______tmas?

So we meet again....

Wisteria & Jasmin (cont)

This is my conquest, this is my land
This is the heedful understand
That those who defy fear
Fear not the happiness
That becomes clear
And unbelievable near
When you purely believe
You’re not naïve…

With the required reverence,
Absorbed in my own breath
I take in the very own impenetrable
essence of time,
and inhale eternity.
inhale love,
so undeserving of…

Wisteria & Jasmin (cont)

(continuation...)

… an unsuspected slick move,
my right foot on a broken brick.
The insignificant bug squashed under
(oh, but wait, it can't be insignificant, it's part of the story),
and my first glance into that guessed atmosphere...
Ai! but I slip, not once, but six times
six layered bruises on my left knee.

Note to self,
it's never as easy as it looks,
neither harder, something else, it's unpredictable.

I storm the castle,
tight hand grips, and a swift push.
Helped by the momentum, I'm standing tall
on top of the wall

I feel so big,
strong as a loud firm voice
Ahhhhhh!
this is my conquest, this is my land!

Wisteria & Jasmin

She finds an old washed wall,
decrypted bricks,
In between, little houses for small bugs
and other little creatures,
there is also a possible foot hold, she thinks,
to see what's on the other side, who will see me,
and I’ll know what wonders it confides

I've heard stories of beautiful gardens
hidden by walls like this,
and magical secrets were kept inside
felt, smelled, seen only by the truly passionate ones
oh, I wish to live such adventure, if I take a look...

(to be continued...)

Courage comes from the french "coeur", heart... bring it on, make my day!

Sierra de Gredos

Since the beginning of this blog I've been going through some major transformations in myself. The most important of all has been to get to know myself better, and to challenge myself when I see that I'm being stubborn, week or self-indulgent.

This past weekend I had a great opportunity to be in touch with my most true and powerful self. The one that is not attached to either things or people, to outcomes or expectancies.

Climbing in "Circo de Gredos", Sierra de Gredos, Spain

Pico Almeal del Pablo 2489 meters

I like to pack and prepare myself for an adventure trip. I like to think about what's essential and leave behind what it's not. I like to think that I can go anywhere, and that I'll be alright because I have everything I need in one single backpack: food, warm clothes, sleeping bag, light, fire, water, plenty of plastic bags and an ipod.

A friend that once lived a whole month in the streets told me that the most important thing he need it when living alone in those conditions, were plastic bags, and I've understood why. This time I didn't had the appropriate shoes, let's just say that to climb on snow and ice with simple five ten guide tennie is not a comfortable choice. So I had to use the simple plastic bags to protect my feet from the cold snow, and it worked. But I won't do it again, because it slowed me down a lot, and with that I slowed don't my climbing partners. So, yes, be fully prepared. I still don't think you need the top shoe, and top clothes, etc, layer up, use synthetic or wool, merino wool is indeed the greatest, good impermeable jacket, gloves, shoes and backpack cover.

So you're ready for your trip, but is your mind ready?

That's the main challenge, and I think it's the one that I need to work on.
When you're going to climb some peak higher than the 2000 meters, you're going to need, not only of good physical endure, but also, psychological strengh. You need to be positive, you need to visualize where you want to go, and then you need to keep your awareness every step of the way. Those strenuous long ascends and descends are very ppsychological. You have to remember that you're strong, that you can handle a lot more than you think. Also, when you feel frightened about some move during the climb, be objective. Ask yourself, if I was just one meter off the ground would I consider this move to be really easy? Are there places where to put my feet, holds to grab on? Be objective, keep your fears very tight, and coach yourself through the way.

In the end, this's what I can say:

I feel free and strong.
I saw beautiful sunsets behind the peaks, and felt the warmth of shy sun rays, finding their way through the clouds. How those moments brought me comfort when my feet and hands were frozen. I felt the wind running strong and pulling me off the ground. I saw the night falling, darkening the entire valley in a slow, deep pass. I saw the distance from above to the small refuge, and felt the closeness to a better me. Sheer simplicity...

I didn't carried a camera with me, so I'm using pictures taken before, by some other wanderers.
Thank you very much

Develop your awareness...

what you're unaware of,
will inevitably be the place in your life where you're stuck.
psychologist call it selective awareness or denial
think about those tough issues
put your mind to work
if there's something it's not ok,
come on, look at it, think about it,
write about, watch your mind...
you can change.
unconsciously we attract people and situations in our life we don't want.
our mental representations lead us towards a direction
what we believe is what we see
if you think that there's no one interesting outside,
you won't see the interesting people around you...

that is why:
"You must be the change you want to see in the world"
- Mahatma Gandhi

A spiritual love-based connection leads to happiness

DANCE....!

To be born...

Once a little kid looked into our world and he saw a men holding a gun and shooting another men. Then he saw a multitude of starving children, scavenging for food. He felt really sad, but still curious, he continued to look, and he saw an enormous boat, spilling a viscous black substance that was killing slowly and painfully many birds and fishes. He couldn't believe what he was witnessing. He sat down and thought about all those sad realities. What if he could paint that sea again with a bright blue, and clean all the birds and fishes? He wondered if he could prepare a thousand meals and feed the little children he saw with great hunger. He wondered if he could stop the metal bullet, and instead transform it in colorful ribbons. Oh what a difference he could make... and with that thought in his heart, he decided to be born.

Vivenda "O meu sonho", descoberta...

PARA VER AS FOTOS:

http://picasaweb.google.com/Gibelinha/FonteDaTelha?feat=directlink

Storytelling... a must learn

To be honest, I know so little about dreaming...
so little about flying....
so little...

One of these days, I hope to learn how to tell a story
to really feel the sequence of events...
to feel the momentum
to see it building up,
feeling it grow,
and... wowowowoww!!!! thrilling action...


Start from a simple beginning, nothing too fancy,
an ordinary fact, start building some tension by adding up little facts,
from this thing to this thing, which lead me to the next,
then I did this, then I though, and I decided,
building the momentum, raising questions,
creating moments of reflection
paying attention to details...

ha... storytelling, an art
that can really turn your life around.
By the end, isn't all basically depending on how you tell your story?

Pulsão da vida

Faz dos homens (e das mulheres nem se fala!) guerreiros cegos esfomeados, banhados em cólera e alimentados pelo mais doce dos néctares... coloca-nos muito perto da insanidade, a não ser que o final seja feliz.

STOP

Silêncio...
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Fuck my selfishness...! arghhh

Sudoeste forever...

Surfar, respirar, surfar, respirar... respirar surfar

+ Lisboa

...where have you been?

"The best remedy for those who are afraid, lonely or unhappy is to go outside, somewhere where they can be quiet, alone with the heavens, nature and God. Because only then does one feel that all is as it should be and that God wishes to see people happy, amidst the simple beauty of nature."

- Anne Frank

Secret Spot: S. Martinho do Porto

To a better Now

Some people don't need to be explained why they're here. Some of us are just fine with what they do, with who they are. Some of us understand that life is life happening... Wishes? yes, simple wishes... but I'm not one of those persons. Didn't choose to be the way I am, but hey, I believe in miracles. In the end I see I'm a very, very lucky person. And whatever I can do in return, I'll try to do it. I raise my glass: to a better Now.

Cool Lisboa

In this entry I would like just to point out my positive feelings towards Lisbon. It's a new city: good vibes, energized, trendy, poetic, somewhat conscious... you always have interesting stuff happening, this was some free jazz and performances in the park. Definitely a cool city. Very cool indeed. A few photos. Still, Portuguese people are a soul-suffering people. If we could really sell tears...

Castelos no ar...!

Hoje acordei e vi o sol espreguiçar-se. Distraído, estendeu um raio e depois outro por entre os lençóis brancos de núvens. Sussurrei-lhe, “bom dia sol bonito...” e voltei a deitar-me. Peguei num livro e viajei. A viagem levou-me a um castelo no ar, lembram-se do que isso é?

Construir um castelo no ar significa sonhar muito, sonhar sonhos de amor e alegria, sonhar com jardins supensos, floridos de aromas doces, sonhar com uma mão entre as nossas, sonhar com risos de praia.

Mas hoje em dia, que significa quando alguém nos diz, ao mesmo tempo que evita o nosso olhar, “ah...! estás é a construir castelos no ar...”. Querem-nos dizer que não estamos a viver a realidade, que é dura e difícil, querem-nos avisar que nos estamos a preparar para uma grande desilusão, querem-nos dizer que os sonhos não alimentam a barriga de ninguém... querem nos dizer que é melhor ficar com o pouco que temos, que a aspirar a mais, que é melhor ter pouco amor a ter que procurar mais amor, que é melhor ser cinzento e caminhar sem alegria, do que andar descalço e brincar com cada pedra encontrada no caminho.

Que erro! Que grande erro!

Ora pensemos juntos, que sonhos queremos nós ter? Sim, porque toda a gente sonha, mesmo o que nos dizem que sonhar é vagabundear.

Quero mesmo sonhar com a minha falta de dinheiro, sonhar com os meus medos de falhar, de não conseguir aquilo que quero, sonhar que não amo nem sou amada, sonhar que fiz tudo mal, que estraguei o meu futuro, o meu passado, sonhar que não tenho valor nem utilidade, sonhar que sou triste?

Quero mesmo sonhar que me magoam uma vez e mais vezes, sempre da mesma maneira, que me enganam, que minto e me escondo, sonhar com a repudia, com o nojo, com o julgamento de tudo o que fiz e não fiz, de tudo o que me fizeram, disseram, ou calaram?

Que engano! A vida não é isto...

A vida é sonhar, é sonhar para crescer. É sonhar um amor profundo e livre, que se expande, é sonhar com dar e partilhar, no emprego, na rua, em casa, principalmente em casa. É sonhar com um pequeno canteiro, um pequeno jardim, e o sol radiante a sorrir-nos. É sonhar com aquilo que nos motiva e nos traz alegria. O que é que te faz feliz? Quando é que o teu coração sorri e se derrete em mimos?

Vai sempre haver quem nos julgue, quem não tenha fé, quem se recuse a sentir amor, quem não se cale quando é altura de estar em silêncio, quem fique em silêncio quando é altura de falar. Mas viver assim?

“A única segurança real na vida está em apreciar a insegurança da vida”

[The following poem is engraved on the wall of Mother Teresa's home for children in Calcutta.]

People are often unreasonable, illogical, and self-centered;
Forgive them anyway.

If you are kind,people may accuse you of selfish ulterior motives
Be kind anyway.

If you are successful, you will win some false friends and some true enemies;
Succeed anyway.

If you are honest and frank,people may cheat you;
Be honest and frank anyway.

What you spend years building,someone could destroy overnight.
Build anyway.

If you find serenity and happiness,they may be jealous;
Be happy anyway.

The good you do today,people will often forget tomorrow;
Do good anyway.

Give the world the best you have,and it may never be enough;
Give the best you’ve got anyway.

You see, in the final analysisit is between you and God;
it was never between you and them anyway

Good Day - Sun salutation

Image taken from http://ffffound.com/

"As a sign of reliability, there is nothing more powerful than the Sun, since no force on Earth (or anywhere else for that matter) can stop the Sun from rising in the morning. In a world of chaos, it is a still point of silence and calm, an assurance that there is some underlying order, some higher power that chooses to bless us and smile upon us each day. Even when clouds fill the sky the Sun is still there, waiting for an opportunity to break through the dark barrier and shine its light for us. Know that in every challenge there is an opportunity, and behind every cloud sits a sun waiting for its chance to be revealed to all."
- http://www.ata-tarot.com/resource/cards/