Sunday, December 29, 2013

U V W X

Very Unique and Wonderful Xmas - bring together the letters U V W and X for ABC Wednesday.

Xmas for me is a time to relax and wind down, a time to give and receive.

I got some very creative gifts this Xmas from the blogging world:

  • A review of my blog from Karan - One of Santa's many elves who took part in the secret santa xchange. Karan gave my blog a really nice review and I was blown away by the comments on that post.
  • The Write Tribe Anthology - a collection of favourite posts from 36 bloggers, put together by Vidya Sury. An awesome book that I will cherish forever. Vidya made a dream come true of having a poem of mine published in a book. This e-book is free to read and/or download (click here for instructions)
Thanks Vidya and Karan for rounding off my year with these ultra awesome gifts.

But the part of Xmas that I enjoy the most is putting up the tree and decorations and buying my little ornaments that are gifts for my children, a tradition I started when my son was born. It's such a joyous time to spend together. 

So here are some postcard views of  my Xmas pictures





Have an Ultra Vibrant Wondrous and Xcellent day and check out some X posts at ABC Wednesday


Like my facebook page Suzy's Ilation and if any of your posts needs some tlc, add it to the goodwill thread there and I'll drop by and give it some love.



Warm Regards
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Friday, December 27, 2013

The Write Tribe Anthology Book 1

Vidya Sury who blogs at Vidyasury.com celebrated her 50th birthday this year. She wanted to do something special not in receiving but in giving.

So she requested bloggers to submit one of their posts in order to compile an e-book. This book is The Write Tribe Anthology Book 1 and is a compilation of those favourite posts that Vidya has painstakingly put together to form this book.

Thank you Vidya for this awesome Christmas present, one I will cherish forever.

This gift was also made possible by Corinne who blogs at Everyday Gyaan and by one quiet little elf Vaisakh who worked tirelessly in the background and blogs at The Museum Piece.

The book was brought to us by The Write Tribe

Please click on the book or the link below it  to read or download for free.




I selected my post "Caller ID" (pdf page 93) from my poetry blog Relections Of My Soul

This poem is extra special to me as it was inspired by an astounding event that took place early this year. Let's just say this was my moment of liberation, of realisation, of greater understanding.  I hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed writing it.

And I also hope you enjoy the amazing posts that are contained in this book.

Thanks again to Vidya and Corinne for making a dream come true.

Wishing you all many joys and blessings.


Like my facebook page Suzy's Ilation and if any of your posts needs some tlc, add it to the goodwill thread there and I'll drop by and give it some love.



Warm Regards
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Tuesday, December 24, 2013

This Elf was Serenely Rapt

It's nearly Christmas and Santa's little elves are busy checking the lists, packing up gifts. The North Pole is buzzing with activity.

Then Santa sent an SOS for a little help with a different kind of present: The Indiblogeshwari's That Tuesday Thingy Christmas Edition. And so these special elves enthusiastically volunteered to help Santa make these dreams come true.

I waited excitedly for my secret envelope to arrive and then got to work ...

It's my pleasure to introduce Dagny's blog "Serenely Rapt" which is a collection of many penned thoughts in a wide array of genres including stories (fiction and non-fiction), insights and inspiration, tributes and life. In short, Serenely Rapt is a versatile blog that provides something for everyone.

Dagny writes with such passion, be it a political viewpoint or taking a political stand, or an introduction to another blogger or a story, or a poem or just some inspiration. Each post is cleverly woven together and culminates in a pearl of wisdom.

And now and then there is an injection of humour that is very appealing. Humour used well, is very effective in telling a story, used badly is a put off. Dagny uses humour in just the right doses to describe a situation or convey a point of view.

With a mastery over vocabulary, posts portray an array of emotions and each one took me on an interesting and vivid journey, leaving me with some food for thought.

The blog is visually appealing. Clean, clear and crisp with a beautiful header that complements the name of this blog. Posts are nicely catalogued and easy to find and each post contains a well thought out picture that visually portrays the essence of the post.

I was ... serenely rapt.



This elf made it just in time. One special gift signed, sealed and delivered. But many more wishes to send off to the world ...

Wish you all Peace, Joy and Love this Christmas and always. Have a Blessed one.


Like my facebook page Suzy's Ilation and if any of your posts needs some tlc, add it to the goodwill thread there and I'll drop by and give it some love.



Warm Regards
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Saturday, December 14, 2013

My Personal Journey with Dreams

I am taking part in the Write Tribe Festival Of Words 8th - 14th December 2013

Today's personal journey is with Dreams

This is the post I found hardest to write and yet it should be easy as I am such a dreamer.

When I was younger I always thought that when we have a dream we've got to pursue it with all our might. Dreams don't just come true just like that. Or do they?

In the last few years my thoughts on this have changed. Dreams do come true without effort. They just might not come true in the way we expect them to. And we have to allow them to manifest. We have to let go of the need for it to come true, in the way we imagine and at the moment we want them. The Universe unfortunately does not work like that.

When I was young I wanted to write but I was led to believe that writing was not one of my strengths. My essays were never published in any school magazines though I often thought what I wrote was a whole heap better than the ones that did get published. 

So instead I wrote diaries and I wrote letters. I had so many pen friends around the world. It's amazing how much of the world I learned from them. And to date I still keep in touch with 4 of them. I've known them all for over 40 years. I've even met 2 of them, but I digress.

I dreamed I would write someday. I wrote these little books and illustrated them. The only person who read these was my dad of course. And then of course as I grew older, in tidying up my closet, they would go into the bin.

Then somewhere down the track, I let go of this obsessive need to write, though I never let go of the dream. And then many years later, the web opened up the gates for creative writing.

Would I have ever imagined I would write this way? Never in a thousand years. The web simply did not exist in our sphere back then.

And I would never have imagined that I would write poetry. But about 10 or so years ago, suddenly these poems would appear into my mind in dreams or in flashes of inspiration and I was compelled to write them down. One day a friend suggested I should publish my poems and hence my poetry blog was born. Writing poetry fills me with so much joy. 

Dreams do come true, but just not in the way we imagine them to. I know when I'm trying hard to make my dream come true, that I am actually drifting further away from what is meant for me and preventing my dream from coming true.

This poem sums up my point very nicely.

As children bring their broken toys
With tears for us to mend.
I brought my broken dreams to God
Because He was my Friend.

But then instead of leaving Him
In peace to work alone,
I hung around and tried to help
With ways that were my own.

At last I snatched them back and cried,
"How could You be so slow"-
"My child," He said,
"What could I do? You never did let go."

~ Robert Burdette


I never let go of my dreams, but I have stopped trying to make them come true. 

Dreams do come true, easily, if only we let them emerge in their own time, in their own way, and when we remove those blocks in their path that we place ourselves by trying hard to make things happen, or chasing that dream, or writing the script. Might let you ponder on that one and leave you with ...

You gotta have a dream
If you don't have a dream
How you gonna have a dream come true?

~ from the movie South Pacific



Happy talk from the South Pacific


My Personal Journey so far:


Check out some Day 7 posts and some day 6 posts that I enjoyed
Roshan's Happiness - such a sweet post. Paths can cross in so many ways
Nischala's Will You Let Her Fly - a beautiful poem.

Wish you a day of dreams come true.

Like my facebook page Suzy's Ilation and if any of your posts needs some tlc, add it to the goodwill thread there and I'll drop by and give it some love.



Warm Regards
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Friday, December 13, 2013

My Personal Journey with People

I am taking part in the Write Tribe Festival Of Words 8th - 14th December 2013

Today's personal journey is with People

People come into your life for a reason, a season or a lifetime.
When you know which one it is, you will know what to do for that person.
~ Author Unknown


Ever wondered why you were born into the family you did?  I wonder about it all the time. I don't know the answer to this question, but I can analyse the important people in my life. So here goes...

My paternal grandmother -
She was an amazing lady. Gentle but with great strength. Great achievements in life, yet so down to earth and humble. Dedicating her life in service to humanity for her was service to God, nothing more, nothing less. There was a divinity about her, she was the epitome of love. Somehow I think she was there to plant the seeds of my life's purpose. More about her here and here.

my grandmother

My dad -
Like my grandmother he was a humble, generous kind and gentle person. Achieved a lot in his life yet never bragged about it. He was also down to earth. His "religion" was compassion. He lived life simply but with great joy. He was so grounded and always at peace. He had a great love for all living things. There was an unexplainable goodness about him. I think he was here to show me how to live life here on Earth. More on my dad here.

my dad (at left) signing autographs during his cricketing days
at right is Hemu Adhikari who was a good friend of my dad


My mom -
Whereas dad was here to ground me, to teach me how to live life day to day, my mom I think brings to me the spiritual aspect of my life. Her faith in God is unshakeable and has seen her through many difficult times. A completely different personality from my dad, but I think a very good complement to him.

my mom in her younger days

My children -
They are my strength and joy. The love I feel for them cannot be explained in words. I feel blessed to have them in my life. No pics of them as I am banned from posting them.


Join me tomorrow on my last personal journey in this series with some Dreams

My Personal Journey so far:

Check out some Day 6 posts 

Have a day when wonderful connections take place

Warm Regards
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Thursday, December 12, 2013

My Personal Journey with Travels

I am taking part in the Write Tribe Festival Of Words 8th - 14th December 2013

So today's personal journey is with "Travels"

“We travel, some of us forever, to seek other states, other lives, other souls.” 
― Anaïs Nin, The Diary of Anaïs Nin, Vol. 7: 1966-1974

Until about 4 years ago, I wanted to travel and see the world, even though I've seen a lot of the world and very grateful that I've had the chance to do that.

But after my dad passed away in 2010, my whole perspective on travel changed. The urge to see these places all over the world died and travel for me took on a new meaning. People rather than places became priority for me. Visiting family and friends that hold a special place in my heart are the places I want to go to.

I also got the urge to travel the length of my homeland of India. Perhaps because my life took on a very spiritual twist and my spiritual quest took me back again and again to India. But I won't go into all the details of the places I want to see there and why as I've already blogged about these and you can read them all in my 7 Journeys Series

I've always said I'm really so lucky to have the opportunity to live in two of the most beautiful countries in the world; India and New Zealand.

I have often wondered why I was born in India and why of all the places in the world I landed up in New Zealand. And after a lot of soul searching I came up with this answer.

 India for me is my spiritual home on Earth and a part of my soul lives there. It's great history and stories of yore in the form of the Ramayana and Mahabharata are somehow connected with my destiny, with my spiritual journey, with my life's purpose. The more I read them the more I learn and the more I delight in them. It would therefore be inevitable that this would be the great country I would be born in. But living in India for many years surrounded by poverty, I became quite apathetic to it. It's not that one doesn't feel for the poor it's just that one takes that condition for granted when it's all around you. I lost the ability to feel that unselfish compassion for people.

I am convinced that in order to fulfil my life's purpose, I needed to reconnect with that compassionate place in my heart and hence the Universe sent me along to New Zealand.

New Zealand is also a very spiritual country. When I landed here 25 years ago I could feel the high energy and vibration of the place. It was exhilarating. I saw compassion everywhere. There is a generosity of spirit and a kindness I have not seen anywhere in all my travels. Hence it was the perfect place for me to reconnect with my compassion and to become more heart centred. I am also convinced that it is here that my life's purpose will begin and take me where I need to be.

And so I give you in pictures, my 2 favourite places in the world that bring me great joy.

Mumbai, my hometown - the palm trees and the sunsets are spectacular. Pics taken on my various visits there.








Wellington, my adopted hometown - spectacular views wherever you go





(last 2 pics taken from my lounge)


Join me tomorrow on my next journey with some People

My Personal Journey so far:

Check out some Day 5 posts and some Day 4 posts that I really enjoyed:
Jose's Musical Memories of Bandra - brought back some memories
Jyothi's Musical Roar - a different type of music
Cat's Christmas Music - something truly special and my favourite instrument too.

Have a fabulous day

Warm Regards
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Like my facebook page Suzy's Ilation and if any of your posts needs some tlc, add it to the goodwill thread there and I'll drop by and give it some love.




Wednesday, December 11, 2013

My Personal Journey with Music

I am taking part in the Write Tribe Festival Of Words 8th - 14th December 2013

So today's personal journey is with "Music"

My new ipod has "Music, food for the soul" engraved on it and that sums up my love for music and what I think and feel about it. My soul pretty much cannot live without music.



I was 2 years old when I learned my first song and from then on I went to sing at competitions but my love affair with music truly started in 1972 when my brother gave me Donny Osmond's Too Young Album for my birthday. I had this little red portable record player that I carried around everywhere and I think I drove everyone mad as I played it over and over again.

image source: google images

And Donny Osmond - oh my those Puppy Love years were so much fun. I had this big life size poster of Donny above my bed and I would gaze at it first thing in the morning and before I went to bed. And I always had a skip in my step because of that. Of course back in India in those days, there was no chance of Donny ever visiting to do a concert so magazines, posters, records and the radio were my only link to him.

But when you dream big and wish with all your heart and soul, then wishes and dreams do come true (even if that's 34 years later). And in 2006 I had the pleasure of attending a Donny concert in Wellington. Believe me when I say that I was 13 again that day.

So here's a song that soothes my soul, that brings me joy, that takes me back in time and makes me young again.


Donny sings Puppy Love many many years later

I will love this song forever as Donny held my hand for a fleeting moment in time at that concert while he sang Puppy Love. He wore similar clothes too and looked just like that. Sigh!


Join me tomorrow on my next journey with  some Travels

My Personal Journey so far:

Check out some Day 4 posts and some Day 3 posts that I really enjoyed:
Ruchira's Love of Books - a nice walk down memory lane for me. Archies here  ...
Shilpa's Call for Help - neither a lender nor a borrower be comes to mind.
Kathy's Haiku - I love a haiku so how could I not feature this one.

Enjoy a song or two and have a joyful day.

Warm Regards
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Like my facebook page Suzy's Ilation and if any of your posts needs some tlc, add it to the goodwill thread there and I'll drop by and give it some love.




Tuesday, December 10, 2013

My Personal Journey with Books

I am taking part in the Write Tribe Festival Of Words 8th - 14th December 2013

So today's personal journey is with "Books"

I am convinced that books find us not the other way round. That when the Universe wants to give us a message, it sends a book our way.

Some years ago I went book shopping at lunchtime to buy one that someone had recommended. I can't remember the name of the book but I do remember that I never got around to buying it.

As I walked into the aisle and started browsing through the titles, this book caught my eye. However as I was on the lookout for another book, I gave it a glance, and walked off in search of the recommended book.

I couldn't find it anywhere. Instead, the other book came into view again and again. Until unexpectedly while reaching for another book, it just dropped out of the bookshelf and onto the floor near my feet. I was so drawn to it, that I finally picked it up, paid for it and walked out of the store. The recommended book long forgotten and never bought.

That book was Dan Millman's Way of the Peaceful Warrior. It's one of my favourite books and since then Dan Millman has become one of my favourite authors.

The way of the Peaceful Warrior was one of the turning points in my spiritual journey and at the time, summed up the meaning of life for me:
Where are you Dan?  Here
What time is it?  Now
What are you?  This moment.

There are some real gems of wisdom in this book. I read this often and each time I discover something new. But the peaceful warriors path is not an easy one at the start.

image source: wikipedia

Join me tomorrow on my next personal journey with Music

My Personal Journey so far:

Check out some Day 3 posts and some Day 2 posts that I really enjoyed:
Kalpana's Food - Some interesting rituals of her grandmother.
Soumya's Ambrosia - Where can we find it?
Padmanabha's Food - Food in many ways - a touching story

Have a happy day

Warm Regards
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Like my facebook page Suzy's Ilation and if any of your posts needs some tlc, add it to the goodwill thread there and I'll drop by and give it some love.

Monday, December 9, 2013

My Personal Journey with Food

I am taking part in the Write Tribe Festival Of Words 8th - 14th December 2013

So here's my personal journey with "Food"

"If you cook with love and care, then the food will give you back love and care".

My son said these words to me a few days ago when I asked him if the noodles I had cooked for him turned out okay. I must've cooked with love and care as he said they were yummy (Looks heavenward and thanks God).

Each morning I wake up early and prepare lunch for my son. When he was little he said to me one day, "Mom, you make the best sandwiches ever". I told him I could teach him to make the sandwiches the way I did then he could have the best sandwiches all the time. To which he promptly answered, "They wouldn't taste the same because they won't have your love and care" (clever boy - he sure knows how to grease).

And both these incidents made me think that it doesn't really matter how simple or fancy your dish is. It is really the love and care that goes into it that makes it special.

When I cook I always sing or hum a tune. "Why do you always sing?" my son asks. Because that makes me happy and it makes me cook with love and care.

So here I share with you my favourite dish that I make with a lot of love and care and one that never fails to please no matter where I dish it up - my chicken salad.

Easy to make and yummy to eat.

Ingredients:
Boiled shredded chicken, boiled peas, boiled potatoes cubed into small pieces, apples, grapes = all in equal proportion (1 cup each)
Shredded raw cabbage = double the proportion of the others  (2 cups)
Salt and Sugar to taste
Creamy Mayonnaise - to individual taste

You can add some walnuts and raisins for more texture and flavour.
Sometimes I add some cherry tomatoes.
If you're vegetarian, leave out the chicken and add some beetroot.
If you don't like chicken, you can substitute it with tuna.
Mix them all up together, chill and serve.

My chicken salad, made with a lot of love and care and singing.


Join me tomorrow on my next personal journey with Books.

My Personal Journey so far:

Check out some Day 2 posts 

Last festival the thing I enjoyed most was paying it forward by showcasing some posts I enjoyed. 
So here are some day 1 posts I really enjoyed:
Rekha's Memories - The Mahabharata and Ramayana twists are just too cute.
Gayu's Memories - A lovely poem. Each line triggered a memory for me.
Privy's Memories - Another beautiful poem that touches the soul

Have a scrumptious day.

Warm Regards
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Like my facebook page Suzy's Ilation and if any of your posts needs some tlc, add it to the goodwill thread there and I'll drop by and give it some love.



Sunday, December 8, 2013

My Personal Journey with Memories

I am taking part in the Write Tribe Festival Of Words 8th - 14th December 2013

My series on 7 journeys for the last festival was a lot of fun to write and having a theme made it a lot easier too. So learning from that experience, I thought I would have a theme again. This time I'll take you on a personal journey.

So here begins my journey with today's prompt "Memories"

God gave us memories so we can have roses in Winter ~ JM Barrie

image source: google images

One of my favourite memories is of my childhood with my dad. I was six years old and dad brought home a puzzle book for me. Can't remember now what it was called but I absolutely loved it and it started my love affair with puzzles. Something I shared with my dad - he loved puzzles too.

Each night after Dinner, my dad and I would sit together and solve one puzzle. It was my favourite time of day. This was dad and my time together. He was so patient and he made it all sound easy and so much fun. Then I would trot off to bed, a skip in my step and a smile on my face, my little pillow tucked under my arm. This is a memory that always makes me smile.

Thank God for memories and Thank You God for giving me such a wonderful dad, the best ever. The memories of him will live in my heart forever. Be at peace Dad.

Join me tomorrow on my next personal journey with Food

And check out some Day 1 posts.

Have a fun day.

Warm Regards
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Like my facebook page Suzy's Ilation and if any of your posts needs some tlc, add it to the goodwill thread there and I'll drop by and give it some love.




Saturday, December 7, 2013

Unexpected Priceless Treasure

Updated - It is a WOW post - check out others here

Written for:
The Write Tribe Treasure prompt
The letter U at ABC Wednesday
Blogadda WOW - Surprised


I'm not much of a gardener, but today the garden patch beckons. It is a brilliant day. Warm, not a cloud in the sky, a gentle breeze is blowing.  So gloves and spade in hand, ipod clipped to my shirt, I skip out to dig up that little corner and plant those seeds.

There seems to be a rhythm to my digging and for the first time I am actually enjoying the notion of gardening. There is heightened anticipation, as if I am onto something marvellous and a song in my heart, as if I am in flow with the Universe.

Then my spade strikes something hard. It won't budge. So I drop down on my knees and begin loosening up the dirt with my hands.  Quickly moving it aside, I find a little box, a little treasure chest.

I gently prise it out of the dirt and look at it in wonder. A part of me eager to open it a part of me hesitant at what I might find. Surprisingly for a treasure chest, there is no latch.  For an instance I think that's pretty odd but then shrug my shoulders and slowly lift the lid.

Wonder turns to astonishment as I am surprised to see a parcel with my name on it. It looks old like it had been buried in the chest for thousands of years. I untie the string and carefully remove the wrapping. Inside I find a piece of paper with a few lines scrawled across it.

For a fraction of a moment disappointment sinks in and then a thought comes into my head. Maybe these are clues to something and I love a puzzle! So I start to read:

"Forgiveness is not an action, it is a state of being"

"Happiness is not a pursuit, it is a state of being"

"Love is not something one gives or an emotion one feels, it is a state of being"

"Perfection is not something you strive for, you are already in a state of perfection"

"Peace cannot be found, it comes from total surrender"

"Total surrender cannot be piecemeal, it must be complete, all together, in every aspect of your life, in every moment of your life"

"And when you understand and know all of these, and when you dwell in them with every breath you take,
Then, and only then, you are Sat-Chit-Ananda 
(absolute truth, all pervading consciousness, bliss)

At first I frown, deep in thought and then my eyes light up for this is the message of the Universe and the essence of Spirit. And I read them again and again and again, and the meaning of each line takes shape at last. 

Oh what a treasure I have found. What a gift; unexpected, unimaginable, and infinitely priceless.

~x~

A few days ago I met up, over Christmas dinner, with some friends I hadn't met for years. Somehow I found myself sitting next to G and through our chit chat found that we are both on a similar spiritual path. The two of us got talking about the Universe and Spirit and G remarked that I looked different from the last time we met, like I was at complete peace with myself. We talked of forgiveness and love, of peace and joy, and many other things.

Over the next few days I pondered over our discussion and her remarks. And then one night, at that point when one is about to fall asleep, the words, written on that piece of paper in my story, came into my head. I've been analysing them these last few days, but that's for another day and other posts.

Then the "Treasure" prompt turns up at the Write Tribe, the letter U for ABC Wednesday, the Surprise prompt at Blogadda WOW and finally Jairam's guest post on Spirituality and Religion at Everyday Gyaan. And all of these collectively brought together my post today.

I am constantly amazed how the Universe brings together people who help each other on their spiritual paths, how it communicates with us and how it finds a way for us to spread its message. I am truly blessed. 


Wish you all a day when you find your treasure - the thing you desire the most.

Drop by and like my facebook page Suzy's Ilation and if one of your posts needs some tlc, add it to the goodwill thread there so I can drop by and give it some love.




Warm Regards and many blessings
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This post is a part of Write Over the Weekend, an initiative for Indian Bloggers by BlogAdda.

Write Tribe prompt - Imagine you were digging to the ground in the backyard of your new home to create a vegetable patch and  found a treasure chest.


 

Write Tribe

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