Deeply moved by…

Early ferry ride to Central holding on the sun and waters …..one of the many photos taken daily by me en route to work

Some of us like to ask a lot of questions in a conversation, in a group, on a one-to-one. Some of us like to pick up cues behind the words, the insights on happiness, or insights of sadness, insights of content and gratitude. Some of us like to absorb and become one with the person talking to us if the subject intrigues us. Some of us like to jump in with solutions, sometimes with “saving” type of inclinations. Some of us like to sit and listen deeply at times, if possible wishing not to be asked an opinion at all.

Some of us and all above is me too, all relative to where I am and who am I with. I tend nowadays to go back to a “listen deeply” mode, something I inherited earlier on as a child even, although that that time was not always well received.

There was this eternal prompt asking me” But say something too! “ or occasionally “ I said all about myself, now is your turn”. Never liked any of these prompts. Because just listening and observing was not a norm and was not really accepted perhaps. Leaving me with little options to keep being myself in a way.

Quite opposite of this memory I have, I find myself in love nowadays with prompts. We learn these through searches we do everyday, we learn these in study groups and interactions, we learn these as a conversation starter, breaking ice type of situations perhaps. Falling in love with prompts I would say just by reminiscing these beautiful warm sunshine rays in the photograph above, takes me through a process of distillation. Through a process of finding authenticity, finding connection, finding an emotional anchor to my very own soul.

Finding a strong bond with gratitude per se as a foundation.

The photo above is one of a bunch. A person of small rituals, I feel alive when I sense the warmth of the sun over my face, open my palms up as a personal sutra and surround to it every morning that sun rays guide my journey on a ferry. There is no day like the other, there is no repetition, the quality of the sun, the window transparency and cleanliness, the noise on the boat, the neighbours, the clouds or the water might all look perhaps all the same in this bunch of photos. To me however, that moment is as precious as it gets. It is a life inhalation. It is a life bond. It makes my heart full to the brim. I am deeply moved by it.

Now who does not love sunshine? You might wonder. Yet, for me here and where I am now I reach the very same effect with drops of rain. The other day I sat by the window, a chill darker morning and overheard two travellers chatting on how hard it is to wake up now with darker morning, how much they wished they could have remained in bed all day, how gloom and doom all that…. I noticed. I said “no thank you, might turn away that school of thought” and just turned to my headsets for a kinder welcoming of the day. Sometimes it really is all in the doing. What is it that deeply moves me? How would I extend that kindness overall onto my daily ritual.

Be it low clouds and fog. It have be the same heart filling practice with a storm. Love the ever changing pace of the storm approaching an island. We can have large raindrops in the middle of the sea and suddenly no rain at all, merely a breeze once we reach destination. Or else it could be totally opposite and can get soaked in a minute. Once I got enthralled to this ritual I have developed, to take in with a deep breath and open palms all there is offered to me that day, that morning, it simply changes everything.

I practice to remain in awe and be deeply moved by this ever changing rhythm in all its uniqueness. With all my heart. Effortless.

Captioned by my friend Laura this morning… An invitation to be a beautiful human. And we all said yes.

There is nothing I love more than a spontaneous get together. It usually starts with a spark, like someone saying…oh I might visit you. Then it goes into, let’s see who else would like to come to the island, then we go through no’s and yes’ s or some no might turn into a yes and viceversa. We mainly put together some ideas for the menu on a whim and while everyone was purchasing turkey and cranberries at the market, I was somehow taken aback by an older memory of the famous “kumpir” I tried first time in Istanbul a century ago. Baked potatoes it was. With all sorts of side dishes, all pretty much vegetarian evening as some of us we are changing lifestyles again! And nutrition paths…and paths even more so. The improvisation and the richness of the evening, the level of freshness or tiredness we all brought to the table or to the sofa it led into this wonderful evening. The richness came from our very intention, to be here for each other, and spend a relaxed Saturday night in good company. In a good commitment to our friendship bond that does not require at all dependency, weekly sessions. It requires though to let oneself move with the wave of that very Saturday and make room for togetherness. Make room for a fine connection. Make room for be yourself just as you wish. I admit, I did not say yes to washing the dishes and also eternal grateful to the one who picked that challenge too. I know you smile by now.

It is perhaps thanksgiving weekend in other continents.A celebration I have always loved and made it my own or years now. A prompt for me here to be so so thankful for the bonds we make and those who show up at my door with hearts on a their sleeve. Some of these bonds might be crying and barking with joy, as Mara does, our favourite furry friend on the island here. Once she enters my home she magically turns all the carpets upside down as she performs this little recognition run in the living room. Mara too holds strongly on her ritual. She nows owns a fluffy carpet. She stares too long at the dog food drawer, although yesterday it was a curfew. She moved on to the toys easily though. Let the squeaky sheep game begin.or the third eye massage. Or the belly rubs. We got plenty of those in store.

It might sound cliche or it might sound so unnatural for some today to feel so moved by a thanksgiving ritual. It can bring so much sadness and loneliness around too. And I know that too for living through all of it at times. I deeply listen and I am moved by these feelings too. Pretty hard to just shrug them off just as we wish too.

My take on it today as in now, is going back to my best friend hope as usual. And enhancing even more so this practice of being deeply moved by the ordinary. No special effects although the convex mirror above was just the perfect special effect for three friends having a casual breakfast together. Sun bathing and loving village dogs around us. Isn’t it in itself a great metaphor, both a widening perspective and a focused take on our friendship itself? I just got deeply moved by it once again. Just starring into this little gem of a photo.

Moving on….other elements of awe this week. Hoping that you might enjoy them too.

A podcast I have discovered only few months ago, called “Where shall we meet?” Hosted by Natascha McElhone and Omid Ashtari. The variety of topics selected expand my horizons every single week now and their last episode with David Whyte, the philosopher poet took me beautiful places and made me more connected to the universe and the mystery of life as ever.

I am deeply moved how Natascha, Omid, David and myself feel that we belong together. I should have better word it out in reverse order as for sure they have no idea who I am. I simple remain deeply moved by this no matter the order. A chord has been deeply touched in me. I have read poems by David Whyte before. I love to listen to him reading his own poems. And this episode inspired me so deeply and moved some inner wheels inside my hear that are very hard to describe. Here is a path for me to deepen. Is not anymore just another aha moment, it is now a pursuit. To explore deeper what he has to say. And what he had discovered thought magnificent synchronicities too. What has been uncovered for him to see.Like the very importance of the horizons in our life. You can also find David on this very platform.

“Horizons between the known and the unknown are everywhere in our human lives, even when we refuse to lift our heads and our eyes to see them”.

As a matter of fact ,I am just pressing “listen again “to the episode of the podcast again. The soothing voice of Natascha McElhone and David deep voice taking us almost into depths of self discovery are a magical backdrop on such a sunny Sunday.

Side brief chat and big smile with mum meanwhile, at the virtual coffee break.

“I do not know how it happens, the news channel now are all on something called “tip-top” ?

“Tik-tok” mum - and trying to find an analogy for her I say, you know,” like the clocks” ?

“Yes, maybe”.She ponders for a nano second. “If is the clocks, it should then “Tik-Tak” Tik-Tak” - anyway, overrated!

I almost coughed up the coffee before I started a bit LOL…. As I remain eternally deeply moved by my mum’s sharpness.

Namaste friends and I hope really hope that in a tiny way I contributed to your Sunday ritual too.