The Perfect Christmas Eve Gift

The Bird of Peace came to visit

Last night my friend Vandana and I came back late from dinner. Jasper was waiting. We got out of the car and, as I went to lock the gate, I heard V call out: "Jasper has something!" I looked in time to see him standing over a small form against the wall on the ground.

I went quickly to what looked like a dead dove. Jasper was sniffing at it but, surprisingly, not grabbing at it as he normally would. I reached to take it up and realised that it was still alive, just sitting quietly.

"How odd," I thought, for a few reasons:
(i) It was alive but Jasper was not attacking it
(ii) It was not exhibiting the slightest hint of fear when I picked it up and held it
(iii) I checked the wings, legs and body and there were no injuries and no blood - yet it was not flying

A part of me thought maybe it was traumatised and stunned. But it seemed to just be at peace, sitting quietly in my hands, as though sitting on eggs in a nest. We took it upstairs and put it in a basket out in the verandah, so Jas would not get at it during the night. It sat quietly in the basket, not moving, just blinking its eyes.

In the morning I went onto the verandah before dawn to do yoga. The dove was still in the basket, sitting quietly. I picked it up, once again observing that it didn't even flinch with the slightest indication of fear or struggle.

As yoga finished, there was a flutter and the bird jumped up to the edge of the basket, then down to the floor.

I went to get it and held it in my hands as I spoke with one of my fellow yoginis in Toronto via Skype. The bird sat in my hands and, at times, perched on my finger, looking content.

As soon as we hung up the Skype call, the dove looked at me, flapped strongly and took off.

Quick post

Been busy.
Time flies.
Friend coming to spend a few weeks for Christmas. She arrives on 22 December. Tomorrow!
Going to malls, etc is draining ... hence only went once and bought nothing.
Only buying "big" gifts for immediate family.
Simple, meaningful tokens and/or intangibles (hug, kiss & well-wishes) for friends.
Work I want to finish before end of 2009: complete editing music video for Mawasi.
Working on new music - exploring.
Doing yoga.
Can't believe this year is almost done!
Looking forward to 2010.
Goal of making money money money to manifest my goals.

On the hour

Today instead of writing a blog post (although that's what I'm doing now) I'm going to use Twitter. So far I've just written one thing a day.

For today only, once I'm home (and once I remember), I'll write something there on the hour.

Will be out for a few hours this morning, though.

Coming to nine a.m. (TT time) soon.

The Gift of Life

Find more photos like this on Give it to me Raw

Some of my raw creations
*

Yesterday I started putting together the gift I'll be giving my godson Luc (age 8) for Christmas. He doesn't read this blog, so mentioning the gift won't spoil the surprise. I'm sharing this because someone out there may be wracking their brain, trying to figure out what to give someone (child or adult) ... and this blog post may come to the rescue.

This is a gift for all ages. It's also ideal because, once taken care of and attended to, it will continue to give to the recipient and loved ones all through the year(s).

The gift will also get the recipient into activities that are necessary in today's world:
(1) reducing, reusing and recycling
(2) planting our own organic food

I'm giving Luc three troughs, each containing rich, moist, fertile, dark brown, earth from Santa Cruz. The troughs are apple crates (crates that apples came packed in - available for free from any fruit vendor). This is an example of 'reusing', rather than purchasing expensive plastic crates from plant stores. The apple crates are perfectly good vessels that would otherwise have been tossed into some landfill.

Trough #1 contains basic seasoning: chadon beni and chive (will add other herbs too)
Trough #2 contains 4 green cabbages and two melongene plants
Trough #3 contains 4 lettuce plants and some more chadon beni

Maybe I'll buy a child's watering can to go with it.

This is a good start. Pretty soon he will be able to harvest his own crops ... although, these are the kinds of foods that children generally don't like.

But maybe he'll start to like greens because he's growing them.

Based on my own experience as a child, I'm assuming he'll enjoy having his own kitchen garden. I used to have a few beds in the back yard where I grew every imaginable seed or growable item that passed through the kitchen: pigeon peas, corn, pumpkin, watermelon, potato, etc.

Bit by bit

Remember me?

Original Twitterer

Bit by bit I'm learning little things about Twitter.

Last night I was going to twit about the Edirol R-09HR recorder I want to get, but the link was so long: http://www.amazon.com/Edirol-R-09HR-High-Resolution-WAVE-Recorder/dp/B0016MLUKU/ref=reg_hu-wl_item-added

Then, reading the Twitter Help section, I came across http://bit.ly/, which allows you to shorten long links.

Insert the long link into bit.ly and it's reduced to something like this http://bit.ly/82inxE

Quite handy.

To Twitter or not to Twitter and why?

The other day I overheard a conversation in the stationery store. It was between a woman who was standing in line to cash her items and a man who was hurriedly heading out of the door in that self-important I'm-a-modern-man-on-the-go kind of way.

Woman: Okay, we go meet again soon.
Man: Yeah, you can catch me on Facebook or Twitter.
Woman: What?
Man: I'm on Facebook and Twitter.
Woman: Twitter? I eh know dat one nah.

I was standing near the envelopes chuckling to myself. The man came across as feeling he was a celebrity, shouting for the whole stationery store to hear that he was "on Facebook and Twitter". Better yet that the woman didn't know what Twitter was. Before slipping back into the world, he was able to shout for the whole store to hear: "Twitter is the thing, man! You should try it!"

Facebook and Twitter make mundane things become worthy of being headlines:

Update: I am drinking water.

I've always resisted Twitter, but this weekend I signed up out of curiosity (see widget in sidebar) - perhaps inspired by the man in the stationery store. I don't even understand what I would use it for, how to use it or what it means to have followers or be a follower.

Does being a follower mean you are alerted whenever the other person writes something?

What if one has no followers? Will it be like that question: If a tree falls in the forest and no one hears it, then did it really fall?

Who knows. It might become useful. In the same way that I once wondered why people bother to blog. Maybe it will be like a little sub blog within a main blog. If something happens but I don't feel like doing a whole new blog post for the day ... or if I have a particular thought or bit of info that I feel like sharing ... I can just "Twit" it.

Elfpeth

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Do I charge for window lamps?

One of four panes on Dreaming God - one of the early window lamps

In the comments on yesterday's post, Tammy-Jade asked (in reference to window lamps): "Do you sell these? Or is it a hobby?"

In the very early stages (1998) I used to make them as gifts, but over the years as people became aware that I made window lamps, they started to commission them. So the answer is yes, I sell them.

Each one is unique, intuitively and specifically designed for the person commissioning it. They are metaphysical art pieces, three dimensional prayers, physical affirmations fuelled by Light.

I love creating them because each one is a new journey and adventure through which I learn and experience transformation on various levels.

When handing the lamp over to the new owner, I do so at a lamp launch which I create and organise in keeping with the symbolism of the lamp. Each launch is interactive, merging the spiritual and creative into a unique experience for each person who attends. I love having these launches: from coming up with the idea, to inviting the people, to organising the actual event, to experiencing it and hearing/seeing/feeling what others get from it as well.

What I love most about making window lamps is that
a) I never know where I will find the window or who will give it to me but they always appear just when I need them
b) I never really know what the lamp will be. It dictates itself along the way
c) They are an excellent vehicle for the upliftment and "lighting up" of self and others - both process and product.

New Window

Driving home with one of the new windows (for making window lamps) in the passenger seat. I don't know yet who this new lamp will be for or what it will be about, but maybe the answers are in the video.

Another Little Bird

Photo taken with laptop camera

Sitting here working on my laptop, I heard that dreaded little thud of yet another bird slamming into the glass on the door. It was a little bird similar to the one from last week which was stunned, but eventually revived and took flight from my hands.

Today's story ends differently. I went quickly to pick up the bird as it fell. As I held it in my hands, it opened its beak a few times, extending its tongue before falling completely still. At least it got to be held before it died.

In to me see

Just realised I haven't reported on the Launch of INTIMACY, which took place on Sunday 6th December.

Everyone was excited to come and we ended up with exactly the right people and the right amount in the right place with right timing.

To go into details of what it was and what happened wouldn't make sense because it goes beyond mere verbal or written explanation. It was one of those "you had to be there" events. I don't even have photos to show - of lamp or event.

Everyone had the experience they were meant to have - and no two were the same.

Suffice it to say, we all had a great time, left feeling awakened and transformed and looking forward to the next lamp launch.

Little Bird

On Friday a little bird crashed into the door glass and fell to the ground. At first I thought it had broken its neck. It looked like it was about to die. I held it in my hands for a while since it couldn't stand. Its eyes were closed and every now and then it would open its beak (as if gasping). There appeared to be something like blood (a red spot) at the tip of the beak. Eventually it revived enough to stand on my finger ... still stunned, eyes still closed.

This video shows less than 2 mins worth of clips from a nine minute period. See what happens at the end. I added slow motion to those last few seconds for emphasis.

This story reminded me of this one.

Launch of INTIMACY

Invitation to INTIMACY

Today is the launch of INTIMACY.

It is by invitation only.

There were spaces for twenty people but only 12 are coming.

These twelve were either people who indicated they wanted to come or people who were directly asked by me because I felt they would enjoy and benefit. Clearly this is the number meant to be.

A friend in Toronto who was following up on the lamp may have a parallel event, in order to experience the launch 'vicariously'.

Those who are coming are excited. Many have gone out to purchase a scarf. Those without a scarf will not be allowed to enter the venue (Moksha Yoga Studio).

No one knows what they will be required to do until they arrive.

During the week I will give a summary of the event.

Prep's Garden

7:24 mins
Food security in Trinidad and Tobago - a national priority

I completed the above video this week (7:24 mins). It features 6 year old students of the primary school I went to as a child (The University School).

Hopefully after viewing this you will be inspired to plant your own organic garden (i.e. if you don't have one already).

As a thank you for making this video with them, the children gave me some of their delicious organic ochros.

Beware of the Chicken (to those who have dogs and eat chicken)

Hindi's nose sniffing at the camera on the drive to the vet

I'm sharing this story just in case:
(i) your dog has similar symptoms and you don't know what's causing it
(ii) you have a dog and you're feeding him/her a chicken-based dog food

For a long time my dog Hindi has had very itchy skin, causing her to constantly scratch. This results in her skin bleeding in the aggravated areas and her hair being lost in patches. It looks like mange, but it's not. The vet tested her for mites. Negative. It turned out to be an allergy. She (vet) put her on a course of steroids (twice). Both times it helped relieve her discomfort and the hair grew back, but once the course is over ... back to square one.

Yesterday I took her to another vet nearby to seek an alternative to steroids, which (as this vet said) make the issue worse after each course. She said her dog had had the same thing and is now looking and feeling great. Hindi received three injections - one for worms, one antibiotic and one was vitamins. I have to bathe her twice a week for about a month (the vet told me to use Head & Shoulders Shampoo, but the people in the pet store gave me "Neeles" sulphur shampoo for dogs, cats and horses). After the bath, I wash her down with a solution of Ecotraz 125 and allow it to dry naturally. Once dry, I then rub her down with a cream called Endovet Cream. I've also changed her diet to Lamb & Rice dog food.

Many (not all) dogs are allergic to dog food that has chicken in it. It is advisable for them to eat dog food with lamb or beef. The adverse reaction to chicken is as a result of the hormones and chemicals being used to 'grow' chickens. So whether or not the dog is allergic, best to give him/her beef or lamb-based food.

Imagine what eating this chicken is also doing to humans. Another reason to be vegetarian or vegan.