Wesay Day - part 1

Happy Wesak Day!Personally, i would think it is certainly a great wesak to start off with lots of metta! Partly due to the reignitation of the recent dharma camp. hehe. Post mortum for the camp: objektif tercapai.

A few of us actually started of with some little things that we can do at home,ie: a meditation in conjunction of the Wesak Day. Just sth like the Earth Hour where everyone switch off the lights, we just meditate at home, since everything start from within.

Upon sharing this with another group of friends are from Tibetan Buddhism, they actually do that almost every week and for each week they will radiate or share the merits with relatives or friends in need at that moment. This group do have Rinpoche that comes over to penang every 1 or 2 months to guide them with talks and mantra chanting.

Well, last night was the meditation day that kicked start.
Frankly, i actually dozed off. hahaha. can stand for only 15 minutes, then beh tahan liao. My physical body was really in a complete shut off mode, even walking meditation also like a drunken monkey liao. So i decided to call it a day and postpone the meditation to this morning since i wake up quite early most of the days. And with fresher mind, i could do it better. I guess this is the first time i have stretched my bandwidth after so many years without retreat. Normally can do till the most 15 minutes only. (better not use the word "pai seh", i think no need to feel guilty or what not, always better late than never). hehe
I was imagining the light of the Buddha that shine through from my head. And with that i wish for the metta from the Buddha to be radiated to all beings.
Was telling friends the other day that, i really like the verse that we usually see outside of the mosque which reads "Sembahyanglah sebelum anda disembahyangkan." Self cultivation and self reliance has always been the truth that i think i should do that more often. Jangan sampai i jatuh sakit then only cari doktor --- too late by then, or perhaps may need more effort to bring ourselves up.

While on the other hand, i was reading and contemplating these words by Pema Chodron ( a tibetan nun) in her book When Things Fall Apart:"On the night on which the buddha was to attain enlightenment, the Buddha sat under a tree, While he was sitting there, he was attacked by the forces of Mara. The story goes that they shot swords and arrows at him, and that their weapons turned into flowers. What does this story mean? My understanding of it is that what we habitually regard as obstacles are not really our enemies, but rather our friends. What we call obstacles are really the way the world and our entire experience teach us where we're stuck. What may appear to be an arrow or a sword we can actually experiencence as a flower. Whether we experience what happen to us as obstacle nad enemy or as teacher and friend depends entirely on our perception of reality. It depends on our relationship with ourselves.The teachings tell us that obstacles occur at the outer level and at the inner level. In this context, the outer level is the sense that something or somebody has harmed us, interfering with the harmony and peace we thought was ours. Some rascals has ruined it all. This particualr sense of obstacles occurs in relationships and in many other situations; we feel disappointed, harmed, confuse, and attacked in a variety of ways. People have felt this way from the beginning of time. As for the inner level of obstacle, perhaps nothing ever really attacks us except our own confusion. Perhaps there is no solid obstacle except our own need to protect ourselves from being touched. Maybe the only enemy is that we don't like the way reality is now and there fore wish it would go away fast. But what we find as practitioners is that nothing ever goes away until it had taught us what we need to know. If we run a hundred miles an hour to the other end of the continent in order to get away from the obstacle, we find the very same problem waiting for us when we arrive. It just keep returning with new names, forms, and manifestations until we learn whatever it has to teach us about where we are separating ourselves from reality; how we are pulling back instead of opening up, closing down instead of allowing ourselves to experience fully whatever we encounter, without hesitating or retreating into ourselves."

May our hearts be filled with loving-kindness, compassion, altruistic joy and equanimity.

Sadhu! Sadhu! Sadhu!

Dharma Camp 2009 - Part 1

This happened after some 10 years.
We were so excited to see you all!


It's called supercalifragilisticexpialidocious! (No Marry Poppins here, but much greater than holding umbrella....we hold umbrella while listening to talks!)

This version is called - "Just Arrived": --- hmmm, we forgot to put up a sign that reads "WELCOME BACK!"

Just as true as what Ven. Kai Pao mentioned:
"Do you expect to meet up in this place, at this time after 10 years?"
"The dhamma seed if not planted during that time, would you expect to be here?"

Hard knock truth.
Great awakenings!
And perhaps some reignation of the dharma flame.

It was really touching to know that Bee Go and Geok Tin were able to make it to the camp. Not that my heart was not all out for the rest of the friends, but for what we have been through together, it's kind of hard to explain that kind of sense of belongingness. It's also about the dream we have shared.

Then i started to reflect on my life journey:
I now know i had the choice:
- 1998: i had "no choice" but to start working due to family commitments (Granny was sick, and need to be hospitalized and with high private hospital medical bill, that pushed me to earn my salary fast.)
- 1999/2000:i had "no choice" but i did make a choice out of no choice to make a change to get out of that mnc INXXX pressure cooker. With top manager's exist interview and different views from people around me, i shut myself out of all these, coz i know i was not strong enough to take up all this....continue my journey in pursuing my dream
- 2005:i had a choice, but i know that i have a better way of improving my lifestyle. no rat race here. must do sth different here. i guess this is a starting point for me. i am back on track now, with the guiding light of the Buddha Dharma.
- 2009: a much more solid path now. looks like taking my very first baby step out of my shell. setting my way out to see more, oh yes, to "reignite the spirit of Dharma".


p/s:
- was i scared to death to make/take up commitments? Answer: oh yes! dearly!
- would i like to share what i know and to take up some responsibiliity : Answer: oh yes! and i would stop and say "no" i f i am real tired, can i? a human e...need rest ma

Dharma Camp 的余震

从dharma camp回来。很累。但感觉还好。不至于会到一面讲话一面睡觉的地步。(Believe me, i did it when i had my first girl some 6 years ago, juggling between school work, helping hubby's work， household chores(no maid la, that time), plus jaga anak. phew!)
为什么会这样子呢？来回每天都睡不到3小时呵。换成平时一定变猪了。这是余震吧。
谛听佛陀的教诲，没什么比这更殊胜。

早上在柔帆的亲子联络簿上，写下了这些，就当着是修持日记的开始吧: 如果改天懒惰了，在belakang kira la: :P 或许您可以提醒我一下。ah bo, 怎么可称法侣呢? 哈哈！

Someone strong yet gentle

Meeting one of my seamtresses has always been a thing that sent me to another level of thoughts.
N, a single mother with 5 kids to fend for. Her husband died of sickness a year ago, with no pension and little EPF. 2 of her kids have haemophilia. All are schooling, with one college goer, but luckily is under government subsidy.
(Forget about the racial status here, coz what she get from the government is definitely not enough to feed 5 kids. Forget about your questions about "Why having so many children when you cant feed them?" coz you cant really judge others base on your own perception. Just stay focus on her will of living.)
Despite all these, ever since i first met her till now, she has never showed any grouses on her situation, nor did she seek for sympathy from anyone.
She once told me that, "People dont have to give me money, better to give me skills, coz with skills i can take care of myself."
And indeed, she is constantly seeking for opportunity to increase her income, no matter how small the project is. Imagine working as a cleaning lady and at the same time taking up sewing projects. She says, "I tak pilih-pilih la. Apa saje saya buat."
(Can you do that? Not calculating on whether how much is the return. Coz that is out of the choice. )
And surprisingly, one lead to another. Most of the small projects are now leading to bigger projects.
But of course, big project here doesnt mean drawing few millions, or few thousands, or few hundreds. They are only "a little" more than the usuall stuffs. But do you think she mind that all? Most people will be thinking, "why should i do small small things? No return, or less return." Well, i think if that comes to your mind, that's because you still have some other choices (such as having the luxury of staying at home, doing nothing and can still put food to the table). We are talking about a woman with no other choices left, except for her own physical body and strong will.

When asked how was her sale in one of the exhibition, with her usuall smile she said "Kadang2 ade yang naik, ade yang turun. Biasala, kalau turun, mungkin saya ade buat kesilapan." And i knew the sales was not of those drawing alot due to the crowd.
Do you think of this way? She didnt even pull down her face and said "tak banyak la.like that la.no good lo." Most people i met do this all the time, and so even before they realy venture into anything, i would think, they are not going to make it.

But N is different. She has got the long sights on her future and ever willing to learn, to stand up by herself, to be always positive and most importantly never give up. Yet if you ever see her smile, you know she qualifies for an advertisement on "GENTLENESS".

By the way, once when her daughter was sick, she could even stay confidently that her daughter is getting better and i really believe this was the factor that make the little one healed faster. Can you stay that calm and empower your kids to get better when they are sick?

I see her as a giant. And I see her as a successfull woman already.

May N be blessed with the greatest joy and the utmost success!

Can you recognize what is this?

Can you recognize what is this? ....
Origin: a 3 yrs 22 months girl.
Clue: what you see everyday

Answer: To be mentioned in the comment area once there are people who make a wild guess. hehe

Perth Trip

On luggage packing:

Packing for Perth trip can be a tedious job, not about what to bring, but about what not to bring. We were told that many things just cant go "over board", especially 3 in 1 cereal that contain dairy products. I wanted to spare some homeopathy medicine for the kids just in case we needed them during emergency, but on second thought, since the medicine might appear to be of similar physical appearance as heroine(and what not), I got to put this aside and opted for the unwanted children paracetamol..... Lucky that we didnt use it at all.

I was thinking about bringing over some chrysanthemum to boil with water just in case we may need to ease the body heat or something. But hubby again put off this idea and children paracetamol is still in the list.

This is strictly about Australian Customs Service. We should have checked on more in www.aqis.gov.au. But we didn't.

During the custom check, the officer passed us the info on food, animals and animal products, plant material, soiled footwear and used sporting and camping equipment.

But lucky that we were travelling with kids, and thus they were relatively more lenient to us. Food was ok, coz they were meant for snacks for kids. But anyway, we had only couple of seaweed sheets and some prickles.

Weather: It's spring, and the temperature is expected to swift between 30-15O.

Low Carb Diabetic Food

Mandurah's canal cruise

Our first stop of trip was the canal cruise in Mandurah.

So exciting to catch few glimpse of dolphins frolicking in the canal. Those cheeky mammals really got us keep searching for their whereabouts.

And finally we got one of them:


In this canal cruise eye opener, we were shown some of the by the canal multi million dollar houses. Most owners had their own yatch parked by the house.



Healthy Recipe

Muffin Making Day

The girls are still in their pantang period of their chicken pox....We are really glad for this outbreak to come at the right time, i.e. school holiday means no school skipping.

They are really bored and muffin making is just the best happening for today!
I got to take away the egg in the ingredient and leave with just flour, milk, baking powder, cooking oil & sugar. And Jo Ee was actually the one who remember what we need to make muffin.

They started with putting some paper muffin cups on the muffin tray but i suggested to them why dont they start with sth real...no play play here. They were so excited knowing that they are reall going to make all by themselves. Not like previously mummy will be the leader and they can only follow the leader.

So i wrote a simplified recipe with 1 cup flour, 1 tsp baking powder(got to leave out soda bicarbonate coz its really a spontaneous session and i have run out of it), 1/2 cup sugar, 1 cup milk(they have to mix and pour with the milk powder to come out with this measurement), 1/2 cup cooking oil.

Jo Ee took the lead. So one 6 yrs old is leading a 3 yr old in the cooking class now.
But then Jo Ee realize that the texture didnt turn out to be what we usually make, so she suggested that we add in more water to make it more dense. So she add in 1/2 cup water again. (But I am really not sure if this is what they add.)

My job is just to place them into the oven and watch them "grow".

The product: a cross between muffin and biscuit....hmmm maybe should call them scones instead...
All 9 pcs of them. But we really enjoy their hardwork. Delicious!

I trade like a kimono trader

Attended forex training with hubby.
It is an extension of life transforming session for me ever since Dr Aaron course on Rich People Poor People.
It still ring in my head, vividly so clear, on what Dr Aaron had mentioned ---- "If you dont like money, give it to me coz i know how to transfer it to those people who really needs them."
It's true that in my money profile, i had that " i dont deserve that dirty money" thinking in me.

But as of now, thinking of the thoughts of being able to channel what i have earned to the children who needs them for their education and other life sustaining nessacities, it really wet my eyes.

It is not solely about becoming a kimomo trader. It is about life transforming opportunity which i wanted to share with the children. Not children biologically from me, but to all those children that are in needs. Such as those in Myanmar, in Sichuan, etc etc....

It ached my conscience if i cant do anything for you, my children, and i mean the children of the world!

This is for you! From the bottom of my heart!

Garbage Enzyme - Part 3

垃圾酵素的用法:

1. 酵素加水稀釋後會更強。
2. 酵素肥料 1 酵素: 100cc 水
3. 酵素殺蟲劑(昆蟲) 1 酵素: 1,000cc 水
4. 酵素空氣清新劑 1 酵素: 200cc 水
5. 種植、栽培花草、水果 1 酵素: 500cc 水
6. 消毒用 1 酵素: 500cc 水
7. 洗髪液，沐浴露，洗衣液，洗碗用: 1 酵素: 1洗洁液 : 10 水