Yellow lucky leaves Pop up unexpectedly. Answers to wishes.
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Dream come true is not always with work only. It might be with some enchanted wishes, self encouragement, ranting when upset, sleeping when tired and beloved onesβ prayer β all acting as the x factor. In a package those can be summed up as human being determination.
Ignore those demotivating and/or disrespecting. They try to distract, but let them be out of the equation for a while. Just blow them a kiss. π
Weekend is a bridge between two islands. Walk on it slowly with a smile. Donβt forget to hum love songs. π
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never found in my attempt to get a clover pendant to bring my birthday annual staycation wish come true; a pair of clover studs greeted me in Bangkok yesterday – wonβt let a chance be a waste π i feel lucky most of the time – thank you!
Ocean welcomes all, River flown and rain fallen. Friends in a friendshipβ
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A meet up with my first mentor training me in my current profession almost 20 years ago. He and his wife are in Singapore to celebrate their 10th wedding anniversary and spend this whole day to meet up with me: shopping in Orchard Road Apple Store, browsing around looking for my favourite Japanese restaurant that was found closed down since 2021, having lunch (Indonesian food in Singaporeβ¦.? Oh my) walking around Orchard Road, taking MRT for fun, enjoying evening coffee in Starbucks Bugis Junction before our farewell.
This wise couple gave me a bunch of advices to be this and to be thatβ¦. How lovely this life is to have friends who are willing to share their (personal) experiences for precious lesson learning.
Thank you, Pak Donny and Mbak Maya. See you in Jakarta! πππ½
Alfatihah to my dear friends.
three mugs, different content, enjoyed from the same table
Thereβs only one way to leave a forest: its edge. Throw away the doubt.
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life is too precious to play complicated games; take away unknown factors from the equation and find a home π₯°
Yogyakarta, a place I dream of being a home when all these muscles give up the hardship – maybe yes maybe no, my bothers said; I said again βat least I know it is now my homeβ
Wondered about home. Has wandered finding a home. Sheβs learnt sheβs a home.
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Feel good is feel home wherever she is.
not bored (yet) with this place, dβOmah is my omah before my omah is fully ready for weekend getawaymessing around before unpackingMbah Petruk, youβre not supposed to be in my bathroom – ladies only π
Cleaning up the yard From dry leaves and broken twigs. Summer is coming.
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when you want to eat healthy but your friends think it dirty – a bit of excessively-fermented tempe, chicken feet and soup from any vegetable left in the fridge π
Deaccelerate, Accelerate on the road. Life is not a race.
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Fasting is a very familiar way of life to Javanese. Called pasa or poso, fasting in Javanese culture is always related to the effort to self align. Many Javanese like doing fasting with or without meditation (tapabrata or topobroto) depending on their commitment.
While Javanese Muslim do at least one month of fasting per year in Ramadhan, fasting in Javanese culture itself came even much earlier before Islam was introduced. While in Islam fasting is between dawn to dusk and the same restriction is commonly applied to all kinds of fasting, Javanese fasting is more varied both in term of period and restriction.
Fasting helps Javanese slow down the pace in their mind, regulate the speed of their ambitious behaviour upon life goals, train themselves to be patient.
There are several kinds of fasting in Javanese culture that are still practiced by relatively many nowadays.
1. Regular fasting This fasting is done only from dawn to dusk like the Islamic fasting. This is a common practice, many Javanese parents use this kind of fasting to train their children about how to manage their immediate excessive desires and concentration in under pressure situation. I remember when we were elementary and high schoolers, we were instructed by parents to do fasting on Monday and Thursday during yearly school testing weeks. Yes, I felt more focused on my study as I had to prioritise tasks to save energy. Brilliant!
2. Mutih Mutih is derived from the word putih (white in Javanese, Indonesian, Malay). During this fasting, a person is restricted to eat other than white rice and fresh water for 24 hours started either at dawn or dusk. Ordinary Javanese can do it for one day, three or seven. Yet more advanced (usually senior) Javanese would extend the period as per commitment.
3. Ngasrep or nganyep Ngasrep is derived from the word asrep that means cool or cold; while nganyep from the word anyep means tasteless. In this kind of fasting the food and drink should be all cool and tasteless. The person is suggested to eat only boiled vegetable without adding taste (salt, sugar, oil, sauces, etc) and drink fresh water. It is mostly done in three days.
3. Ngrowot Ngrowot is a word derived from the word krowot that means Javanese common carbo source except rice. The person who does this fasting will only eat carbo non rice like sweet potato, suwek (konjac), gembili, gembolo (English pleaseβ¦.), taro, cassava and other tubers.
4. Ngebleng Ngebleng means staying in; so doing this, a person will do regular fasting but very limited food intake allowed without leaving room or house, not meeting anyone, just doing meditation or doing household chores without distraction from anyone. Someone can do it three and seven days and forty days. Not many are doing this as this is a challenging one: not easy to find a place. This fasting is quite heavy because it does not allow sufficient food intake for a long time.
5. Patigeni(pati: turned off, geni: fire) It literally means βfire turned offβ. This is the highest level of Javanese fasting as the restriction applied really tests the personβs very high commitment: s/he is not allowed to eat, drink, sleep including fall asleep and see any light both artificial and natural. How long? The shortest is 24 hours, maximum unlimited. Note: if s/he sleeps or falls asleep, s/he has to restart the fasting.
There are other kinds of fasting in Javanese culture which were done by very limited people and have been left by many due to the impracticality such as pasangidang (from the word kidang or deer) in which a person is only allowed to eat raw foliage like a deer, pasangalong (from the word kalong or bat) only eating ripe fruit from the tree, pasakungkum (bathing up to chin level either in the pool, river or shallow sea) without eating or drinking, etc. There are probably other kinds of fasting as Javanese used to be very creative in βfasting engineeringβ hahahaβ¦.
Javanese believe that with fasting they will connect better to themselves and inevitably with the ultimate power of the universe. They will usually become confident people without showing off. Those fasting committed people βif doing it right and without evil intensionβ will be a highly spiritual people and voluntarily dedicated to environment and people.
Javanese believe that this type of people bring blessings to the surroundings although blessings are not always tangibly seen. The blessings can be as simple as peaceful daily life with little conflict,
Do we still have many of them? In very silent villages around Java island we might still find a few. They are traditional farmers who feel the need to connect with the ultimate power as only that can help them manage their humble farming that is now severely industrialised and exploited.
Hope we still have them in silence. Amen.
Alfatihah.
βtoo muchβ in all kinds: portion, protein, sugar, carb – never mind, itβs good! π₯° my yesterdayβs break fasting
Is the one flowing River? Can be flow of notes Infusing good airβ
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Never forget that music is an inseparable part of life. Put some in every part of the day. If all those in the playlist become boring, drop a pencil on to the floor and thatβs music. πOr, drop a pan on to the floorβ¦ No no no, that is music (and louder) but too extreme to listen to. π
Salaam.
this album of unique compositions make this Sunday feels like a flowing river π€
Blooming orchids show Vibrant hues waited a while Without counting time.
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I think so much surprise comes to us because we just do without craving for the expected result. Not 100% correct, but that is most what has happened to me. βΊοΈ
Welcome, blooming flowers. You have been as stubborn as the gardener. God bless you! π
Sunday is full of cleaning, laundry and sweet surprises!
A path to a place Is walked through trees and uphills. A meadow is waiting Opening another path To a warm home filled with love.
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My friend sent me three photos of our beloved βsimbahβ (those senior people who are considered wise or those who have grandchildren) – Javanese). Most people call these simbah βbatik makerβ because they make batik to earn a living. We both call them βbatik artistβ. More than that through what weβve seen and heard about them, weβve considered they are artists of their life. How they embrace their humble life gracefully and consciously has always amazed both of us. They live like calm river flowing to the sea. They donβt struggle against what others think about or do to them. They live as if there is no hindrance and disturbance in life.
When my friend told me some things about those three honourable ladies, I secretly harvested some lessons. It is very critical reminder for me who is still very much attached to a feeling of (accidentally) underestimated and (slightly) humiliated because of one petty case. These three artists of life have silently told me to let go.
What a loud shot in a quiet weekend!
No apology is needed. All is gradually let go through my own wish and willingness. This is my life and I only want to be the artist of my own life. π
Thank you, artists of life. Youβre blessed. π
The biggest secrets Are sitting on the eyelids Without disguising.
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thereβs a rainbow that beautifully hides in front of white cloud, subtly showing that life is alive as it is – good morning!clearer before fading away
River flows. Wind blows. Birds perch on a twig and chirp, Enjoying good food.
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Life is not really WYSIWYG, there are layers that can be peeled off like peeling off onions layered skins.
What is seen in a river? Its flow. Whatβs behind the flow?
What is felt in a wind? Its blow. Whatβs behind the flow?
Whatβs behind the singing birds? Whatβs behind good food?
Something looking like nothing yet there are powerful layers of realities that wrap another deeper level of reality. At the end of the peeled-off onion, what is it? The eyes see βnoneβ that can be immediately ignored, the self sees βthe essenceβ that can only be understood through accepting in silence.
What an experience as a human being! Maybe this is a euphoria of being alive, or being aware? This is a good time and I will always feel good no matter what. π
Thank you for everything. π
good breakfast for a tempe(h) lover π₯°good snack for a pumpkin lover – run out of honey this time
Imperfection, Love: Perfection on the way. Back To imperfection.
Perfection, Beloved, Imperfection on the way. Back to perfection.
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No one is perfect as everyone is imperfection in perfect cycles.
How perfect you are, donβt boast. You are simply βrotten body in progressβ. How imperfect you are, wise up. You are the soul βshining in progressβ. Your body is deteriorating, your soul is rising.
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Only if you are willing to slow down.
Enjoy the rest of this weekend!
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Rawon set is Eastern Javaβs specialty, perfect for weekend before all the home cleaning and ironing and this and that blahblahblah π₯°the salted egg makes it perfect for those liking extra condiment ππ½ oh my it was a torture to this tongue πmix all! lime was needed, a missing condiment this time πshould be a bit longer, tonight is the perfect timespring onion is the last to plunge in π₯°beef inkeluwak (black nut), kefir lime leaves, Javanese bay leaves, garlic, shallots, coriander, pepper, galangal, lemongrass
Thunders, Beloved, Not sign of rain, but lightningβ Know their true message.
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Some messages are exactly like how people play βkarambolβ (carrom board in English), the player may strike one disk to target another disk. The message is as if for A but actually for B. Or the message is like this but actually that.
Donβt get fooled, dear self.
Welcome, new week full of true messages. π
May all beings be happy.
believe true message, only when itβs voiced ππΌ
Welcome, Beloved. Home is where gifts are opened, Flowers are blooming.
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Welcome home! said they. π
3 waiting for 1 week and still in tact like what the couriersβ pictures sent π₯°new bud in the bathroom π₯°1 more tiny in the bathroom gang3 new stems of buds from balcony gang π₯°
Wasted, Beloved, None. In life allβs by design With scales and measures.
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Good morning, Saturday. Thanks for opening the weekend gate. Iβm flying back home soon; canβt wait for the sweet surprises!
Salaam. ππΌ
not wasted, just not wanted – didnβt eat the yolk not because of health reason but because it was runny, I should have asked if it was hard boiled – in life consciously decide whatβs wanted as the Designer is kindly and intelligently making wishes come true in precision and details ππΌ
Bad mood is hunger Draining mind and tainting heart. Can food heal the pain?
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Certain type of bad mood doesnβt go away easily. It can sit silently consuming emotion for almost 12 hours. Some can be cured with food, some canβt. We still need food anyway.
Unfortunately no one is responsible as the cause, it popped out just like that with the falling rain; yet the self is responsible to get through it patiently.
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from this – kepok banana – both birds and humans love itto this for late lunch – failed to quiet the mindfrom this – Ipoh pomelo, the best one on earthto this for early dinner – at least cooling the heat in heart gradually
These gifts, Beloved, Peace and love hummed to loved ones Living here and thereβ
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One of the Javanese and Islamic teachings that I will never leave for the rest of my life is sending gift of prayer containing peace and love to my loved ones wherever they are, whether they are physically wandering on earth or spiritually gathering around life.
I believe that my passing-away ancestors are living in different levels of consciousness (call it hell, heaven or somewhere in between up to your liking) and they are watching their offsprings without being able to directly communicating with us. They deserve my gift as they have been my line to get the chance to be here now. They deserve peace and love as they have done the best they could to draw a meaningful family tree. Yes, some might have made silly mistakes but hey thatβs what Buddhism calls βkarmaβ. Yes, some might have caused shameful stains on the family picture but hey thatβs what Islam calls βalam syahadahβ. Whoever and whatever they were, all of my ancestors deserve good wishes sung to them.
I also wish peace and love to those I love still breathing the air. Wishing all of them health and happiness. π
We Javanese Muslim will send gift by reciting some Javanese prayer closed with Alfatihah, a short chapter in the Quran containing peace, love, praise, forgiving, protection and guidance. A basket of beautiful wishesβ
How light this heart is to be sure that all whom I love are well.
Alfatihah to all whom I love. Youβre loved. Youβre blessed. Donβt shop too much. π
Happy weekend!
born as part of a nation doesnβt make someone higher or lower – being born a Javanese, Aborigine, African, Arab, Chinese, English, Indian, Japanese, Korean, Sundanese, Vietnamese or whatever is a gifted tool to contribute the best quality of culture in sustaining and respecting humanity – respect yourself, respect other human beings π
if not respected (by you), your origin will be a boomerang (spun around hitting you) – be grateful for being born as you are, never wasted, fully loved, surrounded by beloved only if you accept who you are π
Pleasure, Beloved, Sweet moment under the rainβ Sunshine is peeping.
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Todayβs biking started at 6:30am and ended at 7:15am as the rain began earlier – weather forecast reported rain would fall at around 8am. We decided to fold the bikes in my home then drive to βKueh & Meeβ for breakfast.
Conversation is never boring with this good friend. Any topics about her children are my favourite as those children give me inspiration to be always young in heart how old ever I am and optimistic about life how much low my mental is. Topic about her wanting to go back to work is never nice because thatβs when she questions if she is capable of doing this or that; while she is one of intelligent friends I have β- she is an excellent chemist who lets her expertise hibernate and allows her husband to lead a brilliant professional success.
After todayβs chatty laughing breakfast, she went home then picked up her husband in Changi Airport, arriving from a biz trip. A long list of tasks were still waiting for her, making me lose reasons to complain about life.
She is one of my favourite people inspiring me with their being ordinary the way they are.
Thank you, Mbak Eva! God bless you. π₯°
one of Indonesian guilty pleasure, lupis π€kopi tarik kosong (Indonesian/Malay pulled coffee with no sugar) + an empty paper cup of (eaten) hard boiled eggs
Warm heart, Beloved, Where flowers bloom in hot day, Roots enjoy divingβ
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I cooked cow heart for lunch. The taste of the heart was more special than before. Perhaps it was because I hadnβt eaten cow heart for more than 2 years. Or the heart was owned by a kind cow. π
The dish reminded me of a joke among my circle.
A: Why donβt you eat beef? B: How would you eat that whose eyes are so beautiful. They must have good heart! A: But why do you pork? B: &@$@?! Why donβt you eat pork? A: How would you eat that whose look is so cute like Ms Piggy. Their heart must be romantic!
Weekend is almost here! Letβs enjoy it with warm heart!
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donβt βeat your own heartβ, eat cowβs π home cooking isnβt always healthful but itβs always clean π
Good words, Beloved, Postcard sent in holiday Showing what oneβs seen.
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My motherβs question after saying hello at lunch time is always βWhat did you cook today?β And sheβll say βDelicious!β when I send the food picture although she might say differently when tasting it. Both are happy, and thatβs the most important thing.
Root of a tree Who grows in in the dark, Breathes with the creepy crawly, Sleeps in none of seasons. Silently grateful for Whatβs not understood.
Cartilage of a human body Who is not hard enough to be bone, Not soft enough to be muscle, Comfortably sits in between, Catches messages delivered By whisper, breeze and wind.
Jasmine sambac of the garden Who is humbly tiny, clustering; Blooms the whole year, Leaves much fragrance to the day, Deep meaning to celebration Before she dries brown.
Helium of the sun Light, low, odourless, tasteless, insipidβ Itβs peaceful to be low profile, Itβs more joyful and freer, Itβs easier to be me, Closer to Gaia.
Yet no secret bandit among The rascals in the block!
What?!
What what?! Donβt ask. I can be anything But You.
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Rainy weekend is good especially when just have to shortly reply βOk!β to a message saying βHeavy rain. Impossible to bike. Rain check ya.β
rike jokanan 
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