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!

♥

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

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! ♥

From Me to We

Hello, pals!

It is a cold Tuesday afternoon, and I am sit back and very relax, enjoying a thoughtful moment about life and changes.

I was thinking this morning "How the hell have I achieved this? How is it that I now have so many and nice friends that I even never met, and which are spreaded all around the world?"

My journey here with you all started in a pretty simple way. I've been utterly inspired by others, and I wished to transfer this inspiration, this positivity, to others. All of this rapidly evolved into more personnal shares, and the contact with some of you has been natural and easy. We are all interconnected. It is like a small community.

With just a simple step -although not the easiest one to do, I admit: I've juggled for a long moment before doing so!- I went from my own boring little life to the exciting life that we all live together. From Me to We.



Each day, this choice that I made makes more and more sense. Things get more and more speeded up, and I meet more and more amazing cats. And, to each new one that I meet, I think "Ohhh! This is why I made that step! Thanks for this gift, Life!"

This journey, this step that I made about 8 months ago, brought me to recently discover the amazing Community of Permaculture in Montreal. I immediately wanted to get involved. With all those classes that I attend to, and the bit of help that I bring, I've never been this much busy, but neither this much full of hope. I am experiencing very high vibes right now. Once more, it is all about "from Me to We".

I am happy. And since you and I are WE, I hope you can feel this happiness as well!

Have an amazing day, my dear friends!
NAMASTE

*By the way, do you know what means this beautiful word Namaste? It means so much and is very powerful. It says "I recognise the power that is within yourself". Or, according to Wikipedia: "I honor the place in you in which the entire Universe dwells, I honor the place in you which is of Love, of Integrity, of Wisdom and of Peace. When you are in that place in you, and I am in that place in me, we are One."

Be inspired and beautiful!

Expressive ME

I have that fantastic CD of The Makepeace Brothers, for which I can't help but feeling AT the concert and sing, and cheer, and laugh, and answer... And there is this part that I LOVE and take part to, everytime. It's their game "Would You Rather"...

... "to carry, anywhere I go, a glass jar with someone's head inside... or rather wear wet underwears all the freakin' time?"... Laughing at it every time, walking alone on the street with earsets on, and still find myself wondering which one I would rather. I think I would have questions to ask these guys before taking my decision. Would that head still be animated? I mean... Would I be able to have like... really interresting discussions and laugh with my glass jar (or with the head, admittedly)? And these underwears... I suppose they would sometime get dry, no? Or... are they self-watering or something?? :D

Haha! I always have tons of images coming by. And it's written on my face, indeed. I have one of those super expressive faces sometimes... Maybe that's why people give me those eyes on the street?! Ha! Images. Do they see those images on my face? Oups...! :D

Aahhhh! Thank you for providing me so much joy, dearest LRC Live In San Diego CD!

For you, dearest readers, here are the funny dudes. Enjoy their lovely crazyness!



Yes, Peter, this is where I got that happy habit and inspiration!

And yes, y'all, it happens that I have a friend named Peter (well, he's Pierre, but I like to call him Peterrr. And he has nothing in common with that deer, except that he is awesome too), with who I often do that thing of giving to Mother Nature a snack!

And here's the last Flipisode that I found from them.



Ha! You know why I am having so much fun sharing this with you tonight? I wrote the entire post yesterday night, but I wanted to re-read and correct it before to publish it, but it was pretty late and decided to wait... And when I came back from work today, I got a message saying that The Makepeace Brothers were requesting for the help of their supporters and fans to complete and launch their new album. How to refuse it!? I love their music and I want it to be spreaded all around the world, to any who is ready to listen to those words of love! Check this out, my friends!

http://www.indiegogo.com/makepeacebrothers

And if you liked all of what you hear and see through all the links in this post, why not contributing? You'll receive the CD anyways, it is the exact same thing than buying the album, and you'll even get more for your money! Sounds fair enough to me! ;)

On this, have an awesome weekend everyone, and let your cute little face being expressive!
LOVE AND WHISTLES!

Awesomeness

An unmeasurable amount of awesomenimity something can produce. Yesterday has been one more of these awe day, with a series of surprises happening. What an incredible week! Although the sky was grey outside, I was shining by the inside. "YEAH YOU CAN TURN OFF THE SUN, BUT I'M STILL GONNA SHINE" is the resounding mrazy quote that is coming to my mind while I am writing this present post. I am grateful for... For news that came in, of an old friend that I didn't see for years, but whom I care so much for. I am happy to know that him and his lovely family are happy and thankful for what they are living.
For life, that has totally astonished me with another news coming in and utterly blowing my mind. Ha! I am still to put all the pieces back in place and to find the way to respond to this one. And for... My very first meet with my seven weeks old nephew. I know... For not having made it to visit them since the youngest is born, is something for which I was feeling sad and guilty... These are the rare occasions where I feel really frustrated for not driving. But yesterday night, the situation has been resolved! Thanks, they were in town! Thus, I joined them for a sushi diner, met little angel Noah, and played with his sister, my beloved 15 months old niece. This little girl turns my heart into gelly, though! This was wonderfully ending the week, and I definitely enjoyed it. Here is my way to express all my love and gratitude to this moment I've got with them:

THANK YOU, LIFE! YOU ARE AWESOME IN YOUR AWESOMENESS!

Yep! You're an unmeasurable amount of awesomenimity. Infinite abundance is unmeasurable, right? Ha! :)
WHISHING YOU ALL THE AWESOMENESS OF THE WORLD! ♥

Dona Nobis Pacem

Hey there, fellow humans of my heart!

Today is the BlogBlast For Peace 2010, a very special day where bloggers from all around the world are thinking and blogging about PEACE. BlogBlast For Peace is an annual event launched by Mimi Lenox in 2006, with her own pledge for peace. This year, up to 50 countries and more than 300 bloggers are participating.

I missed the worldwide blogging day about WATER, ‘cause I wasn’t aware of that type of event. But now, I have no excuses, and I am definitely jumping into this with a wide smile and so much pleasure!

There is no doubt, I feel extremely lucky and blessed to live in such a peaceful country. I can walk in the streets with my earpieces in and enjoy good music without fear of getting surprised by a man thirsting for revenge because one has taken everything of him. And I can go to bed in peace and dream all night long because I am not afraid that my neighborhood and my home will be burnt and destroyed. A bomb will not explode. I am not only lucky that I can barely imagine how it could feel, but I also am because I will never live it.

Today, I have a special thought for those who work at this very moment in some countries facing with serious conflicts and who give their lives to bring some happiness to people in need. Here is a very simple montage I made so that I can see this peace that I am dreaming of, without having to close my eyes.

PEACE. A MIX OF GOOD MANNERS, LOVE AND COMPASSION, ALL OMNIPRESENTS.

I wish the day will come that people from all around this beautiful globe will put aside all of their differences. Their beliefs, their political and religious affiliations. Put it all aside -or no, better: embrace each other’s differences- and walk hand in hand. I can see it in my dreams. It is right there, at only one step to where we are all standing right now.

Here is my hand, take it. I want to bring you into my dream. Can you see it? I know your heart is beating to make it real. Let’s radiate that love we have inside, and let’s us create this world free of conflicts we are all dreaming of.

And since love is necessary for peace, let me share once more with you this awesome video that I never have enough of!

Yaaay! Blog for peace today, you still have time for! Much love to you all!
DONA NOBIS PACEM. GRANT US PEACE.
ॐ

Little surprises of life

Who doesn’t like surprises?
Yesterday, life granted me so many small but so nice surprises! And right now, after writting these first lines, I am realizing that each of these little sources of joy are all related to the same superforesty troup. Ha! Is it a wink, wonderful life? Hummm!… You never cease to amaze me. And for this, I am experiencing such an happy life! Thankful.

Not wanting to stretch this post for too long, let's simply say that many surprises come from followers on Jason Mraz’s blog. I don’t comment often there, and I don’t know why, after I did yesterday, I checked that little box to follow up the comments (which I never do on that blog, or my email box get full as fast as a snap of the fingers)… Don’t know why? Really? Ha! Of course I do know by now! That was to get all the little surprises I have had afterward! It brought me to be aware of so great things that are coming up within the next ten days. GREAT stuff, really! I’ll share those with you in future posts, I promise! I just want to give you time to be intrigued a little (…and to give me time to write about!). Thus, yes, through all this, I've also shared much with some of these concious and cool cats.

Then, after these exciting discoveries, before to go to bed, I got a superforesty email, and… TADAM!! My roomate brought me a letter that I received from Los Angeles. Coming in more than 6 months after I’ve sent mine out to give my deepest thanks. Wow! Was I expecting this?!? It has put such a big smile on my face and I slept so well! :)

And then this special receiving reminded me of something that I forgot to share with you many months ago.

What do you think about handwritten letters? Have you sent one out during these 10 past months? Most of us don’t take the time anymore, to send a personalized handwritten letter, rather than a little note proceeding through internet, with a common font… My opinion is that if it is well done (using 100% recycled paper, and putting all of your heart to do so) and not too often, well… why not? This will make at least two people to smile and to feel worthy. Thus, once or twice a year, I send a nice letter to a special someone of my choice. And this year, I’ve found a way to do so in a much greener way. I thought I could share it with you. This year, send out your green homemade Christmas card into one of these envelop, and have more space to write what’s going on with you! Enjoy!



I am sorry for the pretty bad quality of my video. I was simply feeling like to do it tonight, rather than waiting any longer, until I can borrow a friend's video camera... Hope you enjoyed it anyway! I'll make it to redo it soon for you.

Good night! Sleep well! And be attentive to the little surprises.
NAMASTE

Be bold. Be colorful.

Yaaay! I hope that you all have had so much fun for the Halloween! I had! Yes, so much, in fact! I admit that, my peeps and I, have lost the real tradition of Halloween, and simply see in it a very good reason for partying and be silly, completely silly. Thus, on the program have been: a yummy raw food potluck with friends ('cause we all need some strenght to make the fiesta!), then partying, dancing like crazies and playing music all night long (or so!).

And -WOW!- This year preparations of my costume have been so fun! This was the first time I was making my own design on a t-shirt. I had such a good time painting my "Raibow / Growing Love" t-shirt! What do you think? Nice job, right? :D

There we go! The Raibow-Love girl, in her takeoff
to go slide on her rainbow of little happiness!

I did so well that for sure it won't stay as my Halloween "costume"! I'll wear it on the street anytime! Okay, maybe not with my face painted and these little tinkerings in my hair...! But still, this makes me want to be more colorful all year long! ;)

My inspiration has been THE LOVE, growing and growing, and becoming something as magical and bright as rainbows are (you can take this as another confidence: my last summer experiments left me little gaga about rainbows, though!). And, to finish it all, other sources of inspiration came from a post on Jason Mraz's blog with him and SuperForester Jon being superheroes (back to a few months ago), and from their friend's song Hero (one of my favorite ever, all categories and singers together). Thus, I became one also: the "Rainbow Lady, came here to grow the love"! Why not! Be silly, is that what I said? Ha! And I think I should push further and suggest my design to the Rainbow Family! But then I will possibly have to provide a good productivity... Can I do this? Do I want to do this? Huummmm... Let's sleep on it!

And let's show you one more pic: I took this one especially for you! The "Rainbow-Love" girl, sending you kisses from her 80's Vuarnet-Pink kitchen!

Aside note: when my roomate and I moved into this appartment, we automatically said: "This is the first thing that will be repainted!"... and as we are very good procratinators, we haven't repainted any room yet (not honoring our design profession at all!), and I even get used to this pink! And it gives hallucinations to people visiting us! haha
GOOD NIGHT EVERYONE! WISHING YOU A LOVELY MONTH OF NOVEMBER!

Quote Of The Day

Good morning, sunshines!
I woke up this morning... and just stayed in bed like I absolutely love to do on every morning on weekends! Savoring the begining of a brand new day (and a totally-free-of-time-day!). I've never have been able to understand people that are just freaking out badly when they have free time in their hands (like: "Oh no! What the heck am I gonna do? I have to go to work!"). I am definitely not one of those, praying during the whole weekend so that Monday comes back quickly, or being alone at the office -by choice- on the weekends, working like a crazy 'cuz this is my confort zone. Nope, this is not mine!

Thus, I stayed in bed dreaming, eyes wide open, rethinking the whole world. My own little paradise, in which all of you are with me. And happy and smily, this makes me be! Once my vision is satisfying enough, then I kick myself out of the bed, well start the day and do something that will get me closer to this vision! Oh, don't get me wrong, I am not different than anybody: I also have those super lazy days sometimes! But then I blog a little positive something, which is another way to bring some good changes. Don't you think?

And right now, I make myself smiling, 'cause I realize how easily I can always get away from my main subject! What I want to share with you is that this morning, during this savouring moment that I've given myself, I rolled over myself and I extended my arm to grab a little book that I just received in present. It's a pocket book of optimistic quotes. It's a french translated version of A Thousand Paths to Long Life. The principle is that you randomly pick a page and read a quote. As simple and lovely as it is!

And this made me feel like to add a new series of post to A Commitment To Shine! This will take a pretty short form: just the quote itself. Ha! This one will be easy! But it will speak much and make you smile. How does it sounds to you?

Okay, even if the form is different (much longer, though!) let start it right now with this very first QOTD:

"Enjoyment is accessible here and now. Let yourself be guided by your heart". Anonymous

HAVE A WONDERFUL DAY, MY FRIENDS!

A SuperMrazy show!

So! Since many of you are readers of the amazing blog that is SuperForest, I think that, by now, many already have an idea of how intensively vibrant must have been my last Tuesday, right? I was so eager to share this with you! But you understand that there was no way I would have stolen the punch that was to come up there!

So now watch out: this will probably be the longest post I will ever write! 'Cause I have not one, but two great things to write about: my first meet up with the incredible SuperForester Heather, and my very first attendance to a Jason Mraz concert. And guess what: both on the same day! Yeah! I know! I've been totally overwhelmed all day long! And to top this all, we have been so kindly greeted by the people who are great sources of inspiration for us!

Now, come on and jump on board, I'll try to bring you back into my shoes and be your tour guide for that day!

Let's start it this way: I woke up on Tuesday morning with a smile upon my face... so just as every morning... but with the slight difference that this time, it just stayed sat there all day long, like in a facial cramp! I am sure you got the picture though!

I should probably say that less than 125 miles are separating Heather and I, and since we both live in somewhat important cities, it is easy to travel between both, using public transportations. Thus, because I do not drive, I've jumped in the bus linking Montreal to Ottawa. And during the ride, guess what I have been doing? Listening to some Mraz Music, of course! Sounded so appropriate, right? Well, it would have been hard to make it differently, since his last cd (along with The Makepeace Brothers LRC cd and some indian chantings) is the only music that I've transfered into my MP3 player, to always accompany me wherever I go! The excitment for what was to come, plus the music I was listening to, and the few pages of the first chapter of the book I've just started to read, made the two hours and a half bus ride passed pretty fast! By the way, when I'll be done with that book (The Prospering Power Of Love) I will definitely have to tell you more about it. This book -that has recently been given to me with a whole bunch of similar ones- was the best thing to start to read to vibrate the lyrics during the concert! But for now, let's just go back to my trip to Ottawa, okay?

So! I've got off the bus on the lunch time in a Ottawa shining bright under a wonderful sun. Yeah! So sunny it was! Well, how else could have been that incredible day, right?! The radiant Jason Mraz was in town! And along with Miss Joyfulness in person, a.k.a Tricia Huffman! That day was starting so well! I then joined a super smily SuperForester Heather (although she was a little sick). The connexion has been immediate, so easy and natural! She was absolutely as rad as I was expecting she would be! By the way, I must declare how grateful I am to get to know so many utterly amazing beings since last spring! Life is infinitely generous, and I thank her everyday for that!

Here we are! In the excitement of the last minutes
of waiting before the party starts!

Together, we headed off to Kanata town center, where we spent a part of the afternoon and the evening. We enjoyed the beautiful sunny day by sitting on the grass and having great talks about amazing things in life, and by walking (a lot!) around, and -YES!- by briefly meet the inspiring superforesty singer and activist Jason Mraz AND the as inspiring joyologist Tricia, who so kindly gave us some of her time to tell us more about how she is living it, being on tour.

I want to warmly thank once more the so lovely and generous souls found in miss Tricia and in Jason Mraz! The excitement of the moment (and my brain already exhausted for having talked so much of english during the last few hours), simply had locked my mouth. And today I can simply bite my fingers for not having expressed to SuperForester Jason my high regards for his pretty intense commitment to every forms of life, and all my gratitude to the person who gave me the greatest gift possible, which was to turn my head onto the real essence of life. Although I am sure my whole self shone the feeling, I should have hug and properly say thanks. I can say that, once more, I didn't followed the rule of Never let my mind to stop me from having a good time! Well, I shall now thank the life for giving me this lesson and reminder that will be stuck with me for a long time!

What else?...
haha! I know, I know, you can't wait to know about the CONCERT! You've been so patient! Thank you! And, as you all expected: it was totally AWESOME!!! My ears, my heart, my whole self and soul were listening to the caress of the loveful lyrics and music, and dancing on a prayer to the whole universe to feel and hear the call for a loveful and peaceful universal family to unify and care into saving and loving what is there for us! Ahhh, how I would have loved this concert to continue to party, karamu, fiesta all night long! haha

The only (kind of) shadow on the lovely day was to realize that only a minority of Jason Mraz's fans present there seemed to have fully understood and integrated his message... As SuperForester Heather already said in her post, the plastic bottles all over the place were an important reminder for the emergency to find solutions and, of course, to continue to put efforts to aware people even more...

That's about it, my friends! I hope you enjoyed the little story of my day! For those who haven't read SuperForester Heather's post yet, you can easily remedy the situation by clicking HERE!

Sending you a part of the bliss, which my bateries have been fulfilled with by the groovy concert!
MAY YOU HAVE AN HAPPY AND BRIGHT DAY! ☼

It's time for some Quebec music!

Happy Monday everyone!

I did not really intend to narrate you each of my weekend... But it seems that I can't help but to do so! 'Cause I am too lucky and they are too extraordinary! Haha

Seriously, I came up wanting to share with you what will come next because of the great evening I got last saturday, to picnic with some friends in the park. After having joined our hands before starting to share the yummy things we all had brought, one of my friend asked: "Hey, don't you feel like, each in turn, to report a beautiful moment of our week?" Then we have been discussing for a long moment about nice things. The just-so-perfect question! But we had to put a limitation to the current week ('cause we would still be there talking at this time!), and I couldn't help but to think about a moment I had the weekend before, so let me share it now, with you all!

Back to a bit more than a week, I went to a fest called La Fête Bières & Saveurs with some very cool cats. The event -that promotes the flavors of local produces, such as beers, cheeses and grilled meats- is settled down every year in a very beautiful park, on the historical site of the Fort Chambly, on the edge of the Richelieu River. There, I got a few of great moments, as to connect with really amazing people, and to taste delicious food and liquids. Then, what a surprise to see a friend of us playing with his band!

I'd like to share their music with you. They are called Écho Kalypso, and I must warn you: you'll be groovin' on and demanding for more, 'cuz they are awesome!

I told you! Yes? Now, I highly recommend that you go on their MySpace and discover some more from them. I really enjoy Citoyen and Olan, both commited songs.

Echo Kalypso: Where was I for never having seen this amazing video? You really should make some others! It is of such quality! Thank you, guys for your music, that has added so much to the great time we all have had that weekend! And what a frantic moment we had with that incredibly beautiful rainbow coming out while you were singing your last song! Yep! A DOUBLE RAINBOW, my friends!! And it turned so bright for a moment! I was sooo feeling like in that famous Youtube video that has been seen all over the world! Aahhh, so moving! :)

Okay, now let's end that post by sharing with you which are the beers I've tasted there! Remember they were some of the products in the spotlight of this fest... Thus, booth after booth, we discovered new beers made by some Quebec's carft breweries. I've had three (which is way enough for my small shape!):

• Saison No.6, a white beer with lavender brewed by Boquébière.
• El Lapino, a very delicious (and spicy!) blond beer with jalapenos, brewed by Microbrasserie du Lièvre. I already knew them for their Ginger Beer (which is my favorite beer, along with La Chi Orientale -an unfiltered white beer brewed from barley, wheat and rice, flavored with ginger, citrus and citronella- this one brewed by Brasseurs de Montréal.
• Brune Au Miel, a beer with organic honey and caramel, also brewed by Microbrasserie du Lièvre.

I've been very pleased with all of the choices I made! Quebec brews beer of a really great quality!

If you are one of my fellow citizen and you've never been to this festival yet, well you really should go! And if you are living in another beautiful part of the world and you plan to visit us next summer, please stop by La Fête Bières & Saveurs to have a taste of our Quebecer flavours and of our warm music!

Bring your tankard, and come to say hi and sit down on the grass to enjoy a good show!

Enjoy the fresh breezes offered by this nice month of September, everyone!
A COLORFUL RAINBOW SMILE FROM MONTREAL TO YOU! ☼

I am posting LoVE!

Back to last april, the discovery of the blog Things We Forget had inspired me for a series of love spreading actions. But, as summer was passing by, and as I was being busy doing camping and meeting up friends, I’ve been close to forget my mission. But a post of SuperForester Aaron about secret agents of positivity spreadings has refreshed the desire to accomplish it.

So here is what I came up with, by the mix of the two sources of ideas, and what I did on last Friday evening… (excuse the bad quality of my pictures!)

Yep, you well guessed it! I've walked across the streets of my neighbourhood and I left love notes anonymously! And especially this street was beautifully blooming with flowers!

Okay, now I know what many will tell me: ''Yeah but what do you do with your fighting against wasting, Marie? Aren't you supposed to be green?'' Yep, I can hear you from here! Haha! Aaaah, I love you all so much! ;)

Yes, I am green. But I am trying to get a little less drastic when it comes in terms of making someone's day, and to give a chance to convince some of my peers for starting to accomplish random acts of kindness. Because I AM convinced it worth it!

Thus, I now keep my little yellow pad and my red felt pen in my bag, always ready to be used! Transform yourself also into special agent! Not the kind doing sabotage, no! The kind "working to spread positivity and joy in the world"! Yes!
HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND EVERYONE! ♥

Experiencing high stuff!

You’ve probably come to understand that I’ve started this blog a few months ago because of changes happening in my life, because I started shifting my thoughts and the energy I am vibrating. Thus, I was calling to become a positivity and a love transceiver.

I do believe in the power of the positive thinking, and that we attract what we are vibrating.

But you know what? Even me, at times, I start to kinda forget that I believe. At times, we get to be exceeded by things coming from the exterior, and the situation suddenly brings us into the middle of a mist. And we forget.

But life is wonderfully made, and takes charge of making us to remember.

Life took charge of me today. After I've received some tips and good words from friends during the two last days, the head still on the pillow, unable to kick myself out of the bed, I’ve called out loud to the universe.

And here comes the astonishing: within the next hour, abundance from what I’d just call out was starting to come in. By the end of the day, most of it had been granted. This time, I found myself momentarily happily exceeded! I’ve attracted ten times faster than ever before. Why is that? I was lacking to remember that I AM part of this energy that makes the world in which we live. I - AM - PART - OF - IT! So, it was there just to remember me to have trust, whatever happens.

THANK YOU, LIFE, FOR KEEPING ME ON THE TRACK!

I now feel, more than ever before, that I am the artist creating the picture of my own life: the colors I am throwing out on the grid are coming right back and tint my life.

In trust and positivity,
I LOVE YOU!

Power to choose, Power to BE

Good morning, dear readers!
Here is something I want to share with you. Terces Engelhart and her husband Matthew are a sources of inspiration for me. They are the owner of Cafe Gratitude AND the teachers of great workshops on relationship, abundance and awakening. Nope, I've never met them, and I never attended to one of their classes yet. So how can they inspire me? Han! There are things in life that we can not explain! I've read and heard a lot on them, and this is one really great writing, from Terces's blog that will help you to feel what I can't describe...

How Be You?

Reaching the middle of the month of January and wondering how you BE? What I mean by that is "what are you thinking", "what are you believing", "what are you saying", "what are you doing", and "what's your attitude?" Those are what we call "being". We say that is what gives you your experience of life. What you are thinking, believing, saying, doing and what your attitude is, IS your life! What I notice is that sometimes my thoughts lead me towards sadness and separation and the good thing is I NOTICE it! Once I notice it then I can actually hand pick some new thought, one that leads we towards fulfillment and connection.... Sure I can stay with my original thought, but why would I choose that? See I do have a choice! That is the good news.
So what thoughts are you choosing? Are your thoughts creating a life you love? Are your thoughts empowering you and whatever you are up to? If so, great. If not, choose other thoughts... ones that lead towards happiness.
Thank you for being YOU.
Have a great day.
Love, Terces

Thank you Terces for having allowed me to share it! Thank you for all the inspiration and for rocking this world! :)

You all can read Terce's blog HERE, and you sure can learn more about Cafe Gratitude and Workshops on their official website. Something is connecting myself to these people and their way to see things. I promise myself to make it to attend to one of their workshops one day... hopefully in a very close futur!
I am asking for this. Let's make my thoughts empowering me to make this to happen! ;)
HAVE A JOYFUL DAY! ☼

I want it magical!

Last week has been marked by my 31st anniversary. That week has not been quite different than the 51 preceding ones. Except for the proudness I felt in looking behind, to this past year, to choices I made, to the changes I’ve been proceeding to. I did much, I’ve been strong. This last year has been one of discovering and opening. Yeah: of opening, definitely! It is the first one that I've been entirely devoting to myself (with some wanderings and misleadings! But who does not?). And how all this have been profitable to me!

What made me think about all this? The days surrounding my birthday, I’ve been so well surrounded by so many and so great friends, that I would not have been so blind as not to see how great has been this last year! Plus, on the day of my birthday, I woke up with my beloved brother, I've been wonderfully surprised by my roomate Claude-Emilie and by Maude, an other friend that is living with us for the summer, and I had someone to think to. What more can I ask for?

THANK YOU, MY DEAREST FRIENDS! I LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH!

Thus, while going through all those great thoughts, I took decisions :
Let’s make the next 52 upcoming weeks (and which will make up all my 32nd year) to be the greatest EVER! Let’s make it wild, let’s make it MAGICAL! Yaay!

Here is an other decision I took : I won’t open my own raw food café. I have an other idea about what to do with those skills and that passion, but I will reveal it in time (I'm still to brew it). The fact that I feel now that I can do something else having the same impact, without mortgaging the next 10 years of my life (and the fact that I moved to Montreal), has something to do with the fact that I’ve put the project aside for the past two months and didn’t worked on it at all.

Instead, for the next upcoming weeks, let’s concentrate on :
1) finding a job
2) getting rid of at least half of my materials

Yaaay! I’m so excited! Once these two things will be sorted in the « mission completed » file, then I’ll be good to start proceeding to get closer to what will make me happy to do with my life, in other words : to get closer from a project for my lifetime. How does it sounds? GREEEAAAT! :)

Without further ado, let’s start all that! Well… after the weekend, ‘cause another cool thing is coming up this weekend : I am going to a huge event, which is called the Space Gathering, to do camping for 3 days in the woods, with at least two hundred of fun fellows. Yaay! www.psychedelic-traveller.net/Space_Gathering
I’ll tell you more about it when I’ll be back!

HAVE AN AMAZING WEEKEND, EVERYONE!
LOVE AND SUNSHINE!

Zero One : A taste of paradise.

I’m just coming back from a too short and so sweet adventure! For twelve days, I’ve been experiencing gardening on a just-getting-started permaculture land in Kauai. This land is called Zero One. At this very moment, three lovely people are living there in permanence: Jackson, Agustin and Mea, who have been such good hosts, and became good friends!

I said I’ve been experiencing gardening, but it has been so much more! It’s even more about pure and simple friendship and abundance. Abundance of food and of beauties from Mother Nature, and abundance of love and joyful moments, from such a giver community. Everyday has brought its lot of awe moments. I've simply fallen in love. With the island, with the people, with the way I was living it.

Permaculture is a type of agriculture that reproduces the relationship patterns occurring in natural ecologies. Its approach maximizes the results and minimizes the efforts of work, while providing for a human settlement's needs. See my previous post concerning permaculture HERE!

Permaculture takes an observation time equaling the working time and the enjoying time. It is one third of each, and oh, how we love that! It takes observing time to identify the natural resources given by the earth, and the needs of the land and of its inhabitants. But when comes the time to work and once the system is launched, things change so quickly, and the main word is “abundance”! And how we love this too! It is a give and take relationship with Mother Nature. She gives us a good soil, we plant it, she waters it, we harvest its results and feed her back with the yummy wastes, and it all start again. Full circle. Permaculture usually makes babies: it most of the time becomes a similar relationship of give and take with the neighborhood as well. What goes around comes around! Live in peace and harmony with every kinds of beings surrounding you, give them love without any expectations for returns, and watch out how you’ll be fulfilled with happiness!

Mama Felicia, from the home school garden Akamai Backyard, teaching us how to prepare and replant the Taro, a native plant, from which we can cook the root.

The team, leaving Akamai Backyard with all the Felicia's gifts to Zero One's gardens. Thank you Felicia!

Thus, Zero One is just popping out right now. It has had its first observation time, and I’ve been arriving there right into the real big “action time”! While I’ve been there, in just a couple of days, we created so much! Take a look to Jackson’s post RIGHT HERE: I promise you’ll be amazed! One day, we received a truck load of 30 cubic yards of compost and mulch, which we transformed, almost by magic, into two big and three medium gardens, plus into a couple more of smallest ones all around some trees. And how all this happened? In only five days or so, while connecting with some other friends and neighbors who came by to give a hand, on their way to the beach with their surfboards, and by using no machinery nor electric tools!! Isn’t it wonderful?! Just using our hands, our heart, shovels, forks, a wheel barrel and a "oo bar", which is a tool (like a heavy metal rod) used by the natives to dig and plant. It felt so good to have done all that in listening to the birds singing, to the wind blowing and sometimes the thin rain falling. Aaaaah! We could hear the enjoyment of each of us by the sound of our deep breath intakes or singings/whistlings. Nobody has been rushing, we all had so much fun in doing it and we shared a lot. Each day, we even had time to go to the beach, to practice our balance on the "slack-line", to go in town for some special needs, or to go for a walk of harvests (everywhere we were going, fruits trees were surrounding us: mangos, papayas, litchis, passion fruits, bananas. What have I said before? ABUNDANCE!! Yes!).

The Chalice garden (at its first step) is the first and biggest garden I've been working on. 

The first step to make your new garden: a few layers of cardboard (best if chickens have been previously pooping on it!). Give it a good shower, then cover it with green wastes and/or dried palm leaves. Cover it with a layer of compost, then with a layer of mulch. Ideally, repeat these two last layers if you are planting veggies that need a deep rooting. Finish it all by emphazing the outlines with nice logs or rocks. There is your new garden, as quick as to snap fingers, without any digging! Wow, that feels good, man! :D

The WiFi garden

I feel so much recharged and healthy! And I am so confident into a much better future! My role is not only to keep doing my best to do my part in this universe, but also to convince you about how much we would all gain in starting permaculture lands everywhere around us, across the world! How we would all gain in producing no pollution, and even working on reducing the one made by others. How we would all gain in generating NO WASTE (yeah, this is one more amazing fact on Zero One: the production of waste is ZERO! Damn, it feels so good!), and in producing compost. Gain in buying and eating locally and organic. Gain in making wise choices for our purchases, to recycle or compost every single little thing. How many wins are in this situation, tell me? I assure you that it doesn’t take more time and energy, and it even makes you feel so fulfilled! It improves our world, it improves relationships, it reduces our life cost, and it even gives us the time to enjoy life! What more can we ask for?

Do not wait! It only belongs to each of us to use those great powers! Let’s change things and make a better world. Each of us! With our own two hands… and our heart!

PEACE. LOVE. HAPPINESS.
MAY WE ALL LIVE IN THE ABUNDANCE!

Forever grateful to Jesse, Jackson, Mea and Justin to have given me the opportunity to live and share this experience! Thank you Felicia to have shared all your knowledge!
Other thank yous go to you, Tiana and Amanda, for your friendship and your contagious joyfulness! JP, Riki, Stephanie, Indi (who else in "i" am I missing?!): you all are special and lovely people!
I love you all! You all have been such givers! Aloha and Mahalo! ♥

Things that make me happy

1. Say hello or smile at strangers on the street when our eyes meet. Even better when they reply!
2. Smell the fruits that I pick to the grocery store.
3. Feeling my face flooded with sunshine.
4. Take a slow walk in the woods, and look at and smell the flowers.
5. Hug a tree and (kind of) make it feel that I am grateful for its contribution.
6. Observe some little free animals in the nature. Even better when I imagine that we are communicating!
7. Hug my brother.
8. Hold my little niece in my arms, close to my heart, and dance gently, as a cradle.
9. Discover and enjoy a new very tasty meal.
10. Having both feet into a river, sitting on a rock, listen to nature...and, again, be flooded with sunshine.
11. Listen to moving music, without doing anything else at the same time, just sitting relax, with eyes closed.
12. And, of course, this blog. :)
    

To be able to enjoy that first point, I first had to force myself to look at strangers, and still sometimes, but I like the way this helps me to slowly get rid of my shyness, which makes me feel much more lighter! This also sometimes brings me to connect with some people that I would not even noticed before, like neighbors, the mailman and whoever else. There are even some days where I can notice that it has made a difference for them, that they are grateful for this, as much as I am. Thus, this last thing helps me to continue to do the effort.

ENJOY YOUR DAY! SMILE!
THINK ABOUT WHAT MAKES YOU HAPPY, AND DO YOUR BEST TO DO IT AS OFTEN AS POSSIBLE!

Small AND greatest pleasures in life.

I spent the most wonderful weekend!

It all started with a nice walk across the city on the awesome sunny friday afternoon (with a hot 25 degrees). Everybody was outside, showing their most beautiful smile. Birds everywhere, singing and chasing each others; squirrels and cats running all over the lands and sidewalks. Marvellous!

I left in the evening to go in the campain to join some friends at my brother's house for a poker. I did not saw these friends for too many weeks. In the morning, I woke up with my adorable - 8 months old - little niece. With these two round eyes staring at me, and this most beautiful gum smile. Ain't no better way to wake up, I can tell!

We spent our saturday afternoon (again 25 degrees and no clouds...never saw for this time of the year here) in hiking, with a wonderful bunch of people, up to the top of the great Saint-Hilaire Mountain. We had a pic-nic there, observing the huge birds of prey flying around. Some played music with improvised tam-tam and a guitar, some danced, others were simply in communion with the nature, relaxing.

In the late evening, we prepared and have a yummy meal at one of these friend's house, well in fact, she's also my living food teacher. Interresting talks with all of them. I love you guys!

On sunday morning, another awakening in campaign. Then, my brother, his wife, my little niece and me, drove to my grandma's house for the dinner. We spent a wonderful afternoon there, and finally stayed for the supper also. Grandma was so happy to see us, and learn that she will soon be great-grand-mother for the 4th time! Yes!! Soon, I'll sometimes wake up with two pairs of beautiful bright eyes! That will be SO fun!

Kisses Grandma, it's time to go! My brother drop me at a subway station in the evening, and I slowly walked back home, thinking to this extraordinary weekend I got.

Life is good to me!

Hope you all had a fantastic weekend!

LOVE