To All You Beautiful Souls Out There

Blessing Of Solitude by John O'Donohue

May you recognize in your life, the presence, power, and light of your soul.

May you realize that you are never alone, that your soul in its brightness and belonging connects you intimately with the rhythm of the universe.

May you have respect for your own individuality and difference.

May you realize that the shape of your soul is unique, that you have a special destiny here, that behind the facade of your life there is something beautiful, good and eternal happening.

May you learn to see yourself with the same delight, pride, and expectations which God sees you in every moment.

The Smile Meditation :)

"In ancient China, the Taoists taught that a constant inner smile, a smile to oneself, insured health, happiness and longevity. Why? Smiling to yourself is like basking in love: you become your own best friend. Living with an inner smile is to live in harmony with yourself."

-Mantak Chia

After a 7 month break, I finally got back to my meditation last night. Intrigued by the smile meditation that was introduced in Eat Pray Love, I decided to put this simple soul-gratifying task into practice and see if it works. To my surprise, it did. What does this meditation entail you may ask? Nothing. Just sit, close your eyes and smile. For once, sitting still and focused for 10 minutes was a breeze. Infact, I did not even want to come out of my meditation mode. As I opened my eyes slowly, I could feel my soul smiling back at me and thanking me. Thanking me for giving it food (meditation) to nourish. Immediately after, I started googling for more information on this smile meditation and this is what I found:

The Inner Smile Meditation Technique

A genuine smile transmits loving energy that has the power to warm and heal. By learning to smile inwardly, you can make your whole body feel loved and appreciated. This is a very powerful way to counteract stress and tension. In this meditation you will feel the energy flow down the entire length of your whole body like a waterfall.


This informal technigue is simple and easy to remember. Initially, begin by relaxing yourself. When calm and centered, bring your awareness to the very center, inside your head.Visualize, looking out from the center of your head and see the inside of the 'mask' of your face. Starting with the inside of your forehead, simply notice the broad, screen-like surface where , now blank, clairvoyant visions might play out.

Next, direct your attention downward, witnessing the inside of your eyeballs, eye sockets and the muscles and skin around the eyes. The eyelids are closed. There is nothing to see 'out there'. Simply witness these marvelous 'windows to the other world' with the shades drawn. See the inside of the eyes and feel. Feel your eyes as they are in their neutral, relaxed state. Next, direct your attention downward, witnessing the inside of your nostrils. Take a moment to observe the ebb & flow of life as it passes through this forward-reaching vent. Simply witness the inhale and exhale as it is.

Next, direct your attention downward, witnessing the inside of the mouth and lips. Notice the mouth is relaxed, teeth slightly separated, the tongue lightly pressing the roof of the palate against the back of the upper teeth. See the inside of the lips and feel. Feel your lips as they are in their neutral, relaxed state.Finally, direct your attention downward, witnessing your jaw and chin. See and feel the muscles, skin and bone from the tip of your chin to the hinge of the jaw, as they are in their neutral, relaxed state. Pulling back your focus, witness the whole of the inside of the mask of your face, as it is in its neutral, relaxed state. Again return your attention to your lips, to the corners of your mouth. Notice the feeling of the corners of your mouth as they are in their neutral, relaxed state.

Now, ever so slightly, raise the corners of the mouth until you feel the 'inner smile'. Perhaps imperceptable by an outside observer, you are lifting the corners of your mouth, ever so mindfully, until you feel a distinct shift in energy, a warm sense of well-being. Allow the corners of your mouth to remain in this uplifting position and turn your attention to the inside of your eyes. First, notice them as they are in their neutral, relaxed state. Then, ever so slightly, raise the corners of the eyes until you feel the 'inner smile' feeling here also. The corners of the eyes and mouth should now feel like one unit radiating a distinct, warm sense of well-being. This feeling is The Inner Smile.

As an informal practice, whenever it occurs to you, periodically come back and witness the neutral inner mask of your face throughout the day. Bring your attention back to feeling the inner corners of your mouth and eyes as they are in any given moment. Then choose to reset The Inner Smile.

As a formal practice, the energy of The Inner Smile can be consciously directed downward into the heart, the belly, the liver, the stomach and other digestive organs; to the bones, blood, nervous system ... to the whole of the body ... in directed flows through particular parts of the body or as a global radiating whole.

'Half smiling' mindfulness exercises

Half-smile when you first wake up in the morning. Hang a sign , or even the word "smile" on the ceiling or wall so that you see it right away when you open your eyes. This sign will serve as your reminder. Use these seconds before you get out of bed to take hold of your breath. Inhale and exhale three breaths gently while maintaining the half smile. Follow your breaths.


Half-smile during your free moments. Anywhere you find yourself sitting or standing, half-smile. Look at a child, a leaf, a painting on the wall, anything which is relatively still, and smile. Inhale and exhale quietly three times. Maintain the half smile and consider the spot of your attention as your own true nature.


Half-smile while listening to music. Listen to a piece of music for two or three minutes. Pay attention to the words, music, rhythm, and sentiments. Smile while watching your inhalations and exhalations.


Half-smile when irritated . When you realize you're irritated, half-smile at once. Inhale and exhale quietly, maintaining the half smile for three breaths.


p.s: I'm fine with the entire technique except the last. That is going to be a challenge. Maybe I could try it with my dad :) :) :)

Start Romancing Your Soul Today

I was helping mum move recently. She was busy packing all by herself while my dad was busy you know...drinking his and our lives away! As we were packing, we came across a box of beautiful candles I bought her from overseas. Yes I am a candleholic and I thought of rubbing my addiction onto my mum as well. It did seem to work for sometime. I managed to transform her into a candle junkie overnight too. Yay me!!!!!

In midst of our packing, she asked me to take those gorgeous candles back. As much as I was tempted to, I mustered enough willpower to say no. I insisted that she should use them to beautify their new abode.

Mum expressed out of bitterness that she doesnt need this many candles, especially when romance is non-existent in her life. Thats when I came up with this retort, "You need them to romance your soul." We dont need someone else to show us what romance is all about. We can experience it ourselves. We should make a constant, conscientious effort to shower our own souls with heaps of romance and love. Our souls need that desperately. We owe it to them.

To everyone who is reading this... Light up the beautiful candles and start romancing your soul today! Your innerbeing deserves it!

God's Coffee Anyone?

A group of alumni, highly established in their careers, got together to visit their old university professor. Conversation soon turned into complaints about stress in work and life. Offering his guests coffee, the professor went to the kitchen and returned with a large pot of coffee and an assortment of cups-porcelain, plastic, glass, crystal, some plain looking, some expensive, some exquisite-telling them to help themselves to the coffee. When all the students had a cup of coffee in hand, the professor said: "If you noticed, all the nice looking expensive cups were taken up, leaving behind the plain and cheap ones.

While it is normal for you to want only the best for yourselves, that is the source of your problems and stress. Be assured that the cup itself adds no quality to the coffee. In most cases it is just more expensive and in some cases even hides what we drink. What all of you really wanted was coffee, not the cup, but you consciously went for the best cups. And then you began eyeing each other's cups.

Now consider this: Life is the coffee; the jobs, money and position in society are the cups. They are just tools to hold and contain Life, and the type of cup we have does not define, nor change the quality of life we live. Sometimes, by concentrating only on the cup, we fail to enjoy the coffee God has provided us." God brews the coffee, not the cups. Enjoy your coffee!

"The happiest people don't have the best of everything. They just make the best of everything."


Live simply.

Love generously.

Care deeply.

Speak kindly.

Leave the rest to God.

Eat Pray Love

"The resting place of the mind is the heart. The only thing the mind hears all day is clanging bells and noise and argument, and all it wants is quietude. The only place the mind will ever find peace is inside the silence of the heart. Thats where you need to go."

Too many dramas...Too little time

Too many dramas have been unfolding in my life recently. I could switch off easily and not give two hoots if it was a stranger or an acquaintance. But what do you do if you are misunderstood by your very loved ones who have watched you grow? Shouldnt they know you well enough by now? Shouldnt they give you the benefit of the doubt when you claim your innocence? I'm exhausted. Exhausted mentally and physically. Tired of being judged. Tired of trying hard to prove myself time and again. Tired of feeling hurt. Tired of crying. Tired of staying livid. Tired of resentments. Tired of being in pain. Tired of being sensitive. Tired of being emotional. Tired of not being myself. Tired of losing my identity. Tired of seeing my beloved mum and hubby down because of me. Tired of trying very hard to be accepted. Tired of playing the victim. Tired of being caught in a web of helplessness and despair.

Among this list of tiredness, one thing is for sure. I am not tired of living. I want to celebrate ME. I want to celebrate LIFE. I want to celebrate my role as a daughter, a sister, a wife and an aunt. I want to fight back for my bliss and peace. I want to prove my worth to myself..not to anybody else. I want to regain my identity. I want to get my innerself back. I dont want to be something I'm not just to please others, even if they are my loved ones. This is me. No mind games. No dramas. No facade. No hypocrisy.This is purely me. Take it or leave it. Its your call!