The Cup!

The cup, was a movie that came out about a decade ago- it is light, yet deeply meaningful. And was written and directed by Dzongsar Khyentsey Rinpoche-

My Husband was in this movie, with a few lines and was in many scenes. Therefore; naturally, I have watched this movie many, many times! As for Rinpoches movies, you must watch Travellers and Magicians, a wonderful story that sits in my top 10 flicks of all time.

We had a few very important events to attend these last weeks, including a week-long puja, to celebrate the ending of a number of practitioners 3 year 3 month retreat. Mind blowing, this was the first time I had connected to this teacher and group of students and watching this 20 odd people whom had finished this impressive duration of hermitage, reorientate themselves gracefully, amongst the two hundred or so visiting puja drop-ins, was a curious experience.

My gosh, I do feel beyond lucky to have taken this path of teachings in life, I am privileged more than words can say, to meet beings, whom speck the language of wisdom so fluently, I softly croon ahhh here…  

Urgyen, was as happy as I, to be there, considering the connection he had forged in the past, during his monastic days in India…

And we will advance upon Rinpoche's next Australian visit, without a speck of hesitation!

Ramblings of our travels!

The physical aspect of our travelling journey, these last 3 weeks- trail blazing through the temperature zones, environments and landscapes of the Australian east coast is stimulating for sure, but pale in comparison to the nourishment, I feel, from the memorial encounters with all the beautiful people I have met along the way.

This has always been the part of travel that is most magical… Of course I delightfully watch, as the landscapes change from region to region. We see the turning of the seasonal wheel, imposing and transforming on the varied areas of this country, the ocean and land that we encountered along the way, has a slow changeable beauty and is mostly predictable in its evolution…

What is highlighted about travel for me is the magic in connection… whom one collides with, is always an unpredictable mystery, unfolding day after day, surprising and exciting. Usually I don't over plan catch ups, but leave a little and sometimes a lot, to chance and destiny. It helps that we have moved around, settling for a year or two, in different towns and states, we are lucky to have friends and family all over Australia.

I have been reminded again on this trip, at the way time and space shuffles us around the globe, bound we are in the direction, that inevitably ends colliding with the people, whom bring the right sort of movement, inner and outer in your life! Unknowingly these friends and companions carry secret gifts of energy and stimulation, that effect one in just the right way, in order to propel each other along the physical and evolutionary path of life...

Courage!

Travelling with children requires courage, patience, good timing and a measure of luck

As I get older a funny part of me, a mature, stuffy, yet wise part, calls attention to all the possibilities of things that may go wrong, to all the things I don’t know, opposed to all the exciting things that can be around the corner.

In the past this inner elder’s been hard to hear, under the egging on, of my spirit and the natural trust in destiny and karma. This time it is there, just a little, and I wake from my sleep with a feeling of nervousness and questioning.

Do I have what it takes to look after us all, to cope with all the planes, busses, trains, cars, rickshaws and people. Remember I seldom venture away from my rural wild corner of the world, a little bit of shopping once a month if that and an occasional intimate craft gathering or local get-together has been it for over a year…

I have wanted this so much,

So shhh old crone, I will run outside in the rain without my coat on, and jump in all the puddles!

Reading for traveling 

Have you, come across the works of Brian Froud, or seen his contribution in movies such as the Labyrinth and dark crystal? His oracle cards are the most direct portal to faery I have found in a card set… and in no time at all, an answer crystal clear comes along- My reading this full moon…

On adventures for a few weeks may make it here, but probably not.

faerymother name and some Housekeeping!

Faerymother name!

I would like to think, I was a faery or that faery blood ran deep in my veins...

Unusually girl, even I admit... I found solace in my tree friends and in the gnarly descriptions of nature in books, glimmerings of beings, played light games about my head, but alas physical flight escaped me, so I ended up doing most of my flying in the enchanted world that is my mind...

I wont diverge, as I tend to do...

I was setting out to explain the title of this blog-

Well I have been faerymother for some time, long before, I was a physical mother …I even had badges made up, machine embroidered faerymother badges some 9 years ago-

Of all the 3 distinct stages of a woman’s life I do believe the Mother, is my time to shine- I failed hopelessly as a maiden and somewhere along the dusty road of life, I left her burning, the ashes now fertilise the twist and bent of my personality. As I haven’t done crone yet, I can’t really say, but guess, I will fight my death and ignorance until the last breath, but now is sweet, now is safe… I am mother…

hence a name buffered by long ago inklings of my life...

Now, onto House keeping this space- we mothers do more of this than I imagined- domesticity surely is the bane of a faery life.

The little giveaway I did last week deserved photos of its ending, only because this simple addition into our week was actually very exciting, especially for Dakini, who picked the winner and then pleaded to pick more… and do another giveaway… The winner was- Happy Whimsical Hearts, her imagination  for children's crafts is bookmark worthy, she also makes wooden faery doors! Thank you to all who entered, your travel game ideas are most helpful... for the peace and sanity in the following months.

I was given a blog award the other day- from Evi at Sister Sun, It opened my heart and made me think that maybe, I am not wasting my precious little time, writing here! Maybe this corner of my expression, is valid in it’s journey and exploration… I love this space more than I thought I would, although I am terribly shy of my mixed mash grammar and thank the Goddess for spell check- Even my lack of grammatical correctness doesn’t worry me, like it probably should do anymore.

So Thank you Evi, Do stop by her space and say hello, Sister sun is a place to love. I appreciate that Evi keeps it real; she shares her life, garden and parenting with its beauty, excitement and sadness. I see an evolving family and the results of natural parenting, that I hope my own will have similarities with. She takes some good pictures and crafts up a storm too... Go Evi!

Traveling Artist.- Tibetan Sacred Arts

Tibetan sacred arts!

One of the reasons, we are travelling Australia’s East Coast on Friday and then going to India via Singapore in May is to display my husbands amazing works of art.
His work is breathtakingly stunning… It really is!

Married to an artist who creates these large scale ‘Thangkas’ has meant, our home is filled with rolls of hand woven/ dyed silk material, silk thread in every colour an shade, countless needles and thimbles.

Everything but the brocade border is hand stitched and one piece takes months of full time work… 

The details in his pieces are appliqued and embroidered, just the eyes (which he says are the most important part) take near one day to finish.

Threading a needle ignites the passion in my blood... you can often find me, cursing and throwing my work in frustration. I embroidered some detail on a felt bird, a little while ago- and well, lets just say, lucky it was made of felt! 

I realised that it takes a person with exceptional patience and dedication to stick at a piece full time, for months. These sort of qualities are a virtue and are not that common, amongst our time, of machines and mass production.

On this trip, we are also going to some wonderful Tibetan Buddhist retreats where, no doubt we will gain countless benefits for our minds and expand our hearts. As well as this, Urgyen has a special commissioned piece to hand over, we are lucky to be able to combine attending teachings with his work.

If you are interested in what a "Thangka" is, the history and process… pop over to his "work in progress" website www.tibetansacredarts.com  or check out this link or this.

Questioning!

I mentioned in my about page that I make flags… its true I do, they are humble and probably will not win a nobel peace prize, but none the less, I will show you them and share the making process, one day… and if I really get it together, maybe I will create an etsy shop and bore you silly with hints and links.

I have, as some of you with young baby’s can appreciate, not much room in my life for professional undertakings and my success these days is measured by how I feel, the relationships I nurture, the inner progress I make and the sense of holding a nurturing space for my children to grow in. 

Most days tis is enough, but every now and again, I put a heavy trip on myself, that I should be achieving more…

But really, success I guess would probably feel much like most greed induced purchases- great for a moment, but un-comfortable deep down… or maybe not- maybe I could help others more than I can do now… Is that a purchase too!

I have a unique opportunity to work with some talented Tibetan women in India, when we return in a couple of months and start a little workshop with them in our home there.

Sounds good hey, but does it… inspired by frugal living these last few years and switched on people who have had enough of materialism, I wonder if the world needs another hand made, imported however beautiful and inspired item, to fill the spaces of life with...

I am torn between wanting to carve out more abundance for my family from the fabric of life and letting go, onto a life path, that emphasises spiritual practice, humanity and awakening.

Maybe I can sit with the women there and make quilts out of reclaimed Indian fabrics, I have found in markets and bring them back, or maybe, I should just go and make gardens, drink tea and do prayers…

Tough life hey......

Marigold Garland Tutorial

Marigold Garlands

Traditionally Marigolds are known as the herb of the sun and are used in religious offerings, pujas, and Indian wedding ceremonies. They are believed to bring good luck and happiness… 
Medicinal uses are numerous including- treatment of headaches, toothache, swellings and for strengthening the heart... I have always used the petals in salads and pressed them onto face spots.  My neighbour also eats them raw and swears by them as a tonic for his eyes...

Two beautiful, very in love, friends of mine, were married last month and marigold garlands were used in the decoration and offerings in the ceremony.

The night before the celebratory day over 20 women gathered together to thread marigold flowers in a bright happy circle. 

A few of us became acquainted with the process of garland making a week before, so that we could help with organising the 20 flower threaders 

This method can be used by a group or individually. and is suited to both long and short garlands.

You will need

As many open fully bloomed Marigold flowers, leave the green stem to about 4cm, (too much taken off will cause the flower to fall apart) 

Strong thread, 

Needle and 

Scissors

Lay out the pattern, we used orange, yellow and variegated flowers to create a more interesting effect, singled coloured flowers are fine. 

A longish garland, make two parallel rounds so that the design template isn't too long- but rows will be fused together when threading. 

Take one meter of strong cotton and thread needle, tie a knot 10 cm from end.

Push needle through the flower stem, slide flower down to the knot compressing stems on top of each other, as you go. 

Continue on threading flowers until you have a bunch of 20 or so, then stop and turn individual flowers, placing them, so that no stem shows and that they look even on all sides. 

Continue threading, stopping 10cm before the end of thread.

As a group, each person will be working on a section, these sections need to be tied together. 

Tie tightly together and snip of ends of string.

Tips-

The trickiest part is placement of flowers; mix small blooms with big, so that there is consistency, too many small blooms together, makes thin sections. And the ideal is to see no green stem

Tightly compact flowers as you go down.

Spray lightly with water to keep fresh for longer.

Next year a patch in my garden will be dedicated to marigold flowers, so I can make plenty of these...

Joining this up with Natural Suburbias Creative Friday.