Busy

Have been a bit busy as of late...

My Everything Book

This little treasure of mine has been with me through it all this past year of moving madness.

I use it for...well, everything. One can find all sorts of things inside.

-My rantings and ravings about life
-Lessons (which have been many) I've learned during these trying nomadic times of ours
-Written notes on restaurant napkins
-Shopping lists
-To do lists

-Quotes that move me

-Notes from a Gestalt Psychotherapy retreat last June

-Notes from Yoga teachers lessons that inspire me

-Pros and Cons list between living in Singapore and Hong Kong (because we really can't decide)
-Inspirations and ideas

-Designs for my future India Room

-Dreams and my interpretations of them

My Everything Book also doubles as a filing cabinet for eye-catching clippings from magazines. Here are a couple.

I adore this picture of Marilyn Monroe leaning over a balcony in New York - looks like my old apartment's roof top. I've had this photo for many years (from Vanity Fair) and always hope to have a photo shoot like this one. I also melt when I see the new Tiffany ad of this adorable baby and mother (and the ring ain't so bad either - hint hint, husband)

A special thing surprised me as I was flipping through the pages of my book the other day which prompted me to write this post now. A perfectly preserved flower fell out from between the pages. I forgot that I saved this little souvenir! I collected it from the city palace (where the Maharana still lives, by the way) in the magical kingdom of Udaipur. It still retained it's color from the day I picked it off the ground and placed in my special book.



My Everything Book has been helpful in organizing my very chaotic life. I picked up this most special book from an art shop in Udaipur from a nice local family. Durgesh, the owner, and his beautiful wife were most generous and warm, even inviting us to their home for tea, which was above his shop. His wife hand makes these sweet books from camel leather and showed me the metal tools used to punch in the patterns. I also bought a similar book from her with an elephant sketch on it and another one with an OM design. I am most fond of this one with the camel sketch. There is something so regal about camels - especially in the way they walk with their heads held high.

My poor book endures much abuse yet holds up quite well even though it grows thicker by the day, (like George Costanza's wallet - if you saw that episode). I had better get a new one soon as I begin to close this chapter of my life.

Tagged: 6 Senses

Chandan from Girl About Home tagged me well over a month ago. I'm a bit delayed in my response because I have turned my life upside-down lately and it's not because I often balance in Shirshasana. Our life on the road has been fun, yet unsettling and things have been just a bit crazy and unstructured being without a home, utensils to make Masala Chai, and a steady Internet connection.

Ok, no more excuses. Let's get to it.

So the object of this tagging system (I'm a little new to it, bare with me) is that I have to come up with 6 things about myself. Sounds easy enough, right? Harder than what you may think when you actually have to narrow it down to just 6. One can begin to think too much. I decided it would be best to come up with some sort of a theme or category to organize my 6.

During this transitional time in my life, many important lessons have taught me more than I could have ever imagined about life and myself. But above all, these traveling experiences have reminded me of the strength of detachment and how I don't live in the present as much as I would like to. What reminds us to live in the present? Our senses. Remember "stop and smell the roses?" So I'm choosing to share 6 of my senses with you.

Reacting organically, our senses are what makes us alive. We are rarely consciously aware of how our senses work for us in every second. As a student of Gestalt psychotherapy, I have learned volumes of this simple yet monumentally life changing philosophy. When I make myself aware of my senses in the second that they occur, I live in the present moment - no longer thinking of the past or worrying about the future, but rather enjoying the very second of each breath or other experienced sense - it's very liberating. When I'm aware of my senses in full force, my soul smiles and wonders with appreciation for life.

6 Senses that remind me to be present:

1. Scent: A cozy burning fireplace either distant or near on a cold day calms like no other. The earthy aroma excites my nose with nostalgia as scents often do, with warm memories of bundling up and strolling arm in arm with my husband through Greenwich Village (our beloved former home) on a cold wintry Sunday, when all our neighbors who are lucky enough to have a fireplace enjoy their embers as much as we do as the scent wafts through the brisk New York air.

2. Touch: Receiving a champissage. A 4000 year old Indian head massage technique with lots and lots of medicinal and aromatic oils-it is truly an Ayurvedic art. It really doesn't get much better than this! Most memorable was my champi at the wonderfully understated Taj Lake Palace in Udaipur where ambiance is everything. Hmm, my heightened senses are overlapping each other. I felt completely awake and alive. It was heaven. Dancing and my yoga practice bring a similar feeling.

3. Sight: Where do I begin? It's hard to pick one, so I'll pick two. First, I love to see long drapes dancing whimsically in the wind of an opened window. There is something comforting, utterly elegant, meditative and romantic about the sight of something inanimate (specifically drapes) being offered breath and life by the wind. This keeps me present.

...................................................................................................pic from here.

Second, the live vision of Taj Mahal. This majestic wonder of the world took my breath away when I saw it for the first time a year ago. Even the best picture in the world can never do justice to this masterpiece. For anyone who has seen it, you know exactly what I'm talking about. There is something magical, deeply spiritual and supernatural about being in it's presence, bringing tears to your eyes. I am aware that goosebumps cover my arms and back just thinking about it now. It goes way beyond sight and touches a thousand other senses you never knew you had. Go. You'll see and feel.

4. Sound: The dainty knocking of ballet pointe shoes puttering across the stage moves me to no end. In another life, I must have been a ballet dancer. I just pretend now which is equally fun!

......................................................................................................pic from here.

As I write this post, I realize that nearly all of my senses overlap and rely on each other to awaken other senses. This exercise has reminded me of the wonders of being alive.

5. Taste: Masala Chai, of course! Oh how my taste buds have missed me having my own kitchen to brew a cup of this wonderful deliciousness (and have been quite nagging actually now that I think about it) due to this long transition in our nomadic lifestyle.


6. My Love: My husband whom I never tire of (well, ahem...almost never and I'm sure the feeling is mutual) who shares this crazy traveling adventure these past several months with me - the only constant in my roller coaster life right now.

I know some might say that technically we have only 5 senses, but I believe that we have many more to perceive and make "sense" of the world that can be awakened especially when we make ourselves aware of them. And besides, I needed 6 items for this tagging thing so there you go.



Ok now it's your turn. Hmm, who shall I pick as my lucky victims?

Stephanie from Stephanie N Mark
~
Sireesha from In Every Grain of Sand
~
Mimi from My Mandala
~
Lindsay from Life in the Wanch
~
Mary from Liberty for All
~
Brie from John & The Girls

The Rules:
1. Link to the person who tagged you.
2. Post the rules on your blog.
3. Write six random things about yourself.
4. Tag six people at the end of your post and link to them.
5. Let each person know they’ve been tagged and leave a comment on their blog.
6. Let the tagger know when your entry is up.
and I'm adding another rule:
7. If you don't want to do this, then don't. I won't hold it against you! It's just for fun. =)

Enjoy the journey!

Temple in a Cave

We continue our nomadic wanderings with a stop in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, home of the majestic and truly elegant Petronas Towers. We enjoy cheap shopping, delicious food, gentle people (excluding the opportunistic cab drivers who get their kicks from gauging tourists) and tropical weather.



We make a small journey just 8 miles north of the city to find an enchanted cave filled with a series of Hindu temples and shrines - the Batu (aka Bat - yes, we saw some) Caves.

Ganesha welcomes us, with dozens of replica's of himself at the base of the cave, guarding and protecting this holy place.

We embark on an eternal staircase, our legs quivering like jelly once we finally reach the top only to find that there is another staircase to the inner cave in front of us, luckily, not as long and torturous.

Each year, during the Thaipusam festival, over a million devoted Lord Murugan worshippers, having performed cleansing rituals such as fasting and praying (and for others some more intense symbolic gestures such as body piercing), hike the 8 hour journey to these sacred caves and up the eternal staircase from the Sri Mahamarianmman Temple in Kuala Lumpur. Some pull or carry heavy "burdens" to symbolize their sacrifice. These offerings or Kavadi are often milk-filled vessels carried on their heads. And here I am complaining after having been driven here in an air-conditioned taxi only to hike a "measly" 272++ steps and my only weight is my digital camera!


Okay, chalo...let's go in.



We're greeted by several colorful small shrines along the way to the inner cave as well as a few vendors' booths for the tourists who feel like getting trapped.



We wander (ahem...) I mean, I wander around the cave as Mahesh sits like the Buddha waiting patiently for his curious wife to get her daily fill of Indian culture. Whatever, he so loves this. Riiiiight.


We remove our shoes as we near the main temple. The stone cools our bare feet, though at the same time, I'm wondering how many bare feet have stood here and if the floor is ever cleaned. Nevermind, I comfort myself with a healthy dose of denial.

A popular kirtan hymn gently echoes off the towering limestone cave walls.


Cool droplets of water occasionally drip on our heads from above. We watch the droplets twinkle as they fall as if in slow motion while the sun cascades down through holes in the ceiling of the cave illuminating everything it touches.


Suddenly, we feel the wind that can only be from the flapping wings of a family of bats as they whizz by overhead.

The faint and sometimes strong scent of incense wafts through the blessedly cool cave air.


A priest in his simple garb is busy at work preparing an offering. Mischievous monkeys watch him closely. They turn their heads to a newly arriving group of rowdy tourists and lurk about trying to be cute and just wait for someone to be foolish enough to take out a snack or something shiny which the monkeys see as rightfully their own and you can be sure that they'll clearly indicate this by force more often than not.

There seems to be so much activity and movement depicted on the temples. My camera zooms in to see the story they tell.

No...go even closer.

A spirit with many stories to tell resides here.

Kung Hei Fat Choy

Kung Hei Fat Choy=Happy New Year

This week Hong Kong celebrates it's biggest holiday complete with lights, decorations and lion dances throughout the city. It is a big deal for the Chinese - comparable to if not bigger than Christmas in America. We enjoy a quiet evening with friends while overhearing the booming fireworks in Victoria Harbour. I've been spending much time the past several weeks chilling in nature and just being instead of doing.





Follow the steep road up and up. Lined with thick sloped forest, the road seems endless even though it's end is quite close to the city. The journey is not for the faint of heart, winding around every bend enough to give you major motion sickness. Don't look down if you're vertigo sensitive.


Continuing up you disappear into the cloudy mists, sharing the narrow road with big buses and speeding Ferrari's with a deathwish. Cliffs on your right, now on your left, boasting an amazing view of the colorful Hong Kong city skyline.



So close, yet so far, we like escaping the chaos of the city, yet it's nice to know that the city is right there if we need anything. That's the New Yorker in me coming out (so spoiled, I know). It is surreal to be towering over Hong Kong's towers.




Finally you arrive at the summit. A charming resort-like neighborhood is perched at the top of Hong Kong's mountains called The Peak. Several degrees cooler up here than in the city centre hundreds of feet below, we enjoy several weeks of much needed R&R here. The wonderfully crisp Autumn weather is a refreshing change from tropical Singapore.




It is often so misty up here that you can barely see 10 meters in front of you. Mahesh grew up in Hong Kong and as a child they nicknamed parts of The Peak, "Ghost Town", because of it's thick fog and eerie quiet.




We enjoy waking up to birds singing, long breakfasts and tranquil walks through the numerous hiking trails where you forget you're in one of the busiest cities in the world. The wind carries the faint smell of a cozy firewood burning somewhere while eagles soar and swoop overhead.

Come take a stroll with me.

So many wildflowers line the trails and my camera seems to fancy them. I spy...

...white silky petals with a brilliant yellow center...

...perfect rubyred round berries...

...and some cute little purple fuzzy ones. I know, I know...my horticulture vocabulary is quite advanced.

These little ones seem to flirt with me...

...while these bits of perfection remind me of a walk through a vineyard.

I happen upon some happy lavender flowers...

...and a tree trunk with thorns.

These red Chinese lanterns that seem to say "Kung Hei Fat Choy", also look like bells blowing in the wind and ringing in the New Year. This is also the time of year when everyone passes out little envelopes the same color as these flowers by the dozen. And inside...yup, cash.

I have a soft spot for things that grow on tree trunks.

These purple trumpets boast a star in their delicate petals.

These delicate little buds appear to pop like corn kernals...

...while yellow daisies enjoy the sunshine as much as I do.

We end our day watching the sun take a dip into the South China Sea. Then the wind begins to howl and we retreat inside where we cuddle up under a warm blanket next to a crackling fireplace, roasting marshmallows and watching movies. Ahhh, so beautifully simple. And with all the work we've been doing the past several months and coping with the uncertainty of our life right now as we're in limbo, we rest and try to just be. Why can't every day be like this?