Tag: kindness

There are star clusters
Glowing in the horizon
Sending messages.

——

From Yogyakarta I brought home a pair of batik grompol sheets which I ordered 6 months ago. Happy I must be!

Grompol is a Yogyakartan special classical batik pattern. No other regions can claim otherwise.

Let’s talk about batik grompol today.

Disclaimer: 1) while the primary interpretation is based on what I learnt from the masters; many of it is my own thought based on what I understand on symbols and signs of Javanese, Islam and Hinduism that intertwined in my upbringing. So please be critical. 2) too much information, too little time for me to summarise. Please expect disconnected ideas, connect them by yourselves.

Grompol batik pattern is a sub-category of ceplok pattern in which one geometry pattern is clustered (squares, triangle, circle, lines, etc). In Javanese language ceplok literally means clustering, grouping, gathering based on the same characteristics or criteria (size, colour, shape, pattern, lines, etc). So hypothetically ceplok pattern is always about gathering, uniting, getting together.

Grompol pattern is characterised through the clustering of of 4-petal flower, a flower pistil in the middle, a seed with 4 couples of 3-ceceg and 5-ceceg (ceceg is a terminology used to describe dots in batik pattern) and “wrapped” by a square with 8 points that almost looks like octagram.

Flower

4-petal flower is a symbol of fertile or healthy life. The 4 petals of the flower can be related to four points of the compass: east, west, north and south.

Flower pistil symbolises the centre of life, potential growth in human being. It can also represent the sun, the soul, the heart as centres of discourses to be applied based on contexts.

Flower which is the beauty before fruition is representing an expectation that human being should optimise their state of beauty which in Javanese almost always refers to the developed wisdom in human being manifested as kindness to fellow creature on earth before one dies.

Seed

A round seed surrounded by 4 couples of 3-ceceg and 5-ceceg symbolises seed of life that should be well protected from all directions.

The seed can be interpreted the same as the flower pistil in the middle of a flower. It is generated from the pistil fertilised by the pollens. It is the centre of life, potential growth in human being. It can also represent the sun, the soul, the heart as centres of discourses to be applied based on contexts.

The round shape of the seed indicates the completeness, thoroughness, integration, centredness, perfection, full cycle.

Ceceg is one type of isen (ornament in empty spaces among primary patterns of batik) in batik. Isen is more popular in Central Java than other regions, isen can be in the form of dots or lines or the combination of both repeatedly put in the intended empty spaces without changing the primary pattern, even there is an intension for isen to highlight the primary patterns.

3-ceceg can be interpreted as Trimurti, the three balancing power of Brahma, Wisnu and Siwa (Siva) which are the 3 powerful powers of creation of the universe, preservation of the universe and destruction of the universe.

5-ceceg can be interpreted as 5 types of self regulation: knowing one’s own identity and personality, connecting to inner self, managing the humane desires, living through good sources of life (no corruption, sharing to the needy) and self reflection through traveling or pilgrimage. A human being is expected to continuously strive for perfection of these five without expecting the perfection to happen.

Points of the Compass

Octagram represents 8. Number 8 in Javanese wisdom is about welfare and authority. Number 8 also represents 8 gods guarding the 4 points of the compass in which 1 direction is guarded by 2 gods of specific authority. The compass itself has 9 points – 1 the centre, 8 the directing points.

The 1 point in the middle is sat by Siwa. 8 points are sat by other gods based on what they manage in the natural realm. Those 9 (1+8) are called Dewata Nawa Sanga (nine guardian gods) in Balinese and Javanese culture. Those 8 are wellknown as Asta Dikplaka (eight gods of 8 directions).

North (Uttara): Wisnu or Kuwera guarding the north, Sambhu or Isana guarding east north – gods of rain
East (Purwa): Iswara or Indra guarding east, Mahesora or Agni guarding south east – gods of music
South (Dakhsina): Brahma or Yama guarding the south, Rudra or Nritti guarding south west – gods of winds and growth
West (Pascima): Mahadewa or Baruna guarding west, Sangkara or Bayu guarding north west.

Number 1, 3, 4, 5, 8, 9

Like in other cultures, Javanese gives significant role to numbers in their game of meaning.

1 – siji, setunggal, tunggal, ika, eka: It can mean uniting, integrating, the first, the earth, the sun, the moon, queen, king, country or any other thing perceived as singular or superior.
3 – telu, tiga, tri: It can refer to 3 life (spirit life, physical life, life after life), attitude/behaviour/work, celebration/luxury/merriness
4 – papat, sekawan, catur: Number 4 in Javanese culture signifies creativity and intelligence, endurance, perseverance and victory. The 4 points of the compass also represent something about those 4 directions. The power of sun in the east, the power of mountain in the north. The power of luck in the west. The power of maximum ability in everything in the south.
5 – lima, gangsal, panca: self integration, self regulation, supernatural powers
8 – wolu, asta: Number 8 signifies high rank, respected people, physical forms, dragon as symbol of authority

Summary

That it is a ceplok type signifies the clustering, gathering, integrating of certain characters. So this batik is message and prayer for uniting of between or among family members. It is also a message and prayer of integration of human being internal wisdom – a state of maturity. Batik grompol is often worn by bride and groom in their wedding day due to its very sacred meaning of ultimate protection and potential growth through a gathering.

The uniting or integration should be based on clarity of wisdom and protection. It is the wisdom personally and culturally harvested and nurtured. The beholder, owner, wearer of batik grompol is expected to realise that this pattern is a message and a prayer that they are well protected at the same time expected to extend the given protection to all directions as the gods of all points of compass spread their protection to the universe.

The pistil of the flower as the potential growth in human being put as a compass centre in human being life can be interpreted that human being integrated wisdom has as strong power as Siwa who is sitting at the centre of the compass/chakra. Although described as destroying god, Siwa is actually symbol of re-creating, re-cycling. His being sat in the centre of a chakra (wheel, cycle) is significantly describing him as recreation/recycling agent who then distributes the re-created/re-cycled material to different function around him to be re-governed wisely by “different gods” (remember the 8 gods of all directions).

A human being should be able to learn, re-learn and un-learn one’s own life experience and lessons then to better redo or re-process the way one solves problems or to simply treat other creatures.

The round seed means a centred human being who has achieved the understanding of integrity, full cycle of life. It doesn’t mean the human being is flawless; it means the human being is aware of one’s flawedness yet accepting the state of imperfection of being human. And through the acceptance the human being keeps bettering one’s self in treating one’s self, fellow creatures and the nature. This is an everlasting interaction and intertwining between micro cosmos (jagat alit in Javanese language which represents human being) and macro cosmos (jagat gedhe, the universe).

And all in all, a human being shall pray to his God or make one’s self sure that to any direction one is heading to, one is safe and peaceful. Religious human being will live through guidance and protection from God. Spiritual human being will find inner centre in one’s self whatever one calls it and focus on what one is doing in honesty and sincerity. Free thinker will boost one’s self confidence and focus on what one is aiming with integrity.

So batik grompol has helped me understand that all my fellow human beings are essentially doing the same things as what I am doing in my life, just explained through different perspectives; and we are only of different pace and timing.

What a beautiful batik pattern. What a beautiful meaning.

my beautiful grompol batik cloths were born through the golden hands and soul blessed to this beautiful lady, Ibu Tien Wartienah

Jatuh Suka (Tulus)

Looking forward to singing along with my favourite singers in Jazz Gunung Bromo soon!

Can’t wait! Can’t wait!

💝

not easy to fall in love, will not give love up easily either — life is too precious to hate even those who hate or disrespect me 💝 yet i do it my way

Score

Bob, Learning, love, Poetic, This Person

Dear, oh
Dear….
You came from
Nowhere
Destroying my scores!

No wonder the soundtrack of my stories
Became messy.

Go eat fish,
My sheets won’t suffice your belly.

Cat has no logic,
Only fun.

——

i used to live with a rescue cat, i named him Bob; he was more interested in tearing my paper apart or sitting on my laptop to playing with his toy or sleeping on my bed 💝

Bob in his dream of being my boss 😁 back in 2010

may all beings be happy 🙏🏼

Essential

Essentially pure?
None. No distiller’s perfect
But time. Refining—

—

Smell might be my strongest sense. It gives me both pleasant and not so pleasant experiences in life. To share the experiences is of course an ultimate goal, yet it takes time to materialise it.

To start

Have you smelled the earth wetted by rain water?

Have you smelled the grass cut in the morning, noon and afternoon?

Have you smelled your parents’ clean clothes?

Try those and you’ll be amazed with the sensation brought to you.

Salaam.

goal: to distill essential oils for myself and those around me — this is gonna be a read-it-when-i-want-it book ✨

May I?

May I
Sing a sweet song
With
You
Under glowing stars shooting
To leave their age?

May I
Sit silently
With
You
Under a quiet dusk rolling
To welcome dawn?

May I
Count the sheep
With
You
Under a dreamy night shining
To light a hope?

May I?

—-

may I eat gyoza? left over from last batch — so pleasing to eat my own food, almost like heaven 😁

Love & Work

Learning, love

I’ll love
No matter what
I’ll be over anyways.
I’ll work
No matter what
I’ll be over anyways.
There is me
Or not, 
It might be the same.
Yet as long as there is me,
I’ll do what I can
To add more
Meanings
And
Utility
To my life.
I’ll love
No matter what
In life.
Life is good,
I won’t skip
A thank
And
Or
Cheers.

—

listen to love; it is everywhere 💕

Back Online

Life is just like this:
A line with two ends. Circle—
Choose the best angle.

—-

They released us from the silence on May 5 at 11am before lunch time and gave us our gadgets back at 4pm. We were so excited to talk than to play the gadgets; we gathered in the dining hall and shared what we experienced during the noble silence.

We didn’t die without gadgets, no we didn’t. Yet we don’t die because of gadgets, either. Gadgets are just a tool to use wisely.

Each of us couldn’t thank more for everything.

May all beings be happy.

Salaam.

Pak Merta, our meditation teacher

Pak Kourma — our daily instructor

Pak Souca — our daily caretaker 🙏🏼

our last session of meditation was loving kindness meditation for daily life; the video camera was prepared for sharing session at the end

Happy Birthday, U2!

May 5 is today.

This is my second Tapa Brata and both of them are special. My first in 2018 was special because Pak Merta Ada’s teacher (Merta Ada is my health meditation teacher) a Buddhist high priest visited his retreat center and gave us blessings. This second one is because we found that May 5 is his birthday! He was born on May 5, 1957 — a long journey of a meditation teacher and healer.

Someone is also celebrating his birthday across the ocean. May 5 becomes more special today this time. A journey of a silent traveler.

Happy birthday Pak Merta and dear KU. Both of you have a special place in my heart.

For Pak Merta, we immediately prepared a green sarung rangrang. For KU I thoughtfully prepared a poem.

—-

Alone the bird flies
From a nest on a tall tree
It knows where home is.

🙏🏼

May 5 2023 is when the biggest moon rises this year; Waisak (Vesak) is already celebrated in some countries (on May 6 in other countries) — my meditation teacher is celebrating his birthday, another life teacher of mine is celebrating his

an “emergency” birthday present for Pak Merta Ada from our class, wrapped in a beautiful fancy paper from the nearest small shop nearby to wrap a sarung rangrang I originally bought for my additional spread and table cloth — what a beautiful togetherness in this meditation class 💝

Sanctuary

Learning, Poetic, This Person

In sanctuary,
Where birds from paradise sing,
Clear mirror reflects—

—

Out of office is set meaning that work is safe-kept for a while. Only silence remains. Even my boss and my mother— two whose calls I’ll never reject in normal situation can’t contact me. They know where I am so they won’t contact me. 😎

All my postings will be automatically scheduled starting May 1.

I pray that you all be blessed with good life.

Salaam.

💝

my goddess, Saraswati 💝

just wanna be offline for a while 🌸

i love to be with those knowing how to reflect me and themselves clearly ♥️

it is safe 💝

accompanied by two paradise birds in Ubud before starting my sacred silence tomorrow in Baturiti

Cuts and Bruises

Learning, life, love, Poetic, This Person

All cuts and bruises
Paint a life of a blossom
Before it decays.

—

i was so young and innocent, a loved friend of many, a hated enemy of some — i was so much blessed 💝

life has brought me travel through labyrinth of life with traps and turns that cut and torture yet i am still a loved friend of many, a hated enemy of some — i am still so much blessed with cuts and bruises 💝 i’ve lost much but i find myself

no one shall erase this happy girl within — a blessed soul that travels through space and time 🙏🏼 thank you

Maleman

Learning, life, Poetic

Breathing the same air
Under the same sun and moon,
All pray for good days.

—

Sharing is not only about self satisfaction and social support, it is also about gauging how much I dare to let go of what heavy and significant. Trust me giving will not make you poor.

This monthly food sharing is about Ramadhan odd night and night of revelation (lailatul qadar).

Salaam.

💝

package for some elderly people and tricycle drivers who deserve food sharing back in my mother’s town 💝

while the monthly food sharing is without ***kue apem***, this ***maleman*** food sharing is with ***kue apem*** 💝

5 big monthly package for nuclear family 💝

Resting My Case

When a lady goes,
Two dogs race with her, saying
See you again, friend!

—-

Completing the mosque night in Jakarta, I hopped to the next island. I have a holiday in lieu as I was working outside Singapore in its public holiday so why not meeting my friend in Bali to spend my Monday?

This good friend is a Buddhist, a devoted pupil of Dalai Lama. She has met him four times in person in Dharamshala. So it is a good thing to discuss about the news circulated about him; the sooner, the better for me to clear my hazy mind.

I explained to her my understanding about sexual harassment and abuse and the video that has made what might be called framing or true case depending on what brings to whom. She listened to me patiently. Then she explained to me quite long and clear about the Tibetan culture of “tongue eating” not “tongue sucking” and mostly about what kind of person Dalai Lama whom she has met and shaken hand with. She also asked me to watch the complete video, not only some part of it so I can build clearer context.

We had a long talk. Based on the chat l decided to delete my posting about Dalai Lama, not because I totally agree with my friend but simply because I don’t want to make things more unclear. Resting my case—

Waiting doe my flight with a light heart—

Salaam.

Pablo Picasso and Salvador Dali, my friend’s dogs

Fragrance

Who are friends, my dear?
The perfumers? The blacksmiths?
Whoever, they smell.

—-

Disclaimer: I am not spreading Islamic teaching. I am just telling how fragrance and good friends have manifested in my life.

—-

The most frequent gift I give to my closest female circle is fragrance, either perfume or soap. Yesterday morning before meeting my best friends, I decided to browse some fragrance. As normal there is never preferred brand about perfume. It is always about a click in the heart.

Indeed happiness can cost some $/c although it might be too small and can be an insult if given as currency; yet it must cost attention and/or time to appreciate the same. So perfume is a best option — no one has complained so far.

What about soap? Only to those preferring soap to perfume

I am happy to make myself happy by making my circle happy because they have been making me happy. Imagine your friends feel good and be scented at the same time.

This I do because I follow literally beautiful hadith by the Prophet as below.

Abu Musa reported: The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “Verily, the parable of good and bad company is that of a seller of musk and a blacksmith. The seller of musk will give you perfume, you will buy some, or you will notice a pleasant smell. As for the blacksmith, he will burn your clothes, or you will notice a bad smell.”

Source: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 5534, Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 2628

Authenticity grade of hadith: Muttafaqun Alayhi (authenticity agreed upon) according to Al-Bukhari and Muslim

couldn’t help smelling all

Dream Catchers

Catch my dreams, my love
The ones I could not.
Share the joy, my love
The one I would enjoy.
Let’s smile together
At the road we’ve taken.

You might have missed some dreams
Caught by your beloved around.
We’re dream catchers
Catching the ones
Delivered by the brightest fireflies.

Happy for good
Joyful forever.

—

i’d always wanted to be a journalist, i can’t for some reason — but she’s the one reaching my dream even much better 💝 god bless you, Dan! 😘

Waiting for Love

Waiting for you, Love.
Each day, extra affection.
What a devotion.

—

💝

Garden

Colours, hues, shades, tints
In a garden strike the eyes
Wandering within.

—

I am on an emergency short leave to visit my mother as my mother is sick. A sister called saying “she doesn’t want to eat”, “she can’t sleep well”, “she doesn’t want to visit her doctor”, “she thinks it is her time”, blahblahblah…. Alamak! Although sometimes we think she can be a drama queen, we start to think seriously when she can’t sleep well.

The second day of my visit she already watered her plants that line along my sister’s narrow garden. She sang along while walking in her house. She ate one big chunk of fast food’s fried chicken that my nephews insisted taken away for her. She has been back to her nature after meeting her children and grandchildren whom she missed who are now laughing with her at every breakfast, lunch and dinner time.

This morning she happily greeted the newspaper lady delivering her favourite “Jawa Pos”, the lady said “good morning, Ibu, you look radiant again”. She also had a short chat with her front neighbour about rain, cats and plants.

I think sometimes you just need to meet someone to be healthy. 💗

Yesterday morning I joined her watering the plants and took pictures of some of the blooms that have always made us all smile.

Salaam.

java tea — we call it “kumis kucing” here

jasmine sambac, everlasting fragrance — her favourite

orchids at the left side of the gate — “your sister is a good gardener, she has made your orchids happily bloom!” she said

Peace

This corner is quiter,
Sitting on a placid lake,
Where still water
Hides a huge secret
Called love,
Is covered with a vast blanket
Called peace.

This corner is cozy,
Getting warmer and calmer,
Where a cat
Curls in a bed
Called dream,
Is lullabied with long slumber
Called hope.

How peaceful it is
Pampered with a life
Called humble.

Salaam.

—

Love Day

Learning, love, Poetic, This Person

What is love day? 
A day when love is precious?
Only once a year?
How stingy human being is!
To express love only on that day—

Maybe they are afraid
Of saying love to
That they love dearly.

Maybe expression is
Embarrassing and too low
That they dump it cruelly.

Maybe love is considered a myth
Scientifically unproven
That it is skipped.

Maybe….
So much maybe.

I will still love
You
In silence
As
Love has made my heart pretty
Although rejection and ignorance
Once made it ugly.

All days are my love days.

To my
Beloved—

—

the love keeps evaporating to the air that is breathed

repeatedly exploding to illuminate the journey

let me sing love songs in silence to and for you

and sweetly silently celebrate it when i’m wishing to be

Floating So High

Learning, life, love, Poetic, This Person

Keeping afloat, buoyant freely swaying playing the waves in the sky—

—

Coldplay never fails me

I’m Ready

Learning, Map It!, Poetic

Tell the sun rising and setting that I’m ready anytime: morning, night and day— to present what’s best in my humble life.

—

💕 you can destroy the branches but you can’t kill the tree with healthy roots

Missing Pixels

Missing you is losing some pixels from mind; life becomes less vibrant.

—

missing you

Bird Eye View

Fly. See land from above. Wide, broad, one whole. Bird eye, one gift from heaven—

—

A Loving Visit

Learning, life, love, Map It!, Poetic, This Person, Those People

A loving visit beyond time and space. Salaam. Universe answers.

—

when you’re loved, people still visit you even when you’re nowhere 💝

when you’re loved, you’re taken care of even when you’re nowhere

beloved – visiting him with love, see you again

Ode to Day

Learning, Poetic, This Person

Dear, day.
Do you know that I never stop waiting for you?
When my watch ticks a second,
My heart drips a note,
My pulse vibrates softly,
I know I am closer to you.

Dear, day.
Do you know that every part of you blesses me?
When morning breaks,
Noon flares,
Dusk fades to night,
I know the next you is waiting
For me.

Day oh day
Many I can’t understand,
Much I can’t decipher,
Little I can see,
Very few I can give
Yet I still hope
To meet you again.

Dear, day.
How I am blessed with family,
Gifted with friends,
Sufficed with this self,
You are still the one
Sung by this heart.
Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
All have been today
And never faded away.

I am blessed, day
With another you
In the best way.

And for you
I am grateful.

—

she is well protected under the shade of glorious sunflowers 💝

when all glass vases are prioritised for orchid roots, fondue pot be today’s best choice 💝

all must be got rid of in order for the flower arrangement to get a spacious and “clean” background — there is always thing to prioritise; if it is not you, don’t feel bad — it’s just like that everyday so just be blessed with becoming either 0 or 1 in this binary world 💕

Love Diaries in A Library

This life is a library
Keeping all collections,
Reference to public,
Exclusive to a lover,
One lover.
The
Beloved—

Read,
Beloved
Any scrolls
In this library.

Read,
Lover
The diaries
In the secret dungeon.

Read,
Beloved
With naked eyes, or
With any glasses on the shelves.

Read,
Lover
Through letters and numbers,
Shapes and colours.

Read,
Beloved
This library is open
As long as you are awake.

Read,
Lover
Before you sleep
When I’ll be reading you through.

—

my earlier diaries are true stories through naked eyes; the later are colours, shapes, numbers, words in various styles and figures of speech needing some tricks and tips to sense layers of meanings and information — we are all writers, librarians and readers 💝

About the photo

Taste

How many tastes can she experience in joy? 5 or 7?

—

Realising that the best taste is not any of those 5 or 7; the best taste is only 1: to love. 😊

Days of love be like…

Old Friends

Learning, Map It!, Poetic

There is memory shared around a round table at a starry night.

—

so blessed to meet friends — they said “Chinese food for dinner ok lah, Rijk, no pork lah no pork!” ok lah, everyone…. 😘 thank you! 🙏🏼

Angels (sharing)

The wings are flapping sprinkling blessings through the air. Breathe them. Be blissful.

—

In Arabic angel is called malaaikatun or malaaikah or simply malaaikat (الْمَلٰٓئِكَةِ) literally meaning “power that governs”. In Islamic tradition the “power that governs” are grouped based on what type of assigned power they govern that are many and one of them is “power to govern protection”.

I always believe I am fully protected through the existence of the angels surrounding me although I am not interested to discuss about their form; people say angels have wings, others say they are made from light, some say malaaikah are systemic laws to run the universe, and so on and so forth. It doesn’t matter to me. That they exist and follow the assigned “power to govern” is enough for me.

Only when we listen, we will hear. We will hear the songs of the angels, the songs of universe, the songs of the heart, the songs of the soul. I prefer my angels to sing jazzy songs in this end of long weekend. 😁

Listening to heart…. 💗

Salaam.

‘ve met feathers almost everywhere walking recently; i took it as a sign that protection is everywhere and decided to always wear this silver pendant this year as an appreciation of the protection — thank you for the protection

St Elmo’s Fire