Let it Go, Let it Flow

**Powerful releasing techniques and found in my favourite cartoon as a child - 'Avatar the Last Airbender' -- Enjoy! :)

Prioritize

We are creatures of habit. Our parents taught us, their parents taught them, and their parents taught them also. It’s the circle of life. What many of us don’t know though is that if we practice anything over a period of time, it ultimately stays with us; therefore why should we not practice things that will enhance our daily lives? 

It seems that our current generation is lazy, and becoming more so everyday. We accept things at face value and do nothing extra to find out the truth. Instead of cooking, we buy or microwave, instead of reading, we watch a video, instead of spending time with loved ones, we make excuses. Isn’t it about time we change that cycle? These negative habits. Whatever we spend time with we prioritize these specific things in our lives. My darlings, it is time to prioritize practices that will benefit us physically and mentally.

How shall we find truth and strength if we do not sit and ask questions from the Universe/God? How shall we become more focused, patient and mindful if we do not take time to meditate on these things daily? How shall we heal our bodies from the inside out if we do not put beautiful things into our body or take time to preserve nature? We claim we have the answers. We claim we know the truth. We claim we are the most powerful beings on this earth. I’m sorry to burst your bubble darlings, but it is not ALL about you. In fact, it’s about us!

We are all reflections of each other. Creating distance, harbouring hate, thinking negatively not only hurts your fellow man, but also in turn hurts you. It is time that we prioritize positive things into our lives. Sleep an hour less to spend time with yourself everyday, be silent, meditative and prayerful on a better world, a better you. You can’t just do it once in a while, once a week, and call yourself a master. After all it is a fact, we are creatures of habit, and the more time we spend with things of importance in our lives the more we’ll see the benefits of our sacrifice and hard work.

It’s never too late!

Ready, Set, Begin a new you! :))

Bless-up darlings!

Love Jair

Reflect

40 days and 40 nights can fly by for most; in fact months and years can fly by for most; but during Lent we must make time to reflect on what its true meaning is in our lives. We must make time to reflect on how we want our lives to be. Many times we settle, because we are afraid, we listen to negative comments made by others and it intimidates us. Our destiny, our greatness is too great to stifled by the nonsense uttered by others. Don't be distracted darlings, keep focused on your goals.

Happiness is sometimes a slippery feeling…and she evades you if you're not careful. When she's there, enjoy her for what she is - be grateful - be gentle. Everything in moderation, for if you try to 'one-up' her, she will quickly invite her friend 'Sadness'. Happiness starts from within and grows when you help others. You can't find Happiness in money, possessions or anywhere else.

During Lent and this final holy week, we remember the path taken by Jesus. He taught us that before we receive our BIG blessings in life, that we must be brave and patient in passing firstly our small tests of faith. Jesus had a selfless love; he put his needs second for the love of mankind. This is how we should strive to live also; putting God/our Creator first; trusting that he knows whats best for us and in the best timing. After all we do not see the entire masterpiece … but only bit by bit as it carefully and perfectly unfolds.

Enjoy the silence … and make time for prayer and meditation … you'll see that you are exactly where you are supposed to be at this very moment in time. Leave your guilt, your past, and your anxiety and worries at the door. Enter into light, truth and the rebirth of the new, whimsical you! :))

Bless-up!

Love Jair

Eat Pray Love

I remember seeing several passengers on my flights with a copy of this novel in their hands while I whizzed through the aisles with my beverage trolley and I remember thinking, 'Pretty cover, but seriously I'm doing a service here and these people should at least look up from their books so I don't have to continuously repeat myself'. Then I remember hearing that Oprah added it to her list of 'Books you must read because I'm Oprah selection', (not that I watch Oprah, it's just sometimes I surf through the television channels in my hotel room and mysteriously the battery to the remote decides to die when landing on her show); I remember also talk about them turning this paperback, into a film. Wow! Kudos to Elizabeth Gilbert (whoever she was)! I wasn't interested at all still to read or watch the movie. I thought, I'm not into fiction anyway; besides, I much rather read inspirational/self-help/mystery/horror novels. But that just goes to show how funny the Universe is…anytime you say, "I'll never, I won't, I'm not interested, or 'as if'", that's when the Universe gives you precisely what you didn't ask for. You see, it doesn't understand all the words really (especially since it has to understand all the languages not only on planet earth, but the entire Universe), it just knows that when you say something with conviction then you must want that brought into your life.

So, here it is I'm at home in my beautiful twin-islands of Trinidad & Tobago, celebrating my birthday with Daddy dearest and my Super Mumsita and I unwrap one of my gifts excitedly to find 'Eat Pray Love'. Great! Now I have to read it. I look up at my parents with a quizzical face that says, 'Really?' And they tell me that they've heard great things about this book and thought I might want to read it before the movie comes out. I smile and cleverly shove it aside to open my next non-feeling-like-a-book-gift.

Weeks later, literally shoved back into work and busy America, I'm faced with a depression that had no right to bother me in the first place. It just showed up uninvited and turned my lovely world into darkness. I was lonely and alone once again and I didn't feel like reading my self-help books at the moment I feared I'd slash my grand collection with the rage ensuing within my heart. So, I had no choice, I dug 'Eat Pray Love' out from under my collection of books I may want to read at the side of my bed, opened it up and read it. The book is 445 pages with medium-small text and I swallowed it up in just 2 days. My, what a heart-warming, honest, and friendly book! I say friendly because I felt as though Elizabeth was my friend, and what I didn't know was that it was a true story, so it turned out to be inspirational after all.

Now I can say that I've read the book and watched the movie and although it may not be my most favourite novel or film, I can safely say that it touched me in a positive way and I can honestly see why and how it touched people all around the world too. I burst into tears, I was angry at some points, I was happy at the end too. I always love happy endings. Gosh! They're the best aren't they?!

The book was better than the movie – I know some people are rejoicing because they think 'every' book is better than the movie, but I'm not one of those people. The book just had so many more intricacies and reality than Hollywood could box into an hour and a half of film. I enjoyed the film too, don't get me wrong, because seriously, how many films give you a grandiose view of a Welsh man's perfect bum? All in all, directors try to portray as best as they can the highlights and most of the message when turning books into film and I must say they did a first-rate job. There were some moments where I think they should have done more explanation, more narration as Elizabeth's novel did; which made you connect more with the main character, like when Giovanni walked her home and she wished for a kiss from him because it was so romantic, even though she wasn't 'in-love' with him, or perhaps added the details about the sly behavior of Wayan towards Elizabeth, or mention that Tutti had 2 adopted sisters. The added scenes of the Indian wedding and twisting of relationships in the film actually worked. I found the meditation scenes quite funny; as I myself struggle with my thoughts, but after watching this I am more determined to use my 'alone' time to master my learned techniques. I also can't get S' Wonderful by Joao Gilberto out of my head either....sigh** such beautiful music.

I must admit Julia Roberts did a great job at looking like a 'pretty woman' on screen (no pun intended), and believably ugly enough too during her countless crying scenes. I've discovered that suddenly James Franco isn't so attractive to me anymore…Hmmm… rather strange. And Javier Bardem did a marvelous job as always; now he's undeniably Hollywood material, not only can he play scary villain characters but also a delightful leading romantic man; He is now indisputably a household name.

Cinematic moments that made my heart soar were:

When your life is in ruins, it's only a transformation towards something better.

The only way for you to love again is to trust again.

Sometimes when falling in love you lose your balance, but it's the only way you can truly be balanced.

Sure, it's all about love, when is it not about love? Doesn't it truly make the world go round; Love conquers all. Lucky to those who have it! Humph! j/k. But on a serious note, this was one woman's journey to find her heart and to find peace and balance and yes…Love within her life. And she found it alright; everybody's path is different, some people don't have Hollywood happy endings, and some people don't have the luxury to travel to exotic lands for lengthy amounts of time. But I think the true message is to find that balance within your life and not remain in something unhealthy for you just because you miss someone, or you want things to work, or you're accustom to conveniences you're not ready to give up; that's not a good enough excuse for your happiness and freedom to be the best you! You also don't have to travel the world in search of it, as I am actually guilty of doing, sometimes what you need is right under your nose, as I've found out, after chasing after it all around the world and having it lead me right back to where I started.

Be true to yourself and never settle, you deserve a better you, understanding, happiness, truth, sharing, trust and everlasting friendship. You're not in control of many things in life, but you are in control of how enjoyable you make your destiny. Who do you want to journey with? J

I will leave you with some words of one of my favourite tunes, which probably has nothing to do with the novel or movie, but I love it and feel obliged to share…Enjoy! It's entitled 'La Foule' by the beloved and late Edith Piaf:

I see the city again at a festival, delirious,

Suffocating in sun-drenched merriment

And I hear shouts and laughter amidst the music

Which breaks out and bounces all around me

And lost among these people who jostle me

Dizzy, distressed, I stay there.

When suddenly I turn, he draws back

And the crowd throws me into his arms

Carried away by the crowd which drags us,

Carries us off.

Squashes us against each other

We form one body

And the effortless stream pushes us, chained to one another.

And leaves us both expansive, intoxicated, happy.

Dragged along by the crowd which dashes forward and dances a mad farandole.

Our two hands stay joined and sometimes raised

Our two bodies entwined fly off and we both fall back

Expansive, intoxicated, happy.

And the joy radiating from his smile.

Pierces me and bursts forth from my depths

But suddenly I cry out amidst the laughter

When the crowd starts to tear him from my arms

Carried away by the crowd which drags us

Pulls us along, pulls us far from each other

I fight and struggle

But the sound of his voice is muffled by the laughter of others.

I scream in pain, fury and rage and I cry.

Carried away by the crowd which dashes forward and dances a mad farandole.

I am carried away far off

I clench my fists, cursing the crowd that stole

The man it gave me, whom I will never find again…

[You bring me to life, I like who I am when I'm with you, but if you don't need me anymore, I'll transform with grace because of the memory you'll hold in my heart…always…Love you my darling, doux-doux!] J

I do believe it's time to put on my 'Brazilian Lounge' CD and do a little twirling and dancing! J

Free

So some people say you've got the strength of a tiger…I think they really mean you're a freak of nature. Others say you have a great energy about you; they really mean you can't keep still if your life depended on it. People say I'm like a lovely fire-fly; but do they really mean I have the temper of a dragon? It's one thing to think of yourself as one thing, but others may see you as something completely different; and if it's the majority that agrees then you should take a step back and pay attention.

Too few parents take their children to etiquette classes and they end up raising (or lack thereof) little goblins and trolls. They don't know how to say 'please' or 'thank-you' or sit with their legs closed or sit still for that matter. A bloody shame really at raising little animals! I'm not saying that conformity, assimilation or domestication is the way, but learning about how a table should be set for dinner, how tightly to grip a hand when giving a handshake and learning an extra language or two, traveling and learning about how different people live couldn't be seen as a bad thing.

It's been said that it is wise to be a master of your thoughts, a master of many things but mostly the master of your thoughts, because if you manage to control and regulate that you'd be a much more stable person. I am trying my best, still after recently approaching my latter 20's to master them. Let's say I'm ½ way there…it's kinda' fun sometimes to just lose it and live the life of a telenovela' sometimes, it keeps things interesting you know… J But seriously, giving into your thoughts, especially those nasty, deadly ones will bring you nothing but despair. To control your thoughts, one needs to follow these simple steps.

Step 1: Breathe

Step 2: Do Yoga = breathing while stretching

Step 3: Meditate = breathing while not thinking

Hmmm…not that easy eh? Another theory I've heard of thoughts and emotions is that it all comes down to the glands. Yes, your liver, or your heart, or your thyroid etcetera. If you take care of them, then you won't be the usual nervous wreck, you won't be as flighty, and you won't be as insensitive. So eat right, check up with the doctor and see what kind of pills you might want to start popping to regulate them. Then if they're in regulation, then you shouldn't have irregular unhealthy thoughts and then you won't have problems keeping your emotions in check.

Another thought, as you can see I have many. What about the horoscope or astrology; as some of you may already know Fortune Tellers and Tarot Card readers can tell tremendous things about people based on the lines on your hands, or the month you were born. Is she Virgo, is he Leo, is she Aries, is he Cancer? There are surprisingly many similarities with personality traits based on what sign you're carrying. If you know then what your ill personality traits are, then you can try to work on that.

Again, control…we truly don't have much of it, but at least we can come across with some upbringing and decorum if we act as though we do. Remember 'Nadie es perfecto!' – Nobody's perfect, but we can make everybody's life a little easier if we do our part. Try to be the master of your thoughts…don't let them run-away with you – you don't know what the future holds, what great and better things are around the corner, so why live in anguish and worry, and nervousness. Try not to let your inner goblin and troll take over, don't tap your fingers on the desk as if you're about ready to explode, let the car overtake you… everything is going to be alright. Yea, Bob Marley said it, Mahatma Gandhi said it, Siddartha Gautama said it, Jesus Messiah said it, and then if so many said it, it's the majority and so therefore it must be true. And when we look back on pandemonium of our past we see that things became much better anyway, so why worry now.

Be the master of your thoughts. You are lovely just the way you are – people are falling in love with you all the time, be aware of how you treat others, do the right thing and keep smiling…seriously it looks a lot better than frowning…enjoy it, the moment, life, the pain, then the rewards, the love, the success…if you want it, believe it…and baby it's all yours! J

So if you so happen to like flirting, traveling, trying new foods, dancing, making new friends…then just do it! You're FREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE! Enjoy! J