graphs of my Universe
They’re flying
Around colours and shapes
In a garden
Where the gliding fragrance
And dripping nectars
Invite them
To celebrate
One phase
Before the next.
—
in Subak, Ubud wearing new clothes from Sukawati market (only for SGD30) and butterflies in my tummy 😁
Wind is welcomed
Some with jackets,
Some with shawls,
Some with sleeveless shirts,
Some naked like plants.
I am amazed by the fact
That they all survive.
Lend me socks and gloves,
I said to a snow bear.
It gave me thick fur
That was hung in a tree.
Wear my spare fur,
Just don’t be me,
It said. I nodded.
—
What is dream weekend?
Mine is
A walk in the green,
Smiles under the blue,
Jokes with warm sun,
Chats with cool breeze,
Glanced by rice herons,
Chased by crazy ducks,
Followed by spoiled dog,
Side by side with good friends,
Wrapped up with 5-cent luxury in banana leaf
And huge thanks to
Whomever-whomever.
—
I don’t need a place.
They can build a palace
To place me.
I’m not a queen,
Please gift it to someone more beautiful and loving luxury.
I deserve just a space.
It can be a table for two
To chat with me.
I’m a traveler,
Please go on a quest with me through joy and challenges to be.
Let me clean my place
For a little space.
Now and here
With or without
You—
—-
About MELUKAT
Linguistically melukat is derived from the old Javanese word “lukat” which means to “cleanse” or “purify”.
Melukat itself is understood as bathing or cleansing with water that aims to cleanse both body and mind, to refresh the spirit and dissolve away any negative influences. It is also believed to cure non medical diseases and sickness of the spirit and whether it does or not, a session bathing in holy waters will certainly make you feel good.
It is a symbol of letting go or releasing something burdening within us. It is a ritual that can be performed many times, in fact the more, the merrier as it can only lead to good things. It is also a kind of self purification that is very common by Indonesians of Hindu and Javanese Muslim in different ways as ritual.
Hindu in Bali will do it as frequent ritual, even for tourist attraction in some way.
Muslim have daily ablution (washing face/nostrils/earlobes/hands/feet) and mandatory bathing for women after menses or married couples after sexual intercourse. They also have another self purification affected by original Javanese tradition called “Adus Suran” or “taking a bath in Assyura/Suro month” in which they will do bathing in Javanese New Year’s Eve called “1st night of Suro”. Muslims are also suggested to do cleansing ritual (normal bathing with strong intension) before Ramadhan.
While in Bali why not I committed myself to self-purify? My best friend did it for Seclusion Day. I did for Ramadhan. Both of us did it for health, happiness and joy. 💝
Salaam.
Waiting for you, Love.
Each day, extra affection.
What a devotion.
—
It’s the flow,
Not the water.
It’s the grow,
Not the tree.
It’s the glow,
Not the light.
It’s the vow,
Not the word.
Wow!
It’s a life
Alive.
—
Lessons? Things unknown,
Still unknown, maybe won’t be,
Solved with acceptance—
—
Oftentimes people make the biggest mistake because they are young, because they are stupid or because they are not clear of what they aim at in life. At least that is what my core circle has agreed.
Many people reject to go for health check earlier only to find that they have really bad health problems too late to manage through life style change— too old or too weak and can only be managed through surgery and/or medication. This happens a lot around me. They would say “I am ok. I am healthy. No symptoms. It is just light headache. It is just small numb. It is just light coughing. It will get better soon. Blahblahblah.” And boom! Big troubles come (almost) late!
Do health check without waiting for intense symptoms. Don’t underestimate a pinch as it can be a punch.
Many people think buying property can be done at later age. They prefer buying cars, branded stuff, etc for the sake of high prestige. They would say “I want to enjoy my single life. I still can live with my parents. Why so hurry? My spouse will buy it for me later. Blahblablah.” And boom! Property price soars high in just some years and those branded stuff investment can’t cover the desired property.
Prioritise property (although at the same time some fancy stuff can’t wait). Of course this is not applicable to the haves who can buy whatever they want.
Certain people overshare for the sake of feeling guilty and trying to explain excessively. I am one of them— once tried to explain why and why just because I was afraid of being judged. And so I shared something that I promised to myself would keep it for VVIP circle of mine. And boom! The humiliation and disrespect that came back to me has made me feel like a biggest moron and worthless in the universe. It is taking time to accept the total stupidity about (blind) love.
Don’t overthink. Don’t overshare even with someone that you love the most if there is no clear foundation.
Aaaahhh!
Life is a school whose next classes can only be entered through a bunch of lessons learnt because of failures and wrong doings which look unforgivable but actually truly forgivable. 😘
There is no right or wrong. What is there is only acceptance and lessons learnt.
Salaam.
—-
Weekend is coming
Completing a full cycle
Between work and rest.
—
Between green and blue
There is this heart.
It adorns this white soul.
They adore each other.
One hums melodies to the other.
The other recites lyrics to the one.
One by one the stones are strung.
A strand, two strands, three strands—
They are jewels that embelish.
They beautify the beauty.
—
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.
—
Feathers fall off from the wings of flying-high birds. Dreams ready to catch—
—
This heart is flowing fluid
Filling the soul with
Redness of bravery
And rage;
Pinkness of romance
And lust;
Orangeness of warmth
And attention craver;
Yellowness of glory
And jealousy;
Greenness of tranquility
And envy;
Blueness of peace
And mourning;
Whiteness of singularity,
And fear;
Blackness of mystery
And death.
When the soul blinks,
A spectrum ray chutes down
On to the ocean of mind,
Illuminates what’s to solve.
Is your face dyed as your heart is dyed, Beloved?
And your words
Your footsteps
Your breaths
Touch?
Or, layers of curtains shade your true colours?
—
What’s broken’s broken until connected again. Never be the same—
—
Keeping afloat, buoyant freely swaying playing the waves in the sky—
—
Tell the sun rising and setting that I’m ready anytime: morning, night and day— to present what’s best in my humble life.
—
A loving visit beyond time and space. Salaam. Universe answers.
—
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.
—
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.
—
About the photo
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.
Thank you, 2022 for every single second spent together. You are a stronger part of what I’ve been building with love. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
And thanks to all years passing, too. I’ll miss you. 💝
—
Life is wonderful that she is eager about it and is willing to expand and to keep up with what she is becoming. She is the pilot, she is the plane. She is the destination, she is the direction. She is the standard, she is the conformance. She is the alignment, she is the aligned. She is enough.
It is not others’ responsibility that she feels good or not good. The feel existing is because she allows it to be. And the vice versa.
—
2023, be my excellent canvas of feel-good-no-matter-what. Clarity, sufficiency, integrity as in good life, beautiful love, genuine laughter 💗
Alfatihah.
💝
About tumpeng or buceng (in Bahasa Indonesia)
Ing karma pala tan ana kang isa mlayu. Kudu ngunduh.
Nandure siji, thukule satus. Panene pitungatus.
Tan kena kinira, mung Gusti kang pirsa. Janma mung krida.
Anteping kalbu, tekating jiwa. Slamet
Ing kabeh mangsa.
Rahayu.
(geguritan Jawa)
—
I can’t know anymore what makes this area special for me, whether the Masjid Sultan or Wardah Books or two favourite restaurants here. Anyway at least two are in must-visit list at the same time. After visiting Masjid Sultan to submit charity from my fellow Indonesian, today’s preferred was Hokkaido (halal) ramen as Wardah Books was closed and the Turkish restaurant was too crowded — I don’t like crowded restaurant.
FYI, Masjid Sultan is surrounded by hundreds of restaurants and shops; it is an equivalent with old-time mosque which was always built around market place in order for people to reach it in no time.
When I meet friends in this area, it is either with a statement “let’s meet up at the mosque” or “meet at *** restaurant” or “Wardah Books this time?”. There is one question that my friends and I like to ask each other as either teaser or respect: “eating 1st or praying*) 1st?” The answer?
*) praying here is not a flash pray before starting activities like simply saying “In the name of The Gracious and The Merciful” but praying is around 5-10 minutes protocol that is normally done by fellow Muslim.
Group #1 (religious friends, they can pray “forever”, wow!): Pray first. It is more important than anything including eating. We should prioritise God who has given us everything, others can wait. Don’t make God jealous.
Group #2 (rascals, will let you pray while they start eating): Eat first. God won’t force you to pray when you are hungry. Better you eat remembering that you will pray rather than you pray and your thought is wandering around all kinds of food.
Group #3 (clown, bitter that makes all chatters jokers): Don’t ask me, I am fasting everyday because of having no food at all and so I don’t pray because I have nothing to thank for.
Group #4 (good jugglers, like Group #3 but to the next level): Why so picky? Can’t we do both at the same time? You can choose at the mosque or in the restaurant!
Some jokes are actually dead serious that the way people respond can either be considered as intelligence or harassment or abuse rather than as just fun. Yet I share mine as part of showing how religious comedy exists among Javanese Muslims (there are way more that I will never share publicly to avoid misunderstanding and misinterpretation); no harassment or abuse whatsoever. I even see philosophy in many if not all jokes. 😝
Ah! Life is so rich, why feel no good just because of one point of view?
Salaam.
About Masjid Sultan or Sultan Mosque
About Wardah Books
About ICHIKOKUDO
We are all
Full time travelers
Visiting space of everywhere
Staying in faraway nowhere
Oh, Beloved.
Listen to the whooshing comets
Telling you flash news
About your singing heart.
Oh, Beloved.
Look at the satellites
Showing you hopes and vibes
About your cheering head.
We are all
Full time travelers
Finding space called a home
Among houses that were loomed.
Found!
After lost—
Thank you, Love.
—
Fruition has marked the days of drying bloom then farmers sing and dance.
—
A knock on my door
Tells me to open two gifts
That show me the world.
—
Smile, Beloved, smile.
It’s a luxurious gift
For you and for me.
—
I was checking my educational docs and was in awe to see my photos in each of different docs. How I am touched by physical transformation and what experiences attached to it, that makes me stay loyal with my own self whatsoever.
Tell yourself that your life is a journey that if you need buddy, you should pick those willing to share wonder. Otherwise, travel alone. 💝
Thank you!
💝
Number’s readable,
Intension’s not. Heart can read
Yet eyes can deny.
—
My Japan trip gave me a lot of insight. That an intension can be hidden yet sooner or later it will be naturally disclosed. That I should not entertain any underestimating and/or disrespecting expression —hidden or shown— as life is moving forward not backward. That if symbols or signs are not delivered to me as good will, all of them are false; ignoring them is the best way. That it is the right way to let them happily underestimate and/or disrespect and/or show superiority as their life style.
Human being should communicate verbally as part of real interaction. Without clear and genuine verbal communication at all and just sending signs and symbols, they fail respecting others. Wishing happiness is the best way as that’s what they need the most. Stopping interacting in whatsoever way is the best decision as they don’t contribute anything except confusion.
Happy weekend! 😍
Swinging steps to gates.
Washing hands and mouth. Flying.
Whispering. Amen.
—
Typo is parties
Done by drunk fingers dancing
Teasing sleepy brain.
—
Drag me to your heart
Even if it hurts my head,
Said I.
I know you’re teasing
Even when I mean it,
Said I.
I smile in silence
Letting you laugh in joy.
Sad I’m.
Enjoy it.
Enjoy your days,
Said I.
I walk away
Leaving the last piece of my heart.
Dragging my luggage
Alone.
Smiling.
Winning
Against my own sigh.
To you, who secretly teasing again and again and again and again. Thank you. Life is full of fun. 💗
—
rike jokanan 
You must be logged in to post a comment.