Monday, December 9, 2019

Thank You

To summarize a decade

To the five grand ones, that have brought so much joy to my life!

To those who travelled on the path, who shared even the briefest of moments, or the whole journey.  
To Catherine and Jafer for sealing their relationship, a wedding that brought the family together, moments of love and joy!

To the expansion and fullness I felt.
 To watch the tree of life produce its fruits, 
To watch my limbs multiply.



They seal it!



Driving to attend the wedding Abiha and Insia
Walking her son to the Altar - grinning ma


Vancouver
Gorgeous Rabab


Cherry Blossoms in Vancouver
Cool Family


Abiha Tariq Irum & Anjum

Vancouver Smiles

"Trees are poems that the earth writes upon the sky” ~ Khalil Gibran



Faris celebrates his 5th
A cute foursome
We made the gingerbread house

Anna in winter

Faris
Faris
Faris



Kareem and Malka
Wedding arrivals


Dressed and ready

Mehndi Faris


Nathan

Mehndi night




Cool dude


Anna happy with Christmas Eve
Christmas Eve 2019

Our Zoya in Santa blooms


A family in Joy
Fami with Leila and Amelie

Wednesday, October 30, 2019

Fall in thoughts

Fall is the time of the year when leaves display their vibrant colours and tones.  The air gets cool, the days get foggy and cloudy, and the sunlight shifts its direction.   The bright and deeper shades of yellow, green, red, and brown,  mingle together.

The leaves on the trees and those fallen create a space where I meet myself in worlds and dimensions beyond that of time and space.

Endings and releasing.  The planetary shifts seem more intense this year.   It is as if 2019 is preparing us.  To 'release' and 'let go",  to feel aligned with our outer and the inner.  Intense soul lessons, who we are and how to live at our personal and collective level.   An ascension, where we vibrate differently, see life from a different perspective.

Those who read the stars remind us to see our shadows, to allow our emotions to rise, and be felt, directed and released.  As we begin to see what affects the 'collective' we will take more responsibility for our thoughts, actions and behaviour. 

We will be ready to face the challenges, for the 2020, not in hindsight but as active co-creators.   To face the new beginnings of each day as it dawns.

Transformation and Structure, Pluto and Saturn will be in cosmic alignment in January 2020.  Our deepest, darkest, and most intense energies will clash and what will surface becomes the new story of our life.  Reflect back to end of April 2019, what were the themes and patterns happening at that time?  The seed of the full alignment to come in January 2020 was co-created.

Pluto and Saturn come this close every 34 to 38 years, first time in Capricorn since centuries.  How will this shake our foundations of belief and social conditioning?  What will the awakened soul trigger?

Pluto is the transformation, it works at a spiritual level, on our inner self.  Where the shadows of shame hide.  It helps us to uncover our dark sides, accept it to forgive ourselves and not hide in its shadows.  Pluto helps us to dig deep, and we find our authentic power, through what comes to light we find the courage to face life.

Saturn allows us to take responsibility for our lives,  the past and the future.  It shows us the consequences of our actions and sometimes we are shown  'tough love' as a trigger to help us find our true potential. 

With all these thoughts swirling in me, I set out for my morning walk.  I used the sights and signs, to guide, encourage, to reflect.  Feel and understand, forgive and release.









Saturday, August 31, 2019

Airport Journey


Why does the airport terminal/lounge/boarding gate remind me of life? This thought came up and I messaged a friend if he ever felt that way. 

So here i am in flight, about to start my descent into Toronto Pearson Airport, asking myself to explain the feeling.  A sensor that i am, i sense then i try to explain drawing on words, experiences and feelings, to explain. 

So is it because we have used the term “life is a journey?”  At the airport it just becomes applicable. The impermanence, as we prepare and wait to board the plane to move from one physical location to another.  We say goodbye, there is a “departure”.  

The other passengers or people t hat are present are also either waiting to depart, or helping others to depart.  

Brings to mind a train, moving through a dark tunnel.  All the activities of life and loving happening inside the train.   Along with other passengers we are on a sojourn, each awaiting their station.



Friday, August 23, 2019

Today in meditation


Sometimes when we sit in meditation, the thoughts and the ideas, the mental activity feels like pouring rain.   

The timer is set, so we are assured that if we can find an “anchor” to place our attention then we will complete our “practice”.

Today was one of those sittings. Using the inhale and exhale  as the anchor, i waited as i sat in my meditation practice.  Every movement the body wanted to make, i acknowledged it by focusing on the axis from the sitting bones to the crown.  Using the exhale to ground me into the body and the inhale to lift the awareness into this moment. The words, ‘now is always here’, like a mantra and a reminder. 

The bell chimed, a deep gong sound. 
The realization that i had dropped between the thoughts into a space, a shelter from the raining thoughts, a shelter of peace.



Tuesday, February 26, 2019

Yoga and the World


Yoga - is the practice and embodiment of yoga what makes me a ‘yogi’, or can I fit myself into a mold of yoga?  In other words does yoga work from inside out or the outside in?


The various teachers and teachings of yoga divide the lineage, or rather multiplies it into the tree of yoga, creating its different branches and lineages.

Each lineage is more like a combination of rituals, practices, techniques and guidelines towards understanding one self.  To understand how we process our immediate world that affects us, daily, and how we connect the dots to form the bigger picture and its long term benefit for all living beings.  

As an example, take the guidelines of the yamas and the niyamas.  These are roughly understood as our contract and relating with others, supported by our inner values which makes our character.  

Looking at the larger picture of world affairs, the global warming, the hostilities and the nuclear powers ready to tip the balance of power, it makes one want to be bury our heads in the sand.  With information travelling at the speed it does, its possible to not know what is a fact, or truth, or where it gets muddied by personal agendas and political minds.    

For me yoga distils the ‘happenings’.  I use the practice of asanas when the emotional and mental bodies are feeling overloaded or spinning. Once the energy is dispersed through the physical practice, I use the breath to guide me into the mental and emotional space.  Sitting with a one pointed attention, allows me to find my center.  This leads to the next level of figuring "what is mine to do".  

With this kind of inner processing, we become better equipped to support a cause.  

By first living and being involved in any movement that supports the ways to live a conscientious life which benefits all living beings, is a small yet important contribution towards helping the Environment.  Any action that brings one back to the affirmation of “this is mine to do” is the first step.  Through the actions, and words we support the world at large.  

Are the guidelines and philosophy/psychology  of yoga relevant in todays’ time?  The answer leads to a yes.  The human condition like our basic needs, fears and survival has not changed.   

As the world evolves, it changes the ‘context’, or the ‘outer’.  If we can manage to understand our ‘inner’ workings then we have  a higher chance of making a difference in the outer.  

“If we believe in the rebirth of our civilization... then clearly this renaissance must begin in the chambers of our own hearts... We cannot wait for society to change, or for our institutions to be renewed. We, as individuals, must assume responsibility for our own personal transformation.” ~ Georg Feuerstein ~