meaningless views 1

It is through my interaction with people that I noticed how much I have changed inside. I am not saying this to feel grand nor am I intimating that I am the only one who should feel this way. I believe that change is opened to any person who is willing to try to transform oneself.

I suppose questions such as “Why should I change? What is there to transform when at the final hour we will all die? Are these changes mere imaginations and snobbery?” Frankly, these questions are valid and one should not pursue any paths or teachings blindly. But I also believe that if we begin to inquire into the area of self-discovery whether directly or indirectly the first step has been initiated or a seed has been planted awaiting fruition.

From my experience no one person, event or thing can coerce another to change unless one is absolutely ready. The most vivid example I can provide is that the passing of someone would normally be a strong catalyst and motivating factor for a person who is intensely affected to alter certain ways of thinking and living. Very often the moaning party might feel that life is fragile and so nothing should be taken for granted especially loved ones and friends. This is the beginning of a realization whereby the vulnerability of the physical body could either push a person to seek pleasure endlessly or to awaken to a spiritual calling. And again, none of this would occur until the participant is in a state of readiness.

Many incidents collectively placed me in situations that prompted my choosing of a path that led to countless doorways. Stuck in the dark I willed myself to open a door, any door hoping for light to shine through. Most of the time I don’t even know what it is that I am desperately searching for and what am I running away from. Perhaps it is freedom from fear and anything created out of fear will collapse. In the beginning I read books, attended spiritual classes, meditation courses out of the need to know because I was afraid. My quest for knowledge led me to all sorts of discoveries that solidified in to a steel wall. I was locked in and grew dull. My spirit was terribly low that the way to go was to ascend and the other option was to stay tired, angry and frustrated.

I summoned enough courage to surface from intellectual isolation. It hurts and I felt battered. It was as if what I have done for years had gone to waste and I am a lost cause. Until one day I became aware that all actions that I took were provoked by fear. There must be another path and I asked for help. And assistance came in the form of books; my ally. I read and read volumes of books by Joseph Campbell, Alan Watts Krishnamurthi and Paulo Coelho among others. It is not that I am fearless now. I continuously have bouts of attacks whenever I venture into new territories but at any time that I do anything, speak a word or form a thought I ensure that I am creating out of love, compassion, abundance and integrity and not fear. The base that I operate from changed and my entire perspective shifted. There are times that I still act out of fear and I struggle with it every moment of the day. But what I make certain is that I am aware of my every single thought, action and inaction.

It is a long journey and all oceans are linked. There are seasons when the sail is rough and I go on for days without seeing land. There are times when I am tricked and dismayed. In all conditions despite the emerging fears and doubts, be responsible and do the best you can and never compromise on your integrity.

I am no better than any person and I am as vain and self-absorbed as the guy next to me. We are the same and yet special. We are different and yet identical. We are conditioned by the environment, culture, society, our background and education system. In this aspect we are comparable because we share the same type of training. However just as a turtle can’t understand why an eagle can fly one can’t truly understand another person who hails from a contrasting culture, environment and upbringing. In fact we can never decipher the mysteries of another person who is not us! We can empathize with and tolerate one another but always remember that we are not the other person. This makes us special because there is only one you but since everyone is special in his or her own way, it is no longer a unique trait. It is something that everyone can achieve and thus we remain the same.

We all come from the same source but this source has a wide spectrum of qualities like the colours of rainbow. Although we can clearly see seven distinctive colours, they originate from the same white light.

Brazilian Jazzing with Angelita Li

My music-loving friends and I spent a wonderful night at No Black Tie yesterday. We have yet to experience a live jazz performance but then this is already history as the talented Ms Angelita Li crooned a mixture of jazz-sambas-bossa novas hit that got us all swaying and captivated. Although the majority of the songs were in Portuguese, the language barrier did not prevent us from appreciating the soul of the music that filled our hearts with evocative sentiments.

It goes without saying that the soul of music comes directly from the performers. The performers yesterday night comprised of Angelita Li on vocals, the amazing Valtinho Anastasio and Steve Thornton on the percussions, Norman Rahman on the bass and JP on the piano, who belted out the most amazing rendition of Brazilian and English tunes. Jazz music is nothing without spontaneity and teamwork and we had ample of those that brought the house down.

I am very impressed with the skills and creativity of the master percussionists that could work their fingers faster than the speed of light on the bongos; getting every beat precisely at the right moment. Mr Anastasio could basically turn anything into a music instrument and he did just that! Showing off a rubber water hose that was tied together at the end, he swing it above his head at about three feet from the microphone like a cowboy looping his whip, it produced a subtle lashing sound that added to the crunchy Brazilian sound. A bunch of keys could be turned in to a chilling chime that calms the racing mind. Even the boring abacus was used like maracas. I take my hat off to this group of true musicians!

Of course, Ms Li kept the mood going with her perfect vocals, not missing a single note. She hiked the melodic octaves with ease and sang out the passion of the Portuguese melodies while bringing out the melancholic drama of English hits like “Ain’t Noboby” by Chaka Khan. What won the show for me was her performance of Rose Royce’s Wishing on a Star. It just clicked – her voice, the sounds of piano, bass and percussions, the slightly stuffy and smoky ambience – I died. It took me a while to bring myself back, to rearrange my thoughts and feelings. And thereafter, I experienced rebirth. Maybe this is a glimpse of living from moment to moment.

We all enjoyed ourselves very much at the show. And I am sure we will surely ask for more.

Thanks to Angelita for hanging out with us after show and for agreeing to take some photos with us. You rock, girl! Keep the music coming!

kalama sutra

"Rely not on the teacher/person, but on the teaching. Rely not on the words of the teaching, but on the spirit of the words. Rely not on theory, but on experience. Do not believe in anything simply because you have heard it. Do not believe in traditions because they have been handed down for many generations. Do not believe anything because it is spoken and rumored by many. Do not believe in anything because it is written in your religious books. Do not believe in anything merely on the authority of your teachers and elders. But after observation and analysis, when you find that anything agrees with reason and is conducive to the good and the benefit of one and all, then accept it and live up to it."

the Buddha

Transformers - More Than Meets the Eye

SPOILER: If you have not watched the movie, please do not continue reading.

“Bring the rain, Epps. Let’s kill all these things,” Captain Lennox said as Optimus Prime and Megatron fought their deadly combat in Mission City with Blackout about to ambush Prime. Epps wanted to protect the Autobots, what he calls the good guys and marked the bad guys Decepticons to be the target of the impending F22s. However the direct order from his captain was to wipe out everyone, good or evil.

The next scene follows by Lennox performing a heroic act of single handedly bringing down Blackout when he slid underneath the gigantic robot at high speed and shot him in the abdomen. The victorious expression on his face somewhat irritated me. Although he did save Prime’s life as there was no way for Prime to fight both Megatron and Blackout, the fact that Lennox’s original intention was to exterminate even Prime, made me feel uncomfortable. Something about Lennox’s actions scared me, I believe it was his ignorance, war mongering and triumph driven hormones.

On the other hand, Prime shielded the humans, risked his life and that of the survival of Cybertron because he didn’t want to harm others. His influential quotation, “Freedom is the right of all sentient beings”, sums up his entire mission. He wanted to prevent Megatron and the Decepticons from destroying Earth and he holds true to his motto at all times. Prime is an embodiment of integrity and compassion.

Lennox as the commanding officer chose to end the battle by demolishing the ones that sincerely protected and guarded humankind from destruction. It is a shameful act of cowardice and cruelty.

I know that it is only one small part of the movie whereby all Lennox did was to utter a simple sentence. But this is no mistake that he did. In our lives we have come across many people that resemble Lennox. They could be our parents, siblings, friends, colleagues and even children just as Lennox is someone’s son, a woman’s husband, a child’s father and a comrade to his battalion. He could beat another person because he is not of a certain race and gender just as he guns down an enemy at war. He might readily betray his teacher if by doing so would improve and promote his ranks because at the end of the day, he thinks of no one but himself. He has his personal goals to achieve and dreams to fulfill. I am sure we all do. But we must remember that there is always something greater and bigger than our goals and dreams.

Optimus Prime and the Autobots aspire to restore Cybertron, their home planet and they need the All Spark to do that. This can be said to be their goal and dream. However they never seek the All Spark at the expense of innocent lives except for the Decepticons whose aim is to conquer and destroy. With regard to the Decepticons, the Autobots have no choice but to engage them in battle. Although restoring Cybertron is important to Prime, there is something much more crucial and imminent; not to damage Earth and its inhabitants. The right to choose is the freedom of all sentient beings. This freedom, this right reigns over their personal goal.

Ultimately, in this vast Universe we are just one pale blue dot. If Lennox could forget about personal victory, he would probably see before him evidence and truths that this Universe has many unpeeled layers of consciousness, energy and life forms. It is not an invasion but an adaptation and an evolution for mankind.

There is always something more than meets the eye.

demanding love

Love and pity and wish well to every soul in the world;
dwell in love, and then you dwell in God.

-William Law

Loyalty is the quintessence of love. When two people tell
each other, "As long as you do what I like, I'll stay with
you, but as soon as you start doing things I don't like, I'm
packing my bags" - that is not love; that's convenience.
Loving somebody means that even when they trouble you, you
don't let yourself be shaken. Even when they are harsh to
you, you don't move away. Even when they make a mistake that
hurts you, you don't go off and make the same kind of
mistake to hurt them.


All of us are so liable to human error that unless we have
some capacity to bear with the errors of others, we will not
be able to maintain a lasting relationship, which is the
tragic situation that many people find themselves in today.
We should never settle for this unhappy state of affairs.

~Thought for the Day by Eknath Easwaran~

*******************************************

Wendy says: Many forsake love and take it for granted that when we are loved in return do we give ours. Love is treated as money, something we have earned through labour or something that we gain through the selling of skills. Therefore it is hard for us to love others freely without the seek of gratification and rewards. But love is not like money and it is definitely not money. We don't have to work 24 hours a day to produce love because love is in us all the time. All we have to do is to look within and feel its warmth overflowing that we have no choice but to share with others. This is true giving without demands and it is not just talk. It is possible as this is the law of nature. But it is sad that this natural flow of love is concealed by the very material and physical comfort that we mistakenly believe will make us happy. If we see and understand this paradox and the ridiculous joke that we play on ourselves and others, then we break the chains that bind us. It only takes 1 second for this awareness to arise but one life time to realise it.

Peace and love to you.

no photography

My friend and I ate Ichiban Boshi at Pavilion. It is a Japanese sushi joint, exactly like Sushi King and Genki Sushi with a rotating kaitan belt in the middle of the restaurant. The food is ok and the interior is pretty normal. Nothing to shout about.

Sometimes when we visit and ate at a place, we would normally take pictures of the restaurant and the food served and post them on our blogs to share them with others. This is what we did and for the first time in our lives we were stopped by either the manager or owner of the place.

Curious, my friend asked the guy WHY because at no other place have we been barred from taking photos. He firstly gave a rather dumb reply, "Ok. Let me give you an example. If you go to a private house for dinner, do you take pictures in there?" The answer is NO but Ichiban Boshi is not a private house. It is a public restaurant. Realising how stupid his explanation was he went on further to make himself right, "We used a lot of time to develop the concept of this place, so I hope that you understand."

Ok, fine, whatever their reasons are so be it. They should at least like my friend suggested put up a "NO PHOTOGRAPHY" sign outside the restaurant. But then again I wonder if they know the consequences of such actions. Many people celebrate birthdays, anniversaries and organise friendly gatherings at restaurants and it is important to take photos of such events. With the advent of camera phones, it is easy to take photos and therefore, people would because it is fashionable to do so. It is fun. So Mr. Ichiban Boshi, maybe you should reconsider your no photography policy.

Next, the reason that you gave us is very unreasonable and rude. In effect you have implied that we are attempting to use the photos illegally that may damage the reputation of the restaurant. You have angered you customers. Please try to understand that Ichiban Boshi is really not offering anything special. It is a kaitan belt sushi place and there are tons in KL alone. We are not appropriating any ideas or concepts that you claimed took years to develop. We are customers who WISHED to introduce your place to family and friends on our blogs and we take pictures to show them where we had lunch.

By the way, anyone can walk into the restaurant to learn about the interior and food menu with a few glances. There is no need for cameras.

Humanity Prevails. Free Burma!

Stand with the Burmese! Stand with Freedom!

This small act, no matter how minute, is what we bloggers can do in spreading the word and possibly safe 54 million people from the cruelty and ruthlessness of an oppressive government. Do your part to stop the killing. Post this banner ad and the message below on your blog and website. Thanks. Peace!

Dear friends,

The emergency petition to stop the crackdown on peaceful protesters in Burma is exploding, with nearly 500,000 signers from every nation of the world. But the situation in Burma remains desperate, with reports of hundreds of monks being massacred and tortured. Burma's rulers have also killed and expelled international journalists, cutting off global media coverage of their cruelty.

China is still the key - the country with the most power to halt the Burmese generals' reign of terror. Avaaz is delivering the message this week with a massive ad campaign in major newspapers, beginning Thursday with a full page ad in the Financial Times worldwide, and in the South China Morning Post. The strength of the ad comes from the number of petition signers listed – can we reach our goal of 1 million signatures this week? The link to sign the petition and view the ad is below, forward this email to all your friends and family!

http://www.avaaz.org/en/stand_with_burma/u.php

China continues to provide key economic and military support to Burma's dictatorship, but it has been openly critical of the crackdown. Now we need the government to match words with actions.The ad paints a powerful moment of choice for China in its relationship with the world – will it be a responsible and respected member of the global community, or will it be associated with tyranny and oppression?

People power, on the streets of Burma, and around the world, can triumph over tyranny. Our strength is in our numbers, spread the word!

With hope and determination!!!

For the best local reporting on the situation in Burma, try these links:

http://www.irrawaddy.org

http://www.mizzima.com

my favourite candy

Life is a journey and not a destination. Every step that we make doesn’t get us any closer to our goal because our goal shifts and changes with each step that we make. Therefore don’t take yourself too seriously although we must take every situation and responsibility seriously. So even when we fail, we know that we have tried our best and we will not feel defeated in spirit which would prevent us from moving along. And even If we succeed we will enjoy the fruits of our labour without the swelling of pride which would make heavy our moving along. Because for every second changes occur in all aspects. It is not something evil or good. It happens. Each moment is fresh and we must face and embrace it with an unpolluted mind; not burdened by success and failure of the past.

PS: The tile of this post has nothing to do with the content. Don't ask.

a sea of words

The softness of his hand caressed her skin. It was soft, like pressing your fingers against moisturized silk. She lifted him in the air and said, “My son! You are so beautiful.”

Have you ever thought that we can’t describe how soft is soft, without making reference to another object. We tend to make comparisons. We have touched the softness and tenderness of a baby’s hand but we can’t explain what kind of softness is that; unless we metaphorically relate it to another object that we have touched too. Maybe this is poetry. A fair maiden is akin to being white as snow. A voluptuous lady runs wild like a red hot flame. These could be ideas that have been fed to us since we are children. The books that we read, stories that we hear, conversations that we pick up from others, observations that we made about man and nature and movies that we watch, all influence our thoughts.

I think when we see a person or an object like a tree, we actually don’t see a tree or for that matter, the person. We see memories, ideas and metaphors that we have inherited. We see a tree and a name comes to mind. “Oh! It is an oak tree.” Perhaps it could stir a bad memory of crashing one’s car into a tree. It may invoke a feeling of a long lost first love whereby underneath the shades of the tree, it was a romantic hideaway for two.

When we see a face, we immediately label it. “She looks motherly. She reminds me of a bulldog. I hate him. He resembles my dad. Oh my god! I thought he was Brad Pitt!”

The mind is constantly attaching values, meanings and labels to everything and everyone because we are trained this way. We must have an answer to all questions. I suspect it is partly instigated by our desire for certainty and security. What we don’t know and can’t understand, must be bad. If we can’t find a meaning and reason within our very own private vocabulary as to why the man across the street performs his prayer in a particular way, more so when our limited understanding of spirituality dictates that there is only one version of god, we label our estranged neighbour evil.

The problem is that we always make comparisons and that is not the intention of poetry and religion. When a poet writes “The enchanting maiden is white as snow”, he means that the essence of the woman and the snow is the same; pure and innocent. It is a feeling that calls from the heart not a point of reference to be intellectualized. It means she is the snow and the snow is her. We must go beyond the original meaning of the words. Just like when we read any suggested divine and holy texts, we must go beyond the words and seek its true fundamental nature.

When a poet writes, he does not write about a woman that reminds him of snow. Neither is he comparing a woman to the snow nor is he saying that the touch of a new born baby is like touching silk. What he wishes to express is that the woman and the snow are the same. The baby and the silk are the same. Touching both makes him happy. Because when you compare, one is always better than the other. The woman is better than the snow. If you compare Tom and Harry, one is better than the other even when the mouth does not say it; the action of judging betrays all hidden agenda.

To accept a person and an object for what they are is the most difficult task ever to reach mankind. When it is to come naturally it has mutated in to a laborious chore. Maybe we are not aware that we are all connected to the same roots; well, perhaps the same consciousness.

The suspicion that can transform a human being

There is a German folk tale about a man who woke up to find that his axe had disappeared. Furious and convinced that his neighbour had stolen it, he spent the rest of the day observing him.

He saw that he acted like a thief, that he had a thief’s furtive way of walking and that he spoke in whispers like a thief trying to conceal his crime. He was so sure that his suspicions were correct that he decided to go back into the house, change his clothes and go straight down to the police station.

As soon as he went indoors, however, he found his axe, which his wife had moved from its usual place. The man went outside again and again studied his neighbour, and he saw that he walked, spoke and behaved just like any other honest man.

the unexplained

So be it. I am so tired. Really, very tired. I don't want to care and explain further.

The Mad Dragon is losing its fire.

humility

My Godfather told me repeatedly that a little knowledge is a dangerous thing. And it is true. Imagine the tourists that walked the Great Wall of China once claim to know everything about this country. One who has seen the London Bridge, taken a photo of the Big Ben and been inside a capsule of the London Eye assumes to have lived the English soil.

To learn and understand one subject deeply, takes years of dedication and hard work. It requires patience and many trial and error. It is a fault to always want to show how much we know about the things we love for when we truly know, talking about it makes it foolish. It is only one who knows very little would try to convince others that he is an expert. More so, he tries to hide from others and himself that he is actually only pretending to know. Much energy is wasted focusing on the wrong avenue. Instead it is wise to spend the energy in the actual study and practise of the subject of our interest.

When one is honestly sharing and passing knowledge and experience to others, it is like honey flowing down the throat; smooth, elegant and sweet. One is not doing a foolish act but is nourishing family and friends with wonderful tales and lessons. And in order for one to reach this level of high wisdom, one must firstly put the need to impress others aside. This only happens when one understands the purpose of our study. It is not to create fame and fortune but it is solely motivated by our undying passion and curiosity. We stop playing emotional games to want to control and manipulate others with our so-called knowledge. We genuinely give, take, share and compromise. Truly, this might not be the aim of an ambitious mind but it is the truth of a full-fledged life.

You might not leave a name in history but at least you have lived wholistically.

the scriptwriter

It is a flaw that I don't want things to finish, to come to a completion and the energy dies a frozen demise. But nothing lasts forever, change is part of nature. The stories that I write always contain a beginning, middle and end. Maybe I hope that as I create I can find the love I am looking for. It never happens the way I wish it to. I feel that as I put out complicated plots and conclude the fate of a sub-character, I killed a part of me. Maybe a part that is way over due for death.

If I keep focusing on what's been in the past and what has ended, then I won't see the glorious path above and before me.

thanks buddies

There are times when I feel scared and uncertain but nothing is more fearful than being alone in a totally new and challenging atmosphere. But when I look back, I see many pairs of strong hands supporting me the best way they can. And it gives me strength and confidence to march forward knowing that my good buddies will always stand by me. My heartfelt gratitude to each and everyone of you.

Even when things are chaotic, beneath the rough current, lays an unmoved root. Whatever the situation may be, it is always more than meets the eye. Go deeper and find love. Everything changes as nothing remains the same. Cherish the good times and learn from the bad. Remember that it is a vicious circle.

Focus out, Wendy and stay connected.

transforming destiny

I have the serenity to accept things that I cannot change

The power to change things that can

And the WISDOM to know the difference.

a child is lost

I watched Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix three times at the cinema. The reason being I like it despite the rather unfavourable reviews. Of course there are friends who commented that the fifth instalment of HP is boring and that it contained too much talking. In comparison to the first four films, it would appear that book five starts to dwell deeper into emotions and feelings. And I humbly believe that it has the elementary rudiments of infatuated young teenagers and their raging hormones making them go blind.

Building an army, amassing supporters and training for combats have always been associated with adults or at least with boys who have attained the age of majority. Watching Harry and his friends battling the Death Eaters somehow didn't click with many of the audience. HP is no longer fun to watch. It has become deadly serious. Our wide-eye hero is no more a child. And so he cannot rely on the defense of immaturity and ignorance. The audience starts to be less merciful with their judgement.

When Harry mourns the passing of Cedric Diggory, it becomes a dark psychological journey into the mind of a marked wizard. His fears, anger and hatred boil under the surface of his lily-white skin. He faces his own demons when Voldemort invaded his thoughts and for a while was in his Dark Lord's control until -alas- love and truth prevailed.

Yeah, I know I am nuts.

Maybe I do get lost in movies like I do in life. There are times when I can't tell the difference between the reaction of a character in a movie and a person whose response is not scripted and determined by the director. And I ponder upon the reason why this person in real life is not doing what the character did in the movie? Isn't movie suppose to mirror life? Perhaps life is a condensed and blurred version of the simplicity in storytelling.

If I have a choice, I'd love to live in stories instead. I'd like to be Harry Potter.

while I was sleeping

It is very rare that I remember my dreams of the night before. I merely awake having the feeling that I was involved in some subconscious nocturnal motions. It is a pity that I have such short-lived memories. However two nights ago, I have a strong recollection of the major events that happened in my dream in the morning. The first being water and I am alert to the fact that this is not that first time I have dreamt about water. It is a common and recurring theme that I am familiar with. Water, one of the four elements, symbolises the unconscious, an emotional state of mind and also leans over to spirituality, knowledge and the emergence of an unknown territory. I am not surprised because I am a highly sensitive and emotional person, right-brain dominated and intuitive. At the same time I am also very drawn to spirituality and healing. Dreams containing water are greatly anticipated.

I recall being in a place that evokes an Egyptian temple with a lot of tunnels. But the tunnels were filled with water that was flowing with strong waves. I was bare-footed and initially the water level was quite shallow reaching only to my ankles. The water was calm, clear and of blue and green colour. There were living creatures in the water, organisms that were visible to the eyes but not something I could put a name to. There were plenty of them everywhere and I was meticulously trying to not step on them. I felt frightened and nervous. Nevertheless, I went straight ahead and did what I needed to do, which was to continue the path that led me to great adventures.

The water level increased rapidly and before I knew it I was walking on water! It was amazing and I never felt happier, enjoying total freedom and power. And after a while I noticed that I wasn’t walking but actually gliding and surfing with not a board but my bare feet. The strange thing is that I was surfing against the flow of the water in those never ending tunnels. The water rushed with immense velocity beneath me and I felt I was gliding up hill, swerving to the left and right. There was a force, an invisible force that propelled me forward even with the direction of the water gushing in opposition to me. There was no struggle, fight or panic. I was aware, humble, joyous and free. The intangible vehicle that kept me afloat, I have no idea what it was, but I have a strange premonition that it has a connection to the second facet of my dream.

The journey of water surfing came to an end and I saw before me a long pathway in the open leading to the door of a giant ancient kingdom. The stream of water suddenly terminated and I was to take my first step on solid ground that seemed like red earth. The weather was dry and hot and so in my mind, I believed that the ground would burn my shoeless feet. But it didn’t stop me from making my first step and to my surprise, the earth welcomed me.

Before I could relish another moment, I was transported into a room. There were people in the room practicing meditation in front of a Teacher that I can’t recollect. Sitting next to me was an existing Tibetan Buddhist monk, Lama Zopa. We are learning meditation together. We didn’t exchange any words but he saw me and acknowledged my presence with an assuring smile.

I know who Lama Zopa is but I have not had any thoughts about him for a long period of time and I don’t know how long. I have not read his works and books in detail. I merely know that he is a much respected high lama. So, we can’t be meditating together. My question is who was our Teacher?

When light penetrated my eyes, I knew it was time to wake-up. I saw that there was an abrasion on my right hand, more akin to slight bleeding under the skin in the form of a long scratch. I have no idea how it happened or if I was hurt while sleeping.This has never occurred before. Maybe the intensity of the dream caused my body to physically react.

The peculiar thing about this entire dream is that it left me with a feeling of wanting to forget my past, memories and experiences. I don’t feel like a new born child of the second coming. I just feel that my identity, all that have been established about me, is not me. I unexpectedly dropped many things behind. I hope to feel nearer to nature. That’s all. Certain things changed in me. I know it is only a dream but dream can be our closest bond to the unexplored.

the embedded prophecy

And Lord Gordon solemnly spoke to Knight Sherton, "I know of your loyalty to me. I know you swear your oath to no one but me. But now my son..." Knight Sherton interrupted and for the first time in his life tears streamed down the scars that marked each battle he fought for Lord Gordon. His wrinkled face ached in pain and hatred. "My Lord. I fight for no one but you. I will die for you for such death will not be in vain."

"That is why, my brave knight. You will also fight and die for my son, Kurtlin. For in him you see me as it is my blood that flows in his body. When he speaks, I speak. Your loyalty to him is loyalty to me."

"But my Lord, my love for you is for none other. I can serve no other but you. My soul is bound to your feet. May death takes me than to serve another."

Lord Gordon was extremely please by the faithfulness of his servant. The brave warlord has proven himself worthy of his love and trust. But deep down, Lord Gordon knows that age will not permit his strength to further hold the throne and defend his land; Kurtlin will soon have to replace him. It is at such time that a young and inexperience mind needs the guidance of a seasoned and courageous warlord. Knight Sherton fits the role but for his sentimentality.

"May I have an audience with you, my Lord?" spoke the voice of child.

"Sherton, I would like to meditate now."

"Yes, my Lord." After a strong and bold bow to his lordship, Knight Sherton marched out of the study chamber.

"Siddhi, my wise spiritual guide," exclaimed Lord Gordon.

Slowly, in front of Lord Gordon's golden desk, from a wisp of silver sparks took the shape of a boy barely the age of ten.

“Sentimentality hides malice.”

“You wouldn’t suggest that Sherton plots against my empire?”

Siddhi heaved out a sharp laughter and looked at Lord Gordon innocently. “No. Unless you give him a reason to.”

“It is ridiculous! Kurtlin is my son, the rightful heir to the throne. How dare he revolt against my lineage? That’s treason and the punishment is nothing less than death!”

“My Lord, your temper is rising quickly. I advise you to calm down. People are funny. They fight and kill over what they call territory. They fence what is theirs and claim ownership over it. As if their life means nothing without the physical things they own. With what they fenced up for themselves, they build a so-called empire, lay down rules to govern their things and attack all who invade their space. One thousand years from now, it is known as terrorism and religion gets the blame. Very primitive, don’t you think so? Anyway, let’s get back to Sherton. Do you know how many scars he has on his face for protecting your throne and empire?”

“No.”

“7 and 18 more on his back and 4 across his chest.”

“Well, Sherton is a brave and good warrior. The best I have seen.”

“That is not the point, my Lord. He only wants to serve you.”

“Yes, I know. My honourable knight.”

“Because he cannot tolerate another living creature to be better than him in your eyes.”

“That’s the character, Siddhi. That’s why I like about Sherton. He is competitive.”

“Sherton only wants to win your trust and praise. By virtue of your trust in another person, even if it is your son, he feels downgraded. That he is no longer the brave and good warrior because you have another choice. And this will be a source of all conflicts.”

“Very clever, Siddhi. You are truly remarkable for you age. But then again, you are my guide. You have pointed out something very important and I have just the right solution for it. I will organize a mock battle, a competition to feed on Sherton’s combative energy. And it will be a fight in honour of my son Kurtlin, my royal lineage. When Sherton’s wins in this battle, it will reinforce his need to serve me and my family.”

“This will only be destructive. Sherton will fall deeper. His jealousy of others and the dire need for approval from you will make him insane. He will fall.”

“So be it. What better way for me to command my army than to play with their minds? Now he will even die for me. Isn’t that marvelous?”

“Sherton needs your compassion and kindness.”

“Don’t speak to me about weakness. Kindness and all that rubbish are for women. And women suffer because of that. They are fragile and powerless. Now, if you would excuse me, my wise spiritual guide. I have a battle to plan. Be off!”

Siddhi snaps his finger and the silver sparks carried him into the next dimension where his teacher, The Hermit awaits him with a message.

“Men always prayed for victory, wealth, position, power, world peace but achieved through war and Earth be a better place. But no one prays for him or herself to change. For change is fearful as it highlights that one has flaws and is imperfect. And so, they deny and deny until the layers of lies they build collapse. And so, the world shall end.”

my type of band

Song title : Out In Space
Sung by: Travis
Written by : Fran Healy (the band leader of Travis)

"The Boy With No Name" is the fifth album by Scottish band Travis. I discovered them through their song "All I Wanna Do Is Rock" in 1997. It was the year they released their first album, "Good Feeling". I absolutely love their music as it incorporates a slight tinge of celtic rhythm and the rest is filled with tons of alternative-rock passion. Truly unique and Fran Healy is a talented songwriter and singer.

As great as this band is, these fellows often are ignored by mainstream listeners, rock music followers and it is not surprising that they titled their third album, "The Invisible Band"; although their music is very pleasing to the ears. Their music is highly melodic and Fran produces sensible lyrics as we can read below.

I especially like "Out In Space" from their new album mainly because the lyrics have so much of depth and wisdom. Enjoy!

Oh my friend
We have spent
So much time looking for someone to blame
'Cause we're the same
And jealous games
Take up time we could spend on other things
Oh my friend
If it ends
Let us go and then not look back again
We can’t be
You and me
Taking ourselves much too seriously

But out in space
A million miners work upon
The night’s coal face
But all I see is black
And all the stars look back
At me

Oh my friend
What a friend
I’d have thought you’d have stayed here till the end
To take a bow
Draw the crowd
We’re just words in the sand at high tide

But out in space
A million miners work upon
The night’s coal face
And all I see is black
And all the stars look back at me

Oh my friend
We should spend
Some more time looking from the other end
'Cause we would see
So clearly
We blame ourselves as much as we blame we
We blame ourselves as much as we blame we
We blame ourselves

keep the faith

It is very easy to have faith in God, religion, an ideology, our family, lovers, friends, an idea, science and art when life is not troubled by broken dreams and death. When the nectar of paradise is the only substance our tongue tastes each time we open our eyes, we believe that our faith in whatever it is works and nothing will ever go wrong. To the contrary, once we are surrounded by problems, challenges and obstacles, we either cling on to our faith to help us through or question its validity and reliability.

But what is faith? Maybe the question should be, why do need to have faith in anything? Very often, it is about having convictions in something outside of ourselves like our complete devotion to a particular religious creed, a system, a person, an opinion or some sacred texts. By having something to believe in externally, it provides us the security of not being alone. That something bigger and infinite are constantly watching over us to put us on the right passageway. It is safe and certain to have a sure way of life and to follow a proper code of conduct.

We prefer to believe (or have faith in) that we have freedom of choice, speech and thought. The American constitution guarantees this and so do many constitutions of the democratic world. What is intriguing is that our most basic right to talk, to choose what we want in life and what views we wish to follow have to be written down in a piece of parchment, signed and sealed by some fellows who swear to protect us from tyranny and nepotism. But then, who practices autocracy in the name of democracy? Who oppresses the impoverished to earn more profits only to donate them again in the name of charity?

It is amazing what faith can do to man. It is equally puzzling how the lack of faith can weaken man. Since the beginning of mankind, we have always sought for answers to the same question – our creation, the mysteries of life itself. Until today, we are still dabbling on the fringes of reality. One theory is as probable as the next. Every hypothesis debunks itself and all is in a constant flux. And so faith keeps our feet planted firmly on the ground and offers temporary satisfactions to our lonely souls.

what is not spoken

When Leo knelt down to pray, his soon to be ex-wife sat down on the floor next to him. He sensed her presence but was afraid to open his eyes for this could be the last time he sees Tina as his lawful wedded wife. He has to get used to the term "ex-wife".

Tina placed her hand tenderly on his and they prayed together. Leo was asking for the reasons his wife is leaving him. It was not for a better looking man, not for a woman either, not for wealth as he is a fairly rich and famous musician. If it was for either one of the above reasons, it would have terribly humiliated him and he wondered if his friends will stop teasing him. But it remains that he is not the most loyal of a husband. There were times when he derailed into the arms and bed of a young pop singer or a desperate corporate executive searching for erotic sex in the embrace of an artist. They affair didn't last very long or it never went beyond a one-night-stand. His friends did it and if he didn't, he was no longer fashionable. He definitely believed that their sexual life was still peaking after eight years of marriage. As a husband he listened to her but also expected her to listen to him and he provided for her every need. Maybe she is going to tell him that she cannot accept his sexual excursions with other women. She wanted him to be faithful. This must be the reason Tina is asking for a separation.

WIth her hand on his, Tina prayed for the happiness of her husband wherever he goes. She asked for him to stop seeking for logical reasons that this marriage draws to an end. She knows about his love affairs and that was not the reason she asked for a divorce. It is not a question of whether she could tolerate her husband's unfaithfulness because she understands that a person's heart is capable of loving more than one person simultaneously. But her husband did not love anyone except himself. His affairs were nothing more than games he played along with his elite all boys club; competing to prove one another's virility and cash flow. Lying underneath his childish actions, he is trying to search for security though music, marriage, sex, power and wealth. He doesn't understand even after a long and tiring search that security does not exist, not externally. Throughout the years, Tina is aware that she became his pillar of certainty and stability. It allowed him to trip and fall but it didn't do one thing for him, which is to help him grow and be a responsible adult. She continues to pray for Leo's well being and that one day he realises within himself that all that he is searching for amounts to nothing; that love is to be extended to others for it to flourish.

Tina released her hand, bent over to kiss his cheek. Without pausing for another moment, she got up and left, closing and starting a new chapter in her life.

Leo opened his eyes and tears soaked his ego inflated face.