The Pavement Artist

Money, Money and Money and more Money..

What can money do or not do?

While our culture says money is the answer to all our problems, we also hear that money is bad. Money is the root of all evil. Money corrupts! And yet can't live without IT!!!! So let’s take a look at what can money do or not do.

It can buy a house but not a home;
It can buy a bed but not sleep;
It can buy a clock but not time;
It can buy a book but not knowledge;
It can buy a position but not respect;

It can buy love but not sincerity;

It can buy diamond but not happiness;

It can buy friendship but not loyalty;
It can buy medicine but not health;
It can buy blood but not life!

New Year Resolutions??

Something for us to think about ....

1. Take 10-30 minutes gentle exercise (i.e. walk) every day and keep smiling.

2. Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day. Let thoughts/emotions go..... and just be.

3. Live with Energy, Enthusiasm, and Empathy.

4. Play more games & Read more books.

5. Make time to practice meditation, yoga, and prayer*.

6. Spend time with people over the age of 70 & under the age of 6 and realise how enjoyable it is.

7. Dream more while you are awake. Visualise what you want as if it has already happened. Think only about what you want. (never what you don't - please try this).

8. Eat more foods that grow on trees and that are natural. Eat less foods that are processed. Work towards 90% of food that grows / are produced naturally and drink plenty of water.

9. Make at least three people smile each day. Smile and laugh more yourself. Each day do / give something good to [at least] an other.

10. Don't waste your precious energy on gossip, lies and ill will.

11. Never remind you, your partner or your friends of their "mistakes". Forgive and forget issues of the past.

12. Don't have negative thoughts on things you cannot control. Work onwhatyou CAN control - it will increase.

13. Drink less booze. Don't smoke cigarettes at all.

14. Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a beggar.

15. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone. Never hate.

16. Don't take yourself too seriously. No one else does.

17. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree. It's only game.

18. Make peace with your past ("let go") so it won't spoil the present.

19. Don't compare your life to others'. It's not a race, it's your journey, so YOU should enjoy it.

20. No one is in charge of your happiness except YOU - choose happy, you can.

21. Forgive everyone for everything - that includes you. Love all - that includes you too!

22. What other people think of you is none of your business. It's what you think that counts (see 21)

23. However good or bad a situation is. It will always change.

24. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends will. Stay in touch. Call your family often.

25. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.

26. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need. You will always get what you deserve - be of service.

27. The best is yet to come. Always.

28. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.

29. Do the right thing! You always know what it is.

Your inner self is happy, all powerful and all love. Start to recognize this.

*Prayer is the simple action of giving thanks for what you have and requesting what you want. We are all part of the whole and the whole is magnificent.

Thanks to Karen and Ian MacAndrew.

Standing, Sitting, Sleeping & Eating in KB

Guru, Teacher, Instructor = PRACTITIONER

A guru (Sanskirt :गुरु) is a person who is regarded as having great knowledge, wisdom and authority in a certain area, and uses it to guide others. The word comes from Sanskrit Gu, darkness, and Ru, light (prakash); literally a preceptor who shows others knowledge (light) and destroys ignorance (darkness) – ‘who holds a light in the darkness’.

A teacher is an acknowledged guide or helper in processes of learning. A teacher's role may vary between cultures; academic subjects are emphasized in many societies, but a teacher's duties may include instruction in craftsmanship or vocational training, spirituality, civics, community roles, or life skills - the teacher is defined as a specialized profession on the same level as many other professions.

An instructor is one who instructs or teaches a technical skill or subject.

Gurus, Teachers or Instructors, we all are practitioners not preachers.

Thank you to all especially Maggie, Ming and Kae Ling for giving me such honour.

Learning And Practicing

I have been bombarding with questions of why I did not attend any workshops or seminars. How are you going to improve yourself? Go and try new things, different things to get new ideas or be inspired, at least! Day in day out, teaching the same things, don’t you ever get bored?

My guru-ji always said ‘an ounce of practice worth a ton of theory’. A goal is implied but the need seems to be for direction – to feel in the process of becoming.

That's what I am trying to practice.

Missy, my Baby

Missy turns 18 this year and she is going bald due to her food. How can that be? Since day One she ‘adopted’ me, the only food she takes is Science Plan (remembered was known as Science Diet then), supposedly ‘superior nutrition for life long health’.

By nature cats are carnivorous species; their diets consist of meat and fish. We, human are trying to convert them into vegetarian by adding maize, soy, rice and other vegetables into their food (I mean processed food). The manufacturers believe that as cats grow older they need less and less protein; therefore they are adding more and more vegetables into their food. Less protein means less amino acid and somehow it upsets her hormones and it caused hair drop.

I have the choice of being right or being human. How about Missy? Does she have a choice?

Be thankfull....

Something for us to ponder about.....

I am blessed, very blessed in so many ways. Thank you.

I am what I am - SOHAM

Keith told me something that he remembers reading about it, long time ago, by an English philosopher “there are 3 persons living inside each and every one of us – 1st is someone who we think we are, 2nd is someone who people think we are and 3rd is who we actually are’.

I love myself when I am myself. I think of those who aren’t. I am what I am. Soham.

Why Yoga Works - for me

Every day of my life, just as I eat, just as I sleep, just as I work, just as I love – I practice yoga.

Yoga is simple and in tune with how the body is designed to move and operate. It builds functional fundamental strength rather than superficial strength, empowers them to purposeful use and conditions my body the way nature intended it to be; for day to day life – bending, stretching, lifting, reaching, twisting and etc. On top of that Yoga pays due attention to both the physical and mental wellbeing, can you imagine that? 2 in 1 or 3 in 1….…should I say

All of us are very well aware the benefits of yoga; we read about it the newspapers, magazines, internet, books and even discussing it with our friends. But, hey …. what stopping most us from practicing yoga? Lazy? Too tired? Next time? No mood? I am not flexible! Backache! Heard all of them and the most popular is ‘no time la’……..

It’s about feel good, when I feel good I look good, and honestly I am feeling much better now than I was in my 20s…… spiritually and of course, physically.

There is no such thing as ‘best’ in a world of individuals.