Watched Dr Strange in the Multiverse on Qatar Air on my way to Doha and found so many cool quotes
The movie explores the many themes we face in life in the framework of the different universes we move between – with a clear driving of focus on quantum physics
The movie can be summed up using a proverb consisting of just four words in Chinese 一念三千 or a thought which lands you into thousands
Some of these quotes below:
Dreams are windows into the lives of our multiversal selves
Trust yourself
Trust your power
Every time you opened a portal you sent us where we needed to go
Even that first time that led you here
We can go where we want to
I love you in every universe
Face your fears
Are you happy?
Sometimes you think that saving the world makes you happy but it doesn’t
Yet I remain grateful to this one
Even with its tribulations
I m glad I fell into your universe
So am I
Where are the lands you want to go to/live in ?
Are there places which you land on in a split second made on a wrong call /judgement due to the carry of an emotion / decision
Can you achieve clarity and make good that decision to undo all the wrongs?
I discovered HuaiHao ‘s sensitivity and perceptivity of late. Each time I put my hands on him he says there’s energy
Really? I can’t even believe it myself
One day at bedtime, HuaiHao says he could feel the stone in my heart.
“ It’s like stopping you. And you have got to release it“
I ask him to help me because I can’t quite figure out what that is
“ maybe it’s like you don’t know how to express yourself. Your full potential? It’s like you are not made of plastic, you are made of metal you know . So just be yourself and don’t follow the herd”
Another day, I took the kids out for lunch and some shopping . HuaiHao is a real foodie and really enjoys his food!
We got some canvas and the kids were preparing something for Karyn ‘s birthday. HuaiHao painted a mountain and pink flowers and he calls this paint it. The mountain and beyond. What a name!
We tried to get back to walking and running as much we could although most times the kids can’t wake up
But HuaiHao had a viral rash of late and I was egging him to building immunity by doing the right things at the right time. Happy he took the advice!
And this is the list he prepared for the trip.
It’s become a tradition of sorts that whenever we travel, I would get the kids a Muji book and they would write their thoughts and discoveries down.
This is it!
And before long we are on our way to the airport !
HuaiHao tried so many new things this time, the most of all enjoying hot spring baths and in public too !
When I first shared with him the experience of the Japanese bath he was really resistant to the idea . But after two tries he is totally into in!
One new thing HuaiHao tried was snow sledding and tubing! Going for it again and again….he wasted no time and thoroughly enjoyed sledding
And HuaiHao is super sweet going around shopping with presents for everyone at home. He has lots of great ideas about what to get and even after checking into the airport he still wanted to get souvenirs
HuaiHao had his first experience of several types of Japanese traditional foods such as the Amazake, Goheimochi and Shojin Ryori in Kyoto’s famed Tenryu-ji ‘s Shigetsu
And I certainly hope huaihao will remember the experience for a long time to come.
But otherwise HuaiHao loves the onigiri in the convenience stores and especially the kelp ones.
We let the kids try out accommodation of different types – from traditional ryokans serving kaiseki dinner and traditional Japanese breakfast to pension to hotels and modern hotels
We did the must do-a like admiring Mt Fuji
And we did the little things like feeding ducks because that was his mission almost everyday
We headed over to unesco heritage sites like shirakawago and Gokayama and HuaiHao had lots of fun playing snowball throwing with daddy
And we watched snow fall
but I think the best time was always us four in the car goofing around and making jokes capturing beauty passing us by in the heartbeats
And we look forward to so many more beautiful travel moments going forward!
Dearest HuaiHao , I hope you have wonderful magic discoveries this trip and don’t forget that eureka moment when the heart and mind opens up! Sparkle as always my beautiful boy!
It’s been 3 plus years since we travelled as a family. The kids were super excited to get on a plane after so long. This time, they had the chance to try out many new things!
Visiting a lounge is one.
They had so much fun eating airplane food after so long.
We arrived into Haneda close to 11pm and the queues at the immigration needed about 2 hours, we had some onigiri and oven from Lawson’s before finally getting on a cab at midnight.
The kids were so excited yesterday after a 6 hour flight , having onigiri at midnight from Lawson’s then finally exiting the airport to the cold
We all slept past midnight but woke at 7 to be here
Whilst waiting for the collection of the car, we saw the remnants of autumn on the golden yellow gingko trees.
We got an upgrade from a sienta to a Mitsubishi Delica! And the kids were like saying they want to drive throughout.
Driving on the expressway towards Hakone and Mt Fuji came into sight
Tears came and they warmed me
Blissful ones and grateful ones
Grateful to the blessings and love I received along the way to get this far
I have come- I heard myself say looking at this beauty
Thank you. I m here.
Bliss is to have bf driving , me seating beside him and the kids asleep behind.
幸福，就是你在开车，孩子在睡觉，我看着富士山
I love having us in a car, cosy together . It kind of makes us feel the bond we share as a family- tightened.
We drove to a lake and the kids fed some mandarin ducks, swans and carp
Then headed to our accomodation for the night. Opened by a couple, the hotel or more like a pension, was run by a man, he was from Kanagawa but his wife is from Hakone and he likes it here.
The kids had a taste of wearing the yukata and most of all, the japanese hotspring bath, which they soon grow to enjoy!
A precious find here was a pizza restaurant, New Mid.
The restaurant seats maybe just 6-8 pax and is converted from a trailer. The inside is cosy and warm. The playlist inviting and relaxing.
It’s a one man show. Run by a young man perhaps no more than in his 30s
We discussed why he might not want to work for others and headed here to open shop. In a place where there are no clear signs in the midst of nowhere
We might be his only guests for the day
And it’s a meeting of a lifetime in this way. We might just meet this once
And he’s doing a pizza in a fire wood oven with Sakura and Nara wood as fuel
The ones we chose was a vegan tomato based vegetable pizza, with sweet potato and potato . Another one had cheese and shirasu or whitebait and the last one was scallops and potato
It could be this meeting in a lifetime for us both and he showed us how dreams matter, and how living one’s passion mattered!
Its interesting how travel allows us to see the most beautiful things in life.
The next day, we drove to a water park at Yamanakako and saw Mt Fuji in all its glory
And I m so so so happy to be here
To see this in front of me – with my precious ones is a great blessing . We shopped at Gotemba and had so much fun, this is a most beautiful outlet with Mt Fuji as a backdrop.
Then headed to our accommodation for the night , a traditional ryokan with classic Kaiseki dinner
The next morning, the kids had a glorious japanese breakfast course of rice and side dishes of tofu, fish, . This is also the first time they tried a hot spring bath in public!
12/12
The kids had traditional breakfast course of rice and side dishes of tofu, fish,
We checked out after breakfast and drove to Amazake chaya —- a 400 year old tea house in Hakone
Amazake (sweet rice wine) at 400 year old Amazake-chaya Tea House is luscious and creamy, nourishing and gently sweet (no sugar), even babies can have it. I particularly liked this the menu suggested, “On cold day, take it hot with ginger. On cold day, take it hot.”
Reminding you that often times, the way out, the healing the salvage is in the reverse.
The menu is said not have changed. Like the handmade isobe (soy sauce) and uguisu (sweet young soybean powder) mochi, a glutinous rice steamed and pounded into a paste by a wooden pestle then toasted by charcoal. Miso Oden (a warm konjac steeped in miso) and Tokoroten, seaweed and sesame topped agar agar strips in a refreshing vinegary sauce. Wasabi on the side added so much sophistication to the flavor profile—— who would have thought!
Wanted to stroll on the Tokeido walkway but HuaiHao had a nose bleed so we aborted the idea
We then went off to Lake Ashi and Huaihao is adamant at finding more ducks to feed!
We also drove to Owakudani and let the kids have a feel of how much energy the earth has!
By this time, the kids were already used to the idea of bathing in a public bath. They would ask if there is one at the next hotel.
Qinzhi enjoys the outdoor bath and is quite at ease showering and doing her bath while HuaiHao says he feels a bit restrained and uneasy baring it all
Every night, after checking in, we would all do our baths before retiring for the night.
The next few days was spent at Karuisawa where the kids had a go at sledding and snow tubing. The hotel got the greens from the kids. The hot spring facilities at the hotel was new and there was also a sauna and Qinzhi tried it for the first time
We tried the outdoor hot spring bath again and is happy Qinzhi enjoyed it, she says it makes her feel relaxed. She also took her time to shower and is at ease and comfortable
But shopping at Karuisawa was sooooooo good, everything was beautifully spaced out and there were lots of open spaces for anyone to chill. Now the kids are beginning to get really focused looking for presents. This is something the kids chose for ah mei ah yi
The next morning, we woke up and in time to catch the first snow in Karuizawa
Snow fall just makes you look at it, admire it,
It slows you down and makes you inspect what it is in your mind
What it is in the heart
There’s a lot of beautiful feelings – gratitude joy inspiration motivation
I ask myself- if this is magic , what is?
I came this far and that in itself is so many miracles and blessings working on and for me
It makes you want to cry
I can not explain how it feels but nature just has a way of bringing one back to the center, to feeling the most beautiful things about life. And loving life all over again.
We lost no time and headed to the Snow Park where the kids had a go at snow sledding and tubing.
HuaiHao really enjoyed himself to the max going at it again and again
I tried the sled – once, lets just say it’s not my kind of thing
It started to snow after a while and the kids were enjoying the fun unaffected
I took pictures of them and had the chance to appreciate snow
It’s a beautiful thing to see yet nothing no words can quite describe what I see
We break for lunch and they went at it again after lunch while I took some time by myself to shop
Everyday we headed to the Prince Shopping Outlet for food and lots of shopping!
We originally wanted to take a train to Takayama but the kids loved being in the car so so much daddy booked another car at a premium and another and another, in the end, we drove and covered close to 1000km in the 10 day trip
The most beautiful moments seem to be the ones that pass us by. Majestic mountains that make you feel happily small.
You kind of find your place and bearings.
We drove towards Nagano at about 3pm. The sun sets at about 4 plus in winter and we had to weave around dark mountains in snow, finally reaching Takayama at about 7pm plus at night, had dinner then enjoyed hotspring bath in the hotel
You could have popsicles after the hot spring bath and the hotel serves complimentary sake beer fruit juice at the lounge area.
We spent the night searching for another car and bf booked it in a heartbeat even though it costed him 850 a day but he gathered it will be worth it as everyone will be comfortable
This trip, we tried as much to let the kids try different varieties of Japanese food, such as the okonomiyaki, ochazuke, tempura .
But the kids have garnered a liking for visiting Lawson’s , Family Mart and Seven Eleven, always amazed at the selection there and picking up onigiri and desserts and Kagomi juice everyday
Before long, we were already half way into our itinerary and have arrived in Takayama after driving 189 km from Karuisawa.
We had a visit at the morning market and fed more ducks at the river. Mommy and daddy came here 20 years ago(?) in summer and now we have 2 kids in tow.
How much time has passed?!
I found a nice place to get grilled rice balls and they were really awesome. We had the Midarashi dango (rice dumplings dipped in soy and grilled ) and Norimaki dango ( skewered rice dumplings wrapped in seaweed). AND we had Fukutaro’s afurae goheimochi, a rice cake glazed with fragrant sesame sauce, grilled on a skewer . Typical of local cuisine in the mountainous Chubu region, it is so named because it resembles the shape of the “gohei”, a staff with plaited paper streamers, that is offered up to the Shinto deities.
We then headed to Hida to collect our side table that we ordered
The next place we headed to was Shirakawago, I have always wanted to be here
It was visibly less crowded and we got to stroll
I was asking myself what was I feeling to be at shirakawago
I have always wanted to be here
The last time I was at Takayama I already wanted to be here
I guess I planted a seed then
And reaped it only now when conditions are ripe
I walked a bit and tried to feel for my feelings
What am I feeling ?
I heard myself say, I m finally here.
Yes I am finally here!
Some kind of magic happened when i was last in Takayama to bring me here now
The kids had so much fun playing snow balls and throwing at each other. And they now enjoy a warm amazake!
At this point in time
I wanted to go to Gokayama too and asked for it
It snowed more heavily on our way but the trip was totally worth it! I find myself liking Gokayama more
We headed for soba and saw snow falling through the window
Looking at it is lulling me to sleep
It’s releasing of stress and very very relaxing soothing therapeutic
Sometimes snow was graceful sometimes a little more than intense
But there’s so much beauty and magic in those moments
I just couldn’t verbalize them
More of feels like you are connected to the snow and you are not that alien from it
We took a walk outside and the kids had snow bomb fun with dad
Everywhere around there was quiet
You could hear the sound of your steps on the snow pile
You go a bit slower and gentle and realize how hard and how much of a bully you have been to yourself
Gokayama is this place to me
We drove all the way back to karuisawa to return the car only to drive the same car back to Osaka. The distance is 489 km and we are 280km away now. Driving through some of the most beautiful snowscapes. We stopped mid way for dinner and pushed forwards to Osaka reaching at 9pm
The next day was spent at Kyoto and I introduced the kids to Shojin Ryori at Tenryu-Ji ‘s Shigetsu for a vegetarian lunch
“Each meal is prepared by the monk holding the position of tenzo, whose task is to serve meals to enable one to practice Zen with the least hindrance. Each meal is appropriate to the need and occasion, and is just enough to satisfy the palate and the soul.” —— Zen Cuisine at Shigetsu
I think the key word is just enough. Just enough is logic, intuition, wisdom, it’s heart.
The all vegetarian lunch excludes the use of alliums like onions and garlic. Showcasing six flavours and maybe 20!types of vegetables, no one vegetable is repeated and no one cooking method is repeated
HuaiHao tried everything and I m impressed
We shopped in Kyoto and the kids bought presents. The next day we spent our time in Namba shopping for more and then headed to the airport for our 1130 flight home
Everyone helped to with the luggage and we made it on time to the train and to the airport
The kids thanked daddy for the trip –each in his/her own way. It’s so good to travel and see the world. And it was daddy who made it possible for us all.
It’s a beautiful blessing gifted to me by bf who worked and saved for the family.
Back home, Qinzhi made sure the presents to everyone was wrapped beautifully, she made cards and wrote notes, while Huaihao at Lego got busy at Lego.
Traveling allowed me to broaden my perspectives and let me see how I have been going in circles coming down too hard on myself. It made me happier and brought me to a much better place
Traveling helped me become a better person
I have shifted yet again
It makes me feel that I can/want to do better to do this again
In this month, Qinzhi did something really new and that was her very first fast . She completed the ten day event- victorious!
Got her to jot down her experience to reinforce it and she did.
“Hello everyone! I’m qin zhi, and yes! I heard from my mom that im the youngest in here to fast. HEHWHAAHAHAA (ill share my experience with all of you 🤛🏻🤜🏻!)
So actually why I wanted to do this fast alongside my mom is because (one of the main reasons) is to lose some weight and also get into shape because ever since the holiday started, I wasn’t active and didn’t have a lot of events like I had during the school terms previously, so i decided why not join my mom and do this fast together? I also wanted to experience THE PAINN of seeing people eat when you cant (because im a foodie i LOVEE food). because I was determined to lose some weight, I had my goal before me, so I didn’t wanna give up: ✨坚持到底✨!
During the first day, I thought slique shake and ning xia red combo was the WEIRDEST THING IVE EVER HEARD AND EVER GONNA TASTE. I was totally disgusted and like EWWW you know. Yea so 😑😑😑 but I still decided to drink it. I couldn’t give up. So I just got it over and done with and thought that it was the worst shake plus slique shake and ning xia red I have ever drunk. The worst part was I took my own sweet time to drink it because I had to have it with sulfurzyme so I totally tasted it and was again EW. Until the evening when my mom told me that I could add lemon essential oil. WHAT WAS I THINKING??? Yea so I forgot I could’ve added lemon so that the shake could’ve tasted so much better. Anyway, from then I just added lemon and I loved it. Treated it like the normal slique shake I had every morning before school. After first few days I actually felt a little tired (I’m also not sure) but I guess it’s normal??? I was TOTALLY CRAVING FOOD. But in the end and up till today, I didn’t eat though my mom kept tricking me which I resisted the temptations.
It’s just 5 days and tomorrow we can eat again! It’s so fast and we finally can eat again tomorrow again!!!!! At first, it seems like there’s such a long path to walk but it’s the spirit that counts- if you really want to reach the top of the mountain 🏔️ then you will know: you will never give up no matter the circumstances. And we will feel good because we didnt give up. But if you give up, you will also feel good but it wont last long because you didnt reach your best. Still ITS OKAY! Just D.G.U!!!! DONT GIVE UP because if I can do it the rest of us can also do it! HAAGHAAHAHA!!
Today, I started eating! I had fruits that mom cut and the first few mouths I had I was kind of full… I felt SUPER SUPER HAPPY that I was able to eat again though it felt like I just stepped into a whole new world 🌎 and im the alien 👾 but whatever it is still eat slowly, enjoy the food and appreciate it❗️🦴
I definitely enjoyed the past few days, it taught me pain : and watching people enjoy their food. I will never forget this experience and now I know how celebrities feel 🤣🤣🤪😎
I’ll wish you all the best in the next fast! 💪🏻💪🏻‼️‼️ Thank you for your time reading this!! 💗”
She completed her fast with a drawing of a mountain in spring. To prepare for her new academic year, we headed off to the the bookstore and got her new books
Then we were kind of back to eating and enjoying food,
Qinzhi is excited about the upcoming japan trip and she’s so into fashion and looking good at this point in time. And i must say she has good fashion sense, wanting to pair jeans shorts with leggings and boots for winter!
She also tried to learn some japanese on youtube but alas, it lasts only a few days
And the kids are getting on to painting again for ah mei ah yi and karyn.
We tried to get Qinzhi and Huaihao to do the morning walks and this time we succeeded.
Then took the kids to the dentist and Qinzhi for her bi annual hair cut before getting real food !
Then it’s down to packing! Qinzhi id reaaly excited!
Each time we travel, I would get Muji books for the kids for them to jot down their thoughts and discoveries , this is it!
Qinzhi tried so many new things this time, the most of all was enjoying hot spring baths and in public too ! Didn’t expect her to like it so much that she looks forward to it every night but she did as it helps her relax
One other new thing she tried was snow sledding and tubing! Going for it again and again….thoroughly enjoying the experience
And Qinzhi really loves shopping too! And she is super sweet going around shopping with presents for everyone at home.
She had her first experience of Shojin Ryori in Kyoto’s famed Tenryu-ji ‘s Shigetsu
And i certainly hope she will remember the experience for a long time to come.
But otherwise she loves the onigiri in the convenience stores and especially the plum ones.
We let the kids try out accommodation of different types – from traditional ryokans serving kaiseki dinner and traditional Japanese breakfast to pension to hotels and modern hotels
We did the must do-a like admiring Mt Fuji
And we did the little things like feeding ducks to visiting unesco heritage sites like shirakawago and Gokayama .
And we watched snow fall and Qinzhi put it so beautifully
“ watching snow fall brings out the littlest things in life”
Wow
but I think the best time was always us four in the car goofing around and making jokes
Once we got back, Qinzhi got really busy with wrapping presents. In fact she was constantly looking out for gifts, and other than herself
And we look forward to so many more beautiful travel moments going forward!
Dearest Qinzhi , I saw how you have grown and have begun to appreciate beauty all around you . I love how you take the time to savour good food amidst any rush, adamant to do things your way. I hope the wonderful magic discoveries this trip made lasts you a long time and warms you up whenever you need energy. Also, don’t forget that eureka moment when the heart and mind opens up at the sight of beauty!
I love you so much even if you do not know or do not feel it!
Watched Ad Astra on board and Brad Pitt was flying to the moon
Then it came to me- that I forgot my dream
That I forgot to dream
That is the crux and where and how things went off
What is my dream?
As I breathed in light from Guru Rinpoche , I tried to find my center rather than concentrate on the doubts
Where is my center?
I tried to feel it
Where?
Where?
It’s like – what and where is my rock ?
It’s what is in front of me
It’s being with my precious family whom me and my husband have built and making it healthy, safe, well, full of love and beauty
It is to connect first with myself , my family then outwards
It is to get at or arrive at the heart center , the tender parts people hide- with them together
It is to fetch out voices from the heart that they may not even know
Dear divine, show me the way to this
Coming to this point is bringing me to tears
It’s bittersweet
How many moments have I got to go through to come here at this point- to know my dream my talent my purpose
My meaning
It is to get out these voices deep in the heart
Knowing this brought my happiness and great joy and reduces me to the kneel
Something inside me shook and defrost
I’m happy
It is great great happiness knowing this is what I really want to do. And it doesn’t matter if I m not there yet or that I do not know how to do this
I just know I will and I will be doing this amazing work- bringing out voices of the hearts and to be a part of this process , holding space for another
Just by listening and asking questions, just being/be doing this
I come back stronger focused on this work I want to do going forward and I ask the divine for all the support all the inspirations and all the light that I need on all fronts on this path
And I m home
There’s this question Brad Pitt put out after his father broke off the bond . He asked, “ why keep trying? Why go on?”
Why I asked myself too
Why?
Because I believe there is something larger than life I m in awe of
Something larger than myself something larger than what I have what I see that I want to go closer to
And the start of it all would be listening in and listening to the voices of the hearts
These voices speak of the magnificence the very magic of life
Brad Pitt ends the movie with this,
“ I m unsure of the future but I m not concerned.
I will rely on those closest to me
And I will share their burdens as they share mine
I will live and love
Submit”
And so it is, om!
Amen!!
Let’s start by imbuing each moment with awareness to experience and then expressing the beauty and magic of it.
Its interesting how mudras found their way to me, or vice versa,
And this!
“Today, I want to share with you an important hand posture to help with invasive energies. Remember “invasive” energies aren’t necessary “bad” energies…. they are just energies that are not in alignment with yours. In Spring Forest Qigong Level Two, we teach a simple technique to use for protection… Touch your thumb to your index finger, making a circle (similar to the “okay” sign). Holding this posture keeps your energy from draining when you experience fear. When you are with an angry person or someone who threatens you, holding this posture will cause the energy channels in your body to close so that no energy can be taken out. Quiet your mind when dealing with these people and put loving light around them. This will help you and it will help them. When meditating, I encourage you to hold the protection posture to strengthen your kidney energy after you have had an open hand posture for the first two to three minutes. The reason we do this is because, a open hand”
oday, I want to share with you a important hand posture to help with invasive energies.
Remember “invasive” energies aren’t necessary “bad” energies…. they are just energies that are not in alignment with yours.
In Spring Forest Qigong Level Two, we teach a simple technique to use for protection…
Touch your thumb to your index finger, making a circle (similar to the “okay” sign).
Holding this posture keeps your energy from draining when you experience fear.
When you are with an angry person or someone who threatens you, holding this posture will cause the energy channels in your body to close so that no energy can be taken out.
Quiet your mind when dealing with these people and put loving light around them.
This will help you and it will help them.
When meditating, I encourage you to hold the protection posture to strengthen your kidney energy after you have had an open hand posture for the first two to three minutes.
The reason we do this is because, a open hand allows the energy to flow in and out of the body moving out blockages more easily.
When you’ve done this, then you close the channels with the protection posture to simply collect the beautiful healing energy of the universe.
I told bf that the last two months has been a time of reinvention
For want of a better word
The process was all about breaking apart and then scrambling to find the pieces – of myself back
I was trying to feel for everything
For everything felt like kind of the same. Nothing could excite me. I didn’t know about my likes and dislikes. Didn’t know what why when where how
And my body was imitating this state
Yesterday at bedtime I was asking HuaiHao what is the heavy weight at my heart center? And he went:” you don’t know how to express yourself. Like you are not made of plastic, you are made of metal , just be yourself and don’t follow the herd”
I didn’t really know what he meant
Today after so long I went back to walking and seeing this kind of made me get it
When everything fell apart, I was trying to grab bf to hold on to something to anchor
But in a way or another, he appeared to be leaving me to my own
And I kind of find myself crushed even more knowing that he has/had been my rock and I m me and myself now
What is my rock when is my rock?
I was devastated
I was frantically searching for something to anchor on
And I think that rock would be the divine. And anything belonging to that
Searching for the divine feeling for the divine and connecting with the divine
And I saw Rumi , “You are not a drop in the ocean; you are the entire ocean in a drop”
And after searching outside for so long looking for something else, I kind of found the divine in myself
And that day I went to remove my wisdom tooth because it went all shaky. When the tooth was extracted, I felt a miraculous sense of release. It was as if something deep was lifted out of me
Came back tired and napped and woke up to a rainbow
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