View allAll Photos Tagged My_Daily_Routine
School is keeping me so darn busy!!! I come home at 4pm. I always eat after school, so that takes like a few minutes. After, I usually go straight to taking my 365 photo and the computer is not always available for me to edit and upload... so that really sucks. I don't have my OWN computer :| By the time it's 6, I'm all rushing, because on some days, I have homework. Also, I have to watch TFC (The Filipino Channel), Cos I'm really into this new soap opera HAHA!!! Then I have to shower, dry my hair, straighten it.. WELL, that took up my whole evening. My afternoons/evenings are usually already crammed without this project, imagine adding this to my daily routine... :| Sooo much to do. So I apologize if I upload late! Hihi.. Better late than never!
HU is a strong advocate of internationalization, as such it took an initiative to develop linkages with AIESEC, which is a Global Youth Organization that facilitates international student exchange and internship programs around the globe. HU male & female students were selected in a very competitive global selection system for internships in Turkey, Indonesia & Malaysia, where they worked for a period of 1-2 months in various leading organisations.
Sehar Sarwar is one of them, and we are very proud of her accomplishments. She is currently pursing BBA (Hons.) from Hajvery University, and she's written an article 'Unforgettable Indonesia' to describe her experience with AIESEC and working in Indonesia.
Nama saya sehar, saya dari Pakistan (My name is Sehar, I’m from Pakistan). Well that is just little introduction in Indonesian language (bahasa). I am studying business administration in HU and currently enrolled in my second last semester. I recently came back from Indonesia after doing 45 days internship there. This tremendous and valuable opportunity was provided by HU in collaboration with AIESEC Pakistan. AIESEC, the world’s largest student organization, is the international platform for young people to discover and develop their potential so as to have a positive impact on society. I was awarded with GCDP (global community development program) in Indonesia. I went to the capital city Jakarta, where AIESEC is run by some passionate students of UI (university of Indonesia).
It was life changing experience. I learned a lot from the Project that I worked in, BISA AIDS. In Indonesia HIV Aids rate is very high and every day people are dying of it. Being a business student, getting knowledge on HIV was absolutely new and ofcourse useful for me. Besides this I got an opportunity to work with different people from Brazil, Japan, China, Philippine, and Holland. I also learned from them on HIV Aids conditions in their countries. First we got training from an NGO and UI LC then we visited different high school students to give awareness on HIV. It was pretty interesting project, and I really enjoyed interacting with Indonesian students, they were so enthusiastic. I enjoyed the project because I was working for a good cause besides this I shared Pakistani culture, language and about myself so everybody enjoyed learning from each other. As part of a project, we raised some funds for HIV Aids patients and donated it to a NGO. It was a feeling that I just can’t describe in words. I learned basic Indonesian language as well. Overall this exposure was really good for my personal as well as professional life.
Well that was about the project and my daily routine there. As far as the country is concerned, it’s more or less like Pakistan. Indonesia is a Muslim country, Jakarta is the capital. A lot of people come here from other cities to work, so it's quite populated; weather is hot and rainy. In my opinion people are more religious there and involved in socio-economic development activities specially youth, traditional cloths are limited to special occasions only and they wear casual western cloths in daily routine. Pace of life is very fast there, people are involved in many activities besides studies and work, the roads are flooded with heavy traffic. Jakarta is a city of modern big malls, food is extremely delicious but spicy. Martabak is the traditional sweet, really delicious but its oily pancake and so not healthy, but still everybody loves it.
I observed Significant changes in language, food, business development and economical conditions, and clothes. Currently this country is facing problems in terms of heavy traffics, over population, heavy rains and corruption but on the other hand they are participating in development activities and striving for change. Literacy rate is good with 92 %. Economical conditions are good too. It’s a good country to invest in.
Most of the times I use to travel alone, using public transports but with directions provided by AIESECERS. As I mentioned above the traffic conditions are worst, it takes too much time to go from one place to another. Train is the fastest mode of travel. In the beginning it was little hard to travel alone for a girl who has never experienced in her own country, but with time I managed myself and now I consider it really good. It made me more confident and after it I actually found that I can travel the whole world alone.
I made a new best friend there, and I miss her very much. She was with me most of the times, she was not in my project, nor an AIESECER, but the love and friendship is unconditional. I really miss our hang outs, the trips in which we enjoyed together. This one time, I cooked our Pakistani food for her family and they just LOVED it. Beautiful memories!
It was an internship but for me a vacation too. In Jakarta I visited Monus, kota tua (old city), some museums, explored mouth watering Indonesian food in exotic restaurants, splash every weekend hangout for fun loving people, karaoke etc but the real beauty is the Indonesian islands and so I have been to unforgettable trips to islands and other cities like Tidung Island, Green canyon, botanical garden in bogor, Bali (a must visit if you go Indonesia, people say its heaven and after being there I really believe it specially at dream land beach and jimbaran).
I personally find the Indonesians very helping, hospitable, and friendly people with smiling faces. Every day I met different people working in different projects; while traveling they curiously asked about Pakistan and our culture. Some of my friends from Holland used to think that Pakistan is a victim of terrorism because of religion, but I gave them examples of our Prophet Muhammad (s.w.w) and told them that Islam is a religion of peace and this conversation went for quite long, I am happy that now they think otherwise. I feel proud that I represent my country, many people and my religion and left a very positive image behind. I made many friends and visited their families and this gives me a chance to know more about Indonesian people who don’t know you but still make you feel like a family.
During the internship I made friends from many countries including Brazil, Indonesia, Estonia, China, Japan, Holland, and India. It’s really good to know them, their countries, culture, our hang out, trips and everything. We are in touch and talk about the time we spent together and that brings smiles and big laughter.
From this internship the most important thing I have gained is that in the project I played my role as a team leader and so I have gain the leadership skills, a lot more confidence by traveling on my own. I was the master of ceremony for AIESEC info session 2012 at Binus university and that makes my communication skills more strong. It really makes you feel great that you are working for the betterment of mankind and global development. After this internship I found the right way for my career. I believe there are many ways open if you have a passion to stand out among millions of people.
There is a lot more to write but I can’t go for that so why don’t you be an AIESECER and experience it by yourself. I highly recommend youth to work for the betterment of your country as well as for the world and make it a better place to live. Step forward and be a true diplomat of your country.
Hajvery University, Office of Foreign Affairs & Planning cultivates and nurtures the spirit of Internationalization at HU. Our mission is to foster, support and materialize the goals of HU in becoming a competitive and global university. Which promotes tolerance of cultures and celebrates diversity, and fosters the growth of multicultural society by adding flavors of the world to the teaching and learning environment at HU.
For Further Information, Queries regarding Study Abroad opportunities at Hajvery University (HU), and Study Abroad Scholarships contact:
Office of Foreign Affairs & Planning
Hajvery University (HU)
Email : intl@hup.edu.pk
web: hup.edu.pk/offices/foriegn-affairs-a-planning
If you liked this post, you will definitely enjoy reading these posts:
Hajvery Unviersity (HU) Study Abroad Scholarship holder Wajiha Hassan talks about her experience in Istanbul, Turkey.
Orientation Seminar for HU Study Abroad Students.
HU in International Landscape.
Istanbul Technical University (ITU) and Hajvery University (HU) sign MoU of Educational Cooperation & Scientific Research
Hajvery University (HU) is one of the leading Universities in Lahore. HU is Chartered by Govt. Of Pakistan, Accredited by Higher Education Commission of Pakistan (HEC) and rated W category. HU is a progressive, Student Centric University, focused on offering rigorous, market driven courses in Business, Fashion, Engineering, Computer sciences, Textile Design, Media Studies, Economics, Commerce, Pharmacy & English For details:
UAN: 042-111-777-007
Website: www.hup.edu.pk
email: info@hup.edu.pk
HU is a strong advocate of internationalization, as such it took an initiative to develop linkages with AIESEC, which is a Global Youth Organization that facilitates international student exchange and internship programs around the globe. HU male & female students were selected in a very competitive global selection system for internships in Turkey, Indonesia & Malaysia, where they worked for a period of 1-2 months in various leading organisations.
Sehar Sarwar is one of them, and we are very proud of her accomplishments. She is currently pursing BBA (Hons.) from Hajvery University, and she's written an article 'Unforgettable Indonesia' to describe her experience with AIESEC and working in Indonesia.
Nama saya sehar, saya dari Pakistan (My name is Sehar, I’m from Pakistan). Well that is just little introduction in Indonesian language (bahasa). I am studying business administration in HU and currently enrolled in my second last semester. I recently came back from Indonesia after doing 45 days internship there. This tremendous and valuable opportunity was provided by HU in collaboration with AIESEC Pakistan. AIESEC, the world’s largest student organization, is the international platform for young people to discover and develop their potential so as to have a positive impact on society. I was awarded with GCDP (global community development program) in Indonesia. I went to the capital city Jakarta, where AIESEC is run by some passionate students of UI (university of Indonesia).
It was life changing experience. I learned a lot from the Project that I worked in, BISA AIDS. In Indonesia HIV Aids rate is very high and every day people are dying of it. Being a business student, getting knowledge on HIV was absolutely new and ofcourse useful for me. Besides this I got an opportunity to work with different people from Brazil, Japan, China, Philippine, and Holland. I also learned from them on HIV Aids conditions in their countries. First we got training from an NGO and UI LC then we visited different high school students to give awareness on HIV. It was pretty interesting project, and I really enjoyed interacting with Indonesian students, they were so enthusiastic. I enjoyed the project because I was working for a good cause besides this I shared Pakistani culture, language and about myself so everybody enjoyed learning from each other. As part of a project, we raised some funds for HIV Aids patients and donated it to a NGO. It was a feeling that I just can’t describe in words. I learned basic Indonesian language as well. Overall this exposure was really good for my personal as well as professional life.
Well that was about the project and my daily routine there. As far as the country is concerned, it’s more or less like Pakistan. Indonesia is a Muslim country, Jakarta is the capital. A lot of people come here from other cities to work, so it's quite populated; weather is hot and rainy. In my opinion people are more religious there and involved in socio-economic development activities specially youth, traditional cloths are limited to special occasions only and they wear casual western cloths in daily routine. Pace of life is very fast there, people are involved in many activities besides studies and work, the roads are flooded with heavy traffic. Jakarta is a city of modern big malls, food is extremely delicious but spicy. Martabak is the traditional sweet, really delicious but its oily pancake and so not healthy, but still everybody loves it.
I observed Significant changes in language, food, business development and economical conditions, and clothes. Currently this country is facing problems in terms of heavy traffics, over population, heavy rains and corruption but on the other hand they are participating in development activities and striving for change. Literacy rate is good with 92 %. Economical conditions are good too. It’s a good country to invest in.
Most of the times I use to travel alone, using public transports but with directions provided by AIESECERS. As I mentioned above the traffic conditions are worst, it takes too much time to go from one place to another. Train is the fastest mode of travel. In the beginning it was little hard to travel alone for a girl who has never experienced in her own country, but with time I managed myself and now I consider it really good. It made me more confident and after it I actually found that I can travel the whole world alone.
I made a new best friend there, and I miss her very much. She was with me most of the times, she was not in my project, nor an AIESECER, but the love and friendship is unconditional. I really miss our hang outs, the trips in which we enjoyed together. This one time, I cooked our Pakistani food for her family and they just LOVED it. Beautiful memories!
It was an internship but for me a vacation too. In Jakarta I visited Monus, kota tua (old city), some museums, explored mouth watering Indonesian food in exotic restaurants, splash every weekend hangout for fun loving people, karaoke etc but the real beauty is the Indonesian islands and so I have been to unforgettable trips to islands and other cities like Tidung Island, Green canyon, botanical garden in bogor, Bali (a must visit if you go Indonesia, people say its heaven and after being there I really believe it specially at dream land beach and jimbaran).
I personally find the Indonesians very helping, hospitable, and friendly people with smiling faces. Every day I met different people working in different projects; while traveling they curiously asked about Pakistan and our culture. Some of my friends from Holland used to think that Pakistan is a victim of terrorism because of religion, but I gave them examples of our Prophet Muhammad (s.w.w) and told them that Islam is a religion of peace and this conversation went for quite long, I am happy that now they think otherwise. I feel proud that I represent my country, many people and my religion and left a very positive image behind. I made many friends and visited their families and this gives me a chance to know more about Indonesian people who don’t know you but still make you feel like a family.
During the internship I made friends from many countries including Brazil, Indonesia, Estonia, China, Japan, Holland, and India. It’s really good to know them, their countries, culture, our hang out, trips and everything. We are in touch and talk about the time we spent together and that brings smiles and big laughter.
From this internship the most important thing I have gained is that in the project I played my role as a team leader and so I have gain the leadership skills, a lot more confidence by traveling on my own. I was the master of ceremony for AIESEC info session 2012 at Binus university and that makes my communication skills more strong. It really makes you feel great that you are working for the betterment of mankind and global development. After this internship I found the right way for my career. I believe there are many ways open if you have a passion to stand out among millions of people.
There is a lot more to write but I can’t go for that so why don’t you be an AIESECER and experience it by yourself. I highly recommend youth to work for the betterment of your country as well as for the world and make it a better place to live. Step forward and be a true diplomat of your country.
Hajvery University, Office of Foreign Affairs & Planning cultivates and nurtures the spirit of Internationalization at HU. Our mission is to foster, support and materialize the goals of HU in becoming a competitive and global university. Which promotes tolerance of cultures and celebrates diversity, and fosters the growth of multicultural society by adding flavors of the world to the teaching and learning environment at HU.
For Further Information, Queries regarding Study Abroad opportunities at Hajvery University (HU), and Study Abroad Scholarships contact:
Office of Foreign Affairs & Planning
Hajvery University (HU)
Email : intl@hup.edu.pk
web: hup.edu.pk/offices/foriegn-affairs-a-planning
If you liked this post, you will definitely enjoy reading these posts:
Hajvery Unviersity (HU) Study Abroad Scholarship holder Wajiha Hassan talks about her experience in Istanbul, Turkey.
Orientation Seminar for HU Study Abroad Students.
HU in International Landscape.
Istanbul Technical University (ITU) and Hajvery University (HU) sign MoU of Educational Cooperation & Scientific Research
Hajvery University (HU) is one of the leading Universities in Lahore. HU is Chartered by Govt. Of Pakistan, Accredited by Higher Education Commission of Pakistan (HEC) and rated W category. HU is a progressive, Student Centric University, focused on offering rigorous, market driven courses in Business, Fashion, Engineering, Computer sciences, Textile Design, Media Studies, Economics, Commerce, Pharmacy & English For details:
UAN: 042-111-777-007
Website: www.hup.edu.pk
email: info@hup.edu.pk
HU is a strong advocate of internationalization, as such it took an initiative to develop linkages with AIESEC, which is a Global Youth Organization that facilitates international student exchange and internship programs around the globe. HU male & female students were selected in a very competitive global selection system for internships in Turkey, Indonesia & Malaysia, where they worked for a period of 1-2 months in various leading organisations.
Sehar Sarwar is one of them, and we are very proud of her accomplishments. She is currently pursing BBA (Hons.) from Hajvery University, and she's written an article 'Unforgettable Indonesia' to describe her experience with AIESEC and working in Indonesia.
Nama saya sehar, saya dari Pakistan (My name is Sehar, I’m from Pakistan). Well that is just little introduction in Indonesian language (bahasa). I am studying business administration in HU and currently enrolled in my second last semester. I recently came back from Indonesia after doing 45 days internship there. This tremendous and valuable opportunity was provided by HU in collaboration with AIESEC Pakistan. AIESEC, the world’s largest student organization, is the international platform for young people to discover and develop their potential so as to have a positive impact on society. I was awarded with GCDP (global community development program) in Indonesia. I went to the capital city Jakarta, where AIESEC is run by some passionate students of UI (university of Indonesia).
It was life changing experience. I learned a lot from the Project that I worked in, BISA AIDS. In Indonesia HIV Aids rate is very high and every day people are dying of it. Being a business student, getting knowledge on HIV was absolutely new and ofcourse useful for me. Besides this I got an opportunity to work with different people from Brazil, Japan, China, Philippine, and Holland. I also learned from them on HIV Aids conditions in their countries. First we got training from an NGO and UI LC then we visited different high school students to give awareness on HIV. It was pretty interesting project, and I really enjoyed interacting with Indonesian students, they were so enthusiastic. I enjoyed the project because I was working for a good cause besides this I shared Pakistani culture, language and about myself so everybody enjoyed learning from each other. As part of a project, we raised some funds for HIV Aids patients and donated it to a NGO. It was a feeling that I just can’t describe in words. I learned basic Indonesian language as well. Overall this exposure was really good for my personal as well as professional life.
Well that was about the project and my daily routine there. As far as the country is concerned, it’s more or less like Pakistan. Indonesia is a Muslim country, Jakarta is the capital. A lot of people come here from other cities to work, so it's quite populated; weather is hot and rainy. In my opinion people are more religious there and involved in socio-economic development activities specially youth, traditional cloths are limited to special occasions only and they wear casual western cloths in daily routine. Pace of life is very fast there, people are involved in many activities besides studies and work, the roads are flooded with heavy traffic. Jakarta is a city of modern big malls, food is extremely delicious but spicy. Martabak is the traditional sweet, really delicious but its oily pancake and so not healthy, but still everybody loves it.
I observed Significant changes in language, food, business development and economical conditions, and clothes. Currently this country is facing problems in terms of heavy traffics, over population, heavy rains and corruption but on the other hand they are participating in development activities and striving for change. Literacy rate is good with 92 %. Economical conditions are good too. It’s a good country to invest in.
Most of the times I use to travel alone, using public transports but with directions provided by AIESECERS. As I mentioned above the traffic conditions are worst, it takes too much time to go from one place to another. Train is the fastest mode of travel. In the beginning it was little hard to travel alone for a girl who has never experienced in her own country, but with time I managed myself and now I consider it really good. It made me more confident and after it I actually found that I can travel the whole world alone.
I made a new best friend there, and I miss her very much. She was with me most of the times, she was not in my project, nor an AIESECER, but the love and friendship is unconditional. I really miss our hang outs, the trips in which we enjoyed together. This one time, I cooked our Pakistani food for her family and they just LOVED it. Beautiful memories!
It was an internship but for me a vacation too. In Jakarta I visited Monus, kota tua (old city), some museums, explored mouth watering Indonesian food in exotic restaurants, splash every weekend hangout for fun loving people, karaoke etc but the real beauty is the Indonesian islands and so I have been to unforgettable trips to islands and other cities like Tidung Island, Green canyon, botanical garden in bogor, Bali (a must visit if you go Indonesia, people say its heaven and after being there I really believe it specially at dream land beach and jimbaran).
I personally find the Indonesians very helping, hospitable, and friendly people with smiling faces. Every day I met different people working in different projects; while traveling they curiously asked about Pakistan and our culture. Some of my friends from Holland used to think that Pakistan is a victim of terrorism because of religion, but I gave them examples of our Prophet Muhammad (s.w.w) and told them that Islam is a religion of peace and this conversation went for quite long, I am happy that now they think otherwise. I feel proud that I represent my country, many people and my religion and left a very positive image behind. I made many friends and visited their families and this gives me a chance to know more about Indonesian people who don’t know you but still make you feel like a family.
During the internship I made friends from many countries including Brazil, Indonesia, Estonia, China, Japan, Holland, and India. It’s really good to know them, their countries, culture, our hang out, trips and everything. We are in touch and talk about the time we spent together and that brings smiles and big laughter.
From this internship the most important thing I have gained is that in the project I played my role as a team leader and so I have gain the leadership skills, a lot more confidence by traveling on my own. I was the master of ceremony for AIESEC info session 2012 at Binus university and that makes my communication skills more strong. It really makes you feel great that you are working for the betterment of mankind and global development. After this internship I found the right way for my career. I believe there are many ways open if you have a passion to stand out among millions of people.
There is a lot more to write but I can’t go for that so why don’t you be an AIESECER and experience it by yourself. I highly recommend youth to work for the betterment of your country as well as for the world and make it a better place to live. Step forward and be a true diplomat of your country.
Hajvery University, Office of Foreign Affairs & Planning cultivates and nurtures the spirit of Internationalization at HU. Our mission is to foster, support and materialize the goals of HU in becoming a competitive and global university. Which promotes tolerance of cultures and celebrates diversity, and fosters the growth of multicultural society by adding flavors of the world to the teaching and learning environment at HU.
For Further Information, Queries regarding Study Abroad opportunities at Hajvery University (HU), and Study Abroad Scholarships contact:
Office of Foreign Affairs & Planning
Hajvery University (HU)
Email : intl@hup.edu.pk
web: hup.edu.pk/offices/foriegn-affairs-a-planning
If you liked this post, you will definitely enjoy reading these posts:
Hajvery Unviersity (HU) Study Abroad Scholarship holder Wajiha Hassan talks about her experience in Istanbul, Turkey.
Orientation Seminar for HU Study Abroad Students.
HU in International Landscape.
Istanbul Technical University (ITU) and Hajvery University (HU) sign MoU of Educational Cooperation & Scientific Research
Hajvery University (HU) is one of the leading Universities in Lahore. HU is Chartered by Govt. Of Pakistan, Accredited by Higher Education Commission of Pakistan (HEC) and rated W category. HU is a progressive, Student Centric University, focused on offering rigorous, market driven courses in Business, Fashion, Engineering, Computer sciences, Textile Design, Media Studies, Economics, Commerce, Pharmacy & English For details:
UAN: 042-111-777-007
Website: www.hup.edu.pk
email: info@hup.edu.pk
HU is a strong advocate of internationalization, as such it took an initiative to develop linkages with AIESEC, which is a Global Youth Organization that facilitates international student exchange and internship programs around the globe. HU male & female students were selected in a very competitive global selection system for internships in Turkey, Indonesia & Malaysia, where they worked for a period of 1-2 months in various leading organisations.
Sehar Sarwar is one of them, and we are very proud of her accomplishments. She is currently pursing BBA (Hons.) from Hajvery University, and she's written an article 'Unforgettable Indonesia' to describe her experience with AIESEC and working in Indonesia.
Nama saya sehar, saya dari Pakistan (My name is Sehar, I’m from Pakistan). Well that is just little introduction in Indonesian language (bahasa). I am studying business administration in HU and currently enrolled in my second last semester. I recently came back from Indonesia after doing 45 days internship there. This tremendous and valuable opportunity was provided by HU in collaboration with AIESEC Pakistan. AIESEC, the world’s largest student organization, is the international platform for young people to discover and develop their potential so as to have a positive impact on society. I was awarded with GCDP (global community development program) in Indonesia. I went to the capital city Jakarta, where AIESEC is run by some passionate students of UI (university of Indonesia).
It was life changing experience. I learned a lot from the Project that I worked in, BISA AIDS. In Indonesia HIV Aids rate is very high and every day people are dying of it. Being a business student, getting knowledge on HIV was absolutely new and ofcourse useful for me. Besides this I got an opportunity to work with different people from Brazil, Japan, China, Philippine, and Holland. I also learned from them on HIV Aids conditions in their countries. First we got training from an NGO and UI LC then we visited different high school students to give awareness on HIV. It was pretty interesting project, and I really enjoyed interacting with Indonesian students, they were so enthusiastic. I enjoyed the project because I was working for a good cause besides this I shared Pakistani culture, language and about myself so everybody enjoyed learning from each other. As part of a project, we raised some funds for HIV Aids patients and donated it to a NGO. It was a feeling that I just can’t describe in words. I learned basic Indonesian language as well. Overall this exposure was really good for my personal as well as professional life.
Well that was about the project and my daily routine there. As far as the country is concerned, it’s more or less like Pakistan. Indonesia is a Muslim country, Jakarta is the capital. A lot of people come here from other cities to work, so it's quite populated; weather is hot and rainy. In my opinion people are more religious there and involved in socio-economic development activities specially youth, traditional cloths are limited to special occasions only and they wear casual western cloths in daily routine. Pace of life is very fast there, people are involved in many activities besides studies and work, the roads are flooded with heavy traffic. Jakarta is a city of modern big malls, food is extremely delicious but spicy. Martabak is the traditional sweet, really delicious but its oily pancake and so not healthy, but still everybody loves it.
I observed Significant changes in language, food, business development and economical conditions, and clothes. Currently this country is facing problems in terms of heavy traffics, over population, heavy rains and corruption but on the other hand they are participating in development activities and striving for change. Literacy rate is good with 92 %. Economical conditions are good too. It’s a good country to invest in.
Most of the times I use to travel alone, using public transports but with directions provided by AIESECERS. As I mentioned above the traffic conditions are worst, it takes too much time to go from one place to another. Train is the fastest mode of travel. In the beginning it was little hard to travel alone for a girl who has never experienced in her own country, but with time I managed myself and now I consider it really good. It made me more confident and after it I actually found that I can travel the whole world alone.
I made a new best friend there, and I miss her very much. She was with me most of the times, she was not in my project, nor an AIESECER, but the love and friendship is unconditional. I really miss our hang outs, the trips in which we enjoyed together. This one time, I cooked our Pakistani food for her family and they just LOVED it. Beautiful memories!
It was an internship but for me a vacation too. In Jakarta I visited Monus, kota tua (old city), some museums, explored mouth watering Indonesian food in exotic restaurants, splash every weekend hangout for fun loving people, karaoke etc but the real beauty is the Indonesian islands and so I have been to unforgettable trips to islands and other cities like Tidung Island, Green canyon, botanical garden in bogor, Bali (a must visit if you go Indonesia, people say its heaven and after being there I really believe it specially at dream land beach and jimbaran).
I personally find the Indonesians very helping, hospitable, and friendly people with smiling faces. Every day I met different people working in different projects; while traveling they curiously asked about Pakistan and our culture. Some of my friends from Holland used to think that Pakistan is a victim of terrorism because of religion, but I gave them examples of our Prophet Muhammad (s.w.w) and told them that Islam is a religion of peace and this conversation went for quite long, I am happy that now they think otherwise. I feel proud that I represent my country, many people and my religion and left a very positive image behind. I made many friends and visited their families and this gives me a chance to know more about Indonesian people who don’t know you but still make you feel like a family.
During the internship I made friends from many countries including Brazil, Indonesia, Estonia, China, Japan, Holland, and India. It’s really good to know them, their countries, culture, our hang out, trips and everything. We are in touch and talk about the time we spent together and that brings smiles and big laughter.
From this internship the most important thing I have gained is that in the project I played my role as a team leader and so I have gain the leadership skills, a lot more confidence by traveling on my own. I was the master of ceremony for AIESEC info session 2012 at Binus university and that makes my communication skills more strong. It really makes you feel great that you are working for the betterment of mankind and global development. After this internship I found the right way for my career. I believe there are many ways open if you have a passion to stand out among millions of people.
There is a lot more to write but I can’t go for that so why don’t you be an AIESECER and experience it by yourself. I highly recommend youth to work for the betterment of your country as well as for the world and make it a better place to live. Step forward and be a true diplomat of your country.
Hajvery University, Office of Foreign Affairs & Planning cultivates and nurtures the spirit of Internationalization at HU. Our mission is to foster, support and materialize the goals of HU in becoming a competitive and global university. Which promotes tolerance of cultures and celebrates diversity, and fosters the growth of multicultural society by adding flavors of the world to the teaching and learning environment at HU.
For Further Information, Queries regarding Study Abroad opportunities at Hajvery University (HU), and Study Abroad Scholarships contact:
Office of Foreign Affairs & Planning
Hajvery University (HU)
Email : intl@hup.edu.pk
web: hup.edu.pk/offices/foriegn-affairs-a-planning
If you liked this post, you will definitely enjoy reading these posts:
Hajvery Unviersity (HU) Study Abroad Scholarship holder Wajiha Hassan talks about her experience in Istanbul, Turkey.
Orientation Seminar for HU Study Abroad Students.
HU in International Landscape.
Istanbul Technical University (ITU) and Hajvery University (HU) sign MoU of Educational Cooperation & Scientific Research
Hajvery University (HU) is one of the leading Universities in Lahore. HU is Chartered by Govt. Of Pakistan, Accredited by Higher Education Commission of Pakistan (HEC) and rated W category. HU is a progressive, Student Centric University, focused on offering rigorous, market driven courses in Business, Fashion, Engineering, Computer sciences, Textile Design, Media Studies, Economics, Commerce, Pharmacy & English For details:
UAN: 042-111-777-007
Website: www.hup.edu.pk
email: info@hup.edu.pk
each day during the pandemic 2020 I am making a pinhole image of my daily routine. This image is of our local closed movie theater. I do hope they will be able to reopen one day....or build a drive-in movie theater in its place.
camera: zero image 2000
film: Kodak TMAX 400 speed
exposure: 3 seconds
Continued from: www.flickr.com/photos/42093313@N00/52652408863/in/datepos...
My Master’s Wrath and Mercy
رَبَّنَاۤ إِنَّكَ مَن تُدۡخِلِ ٱلنَّارَ فَقَدۡ أَخۡزَیۡتَهُۥۖ وَمَا لِلظَّـٰلِمِینَ مِنۡ أَنصَارࣲ
Our Lord! Indeed [You] whom You admit in the Fire then surely You (have) disgraced him, and not for the wrongdoers (are) any helpers.
Surah Aal e Imran, Verse 192
Tafseer e Jilani
Rabbana innaka man tudkhil in-naar: O my Lord! Indeed You are the one who admits into the Fire, so surely…
Akhzaytahu: you have disgraced him and made him (stuck) in the narrowness of imkaan, possibilities, imprisoned, punished, exiled (from Your Self), because they wronged themselves with their focus upon those other than You…
Wa ma lid-daalimeen: and there isn’t for the transgressors, the ones who have firmly placed themselves in the shadows of imkaan, possibilities…
Min ansaar: any helper who can help them and make them exit from those possibilities, except for the one who received permission from You to (be a helper) and make them exit from the possibilites from amongst the Prophets and the Auliya, Your Friends, after Your granting ability to them by the sending of the Messengers.
On the evening of that second day of hell, I went to the shrine near my house. I did not ask the blessed person of the shrine for anything. Not for relief, not for some understanding of how I had become so entrapped in a thought that only appeared to be nonsensical. I couldn’t even discuss it with anyone. Not that there was anyone to discuss it with! I sat there like a zombie for a while and then left. I knew in my silence, I had surrendered the matter in any case.
When I entered my bedroom, I saw a copy of Al Fath Ar Rabbani that I didn’t use for my regular reading. Qari Sahib had gifted it to me but it was much heavier and larger than my Urdu copy. This one had a side by side Arabic to Urdu translation on each page. I prayed the prayer of the istakhara and pried the book open to a random page.
Al Fath Ar Rabbani:
It started with a verse:
وَمَن یَتَّقِ ٱللَّهَ یَجۡعَل لَّهُۥ مَخۡرَجࣰا
And whoever fears Allah, He will make for him a way out,
وَیَرۡزُقۡهُ مِنۡ حَیۡثُ لَا یَحۡتَسِبُۚ
And He will provide for him from where he doesn’t think (it is possible).
Surah At Talaq, Verse 2-3
I didn’t look up the exegesis of the verse then. Qari Sahib wasn’t there anyway and I really wanted to know what the rest of the page said.
“(The above verse) closed the door of depending on means. It closed the door of the wealthy and the kings and opened the door of tawakkul, reliance. The one who was mindful, the reward for him is that He, Subhanahu, will make relief for him and a way out from what is constricted for (other) people.”
The first two lines gave me pause. Doors had been spoken about earlier. Now Ghaus Pak (ra) was closing them. Two of the people I happened to be thinking of were in fact rich. They were wealthy. That had never played into our interaction in terms of a factor. There wasn’t a remarkable difference in our life styles. But the mention was specific for a reason. That was not lost on me.
I continued to read each word, carefully going back and forth from the Arabic to the Urdu.
“What should I do with you, say to you? You would have been heard if you called the living but he is not alive, the one you call.”
From the word “alive” I knew again that I had already been told, warned, alerted by all those verses about the dead and the graves, the deaf and the blind. Not once but repeatedly. Each time gently. After translating the verses I had always felt calm. Then just like that I would forget them as if they had never even appeared.
Then in the next line, Ghaus Pak (ra) expressed his fury at my own “prolonged” state of stubborn-ness and ignorance and he didn’t mince his words.
“Your heart is empty of islam, surrender and imaan, faith and iqaan, certainty. There is no Ma’rifat, Divine Recognition, for you. There is no ilm, knowledge, for you. For you are only hawas, indulging in foolish behaviour that is dangerous, therefore speaking to you is a waste.”
That’s when my heart first felt fear. Never ever before had Ghaus Pak (ra) said anything remotely harsh to me. Speaking to me was a waste of his time? I just stared at the words in disbelief.
“O hypocrites! You were contented with words about tawakkul, reliance upon Allah, with your tongues while your hearts are mushrik, worshippers of other gods in Creation. My heart is filled with anger towards you out of ardency (of love) for Allah Azzo Jal. If you are silent and you leave your rivalry (with Him), it is better, otherwise your houses will be burned.”
My heartbeat increased. I stopped reading.
“Your houses will be burned.” “My heart is filled with anger.” I felt scared to read the next line.
But then I saw that it was a prayer. For it was addressing Subhanahu and it started with the words, “Ya Haailo…”
It was a new Name of Allah for me. The word existed in Urdu as well. I knew what it mean. Haa’il, that which comes in between. I peered at the next words closely, fearfully. And it said:
يا حائل بين الماء المالح والعذب،
“Ya Haail-u! O One who protects, stops and obstructs and causes not to happen, by coming in between the water salty and fresh.”
The appearance of the words from the verse I had just translated was uncanny.
حل بيننا وبين التسخط عليك والمنازعة لك في أقدارك،
“Come between us and between discontentment towards You and quarreling with You about fate decreed.
حل بيننا وبين معاصيك ببرزخ من رحمتك
Come between us and between resistances to Your Authority with the barzakh, the protective partition, of Your Rahma, Mercy!
آمين
Ameen…”
Each time I moved to the Urdu the words had a pounding effect on me. To be sure of the meaning, I started looking up each Arabic word.
التسخط : displeasure, irritation, anger.
المنازعة : opposition, disagreement, conflict, dispute.
معاصي : resistance to authority.
I was left dumbfounded.
He continued:
“O listener! If you were Muttaqi, the one who is mindful and conscious of your Rabb, who raised you, Azzo Jal, Dakir, in remembrance of Him, as Muwwahidan, in union only with Him, Musheeran, pointing towards Him, before the trial, then when you are dropped into the fire of the distress that causes suffering, He will order,
یَـٰنَارُ كُونِی بَرۡدࣰا وَسَلَـٰمًا
O fire! Be coolness and safety.
After that it was a crazy day.
Ghaus Pak (ra) had exactly followed the Sunnah of the Quran. First had come the admonition, then the mercy. For an hour, I stared at the page and read it over and over. My heart sank every time I came to the words of his wrath. It was the first time in my life that my Master was angry with me.
I couldn’t get over it. Obedience was woven, no, kneaded into my nature. But all my efforts that had to do with changing the fabric of my nafs were superficial. Giving charity was easy. It was the expression of gratitude. As promised it brought me a serene state of peace. Why wouldn’t I do it only sincerely, in utter obedience? Why wouldn’t I increase it? I was the recipient of all its rewards which were truly indescribable in terms of rendering me a joy.
It was the changing of the nafs that was impossible.
I decided to immediately memorize the prayer. It was about to entail for me the most perfect expression of fear and sincere need for deliverance. That was something that I had never experienced before.
First I went back to re-read the verse of the seas salty and sweet.
That was the first moment I realized, I am both a Mo’min and I am a Kafir. All I could see in the state of being a Mo’min was the ill-will in my disposition. And all I could see in my state of Kufr was my carelessness and unawareness. There was no longer an “other.” In everything it was only me!
That was first forced the question; when am I which?
وَمَا یَسۡتَوِی ٱلۡبَحۡرَانِ هَـٰذَا عَذۡبࣱ فُرَاتࣱ سَاۤىِٕغࣱ شَرَابُهُۥ وَهَـٰذَا مِلۡحٌ أُجَاجࣱۖ
And not are alike the two seas.
This (is) fresh, sweet, pleasant its drink, and this salty (and) bitter…
Surah Fatir, Verse 12
Tafseer e Jilani
Then exemplified Subhanahu both of the groups, the Mo’min, the believer and the Kafir, the denier of truth, as two seas sweet and salty, so He said:
Wa ma yastawi al bahraane: And the two seas are not alike in advantage and benefit received from them both because…
Hada: the (state of the) Mo’min, the attester to the sea of Imaan, faith and Irfaan, Divine Recognition, the one upon whom is poured water from the Sea of the Essence of One-ness…
Adb-un: is like water fresh and delightful, giving pleasure to the mind, sweet in perfect sweetness…
Furat-un: sweet, it breaks the persistent feeling of ill will (to harm and avenge people) for those burning with thirst in the mirage of the world with the coolness of Yaqeen, certainty…
Saa’ighun sharaabuhu: easy is its drinking i.e. easy is its going down, for those set up on the nature of Tauheed, Allah Subhanahu’s One-ness.
Wa hada: And this (the other sea/group) i.e. the Kafir, the denier of truth or ungrateful, malevolent, unkind, is in the sea of ghaflat, unawareness and carelessness…
Milh-un: (is like water) salty, it does not reform a person who wants to reform themselves, whoever tastes from it, instead…
Ujaaj-un: (it is) burning, bitter, corrupting for the disposition. The one who tasted from it was destroyed, devastatingly, forever such that there is no rescue for him, instead…
Wa: the sea of bitterness, in it is still an advantage, but there is no benefit for the Kafir, the denier of truth, and the one who refuses to be guided at all.
The Kufr a Muslim most often imbues is that of ingratitude.
That is why the Quran says, it is a choice.
إِنَّا هَدَيْنَهُ ٱلسَّبِيلَ إِمَّا شَاكِرًۭا وَإِمَّا كَفُورًا
Indeed, We guided him to the way, whether he be grateful and whether he be ungrateful.
Surah Al Insaan, Verse 3
Tafseer e Jilani
Allah Subhanahu made the way clear completely and perfectly. Now the human being has the choice:
Imma shakiran: Either he becomes grateful, occupied with the thankfulness of blessings and regularity upon fulfilling the rights of Divine Kindness, giving the reins of his determination and his choice to the rightful guidance and commands so that he may become of the Arbaab il Anayate wa Sadaad, the people of blessings and correct-ness and Al Mutana’imeena, the ones granted favours in the Heaven of Raza, God’s Pleasure and Tasleem, surrender.
Wa imam kafoor-an: Or he can be ungrateful for blessings (bestowed), being in denial of The One bestowing the blessings, following in the footsteps of the people of ghafalat, forgetfulness and enemity (towards Allah), disputing and being corrupt until he will become of the people of Hell.
“The people forever burning in the fire of possibilities!”
The intensity of the incident first exploded upon me once I started reciting the prayer. Each time I uttered the words, I broke down so severely, it was like someone beloved to my heart had died. Each time I heard the words in my ear that I was displeased, in opposition, resistant to my Lord, to His Authority, to His Being, I would cover my ears with my hands and almost wail.
One word entered my life like it had never done before. I had been saying a tasbeeh of it for years but my heart hadn’t felt the plea in the words even once till now.
Astaghfirullah! – I seek the forgiveness of my Lord!
I would repeat it incessantly through my tears. But the prayer had three lines and each line had in it a word that was the proof of my state of rebellion. The experience was intense and whatever I’m writing here to express it, the truth is that it is inexpressible. It cannot be related.
Only when the last line came,
ببرزخ من رحمتك
…with the barzakh, the protective partition, of Your Rahma, Mercy!
did I feel a tranquility come over me so instantly, every other feeling preceding it absolute vanished. Obviously I became hooked to the prayer.
I started saying it every single time an imkaan returned, those useless, worthless, mirages of possibilities bearing my ill-will towards others who were all absent and insignificant. I would say the prayer from the beginning till the end. Each time I spanned the cycle in the same way. I cried and cried, my tears trying to drown my self.
Then I would despise myself for being in such abominable state. How could I have the audacity to be displeased, quarreling, resistant? I would be pausing through the entire utterance with Astaghfirullah in repetition until I would reach the part of the barzakh, the partition. Then again I would be calm like nothing had happened. Instantly!
وَٱسۡتَغۡفِرُوا۟ ٱللَّهَۖ
إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ غَفُورࣱ رَّحِیمُۢ
And seek forgiveness (of) Allah. Indeed, Allah (is) Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.
Surah Al Muzzammil, Verse 20
Tafseer e Jilani
Wa: And what happened to you in your past which came from the leaving of istighfar, the seeking of forgiveness…
Astaghfirullah: (so now it is time to) keep seeking the forgiveness of Allah, Al Mufaddil, The Bestower of Bounty, Al Mukarrim, The Granter of Forgiveness for what you did and become occupied with compliance to His Commands in the rest of your life as compensation for what has elapsed.
Innallaha: Indeed Allah, Al Muta’lliu, The Only One informed of your regrets and your intentions in it (that seeking of forgiveness and being in obedience of His Orders)…
Ghafoorun: is Forgiving, He forgives your sins from the past also…
Raheem-un: is All Merciful, He accepts your tauba, repentance, which is followed by your errors by His Favour and His Generosity (of which you are undeserving).
The prayer took over my life for the next few days. I didn’t speak about it to anyone. I continued my classes with Qari Sahib. In my next class, the first thing I did was look up the verse my page had opened to:
وَمَن یَتَّقِ ٱللَّهَ یَجۡعَل لَّهُۥ مَخۡرَجࣰا
And whoever is in taqwa, conscious of Allah, He will make for him a way out,
وَیَرۡزُقۡهُ مِنۡ حَیۡثُ لَا یَحۡتَسِبُۚ
And He will provide for him from where not he thinks (it is possible).
Surah At Talaq, Verse 2-3
Tafseer Jilani
Wa: And overall…
Mayyattaqillah: the one who is mindful of Allah Subhanahu and safeguards his nafs, self, from His Qahr, Wrath, and Ghadab, Displeasure and keeps watch over himself from crossing the limits of His Boundaries which are drawn by Him, (the boundaries created) for the safeguarding of the rights of the people, especially the rights of spouses and practice mutual love for each other and (the one who) relies upon Him in all his states and entrusted his matters, all of them, to Him…
Yaj’al lahu: He, Allah Subhanahu, makes for him…
Makhrajan: a way out from the narrowness of possibilities which give result to different kinds of khudlan, humiliation and khusraan, losses.
Wa yarzaquhu: And He gives sustenance and carries towards him all of his needs that he is needful of in the subsistence of his family…
Min haysu la yahtasibu: i.e. from a place not expected and where he doesn’t have to wish for it to come from.
Narrowness of possibilities, humiliation, losses! There was a way made out, unexpected, unforeseen, “where he doesn’t have to wish it from.” With sustenance, not livelihood in currency as rizq is most often translated, but sustenance, emotional, mental, physical, spiritual, not for one individual in question but the entire family.
For whom? The one who was in a state of consciousness of Subhanahu and who was mindful of the rights of others. The one who was watchful that His Displeasure and His Wrath did not reach him because of crossing boundaries set by Him.
Like the displeasure and wrath of my Master had reached me.
There was a time I used to pride myself on a relationship with my Lord that didn’t have fear in it. But two years ago, whilst writing a piece for the Urs Mubarik of Maulana Rum (ra), I had felt intense fear. I had been translating stories from the Masnavi and one of them had been about the Day of Judgement and how each person would have to fend for themselves. I had come across one of the verses alluding to that reality recently.
وَلَا تَزِرُ وَازِرَةࣱ وِزۡرَ أُخۡرَىٰۚ وَإِن تَدۡعُ مُثۡقَلَةٌ إِلَىٰ حِمۡلِهَا لَا یُحۡمَلۡ مِنۡهُ شَیۡءࣱ وَلَوۡ كَانَ ذَا قُرۡبَىٰۤۗ
إِنَّمَا تُنذِرُ ٱلَّذِینَ یَخۡشَوۡنَ رَبَّهُم بِٱلۡغَیۡبِ وَأَقَامُوا۟ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَۚ وَمَن تَزَكَّىٰ فَإِنَّمَا یَتَزَكَّىٰ لِنَفۡسِهِۦۚ
وَإِلَى ٱللَّهِ ٱلۡمَصِیرُ
And no bearer will bear burdens (of) another.
And if a call heavily laden (soul) calls another to (carry) its load, nothing will be carried of it anything even if he be (from) near of kin.
You can only warn those who are conscious of their Lord - unseen and who establish the prayer.
And whoever purifies himself, then only he purifies for his own self.
And to Allah (is) the destination.
Surah Fatir, Verse 18
Tafseer e Jilani
Wa: And after that you recognized the Qudra, Authority, of Allah and you heard of the perfection of His Being in no need of anything, so for all of you is compulsory, the executing of His Commands and staying away from what He has forbidden because…
La taziru: no nafs, self, will, bear …
Waaziratu-n: as the bearer of burdens for being sinful, resisting authority…
Wizra: the burden (of) a wrong action of the nafs, self, that is indisciplined…
Ukhra wa in tad’u: of another and if any nafs, soul, asks…
Musqalatu-n: heavily laden by burdens and resisting authority…
Ila himliha: to share its burden i.e. someone else carry some of the burdens received by it to lessen them…
La yuhmal minhu shay-an: he will not carry any thing from another’s burden even if he consents to carry the burden because it is the demand of Allah’s Justice…
Wa lau kana: And if the person who was called to carry the burden…
Da qurba: is the family i.e. from the family of the asker, still all of the selves on that Day pledged (to carry) what they earned from their resistance. Each nafs will carry for its own self and no accountability will be for it except what it earned.
Then said Subhanahu addressing His Beloved (sending salutations and greetings upon him and his family the whole while) in the matters of His Servants:
Innama tundiru alladina yakhshauna Rabba-hum bil ghaib: only will you warn those who surrender to their Lord Unseen: meaning they are not beneficial, your warnings, which you recite O Akmal Ar Rusul, O Messenger who perfects Messenger-hood (salutations and greetings upon you and your family are sent by Him who made you the Nazeer) upon those wayward, with the exception of the group who are fearful of Allah and His Wrath and His Punishment, even though He is unseen for them, hearing Him, in submission to what has descended from Him, fearful of what can come from Him suddenly…
Wa: and along with that…
Aqaamus salata: they established prayer commanded, bringing closeness for them to His Essence, Al Mukhlisoona, sincere in it, Al Muttaharreena, purifying their selves from the inclination of everything except Allah Al Haqq, The Only Truth.
Wa man tazakka: And the one who purified himself and he cleansed his self from the leaning towards the capacity to invent a deceitful practice and whims…
Fa innama yatazakka li nafsihi: so indeed he only purified his nafs for his own self because the benefit of his purification returned to him, beneficial for him in his beginning and his end.
Wa: And after his purification from the demands of being human and the demands of animalistic desires which block from reaching of the origin of his nature…
Ilallahi: towards Allah, Al Munazza, The One Above all shortcomings, Al Mubarra’, The One Above all things lowly…
Al Maseer-u: (who is) The Destination i.e. Al Munqallab, the place returned to and the final abode i.e. everything returns towards Him and everyone’s purpose is Him, Subhanahu.
I was reminded of the exaltedness of the Chosen before Allah by the word Al Muttaharreena, the ones pure. How everyone had to purify themselves. Only one group was purified by Subhanahu Himself. That was the family of His Beloved (salutations and greetings upon him and his kin who were rendered void of any shortcoming at all).
The Name of Allah Subhanahu that Ghaus Pak (ra) used to begin the tafseer was an absolute favourite. I loved using it when calling out to Him in my prayers. It made no other words to follow the call even necessary. He was Al Musleh, The Reformer!
إِنَّمَا يُرِيدُ ٱللَّهُ لِيُذْهِبَ عَنكُمُ ٱلرِّجْسَ أَهْلَ ٱلْبَيْتِ وَيُطَهِّرَكُمْ تَطْهِيرًۭا
Indeed, Allah wishes to remove from you the impurity, (O) People (of) the House!
And to purify you (with thorough) purification.
Surah al Ahzab, Verse 33
Tafseer e Jilani
Innama yureedullahu: Indeed Allah Al Musleh, The Reformer of the states of His Worshipper, wishes for those who are chosen by Him, teaching them such advice and reminders which enter the heart and giving them warnings strange, unlike any other…
Liyudhiba ankum ar-rijsa: removing impurities from you, unattractive, loathsome by both the mind and by Jurisprudence (which can be in contradiction to one another), O…
Ahl e Bait: the people of the house of the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family), Al Majbooleen, who are raised upon honour and nobility..
Wa yutahhirakum: (and it is also His Will) to make you absolutely pure from the dirt of one’s nature and things that are hateful imperfections that exist from the beginning (from birth like the Shaitaan attached to each person), which are hurdles in the cleansing of personal nature (for e.g. menstruation or emissions)…
Tat-hirah: (to make you, O family of the Beloved, absolutely pure) in absolute purity. Such purity that nothing remains in you, any doubt of disfigurement and the disgrace of any shortcoming.
The verse of each person having to bear the consequences of their own actions had made me reflect on all the parallels I was drawing after Damascus of what I had thought was for that Day but seemed to exist and play out in our lives here. The nafs experiencing being Mutma’inna was the greatest of them all.
But no one could carry anyone’s burden in this world either.
Parents want to take on their child’s disease. Children want to give happiness to parents whose bitterness tells them that they will never come to possess it again. I have often wanted to give of the sight of one of my eyes to a cousin who lost it in both.
My nafs would ask me things like, “We won’t be able to drive again.”
I would consider it and say, “It’s ok. We don’t drive that much anyway.”
So on and so forth it goes. But it was not impossible. Each nafs had to pay the price for each decision in this world as well. Bear its consequence. Asking for forgiveness though, feeling repentant, held in it the promise of being forgiven. That existed for a relationship worldly or with Subhanahu. If it was sincere!
فَمَن تَابَ مِنۢ بَعْدِ ظُلْمِهِۦ وَأَصْلَحَ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَتُوبُ عَلَيْهِ ۗ
إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ غَفُورٌۭ رَّحِيمٌ
But whoever repented from after his wrongdoing and reforms, then indeed,
Allah will turn in forgiveness to him. Indeed, Allah (is) Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.
Surah Al Maidah, Verse 39
Tafseer e Jilani:
Faman ta’aba: So the one who repents and returns towards Allah mukhlis-an, sincere (in heart), khai’ifan, in fear (of reckoning)…
Min ba’ada dulmihi: after he transgressed boundaries set by Him …
Wa aslaha: and reformed themselves with repentance (by returning towards Allah with sincerity) for the corruption that they have brought upon their own nafs (self) by disobeying Allah’s Orders.
Fa innallaha: Indeed, Allah is Al Musleh, The Reformer of all states of His Servant.
Yatubu alaihi: And Allah also turns towards Him and accepts his tauba, repentance, after giving him the ability for that repentance.
Innallaha: Without doubt, Allah is the One who is Al Muyassir, the One who gives ease in all matter for His Servants…
Ghafur an: He is the Forgiver of all their sins.
The identity of the one repenting, Ta’ib, was defined specifically:
Faman ta’aba: So the one who repents and returns towards Allah sincere (in heart), in fear (of reckoning)…
Fear was requisite.
The Necessity of Fear
وَءَاخَرُونَ ٱعْتَرَفُوا۟ بِذُنُوبِهِمْ خَلَطُوا۟ عَمَلًۭا صَلِحًۭا وَءَاخَرَ سَيِّئًا عَسَى ٱللَّهُ أَن يَتُوبَ عَلَيْهِمْ ۚ
إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ غَفُورٌۭ رَّحِيمٌ
And others who have acknowledged their sins.
They had mixed a deed righteous (with) other (that was) evil.
Perhaps Allah will turn (in mercy) to them.
Indeed, Allah (is) Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.
Surah At Tauba, Verse 102
Tafseer e Jilani
Wa: And the people of Medina…
Aakharoona: others, not from the ones who were Al
Munafiqoona, persistent upon hypocrisy, Al Muttarraneena, and who practice it, but instead…
A’tarifu bi dhunobihim: acknowledge their sins which happened from them from mukhalifa, being against (someone) and bughz, grudges, and ta’an, being accusatory and
istikhfaaf, showing disregard and gheebat, back-biting, when sitting alone with the hypocrites and the ones who practice hypocricy.
And while they have the appearance of imaan, faith, and ikhlas, sincerity, but they…
Khalatu amalan salihan: mixed good deeds from ikhlas, sincerity and raza, seeking the pleasure of Allah and tasleem, submission…
Wa: and deeds…
Aakhara sayyan: others which were bad and those deeds were done while in the community of the hypocrites in their discourse and being accusatory. For this reason they are downgraded from the rank of the Mukhliseen, Sincere, in all their circumstances.
Asallaho an yatooba alayhim: And Allah will most likely accept their repentance i.e. He gives them ability upon tauba, repentance and nidama, regret and accepts from them their repentance after they become sincere in it.
Innallaha: Indeed, Allah Al Musleh, The One who corrects the states of His Servants…
Ghafooran: is Forgiving of the one who repents and regrets from the core of the qalb, the Station of Recognition of Allah in the heart…
Rahim: is The One who accepts their repentance when they are excessive (trangressors).
In writing that piece for Maulana’s Urs Mubarik I had been crying too. That crying was out of fear for a time yet to come. It was the first time I had learnt the purpose of fear in a relationship with my Lord. It was deemed essential for a believer. In that relationship fear was an element that was necessary for it to reach completion.
Verses attesting to that had appeared again and again.
The way out with an all encompassing rizq from the Divine was promised for whom? The one who was in a state of consciousness of Subhanahu and who was mindful of the rights of others. The one who was watchful that His Displeasure and His Wrath did not reach him because of crossing boundaries set by Him.
The Message could only be received by those “who are fearful of Allah and His Wrath and His Punishment, even though He is unseen for them, hearing Him, in submission to what has descended from Him, fearful of what can come from Him suddenly…”
Suddenly I understood why all those hours and days and weeks, months and years I spent trying to tell the ones I loved what might save them from pain were a waste of time. Theirs as well as mine. At the end of the day they never really cared if I might become angry with them or not. It never mattered. When it did, they always listened. When it didn’t that’s when they took me for granted.
Like I, God forbid, had been taking my Creator and His Benevelonce for granted. Astaghfirullah!
After the tafseer I returned to the page to re-read the next part which I had couldn’t focus on before. The incident of the fire was about the Prophet Ibrahim (as). How it was ordered to change its intrinsic nature and become cool for him by Divine Command. It was an incident only about him and for him. Not anyone else and certainly not the ordinary.
“…before the trial then, when you are dropped into the fire of the distress that causes suffering, He will order,
یَـٰنَارُ كُونِی بَرۡدࣰا وَسَلَـٰمًا
O fire! Be coolness and safety.
I had done the tafseer from before so I looked it up.
Tafseer e Jilani
Ya Naaro: O Fire, created on the nature of burning and heat…
Kooni bardan: become cool and leave your burning and heat…
Wa: and don’t harm Our Friend by your coolness as well but instead become…
Salaman: safety i.e. a glad reception and peaceful for him and don’t harm him.
How did that come to happen? If
1.I was a Muttaqi, the one who is mindful and conscious of their Rabb, who raised them, Azzo Jal,
2.I was sincere in my Zikr because it came from the heart. Not the mind and not the tongue.
3.I was Muwwahidan, in union only with Him forgetting the others,
4.Musheeran, pointing towards Him, feeling that nearness because I was aware that I was always being seen by Him,
5.then BEFORE the trial, when I was dropped into the fire of the distress that causes suffering, He would order for me,
یَـٰنَارُ كُونِی بَرۡدࣰا وَسَلَـٰمًا
O fire! Be coolness and safety.
It was unbelievable!
Shaitaan has endless tactics. Ways to enter lives and ruin then. His favourite tactic though is causing ghaflat.
Forgetfulness of obeying Divine Commands, forgetfulness of crossing boundaries in the rights of others, forgetfulness of Allah’s remembrance.
Fa ansaahum dikr Allah: so he made them forget the remembrance of Allah, Al Munqad, The Only Deliverer from deviation from the straight path, Al Murshid, The Only Guide towards guidance.
Hence ghaflat was the deadliest weapon. It naturally created the absence of repentance. That show of remorse was his worst nightmare because he possesses intimate knowledge of the Essence of Subhanahu. He knew what repentance could deliver when expressed with sincerity.
The incident from the Masnavi I had translated for that piece was about the waking of Hazrat Amir Muawia (ratu) by Iblis to say his prayers:
“Hazrat Amir Muawia (ratu) was asleep one day when he was awakened by someone. When he looked around he saw no one. Then he noticed a man skulking behind the door. He asked, “Who are you?” The man replied, “The world knows me. I am unfortunate Iblis.”
Hazrat Amir Muawia (ratu) asked him sternly, “Why have you woken me?” He responded, “The time for prayer is about to pass, O Amir.”
Then he quoted the Prophet of God (salutations and greetings be upon the one most distinguished in the blessings of Allah and his beloved family),
عجلوا ألطاعات قبل الفوت
Complete your worship before it (its time) expires.
You should run to the mosque before you miss it.”
Hazrat Amir Muawia (ratu) retorted, “You can never want such a thing so as to guide someone. You came in like a thief and now you tell me you are a well-wisher? Why would I believe a thief and then one who claims he wants to benefit me?”
Here Iblis uttered the words revealing his envy:
‘Once I was ranked amongst the angels and walked the path of obedience willingly. I was the knower of Divine Secrets and a companion of the ones who lived near Allah’s Throne. As travelers roam wherever they might go, the love of the homeland never leaves them. Who has ever forgotten their first love?
I have also drunk the waters from the rivers of The Divine’s Blessings and I have also walked in the Gardens of His Pleasure. He placed His Affection upon me as well, looked upon me with Favour. When I was a child, who fed me and guided me? He did.
Once I too was a lover of His Entity and Essence. If then that mighty Ocean of His Generosity rejected me, so what? When the heart is separated from what it once loved, then it learns to value the days where there was union.’
تا دهد جان را فراقش گوشمال
جان بداند قدر ايام وصال
When the separation from Him softly offers reproach,
then one is nostalgic for days passed.
Whether it was “kufr,” refusal or whether it was “imaan,” believing, both were made by that Power and both belong to Him.”
Hazrat Amir Muawaia (ratu) remained unmoved. “What you say is true but you have no part in it anymore. You misguided countless before me. You are fire, yet you expect me to believe you will not burn me? Who has not been deceived by you? Because of your cunning, the nation of Nuh (as) is still burning in regret. You caused the destruction of the nation of A’ad, drowning them in punishment and grief. The people of Lut (as) were stoned because of you.
You have created countless trials for Mankind. Firaoun, the philosopher, scholarly, his powers to reflect were blinded by you. Abu Lahab became ignorant because of you. Abul Hikm was rendered Abu Jahal because of you. You are the ocean of deceit, people but a drop. Answer truthfully. Why would you wake me to pray?”
Iblis replied, “Oh man of despair! You do not accept the truth despite a 100 arguments. My fault is only that one bad deed has made me renowned for sinfulness. The truth is that if you had missed your prayer, nothing of the world would have remained of value before your eyes. Tears of pain and loss would have been shed. This crying, this softness of the heart, this intense pain and sadness, would have become the reward of a 100 prayers. I did not want you to let out the sigh that would gain you the deep appreciation of Allah.
Remember the man who arrived at the Mosque late and was told by the congregation leaving it that the Messenger of God (peace be upon him and his family by their Lord who gazes upon them) had already said the last “salam.”
The young man sighed so deeply, the sound of it shook the listeners’ hearts.
One of them said, ‘Give me your sigh and take the blessing of my prayer.’
The man accepted his namaz and presented his sigh to me in turn. The sigh was filled with such humility and submission, the one who traded his prayer for it attained a higher rank and more.
A voice of the Unseen said to him in a dream, ‘In your trade, you have received the best of life, so rejoice!’
Your fear, O Amir, of The Divine and my envy are the reason I woke you. I woke you from the fear that your cries of repentance would burn me with jealousy. I am the envier of Mankind. I can never want anything good for them. In this envy I did what I did. I am the enemy of humans. How can I want that any benefit comes to them?”
Hazrat Amir Muawia (ratu) listened to his words then said to Iblis, “Now you have told the truth, O thief. In reality, you do not want that I humbly plead before my Lord with sincerity, that I weep tears of regret and repentance because the rank of that sighing and distress is more dear to Allah than anything else.”
ﮐﮧ ﺑﺮﺍﺑﺮ می ﮐﻨﺪ ﺷﺎﮦ ﻣﺠﯿﺪ
ﺍﺷﮏ ﺭﺍ ﺩﺭ ﻭﺯﻥ ﺑﺎ ﺧﻮﻥ ﺷﮩﯿﺪ
In equal regard holds The Almighty,
the tears of the sinner, the repentant, and the blood of the martyr.
Subhan Allah! The story was exquisitely narrated by Maulana (ra). Was it any wonder that the Masnavi was given the honour of being called the Quran in Farsi.
Shaitaan knows what Subhanahu’s Exalted Name Al Ghafoor encompasses. That His Mercy prevails over everything else. So he’s worried that the expression of regret, if it is sincere, might yield a person instant forgiveness. Of not one sin but all of them in one go!
Bishar Haafi (ra) was the most extraordinary example of that:
Hazrat Bishr Haafi (ra) spent most of his life drinking alcohol and roaming the streets in a state of intoxication. He belonged to a very wealthy family and lived alone. Twice, sometimes thrice a day, he changed his clothes, each garment finer than the next.
One day upon reaching his house he came upon a piece of paper lying on the road. It had the words Bismillah Ar-Rahman Ar-Rahim written on it. When he saw his Lord’s Name thrown on the ground like that he started weeping. Then he picked up the paper, kissed it, put some itar (perfume) on it and placed it on a high spot.
That night he heard the voice of Allah Al-Afuww, The Supreme Pardoner, asking him, was he not tired yet of being so distant from Him. And just like that, overnight, he became a wali (saint). He left his all of his wealth and roamed the streets barefoot. That is how he got his title, Haafi, the one who walks barefoot.
He was one of the few people for whom Imam Hanbal (ra) rose from his seat to greet when he entered and one of the only he walked with out to the street when he left.
When asked why he treated a faqeer, one who had given up the world and its possessions for poverty and worship, with such honour, Imam Hanbal (ra) replied, ““Jiss Rab ko mein maanta hun, Bishr Haafi uss Rab to jaante hain – the Lord that I merely believe in, Bishr Haafi knows that Lord.”
Subhan Allah!
Shaitaan takes pride in the destruction of Man, declaring it often in the Quran. He thinks he’s fulfilling his promise, keeping his word. One of those is his announcing that he will take a share of everything a Servant of God is bestowed.
Before I read the verse, I thought that was in the context of worldly possessions. Taking control of their possessions to fulfill his general mission to destroy Mankind. The usual ways of doing it via the mechanics inherent in capitalism, endless dictatorships and such. I had written about those extensively because it played out all the time. How it guaranteed his success.
But Ghaus Pak (ra) explained it differently.
لَّعَنَهُ ٱللَّهُۘ وَقَالَ لَأَتَّخِذَنَّ مِنۡ عِبَادِكَ نَصِیبࣰا مَّفۡرُوضࣰا
Allah cursed him and he said, "I will surely take from Your Slaves a portion appointed."
Surah An Nisa, Verse 118
Tafseer e Jilani
And how can we worship him and call him and indeed…
La’anaullahu: cursed Him Allah Subhanahu and expelled him from the Honour of His Presence and made him leave from (the list) of His Sincere Worshippers for the sake of deceiving the worshippers for the purpose of shirrk, associating others with Allah, and tughyan, oppression…
Wa: and after that he became hopeless of Allah’s Clemency and in despair of His Mercy…
Qala la’attakhidanna min ibadika: he said, “I will surely take from Your Servants, the ones because of whom you expelled me and because of whom you made me distant (from You)…
Naseeban: a portion, a share complete from what You made for him…
Mafroudan: appointed for them from Your Tauheed, Your One-ness, and honouring You by deluding them and deceiving them so that they commit shirrk (hoping and expecting from others except You) and associate others with You and say about You what is inappropriate for Your Majesty till they will fall by this from the binding of Your Safekeeping and Your Guardianship and become deserving of Your Displeasure and Your Anger.
The Displeasure and Anger would be coming one way or the other. It could be felt willingly or one would be made to feel it. Either way, it was unavoidable!
In each tafseer I was noticing what caused Allah Subhanahu’s Anger and Displeasure. Shaitaan had robbed me of my share for my entire life. I would have remained in that robbed state performing rote rituals even if some of them were above what was obligatory. I would have remained a Mushrik till my dying day had my Master not intervened in the manner that he did.
Ghaus Pak (ra) was the perfect manifestation of the undeniable truth that ends Surah Fatiha. Only following in the footsteps of the ones bestowed inaam, Divine Favours, was the path of least resistance. Least humiliation. Least agony.
For as I shockingly learnt from the Quran, even the infidels of Mecca who were proud of being Mushrikeen, it was their inherited tradition, believed in Subhanahu. After Him they worshipped those self-created idols of clay that they adorned the Ka’aba with.
Even they, when asked, who made these heavens and the earth, replied, “Allah.”
وَلَىِٕن سَأَلۡتَهُم مَّنۡ خَلَقَ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضَ لَیَقُولُنَّ ٱللَّهُۚ
And if you ask them who created the heavens and the earth? Surely, they will say, "Allah." Say, "Then do you see what you invoke from besides Allah?
Surah Az-Zumar, Verse 38
Tafseer e Jilani
Then pointed Subhanahu towards elaborating on His Tauheed, Divine One-ness, indicating to the Mushrikeen, the ones who associate others with Him, registering their state of beguile and allurement and being foolish, so He said, addressing His Beloved (upon whom and whose family He sends greetings and salutations continuously):
Wa la’in sa’altahum: And if you ask them, O Akmal Ar Rusul, Messenger who perfects the Messengerhood (Allah sends greetings and salutations upon you and your family since always), the disbelievers of the Quresh…
Man khalaqas samawaati wal ard: who created the Heavens and the Earth i.e. the highest in creation and the lowest in creation and what is between them from their mixing and who has brought them into existence and who has constructed in them and who has made to appear what is in them from the natural wonders and peculiarities…
Layaqoolunna: so they say, for sure…
Allah: Al Muttafarrid, The Only One who creates and invents, Al Muttwaahid, The One All Alone in His being worshipped and His being The Sustainer, because they have no power to turn away from this answer with their backs.
Ghaus Pak (ra) too was displeased and angry with me. But only out of his love for His Lord. That was the way of His Friends. They only loved because of Him. They only had enemity because of Him. I was deserving of that wrath upon me. In hindsight I was fortunate that it came.
In a single page he had expressed his irritation, reprimanded me, then taught me a prayer that brought me before my Lord in utmost repentance and showed me how even suffering ordained could morph into the opposite, become a blessing.
Thus I began to see how the barzakh, that partition of the Divine’s Mercy, began to take form in my life.
In Lahore it was part of my daily routine to visit an elderly friend who had been unwell for years. There were good days and bad but as a result of ever increasing illnesses that brought with them acute pain, more and more they would be in the worst mood possible.
But they too had a Spiritual Master. So every so often, he would step in and lift them out of the bitterness they were drowning in. Like a breather to remind them of who they were and not who they had become. Then they would be let go again and sink. That was how it was playing out for now.
The Spiritual Master is the Arif. Since Ghaus Pak (ra) says that they can see destiny ordained, they decide when to step in, for how long and when to retreat to let the disciple’s journey play out. But they are always there, keeping their eye on those who are in their charge, looking into their hearts to see how rusted they have become.
Each day I entered the house not knowing what mood awaited me. Mostly I was greeted with intense sarcasm, mistrust which manifested in a poisonous tongue resulting in complete humiliation. Sometimes I was alone in the room, other times people were present who ignored the incidence. I always wondered why they were silent. I was about to find out.
I had been reciting the prayer gifted to me by Ghaus Pak (ra). Then I was uttering it as my own repentance but like all prayers, there were branches of other Divine Mercies emanating from it. A day or two later, I entered the room expecting a thrashing. We happened to be sitting right next to each other. It was early in the day. She was being served breakfast.
All I had said thus far was “How did you sleep?”
In response came a fire of reproaches. How I could not be relied upon. I was insincere. Selfish. And so on. On every other occasion, no exceptions, I would attempt to exercise patience as I had learnt it. Silent in the tongue, begrudging in the heart, angry in the mind. Even that didn’t always work. Sometimes I would lose it and say something curt, leaving earlier than I would otherwise. Only to be extremely disappointed in my failure of restraint, beating myself up about it before I even reached my car to head home.
On that day, as we sat so close to each other that our thighs almost touched, I listened to the sharpness of the words that normally sliced through my heart with a calm I had never experienced before. It was so eerie that I just sat there making sure what I was feeling was in fact real. I felt like they were speaking to someone else in the room. But there was no one else.
I focused on my heart. Did it feel a grudge, sorry for itself for being attacked without provocation? It didn’t. I honed in on my mind. Was it angry or rolling its eyes thinking, “Here we go again.” It wasn’t. There was a partition between us. The barzakh I had pleaded for with my weeping had appeared.
It was so unexpectedly crazy it felt like magic!
The truth, as it turned out, was that everyone followed Iblis. The believers, the non-believers. The grateful, the ungrateful. He turns each Mo’min into a Kafir. At some point or the other, everyone was taken in by his seduction. No one’s nafs was spared.
Except for one group!
وَلَقَدۡ صَدَّقَ عَلَیۡهِمۡ إِبۡلِیسُ ظَنَّهُۥ فَٱتَّبَعُوهُ إِلَّا فَرِیقࣰا مِّنَ ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنِینَ
And certainly, Iblis found his assumption about them to be true, so they (all) followed him except a group of the believers.
Surah As Saba, Verse 20
Tafseer e Jilani
Then said Subhanahu taking an oath…
Wa: upon Himself…
Laqad saddaqa: indeed he, Iblis, authenticated…
Alayhim: upon those, Al Haalikeen, the ones who destroy themselves in the maze of khusraan, losses and kufraan, denial and ingratitude…
Iblis: the enemy for them, persistent, permanent in enemity with them from the beginning of their creation…
Dannahu: his belief, which was what he thought to be true for them when he said to their father, the Prophet Adam (as),
لَأَحۡتَنِكَنَّ ذُرِّیَّتَهُۥۤ إِلَّا قَلِیلࣰ
I will surely destroy his offspring except a few – Al Isra, 62
Tafseer e Jilani
La ahtanikanna durriyaatahu: Iblis said: I will make them wayward and trap them with vulgarity and by alluring them to do something wrong so that I can erase their names from the book of believers. So how can they become of the Arifeen, the ones who recognize Allah and the Al Mukaashifeen, for whom everything unveils, Al Mushahideen, the witnessing ones because what they are made from and their foundation, it demands different kinds of corruption and various kinds of sin and waywardness.
And for me there are many opportunities (through these demands) to create paranoia for them and allure them till they become misguided from the straight path of guidance and the way of correctness…
Illa qaleela: except a few amongst them for indeed they are Sabitoon, steadfast on what they are set up on. I have no power to persuade them towards wrongdoing because they are Muwwayadeen, assisted by You and they are Muwwafiqeen, granted ability by Your Power.
And he said:
وَلَا تَجِدُ أَكْثَرَهُمْ شَكِرِينَ
And you will not find most of them to be grateful - Surah Al Araaf, Verse 17
Tafseer e Jilani
La tajidu: You will not find, Ya Muizzu, O You who is The Bestower of Honour to everybody else in in humiliation and The One directing the astray to the Right Path…
Aksarahim Shakireen: most of them to be grateful when they will return towards You, they will be not be the grateful ones, spending from what You bestowed them of blessings on what You commanded them not to do.
And he said:
وَلَأُضِلَّنَّهُمۡ وَلَأُمَنِّیَنَّهُمۡ
And I will surely deceive them and surely arouse desires in them – An Nisa, Verse 119
Tafseer e Jilani
Wa laudillanahum: And I will surely deceive them by different deceptions and whisperings of doubt and paranoia from the Way of Your Tauheed, One-ness…
Wa layumanniannahum: and I will arouse desires in them by their concerns with their livelihood in this place of deception (the world) with hirs, greed and tool al amal, never ending hopes and all types of desires of their nafs, their egos, which arise from lust and (seeking of) pleasure and much else apart from this. And after that he misguided them from the path of
Shukr, Gratitude and Imaan, faith…
Fattaba’uhu: they followed him, ungrateful and denying of the blessings and Al Munim, the Bestower of those Blessings, all of them…
Illa fareeqan min al Mo’mineen: except a group from the
Mo’mineen, the believers, Al Mu’qineena, possessing certainy in the Tauheed, the One-ness of Allah, Al Musaddeqeena, attesting to His Prophets, Al Muttadakkireena, taking warning that he is their enemy forever, so they turned back from him and from his persuasion by deception, thus they remained Saalimeen, secure, from his persuasion to deceive.
No wonder a connection to that group was deemed essential to receive guidance. They were in a count, set apart from everyone else in Creation. They were the ones who were “an’amta alayhim.”
The inordinate focus on the prayer from Ghaus Pak (ra) brought my attention to the verses expounding on the etiquettes of the prayer in the Quran. I looked them up:
ٱدۡعُوا۟ رَبَّكُمۡ تَضَرُّعࣰا وَخُفۡیَةًۚ
إِنَّهُۥ لَا یُحِبُّ ٱلۡمُعۡتَدِینَ
Call upon your Lord humbly and privately.
Indeed, He (does) not love the transgressors.
Surah Al Araaf, Verse 55
Tafseer e Jilani
Udu’u: Call upon Him, those who have been set up on the true nature of Tauheed, One-ness…
Rabbukum: your Rabb, Al Mutafarraq, The One who is Unique in your raising and in making you appear…
Tadarru’an: (call upon Him) humbly as the ones who beseech Him…
Wa khufiatan: and quietly, as the ones hiding and the ones scared, and the ones submissive from the depths of the heart, not unstable in the edges of the tongue like the transgressors.
Innahu la yuhibbil Mu’tadeena: Indeed, He does not like the ones who cross the boundaries of what is right, the Al Mujawizeena, the ones who exceed limits, the Al Mujahireena, the ones who ask for things loudly, Al Maalliheena, the ones who ask for wrong things in their prayer because His Knowledge of their states is enough regarding their asking.
It was new word for me. Mu’tadeena! I knew already Subhanahu did not like the Kafireen, the deniers of truth. He did not like the Zalimeen, the unjust, the ones who crossed limits. He did not like the Faisqeen, those defiant in their disobedience. The Mu’tadeen were also transgressors. Overtly they seemed the same as the Kafireen.
Except in the tafseer, everything about them seemed to be related to those of us who were on the inside of the circle of Islam. For we the ones who were praying to Subhanahu. Except we were asking for things loudly. We were asking for things wrongly. We did not deny Subhanahu. We deluded ourselves that we were aspiring to be of the Mo’mineen, the believers. We didn’t even know we had become aligned with the disbelievers. Like them we were not scared of Him.
The most exalted of prayers in the Quran are the ones Allah Subhanahu Himself taught His Beloved (salutations and greetings upon him and his blessed family and the utterance that came forth from them that lead the way to our salvation). It was as if He said to him, “Ask from me this and ask it like this.”
One of those prayers then appeared that seemed to be exactly for such a situation. For if one was being rendered a transgressor whilst in prayer, then clearly refuge was in need from Shaitaan who was prevailing in exactly that moment. A moment that one thought was intensely private and only between them and their Lord.
وَقُل رَّبِّ أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنۡ هَمَزَتِ ٱلشَّیَـٰطِینِ
And say, "My Lord! I seek refuge in You from the suggestions (of) the evil ones,
وَأَعُوذُ بِكَ رَبِّ أَن یَحۡضُرُونِ
And I seek refuge in You, My Lord! Lest they be present with me."
Surah Al Mu’minoon, Verse 97-98
Tafseer e Jilani
Wa qul Rabbi: So say, “O Lord who raises me by Your Kunf, Safekeeping and Jawaar, Watchfulness…
Audo bika min hamazaati Shayateen: I seek refuge in You from the promptings of the evil ones and their waswase, whisperings and the different kinds of seductions and
misleading.
Wa: And especially…
Aoudo: I seek protection and come into refuge…
Bika: with You, O…
Rabbi Ayyahdiroon: my Lord, lest they come near me and let my focus be upon You and when my heart is soft in its inclination towards You and I invoke You, especially during my prayer and during my recitation and during the time I present my needs to You.
It revealed to me why the recitation of the namaz, why the recitation of the Quran, all worship was made to begin with seeking of refuge from Shaitaan and his followers.
فَإِذَا قَرَأۡتَ ٱلۡقُرۡءَانَ فَٱسۡتَعِذۡ بِٱللَّهِ مِنَ ٱلشَّیۡطَـٰنِ ٱلرَّجِیمِ
So when you recite the Quran, seek refuge in Allah from the Shaitaan, the accursed.
Surah An Nahl, Verse 98
Fasta’id: then seek refuge and invoke, first of all…
Billahi: Allah, Al Mutajalli, The One who unveils, by the attribute of speech, which makes others helpless before it, Al Hafeed, The Protector of His Sincere Servants from everything in useless sins and disobedience…
Min: (which occur) due to doubts and paranoia…
Ash Shaitaan ar rajeem: from Shaitaan the accursed one, Al Matrood, the one expelled and the one made distant from the court of the Presence of Allah Azzo Jal with the stoning of the effects of the Attributes of Allah’s Wrath and (seek refuge) from his delusions and rationalizations which are the armies of desire and forgetfulness and false imaginings and thrilling hallucinations which persuade different kinds of hopes and lust.
Basically possibilities!
Yet another revelation that came to me through the prayer Ya Haailo had to with the virtue of patience.
قُلۡ یَـٰعِبَادِ ٱلَّذِینَ ءَامَنُوا۟ ٱتَّقُوا۟ رَبَّكُمۡۚ لِلَّذِینَ أَحۡسَنُوا۟ فِی هَـٰذِهِ ٱلدُّنۡیَا حَسَنَةࣱۗ
إِنَّمَا یُوَفَّى ٱلصَّـٰبِرُونَ أَجۡرَهُم بِغَیۡرِ حِسَابࣲ
Say, "O My slaves those who believe!
Be mindful of your Lord. For those who do good in this world is good,
Only will be paid back in full the patient ones their reward without account."
Surah Az Zumar, Verse 10
Tafseer e Jilani
Qul: Say, Ya Akmal Ar Rusul (Allah sends blessings and salutations upon you since the beginning of everything), O Messenger who completes the Messenger-hood, give this message on Our Behalf, calling out to the selected sincere amongst my Servants…
Ya ibadi: O My Worshippers, by attaching them with His Essence making them special and honouring them…
Alladina aamano: those who attained to faith from amongst you in the One-ness of My Essence and My Appearance according to My Affairs and My Ever changing-ness in accordance with My Names and Attributes, the requirement of your faith is taqwa, mindfulness from the demands of your desires…
Ittaqu Rabbukum: be conscious of your Lord and stay away from what is forbidden by Him and what He has ordered prevented for you and characterize yourself with His Commands and know that He…
Lilladina ahsanu: for the ones with spiritual excellence and beautiful regard with Allah…
Fi hadihi duniya: in this world, which is the place of gaining lessons and choosing…
Hasana: there is goodness, multifold and more than a thousand times more than that in the Hereafter which is the Dar al Qarar, the abode which is forever so take heed, O people of vision, both inner and outer.
…
Innama yuwaffa as sabiroon: Only the steadfast are given in full as the Al Mutahammiloona, the ones who carry their burdens with the different kinds of difficulties and toiling with patience in the practice of Imaan, faith…
Ajrahum: their reward and in abundance upon them will be goodness and different kinds of recompenses and honours…
Bighairi hisaab: without count, for all of it and exceeding it, with no possibility of measure and enumeration and without any number, merely by His Bounty for them and His Honour upon them.
My way of practicing it was about to change.
Continued on: www.flickr.com/photos/42093313@N00/52649820039/in/datepos...
For the past few weeks I have been in, what seems to be, a very long and weird slump/mood. I just feel like I wake up, do my daily routines, and then sleep. Then the process repeats itself over and over. It feels like my body is on auto-pilot and I am just a mere passenger in the plane rather than the pilot. It also feels like all the fire and excitement I have for my passions, my life, and the world have been doused with a bucket of water. I feel like I am just an observer as time speeds by and very rarely does it feel like I am actually or fully participating in this complex thing called life.
This is so odd for me given the fact that I am so far from a zombie. Usually when I open my eyes I am overwhelmed and enchanted with the wonders that are in every nook and cranny in the universe and under every rock. But at this very moment I feel like if I were able to have a conversation with Nikola Tesla and he were able to bestow upon me all of his knowledge and questions I would just stand there, gazing, and slightly nodding my head with little excitement.
This is not me. This is not the way I think or see the world. I am ready to be back in my old body/mind and I am ready to feel inspired again. I am ready to actively participate and live. This weird slump/mood needs to end because, still at this very moment, I just feel so numb.
OM Times-SACREDspace : Sept. 2011 : Karma Yoga (pg2)
There are as many types of yoga as there are “bodies” that need to explore it, however most of them share key elements. There are four main paths of Yoga - Karma Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, Raja Yoga and Jnana Yoga. Each is suited to a different temperament or approach to life. All the paths lead ultimately to the same destination - to union with Brahman or God - and the lessons of each of them need to be integrated if true wisdom is to be attained. This sentiment of choosing a path, of taking action, and forever changing your life is what yoga is all about. Yoga is not something that is done to you; it's something you do. It's a commitment to change and responsibility. And it isn't easy. Dating back more than 5,000 years, yoga is one of the oldest exercise systems — and one of the most complex.
www.yogamovement.com/resources/paths.html
However, the beauty of yoga is that you can dip as far as you like into the pond and still receive some benefits. The deeper you go, the more profound the changes.
To the beginning yoga student, it can all be quite confusing as we hear or read about yoga "paths," "branches," "styles," "traditions," and "schools." Look at it this way: yoga paths are the main roads of yoga and all the other terms simply mean side roads that branch off from the main road but still help you reach your destination.eate balance & inner peace.
Karma Yoga, or the "discipline of action" is a form of yoga based on the teachings of the Bhagavad Gita, a sacred Sanskritscripture of Hinduism. Of the four paths to realization, karma yoga is the science of achieving perfection in action. Karma yoga is an intrinsic part of many derivative types of yoga, such as Natya Yoga. Karma yoga is undoubtedly one of the most practiced of the many yogas in the Hindu religion. Unlike hatha-yoga which primarily concentrates on the physical well-being of a human, or bhakti-yoga which aims for a spiritual realization of God, karma-yoga joins both the physical and mental aspects of Hindu philosophy to produce a single concept.
The root of the word Karma is the Sanskrit Kri, literally meaning "to do." The essence of karma relies heavily on action, it theorizes that past actions reckon consequences and affects one's position and progression in life. Western philosophers such as the Greek Epicureans believed the sole purpose of life was to live for the happiness of themselves. On the contrary, Eastern philosophy professes the ultimate goal to not live for pleasure, but to be one with knowledge. This philosophy g hand in hand with karma, because it is through the complex "wheel of karma" that knowledge is reached.
A major facet of karma is the work one does, and the attitude with which he goes about his duty. To work for selfish reasons, such as to be able to afford luxuries such as convertible cars and swimming pools, is bad karma, especially when one craves these possessions to gain stature in society. Actions such as materialism restrain one from furthering his place in life and from attaining an honest satisfaction with his spiritual growth. Another incorrect way to achieve the ultimate knowledge through work is to labor as a slave. Enslavement means working under bindings and restrictions, and not working because one wants to, but out of force. Good karma and advances towards knowledge are achieved first through the freedom to make the personal decision to work for the sake of getting the job done in a selfless manner. Only once one handles duty in this fashion will he find himself in progression.
This is not to say that this is the single way to practice good karma. If, for example, one acts with selfless and true compassion toward another, good is bound to come of his action. However, there is the inevitable chance that his deed to one may be an affliction to another, which presents bad karma. It is the awesome purpose in life to work through both the good and evil to reach the final and pure destiny, which almost always takes more than a few incarnations to reach.
Along with the aforementioned freedom necessary to navigate oneself toward the ultimate goal through the thick waters of karma is non-attachment. Non-attachment is difficult at best to maintain, because by the law of karma: "As you sow, so shall you reap." This hinders the strive toward non-attachment in that regardless of one's action, good or evil, the due effects will work themselves through one's life eventually, so non-attachment may not be completely fulfilled until one reaches the plateau of perfection.
While I have just presented karma as nearly impossible for one to completely work though, many people take paths with the sole intention of doing just that. These are karma yogis. Once they commit themselves, they live a selfless life of payless work, though given necessary allowances pertaining to personal situations. Like the life of Karma yogis, the concept of karma seems incredibly simple and logical. However, logic has a minor place in the face of human emotion, which prevails most often in human action.
The friction of logic and emotion causes the complexities of dealing with the unavoidable karma. My response to the concept of karma is one of almost obsessive dedication. It was the hallmark I was raised on, instilled so deeply by my parents that through all of my actions I am aware that 'what comes around goes around,' though the laziness in me often doesn't care. Having lived on an ashram, part of my daily routine was practicing karma yoga in the form of helping build a temple, L.O.T.U S. (Light of Truth Universal Shrine). Hopefully this opportunity increased my level of good karma!
Karma yoga seems not so much a practice familiar only to Hindu religion. Its basic and logical nature appears almost a science, which if studied in detail, allows one to make progressions towards a destiny of selfless, spiritual
Kundalini Yoga was brought to the West by Yogi Bhajan in 1969. It focuses on the controlled release of the Kundalini (serpent power) energy which is found at the base of your spine. The practice of Kundalini Yoga involves classic poses, chanting, coordination of breath and movement and Meditation. The emphasis however, is not on the Yoga Poses but on the Chanting and Breathing. Kundalini Yoga rewards Yogis with spiritual transformation and unity consciousness.
Sivananda Yoga was developed by Vishnu-devananda who wrote one of the contemporary Yoga classics, "The Complete Illustrated Book of Yoga". His book was first published in 1960, and still one of the best introductions to Yoga available. He named Sivananda Yoga after his teacher, Swami Sivananda who is also one of the greatest Yoga gurus in the world.
This Style of Yoga focuses on the Pranayama, classic Asanas, and Relaxation. It also centers on Diet and positive thinking and Meditation. Sivananda Yoga practice consist twelve basic Yoga Poses that seeks to increase strength, flexibility, Proper Breathing, and Meditation. Sivananda now has over eighty centers worldwide and is considered as one of the largest Yoga schools in the world.
Sources:
www.yogamovement.com/resources/paths.html
www.sivananda.org/teachings/fourpaths.html
There are as many types of yoga as there are “bodies” that need to explore it, however most of them share key elements. There are four main paths of Yoga - Karma Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, Raja Yoga and Jnana Yoga. Each is suited to a different temperament or approach to life. All the paths lead ultimately to the same destination - to union with Brahman or God - and the lessons of each of them need to be integrated if true wisdom is to be attained. This sentiment of choosing a path, of taking action, and forever changing your life is what yoga is all about. Yoga is not something that is done to you; it's something you do. It's a commitment to change and responsibility. And it isn't easy. Dating back more than 5,000 years, yoga is one of the oldest exercise systems — and one of the most complex.
To the beginning yoga student, it can all be quite confusing as we hear or read about yoga "paths," "branches," "styles," "traditions," and "schools." Look at it this way: yoga paths are the main roads of yoga and all the other terms simply mean side roads that branch off from the main road but still help you reach your destination toward balance & inner peace.
KARMA YOGA - THE YOGA OF ACTION
Karma Yoga is the Yoga of Action. It is the path chosen primarily by those of an outgoing nature. It purifies the heart by teaching you to act selflessly, without thought of gain or reward. By detaching yourself from the fruits of your actions and offering them up to God, you learn to sublimate the ego. To achieve this, it is helpful to keep your mind focused by repeating a mantra while engaged in any activity.
PRINCIPLES OF KARMA YOGA
Karma Yoga is one of the four paths of Yoga. In this page are the key components that determine that any action will qualify as being Karma Yoga
"Karma Yoga is the selfless devotion of all inner as well as the outer activities as a Sacrifice to the Lord of all works, offered to the eternal as Master of all the soul's energies and austerities." Bhagavad Gita
RIGHT ATTITUDE
It's not what you do that counts, it's the attitude while doing it that determines if a job is a karma yoga job, i.e. a liberating job, or a binding job. Work is worship. Swami Sivananda advises us to "give your hands to work, and keep your mind fixed at the lotus feet of the Lord."
RIGHT MOTIVE
Same as attitude. It is not what you do that counts but your real motive behind it. Your motive must be pure. Swami Sivananda says: "Man generally plans to get the fruits of his works before he starts any kind of work. The mind is so framed that it cannot think of any kind of work without remuneration or reward. A selfish man cannot do any service. He will weigh the work and the money in a balance. Selfless Service is unknown to him."
DO YOUR DUTY
Often "duty" is referred to as "righteousness". You will incur demerit if you shun your duty. Your duty is towards God, or Self, or the Inner Teacher who teaches you through all the specific circumstances of your life as they appear.
DO YOUR BEST
Whatever you have to do, do your best. If you know of a better way to serve, you must use it. Do not hold back because of fear of effort or because of fear of criticism. Do not work in a sloppy manner just because no one is watching or because you feel the work is not for you. Give your best. Try to do such actions that can bring maximum good and minimum evil. Do Karma Yoga increasingly.
GIVE UP RESULTS
God is the doer. You are not the doer. You are only the instrument. You do not know God's intentions or God's plans. God is the actor. The Self never acts, changes. It is only the 3 Gunas or qualities of nature which are playing. The way to realize this truth is to constantly work for work's sake and let go of the results, good or bad. It is the desire for action that binds the individual. It is the detachment from action that will dissolve the karmic seeds. Detachment from results also means detachment from the type of job itself. There is no job that is inferior or superior to a different job. Don't be attached to your job. Be ready to give up your job if necessary.
SERVE GOD OR THE SELF IN ALL
Do to others what you would like to be done to yourself. Love thy neighbor as thyself. Adapt, adjust, accommodate. Bear insult, bear injury. Unity in Diversity. We are parts of the same body. Practice humility in action. Beware of power, fame, name, praise, censure.
FOLLOW THE DISCIPLINE OF THE JOB
Each job is a teacher of some sort. You can learn different skills by doing different jobs. Each job has different requirements in terms of time, degree of concentration, skills or experience, emotional input, physical energy, will. Try to do whatever job you are doing, well.
Source:
www.sivananda.org/teachings/fourpaths.html
Image - harmonist.us/2009/09/karma-black-and-white-or-shades-of-g...
tags:
sacredspace, september2011, karmayoga, deZengodeisgns, yogastyles, aboutyoga, whatisyoga, chosingyogaclass, the411onYoga, jvamukti, kripualu, kundalini, tantra, health, wellness, yoga, omtimesmagazine, humanityhealing, namaspirittn,
This photo is: Edited
okay.. this is my crazy idea.. i had to edit the sizes of the photos and it gave me a hard time doing that...
i had an idea which will show my daily routine.. so here it is.. :)
Sunday - this is the family day or God's day. i usually wear dresses every mass.
Monday - it shows my school uniform and i have to wear it every Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. patience... this will last only for almost 5 months because soon i will be graduating, if God permits. :)
Tuesday - it is my funky, ragged style.. i feel comfortable with this.
Wednesday - this is so me... you will see me as simple as this. shirt, jeans, flip flops, messy hair, no make ups, no jewelry..
Thursday - i love sun, summer, shades, flip flops, etc etc.. this photo explains a lot.
Friday - formal.. yeah, there are times that i have to be formal, i am not that comfortable with it but at least i can handle.
Saturday - sports... i may not into sports but i adore swimming and volleyball and badminton.
Guys, this is my routine.. sorry for my crazy idea.. :|
The portrait of me on the left was painted by my friend, Leslie McCallen Gilbert, well...let's just say back in the day. I love this painting; it hangs on the wall in my stairwell. As I go about my daily routine, I walk past my past many times.
Today, while unpacking some of my cool-weather clothes, I came across this blue sweater -- yes, the very same one I wore years ago when I sat for the portrait. This well-worn and beloved sweater gave me the inspiration for today's self-portrait; I put it on, pulled my portrait down from the wall, sat down in front of it, set the timer on my camera, and ... voila.
The me on the left stares confidently ahead, ready to tackle the future. The me on the right --- a few years, pounds, and children later -- sometimes feels like the future tackled me. Still, I can't complain. I was expecting a much greater and more depressing difference between the image of the past and my present self. But, like my favorite blue sweater, I may be a bit faded, but I'm also a lot softer and not too shabby, all things considered.
submitted to January scavenger hunt -- #5 "Painted Woman"
My self-portrait aims to express my daily feelings of exhaustion. I returned to University as a mature age student after 6 years in the workforce. I am the first person in my immediate family to have finished high school and certainly the first to enrol in a tertiary degree. I have a mortgage and with that come added financial pressures. Although I count myself lucky to have come so far at such a young age, keeping afloat financially and academically, whilst trying to maintain some normality within my life can be exhausting. The photo is set in my kitchen, which has a beautiful mosaic floor. The vast array of colours represent, what feels like, the million tasks I battle to complete. Throughout the photograph you will see various objects, which make up just a small part of my daily routine. These are the things that are never ending. These are the things that, although tiresome and repetitive, make up so much of my life.
Dear friends, you are more than welcome to visit my flickr.
These are some pictures regarding my third Lego MOC set named Dark-Age series.
After second series, An idea hit my mind one day. Most of real Batman vehicles are matte black, which Lego doesn't produce matte black bricks. Interestingly, I paint-sprayed the first batmobile, and then another, and then another.....It did take me long time and the whole procedures are troublesome and tedious. but the result is quite satisfying.
This set includes:
(1) Chibi Batcycle. Batcycle has very simple structure that I constructed by accident. And I built several motorcycle based on its chasis. The shape and style is more preferred aomong all my chibi vehicles. I personally consider it a very good-looking one by only using some old Lego small parts.
(2) Batmobile (Fomula-1 style): Browsing vehicles' desings online and acquire ideas is one of my daily routines -from deviantART etc. And learning something new about fashion, no matter old designs or concept designs, is also very fun. I built this batmobile after I saw this while looking for some inspiration:
www.techeblog.com/if-the-batmobile-was-an-f1-car/
(3) Bat Truck: One interesting fact about this series is that I attempted to built "side vehicles" and make them loaded onto the main vehicles because some modified official vehicles have thiese kind of function initially. The Bat Truck is actually a snow truck because I hope to build a multi-function series in the first place. And it is also my favorite one among six vehicles of this series.
(4) Bat Tank: Needless to say, this is obviously just a modified version of official set Lego 70588 Titanium Ninja Tumbler, I knew exactly what I had to do with it at first sight-matte black version-, and I call it amphibious bat for Batman can drive it both on land and in shallow water.
(5) Batsub: Another modified version from official one. There are literally 3 vehicles out of 6 that are from official sets. As I mentioned above, I wanted to build a series with multifunction concept. This Batsub is able to go on land, on the sea, and of course, under the sea. Please check out the "Ultra Agents - 70162" if you would like to know more info.
(6) Batwing (AKA Bat Bomber): No doubt about it. perhaps you can tell immediately that this is just another official Marvel superhero set- Quinjet.
There is no need to explain why I had to turn it into matte black version, or maybe it just my personal preference. I think this is the best Quinjet among all Lego Quinjet by far and so far.
Thank you so much for viewing my Lego works. More photos of other sets are coming in soon. My only intention is to share. Hope you like these cute toys. peace. :)
my Youtube:
For the Flickr Group Roulette challenge for July 13th, 2008 - Words on Skin
It's a very personal affirmation for me at the moment! This month will mark my 2nd year away from home to teach in Korea. I wish to share a (now defunct) blog entry I wrote on my 2 month anniversary of living in Korea. Most is still apt today (I do have a cell phone and an oven now, wahooo!)
18 September 2006, Surfacing
My adventure in South Korea is now well into the 2nd month. My settling in period reminds me of learning to scuba dive. We were taught that if you become disorientated underwater and visibility does not allow you to determine ’which way is up’ you should follow the direction your airway bubbles float.
I am delighted that my constant state of disorientation is lessening. Yup, not only has this gal surfaced her head above the choppy waters, she is now developing a jaunty synchronised swimming routine!
Being a believer of living in the present moment, I do however do chuckle quietly at the differences thus far in my daily routine:
• I do not have a mobile phone. To think I had 2 at home...
• I catch a bus or walk everywhere. No car!!
• I cannot read most labels/packets/cooking instructions
• I do not have a microwave
• Or an oven
• All restaurants do home delivery for free
• Unfortunately, I cannot ring them and communicate what I would like or direct them to where I live!
• My landline monthly rental charge is $5 (beat that Telstra)
• My income tax rate is 2% (beat that Johnny)
• I refuse to pay $40+ for beef
• I happily pay $5 a kilo for rice
• $7 for an avocado
• and only $3 for a bottle of soju (fermented sweet potato wine)
• I eat pasta with chopsticks
• I eat black forest cake with chopsticks
• I do not have instant running hot water
• Toilet paper is 1ply
• The smallest pack size sold is 25 rolls
• Loo paper rolls are now creatively stacked in cupboards throughout my studio
• My lounge chair was found on the side of the road
• Unfortunately, the brown vinyl cushion is missing
• Fortunately, I carted it through he backstreets without anyone spotting me!
• Hello Kitty is cheap
Nuff said! This IS the adventure I was looking for!
xxx
Dear friends, you are more than welcome to visit my flickr.
These are some pictures regarding my third Lego MOC set named Dark-Age series.
After second series, An idea hit my mind one day. Most of real Batman vehicles are matte black, which Lego doesn't produce matte black bricks. Interestingly, I paint-sprayed the first batmobile, and then another, and then another.....It did take me long time and the whole procedures are troublesome and tedious. but the result is quite satisfying.
This set includes:
(1) Chibi Batcycle. Batcycle has very simple structure that I constructed by accident. And I built several motorcycle based on its chasis. The shape and style is more preferred aomong all my chibi vehicles. I personally consider it a very good-looking one by only using some old Lego small parts.
(2) Batmobile (Fomula-1 style): Browsing vehicles' desings online and acquire ideas is one of my daily routines -from deviantART etc. And learning something new about fashion, no matter old designs or concept designs, is also very fun. I built this batmobile after I saw this while looking for some inspiration:
www.techeblog.com/if-the-batmobile-was-an-f1-car/
(3) Bat Truck: One interesting fact about this series is that I attempted to built "side vehicles" and make them loaded onto the main vehicles because some modified official vehicles have thiese kind of function initially. The Bat Truck is actually a snow truck because I hope to build a multi-function series in the first place. And it is also my favorite one among six vehicles of this series.
(4) Bat Tank: Needless to say, this is obviously just a modified version of official set Lego 70588 Titanium Ninja Tumbler, I knew exactly what I had to do with it at first sight-matte black version-, and I call it amphibious bat for Batman can drive it both on land and in shallow water.
(5) Batsub: Another modified version from official one. There are literally 3 vehicles out of 6 that are from official sets. As I mentioned above, I wanted to build a series with multifunction concept. This Batsub is able to go on land, on the sea, and of course, under the sea. Please check out the "Ultra Agents - 70162" if you would like to know more info.
(6) Batwing (AKA Bat Bomber): No doubt about it. perhaps you can tell immediately that this is just another official Marvel superhero set- Quinjet.
There is no need to explain why I had to turn it into matte black version, or maybe it just my personal preference. I think this is the best Quinjet among all Lego Quinjet by far and so far.
Thank you so much for viewing my Lego works. More photos of other sets are coming in soon. My only intention is to share. Hope you like these cute toys. peace. :)
my Youtube:
Aug. 28, 2012.
Slow...that's been my pace this summer, physically and mentally, and what a rejuvenating time it's been! I've done lots, even accomplished things on my to-do list, but at a much slower tempo than usual. Photography has been a part of my daily routine, but I've felt no pressure to process and share right away. I'm letting my photographic thoughts simmer slowly on the back burner. Who knows what creations will emerge ;-)?
I have been experimenting recently with colors and lines. Usually, I use markers, but this time I wanted to use a different medium. I started this without and rough sketches. I feel comfortable improvising my work, and making mistakes helps me to find out what I want. This title, which I changed, came to me when I was half sleeping. I think that is the best time to ponder what I want to create, because I am not thinking of my daily routines.
Synchronicity~
This drawing was inspired and dedicated to an experience that happened to me a while back that really messed with my head and helped to shape the way I view the world. Truth to me is like change and is always in a constant state of change and is relative even though there might be sacred truths that are everlasting, but in the context of this story...what happened to me is subjective and is not to be viewed as your truth. This is only an opinion of how I view what happened to me. I will say though that I am someone that doesn't believe in coincidence. If you take the time to read, you might find the story interesting as well. Most of this was from my own imagination with minimal references used, done freehand as usual.
Used ballpoint pen, pastels, acrylic paint, mechanical pencil and crayons on canson mixed media sketching paper.
Time:1-2hrs
Anyone who has experienced any kind of synchronicity will know exactly what i'm talking about. So I started this job a while ago and I was there a little over a month and i'm going about my daily routine and I was talking to this guy there, actually two guys, and we are talking about life, the universe and all it's mysteries, ect and these two guys are young, not that i'm old but they are in their early 20's...not that it matters really but they start talking about conspiracies, 911, chemtrails, ect while we are working and we start talking about aliens and whether or not they had something to do with the pyramids lol
I remember commenting saying that I think this is an experiment of some kind... then I thought to myself, like the way we dissect and experiment on small insects and animals, studying them, ect even though we are god-like compared to these creatures from an intellectual standpoint, but after that I specifically remembered thinking to myself again about an ant farm specifically, and how we as humans have ant farms for various reasons and purposes and how we take such an interest in them considering the vast gap between our evolution and after that I thought to myself yet again, that I wouldn't be surprised if it was some kind of alien ant farm......and I kid you not, after I had that thought.... a song comes on. We had music playing in the background and it was Smooth Criminal by !*Alien Ant Farm*! and this is a song by a band I haven't heard in many years as I normally don't listen to the radio or sirius or pandora too much as I like to listen to my ipod but I have a good memory and I know it's a song I have not heard in years, so as you can imagine when I heard it I almost couldn't believe it...I think this is just one of the many ways "they" whoever "they" are communicate with us.
Whether or not it's the universe, god, angels/demons, spirits( good or bad) or our own soul or something else we do not understand I do not know for certain. I don't know anything for certain but I feel like people should be more observant to these things because I think they are important.
-The puppet stick symbolizes the watchers overseeing the toils of mankind here why we struggle to be conscious. It's also an ancient religious symbol for the lorraine cross that has connections with the Knights Templars.
-The stone bolder symbolizes some of the struggles that we face here while alive.
-The sign with the all seeing eye with black & white checkers symbolizes and represents Duality, positive-negative, As above so below, and the Grand Architect compassing and seeing over All. Also symbolizes the stage of life hence the puppet strings on a stage.
-The man as an ant symbolizes humanity and how I perceived the experience I had
Thinking of a song in your head while you are in the car only to turn on the radio and hear that exact song playing should not be seen, viewed or perceived as something mundane or as something coincidental or random or meaningless IMO...
Thinking of someone you haven't seen in forever only to bump into them moments later should not be overlooked IMO...
Thinking about something very personal and detailed to only have it brought up it some seemingly random conversation should be taken serious and reflected upon with great spiritual focus IMO....
Having dreams that are precognitive or remote viewing a target to only have it revealed to you shortly after...All these things and more should be the pinnacle of interest that people should not ridicule or condemn but rather invest themselves into IMO...
I don't think people fully realize how powerful they are and how influential their minds are or their spirits...After all, it is the spirit that controls the mind & body in my opinion.
Dear friends, you are more than welcome to visit my flickr.
These are some pictures regarding my third Lego MOC set named Dark-Age series.
After second series, An idea hit my mind one day. Most of real Batman vehicles are matte black, which Lego doesn't produce matte black bricks. Interestingly, I paint-sprayed the first batmobile, and then another, and then another.....It did take me long time and the whole procedures are troublesome and tedious. but the result is quite satisfying.
This set includes:
(1) Chibi Batcycle. Batcycle has very simple structure that I constructed by accident. And I built several motorcycle based on its chasis. The shape and style is more preferred aomong all my chibi vehicles. I personally consider it a very good-looking one by only using some old Lego small parts.
(2) Batmobile (Fomula-1 style): Browsing vehicles' desings online and acquire ideas is one of my daily routines -from deviantART etc. And learning something new about fashion, no matter old designs or concept designs, is also very fun. I built this batmobile after I saw this while looking for some inspiration:
www.techeblog.com/if-the-batmobile-was-an-f1-car/
(3) Bat Truck: One interesting fact about this series is that I attempted to built "side vehicles" and make them loaded onto the main vehicles because some modified official vehicles have thiese kind of function initially. The Bat Truck is actually a snow truck because I hope to build a multi-function series in the first place. And it is also my favorite one among six vehicles of this series.
(4) Bat Tank: Needless to say, this is obviously just a modified version of official set Lego 70588 Titanium Ninja Tumbler, I knew exactly what I had to do with it at first sight-matte black version-, and I call it amphibious bat for Batman can drive it both on land and in shallow water.
(5) Batsub: Another modified version from official one. There are literally 3 vehicles out of 6 that are from official sets. As I mentioned above, I wanted to build a series with multifunction concept. This Batsub is able to go on land, on the sea, and of course, under the sea. Please check out the "Ultra Agents - 70162" if you would like to know more info.
(6) Batwing (AKA Bat Bomber): No doubt about it. perhaps you can tell immediately that this is just another official Marvel superhero set- Quinjet.
There is no need to explain why I had to turn it into matte black version, or maybe it just my personal preference. I think this is the best Quinjet among all Lego Quinjet by far and so far.
Thank you so much for viewing my Lego works. More photos of other sets are coming in soon. My only intention is to share. Hope you like these cute toys. peace. :)
my Youtube:
Dear friends, you are more than welcome to visit my flickr.
These are some pictures regarding my third Lego MOC set named Dark-Age series.
After second series, An idea hit my mind one day. Most of real Batman vehicles are matte black, which Lego doesn't produce matte black bricks. Interestingly, I paint-sprayed the first batmobile, and then another, and then another.....It did take me long time and the whole procedures are troublesome and tedious. but the result is quite satisfying.
This set includes:
(1) Chibi Batcycle. Batcycle has very simple structure that I constructed by accident. And I built several motorcycle based on its chasis. The shape and style is more preferred aomong all my chibi vehicles. I personally consider it a very good-looking one by only using some old Lego small parts.
(2) Batmobile (Fomula-1 style): Browsing vehicles' desings online and acquire ideas is one of my daily routines -from deviantART etc. And learning something new about fashion, no matter old designs or concept designs, is also very fun. I built this batmobile after I saw this while looking for some inspiration:
www.techeblog.com/if-the-batmobile-was-an-f1-car/
(3) Bat Truck: One interesting fact about this series is that I attempted to built "side vehicles" and make them loaded onto the main vehicles because some modified official vehicles have thiese kind of function initially. The Bat Truck is actually a snow truck because I hope to build a multi-function series in the first place. And it is also my favorite one among six vehicles of this series.
(4) Bat Tank: Needless to say, this is obviously just a modified version of official set Lego 70588 Titanium Ninja Tumbler, I knew exactly what I had to do with it at first sight-matte black version-, and I call it amphibious bat for Batman can drive it both on land and in shallow water.
(5) Batsub: Another modified version from official one. There are literally 3 vehicles out of 6 that are from official sets. As I mentioned above, I wanted to build a series with multifunction concept. This Batsub is able to go on land, on the sea, and of course, under the sea. Please check out the "Ultra Agents - 70162" if you would like to know more info.
(6) Batwing (AKA Bat Bomber): No doubt about it. perhaps you can tell immediately that this is just another official Marvel superhero set- Quinjet.
There is no need to explain why I had to turn it into matte black version, or maybe it just my personal preference. I think this is the best Quinjet among all Lego Quinjet by far and so far.
Thank you so much for viewing my Lego works. More photos of other sets are coming in soon. My only intention is to share. Hope you like these cute toys. peace. :)
my Youtube:
Dear friends, you are more than welcome to visit my flickr.
These are some pictures regarding my third Lego MOC set named Dark-Age series.
After second series, An idea hit my mind one day. Most of real Batman vehicles are matte black, which Lego doesn't produce matte black bricks. Interestingly, I paint-sprayed the first batmobile, and then another, and then another.....It did take me long time and the whole procedures are troublesome and tedious. but the result is quite satisfying.
This set includes:
(1) Chibi Batcycle. Batcycle has very simple structure that I constructed by accident. And I built several motorcycle based on its chasis. The shape and style is more preferred aomong all my chibi vehicles. I personally consider it a very good-looking one by only using some old Lego small parts.
(2) Batmobile (Fomula-1 style): Browsing vehicles' desings online and acquire ideas is one of my daily routines -from deviantART etc. And learning something new about fashion, no matter old designs or concept designs, is also very fun. I built this batmobile after I saw this while looking for some inspiration:
www.techeblog.com/if-the-batmobile-was-an-f1-car/
(3) Bat Truck: One interesting fact about this series is that I attempted to built "side vehicles" and make them loaded onto the main vehicles because some modified official vehicles have thiese kind of function initially. The Bat Truck is actually a snow truck because I hope to build a multi-function series in the first place. And it is also my favorite one among six vehicles of this series.
(4) Bat Tank: Needless to say, this is obviously just a modified version of official set Lego 70588 Titanium Ninja Tumbler, I knew exactly what I had to do with it at first sight-matte black version-, and I call it amphibious bat for Batman can drive it both on land and in shallow water.
(5) Batsub: Another modified version from official one. There are literally 3 vehicles out of 6 that are from official sets. As I mentioned above, I wanted to build a series with multifunction concept. This Batsub is able to go on land, on the sea, and of course, under the sea. Please check out the "Ultra Agents - 70162" if you would like to know more info.
(6) Batwing (AKA Bat Bomber): No doubt about it. perhaps you can tell immediately that this is just another official Marvel superhero set- Quinjet.
There is no need to explain why I had to turn it into matte black version, or maybe it just my personal preference. I think this is the best Quinjet among all Lego Quinjet by far and so far.
Thank you so much for viewing my Lego works. More photos of other sets are coming in soon. My only intention is to share. Hope you like these cute toys. peace. :)
my Youtube:
OM Times-SACREDspace : Sept. 2011 : Karma Yoga (pg1)
There are as many types of yoga as there are “bodies” that need to explore it, however most of them share key elements. There are four main paths of Yoga - Karma Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, Raja Yoga and Jnana Yoga. Each is suited to a different temperament or approach to life. All the paths lead ultimately to the same destination - to union with Brahman or God - and the lessons of each of them need to be integrated if true wisdom is to be attained. This sentiment of choosing a path, of taking action, and forever changing your life is what yoga is all about. Yoga is not something that is done to you; it's something you do. It's a commitment to change and responsibility. And it isn't easy. Dating back more than 5,000 years, yoga is one of the oldest exercise systems — and one of the most complex.
www.yogamovement.com/resources/paths.html
However, the beauty of yoga is that you can dip as far as you like into the pond and still receive some benefits. The deeper you go, the more profound the changes.
To the beginning yoga student, it can all be quite confusing as we hear or read about yoga "paths," "branches," "styles," "traditions," and "schools." Look at it this way: yoga paths are the main roads of yoga and all the other terms simply mean side roads that branch off from the main road but still help you reach your destination.eate balance & inner peace.
Karma Yoga, or the "discipline of action" is a form of yoga based on the teachings of the Bhagavad Gita, a sacred Sanskritscripture of Hinduism. Of the four paths to realization, karma yoga is the science of achieving perfection in action. Karma yoga is an intrinsic part of many derivative types of yoga, such as Natya Yoga. Karma yoga is undoubtedly one of the most practiced of the many yogas in the Hindu religion. Unlike hatha-yoga which primarily concentrates on the physical well-being of a human, or bhakti-yoga which aims for a spiritual realization of God, karma-yoga joins both the physical and mental aspects of Hindu philosophy to produce a single concept.
The root of the word Karma is the Sanskrit Kri, literally meaning "to do." The essence of karma relies heavily on action, it theorizes that past actions reckon consequences and affects one's position and progression in life. Western philosophers such as the Greek Epicureans believed the sole purpose of life was to live for the happiness of themselves. On the contrary, Eastern philosophy professes the ultimate goal to not live for pleasure, but to be one with knowledge. This philosophy g hand in hand with karma, because it is through the complex "wheel of karma" that knowledge is reached.
A major facet of karma is the work one does, and the attitude with which he goes about his duty. To work for selfish reasons, such as to be able to afford luxuries such as convertible cars and swimming pools, is bad karma, especially when one craves these possessions to gain stature in society. Actions such as materialism restrain one from furthering his place in life and from attaining an honest satisfaction with his spiritual growth. Another incorrect way to achieve the ultimate knowledge through work is to labor as a slave. Enslavement means working under bindings and restrictions, and not working because one wants to, but out of force. Good karma and advances towards knowledge are achieved first through the freedom to make the personal decision to work for the sake of getting the job done in a selfless manner. Only once one handles duty in this fashion will he find himself in progression.
This is not to say that this is the single way to practice good karma. If, for example, one acts with selfless and true compassion toward another, good is bound to come of his action. However, there is the inevitable chance that his deed to one may be an affliction to another, which presents bad karma. It is the awesome purpose in life to work through both the good and evil to reach the final and pure destiny, which almost always takes more than a few incarnations to reach.
Along with the aforementioned freedom necessary to navigate oneself toward the ultimate goal through the thick waters of karma is non-attachment. Non-attachment is difficult at best to maintain, because by the law of karma: "As you sow, so shall you reap." This hinders the strive toward non-attachment in that regardless of one's action, good or evil, the due effects will work themselves through one's life eventually, so non-attachment may not be completely fulfilled until one reaches the plateau of perfection.
While I have just presented karma as nearly impossible for one to completely work though, many people take paths with the sole intention of doing just that. These are karma yogis. Once they commit themselves, they live a selfless life of payless work, though given necessary allowances pertaining to personal situations. Like the life of Karma yogis, the concept of karma seems incredibly simple and logical. However, logic has a minor place in the face of human emotion, which prevails most often in human action.
The friction of logic and emotion causes the complexities of dealing with the unavoidable karma. My response to the concept of karma is one of almost obsessive dedication. It was the hallmark I was raised on, instilled so deeply by my parents that through all of my actions I am aware that 'what comes around goes around,' though the laziness in me often doesn't care. Having lived on an ashram, part of my daily routine was practicing karma yoga in the form of helping build a temple, L.O.T.U S. (Light of Truth Universal Shrine). Hopefully this opportunity increased my level of good karma!
Karma yoga seems not so much a practice familiar only to Hindu religion. Its basic and logical nature appears almost a science, which if studied in detail, allows one to make progressions towards a destiny of selfless, spiritual
Kundalini Yoga was brought to the West by Yogi Bhajan in 1969. It focuses on the controlled release of the Kundalini (serpent power) energy which is found at the base of your spine. The practice of Kundalini Yoga involves classic poses, chanting, coordination of breath and movement and Meditation. The emphasis however, is not on the Yoga Poses but on the Chanting and Breathing. Kundalini Yoga rewards Yogis with spiritual transformation and unity consciousness.
Sivananda Yoga was developed by Vishnu-devananda who wrote one of the contemporary Yoga classics, "The Complete Illustrated Book of Yoga". His book was first published in 1960, and still one of the best introductions to Yoga available. He named Sivananda Yoga after his teacher, Swami Sivananda who is also one of the greatest Yoga gurus in the world.
This Style of Yoga focuses on the Pranayama, classic Asanas, and Relaxation. It also centers on Diet and positive thinking and Meditation. Sivananda Yoga practice consist twelve basic Yoga Poses that seeks to increase strength, flexibility, Proper Breathing, and Meditation. Sivananda now has over eighty centers worldwide and is considered as one of the largest Yoga schools in the world.
Sources:
www.yogamovement.com/resources/paths.html
www.sivananda.org/teachings/fourpaths.html
There are as many types of yoga as there are “bodies” that need to explore it, however most of them share key elements. There are four main paths of Yoga - Karma Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, Raja Yoga and Jnana Yoga. Each is suited to a different temperament or approach to life. All the paths lead ultimately to the same destination - to union with Brahman or God - and the lessons of each of them need to be integrated if true wisdom is to be attained. This sentiment of choosing a path, of taking action, and forever changing your life is what yoga is all about. Yoga is not something that is done to you; it's something you do. It's a commitment to change and responsibility. And it isn't easy. Dating back more than 5,000 years, yoga is one of the oldest exercise systems — and one of the most complex.
To the beginning yoga student, it can all be quite confusing as we hear or read about yoga "paths," "branches," "styles," "traditions," and "schools." Look at it this way: yoga paths are the main roads of yoga and all the other terms simply mean side roads that branch off from the main road but still help you reach your destination toward balance & inner peace.
KARMA YOGA - THE YOGA OF ACTION
Karma Yoga is the Yoga of Action. It is the path chosen primarily by those of an outgoing nature. It purifies the heart by teaching you to act selflessly, without thought of gain or reward. By detaching yourself from the fruits of your actions and offering them up to God, you learn to sublimate the ego. To achieve this, it is helpful to keep your mind focused by repeating a mantra while engaged in any activity.
PRINCIPLES OF KARMA YOGA
Karma Yoga is one of the four paths of Yoga. In this page are the key components that determine that any action will qualify as being Karma Yoga
"Karma Yoga is the selfless devotion of all inner as well as the outer activities as a Sacrifice to the Lord of all works, offered to the eternal as Master of all the soul's energies and austerities." Bhagavad Gita
RIGHT ATTITUDE
It's not what you do that counts, it's the attitude while doing it that determines if a job is a karma yoga job, i.e. a liberating job, or a binding job. Work is worship. Swami Sivananda advises us to "give your hands to work, and keep your mind fixed at the lotus feet of the Lord."
RIGHT MOTIVE
Same as attitude. It is not what you do that counts but your real motive behind it. Your motive must be pure. Swami Sivananda says: "Man generally plans to get the fruits of his works before he starts any kind of work. The mind is so framed that it cannot think of any kind of work without remuneration or reward. A selfish man cannot do any service. He will weigh the work and the money in a balance. Selfless Service is unknown to him."
DO YOUR DUTY
Often "duty" is referred to as "righteousness". You will incur demerit if you shun your duty. Your duty is towards God, or Self, or the Inner Teacher who teaches you through all the specific circumstances of your life as they appear.
DO YOUR BEST
Whatever you have to do, do your best. If you know of a better way to serve, you must use it. Do not hold back because of fear of effort or because of fear of criticism. Do not work in a sloppy manner just because no one is watching or because you feel the work is not for you. Give your best. Try to do such actions that can bring maximum good and minimum evil. Do Karma Yoga increasingly.
GIVE UP RESULTS
God is the doer. You are not the doer. You are only the instrument. You do not know God's intentions or God's plans. God is the actor. The Self never acts, changes. It is only the 3 Gunas or qualities of nature which are playing. The way to realize this truth is to constantly work for work's sake and let go of the results, good or bad. It is the desire for action that binds the individual. It is the detachment from action that will dissolve the karmic seeds. Detachment from results also means detachment from the type of job itself. There is no job that is inferior or superior to a different job. Don't be attached to your job. Be ready to give up your job if necessary.
SERVE GOD OR THE SELF IN ALL
Do to others what you would like to be done to yourself. Love thy neighbor as thyself. Adapt, adjust, accommodate. Bear insult, bear injury. Unity in Diversity. We are parts of the same body. Practice humility in action. Beware of power, fame, name, praise, censure.
FOLLOW THE DISCIPLINE OF THE JOB
Each job is a teacher of some sort. You can learn different skills by doing different jobs. Each job has different requirements in terms of time, degree of concentration, skills or experience, emotional input, physical energy, will. Try to do whatever job you are doing, well.
Source:
www.sivananda.org/teachings/fourpaths.html
Image - harmonist.us/2009/09/karma-black-and-white-or-shades-of-g...
tags:
sacredspace, september2011, karmayoga, deZengodeisgns, yogastyles, aboutyoga, whatisyoga, chosingyogaclass, the411onYoga, jvamukti, kripualu, kundalini, tantra, health, wellness, yoga, omtimesmagazine, humanityhealing, namaspirittn,
Today's lesson boys and girls is about plain old H2O...water. A precious resource in many parts of the world, a wasted one in ours. We don't drink it enough, and today it's my mission to convince you to drink more of it, and less of the sugary stuff. Even the Diet sodas aren't good for you. I look at them as "cancer in a can". Sorry, no offense to those of you that enjoy your diet soda with ice and a twist of lime, but what you're doing to your liver and kidneys is a horrible disservice. I always ask, "would you put that in your gas tank?" They always look at me in horror and say "Nooo!" Well, why would you put it in your body?? By the way, 6 years ago, I used to drink an average of 4-6 diet sodas a day. A liter of Pepsi would go in a day, because let's face it, I wasn't very choosy back then about whether it was diet or not. That's a whole lot of soda... I was thirsty all the time, and the sodas did nothing to quench my thirst...if anything, they made me thirstier! An evil ploy I'm sure by the guy in the white coat working in a lab for Coca Cola. He is meticulously putting this concoction together to hook you, forever. I decided it was time to break free. When my journey began back then, soft drinks was the first thing I took out of my daily routine. That alone took off 20lbs, and I had the enormous satisfaction knowing I did that all on my own. Once I kicked Coke, (soda!!) it gave me the empowerment to know I could conquer anything! In due time.... I would also give up cigarettes and fast food. I tell you, I'm making the economy crumble I'm sure due to my choices, but my health feels a lot better :-)
Benefits on water off the top of my head and one of the most important ones is for not only quenching your thirst, but it helps keep your kidneys free of kidney stones. Ever passed one of those? Heard they're equivalent to giving birth if you're a male, yikes! It keeps your skin clear and gives it the elasticity it needs. It also keeps your joints lubricated. If you don't drink enough, you become dehydrated. Now of course, it doesn't take much to become dehydrated, in fact...you won't even realize it, but you may feel sluggish, tired....or you may suddenly develop a headache. That my friends is called D E H Y D R A T I O N. You don't have to be crawling on your hands and knees across the desert with parched lips to be dehydrated. There was a simple study between two groups before a big exam. Half the students drank coffee, the other half ice cold water and the half that drank the water not only finished sooner, but did better over all. Weird? Oh I don't know... you think more logically when you're properly hydrated, don't you?
since the world cup started a few weeks ago i've tried to catch as many games as possible. at the peak of the group stage that would be around 8 hours a day, beginning with the 5pm kick off and ending with the 11pm match. my daily routine would therefore consist of working at my desk until 4:30pm and then moving to in front of the tv with my laptop. it was pretty challenging to divide my attention between the 2 screens - even more so when you take into account the in-play betting i was involved with. so the 2 day break which began yesterday wasn't as punishing as i initially feared. i've had time to see my housemates, go to the shops and i even cooked myself dinner for the first time in 3 weeks. i also went back to look through my archive of brazilian photos and found this image from when i visited the pantanal. the thing is, i can only enjoy this break with the knowledge that football will resume tomorrow. i'm not looking forward to the post-world cup blues when there's a month before the new season begins and no football in between. having said that at least i will be able to get some fresh air and start to eat a lot healthier.
here's the original
The_Lurch, aka my son Christopher, in his natural element. Sitting at the computer playing a game.
This is the first shot I've taken with my new toy, a Canon Powershot A540. I had become tired of not having a camera with me when I'm out on my daily routine. My SLR is just too big to lag around everywhere and I finally gave in and bought a compact. This image is pretty good for what it is, a shot taken without flash in a fairly dim room against the afternoon light streaming through the window. I had to use ISO800 to get a fast enough shutter and bring out detail. Sadly the A540 is quite noisy at ISO800 and I had to pass this through Noiseware twice to get rid of all the noise. That's why it looks so soft. The original image was fairly sharp but too noisy to use as is.
i was tagged by erica ann for ten facts about me. you'd think i'd know things about myself by now but apparently it takes me DAYS to formulate ten interesting facts...
1. i have recently become a HUGE fan of avocados.
2. i'm very methodical when doing crossword puzzles. i work the clues across and then
down. and then across. and then down. i don't start in the middle.
3. I am currently reading a book about elizabeth I.
4. i think sweet tea is gross. i mean, why not just eat a dozen spoonfuls of sugar?
5. I can’t listen to music while running. I always feel like I need to keep pace with the
songs and that usually means running faster than I am capable, thus wearing myself out
early on, which means I end up walking for the majority of my “run.” It’s a slippery
slope.
6. I’m not as accepting of change as I used to be. Dramatic change, that is. I like my daily
routines, but big change sometimes overwhelms me.
7. chores i hate doing include washing dishes and folding laundry.
8. i switch my perfume up each season...i mainly use "classic" by banana republic but now i'm wearing "vanilla noir" by bath and body works.
9. i prefer wearing heels to flat shoes. i find them more comfortable...which i recently learned is probably because wearing heels shortens your calves and then wearing flat shoes can feel unnatural. something to that effect.
10. my go-to snack: tortilla chips and sour cream.
First chapter of my life
27th of Aban 1360 – 18th of November 1981
Kelar Abad, Iran
Around 8 am on a beautiful morning, I was born in a house facing over the Caspian Sea in a very small town in the North of Iran. One could walk all over my city in short span of fifteen minutes!!! My mother was an independent woman with strict set of rules and values. She was strongly against the city lifestyle as she wanted to raise her children in the realm of nature, far from everything but her own rules … I surely value all that now!!!
My loving dad named me “Maral”; which means “Deer”. My surname “Yazarloo” consists of two words – “Yazar” means a writer and “Loo” is a word attached to all Turkish surnames (to which I have no clue as to why! What makes this fact all the more interesting is that there is a city in the north of Iran with half of the population sharing their surname with me! My grandpa and his brother are responsible for this!
Back to my childhood and the basic rules that my mother laid down. The rules that play a vital role in making me ‘who’ & ‘what’ am I today.
Rule #1: Wake up with the sunrise, listen to a song or any other prayer (sometimes it was Hare Krishna), meditate and thank God for your existence, for being alive and having another day to live…
Rule #2: We were allowed to watch TV for very limited hours. No videos or games we allowed. It was compulsory to walk/jog in the jungle close to our house, to be in touch with nature. We were regularly given a selected book to read, thus enhancing and widening the horizons of our knowledge.
maral_yazarloo_childhood_Iran
Rule #3: We had to choose and pick one sport, one art, one language and one instrument to play to sharpen our co-curricular activities! I started swimming and painting at a very early age of my life followed by karate, volley ball, skiing and later on professionally softball. I chose a Persian instrument called “Tar” (was never too good at it) and English as my second language
Rule #4: No heavy food was allowed after sunset. We were put to bed by 9pm. I would still love to keep this rule as a part of my daily routine, but owing to my hectic schedule I just don’t seem to be able to sleep early, a tragedy which I deeply regret!
By now all you people must have gauged that I have had a clearly different childhood…
I’m sandwiched between two brothers … The older one – “Milad” and the younger one “Pourya”. All three of us were very different from each-other. Being the girl among two brothers, I was the beloved trouble maker!
135446_10150124314142177_6450825_o
So where and how did I think of being a Designer?!
As mom recollects, I used to be very choosy about my choice of colours and clothes even before I learnt to talk properly! A choosy child interested in designing that I was, at the age of seven my mother decided to send me to a neighbour’s house (someone who knew basic tailoring) to learn creating patterns and understanding the basic cut & stitch phenomena. I was clearly troubling her quite a lot!
Come to think of it, I don’t distinctively remember where or when I exactly started building the dream of having my own brand … What do clearly remember, is that one moment with myself , when I closed my eyes and dreamt of “Maral Yazarloo” being a brand one day! That’s why my brand Maya is made of dreams …
I’m a true believer of the mantra “What You Strongly Want and Wish for – Will Happen” my story clearly is a witness to this belief. Just trust the existence and believe in yourself!!!
I wish that each person on this earth believed in the power of being human!
The story continues . . .
I spent my childhood in the North of Iran till I was 18 years old… After sheer hard work, I got selected in one of the universities in Tehran and that was the time I moved out of my house into the reality of a different world …
This is the story of Rinky, the wrinkled butterfly.
Photo 31: I can see you!
I got very accustomed to his little face. He seemed to know my daily routine because even though he would spend something like 16 hours a day hanging in a resting position without moving, when I got up in the morning, he would be active and seemingly eager to go outside.
It’s those little wordless exchanges as you grow familiar … before you know it, what had once seemed strange takes on a soft glow of endearedness.
Eloise Breckbill EID: ejb2897
As a female Gen Z consumer, these are the most common products for self care seen in a weekly basis. I have my classic Cetaphil and Neutragena products for every day use. We see a lot of Gen Z consumer using store bought brands like these. They are inexpensive but great quality. As for beauty products I use a simple eyelash curler, glow tinted suncreen and an occasional jade roller to make sure my face is not too puffy. I also use a Indian clay mask that is all over tik tok that I purchased from Urban Outfitters. Most of my products are fairly natural and simple. I am not a heavy makeup wearer so this is my daily routine!
My photo shows my daily routine which includes face washes, hair products, makeup, perfume and toothpaste.
Daily Routine #3
I have a feeling this snow pile will be a part of my daily routine for a long time to come.
In this image, I have set up my daily and nightly skincare routine. It includes facewash, makeup remover, facial oil, a gua sha, and a jade roller. These are all an essential part of my daily routine to help me stay feeling fresh. - Rachel Belcher
I didn't noticed that I had a daily routine until this week (:
I am glued to my mac every night before bedtime to check on new emails, read all sort of articles and blogs and to finish any editing tasks. Having a full time job and doing a photography business at the same time can be very demanding, but still I love what I do and I'm not complaining.
My daily routine consist of me constantly trying to juggle my very demanding job and being a new mom. It can get extremely tough at times, but at the end of the day I love BOTH my roles.
this morning i found some alone time
time for tea and writing
a bit of looking back to 2013 and dreaming for 2014
slowly i am looking forward to city life and my daily routine
there is so much in my head that wants to get started
i am truly excited to have started another 365
here is to 2014
/ 140102 /
I’m one of those people who have had off and on success with working out and maintaining a good physical fitness regimen. Unfortunately, when I’m on a down slope with those trends (i.e., not working out at all), it’s usually for months at a time. While I’m a pretty happy person and confident in my looks and health, there are times that I worry I actually don’t eat the best and keep good care of myself.
Those are the times that spur me into action and I take up working out again. Those are the times that I decide to move forward, do what my body needs, and not think of it as hard work but rather something I must do.
Right now is one of those times that I’m building back up for the future to work out. You see, the plan is to do so indefinitely. I know that if I can keep it up for a handful of months to a year, it’ll become something ingrained into my daily routine and I no longer have to worry about dropping out of a good routine.
What’s great for me is that I’ve seen the success that 6 months of working out can do for me. I’ve looked back on pictures of me when I was in my prime and it definitely shows that I was healthier and looked better. That’s what I can use as ammo to keep up a great routine and not slip out of it.
What I also take as a win is that I’ve also seen how incredibly easy it is to take a week off and never start back up. That’s when you say “it’ll be fine, I’m just taking these few days off” and suddenly your routine absolutely crumbles.
So from here on out, it’s a no compromise situation. I will make the time to do something for myself physically every day, even if it’s just stretching or some sit ups and push ups. Even it’s a brisk walk with my dog. Even if it’s some yoga or trying to swim in the lake, I’ll make the time each and every day for me.
I think it’ll help moving forward to break out some of my old gear, too. I have old running shoes pent up in some old packaging supplies like cardboard boxes and the likes that will motivate me to get back into shape. Heck, those same packaging supplies are responsible for an organized life regarding what I have in storage. Why can’t I get other aspects of my life organized too? They physical aspects matter just as much as reducing clutter around my home if not more.
"Rue Obama" is a (formerly) unnamed street in Magnambougou, a neighborhood on the south bank of the Niger River in Bamako, Mali, where I lived in 2008.
This anonymous charcoal writing reflected a feeling that I think many Bamakois shared -- that they could claim Obama as one of their own, and enjoy a sense of immense pride at his accomplishments. I felt proud, too. People couldn't stop talking about him. Songs on the radio were dedicated to him.
There were other, more colorful tributes to Obama throughout the city, painted on coiffure shops and buses. This is the marker that I passed on foot in my daily routines. Though quiet, It seemed warm and spontaneous.
We got most of our news that fall from the radio, BBC and RFI. On election night, we set our alarm clocks for 4 am, in time to switch on the radio and hear the live announcement that the United States had its first African American president.
For a long time after that, Malians who learned that I am American would often shake my hand and say, beaming, "Vive Obama!"
This is my daily routine. What I don't do:
lipliner
lip primer
anything to my brows
What I'm still not sure does a damn thing:
this face primer/corrector
Goodmorning sunshine. My daily routine. 'Waking' up the chickens. For safety, and for keeping rooster sounds soft, we've always kept our friends in a closed bedroom. Mom Grijs is checking if the coast is clear. #ghd2224 #elevatetheeveryday #picturebpc #shuttersisters #ourcollectiveadventure
Shaving. Okay it seems like a pretty simple thing, but I usually go days at a time without shaving. I can’t really explain why I go so long or even why I hate it. I guess because it’s time consuming and I get nicks in my skin and razor burn. The Texas heat doesn’t help out because the sweat can irritate the skin.
But I have to say that I feel better when I am clean-shaven. I feel more professional at work, and I like the feel of my skin. I find that when I shave and then go swim laps, the chlorine in the water helps dry out the skin. Oh and electric razors tend to burn more than razors for some reason… I have unfortunately overly sensitive skin.
I’d say that these days I shave about 5 out of 7 days… glad this is in my daily routine!
In this image, my daily routine is shown on my two bathroom shelves, with the top shelf being the beginning of my routine. The top shelf has Cerave face wash, lotion, prescribed acne medicine, and La Roche-Posay sunscreen. The bottom shelf has my pills, Secret deodorant, and a hairbrush. Each product contributes to my daily routine. --Olivia Resendiz