiurile rigide și cu fixațiile lui, cu regulile sale inflexibile și mecanismele sociale de nepătruns, e firesc ca eroul să tot jinduiască la generosul Orient.

Undeva în Mitteleuropa, la un congres al orientaliștilor, face cunoștință cu Sarah, o frumoasă evreică din Paris, doctorandă în studii orientale.

Dialogul lor se înfiripă într-o excursie la Mogersdorf, la granița austro-ungară, unde, susține ea, începe cu adevărat Orientul mental și estul politic.

O imensă cruce marchează locul pe care s-a fixat, în 1964, noua…

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