For those of you who don't know, I volunteer for the Tara Stitchting Foundation,based in Holland, that works to provide help to the needy in India, Nepal and Tibet. We're currently working on 4 major projects.Sponsoring monks and nuns is only a part of what the foundation does. It also provides funding for building schools and bringing an education to the destitute; who would otherwise have no opportunities in life. It also helps to raise funds to provide food for those who have very little or none. I'm busy revamping the website at the moment but here's the old link and one of our latest videos:
http://www.tara-stichting.com
Friday, 23 October 2009
Wednesday, 7 October 2009
Monday, 28 September 2009
Back from Nepal
It’s been a while I know… but I do have a good excuse. I spent 7 weeks away from modern technology. Now, although sometimes it was frustrating, most of the time it was absolute bliss!
Just for the record, I spent 6 weeks in what I can only describe as the magical, mystical and spiritual country of Nepal. The country and the people captured my heart.
I spent 5 weeks at Kopan Monastery on the outskirts of Kathmandu. More or less, 4 of those weeks were spent in retreat. One week was spent volunteering in the clinic in Kopan Nunnery. Finally, I spent 5 days in Lakeside near Pokhara, where I had the opportunity to visit a beautiful Tibetan family in Hengja refugee camp.
The whole trip was a heart wrenching and heart warming experience (to say the least.)
Never before has my heart and soul been opened so much in one singular place. Never before have I encountered so much warmth and love from so many beautiful people. I look at the amount of suffering and poverty in Nepal and yet, I see hope for the future.
Only 30% of the total population of Nepal is employed. Poverty is a common thing. People live below the poverty line. However, people who can help, give what they can; not with indifference or embarrassment but with the genuine desire to help. Whether it’s with a hand full of rice, a bottle of water or a few rupees; each person helps in their own way.
The army’s presence is strong; a reminder to us all of the restless times we live in. Yet, countless faceless, nameless people from both the East and the West spin Dharma wheels and pray in hope of peace.
The blind are led, the hungry are fed, the elderly and the unmarried are taken care of. The departed are remembered by communities who gather to commemorate. People come together to help people and not just in times of crisis.
Kopan Monastery, where I stayed, uses wisely the donations given to it in order to give refuge to numerous Tibetans who go unrecognised by the Nepali government, and who can no longer go home. Some monks haven’t seen their families, in Tibet, for over ten years.
They empower their nuns by offering them degrees in Philosophy. Nepali families who can’t afford to support their children send them to the nunnery or the monastery. Westerners come from all corners of the world to seek retreat.
Nobody is turned away. Everyone is welcome; regardless of race, colour, belief or background. You instantly feel the warmth and love when you see the sign on the entrance floor saying: “Welcome Home.”
If anyone wants to see the first batch of phootographs from my trip, they’re available at:
www.flickr.com/venerina or
www.facebook.com/venerina
Just for the record, I spent 6 weeks in what I can only describe as the magical, mystical and spiritual country of Nepal. The country and the people captured my heart.
I spent 5 weeks at Kopan Monastery on the outskirts of Kathmandu. More or less, 4 of those weeks were spent in retreat. One week was spent volunteering in the clinic in Kopan Nunnery. Finally, I spent 5 days in Lakeside near Pokhara, where I had the opportunity to visit a beautiful Tibetan family in Hengja refugee camp.
The whole trip was a heart wrenching and heart warming experience (to say the least.)
Never before has my heart and soul been opened so much in one singular place. Never before have I encountered so much warmth and love from so many beautiful people. I look at the amount of suffering and poverty in Nepal and yet, I see hope for the future.
Only 30% of the total population of Nepal is employed. Poverty is a common thing. People live below the poverty line. However, people who can help, give what they can; not with indifference or embarrassment but with the genuine desire to help. Whether it’s with a hand full of rice, a bottle of water or a few rupees; each person helps in their own way.
The army’s presence is strong; a reminder to us all of the restless times we live in. Yet, countless faceless, nameless people from both the East and the West spin Dharma wheels and pray in hope of peace.
The blind are led, the hungry are fed, the elderly and the unmarried are taken care of. The departed are remembered by communities who gather to commemorate. People come together to help people and not just in times of crisis.
Kopan Monastery, where I stayed, uses wisely the donations given to it in order to give refuge to numerous Tibetans who go unrecognised by the Nepali government, and who can no longer go home. Some monks haven’t seen their families, in Tibet, for over ten years.
They empower their nuns by offering them degrees in Philosophy. Nepali families who can’t afford to support their children send them to the nunnery or the monastery. Westerners come from all corners of the world to seek retreat.
Nobody is turned away. Everyone is welcome; regardless of race, colour, belief or background. You instantly feel the warmth and love when you see the sign on the entrance floor saying: “Welcome Home.”
If anyone wants to see the first batch of phootographs from my trip, they’re available at:
www.flickr.com/venerina or
www.facebook.com/venerina
Tuesday, 30 June 2009
2010 Calendars!
Well folks,
Those of you who know me well enough, know how much I love to dabble in photography. I don't consider myself any good at it but ... I have a good time trying and it's fun! Over the last few weeks a lot of you have nagged me about doing something worthwhile with my photos ... so ... I have ...
Three new 2010 calendars are ready and available online:
The Flower Collection:
The Sea-Scape
The Sunset Collection
Those of you who know me well enough, know how much I love to dabble in photography. I don't consider myself any good at it but ... I have a good time trying and it's fun! Over the last few weeks a lot of you have nagged me about doing something worthwhile with my photos ... so ... I have ...
Three new 2010 calendars are ready and available online:
The Flower Collection:
The Sea-Scape
The Sunset Collection
Thursday, 25 June 2009
Who am I? (Part 1)
Who am I? – It’s such a simple question.
Yet, most people have great difficulty answering it.
Most people reply to the question who am I? with the labels they have acquired throughout their lifetime.
They primarily identify themselves with the roles they play in relationship to others. They use definitions like: I’m a father. I’m a sister. I’m a mother. I’m John’s friend, I’m an uncle. I’m a wife.
They define themselves in accordance with the role they play in society; i.e. the job or vocation they have; I’m a writer. I’m a barman. I’m a secretary. I’m a fireman.
They describe their current status with phrases like: I’m unemployed. I have a job. I’m a student. I’m a stay at home mum. I’m a struggling artist. I’m successful, I’m poor and so on. They adhere to a cultural group by saying: I’m Italian, I’m British, I’m Arabic, I’m German, I’m Chinese and so on.
They may even go on to explain their environmental backgrounds by saying: I live in London. I live in Paris. I lived in the United States when I was younger. I spent a lot of time in the Middle East. I have travelled to Egypt and Cyprus or wherever. They define what religious or spiritual sect they belong to by saying I’m a Catholic, I’m Jewish, I’m a Muslim, I’m a Buddhist, I’m a spiritualist.
By listing items such as those mentioned above, people are consciously or subconsciously recognising how important these factors are in describing who they are. Yet, they are nothing more than labels.
Aside from these labels, people also use descriptive qualities to define themselves. They list characteristics of their personality like: I’m a happy person. I have a nervous disposition. I’m not assertive enough. I’m introvert. I’m extrovert. I’m very patient. They list physiological aspects of themselves such as: I’m unattractive. I’m overweight. I’m pretty. I’m tall. I’m short. I have long hair. I have green eyes.
They list their behavioural qualities like: I’m organised, I’m unorganised, I’m untidy and so on. They may even add what pleases them like: I enjoy walking. I collect stamps. I go to the beach every weekend. I like the sea. Similarly, they may express what displeases them like I hate the cold. I never go to the beach. I don’t like queuing.
Whatever descriptions and labels are used, they only define a person according to their beliefs about who they think they are.
These beliefs are based on years of accumulated experiences and learning, environmental and societal influences. They come from an accepted understanding of the individuals’ capabilities, limitations, likes and dislikes.
Yet, most of the time, these beliefs are the product of how we think we are or how we think others see us.
(Extracted from: The Power to Heal is Yours - Be your best friend, not your worst enemy - A Practical Guide to Self-Transformation by Venerina Conti)
Copyright protected
Yet, most people have great difficulty answering it.
Most people reply to the question who am I? with the labels they have acquired throughout their lifetime.
They primarily identify themselves with the roles they play in relationship to others. They use definitions like: I’m a father. I’m a sister. I’m a mother. I’m John’s friend, I’m an uncle. I’m a wife.
They define themselves in accordance with the role they play in society; i.e. the job or vocation they have; I’m a writer. I’m a barman. I’m a secretary. I’m a fireman.
They describe their current status with phrases like: I’m unemployed. I have a job. I’m a student. I’m a stay at home mum. I’m a struggling artist. I’m successful, I’m poor and so on. They adhere to a cultural group by saying: I’m Italian, I’m British, I’m Arabic, I’m German, I’m Chinese and so on.
They may even go on to explain their environmental backgrounds by saying: I live in London. I live in Paris. I lived in the United States when I was younger. I spent a lot of time in the Middle East. I have travelled to Egypt and Cyprus or wherever. They define what religious or spiritual sect they belong to by saying I’m a Catholic, I’m Jewish, I’m a Muslim, I’m a Buddhist, I’m a spiritualist.
By listing items such as those mentioned above, people are consciously or subconsciously recognising how important these factors are in describing who they are. Yet, they are nothing more than labels.
Aside from these labels, people also use descriptive qualities to define themselves. They list characteristics of their personality like: I’m a happy person. I have a nervous disposition. I’m not assertive enough. I’m introvert. I’m extrovert. I’m very patient. They list physiological aspects of themselves such as: I’m unattractive. I’m overweight. I’m pretty. I’m tall. I’m short. I have long hair. I have green eyes.
They list their behavioural qualities like: I’m organised, I’m unorganised, I’m untidy and so on. They may even add what pleases them like: I enjoy walking. I collect stamps. I go to the beach every weekend. I like the sea. Similarly, they may express what displeases them like I hate the cold. I never go to the beach. I don’t like queuing.
Whatever descriptions and labels are used, they only define a person according to their beliefs about who they think they are.
These beliefs are based on years of accumulated experiences and learning, environmental and societal influences. They come from an accepted understanding of the individuals’ capabilities, limitations, likes and dislikes.
Yet, most of the time, these beliefs are the product of how we think we are or how we think others see us.
(Extracted from: The Power to Heal is Yours - Be your best friend, not your worst enemy - A Practical Guide to Self-Transformation by Venerina Conti)
Copyright protected
Monday, 27 October 2008
Rose Quartz
Hello everyone and welcome to my new posts on Holistic Health. I have received so many enquiries about gemstones, oils and Holistic home remedies, I decided to start writing about them here.
As some of you may know, I am in the process of writing a book about crystals and oils and how they can be used safely in the home. However, it may be a while before it’s fully finished as my time has to be shared elsewhere.
I will use this space to introduce you to a wide variety of crystals and oils, their uses and purposes, where you can find them and how to maintain them. I hope you find this information to be helpful and if you have any questions, you know you can email me.
The first crystal I want to introduce you to is Rose Quartz. It’s one of my personal favourites. As the name suggests, Rose Quartz is a delicate rose/pink colour. However, there are varieties available that can be slightly darker or lighter shades of pink. It depends on where the gemstone comes from, how it was farmed etc.
Rose Quartz is a beautiful stone. It derives from Brazil, the USA and certain areas of India. It is associated with the heart chakra and signifies unconditional love.
In healing, Rose Quartz is used to release pain and let it go. By thus doing, it soothes emotional and physical stress. It clears away anger and brings inner peace to the user. It can be worn as jewellery. In fact, there are many items such as necklaces, bracelet and earrings made with Rose Quartz.
If you keep a piece of Rose Quartz by the bed, it can help to promote better sleep. Alternatively, you an keep a piece of Rose Quartz somewhere around the home to bring peace and well-being to your environment.
Our partners, VC Designs also make hanging angels with Rose Quartz, which can be hung on windows, over cribs or on a Christmas tree. They re very delicate and very beautiful to look at. They also make nice, affordable gifts to give your friends.
Rose Quartz properties
Colour - Rose
Predominant Chakra - The Heart
Benefits:
• Opens the heart at all levels to unconditional love and infinite peace
• Teaches the true essence of love
• Deep inner healing and self love
• Restores trust and harmony
• Calming, reassuring and good for use in trauma or crisis
• Strengthens empathy and sensitivity
• Aids acceptance of necessary change
• Good for mid life crisis
• Enhances positive affirmations
• Finest healer
• Soothes pain and heals deprivation
• Comforts your grief
• Teaches you to love yourself
• Balances Ying/Yang
• Soothes burns and blistering
• Smoothes the complexion
• Soothes burns
Organs/Systems
• Strengthens the physical heart
• Circulatory systems
• Chest and lungs
• Heals the kidneys and adrenals
• Increases fertility
• Helpful in Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and senile dementia
If you want a truly peaceful experience, try meditating with this crystal. Your Rose Quartz crystal can be cleansed by running under water until you feel in your inner self that it is free from all outside influences. Place it in direct sunlight to let it dry and re-charge. You can leave it there for a couple of hours.
To purchase one of the VCDesigns Rose Quartz Angels, please send an email to:
info@vcdesigns.net
Tuesday, 5 August 2008
Free Tibet Skype Group
The Olympics are about to begin. Please join me in an online discussion forum for the Free Tibet Campaign.
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