May All Beings Be Happy

Once
I knew not
Or cared not
That all struggled
Until
I sat still
To feel the whole cosmos
Within me.
Now
I know
And know
That all inevitably suffer
By choice though.
And so
I chant
Wishing…
May all beings be happy, free from suffering.

And to you
Across the ocean.
With red roses,
May you be happy, free from suffering.

——

May all beings be happy 💕

free from suffering

…. and also to you across the ocean ♥️

Half and Half


Do you know,
Beloved…?
In the middle of a water
Tossing wildly a Land
Stretching like a tail,
Tinted with merry tiny blossoms
Willing to smile
In May summed up are they.
Bearing light fragrance
Infusing air elegantly
For you, only for you—


Do you also know,
Beloved…?
I lullaby some seeds
That wake up lazily,
Stretch to the sky
Then sprinkle perfumes
With thousands of flowers
In the 9th month
Being warm and fuzzy
In the other half
For you, only for you—

For you
Whether to take
Or to give up.
There is no heaviness in a no.
There is no lightness in a yes.
There is pain in silence.
Yet life is so rich,
There is always cure
For any wound.
Let poems sing heart songs
For you, only for you.

——

Shape of Heart

Sprinkles of petalS
Sway from the sky gracefully
Calling name of yours.

——

genji pie that shapes like heart or rose petal or whatever beautifully seen by eyes

genji pie, aside from the shape the taste is also good to me

genji pie has inspired me to love

About genji pie

Multiply

Multiplied and blessed
Is numbers nature has sent
To a heart that smiles.

——

flying back from Narita

flying out from Changi

i believe that whatever shared is multiplied — at least those who enjoy it are multiplied

keep multiplying and blessing!

♥️

Pilgrimage

This life’s pilgrimage
Spiralling in to the core
Of old house within.

——

a mosque in Tokyo — Tokyo Jamii (Camii)

entrance — assalamualaikum, Tokyo Camii

mosque area – 2nd floor

i still know how to do sholat tahiyatul masjid (praying to respect mosque), recite QS Arrahman that is full of gratitudes and praises so i did it

the feel was exactly like when i pray in the temples and shrines

a feeling of home 💕

then a beautiful sister helped me with photo taking — she made me much taller, slimmer yet less me 😁 thank you 💕

time to fly home — thank you, Tokyo 💕

you make me love myself more and more, with all the wounds and scars

Books To Breathe

Have a seat, dear friends.
Breathe this home before our chat.
Leave the heat outside.
Pages of shapes and colours,
Tell them to bring their best selves.

——

Coffee table books are good to make guests relaxed before longer chat with me and at the same time to lay foundation of the chat. Not all guests visit me to chill out; some do to ask for help that might make it difficult for them to start a convo, so some flash reading can help them break the ice and sometimes for the host to loop back to the ice breakers when strategising to refuse unreasonable requests. 😉

Just fyi, some people don’t easily give up “selling misery to get a buy-in”, so be softly tough; one exquisite coffee table book might not even work.

About coffee table books

coffee table books taking turn monthly to welcome my friends

this book contains reproduced masterpieces of world’s well-known painters; the characters in the original paintings are all replaced by cats

all reproductions are by Susan Herbert

thank you, Ma’am for your art! 🙏🏼

here is very few from a total of 140 illustrations

The Beguiling of Merlin — Edward Burne-Jones, 1872-7

A Couple — Pierre Auguste-Renoir c. 1868

The Milkmaid — Johannes Vermeer c. 1660

The Child’s Bath — Mary Bassat, 1893

this is originally not a coffee table book but i will make it one — currently reading it 👏🏼

always suitable anytime so it will be forever on the table accompanied by the monthly one — only women have this power 😊

Be Happy, Beloved

I won’t, Beloved
Take you from what completes you.
Your here now is that, not this.
This garden with lemongrass
Is my here and now I love.

——

Ibu sent me this picture that she took by herself after forever saying “I can’t take good pictures like you, don’t ask me any” — 3 slices of some cake I bought online (sold through Twitter) and delivered directly to her ♥️

she said “thank you for the ‘spikoek’, it is amazingly yummy”

my mother’s love is so huge that i don’t realise like seeing a sheet of paper from 1 millimeter away 💕

i am enough with a few humble friends that truly understand me so i won’t anymore beg friendship from that not even wanting to know who i am 😁

Flush Me Once!

Or once again!

And again!

And again!

Oh I am still in your head?

Once again!

What? Still there?

Once again!

In your heart?

Alamak…. Just let her go? 😂

Some people don’t know that flushing is about letting go.

😂

one toilet cubicle in Changi Airport Singapore 😂

Bloom

This heart blooms and blooms
Leaving quiet budding season,
Emerging from mud.

——

One of my friends complained why all my poems are about love, like I am either falling in love or broken hearted day by day.

After some time of chat and juice against wine glasses that friend answered one’s own question.

“Ya! Life is about loving: smoothly or broken-heartedly. Now I know what you mean. I thought all were about romance! Ahhh!”

I tried a sip of wine from that friend’s glass.

“You’ll get drunk more at home and write more love poems!” Said that friend laughing.

“Yes, I won’t give up this love whatever interpretation is thrown about me to me. I am thankful enough to have very few true friends who understand.”

Salaam.

true love is too tasteless for those weighing it with money; yet too complex for those weighing it with faith — for those not knowing the true secrets behind words, love is just a marriage between distrust and fear hidden in sparkling plastic 🙃 i know love is still beautiful whether it is well understood or misunderstood 💕

Home (ranting)

There is a home
That no one refuses
Through series of rejection.

There is a home
That many dream as grand and proud
Through sweats and tears.

There is a home
That all thank for
Through blessings and trials.

There is a home
That one gets shelters and hugs
Through age and moment.

There is a home
That one lives in
Alone and together.

——

Disclaimer: a ranting from a head full of dreams through 2 thumbs — please read responsibly, beware of jumping contexts, connect the dots carefully

——

There are 3 homes that a Javanese should build within her/his life time. Those 3 are raga, wisma, buana.

RAGA

Raga means body in Javanese language. It is one significant aspect as it is the materialisation of life that enables life to experience life. There are senses only when life is embodied in this plane. There are emotions only when life experiences in this plane. And that life is manifested in human being body is the next level of blessings that make life live to the fullest as human being is considered the highest level of creature whereby lowest to highest qualities gather.

There are three layers of raga according to Javanese tradition: physical body, mental body and spiritual body. Which is to be taken care of? All, no exception as three are making the home.

This is the first home that should be built by a human being. Connection to her/himself is the foundation. Contribution to life is the pillars and walls. Dedication and devotion is the roof. The rest is optional.

Connection to self: with all the needs for survival, acknowledgement, justification, compliments and other external alignment; human being tends to forget to talk to her/himself, thank to her/himself, listen to her/his true self. S/he ignores the self as long as s/he feels pride and externally justified. I don’t say it wrong; yet based on my own experience connecting to self through honest conversation with my own self is the only way to realise that this very body is the safest home.

Connection to my self is a needed foundation to have more genuine and stable contribution to life. Not easy but doable—

Contribution to life: appreciate others, help others, support others, be genuinely kind, let go off others’ negative impression about self — and the like. I used to bear all those as burden until finally I realised that proper connection to myself is a key to my contribution to life.

When I was younger, I protected my ego and pride as if others would snatch them away. When I was younger, I would not tolerate others who behave slightly different from what I expected. When I was younger, I would not show genuine affection to others as I was afraid they would misunderstand me — bloody hell as if I was a perfectly beautiful or truest creature on earth 😝

It has taken almost all my life to be genuinely kind even to my own self. It took me brutal honesty and judgment and rejection and humiliation and disrespect from my own self and from others. Yet I am ok.

It has taken and will continue taking time to bring my self to where “the existence is as much as the non existence”. I will be patient with my self.

Dedication/devotion: complaining is one highest skill of many human beings where I am now living. I can say I’ve learnt this (new) skill here. Paradoxically I also learnt to be more sincere and to complain the least. The massive complaining vibe has taught me that the dedication to what we are doing regardless how hard it is is like polishing a stone to finally expose a gemstone in the core — I had verbally complained lesser and lesser until finally I can tame my self to not complain without and within.

I devote my life through what tasks assigned without thinking how much the contribution to life materially is as long as I know it is to enrich my and others’ life. I will continue doing what I am doing until I cannot so what I am doing.

💕

WISMA

Wisma means house or home.

Why wisma? Why not greha/grha (not graha)? Greha/grha refers to building, while wisma refers to both building and a place to rest.

So, wisma is a house that makes a Javanese being her/himself with those s/he commits to spend her/his true self in certain period of life time, to rest from all the outside world that might have degraded her/his being human. Whether the wisma is owned or rented, it is not a matter; the matter is it can give shelter and peace to the dwellers— both should be guaranteed.

What about being homeless? While some travel from one place to another “to find her/himself”, a home is paramount for all Javanese to finally go home; and being homeless is not a preferred condition. For common Javanese homeless is an indicator of disconnection (from self and/or from family/community and/or from environment/universe).

It might be a culture that changes over time. Young people prefer buying other things first before buying home. It doesn’t matter, they perhaps find home in those.

🙏🏼

BUANA

Buana is the world, the earth in particular as a nature.

When Elon Musk said he wanted to move to Mars, I could understand. This earth is probably not feeling home to him (and some people who know what is really happening to certain level of global situation) and so he needs to find a new home where life can be safer and more controllable.

The earth has been exploited and I’ve been part of it with my liking to clothing and paper books. The earth has been tortured and I’ve been part of it through the fossil fuel consumption and the craving of cheaper prices of almost everything.

What have I done to take care of this home? I can just do the least: using as least plastic as possible, keep my space clean and hygiene, use environmentally friendly products for primary stuff, eat organic food when possible, support animal welfare causes and plant more trees in my own garden.

Not so much I can do yet that’s a commitment to love Mother Earth.

💕

Yet I still feel dragged to be in those 3 homes. I feel like trudging with shackles around my ankles walking to where I am not feeling good and well appreciated. I am not yet prancing enjoying being home.

It doesn’t matter, I will be patient to this human side.

Happy weekend! Laundry is waiting 🥰

Salaam.

3 homes, 3 sources of freshness, 3 balancing points

Borrowed Heaven

All these are borrowed,
I’ll have to return all.
Let me borrow humbly,
So all won’t make me fall.

So much has been blessed to,
So much has been given to,
So much has been here now for,
This life.

It’s all what is,
And I accept.
I give up all struggles
To travel light.

Thank
You.

——

The Corrs

Bitter Sweet

Life is bitter sweet
For sense that is alive,
Willing and happy to taste
Whatever that is served.

Enjoy.
Life is full of tastes
From all directions

Enjoy.
Life is worth tasting
Until its completion.

——

enjoy! carbo please….

healthful food is food from my own kitchen

bitter gourd with sweet chicken filling

green and fresh

High

I’m high
Of thinking of
You that hums and chants
Nature of love
Spraying peace
Around my orbit.

I’m high
Of rotating on my own self,
And revolving around
You.

——

not so high a stack but it took three hours to do so — yes, i’m slow Iron Woman 😁

Just Like That

I stand on a sheet of paper
Full of flying poems
That tell me
That life is just like
That.

I stand in front of a mirror
Full of dancing shadows
That tell me
That real is just like
That.

I stand across the bridge
Full of swimming hopes
That tell me
That memory is just like
That.

I stand on a piece of heart
Full of singing loves
That tell me
That dream is just like
That.

I stand next to a bucket
Full of listed completions
That tell me
That failure is just like
That.

I stand with myself
Full of cries and smiles
That tell me
That success is just like
That.

Be just right,
Not less,
Not more,
As life is just like
That.

——

I never wanted to visit Korea until one colleague sent me a photo of library near our office in Seoul. Today he reminded me again about the library and told me to go there soon as he is moving to another location soon and might need to travel long to bring me to the library.

But he also said “Library is just like that. The most important thing is its collection, not its building.”

“And the building is like in the photo? Just like that?”

“Yes. It is just like that. You’re still welcome to Korea though.”

“Sure! Scheduled.”

🙏🏼

thank you!

Mutton Biryani for Lovely Weekend

enjoy!!! ♥️ the mutton is hidden like a gem before found 😂

“bake” it 30 to 45 minutes

ready to cook — layering among basmati rice then fried onion then mutton then veggies

this is to cook the marinated mutton before mixed with cooked basmati rice

onion — fried

mutton marinated in yogurt, turmeric and garlic

basmati rice boiled in Indian bay leave, cardamom, cumin seeds, star anise, cinnamon

simple as it is

Trace of Power

Power that is left
Tells outer layers of truth
That might not be true.

——

And it doesn’t matter as truth might have millions of layers depending on number of thoughts dissecting their stories.

Life is unlimited.

💕

Okayama Castle – front view

Okayama Castle – back view

super fragrant flower in Karokuen Garden

Today

Celebrate today
‘Coz there won’t be tomorrow
Everyday’s today.

——

Weekend is packing and doing household chores while enjoying rhythm of the rain.

♥️

some for today with grapes before going out after my success with laundry and this lovely jadah

voila! i will bring some for my next week biz trip ♥️ we call it JADAH or TETEL or ULI

steam for about 30 min, 45 min max if softer texture is preferred — while it is hot, pound it slowly until it becomes cake

add grated coconut

up to this consistency

boil it with coconut milk added, salt is optional based on taste preferred

glutinous rice soaked in water for at least 30 min

Happy Together

Walking the aisle
Two smiling earthlings can’t stop waving hands
To us
Who wonder
“They were toddlers we hugged,
Now they read solemn vow?”
It is a happy day
When we pray, laugh and eat together
Witnessing happiness that proceeds.

——

Matt, my best friend’s youngest son is getting married today! Matt and Cheer, Tante Rike happy for you 😘😘😘 send me all our pictures ♥️

cheering with groom’s mama after eating 😂 day is good with those looking forward to bright days ♥️

The Poem

My poem for you
Is not in the words.
My poem for you
Sits on the bed of this heart.
The words that you recite
Is what language can say
About what is still,
Admiring you from a secret place
That keeps everything
And keeps flowing.

——

some poem is better utterred on canvas

a small play for a toilet at home; an intermezzo to take a break from the gift painting in progress

Love ‘Coz It’s Time

There’s a crook
I can’t understand.
It is when I saw
You in silence
And said in heart
“I find no reason in
You for me to love but
What is this emotion?”
There’s another
I can understand.
It is when I felt
A warm summer
And said in heart
“There’s enough reason to love
You in silence
That forever blooms.”

No reason is needed to love
For love is blind.
Yet there’s reason to keep the love
For love is the only kind.

It’s time
When it’s time.

——

my orchids after one week left home alone

welcome! my orchids have taught me that flowers bloom when it’s time; not to be seen, not to be picked, not to be admired; they’re blooming simply to bloom — there’s only one reason to understand: it’s time

what is her ID? unknown and still beautifully blooming

with a line of my white shirts hanging as the background, this oncidium is gonna be yellow

another stem of oncidium waiting for its timing to greet me with yellow

dendrobium peeps again — thank you

dendrobium from the same cluster in the same pot that keeps greeting me with health and happiness

Dear Omiyage

You’re my best omiyage
From wherever Nihon
I visit.
You’re my desperate love songs
I sing
From wherever corner of the world
I sit.
You’re my sweet mystery
That I can never solve.
Why
Oh why,
Dear
Omiyage?

I present
You to only
Those that I love.

Wrapped in white
Ribboned in red
Wished in indigo

Dear
Omiyage

——

Japanese omiyage is the same tradition of Javanese oleh-oleh in which local souvenirs are brought for others after traveling to a specific place or simply when visiting. So it is not just random souvenirs, omiyage or oleh-oleh is a token of experience sharing and caring friendship from someone to someone else.

A sweet gesture that will be perfect when done with sincerity and mindfulness—

Salaam.

Niigata rice, the best omiyage for good friends this time — humble ladies, see you tomorrow 🙏🏼

About omiyage

Blue on Green

Look! It’s blue on green
Burning spirit to trueness
Of living simple.

——

I love the rice field sprawling along the train track in Japan. It brings feel of peace at the same time reminding me that there are still those who are willing to live as farmers even (according to my Japanese friends) with not so high income.

God bless farmers without whom we won’t live.

Salaam.

irrigation that travels like blood in body

the clouds that travel by the wind like dream in mind

Lightning

Lightning is so quick
Striking sight with its brightness
Before earth goes silent.

——

Love is sometimes a sight that attracts the eyes, strikes in less than one minute, blinds the eyes for some longer time before gradually clears the mind again. Gradually yet surely 💝 with intensifying silence and lack of reciprocity. Life will be back to its true beauty.

May all beings be happy.

in this case a writer is either a loyalist or a stupid! both not equivalent with the brilliance in his/her writings 😂

Scent of Flowing Air

No scent is missed,
No inhaled air is empty.
The scent is a box of coloured mist
To bring in imagery.

These nostrils celebrate days
Through haling the loaded air
And propelling power through stories,
Millions of stories shared.

——

can’t leave without scent, good or bad

and its evolving fragrance, softened before dried

sadly this leaf was not so nicely scented 🙏🏼 thrown away

batik has a good scent as it is washed with lerak (soap berry)

frangipani, a flower that is popular as graveyard flower in Java island ♥️ sweet fragrance of the death

i miss the scent of the thin air by the rice field under the blue sky 💝

Free Weekend Class

I started teaching this morning. Overall I’ll be teaching English, soft skills, art and hopefully someday Japanese. I partner with my best friend to establish a free weekend class for the kids and youth in her small library in south area of Yogyakarta. It is a community support that we humbly provide for a better leadership and communication skills of our young generation.

We have very very very limited budget but we commit to help the community not only to welcome but also to design bright future.

Pray for us. 

May all beings be happy.

children class this morning — very very basic communication skills of reading, writing, listening, speaking — what a sweet fun session! 💝

these two girls were the youngest students today 💝

No Cure (Ibn ‘Arabi)

Without him I die
and with him’s no better
With or without him
longing’s the same

I found him, finding
what I hadn’t foreseen,
the cure and disease
as equal fevers

His silhouette flares
as we draw near
each other and
burns more proud

The deeper the harmony
the sharper the pain
Measure for measure
as decreed

——

The above is poem excerpted from below book — one that well explains how love consumes good soul. By simply loving life has shown what joy and pain can be perceived as either happiness or unhappiness depending on how deep or how true love is given meaning or taken for granted.

It has taken me quite long journey to finally connect the dots among the manifestation of love, pain, joy, harmony. It takes whole life to refine love and it takes big love to refine life — a vicious circle that keeps the fire burns, light flares and smoke billows bringing hope up to the sky.

“Life is light. Life is true.”

May all beings be happy.

♥️

Tarjuman Al-ashwaq (The Translator of Desires)