I know that something is true from deep within and it holds without the need for proof.  Fact is based on evidence and information and can be proven or disproven based on more or changes in information (or perspectives). Fact can surrender to truth, but not vice versa.

In this current dwelling, we've lived for the past 2 years. But home for me, as a global citizen, is the world and beyond, that's where my heart lives- here, there and everywhere.

That if I swallowed a seed it would grow into a plant inside my tummy and branch out with leaves in my nose and ears, mouth, and elsewhere. When I first heard it I believed it but of course it didn't take long to realise it wasn't so, literally speaking.  But then again it came back ringing of some truth, that if I sow a seed of love (or with love), it does grow into a beautiful and bountiful garden all around me, literally and methaporically.

As I was answering this last night, power went off! Glad I copied my reply in a word file so here it is:

When you look out your window, or from your backyard or porch or balcony or rooftop, what do you see? Is your skyline made of buildings? Of trees? Of prairie?

As I breathe in and breathe out from my window or veranda, I see and observe nature – trees, flowers, mountains, birds, the sky, neighbourhood houses (one under construction), sounds of vehicles, machines, and people - with my eyes and the rest of my other senses, incl the sixth.

What is your favorite horizon, and why? What limits are there to your own internal horizons?

No favorites. I welcome variety. There’s beauty and wonder in every horizon, if I look deeper.  And the same horizon on the surface can look different as it moves and changes and as I move and change as well. As for my internal horizons, I open up to limitless possibilities of the moment.

When my mind wanders, it can go either way and lately it has been veering towards the positive side of past and present.  I know this is so because often I get a comment from my husband, son or friends as to why, as I am seating or standing still, I am suddenly smiling or laughing.

Janet just gifted me with my new icon! Led me to post this blog on Yoda's quotable quotes. In the above images are my favorites.  Would be delighted to read your faves here.

The answers to their question lie within each of them.  So I would say, shouldn't you be asking yourselves? Look within, the answers are there.  How do you love mother earth that has given you so much unconditionally? Nothing less than with all your heart as only you know how!

Nothing really.  My heart is with me wherever I travel and all those I love are in it.

Have you ever discovered a note meant for someone else?

Happened once in a while in my previous place of work where we had our in-trays. Sometimes messengers made a mistake of putting files or memos addressed to someone else into my in-tray.  Being a fast reader, I got to read the gist of the memo even before I realized it's not meant for me and at times I didn't even realize it and acted on the matter by calling the sender and finding out from him or her that said memo wasn't for me afterall.  Created havoc or big laughter at times.

Or have you ever written a letter to a stranger, or found a message in a bottle or a note meant for whomever finds it?

Not really, but it sounds exciting to write one now and put it in a bottle. What would I write? See below.

If you could write a letter to someone unknown, what would it say?

Hi, special person! I love you!  I hope this note cheers you up. Please put the note back in the bottle and send it away to touch another soul!  Be sure to sign your name and whereabouts.  Meanwhile contact me at www.gaia.com ~ Mila from Kathmandu (for now)

That would be my spirit.  And am I glad and blissed that even after my body is gone, it will live on through eternity merging into ONE.  Isn't it quite awesome that my spirit will merge with so many spirits of sentient beings and the universe?

I don't know about you, but I can attest that most of these have been proven true in my experience. Enjoy!

& Law of Mechanical Repair
After your hands become coated with grease, your nose will begin to itch and you'll have to pee.

& Law of Gravity
Any tool, when dropped, will roll to the least accessible corner.

& Law of Probability
The probability of being watched is directly proportional to the stupidity of your act.

& Law of Random Numbers
If you dial a wrong number, you never get a busy signal and someone always answers.

& Law of the Alibi
If you tell the boss you were late for work because you had a flat tire, the very next morning you will have a flat tire.

& Variation Law
If you change lines (like at the grocery or traffic lanes), the one you were in will always move faster than the one you are in now (works every time)

& Law of the Bath
When the body is fully immersed in water, the telephone rings.

& Law of Close Encounters
The probability of meeting someone you know increases dramatically when you are with someone you don't want to be seen with.

& Law of the Result
When you try to prove to someone that a machine won't work, it will.

& Law of Biomechanics
The severity of the itch is inversely proportional to the reach.

& Law of the Theater
At any event, the people whose seats are furthest from the aisle arrive last.

& The Starbucks Law
As soon as you sit down to a cup of hot coffee, your boss will ask you to do something which will last until the coffee is cold.

& Murphy's Law of Lockers
If there are only two people in a locker room, they will have adjacent lockers.

& Law of Physical Surfaces
The chances of an open-faced jelly sandwich landing face down on a floor covering are directly correlated to the newness and cost of the carpet/rug.

& Law of Logical Argument
Anything is possible if you don't know what you are talking about.

& Brown's Law of Physical Appearance
If the shoe fits, it's ugly.

& Oliver's Law of Public Speaking
A closed mouth gathers no feet.

& Wilson's Law of Commercial Marketing
As soon as you find a product that you really like, they will stop making it.

& Doctors' Law
If you don't feel well, make an appointment to go to the doctor, by the time you get there you'll feel better. Don't make an appointment and you'll stay sick.

A Russian pilot used to stay in this house (see photo here).  Our landlord told us this tenant had regular house guests and hosted lots of parties whenever he had no scheduled flights.  Sadly, he left the house without giving enough months' notice and didn't pay the rent for a couple of months or so.  There were also a few broken furnitures and the kitchen had to be redone before we moved in. We also consulted our celebrity astrologer friend about the energy of this place. Based on his advice, we walled the water well lying southwest of the property (this sucks energy so the walls sort of controlled that), moved the water tanks from northeast to the west, buried some copper and silver wires across the garage grounds in the southeast (to absorb more energy).   

The house is owned by our landlord's wife and they lived here when they were newly married and had a son.  They moved to USA where they found work but lately with a new daughter and my landlord's dad's sudden expiration, they have returned to live with his widowed mom and will take her with them to USA next year.

A friend of mine (a Filipina) who is married to a Nepali who just got appointed as a delegate to the constituent assembly is keen to get this house when we leave.  I hope they and our landlord would reach agreement.

In essence, what makes us come alive is following our bliss, living our passions, embracing the child within, throwing our cares away, and being true to ourselves.  I feel fully alive when I am:

-  absorbed in my enterprise
-  envisioning, co-creating ideas
-  co-creating or enjoying art and crafts
-  making decisions
-  listening to music, singing or dancing to my heart's delight
-  traveling
-  dreaming
-  laughing
-  playing
-  dancing in the rain
-  being spontaneous
-  just being

and so many more that's eluding me for now. It seems everything I love really makes me come to life..

I pick up the sand, let it rest on the palm of my hand and leave it to either be blown by the wind or trickle down into the gaps of my fingers.

If I may add, a poem of Allison You will be okay without it is a great answer to this question as well.

At Samme's request at my grapevine, here's a trailer of the film that I just watched the premier of a while ago.  It starred as lead actor Megh's nephew, pseudonym Karma, as Ravi.  I was actually surprised that the trailer is at youtube.  The gist of the plot is mentioned in the trailer's description.  I have a feeling they'll make one with English subtitles soon so I wouldn't tell the entire story.  It's a poignant love story and I find it excellent in all aspects - story, direction, cinematography, direction, acting and casting, editing, music. This is a first of its kind and a directorial debut for Alok Nembang.

You'll also get a glimpse of what life in Kathmandu is like, partly!

Enjoy!

by Jacquelyn Ottman
at www.greenmarketing.com

Many people think the power to restore our environment—to curb greenhouse gases, to clean up our air and water, to cut down on precious resources' ending up in landfills—lies in the hands of technical types like scientists and engineers, even lawyers and legislators ready to clamp down on polluters.

But the real power of green lies in the hands of marketers—we, the creative folks who have the power to design and promote cleaner products and technologies and help consumers evolve to more sustainable lifestyles. As an environmental marketing consultant, I've been personally banking on this opportunity to make a difference for 17 years! Consider the evidence.

It may be hard to fathom, but over 75% of the environmental impact that a product throws off during its lifetime is determined at the design stage, when, for instance, the materials are chosen, the recyclability of a product is determined, and the amount of toxic chemicals it makes use of is decided. And it doesn't begin at the design stage. Marketers often determine the concept, too. That's where the real leverage for our innovative skills comes in!

Consider a toothbrush. Want to lessen its environmental impact? Start by making it out of recycled plastic, plastic made from corn, and educate on how to recycle or compost it. Then make the head replaceable and recyclable, too. Cut down on its packaging by only wrapping the bristly head. Think you're finished? Not a chance! That's because the toothbrush is part of a system—the water, the toothpaste, and the box the toothpaste comes in.

Now multiply all of these impacts over one consumer's lifetime, and then again for all the consumers on earth at one time. These cumulative impacts may pale in comparison to substituting an entirely new concept: let's say a stick of edible chewing gum laced with germ fighting enzymes.

Now strategize its way into consumer's hands. Thinks it's too much of a leap to market this idea to adults who might be set in their ways or creep out on the idea of enzymes in their chewing gum? Then start to seed the concept into society by appealing to children. Enlist the help of a Sesame Street character and target parents looking to end the nightmare of getting the kids to brush.

Ever heard of a chemist thinking this way? Hell no!

Marketers, start your engines! We're the ones who can dream up new product concepts, and we're the ones who can sell them to mainstream consumers (not just the deep-green consumers who are born predisposed to all things "eco.")

Take the Toyota Prius. A fine car with a hybrid engine. Premium price, not too likely to be offset by fuel savings. So what gets consumers over the premium-price hump as well as the risk posed by new technology? Answer: A distinctive silhouette that helps owners project their values, on-the-mark advertising that focuses on such direct benefits as super quiet ride and fuel efficiency. And a publicity machine that engenders the priceless support of Hollywood celebrities showing up at the Oscars in a Prius rather than a stretch limo.

Want to start making a difference on your job? Consider the many other solutions that are waiting in the wings with the potential to capture the attention of consumers with your help. For instance, we already know how to design homes and offices that use energy sparingly. We already know how to make construction materials and commercial and household furnishings that reduce the threats of indoor air pollution. We know how to design kitchens to make it easy for people to recycle and compost waste. We know how to reuse water from indoor plumbing systems to make lawns and gardens thrive. We know how to grow food using fewer or no chemical pesticides and fertilizers.

More

Jacquelyn A. Ottman is president of J. Ottman Consulting, Inc., an NYC-based consultancy that advises corporations on strategies for gaining competitive advantage via green marketing and eco-innovation. She is the author of Green Marketing: Opportunity for Innovation.

The part when we will all be together and merge into one universal family.

....the next  moment and the next and the next.....flowing with my moments.

Am there where you are now - with my heart, thoughts, and everything else - in the presence of the divine.

...continuing in our efforts, intentions to be peace, live peace, and make peace our way of life.  Peace is not just the absence of war or conflict outside or in our relationships or within ourselves.  Peace is compassion in action, it happens when you, we and I surrender to love and merge together as one.  Celebrate peace everyday not just on the international day of peace!

Words of wisdom from Thich Nhat Hanh

Every day we do things, we are things that have to do with peace. If we are aware of our life…, our way of looking at things, we will know how to make peace right in the moment, we are alive.

 

Smiling is very important. If we are not able to smile, then the world will not have peace. It is not by going out for a demonstration against nuclear missiles that we can bring about peace. It is with our capacity of smiling, breathing, and being peace that we can make peace.

 

The practice of peace and reconciliation is one of the most vital and artistic of human actions.
 

Would add a Spreading Love section that will feature news stories from everywhere that inspire and encourage love for one another.

Bringing a giraffe into the world is a tall order. A baby giraffe falls 10 feet from its mother’s womb and usually lands on its back. Within seconds it rolls over and tucks its legs under its body. From this position it considers the world for the first time and shakes off the last vestiges of the birthing fluid from its eyes and ears. Then the mother giraffe rudely introduces its offspring to the reality of life.

In his book, A View from the Zoo, Gary Richmond describes how a newborn giraffe learns its first lesson.

The mother giraffe lowers her head long enough to take a quick look. Then she positions herself directly over her calf. She waits for about a minute, and then she does the most unreasonable thing. She swings her long, pendulous leg outward and kicks her baby, so that it is sent sprawling head over heels.

When it doesn’t get up, the violent process is repeated again. The struggle to rise is momentous. As the baby calf grows tired, the mother kicks it again to stimulate its efforts. Finally, the calf stands for the first time on its wobbly legs.

Then the mother giraffe does the most remarkable thing. She kicks it off its feet again. Why? She wants it to remember how it got up. In the wild, baby giraffes must be able to get up as quickly as possible to stay with the herd, where there is safety.

The late Irving Stone understood this. He spent a lifetime studying greatness, writing novelised biographies of such men as Michelangelo, Vincent van Gogh, Sigmund Freud, and Charles Darwin.

Stone was once asked if he had found a thread that runs through the lives of all these exceptional people. He said, “I write about people who sometime in their life have a vision or dream of something that should be accomplished and they go to work. They are beaten over the head, knocked down, vilified, and for years they get nowhere. But every time they’re knocked down they stand up. You cannot destroy these people. And at the end of their lives they’ve accomplished some modest part of what they set out to do.” ~ Craig B Larson

The next moment is about to be and I am hanging in the balance, opening up to the next surprise, the next possibility.  I am still and calm most of the time but there are times when I do get distracted with excitement, angst, worry, etc that could get me off balance.

...cherished memories

Your question today, Siona, triggered nostalgia taking me back to my first visit to Vancouver in September 1982.  It was my first experience of autumn and as my Mom and me drove through the streets, the golden yellow and orange leaves on the trees, some falling and littered on the ground was a sight forever etched in my memories. I didn't even remember to take a shot as I was just stupefied!

...a welcome change

The final word about our impending travel to Vancouver is not yet here but this question made me tip the balance and fall over in anxiety!

...my favorite season

I love all the seasons but though I'm spring-born, I am just more attracted to autumn. My husband was born 11 Nov, is that still part of autumn? I guess so.  I gravitate towards the colors of autumn in my favorite things, including my clothes, home decor, etc. In Kathmandu, 'tis the season for my favorite festival of Tihar (or Deepawali) and the biggest festival of them all Dashain.  Will enjoy kite-flying, mountain hiking, family picnics and parties, gift-giving, self-reflection and self-worship and many more.

...some of my favorite poems and music about autumn
 

To Autumn
John Keats

 

Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness,
Close bosom-friend of the maturing sun;
Conspiring with him how to load and bless
With fruit the vines that round the thatch-eves run;
To bend with apples the moss'd cottage-trees,
And fill all fruit with ripeness to the core;
To swell the gourd, and plump the hazel shells
With a sweet kernel; to set budding more,
And still more, later flowers for the bees,
Until they think warm days will never cease,
For Summer has o'er-brimm'd their clammy cells.


Who hath not seen thee oft amid thy store?
Sometimes whoever seeks abroad may find
Thee sitting careless on a granary floor,
Thy hair soft-lifted by the winnowing wind;
Or on a half-reap'd furrow sound asleep,
Drows'd with the fume of poppies, while thy hook
Spares the next swath and all its twined flowers:
And sometimes like a gleaner thou dost keep
Steady thy laden head across a brook;
Or by a cyder-press, with patient look,
Thou watchest the last oozings hours by hours.


Where are the songs of Spring? Ay, where are they?
Think not of them, thou hast thy music too,--
While barred clouds bloom the soft-dying day,
And touch the stubble-plains with rosy hue;
Then in a wailful choir the small gnats mourn
Among the river sallows, borne aloft
Or sinking as the light wind lives or dies;
And full-grown lambs loud bleat from hilly bourn;
Hedge-crickets sing; and now with treble soft
The red-breast whistles from a garden-croft;
And gathering swallows twitter in the skies.

 

Colored lake Jharkot, Annapurna Circuit



Pagoda roofs Patan, Kathmandu Valley



Prayerful Boudhnath



Sunrise Nagargot, Kathmandu Valley



Sunset over Kathmandu Valley



Buddha at Patan Museum

I feel I am acting all the time in the stage of life and I play different roles, simultaneously at times. A wife, a mother, a daughter, a sister, an aunt, a grand aunt, an entrepreneur, a friend, a lover, a social activist, a green activist, a volunteer, a child, a gaian, a businesswoman, a cook, a homemaker, a tenant, a landlord, a joker, a story teller, a listener, a haikuista... I could win the 'best actor' award, it there was one, for my multiple roles - ha, ha, ha! And most important, am enjoying it.

Oh, I sent a letter to a potential buyer in Peru with some cashmere fabric swatches.  I loved that I could sign it personally in my artful signature.  I hope she got it as these days one can't be sure if mails reach its destination.  A buyer from Abuja, Nigeria asked me to mail some samples of paper lanterns that he prepaid.  I did but the parcel never reached him.  Yet, when he sent me payment of a hundred dollar bill from Nigeria, it reached me.

From time to time, we send a parcel to Milind in his boarding school and with that I insert a handwritten note which I know he is thrilled to receive as I was thrilled to write it.

Thanks to Kathy KES who sent me a message and while replying to it I was reminded of our celebrity singing nun in Nepal Ani Choying Dolma, so this blog. Some of you may have heard about her and her music and chants which I find soothing and uplifting and healing. Last year I thought of blogging about her but decided against it when I didn't find any of her music and chants in youtube. And nowadays there are a lot of them. The mantra is great and the last is her most popular song.

 

Whatever unknown is out there, I just leave it there and focus on here and now.  I know that I will be ready to take care of that unknown when its time has come as I trust my inner wisdom.  Keeping positive thoughts about the unknown will likely make that unknown become positive in the end.  Anxieties and worries could creep in and when they do I just embrace them, remaining aware that I can choose not to let them overwhelm me.

I'm still walking
the circle of life.