Which One Is Your Sign? – tanka

Which one is the sign?
Lightning or thunder? The one
Striking you. It is?
If they know, either isn’t.
The message is what it is.

Now here —

Note to self: whether it is the lightning or the thunder isn’t significant if you can’t read the sign.

Interesting!

Celebrate your days! – haiku

Celebrate your day!
Every day! For all blessings
Poured down to your life.

Singapore – May 5, 2020 / 00:52

—-

Dear Self,
Every day is counted blessing, none of which is unworthy even if you experience unworthiness.

Never underestimate small detail. A piece of missing puzzle will break a big picture.

Thanks for all the blessed days, dear Life!

May all beings be happy. 🥰

What Is New Normal? – haiku

What is new normal?
A set of taboos maybe
Or ancient practice—

Singapore – May 1, 2020 / 20:00

I feel an acceptable level of my new normals after two months of flexible work arrangement and no business trip. I wake up almost at the same time everyday – in my old normal I woke up in different time almost everyday because either of my flight, the pick up time or time zones.

I did my groceries very rarely; now regularly and enjoyably! Oh my god, I feel like going picnic in fact just going to either wet market or to Cold Storage 😁

I used to cook only at the weekend or holiday – sometimes not even because I would prefer going to my home country for short trips to meet my family and friends; now I cook literally every single day and I love it!

I did my laundry sometimes if it wasn’t done at the hotel; but now I handwash my clothes twice a week – big fabric like towels and bedsheet will still be thrown to washing machine.

I used to wear casual or sometimes dress for work; now I wear pyjamas, rompers or even just underwear when working as long as there is no conference call for the day!

And my plants have become happier – blooming orchids and growing rhizomes. 🥰

If these are new normals, would it be my normal even after the outbreak is cured? Might not all be….

I wish I have a better life after this circuit breaker and can keep some of the good and enjoyable things as my forever normal.

May all beings be happy.

 

Universe Moves Us – haiku

Universe moves us,
Forcing life between two poles—
Swinging pendulums

Singapore – Apr. 23, 2020 / 18:00

We are constantly in motion, tracing lined-up momentum among extreme points in life.

If we think we stand still, that’s a momentum on which we meditate before pushed to the next vector.

A split second stillness,
An infinite balancing.

May all beings be happy.

Have You Seen A Saint? – haiku

Have you seen a saint
Walking on earth with no sin?
Yes? What a non sense!

Singapore – Apr. 23, 2020 / 00:30

—-

No saint—
There is never a saint.
What there is
Is someone whose soul is awakened,
Whose life is eaten away by humanity
Whose heart is shining
Through it.

At least those are saints I believe having lived in human form.

May all beings be happy. 🙏🏼

Is River The Water? – haiku

Is river the water?
Is river the flow? Either’s
Gone, it’ll never show.

Singapore – Apr. 21, 2020 / 23:16

What do you know about river?
Water?
Flow?

May all beings be happy. 🙏🏼

53AFF0E7-A876-41C0-A937-6FD9794E9075

link of picture: https://wartawisata.id/2018/06/17/bengawan-solo-mengalir-sampai-jauh-destinasi-sejarah-dan-kekayaan-alam/

Buds Are Coming Out – haiku

Buds are coming out.
Orchids bloom when they’re loved. Ah!
Best fertiliser?

Singapore – April 13, 2020 / 18:40

Once more my orchids are producing bud stems.Yay!

I believe they are happy seeing me who greets and talks to them everyday now.  Once I thought talking or singing to plants was a madness but now I think it is a medicine for madness.

Try it and you’ll find those plants happier by showing you more vibes, flowers or fruits and yourself happier for knowing that you still have friends offline during this remote work.

I wish my orchids get happier and happier and so do I.

May all beings be happy. 🙏🏼

Simple Victory – haiku

Simple victory
Is completing ironing
After the laundry.

Stay home peacefully – 2020

—-

Excessive happiness always catches me when I can finish all the laundry then iron all of them on the same day!

I’m proud of myself.

May all beings be happy! 🙏🏼

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What’s The Best Part – haiku

What’s the best part of
Work from home? Cook my own meal,
Eat it, no complaint.

Singapore – March 23, 2020 / 22:13

And the key is NO COMPLAINT 😂🥰

May all beings be happy. 💝

featuring my “chicken opor” 😻

 

Please Stay Calm, Humans – haiku

Please stay calm, humans.
This state of fear might extend.
Hey! It has an end.

Singapore – March 13, 2020 / 21:00

—-

In current situation I find some real nature of human beings and how they cope with a stressful situation. Some glue themselves to their selfishness by excessively buying stocks of logistics in the name of saving for rainy days, some rant and nag as if whatever the Govt have done is never enough, some keep being as crazy as if nothing happens, some others keep calm, some others become calmer, some others are afraid to death, etc….

So what?
Everyone copes with stress in different way. I don’t blame them for doing what they have done. However, I prefer pushing my happiness to an extreme level. I’m happy and thankful that I’m still healthy and active now. I prefer smiling to as many colleagues/neighbours/passers-by or at least not looking so bitter, being kind to as many people as I can; and most importantly letting myself feel that however worst a situation outside of me will be, I can always go within and find peace and calmness here….

God bless all of us.

May all beings be happy. 🙏🏼

Staying Home Longer – haiku

Staying home longer
Is such a bless. She’s happy.
Thanks, trip postponement.

Singapore – March 11, 2020 / 7:50am

My March will be with less packing and unpacking. Two trips to Japan have been postponed until situation is well settled. It means a lot to me: walking more, cooking more, going to gym more, meet-up more, sketching more, reading more, all is more except eating – no eating more!

Sometimes others’ hell can be someone else’s heaven. I’m not happy with the COVID-19 but honestly it has blessed me with awareness of self health and more time to stay home. 🥰

I pray that the situation will be well settled soon.

May all beings be happy….

They Prefer Dying – haiku

They prefer dying
To living with a big heart
Full of guilt and love?

Singapore – March 7, 2020 / 16:00

—-

One of my good friends called me yesterday ranting why I should put unnecessary personal risk by allowing myself to continue business trip to one particular country during this COVID-19 outbreak, while others decided to drop their trips there.

“Rijk, you’re just a statistic. If you die, hundreds will fight for this hot seat. And life goes on without you because you are just a bit of trillions of forgotten memories.”

“I just feel I’m very healthy and I’m gonna be fine.”

“One last reminder: a rose will only be remembered when it dies.”

“You are scaring me? You mean I will die because of the virus?”

“Yes, in a way that you should not be a fool today just to avoid busy end of year. You never know what’s going on. That country will never disclose the real situation. Look! Historically their ancestors preferred ending their life in an irresponsible escapade entitled as honoured suicide to making peace with their own life. They can’t bear guilt or shame. Hey, Rijk remember they might not be able to bear love. So better think twice about your adoration to anything or anyone from that country. Hahahaha….!”

Bloody cold-hearted friend!!!

My head shakes. Should I cancel all my trips to that country?

My heart stands still. I will be fine and I’m going.

May all beings be happy…. 🙏🏼

I Am A Lady – haiku

I am a lady,
Was born and grown in Java,
Will travel the globe.

Singapore – Feb. 11, 2020 / 19:45

I feel more and more feminine and I like it. I’m comfortable to be a woman although being a woman is not always easy in my original culture, Javanese. I am not a typical Javanese who are shy, withdrawal and submissive to the male and yes-yes-yes whether liking it or not. I will be in those mode in some situations but I don’t feel them as my nature. All those traits shall be presented as a response to a situation, not as a nature.

Once one very mean aunt said to me in a very sharp tone “You are not a Javanese lady yet, my child! Learn. No man will want to marry you if you are brave, confident and vocal.”

I didn’t say anything because I was just 12 at that time. I didn’t even know what was Javanese lady and marriage. What I knew was I played with girls and boys together.

She sounded cruel but she was right that no man has married me until now. She would say (if she happened to be alive today) to me it is because of my failure to be a Javanese lady; but if she were still alive, I would tell her politely that it may be because the men approaching me just failed to be a true gentlemen. I will not change myself into the Javanese lady characteristic that has been in a biased assumption in my community and family.

I never doubt myself to be what I am now – I might change but to better state. Moreover, I found a good reading that describes a Javanese woman in the eyes of a modern Javanese woman. It might not resonate 100% of what I consider a woman be but at least the way the writer positions herself helps me understand why I never fitted the boxes brought to me before.

What an enlightenment!

Thank you Google for bringing me to Staying True As A Javanese Woman

….. and maybe this too if you wonder how an ideal Javanese woman should be in different perspective: Ideal Javanese Woman???.

Life is full of magic and I’ve always found the magic to be a female from my beautiful archipelago.

May all beings be happy.

Salam….

Screenshot 2020-02-11 at 8.00.36 PM

Can You Pack It Well? – haiku

Can you pack it well?
It takes forever to do
If you’re amateur.

Singapore – Feb. 3, 2020 / 20:31

My nephew is flying back to Indonesia tomorrow morning – he spent 5 days taking over my bed snoring and shopping around useless things just to celebrate his belated 18th birthday that was supposed to be December 2019.

Now he was busy stacking all his clothes and shopped items into his medium luggage. He wanted to show me that he was capable without my help so I didn’t offer my help until finally he gave up….

“Can you help me hold the other end of the luggage?”

“No, not only holding the other end but you need total help. Let’s repack, boy.”

He didn’t agree but finally followed my instruction on unpacking all, stacking things first then inserting the next things later.

Packing is like putting on clothes for me. Perhaps packing and unpacking luggage shall be part of my official job description. So don’t try to beat me for packing things into luggage or trunk. I can pack things very nicely in quite short time. But don’t ask me to pack things into backpack — I give up. I still think traveling in backpack is super fun except that the clothes will be crumpled making me look even messier and my back will ache…. I wish I’m naturally cute and strong. 😊

“Let me do this luggage ‘coz I’m one of those professional luggage packers, boy. Pack your own backpack, I am not accountable for that….”

“So, you don’t help me with this? What kind of aunt are you?”

“Honest one. God bless me, Vito!”

😂

Of course God bless you, too dear nephew. Safe flight.

 

None Is Left Behind – haiku

None is left behind.
Humans, animals are saved—
Humanity served.

Here now, in my silent heart

Flood is everywhere in my beloved country (Indonesia) and rescuers are the physically busiest of all. The good things are getting better, not only humans but also animals are rescued. There shan’t be any to be left behind even those they call non human. Those that you love in your good time shall receive the same care in your bad time no matter who or what they are….

God bless all rescue units who have worked hard soaked in the flood to carry babies, children, women, old people and others underprivileged including animals pet or cattle. God bless them.

Anyone is functioned differently. Some are active on the field, some financing, some fixing the root causes, some whispering to the Universe to save all of us.

Sending love, prayer and whatever aid I can…. 💝

Incineration – haiku for 2020

Incineration
Is open, ready to burn
Rubbish. All is well.

Singapore – December 31, 2019 / 20:40

New year again? 😼

Although a year is just an agreed cycle, it has always directed a human being (me) to (nervously) plan things – end of year feels like a Management System practice for me: reviewing all the goal, action, gap, errors, plan adjustment, take away and self-scolding of why-this-why-not-that. Of course I’ve failed in many corners and turns every single year. Umm…. It doesn’t matter, lovely Self. 😘

And taps on my shoulders are enough to celebrate some success. 😘

Learning from my stupidity, I decided to make 2020 an incineration. A central waste plant to destroy each and every memory and/or situation that doesn’t serve my journey anymore. Decluttering!

I have a long virtual list of those needing to be burnt! One of them could be YOU! 😁

Thank you, 2019 for the ride and lessons. You are loved, you are remembered. Rest In Peace.

Happy New Year 2020! Welcome, this new Self!

Health, Love, Stock Price!

I wish you are all blessed through your own blessings.

….. One more: God bless all animal rescuers on earth! 💝

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A Bowl Of Corn Soup – haiku

A bowl of corn soup
Served for lunch without pepper—
Can’t be any better.

Singapore – December 27, 2019 / 21:00

—-

Mbak Sari cooks for me everyday during her stay and it makes my tummy full and happy. Today she made corn soup and I love it.

I remember years ago when I was a Uni student. My friend and I were “assigned” to take care of another friend who was hospitalised for long time while her parents lived in faraway island. Of course we didn’t have to cook for her as the hospital did but I can remember how difficult it was to convince her that all food was good and had to be finished so that she could get stronger and recuperated. Sometimes my friend would just tell us to eat the food that we refused.

Mbak Sari’s cooking is far from the taste of my friend’s hospital food. Mbak Sari’s is made perfectly with friendship love and care for me to recuperate soon.

Just 3 more days for her to stay…. Hope all her cookings do me good for those 3 days and I can get back to work completely up and around.

May all beings be happy.

💝

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Before I Know You – haiku

Before I know You,
My Dear. Before I know you,
I’ve loved the haiku.

Singapore – December 23, 2019 / 10:45am

Feeling painful and bored….
Hope days go by quickly
So that I can do things normally like doing household chores, writing haiku, drawing with pencils and working with MacBook or just speeding around on Brommie…..
I still Tell myself to be grateful for and love the boring days.

💝

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Holiday Season – haiku

Holiday season:
A knot in a rope acting
As connecting stop.

Shanghai – December 14, 2019 / 00:40

—-

There is always a space to halt before proceeding.

In A World Of Men – haiku

In a world of men
She mostly forgets to thank
For being woman.

Shanghai – December 12, 2019

—-

Why should we struggle to compete in a male dominated world? Why bother? Even when their logic doesn’t show they are logical, the men will always think they are more logical than women. So be it….

I want to be more relaxed, enjoying my privilege of being a woman. I realise I’ve given up many many things and I want to take them back!

It is time.

🎬

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The Seven Chakras

The seven chakras:
A journey whose route shouldn’t be
Taken a detour.

Shanghai – December 8, 2019 / 15:40

It is not a coincidence that the chakras’ colours resemble rainbow’s – or the other way around. All those colours are captured by the lenses inside our eyes differently based on what frequencies are reflected by the light —in the case of rainbow, it is the sun light. Essentially it is one – the Light. Once we realise that it is a “Light game” that “creates” colours, we won’t bother arguing which colour is the most beautiful.

In Javanese culture it is believed that rainbow is a stair for the female heaven citizen (I couldn’t find the best English word for “Bidadari”) to descend to and ascend from the earth to take a bath after the rain in a pristine pool amidst a deep jungle where only chosen human beings can see — Darn! Why don’t they just take some rain water before it is poured down to earth to bath? In one Javanese myth, one of those ladies could not go back to the heaven because a curious horny young man stole her heavenly apparel. In the myth, their apparels are equipped with wings that can make them fly. 🤩

If rainbow is a stair for the heavenly beautiful creatures, I am wondering what stair is the set of seven chakras that are assumed to be existing inside of our body? There might be a lot of divine realities going up and down from one chakra to another making a tour enjoying the beauty of our rainbow.

What a rant! 🤓

Take a chakra tour, fellas! 🙏🏼

Brief reading about chakra and thanks For the picture to: Chakra Dance

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Pledge For The New Day – haiku

Pledge for the new days:
Never hurt one’s heart again….
…. But bullshit won’t stop.

Singapore – December 7, 2019 / 3:40pm

Hurting heart is human being’s habits -or some human beings have it as expertise- so never ask anyone to not hurt your heart. That’s natural.

Some people hurt you because you are you. But don’t stop! Even if you have to lose someone just to be yourself, be yourself. That is the only choice.

And, when someone doesn’t appreciate your presence as you, just walk away. You are not a tree.

Not easy, but doable

Enjoy your weekend 😊

Screenshot 2019-12-07 at 3.28.37 PM

Thanks for the picture to: Habits For Well Being

You Are Not Alone – haiku

You are not alone.
Millions cry at the same time.
On different cause though—

Singapore – December 6, 2019 / 20:36

Dearest Nephews,

If you feel your problem is the most unbearable, it is hardly wrong. Yet yours won’t probably represent the most difficult ones.

Can you count how many people live on earth? All of them have issues – even worse, they have issues while they have no choice but living with those because of absence of resources and no help whatsoever.

And how many abused animals are there? Be thankful that you are not a karmic animal this time around. Or, maybe in next life if you are abusive to animals in present life. 😈

And how much abused the natural resources are? If you think they are not alive, you’d better think twice.

So don’t feel like you are the poorest human beings in the universe just because you can’t afford the latest version of PlayStation.

🥰

elephant-tears.jpg.1000x0_q80_crop-smart

It’s Only Lipstick – haiku

It’s only lipstick
Giving colours at times, but
Mightn’t be the true one.

Singapore – December 5, 2019 / 10:22pm


Not easy to deal with lipstick — looks red or pale, matt or glossy, gothic or modern, sexy or dull, luring or boring, cheap or costly, thick or thin…. Just lipstick, not the true colour of the lips behind the paint.

Unfortunately, life is sometimes about changing colours of lipstick based on the occasions attended and interlocutors dealt with. Better be smart to see who is true who is fake…. Or, how to be true!

Or, how to be fake? Ew!

440px-Applying_red_lipstick_-_model_Eve_Casini

Thanks Wikipedia Lipstick for the picture

Silence Of The Mind – haiku

Silence of the mind
Has stopped logical thinking–
The Hermit mode’s on.

Jakarta – December 1, 2019 / 23:12


Being logical is good but sometimes we should stop being logical, just to let the inner core self speak the true voice.

Give The Hermit a while to ignite the true light and enlighten all connections, to grip the staff and stand still before proceeding.

Life is so simple: quitting when tired, halting when confused. The only rule is believing that nothing is permanent.

Screenshot 2019-12-02 at 00.04.31

The Hermit can be briefly read in Wikipedia The Hermit

Ode To My Beloved – haiku cluster

Ode to my Beloved

Please hear me saying
The words that sweep your sorrow.
I’m in love with you.

Please kiss the rosebuds
That will bloom at the next dawn,
Opening new day.

Please touch the dewdrops
For me. Can you feel the love
When the water bursts?

Please close your eyes now.
Look at the Sun in my heart.
Do you see a You?

Please taste through my Soul.
What color do you find there?
It does remain true.

Somewhere on Nov. 7 / 12:00 (a throwback to embrace a frozen heart)


Love is that bringing us to the now either with the five senses or the sixth.
Love is that neutralising past & future into lessons & hopes.

What can be better than to be you, my Beloved?
If being you feels annoying or painful, do remember that you were born to the world welcome by a mother’s love, a father’s pride, a family’s cheer and unlimited future.

So, love yourself.
Only by loving yourself you can clear the blocked path.

Namaste

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She Quits Sword & Shield – haiku

She quits sword and shield.
The battle has changed into
Race she’s a misfit.

Singapore – Nov. 1, 2019 / 23:00 (a throwback to a sleepless night)

Focusing on processes is more important than staring at goals, some people say.
Yet many think reaching the goal the fastest is more tempting and rewarding. The process becomes lousy, messy, dull inside, rigorous outside, robotic, proud with almost no passion.

Competition often seems more overkilling than energizing.

I’m taking a short break by end of this month.

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When Love And Passion – haiku

When love and passion
Collide. Words and gestures crash.
I can only sigh.

Akita – November 17, 2019 / 01:21am (a throwback to a sleepless night)


Love is maybe a type of particle collision cause, process and effect at the same time: its physical visibility is a giant supernova whose image can only be caught as late as thousands of years of light before reaching the earth, while the core has transformed into floating etheric secret or may have been absorbed by the black hole of memories – into a forever-and-a-day file saved in the Akashic records lingering like the Northern Light.

For nothing I’m still loving You. And that is ok.

Big big thanks to the Scientists Have Detected… for the picture and knowledge.

1508161520158-neutron-merger

Daddy – haiku

Dad, are you out there?
I just wanna say I’m fine.
See you in Heaven.

Akita – Nov. 21, 2019 – morning glorified, ready to create incredible art of life

——

Sometimes you miss those who’ve been far away, unreached with even miles of flight.
Heaven is just untouchable, at the same time very accessible…. with just a whisper.
Do pray and they will whisper you back,
Reaching you with their heavenly hands.

I miss my father (so often) but I always tell him I’m fine ‘coz he protects me from above.

I love you, father…..

Thanks to Coldplay for this song that has given a punch on me with tons of awareness.

When Mind Is Set Free – haiku

When mind is set free,
I want to live forever
As long as with you.

Singapore – long weekend of Deepavali Day 2019

King of Swords and Queen of Swords turned to King of Wands and Queen of Wands after stumbled by The Tower. From icy cold to passionately loving characters

Amazing! Ramblin Mike’s cards were open so “coincidently” magical. But I believe nothing is coincident.

End of this long weekend has got a nice closure of a bitter wound that gradually turns into a sweet journey, even if having to wait for an unknown shadow of a you. Just with a zodiac reading — that I used to underestimate :-p

Lesson learnt: Don’t underestimate a small talk, it can change a cold heart and angry mind of Maleficent into a warm heart and liberating mind of Nala of The Lion King.

Useful links: My Lion King and Maleficent

Wanna see Ramblin Mike’s zodiac reading? Enjoy.