Mikael phoned and invited me to the " Uproar " as Roger used to call it . Der Rosenkavalier -an Opera, Music Comedy by R. Strauss - 'The Cavalier of the Rose' in Three Acts

Nice! It's not often I get to go to the opera these days, so I jump at the chance. Thank you thank you thank you.

Haviog said that , Der Rosenkavalier is not one of my favourites, It's farcical , silly , with a plot that is really long and confusing, mixed identities etc etc .. too much fuss for me BUT the end scene is worth waiting for ....BLISS.

It's in three acts and is considered the best composition of Richard Strauss (1864 – 1949).I personally like Strauss's Salome. Der Rosenkavalier was first performed in Dresden, Hofoper, 26 January ,is set in Vienna in the 1740s,in the early years of the reign of Maria Theresia.

Henry Bardon's scenography

They've hatched Look

Welcome to the world little Bootsie and Snudge

( Named by the fairies )

I guess the balcony cleaning will have to wait for another week, to allow them to grow a bit more. Then I think I'll leave the corner for them until they are ready to leave the nest. They will just have to put up with me watering the plants and the occasional smoker.

A lovely sunny day. I heard the pigeons coo a little before one flew off. The other is sitting on the eggs . How much longer ? What if they are never going to hatch ? It's been more than 18 days since I discovered them .

Googled just now to try and find out more.
Seems that pigeons are treated like pests.

" get rid of the eggs " is the advice
" they keep coming back"
" they are dirty and carry mites that cause skin disease "

I don't like what I am reading.

Dilema .
What to do ?
I do need to clean the balcony .
As much as I like Mr and Mrs Pidge , can they stay there forever ?

Might make a start on cleaning the balcony and leave them their little corner.

Hmmmmmm

Just read this notification from BCUK

"
Dear miramaze,

Your profile has been tagged with likes-bald-men.

Click here to view your profile tags.

Click here to delete the tag.

Kind regards,

Your blog.co.uk team "

Thank you chaps Now, Isn't that kind of them ?

btw mira likes bald men ( and men with shaved heads ) = true

I'd forgotten about tags ... I'm going to be doing some tagging myself now

I'm not used to espresso
I've not felt sleepy today thanks to the double espresso I had earlier on
No need for " ice-floes" today .
It was a diluted espresso .. " un café alongé "
It's just that I like the taste of espresso which is very different from ordinary coffee.
I'm not going to make a habit of it though.
I don'yt think my gizzards could take it in the long run .... but occasionally .. very nice.

It's been a lovely day.

Heard from DD , a friend from college days , and that is always a special occasion as I normally hear from him once a year at Christmas.. and it is every Christmas , without fail, bless him.

Also chatted briefly with Darryl in New Zealand who told me that his father had died They were very close. It hurts to hear. I gave him a big warm hug.

And so to bed ......night night

I'm blogging from Brasco, on of my favourite cafes.

Just had a NESTS meeting ( network of English speaking therapists in Stockholm ) . It's nice not having to rush on to another place. I find this environment inspiring. Makes a change from the Blue Room. I can understand notbob liking to blog from his favourite pub

The food here is great too *remembers the Lebanese mixed veggie and bulgur salad earlier * mmmmmm

Is it the double esspresso or is the vibes here? I feel strong.... it's an invincible sort of feeling that I would so love to share .. to pass on. A couple of my friends have expressed their frustrations and I feel for them. I also feel and " KNOW " that everything will go well for them, even though they don't know it yet because from where they are , things look pretty glum.

Some things you just KNOW . You know what I mean ?

Anyway , It's time I packed up and made my way home.

ALL IS WELL AND UNFOLDING AS IT SHOULD... and so it is .. it is simply so .

X

(Painting by Sulamith Wulfing)

http://wulfing.artpassions.net/

May the longtime sun shine upon you,
all love surround you,
and the pure light within you guide your way home.

Sulamith Wulfing: Born in Germany in 1901, Sulamith Wulfing began drawing at the age of 4. Her family concerned itself with spiritual matters; in fact, her father was a Theosophist. A touch of the supernatural embues all her work. She attended Art College in Wuppertal and completed her course of studies there in 1921. Her home and much of her art was destroyed during WW2. She continued to draw and paint until her death in 1989.

Sulamith Wulfing Books and Calendars

I've noticed that around 5:44 I get very drowsy .....zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

*time for a mira power nap *

x

Posting that last post took forever gggggrrrr@ parser errors and computer language

I'm back home today all day, just pottering around after being out all day yesterday.

After all the walking around. my tummy was rumbling and protesting and it would be at least an hour before dinner at Maarja's so stopped at McDonalds for a fish burger .. YUM.. a real treat. I rarely eat junk food , but I DO love their fish burgers.

Dinner at Maarja's was lovely and healthy. Fresh green mixed salad with cherry tomatoes and a delicate lemon and virgin olive oil dressing. Exquisite followed by baked cod in creamy saffron sauce with new potatoes and broccolli. Pistacho halva for dessert and 85 % dark chocolate flavoured with chilli.

A whole lot chinwagging about this and that and catching up. Just before midnight Maarja I persuaded Maarja to get to know the lovely white Mac that she'd bought TWO years ago and not dared to used !!! Imagine being scared of little Mac. Still, after a some talking through of basics she managed to open a document, retrieve it , change the font and few other things . As a writer , she needs to be able to do these things. MacLappy le Blanc behaved very well. I think they will be good friends from now on

In other news , both Mr and Mrs Pidge are on the balcony to day. Mr Pidge was seen with twig for the nest in his beak. Still no sign of young ones It should be soon now.

Maarja and I went to see the Toulouse Lautrec exhibition at the National Museum. http://www.nationalmuseum.se/Default____2705.aspx

Five hours of walking around and viewing art with a break for coffee and a sandwich in the Atrium, the museum's very fine restaurant restaurant . So much to see and take in. Many fine works from all over the world gathered together for this exhibition.

Toulouse Lautrec Advertising. Liquor. Prostitution.
“ Many of the ingredients in the short life of Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec have the power to fascinate and shock. Today, he is almost as famous for his tragic fate as for his art.

More than any other artist, Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec has shaped our image of fin de siècle Paris. From taverns, theatres and dance halls, he portrayed the city’s entertainment scene. He is associated in particular with the Moulin Rouge. For some years around 1890, he spent almost every evening there, busily capturing people and events on his sketch pad."

The National Museum is a grand building, magnificent wide broad marble strairs . A truly Majestic place. The Toulouse Lautrec was right on the top floor in several rooms. Posters, oil paintings , etchings and sketches many of them famous images from postcards , tea- towels and mugs. I use to have the Moulin Rouge tea towel, bought in Paris in 1971 . For a long time it hung on my wall and then got used as a tea towel until I finally threw it away , faded and in shreds.

Cranach

Stopped for to see the Cranach paintings that are part of the permanent collection and then went down to the museum shop for a little browse around. In keeping with the spirit of erotic came out with a little book " SEX PORTRAITS OF PASSION " , for the coffee table at home.

"Most people are so busy knocking themselves out trying to do everything they think they should do, they never get around to do what they want to do."

-- Kathleen Winsor

I have an allergy to " shloulds" and " musts ".

I asked myself this morning " Mira ...what do you want to do ? "
Honest answer ?

Not much . To go with the flow and to do what I feel like doing at the time. I'm not a big " doer " but very happy " Being "

But I know intentions are important. When we sent a clear intention , our conscious and subconscious mind conspire to get us what we desire.

I do not like thinking in terms of " goals" , That's too sporty for me. A general sense of direction .. yes.... that's different.

"If you want to make good use of your time " says Lee Iacocca " you've got to know what's most important and then give it all you've got."

I'm Ok with that.
I'm going to have an early night. Tomorrow I'm meeting Maarja and we are going to see Toulouse Lautrec at the National Museum. Nice.

Mikael phoned. He's put his house on the market as he's decided to move up to Dalarna. May the force be with him . I 'm affirming that the house is sold easily and effortlessly to the right people for the asking price or more.

I think this is my first post today.
It's been a bitty sort of day.
I've pottered around and taken care of odds and ends.

Mrs Pidge is sitting on the eggs still
I've been feeding her and Mr Pidge with sunflower seeds. I hope they are good for pigeons. They seem to like them anyway.

Signs of seeds sprouting.

Oh the balcony really needs a good clean ... but I can't very well do anything while the pigeon family is nesting , can I ?

Just watched " HOUSE " and had a nice glass of red.

*cheers* hope you are all enjoying Friday

http://revver.com/video/521463/15-minute-miracle-by-joe-vitale/

I 'm so glad I watched this !

Wander around Bruno's garden here :

http://www.brunosart.com/tour.htm

These words jumped out at me :

"Stay steadfast in the light and keep Earth's Golden Age foremost in your thoughts and hearts. The transformation of your world that you are helping to create in this very moment already has been manifested in the continuum-that is how powerful you are! "

When you choose to be in " the love space ", that space of " loving what IS " , then making the most difficult decisions or witnessing the most horrendous goings on in the world enables you to stay conscious and take right action where and when needed.

anyway .. night night ...mind how you go tomorrow is another day

THANK YOU, BCUK, I'm getting email & comment notifications again

I changed from hotmail to gmail

It worked

X

EVERY person is a link in the chain of my good.

88 is a good number
The number of my friends in Blogland right now .
I like 8 - it looks like the symbol for infinity

limitlessness

A sacred voice is calling me.

I asked a new friend who lives in Cairo how she likes it there.

"I love it! have been in Egypt for 9 years now and mostly I live in Nuweiba,Sinai within the Bedouin Tribal village called El Muzena. Would you come? "

Would I come ? HA !!!! *taken aback by the very thought* This is someone I hardly know. What a thought though !! To dare think such a thought. A Bedouin Tribal village .... El Muzena.. must google that ...... hmmmmmm .... remembers architect friend Roger's Bedouin tales and Gerd's stories of dancing with the Bedouins in the dessert and being nearly abducted by camel man guide while on a camel !!!

"Breathe in the colours of a the rainbow and breathe them out as as your fantasies "

Flying off on a whim , on an adventure , to a Bedouin village ? Flying off into the unknown ?

" Love dances in the freshness of the unknown " is one of my mantras.

The only real obstacle is money.
What would it be like to go wherever you wanted, do whatever you felt like in the moment ?

Hmmm today I feel like going off to Cairo
*mira turns to personal assistant *

" Book me on the first available flight to Cairo ...accommodation etc ... "

*mira picks up passport and essentials for the trip * and heads for the airport.

Happy birthday , moonwoman ! Here's a birthday message for you from The Tripple Goddess.  ( http://www.ishalerner.com ) ENJOY your day !

Infinite Truth

A HOPI ELDER SPEAKS:
"You have been telling the people that this is the Eleventh Hour, now you must go back and tell the people that this is THE HOUR. And there are things to be considered...

Where are you living?
What are you doing?
What are your relationships?
Are you in right relation?
Where is your water?
Know your garden.
It is time to speak your Truth.
Create your community.
Be good to each other.
And do not look outside yourself for the leader.

"This could be a good time! There is a river flowing now very fast. It is so great and swift that there are those who will be afraid. They will try to hold on to the shore. They will feel they are being torn apart and will suffer greatly. Know the river has its destination.
The elders say we must let go of the shore, push off into the middle of the river, keep our eyes open, and our heads above the water. And I say, see who is in there with you and celebrate. At this time in history, we are to take nothing personally. Least of all, ourselves. For the moment that we do, our spiritual growth and journey comes to a halt. The time of the lone wolf is over. Gather yourselves! Banish the word struggle from your attitude and your vocabulary. All that we do now must be done in a sacred manner and in celebration.

We are the ones we've been waiting for.
Oraibi, Arizona
Hopi Nation

Just for the record .... I have no complaints whatsoever

X

I've changed my email address

It's the same as before , only now I 'm at gmail

See if that helps

On 10 May the entire Pangea Day program will be streamed online at www.pangeaday.org.

If you have a broadband connection, you can watch for free. The live program will be subtitled in seven languages: Arabic, English, French, German, Hindi, Portuguese, and Spanish.
The 4-hour program begins at 18:00 GMT.( 19:00 in London )

The Pangea Day Mission & Purpose

Pangea Day is a global event bringing the world together through film.

Why? In a world where people are often divided by borders, difference, and conflict, it's easy to lose sight of what we all have in common. Pangea Day seeks to overcome that – to help people see themselves in others – through the power of film.
The Pangea Day Event

Starting at 18:00 GMT on 10 May, 2008, locations in Cairo, Kigali, London, Los Angeles, Mumbai, and Rio de Janeiro will be linked for a live program of powerful films, live music, and visionary speakers. The entire program will be broadcast – in seven languages – to millions of people worldwide through the internet, television, and mobile phones.

The 24 short films to be featured have been selected from an international competition that generated more than 2,500 submissions from over one hundred countries. The films were chosen based on their ability to inspire, transform, and allow us see the world through another person's eyes. The winning films will be announced in late April.

The program will also include a number of exceptional speakers and musical performers. Queen Noor of Jordan, CNN's Christiane Amanpour, musician/activist Bob Geldof, and Iranian rock phenom Hypernova are among those taking part.

A film event that is about connecting people and building bridges ..I like it

Peace in all dimensions

Is it just me or is this a problem that affects all of us ?

Otherwise a gorgeous sunny day.

Mr and Mrs Pidgeon are still monopolising the balcony It would be nice to sit out there now.It needs a thorough clean too. The floor covering that looks like grass needs taking up and chucking out . It's absolutely disgusting

I say Mrs Pidge the other day , posing on the rail , in a trance like state , with a twig in her beak. She was like that for what seemed like forever , perfectly still with this twig in her beak when suddenly she drops it and sort of wokes up.

;wave:

Still no notification of posts.
and
mixed feelings
certainly different.
sort of quiet without all that activity going on

Watched "Cashmere Maffia " while sipping a chilled glass of Chardonnay thus emptying the bottle from the weekend.

I can still smell the garlic chilly from stir fried fish and veggies. Almost as good as prawns. The memory of Johanna's garlic chilli prawns yesterday lingers on.

For a while there my left nostril was totally unblocked.. that's garlic and chilli for you !

Chassy asked me about 'l'heure bleu' early on so it got me thinking and I found myself waiting for that time between sunset and night time when the quality of light is so special... blue .. the blue hour... a magical hour.

Googling lead me to Guerlain's perfume 'l'heure bleu '

I have worn this fragrance , though not very well
" One summer evening, Jacques Guerlain was overcome by intense turmoil. It was the suspended hour, the hour when the sky has lost its sun but not yet found its stars. Everything in nature is clothed in a blue light.
L'Heure Bleue by Guerlain: an emotion which this perfume alone is worthy of expressing.
The curves which stand out on the upper part of the bottle show the influence of Art Nouveau.
The stopper, in the form of a hollowed-out heart, is a playful allusion to the romantic pre-war years."

My favourite scent has always been Shalimar

"hhalimar is a fragrance to excite and express desire. She who dares to wear it, is asserting her femininity and ultra sensuality. Hers is carnal seduction – at the frontier of the forbidden. Shalimar gives her the freedom to express her feelings and desires – relating to her perfume with the utmost in passion.

Wearing Shalimar means surrendering control to the senses.

"

YES .. that's moi .. until recently when I switched to " Insolence "

"
My INSOLENCE is an utterly adorable fragrance. Everything about it expresses grace, femininity, spontaneity, audacity. Its exquisite raw ingredients, its irresistible soft rose pink, its luminous bottle. At once charming and disarming, My INSOLENCE twirls and sways, dancing – so it seems – for the woman who has claimed it as her own."

Is that moi ?
I haven't totally abandoned Shalimar

So now I'm going to do the dishes and go to bed lol Oh what an exciting life. On to the world of dreams

xxx's

WHAT SHOULD WE DO ABOUT THAT MOON?

A wine bottle fell from a wagon and
broke open in a field.

That night one hundred beetles and all their cousins
Gathered

and did some serious binge drinking.

They even found some seed husks nearby
and began to play them like drums and whirl.
This made God very happy.

Then the "night candle" rose into the sky
and one drunk creature, laying down his instrument,
said to his friend ~ for no apparent
Reason,

"What should we do about that moon?"

Seems to Hafiz
Most everyone has laid aside the music

Tackling such profoundly useless
Questions.

-- Hafiz

http://www.souledout.org/wesak/wesaksafeguard.html

YouTube

Interesting stuff about the moon and her influence on the planet recently :

" Last month during the full moon, we experienced a very powerful influx of Light which was associated with the Vernal Equinox, Good Friday, Purim and Easter. This month, we are once again being blessed with an incredible influx of Light during the full moon. This month the celebrations of Passover and the Wesak Festival will provide an opportunity to empower the changes we are all striving to make in our lives.

Over the past week, April 12-20, 2008, the moon was involved in a rare combination of celestial alignments. These events occur once every 1,000 years. These alignments are associated with the Ascension energies necessary for our ascent on the Spiral of Evolution. They are a catalyst for Humanity’s upward shift of consciousness at a physical and a spiritual level. These Ascension energies are now being amplified by the Company of Heaven in order to accelerate Humanity’s awakening and the monumental shift of consciousness that is taking place right here and right now on Planet Earth.

To further the great empowerment of the moon’s influence at this time, there will be two Wesak Full Moons this year, another very rare occurrence. The first is April 20th at 6:25 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time, and the second will be May 19th at 10:11 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time. Because of these rare celestial events, the days between the two Wesak Full Moons will provide Humanity with an unparalleled opportunity to empower our visions, our goals, our hopes, and our dreams.

Wesak is considered the most sacred of the Buddhist holy days. It embraces the birth, death and enlightenment of the Buddha. This year, with the world focused on the events taking place in Tibet, the collective cup of Humanity’s consciousness is providing a colossal Open Door through which the Light of God will flow in unprecedented ways to move this planet and all her Life forward a quantum leap."

From :A CALL TO ACTION
by Patricia Diane Cota-Robles

http://eraofpeace.org

Fascinating !

Good moaning
It feels empty .. sort of spacious in here.
I hear my greeting echoing around the BCUK building.

No emails from BCUK today.
Not a single one.
Must be a first

I remember several posts last night complaining about BCUK crawling slowly and pages opening reluctantly, while here things seem to be normal.

We have continued blue skies and sunshine here , which is absolutely marvellous considering our long dark and gloomy winter. I am so grateful. what a difference.

May the gremlins and glitches be sorted soon
So be it and so it is ...OMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM !

A beautiful day , warm enough to sit outside. The whole of Stockholm seemed to be outdoors.

Started at Prof's place where we had tea and freshly baked bread that he'd just made and chatted about the weekend. I gave him the card and pressie , a pair of cufflinks to go with his suit. He really loved the cuff links. I've not seen him so excited over a present before. He immediately dug out his shirt to try them on.

Johanna had given him a trendy tie and red silk handkerchief to complete " the look ".

Then out we went into the sunshine, first stop a viewing of a small penthouse flat near the centre that looked promising. No harm in looking. The location was perfect , in a quiet street right in the centre of town , several flights of stairs up , no lift. The actual flat needed an awful lot of work though and we every soon decided it was not on , not even fantasy material. Thing is how do you know till you have a look ?

After the flat we found a lovely courtyard in the sun for coffee and then time to move on again in the direction of home . As the sun disappeared the air got chilly.

Back home , chilly garlic king prawns and pasta , washed down with chilled white wine, Yummmmm . I went home feeling that really warm and fuzzy feeling after spending a whole day , a wonderful day with my loved ones.

Looking up at the sky , as I surfaced from the underground station in Sundbyberg I was struck by the beauty of a cloudless sky during the magical " l'heure blue " . A perfect end to a beautiful day.

Saw the moon set around 4:30 , a beautiful orange sphere in a blue sky. I wish it could have been a better photo. The camera couldn't capture the moment , but I did, before going back to bed

Moonbathing and meditation were delightful. I so enjoy simply being in the moon's energies. There's something about the moon being a mirror that adds to her beauty and charm. Her messages are riddles to be solved by the soul.
My  dream last night was about finding my bag with files and stuff that I'd left in a room. Something about going down into the basement for it

I think I need to look to my subconscious for missing item ??

Sven , friend and accountant, came round to pick up tax files. Bless him. I am so grateful for his help. He is a godsend. Literally. The Prof and I met Sven and Eva 25 years ago on their honeymoon. Sven has helped me with the annual tax returns for nearly 25 years now. An angel. It's such a relief to get this done- 5th May is the deadline.

In other news , allergies are bothering me, tickly nose , but clearer than yesterday and I'm going over to the Prof's to celebrate his 31st birthday and give him his pressie and card . I want to write something wise , but can't think of anthing suitable. Words  aren't enough to express my feelings for the Prof , bless his cotton socks. Better do that now and get dressed , It's a beautiful sunny  Sunday here   Hope you are all enjoying

I keep getting distracted. I was only going to say goodnight to Mac Lappy in the blue room and saw the emails notifying posts.

Watched a film on TV about Helen and the brats children she'd inherited when her sister and husband died. I didn't see the beginning. Nothing special , but had to see how it ended.

So , now to meditate in the full moon.
May all sentient beings be well, happy and peaceful ... and laugh a lot.

I'm going to focus on water everywhere.
Bless you water;
Thank you water
I love you water
Seas , oceans , rivers , lakes, mountain springs
Tap water
Water in our bodies
Water in fruit, veggies, trees, plants , flowers, animals , birds
Water everywhere , blessed be.
May all beings everywhere have access to clean fresh water.
Blessings to our blue planet.
Om shanti, shanti, shanti ommmmmmmmm !

night night

Berättelser i Livskonsten

Susanne Leckne
www.livskonsten.se

Fantastic colours. Beautiful. A real treat for the soul. There were little stories under each painting- a tasty apitizer for the viewing experience.

Gazing at each of the paintings in turn I felt the joy, the sweetness of Being. I felt uplifted happy and inspired.

I'm finally ready to go into town - Gamla Stan , the Old Town for Susanne Leckne's Vernissage.

My right nostril is blocked to day, which is unusual. It's usually the left one . Damn allergies

Safari has just told me I have to restart my computer-and quit all applications as the new software installation is complete. HA ! A sign . Toodle pip , people see you anon ...

She's looking fabulous tonight in a clear dark indigo sky. I tried to type by moonlight but I can't see the keys. I think I'll go to bed and moonbathe instead.

Enjoy your evening

Happy birthday .. mamma loves you lots !

" you caught me just as I was brushing my teeth " says he , when I sang happy birthday to him over the phone

He and his lady are having a quiet dinner out tonight. Tomorrow is his best friend Filip's wedding reception do so we will be celebrating on Sunday

In the meantime , I helped Gunilla srart celebrating her birthday by doing some serious grocery shopping and PrisExtra .. a huge supermarkket that has everything . All you need is a big trolley, a car and lots of bags afterwards. She is having family over -25 people for dinner - huge quantities of food that I'm so not used to, but we did it , and then afterwards drove out to have lunch at Plå Porten, where I gave he her pressie and hand crafted card.

On the way back I got out at Kungstdrädgården covered in pink blossoms. Walked around and snapped.m away . will share later

Now relaxing with a chilled glass of chardonnay ..mmmmm *cheers* and Happy Birthdays !

xx

Shopping for birthday presents is always more enjoyable on a bright and sunny day.
Took the train to Stadshuset and walked up Hantverkargatan , guided by Ove from the beyond. This used to be Ove's part of town and he was a good shopper. Finding the right shop and the right present for the Prof was easy. Thanks Ove . I'm not saying what it is , yet, but I think

Stopped for a coffee and sandwich , perched on a bar stool in the window of a café and watched passers by and then walked into town towards the central station.

"A human being is a part of the whole, called by us ‘Universe,’ a part limited in time and space. He experiences himself, his thoughts and feelings as something separated from the rest - a kind of optical delusion of his consciousness. This delusion is akind of prison for us, restricting us to our personal desires and to affection for a few persons nearest to us. Our task must be to free ourselves from this prison by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature in its beauty. Nobody is able to achieve this completely, but the striving for such achievement is in itself a part of the liberation and a foundation for inner security."

-- Albert Einstein

I consulted the Tripple Goddess for you - here's a birthday message , one of STRENGTH:

By giving away food we get more strength. By bestowing clothing on others we gain more beauty. By donating abodes of purity and truth, we acquire great treasures. --Buddha

Soul Message:

Mountain Pride with noble beauty, teach me to honor my responsibility, to walk my talk and with love impart, to follow my journey, a Path with Heart. �Isha Lerner (from The Power of Flowers)

The step into �Strength� is a true test of character for the individual. How will you use your power?
How will you use your will?
As you step into the world of conscious living, you must move beyond the limitations of the past and begin to engage with the skills and attributes of self-mastery.

The Earth Mother:

With the Strength card, you are invited into the shrine of the Earth Mother, where the strength and integrity of the Divine Feminine is stored, vitalized, and regenerated. Strength is born from the heart. Her mission is to refine the nature of humanity, magically opening to the possibility of right relationship with the world.

Everyday Encounters:

There are many ways to strengthen your attunement to the earth, as well as to your life path or destiny. Take walks in the mountains. Meet the wild woods and let the wind caress your skin. Get down on your hands and knees and behold the virgin budding of the first spring flowers. Lie on your back on the bare earth and watch the Moon rise and set. Let Earth nourish you.

http://www.ishalerner.com/home/is1/reading_goddess_main.html

Have a WONDER- Full day !

I've just paid bills and confronted my finances, tension in my stomach shallow breathing, heart beating faster, uncomfortable feelings I don't want to label.
I 've learned that breathing through these feelings dissipates them when I connect to my centre of peace and calm.

Panic or anxiety strikes me often in connection with finances. The fear of loss. Pan .. yes , that trickster. It's where our word " panic " comes from.

In Greek mythology Pan , a mischievous forest sprite, lives in the lonely stretches of wilderness outside the cities. One of Pan's favourite diversions is to torment passers by . Pan lies in wait, hiding in the bushes, waiting to surprise and pounce on his unsuspecting victims. As the traveller passes by, Pan rustles the bushes startling the traveller. After several rustlings , the traveller begins to get worried and very soon , his anxiety becomes a full grown panic - attack . The Greeks recognized the phenomenon of "fight-or-flight" reactions prompted by illusory triggers. Today I / we die several illusionary deaths before the other shoe actually drops, if it does indeed drop.

Today , in my own way , I am making friends with Pan. Maybe we'll go out for a drink together at lunchtime. He's not that bad when you get to know him

This is from the daily guru , www.thedailyguru.com

"As long as you don't forgive, who and whatever it is will occupy rent-free space in your mind."

-- Isabelle Holland

We cannot avoid daily resentment and thoughts of guilt. They are a part of human nature. What we can do is release their grip on us. We can forgive others and ourselves daily.

Forgiveness requires nothing in return. There are no conditions. It gets rid of old baggage and clears up unfinished business. It leads us to a life of authenticity, lightness and directness. Forgiveness is the highest form of letting go of resentment and ego.

True forgiveness is more than an apology, understanding and acceptance. There is an element of recreating and re-imagining. There is a need to envision ourselves as more loving, interdependent, courageous and compassionate. Forgiveness requires honouring the sacred journey of learning about life - our life and others'.

"Whatever we have done, we can always make amends for it without ever looking back in guilt or sorrow."

-- Eknath Easwaran

Lovers may die , but their memory lives on .
Long live Love.

Mughal - e- Azam , a film re-telling a popular Indian tale, previously filmed as Loves of a Mughal Prince (1928) and Anarkali (1953). It is loosely based on an episode in the life of the Mughal prince Jahangir, also known as Salim. In the film , the great conqueror Akbar and his Rajput wife, Jodhabai only have one son, the weak and pleasure-loving Jahangir, or Salim,who falls in love with Anarkali a slave and court-dancer. He wants to marry her; his father objects, and throws Anarkali into prison. Anarkali refuses to reject Salim. Salim revolts against his father, is beaten in battle, and sentenced to death. Anarkali buys his life with her own and is condemned to be walled up alive. However, Anarkali's mother begs for Anarkali's life, reminding the emperor of his promise to one day grant her wish (as she was the first person to inform the Akbar that he finally had a son) and the emperor relents. Anarkali is said to have been killed, but the king arranges for her secret escape into exile.

Waking up took several hours today.
Body feels heavy without strength
Voice in head nags " come on get up , you've slept long enough "
I don't want to miss the day , but on the other hand, if I need sleep I need sleep. It is important to listen to the body. The body never lies.

Checking email I am captivated by Alexander K's. note on Facebook Sufi type message " communication as unconditional discourse " Sorbets- a concept that borderlines on the tip pf the erotic yet retreats inches into the platonic . Included was the youtube video clip Mughal E Azam- kathak I watched enchanted , mesmerised by the words , music and dance.

At same time I am flooded with feelings of overwhelm, gratitude, panic , greed, helplessness, empowered and disempowered at the same time. All this is available.. and there is so little time. How can I do it all ? I want to do it all.. see , hear , digest it all , assimilate it all.....

Dream I have two students. We are studying a French text translated into English. It could be Madame Bovary or Moliere. To be honest , I haven't prepared properly. I haven't read the text, but I am pretending , bluffing and improvising my way through.

I ask them a question and there is silence. No response. Instead of allowing the silence and perhaps just repeating the question , I try to elicit the answer out of them. Finally one of them tells me that I have not made things clear for them and they don't understand. I am a bad teacher. They don't understand me.

Actually - this is the way I feel sometimes asking Life: " What do you want from me ? "

I think the dream means that I don't understand my own thinking sometimes. Prehaps the key is to stay in the SILENCE and await the answers.

Hope you are all enjoying " humping " , I men Wednesday being the hump

P.S. Mr and Mrs Pidge are still around on the balcony

Waking up slowly today, because I can.My nose is more or less unblocked and less snotty largely thanks to the couple of glasses of red wine last night, I think.

I've had my hot water , psyllium seeds and crushed flaxseeds and have been reading emails and messages on facebook.

One of my friends on facebook has written a long reply to someone in response to his comment :

"wow man u really love yourself didn't realize you had so many profile pics"

I think my friend's point was that you should love yourself and displaying photos of yourself was one way.

I start to ponder away , as is my wont .........

....... yes his pictures are beautiful, dramatic, artistic. I didn't see any there of bad hair days ... or just after getting up in the morning after a wild party the night before .. or with a stinky cold ... or when depressed, sad, grumpy , irritable etc

It's hard to love those shadow sides of ourselves, isn't it ?

I am not friends with the camera. I don't like pictures of myself even though I have invested quite a lot of time learning to love myself. I don't think the camera has been very fair only capturing my ugliness and not the beauty of who I am Or , maybe I simply cannot see it Ah well . My friends also say " that's not you " .

Some people are really good friends with the camera and look great on photos. Since getting my digital camera last year , I have lots of photos of people and two of my soul sisters are very good subjects. They have such expressive faces.

I'll stop there , I think

MY DNA IS COPYRIGHT ( from Dave )

An open letter to ALL the Governments of the World

From a concerned and ( JUST ABOUT STILL FREE ) member of the Human Race on planet Earth.

My ‘ Biometric Data ‘ is unique to me, and I am the Copyright owner of my facial features, finger prints, iris pattern, DNA profile and signature.

No part of this information may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without my permission.

I am willing to allow occasional access to these items, but a charge will be made, typically £ 1000 upwards per item each time they are made use of. Finger prints count as TEN ITEMS.

Signed --- Mira Maze

On reflection, this has been a rich and emotionally intense weekend and I am so grateful.

On Saturday , G allowed me to be grumpy for an hour or so , and when the grumpiness left because it was not being fed, it left and died leaving a space for creative flow , inspiration and joy.

On Sunday ,however, too many dense pain-bodies in one place resulted after a while in turbulence and drama.

I've learned a lot Now the gory dream I had a few days ago makes sense.Something has to be sacrificed, fragmented , chopped up before it becomes nourishment for body and soul. " It is a sign of awareness of what is going on " says H, my therapist." you are now aware of something that was previously hidden.

I will have a glass of wine now and an early night tonight, excuse me while I kiss the sky and catch you all later

Pain-bodies love intimate relationships and families

Pain-bodies love intimate relationships and families because that is where they get most of their food. It is hard to resist another person's pain-body that is determined to draw you into a reaction. … The other person's pain-body wants to awaken yours so that both pain-bodies can mutually energize each other" (p. 148, A NEW EARTH , Eckhart Tolle ).

From the online course :

Pay attention to how your pain-body interacts with another's pain-body (be it that of a friend, lover, co-worker, family member or anyone with whom you have a close relationship). In those moments, notice how hard it is to resist another person's pain-body that is determined to draw you into a reaction. List a few instances when another person created negativity or drama in order to evoke a reaction. Then, list a few instances when you did the same to a person in your life.

I am aware of how people can see to create negativity every . I am aware of thisin family reunions and intimate gatherings with close friends, like this weekend.

All our pain bodies wake up. we talk about the past and trigger each other. In my family it is my mum and I who push each others buttons, though I did notice a change this time. I could disidentify and not get dragged into the drama.

A negative emotion is any "emotion that is toxic to the body and interferes with its balance and harmonious functioning. Fear, anxiety, anger, bearing a grudge, sadness, hatred or intense dislike, jealousy, envy—all disrupt the energy flow through the body, affect the heart, the immune system, digestion, production of hormones, and so on"

(p. 136 A NEW EARTH by Eckhart Tolle)

The next time you notice that you are in the grip of a negative emotion, become still and pay attention to the way your body feels. See if you can locate the negative emotion in your body. Perhaps your heart is beating fast, your jaw is tense or your belly is tight. By being present with your body, you can allow the negative emotion to dissipate instead of reacting to it.

Talking and complaining about a person who is not there can be a way of skirting or avoiding your own issues; in other words , avoidance techniques.

When you feel tired, exhausted drained after a meeting with someone or a group of people. What is all that about ?

It is easy to think that someone or something is responsible and easy to blame someone for being an " energy vampire " but is it true ?

Who has this power to drain ? Is it possible for someone to drain you of energy or , is it true that no one or nothing can drain you unless you allow them to ?

Who has the power ?

I'm thinking that if I feel my energy being depleted or draining out of my body, then there must be a reason for it. There must be something that has triggered this reaction. The draining comes in response to a thought,thoughts or emotions;

Energy vampires are projections. They are the belief that someone else is responsible.

Having said that though, by paying attention to the people who seem so draining,you might discover something you need to address.

The alarm clock went at 9 :00 this morning and I was far too sleepy to react.

Nose is still partly blocked. I feel very snotty.

In my dream .....I meet a south American woman with dartk curly hair who told me things and a tall blond man who wanted a date - we could go and check out the photo shop or something .

It's a bright and sunny day, I think I can hear the pigeons on the balcony.

Received a text message from J,

Today I am feeling sleepy, relaxed, hazy because of blocked nose and calm

It's been a long day and I'm exhausted.

My meeting with soul sisters was bitter sweet.Celebrating J's birthday was fun , but sharing emotional stuff was the heavy exhausting bit. "Pain- bodies " tend to awaken when close friends get together. Our meetings have a tendency to go deep, which is great but also demanding. Challenging.

G's and Jn's house is so beautiful overlooking the Baltic and now that they are splitting up we won't be meeting there any more. Sad. So many memories - but time for new ones , I suppose. Summers especially were glorious out there. Ah well ....

All for now .. night night Blogland sweet dreams

Good moaning , possoms!
It's raining ah well ...'
Have to be out of the house in less than half an hour and I'm stuck here blogging and answering emails.

Talk later - hope your fanatastic weekend continues .. with love and ease

xxxx

What gives you pleasure ?

For me it can be simple things. Here's my list for here and now :

- homemade bread dipped in really good extra virgin olive oil
- certain colours together ; turquoise and orange , magenta , orange , pink and yellow , gold on cobalt blue ....
- a hot bath
- slipping into bed naked after a hot bath
- a glass or two of favourite red wine , especially when thirsty
- glass of hot water first thing in the morning
- a massage ; Indian head massage, classic massage , shiatsu , reflexology .....
- a café alongé and croissant at a favourite café , especially one with a good view or atmosphere, alone or together with a good friend
- inspiring conversation; emotional sharing , exchange of ideas, opinions , new thoughts arising.
- being able to help someone by giving the name and number of doctor, hairdresser, dentist
- postcards or email messages from friends
- one's child saying " thank you ..... "
- synchronicity ; thinking of someone and then receiving a call from them or a visit.
- discovering i-photos on Mac and seeing what it can do !
- spending a weekend of pleasure away with a lover, involving a stay at a hotel preferably somewhere neither has been before .
- finding a bargain
- hearing a secret or sharing a secret
- a day spent with good friends
- blogging ; every day is a fresh day, no telling where it will lead :YES:

Met Gunilla in Gamla Stan this morning to get a present for Jill. We are meeting tomorrow to celebrate her birthday.

Went for a coffee and then walked from Gamla Stan into Hötorget to get some wine and then home again.

I've learnt how to add photos to the photo library in MacLappy, press and button and it plays them all back in a slide show..... to music , no less. Amazing. It feels professional... all arty farty like

I thought I'd make a start on cleaning my balcony today and found to my surprise that Mr and Mrs Pigeon have made their little makeshift nest there. Just look at those two little eggs.

* sniffs all teary eyed * we are going to be parents .

Today I feel blank.
Nothing much to say.
My left nostril is blocked.
Thinking is an effort.
I feel like just sitting and staring into space.

"We need people in our lives with whom we can be as open as possible. To have real conversation with people may seem like such a simple, obvious suggestion, but it involves courage and risk."

-- Thomas Moore

I've seen the new crescent moon through my kitchen window.
She is high up in the sky - a beautiful silver crescent.

Blessed be !

Tiresias was once watching two snakes copulating, and when he wounded the female he was turned into a woman; but later he saw the same snakes copulating again, and having wounded the male, he was transformed into a man.

Tiresias remained a woman for seven years, and became a man again in the eighth. It is told that when Zeus and Hera once disputed whether the pleasures of love are better enjoyed by women or by men, they referred to Tiresias for a decision on account of his knowledge of both sides of love. Tiresias then told them that

"Of ten parts a man enjoys one only, but a woman enjoys the full ten parts in her heart." [Apollodorus, Library 3.6.7]

For this utterance, they say, Hera blinded him, but Zeus bestowed on him the power of a seer.

The sun is shining. Today is a good day. I've slept well and long and had a weird dream.. the weirdest yet.. one that my therapist will love It's a gory one and I've written it down , but I'm not sure I am going to post it here.

I've spent the past half hour so trying to think of weird facts about myself. Not long ago , we did 100 facts , but what are weird facts ? Hard to think of something that is weird

Feeling a bit peckish now .. ta ta for now

What a way to start a day in Blogland

the Rules -
1. Link to the person's blog who tagged you.
2. Post these rules on your blog.
3. List seven random and/or weird facts about yourself
4. Tag seven random people at the end of your post and include links to their blogs.
5. Let each person know that they have been tagged by posting a comment on their blog.

Ok , so here's my 7 :

1 I didn't have my haircut until I was 14

2 I discovered I was addicted to persimons , sharon fruits a few weeks ago, before that I'd never tasted them. Odd. Now I even prefer them to chocolate

3 When I was little I would only eat egg whites, not the yolks.

4 According to our family tree, I might be distantly related to the Swedish prime minister.

5 I really dislike loud and sudden noises. When I was little I was afraid of the vacuum cleaner, pneumatic drills and the machine that sucks out drains.I will not go outdoors on New Years Eve because I hate bangers and dislike loud noises.

6 I've sat in a police station in Morocco

7 I've slept under a bridge in Switzerland.

Right .. now I tag ,

adamantixx
ajnspencer
amaletska
jaketaylor
ArtemisToxia
BlogmasterPg
blumoon
nearlyeddie

I think this book has finally been published in English. It's the only one of Paulo's books that I haven't read yet.

X

See mermaidstale blog ;

http://awritingplace.blog.co.uk/2008/04/09/the-veil-is-lifting-4021461

"This is the 21st Century pretending or lies cannot work"
Dalai Lama

This is true. Time for the oppressed to break free. I'm thinking of another quote :

"When I despair, I remember that all through history the ways of truth and love have always won. There have been tyrants, and murderers, and for a time they can seem invincible, but in the end they always fall. Think of it--always."
Mahatma Gandhi
Indian political and spiritual leader (1869 - 1948)

Thank you for posting this Merm

X

As John Lennon Warned...

" Pleasure is the mechanism that connects all aspects of ourselves, our
senses and our body, our mind and our brain. Right now, consider what is
on your mind most of the time. Ralph Waldo Emerson pointed out that
'Life consists of what a man is thinking of all day.' Is your mind
crowded with obligations, pressures, needs, wants, aspirations, planning
for the future, trying to do more, and have more?

When you jog, do you think about the wonderful scenery or your latest
work challenge? When you eat, do you discuss family problems or the
taste and texture of the food? When you take a vacation to 'get away
from it all', what is the 'all' you are getting away from? Does the
'all' stay on your mind? Why do you want to get away from it? Are
vacations an escape from your own way of living- brief pleasure
probations from a life sentence of obligations?

As John Lennon warned:

IS YOUR LIFE WHAT IS HAPPENING WHILE YOU ARE MAKING OTHER PLANS?
If so, your mind has been 'Westernized' and your indigenous 'pleasure
mind' is being neglected."

--Paul Pearsall, The Pleasure Prescription

withy thanks to David for this post

We had snow this morning too m butg it's all gone now. More on the way , they say.

Spent an hour sorting out clothes and bric- a- brac for the charity shop.Lots of bags accumulating now in my hall.

Listened to Paul McKenna's " Change your life in 7 days " CD which didn't play on my old portable CD but worked fine on the old CD from the 80s which is now hooked up to the speakers in the living room. McLappy wasn't having any Paul McKenna either. It's almost 3 years since I first did this " programming " of my subconscious , inspired by my friend Riz , who was also doing it at the time. Now whenever I listen to this CD , it reminds me of other shananigans linked to that time the Pavlov effect

Also, just out of curiosity checked out Paul McKenna's courses- no prices mentioned ar all on his homepage and the " more info " thingy didn't work either. Odd.

Ah well .. mpving on .. catch you later

It'a been a long day. I'm falling asleep here on the sofa. while watching House.

I feel satisfied that I've done what I could today
While my smalls tumble around in the drier and I'm off to bed .

Peace zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

It's early for me.
Heck of a racket going on outside. Roads being cleaned or something ? It's a very loud hummmmmmmmm.

I'm airing my space and waking up.
Too many thoughts in my head at the moment- one huge " to do" or " could do " list. It's all getting on top of me. Happens from time to time and it makes me want to SCREAM because it is bothering me and I want it all done NOW.

Ah well , best get started on the list

have a good one !

" When dealing with people who seem very unconscious, it helps to remember that everyone must find their own way to awakening, and that the experiences they are having are an essential part of their process. Holding them in the glow of our energy may be the best way to awaken theirs. At the same time, we are inspired by their example to look within and shed light on our own unconscious places, sacrificing the urge to judge and surrendering instead to humble self-inquiry. "

This is an excerpt from the new DailyOM Book.
http://www.dailyom.com/cgi-bin/display/printerfriendly.cgi?articleid=13325

TIPS ON FUELING YOUR CAR from Sandy, via David.

I don't know what you guys are paying for petrol.... but here in Durban we are also paying
higher, up to R7.35 per litre. But my line of work is in petroleum for about 31 years now,
so here are some tricks to get more of your money's worth for every litre.

Here at the Marian Hill Pipeline where I work in Durban , we deliver about 4 million
litres in a 24-hour period thru the pipeline. One day is diesel the next day is jet fuel,
and petrol, LERP and Unleaded. We have 34-storage tanks here with a total capacity of
16,800,000 litres.

Only buy or fill up your car in the early morning when the ground temperature is still
cold. Remember that all service stations have their storage tanks buried below ground. The
colder the ground the more dense the fuel, when it gets warmer petrol expands, so buying
in the afternoon or in the evening....your litre is not exactly a litre. In the petroleum
business, the specific gravity and the temperature of the petrol, diesel and jet fuel,
ethanol and other petroleum products plays an important role. A 1-degree rise in
temperature is a big deal for this business. But the service stations do not have
temperature compensation at the pumps.

When you're filling up do not squeeze the trigger of the nozzle to a fast mode. If you
look you will see that the trigger has three (3) stages: low, middle, and high. In slow
mode you should be pumping on low speed, thereby minimizing the vapours that are created
while you are pumping. All hoses at the pump have a vapour return. If you are pumping on
the fast rate, some of the liquid that goes to your tank becomes vapour. Those vapours are
being sucked up and back into the underground storage tank so you're getting less worth
for your money.

One of the most important tips is to fill up when your tank is HALF FULL. The reason for
this is, the more fuel you have in your tank the less air occupying its empty space.
petrol evaporates faster than you can imagine. Petroleum storage tanks have an internal
floating roof.

This roof serves as zero clearance between the petrol and the atmosphere, so it minimizes
the evaporation. Unlike service stations, here where I work, every truck that we load is
temperature compensated so that every litre is actually the exact amount.

Another reminder, if there is a fuel truck pumping into the storage tanks when you stop to
buy, DO NOT fill up--most likely the petrol/diesel is being stirred up as the fuel is
being delivered, and you might pick up some of the dirt that normally settles on the
bottom.

Hope this will help you get the most value for your money

I'm not a driver myself , but I know many of you are

"If you wish to know the mind of a man, listen to his words."

-- Chinese Proverb

Thank goodness this only applies to men

X

Sitting here , freshly showered and shampooed drinking my morning glass(es) of hot water and waking up. This hot water thing started three decades ago when I was pregnant, Felt the right thing to do and continued till this present day. I love it. Have later learned that yogis do it too to flush out the system or something. Came naturally to me But we all know by now about my wackiness.

I am thankful there is no snow today.
I am thankful for my lovely home.
I am thankful for my leisurely mornings.
I am thankful for my wireless broadband. It's been a week now and all is well.
I am thankful for my health
I am thankful for the " A NEW EARTH " course that I'm doing.This week we are breaking free of the pain- body . WOooo hooo . That'll be something
I am thankful for a heartfelt message from Snakeblood ( a dormant friend on my list who actually introduced me to blog.co.uk ) He reminded me about a PaulMcKenna quote

"Life lives us , breathes us ; we're there for the ride. "

I am thankful for so many things. Thank you , thank you , thank you Universe for these and all my blessings.

Happy Monday , everyone

The moon is waxing.
A good time for beginnings.

Me I made a start on my balcony . A wee bit of gardening. Watering and turning the dry soil, and getting rid of dead stuff.Will be interesting to see if anything starts to grow. So far the chives have survived and thyme.

I also noticed that the amorous pigeons have left a few deposits I wish they'd do their business in the pots. Good fertiliser, isn't it ?

Bought basil , coriander and parsley and potted those too - but they will be indoors for now. Basil is very sensitive but it seems to like the kitchen window.

AND .. I made a zucchini and aubergine lasagna :ye: It was delicious. I put spinach and basil in the bechamel sauce and several different kinds of cheeses, with mozzarella on top. Next time , I 'll finely chop the spinach though.About 5 or 6 lunches left. Will portion up and freeze.

I really surprised myself tonight by choosing persimons( sharon fruit ) instead of chocolate. I don't know what it is - I can't get enough of them... the consistency, texture, taste ... mmmmmmmmmmm

Night night all peace zzzzzzzzzzsweet dreams

High achievement always takes place
in the framework of high expectation.
You'll always hit what you aim for in the long run.
So why not aim high?

Have the courage to follow your dreams.
It's the first step towards attaining your destiny.

If you can dream it, you can do it.
If you don't have a dream,
how are you going to make it come true?

The empire of your future resides in your mid.
Big thinking precedes big achievement

From wwww.thedailyguru.com

So why not aim high? ??? fear of disappointment? what?
I wonder what it is. I intend to practice aiming high

If you want happiness, give it away. If you want love , give love.

*Good moaning* says Mira in best Inspector Cluseau .. I was just pissin' by the the duuuur .....

Cloudy Sunday here but then we've had a beautiful week of sunshine and blue skies , so not to complain. No snow , and lots more daylight.

Spoke to mum in Idle, Bradford and she's not a happy camper

It's the hole in the wall business again that started last year. Idiots next door drilled right through thick Victorian house walls to mum's dining room wall resulting in a big hole

Sister No. 2, Mrs B, has been helping her all year writing letters and making phone calls to the neighbour's landlord ....registered letters, no replies, ignored phone calls, nonchalance .. it's been going on for nearly a year now. and still no joy.

Things improved somewhat when mum went to the citizen's advice bureau and the landlord agreed to repair the damage and wallpaper both alcoves. While I was there , a month ago , mum and I chose wallpaper and gave all the details to the landlords reps- Julie and Stephen.

Last week, man came along to repair hole. Mum removed all precious glass and china and from furniture near the alcoves so it would not be damaged. , which is quite a task since sho has not much sensation in her fingers and hands and has problems gripping.

Man was there 3 hours , stripped wallpaper and repaired the hole. Mum calls in friend, Mr B , retired builder to inspect the work done and give professional opinion. Mrs B looks , taps on wall and finds that " repaired " hole is not repaired, sounds hollow when tapped,

:::: .. that's me feeling outraged and defensive.They think they can get away with it

Now, further phone calls to landlord, messages have been left and no reply. Nonchalance again. What now ? Any ideas ?

Stockholm Top Attractions for visitors to Miraland and anyone else who might be interested

http://www.stockholmtown.com/templates/page____14858.aspx

Vasamuseet (The Vasa Museum)
The impressive warship Vasa sank on her maiden voyage in 1628 but was salvaged 333 years later in 1961. She has since been restored and can now be seen with her complete lower rigging at the Vasa Museum - the only museum of its kind in the world. »

Skansen (Open-Air Museum)
Skansen, the world’s oldest open air museum, was founded in 1891 and features some 150 cultural and historic buildings from all over Sweden. With a zoo featuring wild and domestic Nordic animals, Skansen is the place for traditional annual festivities, markets and folk dance displays. You can learn all about traditional Swedish folklore here at Skansen. »

Gamla Stan (The Old Town)
The historic center of Stockholm is renowned for its narrow cobblestone alleys, beautiful houses, boutiques, restaurants and sights. Explore the Old Town on your own or join one of the many guided walks.

Kungliga Slottet (The Royal Palace)
The Royal Palace is the official residence of His Majesty the King of Sweden. Completed in 1754, it is one of the largest palaces in Europe. Most of the Palace is open to the public, such as the State Apartments, the Royal Armoury and the Treasury. »

Stadshuset (The City Hall)
The City Hall is one of the best known landmarks in Stockholm and the city’s administrative and representative center. The Blue Hall hosts the world famous Nobel Prize Banquet every year, followed by a ball in the Golden Hall. Guided tours daily. »

Moderna Museet (Museum of Modern Art)
Designed by one of the world’s most distinguished contemporary architects, Rafael Moneo, The museum houses one of Europe’s finest collections of modern art. »

Nationalmuseum (The National Museum of Fine Arts)
Sweden’s largest art gallery with collections of paintings and sculptures, drawings, engravings and handicrafts also features a permanent exhibition of Swedish design. Works by Sweden’s foremost painters as well as Rembrandt, Rubens, Goya, Renoir, Degas and Gauguin. »

http://www.stockholmtown.com/templates/page____14858.aspx

for general information see also :

http://www.stockholmtown.com/Default.aspx?epslanguage=EN

So, here's my day in pictures, more or less.A tourist in my own town

Took the tube to Fridhemsplan and had a look around the shops there before taking the No 2 bus into Hötorget ( " Haymarket" ) to but some fruit and veggies. I love the colours,sounds and smells of a market.The concert hall is in the background , that's the building with the statues.

After the market I thought I'd check out the Adlon hotel where my blogland visitors will be staying and after that walked up Drottning gatan to an Italian café that has really good coffee. Had a sandwich there too , but there's no pic of that because I scoffed it tout de suite as by this time I was quite peckish

Almost next door to the cafe is a shop that sells Belgian chocolate s so had to pop in there for " dessert " . The shop assistant there kindly gave me a very nice posh bag for my veggies that were trying to escape from their flimsy plastic bag from the market.

Next stop, Odenplan where I met up with Anna-Stina for a drink at Molly Malones and then walked with her to St Eriksplan which is where she lives . From there hopped onto the bus , one stop to Fridhemsplan, where I did some grocery shopping  and then took the train home.

The slope next to the steps outside my tube station looks very pretting with all the little blue flowers

The End .

off out into town

Tata for now

Happy Saturday ... enjoy

X

There is a Zen saying, “ Snow falls , each flake in its appropriate place. This is the order of things and then there is chaos. In my life there is both order and chaos. There is form and there is formless. What is more comfortable ? What is more acceptable?

I’ve come to realise that I feel better in chaos than I do in order, even though I’m always trying to get order into the chaos. There is , or used to be , a thought in me that chaos is somehow “ bad “ or “ wrong”. Not any more.

The higher order emanates from the formless realm. There is an incomprehensible order.

At first glance , my home , my life look like chaos because there is an order that cannot be understood by the mind. Today , something happened as I was waking up . I let go of thought and in the stillness of my mind experienced the sacredness of my chaotic home. The “ mess” is not mess at all. It is beautiful and sacred. Each thing, item of clothing is where it is because “ snow falls , each flake in its appropriate place “. It is the evidence of my movement and thought throughout the day and throughout the week. I could see the hidden harmony that is sacred and lovable. I am very much part and participant of this chaos and it feels so exhilarating , so exciting.

The pigeons did not wake me up this morning. It's a glorious, sunny spring day and I'm moving slowly. There's a nagging voice inside ... " it's a lovely day today and you're still indoors .. get a move on .. you should be outside on a day like this "

Oh really ?
All that is doing is making me feel guilty as I do the exact opposite . enjoying taking my time , thinking , writing , having a leisurely breakfast.

Watched a documentary about midwives and their work. Saw babies being born, straightforward births and more complicated ones. Found myself teary eyed and all emotional witnessing the miracle of birth and the little babies being born. The midwives were amazing, always present, caring and involved and mother treated with respect and care. As it should be.

Of course it made me remember my own " podding of the Prof " over 30 years ago now.Memories still fresh. I replay that " video " often.

I think I would have liked to have been a midwife in another life. In this lifetime it is the birthing of potential that is my concern .
Now I hear the pigeons

I cought sight of this lovely old tree in the courtyard of the newly built houses. I like the way they built round it .
Instead of going for a walk around the lake , I went the other way , down to canal, a stretch of water that goes right into Stockholm. It's a nice walk in the summer that brings you out to Karlberg Castle and takes about an hour and a half , the way I walk. I usually stop half way , high up on a hill where there are a few seats and a fabulous view. There's a small path that takes you down to a small beach where you can bathe. Since I am nowhere near " mountain goat " abilities and dislike cold water , I usually sit at the top , eat my packed lunch , sunbathe and admire the view. Today was lovely - bright and sunny and quite warm. Unfortunately I couldn't turn left at the canal because the area was cordoned off as there was construction work going on, so I turned right to have a look at flats that were built quite recently overlooking the water, with their own marina.No boats yet as they are all in dry dock. Afterwards called in at the ICA supermarket to pick up some fish - pangasius - or something like that - it's a lovely white fish that I like very much and you can't get it everywhere.

A new day, squeaky clean after shower and washed hair and eeling good. Has to be said.

Dreamed that Hans called me and when I woke up there was a gold envelope with an invitation to his 60th " rock " birthday party . Fun. I get to party like a rock star. Maybe I can pick up tips from my 4 visitors in May

Joined " i-think " on Facebook
Facebook doesn't have to be addictive. Blogland can be In fact , I have found that some things are addictive while they are new and a novelty and when that wears off , I am free to let go to focus on something else. It is a mistake to 'fear' addiction; the more you fear the more power the addiction has over you .Best to be aware , question and enquire , ask " is it so ?" and then answer truthfully. Awareness and choice.

Come to think of it - does anyone care what I think? I care what I think, but that what I think affects others .. is that true ? Maybe it is. Thoughts are powerful thinks. We share the same 'think tank' . and while I would like to say " i don't care what people think" I think I do

ah well .. enough thinking for now ... I'll leave that thought to fester for a while ...now I have an image of Uncle Fester in my mind

My belt is on the loosest notch and it feels tight.

It must be the maltesers

The effects of indulging don't hit immediately, but creep up slowly and then boom ! Too late.

Oh dear ... something has to be done .. but what ?

This is an " Awakening Exercise " for Chapter 6f " A NEW EARTH" the online course I am doing called " Breaking Free of the Pain-Body"
Adapted from Practicing the Power of Now: Essential Teachings, Meditations, and Exercises from The Power of Now (p. 111–117)

Accept whatever moment you are in.
Don't try to become free. Don't look for peace. Don't look for any other state than the one you are in now; otherwise, you will set up inner conflict and unconscious resistance. Instead, try these three exercises the next time you feel the arising pain-body:

* The moment you completely accept your nonpeace, your nonpeace becomes transmuted into peace. Anything you accept fully will get you there, will take you into peace. This is the miracle of surrender.

* When you accept what is, every moment is the best moment. That is enlightenment.

* You don't need to deceive yourself and say that there is nothing wrong with a particular unpleasant or undesirable life situation. It may be time for you to get out of it. If so, you can recognize fully that you want to get out of it. Then, narrow your attention down to the present moment without mentally labeling it in any way. No judgment, no resistance, no emotional negativity. Just the "isness" of this moment. Then you take action and do all that you can to get out of the situation.

Peace !

Still waking up from a dream at 12:00
nearly twelve hours of sleep.
I've been exploring in the dream world.
and have a collage of images still in my head:

Commenting on a black man's dry and boring presentation,
telling him that if he'd brought sexuality into it,
his speech would come alive and his message would sell;
because sex is life force.

Janet ( business partner in the 80s ) was in the dream, what does she stand for ? Our styles were so different, hers and mine. Opposites.
At the end of the dream Janet holds up a painting ,
a renaissance style painting ,
we see one thing and then she zooms in to focus on parts of the painting and we see other things.

Life is about paradoxes.

The WHOLE picture and the DETAIL,
the tiniest detail.
The Macrocosm and the Microcosm .

I wake up thinking of Blake's " to see a world in a grain of sand "
the Truth is all in there .
That's what it 's all about!
It becomes vital for me to write it all down ,
to capture it before it fades.
So, that is what I am doing now.
I feel as if I'm onto something
On the tip ... on the edge... of insanity or sanity ?

It feels exciting to see the bits of the puzzle come together To see a World in a Grain of Sand And a Heaven in a Wild Flower, Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand And Eternity in an hour. Life is a wonderful and shocking dream, full of paradox .We live in duality and yet we are ONE. To want to die , surrender, let go, go Home and yet to live, to stay , to hang on ,hold on and not let go.

Blake's poem continues and I focus on the last lines:

Man was made for Joy and Woe; And when this we rightly know Thro’ the World we safely go. Every Night and every Morn Some to Misery are Born. Every Morn and every Night Some are Born to sweet delight. Some are Born to sweet delight, Some are Born to Endless Night.

Hmmmmmm

"Hope", from Terence McKenna
by kaliyugashaktimama @ 2008-04-02 - 21:58:55

http://soulsearchingastrology.blog.ca/

It's a good one ! Thanks Kali

X

I've been playing around with "i photos" on Mac Lappy Drag and drop .... it's fun creating " Events " and " albums " and then Mac Lappy plays all these photos back in a slide show.....amazing. Lots to learn.

Talked to Ian on I chat and learned how to drag and drop piccies into the chat. Imagine

Tired now, and off to bed ..night night Blogland

Burt Harding is one of my favourite spiritual teachers.
*respect*

( from the newsletter)

Use your sharp-sightedness to make clear distinctions and wise choices.

Move forward with confidence in your inner compass.

Discernment is the recognition of the soul's impulse within our lives. It builds our intuitive ability to act with an awareness of the power that is concealed within the present moment. Discernment requires that we regularly take a personal inventory of our values, beliefs, past actions, present hopes, and future dreams.

We live our lives based on what we believe. Our actions are preceded by our beliefs. Our consciousness is reflected back to us. What we look for we will find. So, the question is 'where do our beliefs come from?'. I would guess the overwhelming answer is 'from what others have told us'. We have very few original thoughts that comprise our beliefs. As individuals, we are defined by assumptions that have been formed over generations.

But, what if we are more than this? What if we are powerful beings about to awaken from a long night of dreams? What if we are at a tipping point of illumination, on the verge of uncovering the deep knowing of our origin and with it the capacity to bring about global peace? What would it be like to feel our connection to the whole and choose our actions based on this as reality? How would you be different today? How would this realization influence your actions?
Our collective challenge and opportunity is to surrender the illusions that keep us cocooned in assumptions and limitations. And, like the caterpillar, dissolve into our imaginal selves and redefine the world envisioning a future that welcomes the butterfly.

We hope the Angel of Discernment will illuminate your life this month. May your heart and mind discern and embrace the presence of your soul.

©2008 InnerLinks Angel® Cards is a registered trademark of InnerLinks.
Please link to our site to sh are with your visitors.

ANGEL® Cards

... thought just came to me .. throwing snowballs at the moon .....

In my Dream last night , I 'm on a bus crossing a bridge.
Daylight. A bright and sunny day.
I press the button to get off and the bus slows down enough for me to get off before it reaches the stop and carries on its way.

I walk in the opposite direction of the bus , back over the bridge.
I look down and far below me is water and I can see fish swimming around in the water that look like goldfish.

I carry on walking and sit down by water.
A baby seal pops up .. really sweet ... big brown eyes and comes towards me , about to jump into my lap for me to stroke it , but then a woman appears and her little dog scares the little seal away.

As I start to talk to the woman a bee or could be wasp , with yellow and brown stripes settles on the inside of my elbow and looks as if it is about to nibble or sting. I shoo it away and notice it has left a white bubble the size of a small pea, which I squueze , white pus comes out leaving a clear wound.

I need a plaster, but the kiosk doesn't have one , but then I realise I have one at home so I get one and everything is alright.

THE END

I like to lie in bed and daydream in a state between dream and waking drifting in and out of ocnsciousness, allowing my mind to wander freely where it wants to go.

It's a bit like taking a dog for a walk and letting it off the leash.

Thoughts arise and at times I become the watcher of my thoughts, the witness. " Oh that was a good one,let's pursue that one " or " nasty thought, can't deal with you now , later .. come back later . My mind has been all over the place this morning.

Sample of thought:

" How are you today , mira ?" someone asks
( mira wants to reply honestly )
" I haven't made up a story about that ..yet... I can't tell you ."

Which leads to an " AHHA " feeling .

There's something in that thought.

It would be a lot easier just to say " I'm fine * and have done with it .

" fine " would honest... but not specific.
" Fine.. fine is like " nice " it doesn't tell me anything " they complain.

But yet .. " fine " us telling it as it is. Neutral. It is as it is , BEFORE I've made uo a story about how I am feeling , for myself and others.

So... how are you ?
What stories have you made up today , for yourself and others ?

TTFN

Sleep is good.
Sleep is nice.
Sleep now

peace zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

From David, 1 April ....Enjoy.

1. FREE -- Gmail Paper
http://mail.google.com/mail/help/paper/more.html

2. Technology retrieves sounds in the wall
http://www.ndtv.com/convergence/ndtv/story.aspx?id=NEWEN20070007398

" NDTV Correspondent
Scientists have developed a technology that can retrieve sounds and conversations that get recorded in the walls around us.

An Indian scientist and a software engineer have been working on the secret project for 17 years costing more than 255 crore rupees.
Their identities are kept secret for security reasons.
''Well, the methodology is in great demand by the Americans and in Europe it's worth billions of dollars,'' the scientist said.
''We have had kidnap threats, so we can only go public when our security is guaranteed''.

3. Google releases own-brand drinks
http://www.google.com/googlegulp/

"Quench your thirst for knowledge
At Google our mission is to organize the world's information and make it useful and accessible to our users. But any piece of information's usefulness derives, to a depressing degree, from the cognitive ability of the user who's using it. That's why we're pleased to announce Google Gulp (BETA)™ with Auto-Drink™ (LIMITED RELEASE), a line of "smart drinks" designed to maximize your surfing efficiency by making you more intelligent, and less thirsty."

4. Bush Cancels Space Shuttle Program
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/rocketscience-05o.html
" US President George W. Bush declared today that he had signed a rare Presidential Decree canceling any further expenditure of Federal funds on the US Space Shuttle program. . . . . "

I am on a roll.... and I also need sustenance, so , I've just had some French toast or Gypsy Toast as Mrs F calls it , Homemade bread from two days ago... absolutely delish !!!! Sometimes it's the simplest things that are the best .

I was writing a comment to znethru when it suddenly hit me .....

I'm running on reserves right now

....the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak.

I feel as if I am in one of those RARE creative states , when you simply can't get enough of the inspiration that is flowing in ?

It's as if the gates or portants are open and it's free access ... wanting to get as much as possible before the door closes again

Thing is I feel tired .. lack of sleep .. but I must keep going ... pressing on aliveness ....

The breeze at dawn has secrets to tell you.

Woken up 09:00 a.m. by phone call from the dentist's assistant telling me it was time to come for a check up. ( This after staying up all night to listen to the on- line seminar )

- When would you like to come ?
- I don't know . I'm tired . I'll let you know .
- When ? I have to write something in the journal

*thinks fxxx the journal ... leave me alone , you bully *

- I'll call back when I need to.

This after 4 hours of sleep.
My mind is awake again.
Al sorts of thoughts.
I may as well get up now

Yes it was interesting . It feels like staying up all night to revise for exams or finish work or a project to meet a deadline. I chose to stay up and watch the live broadcast of Eckhart Tolle's seminar on Chapter 5 : The Pain-Body. Why ? Because I can.

Throughout the seminar I kept thinking about all the Pain - Bodies that show themselves here in stories here in Blogland. Of course it is easier toi see another person's pain-body than to see my own . HA !

When our buttons are pressed- that's the pain-body showing itself.
The pain-body shows itself a LOT during family gatherings and as a result buttons get pressed, people get unconscious and arguments start, fights start. We 've all been there .. done that.

BEING PRESENT ...BEING AWARE .. has the power to dissipate the pain body ,
You can never win an argument with the pain body.

I have made lots of notes . I have a lot more to say, but now I am exhausted . I don't think I will do this again. In future I will listen to the recording when it suits me. Still, it was an experience. I need to sleep now. My brain has closed up shop . The muscles in my back and neck are tense from sitting at the computer all this time. I need rest . Sleep .

Night night