HOME: what are we doing?

Sit back and relax as you watch this full length film.

Heaven….

I’m in heaven

And my heart beats

So that I can hardly speak

And I seem to find
The happiness I seek

When we’re out together

Dancing cheek to cheek!

time is gold…literally

Icons:  Sun, Tree, Time, gold, barren land, broken earth

Everyday life 3: makulay!

Lucky day! Nagpunta ako sa tindahan ng halaman para bumili ng indoor plans para sa opisina. Since wala naman akong sasakyan, nag-taxi na lang ako. Habang pumipili ako ng mga halaman, kinalabit ako ng Pakistani na driver nung sinakyan kong taxi, inabot sa akin yung celfon ko, naiwan ko kasi. Bihira na ang ganung mga tao ngayon, yung mag-sosoli ng naiwan o nawala. Nagpasalamat ako, inabutan ko naman sya ng konting extra.

Translation in english by google translator:

Lucky day! I went to the store to buy plants indoor plans for the office. Since wala naman akong vehicle, a taxi na lang ako. While choosing me plants, kinalabit me that Pakistani driver nung sinakyan to taxi, inabot sa akin yung celfon ko, kasi I left. Ganung rare that people now, yung sosoli to the left or lost. Nagpasalamat me, inabutan ko naman sya the little extra.

wanna save the planet?

It will require you a teeny weeny bit of common sense.

sandman says

Dati syang sandman, snowman na sya ngayon, obviously dahil ginaw na ginaw talaga sya. Huli man daw, bumabati pa rin sya ng maligayang pasko!

ps.. nakakainis ang tag-lamig!

red alert: bees are disappearing

Courtesy Maryann Frazier

(CNN) — With rising energy prices and the global biofuel rush already putting pressure on food prices,more news that some countries’ food supplies are being threatened from other corners is never welcome. But new research from the British Beekeeping Association (BBKA) released last week seemed to promise exactly that.

A British beekeeper checks up on one of his colonies. Bee populations fell by 30 percent last year.

According to the BBKA, the country’s honeybee populations fell by 30 percent in the past year.

Why should we care?

In the West at least, it is said that bees are to thank for putting one third of everything we eat on our tables. For humans they are also the most important pollinator on Earth.

In the UK, 70 crops depend on bees’ pollinating skills, BBKA says; while in the U.S. the value of bees are much higher, pollinating as many as 130 crops a year, their services worth $15 billion, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

The BBKA is seriously concerned that Britain may be the latest victim of a mysterious phenomenon called Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) where hive populations disappear without a trace. But it is even more concerned that if the UK Government fails to take this seriously enough, that honeybees could disappear from the country in less than 10 years.

Are virus-carrying alien mites to blame?

Declining bee populations were first spotted in the U.S. in late 2006 when some hives were reported to have hemorrhaged as much as 90 percent of their populations for no apparent reason.

Theories have abounded since regarding the cause of CCD which have ranged from mobile phone signals to the use of pesticides, but one theory has stayed its course.

It is also a favorite of BBKA’s president Tim Lovett — a virus carried by the Varroa mite, a blood-sucking non-native parasite which Lovett suspects first got into the Uk in the early 1990′s and has spread like wildfire ever since.

“It was first discovered in Devon in the early 1990′s and no-one is really sure how it got here.” says Lovett.

“Then three or four years ago we began to realize the treatment we were using for it…which was approved for treatment of Varroa mites. They became resistant to it and strangely that also started in Devon.”

Lovett believes that mites can only have been imported by beekeepers as no host bee carrying the parasite could have made it to the country on its own.

“The English Channel has been a good protective element for the Uk for some years. It’s a hell of a flight for a bumblebee… the most likely thing is someone imported a Queen, and they normally come with workers and attendants and they probably had the mites.”

While the mites were an irritant they were not necessarily a massive problem at first. For obvious reasons, parasites do not tend to kill their hosts. But if a non-native parasite is carrying a disease, the new hosts may not be able to withstand it, says Lovett.

“It doesn’t mean to kill,” says Lovett. “The viruses don’t cause any illness to the Varrao but they are the carriers… European bees had no exposure to it and no ability to handle it.”

more…

Feng Shui and Space Clearing

Feng Shui and Space Clearing

 

 

It is a relatively simple process to change our own Chi if it becomes stagnant. Typical symptoms could include tiredness, depression, loss of appetite, moody or withdrawn. A bracing walk, a shower, a refreshing meal or some stimulating and strenuous activity all have the potential to change your Chi quite quickly. The Chi of a building can take longer to change as it absorbs stagnant energy much deeper. Concrete, bricks, stone and wood have the capacity over time to absorb stagnant Chi and because of their Yang nature, it takes longer to discharge. One of the major factors that is taken into consideration in Feng Shui is known as the “predecessor energy”. This is the vibration left behind by the previous owner – a reflection of their health, their moods and their Chi. Next time you leave an empty flat or home, notice the pathways that are ground into the carpet where the previous occupants have walked to and fro. It is easy to spot the main thoroughfares in the major rooms and areas where the furniture was and corners of the space that have been relatively inactive.

On another level, all of us have experienced walking into a room where two people have just been engaged in an argument. We can literally feel the atmosphere and cut it with a knife. Similarly, we are all aware of the energy of staff in a shop or an office when we enter. Sometimes the Chi is bubbly, efferevescent, enthusiastic and at other times you feel greeted by a wall of gloom, despondency, fear or complacency.

Space clearing is a ritual found in almost every traditional or native culture. It is the skill of changing the atmosphere in the home from one of stagnant Chi to one of vibrant, health promoting and spiritually enhancing Chi. Space clearing before moving in to a new home was considered a vital part of any move in traditional cultures and is still practised in some form today throughout the world. In the west, it is probably linked more to having a good spring clean and a house warming party to enliven the new home.

Since Chi is always changing, it is important to remember that this is reflected within our space. Here are some examples of when you could consider space clearing beneficial in your life:-

1. When you move into a new home to help remove what we call the “predecessor energy” in Feng Shui.
2. After physical or psychological illness. If you or a family member have been ill, then the vibration of the home is undoubtedly affected. We have all
experienced visiting someone who is ill at home and noticed how there is an atmosphere of stillness, caution and subdued expectation. Even after a full
recovery, it is worth considering brightening up the space.
3. After big life changes. Bereavements, separations, divorce or a change in job are all major stress factors in our lives. They all have the possibility of creating an atmosphere that can block your progress unless the Chi is changed.
4. Clearing conflict in the home. If you have been burgled or robbed this can
create a very negative feeling in the home. Many people report feeling
uncomfortable when entering their home after such an event. Admittedly,
some of this is related to their own fear but at the same time, their space has
been violated. Similarly, if you have had any violent arguments or quarrels
within the home, these undoubtedly leave their mark in the atmosphere.
5. Making a fresh start in life. What better way to initiate new changes in your life than to have your home cleared on a vibrational level. This can set the
tone for new enterprises, new relationships and a whole new beginning that is not embedded in the past. Good space clearing can provide a fresh new
space for your new adventures.

There are as many different methods of space clearing as there are cultures in the world. The rituals that have been used include the use of herbs, chants, potions, symbolism, spiritual ceremonies, rituals, blessings, sacrifices, gifts, fruits, plants, holy water and sometimes the timing to coincide with the planets or moon cycles. Space clearing can be drawn from the Native American medicine wheel, Celtic ceremonies, early Christian rituals and Balinese methods. For further insight into how to utilise space clearing in your life, I highly recommend Karen Kingston’s book “Creating Sacred Space with Feng Shui” or Denise Linn’s book “Sacred Space”.

There are usually 3 steps involved in space clearing. Firstly, it is vital to give the home a really good clean. This involves primarily at each spring clean while at the same time removing all the clutter. Following on from spring cleaning your space is the use of ceremony in purifying the space further. The usual method is to use the 4 elements of:-
Water – holy water, energised water or purified water
Fire – candles or even an open fire
Earth – plants, flowers, crystals, salt
Air – essential oils, incense, feathers, Native American smudge sticks, bells, drums, music or chanting.

Offerings are usually made by placing these different elements in parts of the house. A skilled practitioner will usually start and finish at the front door moving from room to room using one of the air elements – incense, drumming, chanting etc – to move the Chi.

The second step, once the stagnant Chi has been moved, is to refine and lift the atmosphere of the home. This is usually done with a good quality bell or music, prayer or chanting.

The third and equally vital step is to set the “intention” of the space. Once the space has been cleared, it is raised to a higher vibrational level and rather like a void, it is ready to be filled. Here lies the opportunity to set the tone of your new space. Chi energy will naturally follow the intention. Some kind of ceremony is vital now to set the tone. Practically, this can be done by standing at the centre of each room and allowing your energy to expand fill the space while at the same time declaring your intention.

Space clearing is not recommended when your own Chi is low – you feel run down, tired or ill. It is never wise to space clear somebody else’s home – this is much better left for a professional.

link here 

nature’s hand

View Babi_Santander’s map

Taken in a place with no name (See more photos here)

“At one time they may be carbuncle stones, then coals, then diamonds, then flint stones, then morning dew, then tears.”
quote by – Lope de Vega

frozen desert

Yes, we have snow  in Saudi Arabia!

Photos courtesy of bellydancing.wordpress.com