New beginnings

I have been wondering for some time about what to do with this blog.

A friend of mine suggested that I write about all things beautiful and joyful - it could be about experiences, places, people or objects. Whatever makes a person happy and inspired. That resonates within me so I'm going to give that a go...

Tea Bone Zen Mind

I met a friend for tea at this most charming place called Tea Bone Zen Mind in Seah Street.

It's not that easy to find - you have to keep your eyes peeled for the doorway that leads you up a flight of stairs to this little cafe. It's such a happy place! Decorated with little comfy sofas in red and chintz, with little white tables topped with lamps and cake trays. All too cute!

The menu's all about teas - fancy Chinese teas, fruit teas and the good old hearty black teas. I had a pomelo tea which was served iced and had some orange peel in it! Prices are between $10-$18 for a cup of tea. All served with care and love!

Highly recommended.

Eat, Pray, Love

I am reading this funny and soul searching book by Elizabeth Gilbert for the upteenth time and I cannot wait to see the movie!

Now to get my hands on her latest novel..... to read when I'm next in Bali.....

Living a passionate life

So back to my musings about what's my purpose in life... a friend of mine told me about the work of Janet Attwood called The Passion Test, she said that it could possibly help me find the answer that I was searching for.

I did The Passion Test with a facilitator based here (www.thelightgoeson.com) and it was brilliant! I gained so much clarity and am so grateful to have been led to discover this wonderful process. So much has happened since I did this work and I find things popping up in my life that are perfect examples of synchronicity.

When you are clear what you choose to show up in your life will and only to the extent you are clear. 

Janet Bray Attwood, co-author of The Passion Test.

 How profound.

Father's Day

I went for mass today and in the church bulletin was an article written by our parish priest, Father Philip Heng, S.J., on Father's Day.

Here's an extract:

One person whom we can easily take for granted is the father of the family. This Sunday is "Father's Day". Our dad - the silent provider; the selfless strength whom we can depend on in our needs, and in times of the pains and trials we face. Dad complements mom; we need them both to grow up in wholesome ways. While mom nutures us through her caring ways, dad too is indispensable for our emotional and spiritual growth. In so many ways, dad reminds us of the unconditional love, care and protection of God in our lives.

         Church of St. Ignatius, Bulletin Vol. 71 No. 2

How true it is! There is always so much hype for Mother's Day - but we must not forget our fathers. 
Dad is always there - the silent rock in my life, always supportive and giving.


Happy Father's Day!

7 Powerful Practices to Manifest Your Intentions by Deepak Chopra

A friend of mine sent this to me, I think they are great tips!

Each of us is an inextricable part of the infinite field of intelligence or consciousness that gives rise to everything in the universe. Since we are part of this underlying field of consciousness, we are also infinitely creative – in fact, we can’t not be creative. We are constantly co-creating our reality using the raw materials of consciousness, including intention, attention, intuition, thoughts, inspiration, and imagination.   

The following principles will help you become aware of how you create your reality and will empower you to transform or let go of whatever is no longer serving you. Choose one principle to focus on and practice each day.
1.  My true self is pure, unbounded consciousness. 
I will remember that thoughts come and go, but the core of consciousness is forever. Today I will experience myself beyond limitations. I will set aside time to meditate and be present with myself in the silence and peace of pure consciousness. I will experience myself as love, as a light that flows from my heart and spreads out into the universe as far as my awareness can reach.
2.  The events in my life reflect who I am. 
I will choose one thing that happens today and see how it mirrors my self. If I feel angry at someone, I will consider if what I dislike about that person actually exists in me. If an overheard conversation grabs my attention, I will take those worlds as a personal message. I will look at the world inside me.
3.  The people in my life reflect aspects of myself.
Today I will look at my friends, family, and everyone I meet as a group picture of me. Each person stands for a quality I want to see in myself or want to reject. I learn the most from those I intensely love or intensely dislike.
4.  Whatever I pay attention to will grow. 
I will take an inventory of how I’m using my attention. I will keep a log of my activities to find out how much time I spend on television, the Internet, hobbies, gossip, work I love, work I dread, activities that fulfill me, or escapist fantasies. I will ask myself, “What do I want to grow in my life?” The answer will tell me how my attention needs to shift.
5.  Nothing is random – my life is full of signs and symbols.
I will look for patterns in my life. They could be anywhere – in what others say to me, the way I react to situations, how I am treated. I will open my awareness to hidden beliefs that shape my reality. These are signs of whether or not I believe I have personal power. I will look for signs about my belief in whether I deserve love – or not.
6.  The universe always gives me the best possible results. 
Today I will focus on the gifts in my life. I will show gratitude for what it working rather than dwelling on what is not. I will notice how my own level of awareness shapes my perception of the world I am co-creating.
7.  My inner awareness is always evolving. 
Today I will ask myself how far I’ve come on my chosen path. Where do I stand right now? Where am I going? Even if I don’t see immediate external results, do I feel that I am growing inside? I will set my intention on moving from constriction to expansion.

The Benefits of Failure

This commencement speech by JK Rowling at the Harvard Graduation 2008 was so inspiring. 

The famous author talks about failure and how important it is in our lives that we fail. For in failing, is where we truly test our inner strength and come to realise the importance of our relationships.

Quote for the Day

I was listing to Dr. Christiane Northrup on Hay House Radio this morning..she was giving a talk at an I CAN DO IT seminar and referred to this quote:

The place God calls you to is the place where your deep gladness and the world's deep hunger meet.

Frederick Buechner

How profound. Since childhood, I always wondered about what was the meaning of life, what were we all here in this world for? And I thought this is it! We are all seeking to be happy - but a superficial happy state or a truly deep contented state of bliss? I think that when we are in that state of deep contented bliss, it's when we finally serve our life's purpose. And what is our life's purpose?

Perhaps it's about what motivates us in this life - a friend once asked me that question: What motivates you? For some people it can be to prove themselves right, for others it could be love, or perhaps fear. It's not about what makes you happy - but what drives you to take action.

I still haven't figured this one out.

Your thoughts = Your self worth

How we value ourselves equates to what we receive in our lives. What you believe in, translates directly into what you have in your life - do you think you deserve wealth? Do you believe you deserve love? What are your thoughts on health, freedom and time?

All too often, we devalue ourselves - take wealth for example, how many times do we hear the conversations:"Oh,I can't afford that" or "I'm not smart enough, I can only do this job" etc.? Why can't the conversations be: "I can afford that", "I am a genius" or "Money comes to me easily"?

Dr. John DeMartini says that what you believe in and what you tell yourself creates your life and destiny.
So if you believe that you are always poor, so shall you be. If you feel that you don't deserve love, you'll go through life moving from one abusive relationship to another. If you think that life is a struggle, you'll go through life living that way.

So what are your thoughts about yourself? Look at your life - that's the result!