Cheers to Change!

I tried, during the last three years, to get out of my comfort zone as much as possible, to let go of certain attachments. This has found translation into traveling more, reaching out more to others, volunteering my time for great causes, speaking up about things touching my core values even though I was a very shy person, and... letting people know who I really am, even though they could make up distorted ideas about it: they would make up ideas anyway...!

This is how I decided to show up then, writing in social medias, saying « Okay, here’s what I figured out, and here’s what I am processing or dealing with! It’s nothing to be ashamed of, but to rather be pretty excited about! » Yes, during these last 18 months, I almost abandoned this very blog of mine, for I was everywhere, experiencing too many things, that it became almost impossible to gather myself and write about it... Facebook then seemed the best option, for I could feel okay to share only bits at a time. Intense bits, by moments, just to shake some skins, mine included! ;)

Thus, throughout these last three years where I’ve been doing this, sharing my whole Self, I’ve learned so much about myself, more than I did during the 30 years before then, in fact! Choosing to get out of my comfort zone, I experience so much of Life, more than I could ever have imagined possible. And little by little, I gain confidence. I  am learning to dive in and swim, into the harsh bottom subinertial currents that sucks us down, as in the nice waves that brings us floating atop. This can be very destabilizing, yes, for sure, but it is so much fun at the end! And oh, how rewarding! I am grateful for all these opportunities that Life gave me, and for this thing, deep inside of me, which made me grab them and wanting to ride them and learn, and change... Yes, so much Gratitude!

Here’s to the change! 
Thanks to those still reading me after all this time, I hope that I still bring you a little smile, and that we relate, somehow. 

I LOVE YOU ALL, AND I LOVE READING YOU!! 
NAMASTE

The sound of love - Everything Is Sound - Jason Mraz

I'd like to share with you this video of a singer that I love for the beautiful light that he brings in the world... 

This video goes along with my last blog post, for it is about "making things up" and other epic stuff. I warn you, though: it could make you wanna sing! And if so, well just Sing It! And why not playing it a second time while you're there, and Sing It Louder! ;)

 
My hope is that you'll go on with this melody in your heart, remembering you that you can give wings to any choice that may sound odd at first, ANYTIME!

IN-JOY, IN LOVE,
Marie-Eve
♥

Equiping my toolbox!

Here I am! Back in my country!

Looking back on my trip, I can see that it has changed the person that I am. I now have a full toolbox of very useful and special tools to play with.

In the previous post, I told you that I didn’t made it to get THE ONE TOOL I was expecting to go get there, which was the Abounding River workshop of Cafe Gratitude, but that two other ones came straight to me. Two other ones for which I didn’t have a clue about what they were -I didn't even know their existance- before they’ve been introduced to me.

So today, I want to introduce you to the first one. The Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP). What is that? NLP is still a little hard for me to explain, and it is a wide world of knowledge and of possibilities. But, in short, it would be: NLP is a way to reprogram ideas and experiences that we sorted in our head.

Funny, right? But so true! 

And this is one of the many areas where NLP can intervene and help.

Okay, let’s put it also this way: from minute to minute, we create our life, our experiences of who we are (or of who we THINK we are –because, yes, this is all made of IDEAS). Yes. You got it : WE MAKE IT ALL UP! All the time. What you’ll make for lunch and what will be your experience of it, what you’ll think of the reactions/sensations of your taste buds on each bite; or how you’ll enjoy your walk to the park and which association you’ll make of each sound you’ll ear, of each smell that you'll smell; or what will be your thoughts rising up during the conversation you’ll have this afternoon with your colleague at work and how you'll feel about those thoughts... YOU MAKE IT ALL UP!!!

How? Based on a series of other experiences that you archived in your head. But WHAT IF we could change our perception of the first experience of one of these series of experiences?! Han!! Think about this for a moment!

Now, here’s what happened for me... I DID experienced this kind of « reprogramming ». And I am telling you : it is truly powerful! It changes everything else that comes in the series after the first experiment that has been changed, with the little help of NLP sessions (I got a few sessions, always for different series of experiences, for different «problems»). I can tell you that THEN you start to have a total other perception over things that used to bother/disappoint you. But be sure of one thing : you are still making things up!! :D It's in our nature, we can't help! But you’re just doing it in a different way. :D IN A WAY THAT SERVES YOU!!

You’d like to give NLP a try? Here’s the website of my good friend Matthew, who is a Master NLP Practitioner in California. He was not MY practitioner, ‘cause we were too close friends to go through this work together (his work with me could have been directed by some personal experience we had/are having together), but I’ve seen him working with other people: Matthew is a brilliant practitioner, and I am not affraid at all to recommand him to any of you who would be interested to go this way and change things for themselves to make their experience of their life better! So if you don’t know any practitioner in your area, you can go ahead and call him: NLP sessions can totally be done BY DISTANCE, through Skype, if you have the chance to have a very good practitioner as Matthew to work with you. So, I encourage you to give this gift to yourself!  www.matthewsutherlin.com

In conclusion, here is my advice (based on very good experiences of it): Ask yourself « What would YOU like for your life? » And go ahead for a session with that. I bet you’ll be totally blown away! ;)

HAVE FUN CREATING YOUR LIFE AND YOUR EXPERIENCE OF IT!

♥

Interconnectedness - You are exactly where you are supposed to be right now

Hey! Let me share with you the last story that I made up!!

A young woman was living the most “normal” life possible (according to what she knew and to what the mass thinks). Going straight forward, head down, for what has always been taught to her. Being the exact person they all have told her to be. Until the day she came back from a travel with her family, after which she decided to change it all... She left everything behind. She took raw food classes and quit smoking. Not even noticing all the subtle changes that it brought in her mind, she once called out loud, to some divine energy, for something to happen, so to bring her to turn her head and see something else that would bring a big shift in her life. BAM! Music. Music has been her answer. The Mrazy kind. Interested, intrigued, she dug what was behind it. Superforest became her morning happy news reading, Café Gratitude a target of what she wanted to do for a living, Blend Apparel her favorite messages to wear, and so on and on. There is a complete other world this side. Nothing but yummy happy hilarious vibes.

It only is just a question of perspective. To see things from another point of view. 

The young woman opened up. She ripped off her little cocoon and stuck her head out. Hope and love for the entire universe and for every single person is the only thing she could see from this new point of view. 

The scared and cocoon person that she always used to be surprisingly decided to take a quick 12-days trip, ALONE, to Hawaii, in a country she didn’t know much of, to meet people she didn’t really knew of. She strangely and so strongly connected with those peeps, but more especially with 3 people, more than anybody else on this planet (but her brothers by blood, of course). Among 6.995 billions of people, these 3 people became the ones she now likes to call her family by soul.

After returning in her country, and changing a few more things in her way of living and being, she felt safe, but she was still half scared of the world “out there” and definitely terrified of presenting herself simply the way she is. Finding the guts to put that aside, she took another trip on. To California this time. She was supposed to be there for two weeks, and she ended up cancelling her flight back and meeting tons of interesting and nice “strangers”. Among them, she especially connects with one man. One, among thousands of them. After being around him for a little while and living a couple of days at his place, she discovers the most mind-blowing/unwrappable-thing-around-her-head. These peeps are friends! Huh!? What?!

Okay, hold on here… What, in the world, were the chances that:

1- This last (American) man went, 4 years ago, in a gathering in Mexico, and met this (American) woman (who now lives in Hawaii), with whom he connected.

2- And that this so scared young woman from Quebec, Canada decided to take two trips (with an interval of a year and a half), to two different places, and ended up to meet –and so especially connect with- these two exact peeps, one in each place she traveled to.

Tell me!! WHAT were the chances?!? The young woman is definitely still trying to wrap her head around it… 3 weeks after the discovery. :D

Now, you know what? This story is… of course, you got it: mine!! It’s MINE! Yes! :) W.O.W Doesn’t it make you feel like totally excited to know the second tome? What’s coming next?! Wow, I just can’t wait to discover, myself! I am so excited for my life!! :)

Ohh… wait, there is a postface to this first tome though…
You know the funniest part that I just learned? Roughly about a year and a half ago, she (my Hawaiian friend) sent him (my new Californian friend) an email to thank him for something he gave her at this gathering and which had changed something in her life. A year and a half ago. Think about it for a second. Where was I at that time? In Hawaii!! Was I standing just beside her when she sent out this message to him?! Ohhh, dears….! Will I ever be able to wrap my head around this whole craziest yummy story?!?

Yep! This is 2012, my friends! Everything is coming together! You’ll experience interconnectedness like never before, be assured of that. Be attentive! Fully live it! And… HAVE FUN!! Enjoy the roller coaster ride, and laugh along with the Universe! ;)

I definitely am.

LOVE AND LIGHT TO YOU, BROTHERS AND SISTERS!
Keep in mind that your life is happening NOW. And from there, have the greatest time of your life! 
Everyday.
♥

Be here now

Since the beginning of my trip, I’ve been writing to you a bit, here and there, in a book, with the intention to type it later during one of those rare moments I’m having access to an internet connection. My first entry for you in my book was on the very first day of my trip: on the plane. Since that day, everything has been uncertain, unpredictable. A roller coaster of emotions and of experiences. Today, I realize that I’ve changed so much… And today, I am thinking that this is why I lost that book, and that I am now unable to share those entries with you… Three months and a half passed by since I jumped in that plane to California. Three months and a half. WOW. One can go through so many things in such a short period of time in his life time! Come and go, and come back again in a position/state of mind/believes. It can go on and on like this many more times. And one can also rather let it all go at the end.

Life -and the human mind, certainly!- is so surprising, interesting, mind blowing.

When I moved to Sutton, I felt such a relief at first. I felt like I could totally expend my whole being and soul there. I made tons of wonderful friends, I was totally supported by an entire community of good living beings, and I was surrounded by nothing but nature. What a dream, right? But it didn’t take so long that I started to sink in some sort of lethargy… I was feeling lonelier than ever… A spark of something was missing. “No place like home is where thy heart is” and my heart was somewhere else than in the space and time where I was. That’s what was happening to me. I finally lost of my job due to the global economical situation, and there is no need really to tell you that it made my situation worst. I was wandering in vain… I decided to leave the country. My community has some friends and members in California. I decided to visit them. From there, it happened that I met even more other people. And I stayed here and there. In standard houses in town, and in tents or domes in some sustainable communities in the far far woods. Where ever I could, and whatever I could afford for. Sleeping in a tent in high mountains during the winter, you get to know people more than normally. In basic survival instinct, human being opens up radically.

After a few roller coaster rides, I started to feel really tired. Tired of fighting so hard and of kicking out like a horse held against its will, because I couldn't find myself doing what I really wanted to do, not being able to go where I thought my heart was (Hawaii). I was thinking that if was not able to make my way to there again, I would forever be wandering. But all that time, everything had always been perfect. JUST PERFECT. The barriers were there for very good reasons. One can be blinded for wanting something so bad and for being so stubborn. My heart has always been wherever I was... since it’s within me. Okay, maybe I needed to live some big experiences, and perhaps this was the way that my Self has found to help me make the scary move of going out there and reach for something else. Yes, most probably.

A phone call from Hawaii one night made me see that there was no need for fighting and that I was exactly where I was supposed to be. Suddenly, everything was coming together. What a relief. A sudden peace gained my whole being. I could trust again. And just BE. I could simply savor everything that is there. What a great feeling that is! Right away, I started to reconnect with my Self. I was excited for my life again!! Light was all around.

Ever since, opportunities keep being offered to me. I made my way to the San Francisco bay area. I ate twice in some Café Gratitude. I started to practice Kundalini yoga, and am experiencing and learning some very interesting ways of how the human being’s brain functions. SO POWERFUL. And say that I thought that my healing process, my finding of Happiness could only be possible somewhere else than right here right now…! HA! I ended up expending my community by 10. And I am leaving in 3 weeks for Costa Rica, to a permaculture community! What about that?! ;) Allow everything to happen, trust life fully, and see where it’s gonna bring you! :)

Here's for you. One of my favorite singers, who I saw on stage for the very first time here in Cali, on the great day of 11/11/11!! It was amazing!

You don’t have to be this, You don’t have to be that, now. Just BE, for eternity.
You don’t have to do this, You don’t have to do that, now. Just DO whatever happens to be.
You don’t have to think this, You don’t have to think that, now. Don’t think, but DO IT COUNSCIOUSLY.
You don’t have to love this, You don’t have to love that, now. Just LOVE, for eternity.
~ Shimshai

WITH LOVE, FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU ARE,
Marie-Eve

International Day of Peace

Brothers and sisters,
Tomorrow is the International Day of Peace. The day has been declared so by the United Nation 29 years ago.

On this day, I invite you to take some time to send out your wishes, to go out and shake hands, to take part to some action or to CREATE a spontaneous small scale event! Here's in the hope to inspire you:

I was 6 years old when this video came out. I've not seen the video before my late teenage time, but I clearly remember to have had goose bumps when I heard the song on the radio at 6, and at every time I've listened to it after that too. But for those of you who do not have any memories of this great original video, HERE'S a new version of 2011, featuring very inspiring young people.

Also, if you feel like to join an event close to your place, please check out the official website of the International Day of Peace: there will be action everywhere!

HAVE A WONDERFUL AND PEACEFUL DAY, EVERYONE!

Zero One-ing in Quebec!

Ahhhh! Just to write the title of this post gives me butterflies in my belly! My heart and my solar plexus are positively excited, and it gives me a good drive on high vibes! Here’s to enter into action like never before! Yaaaay!! Knowing that I have this place here for opening myself up to some more learnings and for growing a major part of my food -as well as knowing that this place is big enough and good enough to share some of it with others- I feel like I am the most lucky woman in the world!

Some of you may not know what Zero One is. Zero One is an intentional community, a learning space for doing permaculture, for learning from one another, for experiencing and sharing, in the goal to develop our superheroïc abilities as human beings experiencing the Oneness. This is also a very large definition of what Superforest-ing is. This first Zero One community was in Kilauea, on the magical island of Kauai, HI, and was founded by Jesse Royal Carmichael, Jackson Nash, and the most loveful couple, Mea and Augustine, who came straight from a root trip in New Zealand. I arrived there two months after they moved in themselves, and we started the first gardens. We shared much and I discovered and learned much about myself. Then many people joined the community when I left. Melissa has moved in, and Mea gave birth to Naia cat. Here’s the whole story of my trip there last year. And here’s what SuperForest (which one I previously mentioned) exactly is. This is where I got to know my friend Jackson, who also is the founder of SuperForest. Relating now? There you go! ;)

Yes, I am in there! :) Beside so many very inspiring people!

I feel an extraordinary astral link connecting me with these lovely cats living there. And the recent changes in our lives have confirmed and strengthened that feeling… What is so special is that, my friends there, and I here, we all have found our new slice of paradise at about the same time, all at about one or two weeks before having to move out. We even moved into our new homes on the same day! Just like this! Zwiz! (that’s the sound that does the magic. Ever heard it?) :D

Thus, yes, Zero One just moved to another place that is 5 times bigger, a few kilometers further, and is now called Zero One Love Garden. They have no running water, no electricity –so, plenty of time to develop real human connection!- and there again, they produce zero waste. They are planning a SuperForest Summit there for August, and I set intentions so that I can find the money to join them in this new place, hug them once again, give love and care to the gardens and fruit trees, and to meet all the other SuperForesters, so together, we can set intentions, and find out solutions and ways to take more actions for creating the world that we dream of. We share a wonderful vision, and we know that we can bring it to reality, with just a bit of help. Have I been a good seller? Yes? Join us! Keep tuned here or on superforest.org for more details about the Summit!

Haha! This post took a different turn than what I first wanted to write about!

So, after the longest introduction ever, here’s just a bit of an update about my little slice of paradise here. I moved in on May 27th, with the help of very generous new friends, who live close by. While unloading the truck, my lovely friend and new roommate, Maxime, has cooked a feast of delicious small bites for us all. What a great way to permeate our new home with the best vibes in which we’ll live! Abundance of love and of friendship, and plenty of food! How could I not be happy?

Thank you, Universe, for you gratify me with such special connections and with such pleasures! I am so grateful for you give me the chance to express my gratefulness in different ways at every day!

Since I moved in, I had very long days of hard work, but a lot of it is fun stuff too: I work on the land and on the creation of the gardens during the day and, installed on the patio at night and when it gets too hot or rainy, I work from distance for my job in Montreal. On weekends, Maxime is here with his lovely daughter, Amyela, and we have much to catch up and to do, as he’s away all week long. Friends come over for BBQ’s and for playing music in our cozy living room or around the fire camp beside the stream, at the entrance of the woodland. Now, my intentions for the weeks to come are to finish unpacking all my stuff, to improve my own little space, and to continue to make connections with all life surrounding me and to explore the woods around.

Talking about the woods… These woods are so full of life! Many types of birds live here. There are collibris, canaries, and many others. A couple of blue jays are always close around, I hear them all day long, and I see the male many times a day on my patio, but I saw the female only once. The moments that warm my heart the most are when I have one of those sweet moments of connection with the white-tailed doe who’s living in the woods around. She often crosses the property and eats young green leaves and ferns. Last week, she even has let me come at a few feet of her! Yes! I think I found the totem animal representing me!

This is it! That’s my super Zero One-ing life! If ever one of you wakes up a morning, with the feeling of being up for some adventures in Quebec, contact me! We even have an extra room to rent for travelers who want to stay for a while! You are a SuperForester of this most beautiful changing world? We want you here!

Cheers and love, everyone! BE YOU, BE BRIGHT AND COLORFUL, ENJOY THE JOURNEY! ☼

Quote Of The Day

"The only difference between an ordinary life and an extra-ordinary life is a little extra". The Extra-Ordinary Life organisation

The sound of love - Don't worry - Playing For Change

As I've recently been totally overwhelmed by many projects, work and personal matters, I had my moments of questioning and my loads of worries... But it appeared that as soon as I've let go off and clearly told to Universe "I have trust", it provided me with what I needed. Yes, at almost the very last minute, for each matter, but it has been there, and I was happy at the end! Not trying to control anything... that ain't easy! So here's to remind me.

This song effectively make me feel good vibrations through my whole body!

Yes, we all need reminders. As this one for me, to point out that it all went perfectly fine when I've finally let go off, and also for reminding me to keep having this full trust at all times. Much more is to come, and I totally feel that it will all get resolved right on due time, and not before. Everything is perfect. We will find the perfect third roommate, I will find the help that I'll need to make the gardens, and we'll find the best partners and funds we need for the creation of our great business project -for which I'll soon unveil the nature, I promise!

For now, I'm just going to relax my small muscles, aching for having packed and lifted too many boxes during the last days! I'm moving in two days!!
MAY YOU ALL HAVE A WONDERFUL EVENING!

Taking on adventures

Happy renewing, beautifuls! We are… two days after the end of the world. I just arrived in paradise. What a wonderful morning here! Yes I referred -with a large smile upon my face- to the end of the world that was predicted by a crowd of people for May 21st. Fifteen minutes ago, I had no idea that I would drop some lines about it but, being sat here, breathing that fresh and cold air, I am to realize the special moment that I am living right now and for the next –hopefully numerous- few months. I opened my eyes at around 4:30 am, hearing the nature waking up by the window that stayed opened all night. I didn’t really go back to the dream world. Nope. Something in the moment and outside of the room was too exciting. I arrived here last night, so I didn’t see the land around what will be my new home in just a couple of days. Three hours later, it was still early, and Maxime, my friend and future roommate, was still asleep. I had thought that I could wait for him to walk and discover the 5 acres land, but I just couldn’t wait any more! Because Maxime lives much closer than I, he came here a few times already, and even has started to bring some boxes in, so he knows much about the place. Until here, I had not even visited the house. I signed the bail on Maxime’s feeling and sayings, and on the 3 or 4 pictures I had seen on internet. And here I am, on this beautiful morning of May 23, 2011. Thus, not being able to go back to sleep, I jumped into my pair of jeans, put some socks and shoes on, rolled myself up in a fleecy blanket and I went outside. Flower after flower, bird song after bird song, I discovered the first acre or so. I’ll wait for Maxime to walk the rest, so he can show me the limits of the land, and not to venture onto our neighbors' property. Walking back to the front yard, I thought “there will be much more work to do than what I thought before we can have our garden”… but this won’t be for today anyway, so I decided to grab my lap top in the house, and to go back outside to have a bit of a writing moment, to see what would come up of this new flow of inspiration. Instinctively, I went straight to the limits of the cleared portion of the land. There, a small wooden bridge over a stream leads to a cooler and smelling good universe. I sat there, at the entrance of the forest to write this post. I introduce myself to this magnificent forest. Very soon, we’ll know better each other. And because we’ll be in a very close interrelation, I want to take some time, so that we can welcome one another, so that we can become acclimatized to each other. For now, lets just welcome the inspiration it brings me. Once again, I am taking a new turn onto the very exciting path of life. Since I decided to quit everything, almost 3 years ago, I am taking on new adventures over new adventures. How amazing things happen when we allow life to surprise us! I went from the suburban life to the return in the big metropolis of Montreal; to living in a very isolated but big city that we discover after driving like 5 hours in the woods; to come back in Montreal with a brand new glance over things and a new perspective on life; to now moving on the countryside, at the most south end of the province that I’ve ever lived. Yes, this little piece of paradise is located at about 15 minutes from the Vermont USA border. Here, surrounded by this green life, I wouldn’t be surprised to wake up one morning, seeing a deer on the land, or a fox playing around. I’ve been told that we can hear coyotes howling at night. Oh, if only I had a camera with me to picture this place and this moment for you! I feel that, even so I’ll be very busy, taking care of the land and of the garden, and working on some great business projects, I’ll be back on A Commitment To Shine more often. I feel totally inspired here. I feel that I’ll be utterly happy here. IT'S MY LITTLE ZERO ONE. Yes, since I arrived here last night, I kept having flashbacks of feelings I had in Kauai. I feel the two adventures very closely related. Alriiight!! I totally am ready and opened to take over this new exalting one, to learn and to process personal things through it. Wonderful Life, you’ll never cease to amaze me. YOURS IN SUCH GRATEFULNESS, Marie

Free Thank You's

Every single day, so often I thank life, a situation or someone (that I know or don't). I take just a few seconds, each time that something great happens, to send out my gratefulness. Depending on what I am doing at that precise moment, where and with who I am, I will just close my eyes, join my hands up to my front or to my heart, whatever feels good. And I cherish this special thing or someone in silent for a few second. And sometime I say it out loud (more likely when I am alone or with a pretty good friend).

By the way, I am sure that every human does it, in some way, don't you think? No matter whom he/she may be. But maybe they simply aren't always doing it consciously, so maybe not putting some intentions out to accompany the thoughts... I like to think that even the toughest people are, at times, really grateful for something. And then something great can happen... or not.

To me, one of the most important lessons is when we come to the faculty to recognise the moments and the reasons when we are truly grateful (or at the opposite, when we are really mad at something, 'cuz then we can recognise some patterns and put efforts to change them), and when we come to realise the real power of the intentions that we put into this world. THIS is a powerful learning.

I was thinking to all of this yesterday night while I was coming back home, as I was also reviewing in my little head the amazing weekend that I just had, and realising how numerous have been the moments where I've been this much happy and grateful. Then I though... why not sharing some of these moments with everyone? Yes! Let's create a new series of posts! Let's be grateful together, my friends: Free thank you's!

And my first one goes out like this:

THANK YOU LIFE, FOR PLACING SUCH BEAUTIFUL SOULS ON MY WAY, AND FOR GIVING ME THE FACULTY TO RECOGNIZE THEM. I AM SO GRATEFUL FOR THIS NEW AWAKENING YOU HAVE GRANTED ME WITH!

Wow! It feels so good to share it! Try it! If you feel like so, I invite you to share your Thank You's! How are we gonna call this series? The Gratitude Moment Of The Week? Share your thoughts, and everything else that feels good! ;)

NAMASTE
... AND AN AWESOME DAY!! :)

The spring revives the inspiration

Happy Monday, everyone!
What a beautiful day today! Over here, the sun is shining bright, after so many days snowing, then raining. All the snow banks are melting down, and something smells different in the air. The spring is right around the corner, y'all! Yaaay!!

You may think that I've been hibernating for the last 3 months or so! Well, in fact I felt exactly like the Quebec winter season has been: like a yo-yo. Some bright days, feeling somewhat energetic, and some other days made just to act like and hermit, to wrap myself up in a blanket and watch movies. This is all fine. And it is also fine if there are more of "hermit days" during the winter season. The normal daylight miss to our system, and maybe it is there to force us to slow down, to follow the nature in which we live.

But yes, I can also admit that, as I was aligning parties after parties around Christmas and the New Year I didn't have much time to write. Then it hapened that it simply didn't feel as right to be around. For a couple of months, my writing wasn't the same, but I was only half-admitting it 'cause, deep inside, I knew it would mean that it is time to take a break, what I was already feeling guilty for doing so! I loved so much and for so many months to write and to follow other blogs... how could it be possible that I need to move away from it for a while?? Is it like I am cheating, or abandoning them? Funny, right?

Yes, realising where my thoughts were going, and that blogging had become a sort of an obligation, I forced myself to stay away 'til this feeling of guiltiness (which creates the sens of obligation) goes away. Yes, you saw clear through it: it was mostly because of... The feeling of attachment. Something that I've learned to connect with (and still am!), somewhere last summer. Some people were and are there to teach me to recognise it when it is there, to question it, to understand its patterns, so that I can try to avoid or to transform it. Less deception and sadness can then occur. To learn to be someone without that exterior thing or person around. Who would I be if I would stop doing this or that? Would I be the same awesome person, being by myself? It is such an important chunck to go through!

Thus, yes, you must guess: I realised today that my feeling of guiltiness for not blogging finally went away! And the desire to write a post automatically came to me. I don't feel the obligation to do so. Only the happiness. It is a win/win kind of things. I'll be around whenever it will feel right, and it will be so just damn right! :) I thank you, Life, for bringing right on time the lessons we are good to take on. And I thank everyone, who wrote to me during this period of absence. *I also miss to read your blogs! You are real treasures!

Once again, I realise how I am closely linked to Nature's rythm. With the sun coming out more and more to us through the winter's clouds, as the sap of the trees starts to flow again, I also, am retrieving my complete energy. And crazy projects are on the way. More of permaculture, more of my raw food projects. I can't wait to tell you more... when it will feel just about right! ;)

TAKE CARE, BEAUTIFULS!
All the love,

Marie

The International Day of Awesomeness

Next week -March 10th, to be more precise- will be marked by The International Day of Awesomeness. As the tag line of the related webpage says: "No one's perfect, but everyone can be awesome". Let's bring yourself at the front line then, awesome people! Show your awesomeness! Show your superhero costume and spread the love and happiness! Yaaay!

I LOVE YOU ALL, DEAR FRIENDS, MY ENLARGED FAMILY!

Happy Everydays!

Happy Sunday, beautifuls!

I hope that each of you is having the most wonderful Holidays ever, and is spending a great time with your loved ones, family and friends. Persuing in the same tone than how has been this entire year of 2010, something is changing a lot for me in my perception of Christmas. I never felt this much disconnected to this huge tradition, but never had such a great time and feeling this much well surrounded and loved.

I am going through it in the opposite way that I've ever been. I did not even put a foot in a mall or a shop. I've always been a giver type. I've always had so much pleasure to give gifts, way more than to receive one. But this year, I did not give any, and I haven't receive any either. But I realise that I gave and received way much more than ever before.

Nothing as been done in the traditionnal way. No turkey, no meat pie, no meatball and pigs' feet stew, and no sweet pickled onions and gherkins. Dressed as I am everyday, wearing no makeup, just as everyday, I found myself surrounded with lovely and simple people, all friends, from old times and brand new ones also. No one have had the trouble to cook for days and being stressed out to create the ONE BIG reception. Each party that I took part at, was from the same formula: potluck style. Everyone bring a meal and a drink to share, some bring a game to play, others bring a music instrument. And the night takes different turns, as the time goes by and as we are enjoying each other and the special moment.

Yep, I see that you noticed: it is all about SHARING. Sharing food, sharing drinks, sharing laughts and stories, and hugs. Looking at this celebration time with these new eyes, I see that everyday should be Christmas. Everyday should be a celebration and an occasion to share with friends and family. Material gifts last for a certain time, but great moments with closer friends, will add a plus value to our life, in one way or another, that will last forever, since it becomes a part of you. Thus, I officially rename this time of year: from now on, I won't wish Happy Holidays to anyone, but Happy EVERYDAYS! YES! :D

Yesterday night, I had no plans for today. And this morning I went outside to have a breakfast with a friend, and tonight we are going to another friend's place for another potluck and playing an hawaiian board game. Tomorrow? That is another day, and we'll see when we'll be there. The door is wide open for anything to happen. The way that I am now allowing me to look at this freedom feels so good! Make place for surprises and uncertainty into your life. And breathe.
And smile, 'cause life is so truely wonderful!

Sending you much love and happy vibes. May you all have the most astonishing last week of the year EVER!

YOU ARE INCREDIBLY BEAUTIFUL BEINGS. DON'T STOP TO SHARE YOUR SELF WITH THE WORLD! ♥

Quote of the day

“A man can be as great as he wants to be. If you believe in yourself and have the courage, the determination, the dedication, the competitive drive and if you are willing to sacrifice the little things in life and pay the price for the things that are worthwhile, it can be done.” Vince Lombardi