Yoga

I miss practising yoga, decided to sign up for a free trial at Ananda Marga Yoga Society of Singapore. I must say I have enjoyed the trial session today. It seemed to have brought out the essence of yoga…relaxed, at your own pace. Most of all, the focus as mentioned by the instructor, is not only on the body but also essentially, the mind. It is not just physical health but also mental health. The secret of good health lies in both the body and mind going hand in hand, well, which I totally agree. Never underestimate the power of the mind. I would say the lessons which they have over a span of seven weeks present quite a holistic approach of yoga. I also feel that it’s kinda quite structured, with lesson targets for each session presented to trainee. Instructor was also able to explain clearly the purpose of each step as we tried out each position. You know, the thing I really like about yoga is really about the mind… calm and peaceful emotions, relief from stress and tiredness. It is also able to give a boost of energy and a jab of vitality into one’s body. Well, without much hesitation, I signed up for the beginner classes :P Chanced upon this today…

“Very few people know what real health is because most are occupied with killing themselves slowly…the body must be in an intimate relationship with the mind.” ~ Albert Szent Gyorgi

Gift #16 from my angel

Discovered a little packet of Muji sour plums in my pigeon hole yesterday, with the usual signature strip of paper. The plum slices are kinda sour, but well, at least they help me to wake up a little, getting kinda lethargic nowadays. Wake up, dummy gal! …Dear Yue Niang Angel, it’s great to hear from you again! Kinda miss seeing that little strip of paper from you. I must say that you have never failed to delight me : ) You are in my thoughts and hope that all’s well with you.

A curve...a smile

A sweet little gift from Angeline : )

Some days, I guess we just find it so difficult to smile, we simply just don’t feel like it. I understand coz I believe all of us have been through that. At times, we are too much laden with stuff in our minds or probably brooding over burdens which we choose to carry with us. I know I am guilty of it sometimes. Well, but some days, I realise it could be so easy to just smile by simply admiring or appreciating simple things in life, things that probably in the hustle and bustle of life, I have forgotten to take a look or even notice it. A smile is a curve that straightens things up…Have we ever realised the value of a smile?

“Sometimes your joy is the source of your smile, but sometimes your smile can be the source of your joy.” ~ Thich Nhat Hanh

Simple words...great ripples

I was in one of the restrooms at Wheelock Place today. One of the cleaners was trying to replenish the toilet roll and a Caucasian lady came out from one of the cubicles. She turned to the cleaner and said, “This toilet is really clean and nice. You have done a great job. It really feels good to visit a clean toilet. I am really happy. Thank you!”

The old aunty was kinda puzzled what the Caucasian lady was trying to tell her and thought that she was asking for something. I knew I had to get that message across and tried using dialect to translate what the Caucasian lady has said. Thank goodness, the old aunty understood Teochew. She broke into a great smile after hearing what I have said and replied in dialect that she always made sure it’s clean by constantly cleaning it. The Caucasian lady thanked her again before leaving the restroom. What happened really brought much warmth to my heart at that moment. That’s really sweet! How many of us actually take the effort and time to express our appreciation for these little things that are done for us? Sometimes, we never realise that a simple word of appreciation can turn a life around, we never realise how powerful it can be. Before I left the restroom, the old aunty took out a mop and started mopping the floor. Somehow, I could feel that her heart was smiling.

The MacRitchie Trail - TreeTop Walk

"We have conquered this journey!"

250m long

Approx 25m above ground level

To all who are reading this blog post now...remember to take time to enjoy the beauty and simple joys that nature brings...the sights, the greens, the wild flowers, the twigs, the branches, the tiny creepy crawlies, the feel of cobwebs, the melodious sounds in the forest, the peacefulness of silence...

"To see a world in a grain of sand. And a heaven in a wild flower. Hold infinity in the palm of your hand. And eternity in an hour." ~ William Blake

The MacRitchie Trail - Journey with my parents

Towards the end of the trail...I wish these were escalators and not stairs :P

My very hardworking parents, with me trailing behind :P

Love the veins on this leaf blade...a piece of art

This cluster of leaves has a way of capturing my attention

My father decided to bring my mummy and this lazy daughter of his to that TreeTop Walk at MacRitchie. Well, I certainly welcomed this idea, had always wanted to go take a look at that place, think the last time I really went for a canopy walk was in Sabah, or was it Kuching? Anyway, it should be in Malaysia and that was many years back. Mummy woke me up in the morning on a Saturday and I must say I was still kinda not awake even at breakfast time. I was munching on my bread, my father was showing me the map of the trail that we would be taking but my mind was kinda still asleep :P Warned by my father that it would be a 3 to 4 hr trek. Thus, no slippers, plenty of water and a light snack would be important. At 10am, we started trekking, we walked and walked and walked. Oh my, I really have come to realise how much my parents can walk, I am pretty proud of them! :) But wish they would slow down at times, I felt that I was the one in my 60s instead. Haha, but they were not so good in going up slope :P Well, needless to say, given my kinda sense of direction, I followed my father all through the journey :P We were all soaked in perspiration after trekking for about three hours, my legs were kinda wobbly too. For lunch, my father brought us to Upper Thomson Road for roti prata at Casuarina Curry. Haiz, the level of my calories seemed to remain status quo after consuming two slices of roti prata :P On our way home, I took off my track shoes in the car and fell asleep… That day, I seemed to have understood the meaning of spending quality time with loved ones. I don’t think I need to go on a holiday trip to be able to spend time, I meant quality time, with my parents. I am glad I went with them that morning : ) Oh yes, I bet I will be trekking there again.

A quote which I like very much while trekking, words of quotes were engraved on metal plates and these plates were placed along some parts of the trail…
“It is not the language of the painters but the language of nature which one has to listen.” ~ Vincent van Gogh

My upside down world

One of my colleagues decided to take half year of no pay leave and be a good wife and hopefully a mother-to-be. When we were chatting that day, she was worrying about and wondering what she could do at home. My goodness, I told her she must be kidding, I could easily give her a list of things to do besides work. Well, I have been thinking about it and I guess no harm for me to kinda dream of my own list of things I could do besides work, ha, I seem vulnerable to an attack by lazy bugs – all ready to conquer every single cell in my body :P Ahem, here it goes, top ten list of things I would love to do if I am not working (in no order of preference)…

1. Blog, blog and blog…I realized I can be so easily ‘provoked’ in my thoughts and kinda feels good to be able to put them down in words. Blog in any part of the world, better make good use of my new netbook lest I might have a new pet - a white elephant :P
2. Cook…brush up on my culinary skills (ha, no high expectations pls), cook for my parents and invite friends over to my place for makan sessions (will try my best not to be too tough on their taste buds :P)
3. Wake up early in the morning (well, maybe not that early) and enjoy a good breakfast…well, this can be so simple but could be so important to me…savouring every bit of breakfast or every sip of the tea, bathing in the warm and sweet morning sun…
4. Read…confession: there are still books that I have bought but still not read. It’s time to immerse myself in the pool of words and discover amongst them the meanings and messages I would have come to realise after reading them. Hmm, spending afternoons in a bookshop would be a brilliant idea too!
5. Paint…confession: bought acrylic, small canvasses, brushes about one year ago and guess what, they are still brand new and untouched in a bag. Hmm, have some ideas what I would like to paint and maybe it’s time to get into some serious artistic work. Ha, disgusting gal!
6. Travel…the world out there is just like a book waiting to be read. This fascinating book is waiting to be discovered. I wanna see cherry blossoms!
7. Get a dog…should I? Maybe it’s time to learn responsibility and real commitment
8. Take nature walks…watch every leaf as it waltzes its way down to the ground, be thrilled by a wild flower and be nestled amongst the splendor of nature, enjoying beauty in every moment that I spend with them.
9. Tidy up and get organised…okie lazy gal, time for an overhaul, need to get my wardrobe organised, need to throw away some and give away some. Maybe I should reorganize stuff in my drawers too. Ha, even occupying my siblings’ rooms at this point of time. Goodness, one room doesn’t seem enough for me :P
10. Lotsa exercise…yoga three times per week and swim two times per week. Hee, then maybe I could add in little treats like ice cream and peanut butter every week! Sigh, gal, ever wonder why you can’t be pencil thin? :P

You know, I feel like this list can go on and on but then again, I was thinking, why can’t these be done starting from right now even with work at hand? Why must I dream of it? I might be able to make these so called little dreams come true. I never know, I might be able to turn my world upside down one day, looking at it in my own way :P

Why always “not yet”? Do flowers in spring say “not yet”? ~ Norman Douglas

A date with nutty

Sometimes, I wonder why I am so in love with peanut butter. The whole afternoon today while at work and during a meeting, kept thinking about it. I knew I had to sink my teeth into that peanut butter with condensed milk on a thick toast to satisfy my craving, oh well, maybe to make my day too :P Love the stickiness of the peanut butter in my mouth, the crisp thick toast added much fragrance and excitement to the whole chewing process. Licked every trace of peanut butter off the fork. Coupled with a big mug of tea with milk, it was a satisfying late tea, decided to skip dinner though. There were not many people at Siglap, quite a quiet and peaceful late afternoon. Mmm, felt that a bit of bossa nova from Lisa Ono would perfect that moment :) ...I wonder when my next craving for this love of my life would come again. Sigh, should I consider giving up this love interest? Felt kinda guilty after spending some time with it today, wondering how I should handle the calories and fats that I have consumed from this relationship...Is there a Aunty Foodie Agony that I can go to? :P

Dr William Tan

We were asked to choose a sharing session to attend during the Excel Fest in 2007. When I saw his name as the presenter in one of the sessions, I knew I had to meet this guy, I knew I had to hear him speak, I knew I gotta get a seat in his sharing session. I signed up for his session the very next minute. Indeed, his session was quite a popular one. I remember I was real excited just before the sharing, have heard so much about him but to meet him, wow, I must say that’s indeed a great honour. During that session, he shared about his experiences, his thoughts and basically his life story. His determination, perseverance, his faith, his belief move him through trials in life. What he has done has touched lives and brought cheers to many. He even battled against elements of nature, that’s probably a very good example of mind over body, he reached the extremes but to him, there is never a limit, he keeps challenging himself and keeps bringing himself to greater heights. He sees adversities as opportunities. Nothing seems impossible for him. My ex-colleagues and I managed to chat with him a little at the end of the sharing session. He’s so approachable, friendly and willing to share. There was completely no airs in him when we chatted, one would feel as if there’s this friendship which existed between us way before meeting him.

In his book “No Journey Too Tough”, he wrote “We all have our limitations, but once we recognise them, we can dream of going beyond these limitations. Physical disability is visible, but there are those who are limited by disabilities which are not visible…in the mind and spirit. I believe that the human spirit is indomitable and has helped me stay on course.”

Dear Dr Tan, your journey in life has been an inspiration to many of us in one way or another. Indeed, no journey is too tough for you. It’s such an honour to be able to meet you in person. You know, I feel there’s really lots and lots for me to learn from you, I kinda feel so little compared to you…I was reading the Sunday Times today and was kinda taken aback to learn about your cancer. But you are determined to fight this battle. Go Dr Tan, go fight this one, the way you have always fought and challenged the others. Looking forward to hearing from you and your success story in September when you will raise funds for the Straits Times School Pocket Money Fund. You are in my thoughts and I am sure there are many who will be behind you in thoughts and in spirit.

A very special place

From the book “The monk who sold his Ferrari” by Robin S. Sharma…

The world and that includes my inner world, is a very special place. I’ve also come to see that success on the outside means nothing unless you also have success within. There is a huge difference between well-being and well-off…

I have learned that self-mastery and the consistent care of one’s mind, body and soul are essential to finding one’s higher self and living the life of one’s dreams. How can you care for others if you cannot care for yourself? How can you do good if you don’t even feel good? I can’t love you if I cannot love myself…

Words fail me...or maybe not

Writing communicates passion…I have never had doubts about this statement. We write with a purpose and write to communicate meanings, express feelings and emotions. We write with not just a pen, a piece of paper or various forms of technology, more importantly, we write with our hearts. Words when put together could become such a powerful tool. Writing allows one to let go, it is a channel to express or ventilate. I like to read what I have written, especially those previous blog posts that I have. You know, I can so amazed by how much I can write and what I write, I really could not believe it at times, I mean…you mean that’s me? I just question myself if that’s me at times. Words, phrases and sentences are like lava of a volcano eruption, they just had to come out, hot and fiery. When there’s this surge of overwhelming feelings or thoughts, you just feel like getting them out and sharing them…

However, words seem to fail me for the past week, there seemed to be a lack of vocabulary within me to describe what and how I feel, or was it a kinda reluctance and rebellious attitude? For those who have known me and probably have worked with me long enough would probably get a tinge of it from me. If I am deprived of my own time, be it for leisure, fun or relaxation, I will suffer from ‘withdrawal symptoms’ and I really mean withdrawal...I just wanna be left alone and would probably have that dun-come-and-mess-with-me kinda attitude. The so-called cure for this would most likely be time by myself. This condition should not last for more than a week, well, at least I will not allow it too, not healthy for the body, mind and soul. You know, at times, the best part of the day is driving home from work…no conversations, freedom, music, silence and peacefulness within me…have always savoured those moments, the gift of solitude. As I am typing this, jazz is playing in the background. You know, jazz has got some kinda attitude in it at times which I pretty much like, or should I say some kinda rebelious attitude in it? Ha, freaky me! :P But know what, I will make sure this freak enjoys her weekend…

Words fail me - blank...

A long weekend but didn't seem to really enjoy it...can't really explain why, can't seem to also express in words, can't even seem to understand myself at times too...It was raining heavily yesterday, grey and threatening clouds lurking over my head. They seemed to form long and huge shadows that would easily engulf one in complete darkness at the quickest possible time...This time, the rain didn't seem to bring much comfort like it always did. It felt cold right to the core of the heart...I went to bed with Pepper in my hand and Purple by my side, hoping to get some warmth...

A friend who cares

I was thinking about the meaning of friendship, opened my black folder and found this...

"When we honestly ask ourselves which person in our lives mean the most to us, we often find that it is those who, instead of giving advice, solutions or cure, have chosen rather to share our pain and touch our wounds with a warm and tender hand. The friend who can be silient with us in a moment of despair or confusion, who can stay with us in an hour of grief and bereavement, who can tolerate not knowing, not curing, not healing and face with us the reality of our powerlessness, that is a friend who cares." ~ Henri Nouwen

May tomorrow be a better day than today...

Sunny baby

He has grown and changed much over these two years but not his eyes...

When he was just a few months old...love this pic

Photographs courtesy of Mark :)

I was totally thrilled and excited when I was first introduced to him two years ago. I must have had squealed in delight when I saw him! :P And when I first held him in my arms, you should see the smile on my face, he’s like a real small ball of fur. That innocence in that face of his and those forever endearing eyes never fail to melt my heart.

1 July 2009…It was his birthday. I was glad I did spend some time with him that day after work. Took him for a walk and realized that I probably have overstrained him coz he was panting real hard after the walk. That panting lasted for quite some time after that, goodness, that did worry me a little then. Ha, but know what, one of the joys when I held him in my arms and close to my body was to be able to feel his heartbeat and his warmth. When his heartbeat was real fast, I could even feel my body shake! …Then he would look up at me with that innocence and lick me, sometimes nibbling on my ears. Hee, I think I smelt like him when I went home that day….I think I spent almost an hour the day before at the pet shop deciding what to buy for this baby, bought two toys in the end. Unfortunately, at the end of the day on his birthday, there was only one left. One was chewed into pieces by him :P I have underestimated the strength of his teeth. The only toy seems to be my all time favourite, think bought that for him last year. But anyway, he’s just so playful that anything can be a toy in his eyes.

Happy Birthday, my dearest Sunny baby…thank you for those times that you have brought lotsa smiles into my life, luv ya, muack!!