A LIFE OF DIGNITY & EQUALITY

UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS 1948- belongs to each and everyone of us. Do you celebrate life in its spirit? Do you dance in the winds of freedom? Have you read all 30 articles? When was the last time you read it? Does your society/country adhere to the basic human rights? Are you aware of unacceptabl & blatant violations of these rights? Are you Sweat-free? Did your cotton t-shirt/trendy sneakers come from sweat shops using bonded labour in dangerous working conditions without fair pay? Your company directors on their business trips may be purchasing services of prostitutes who are trafficked sex slaves sold as commodity? Did you know or are you just too busy, too tired, or simply don't give a damn?

For those of you who do, UDHR is translated into 359 languages-click here to find your choice of language-http://www.ohchr.org/EN/UDHR/Pages/Introduction.aspx

PREAMBLE
Whereas recognition of the inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world,
Whereas disregard and contempt for human rights have resulted in barbarous acts which have outraged the conscience of mankind, and the advent of a world in which human beings shall enjoy freedom of speech and belief and freedom from fear and want has been proclaimed as the highest aspiration of the common people,
Whereas it is essential, if man is not to be compelled to have recourse, as a last resort, to rebellion against tyranny and oppression, that human rights should be protected by the rule of law,
Whereas it is essential to promote the development of friendly relations between nations,
Whereas the peoples of the United Nations have in the Charter reaffirmed their faith in fundamental human rights, in the dignity and worth of the human person and in the equal rights of men and women and have determined to promote social progress and better standards of life in larger freedom,
Whereas Member States have pledged themselves to achieve, in co-operation with the United Nations, the promotion of universal respect for and observance of human rights and fundamental freedoms,
Whereas a common understanding of these rights and freedoms is of the greatest importance for the full realization of this pledge,
Now, Therefore THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY proclaims THIS UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS as a common standard of achievement for all peoples and all nations, to the end that every individual and every organ of society, keeping this Declaration constantly in mind, shall strive by teaching and education to promote respect for these rights and freedoms and by progressive measures, national and international, to secure their universal and effective recognition and observance, both among the peoples of Member States themselves and among the peoples of territories under their jurisdiction.

Article 1.
All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights.They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.
Article 2.
Everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration, without distinction of any kind, such as race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status. Furthermore, no distinction shall be made on the basis of the political, jurisdictional or international status of the country or territory to which a person belongs, whether it be independent, trust, non-self-governing or under any other limitation of sovereignty.
Article 3.
Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person.
Article 4.
No one shall be held in slavery or servitude; slavery and the slave trade shall be prohibited in all their forms.
Article 5.
No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.
Article 6.
Everyone has the right to recognition everywhere as a person before the law.
Article 7.
All are equal before the law and are entitled without any discrimination to equal protection of the law. All are entitled to equal protection against any discrimination in violation of this Declaration and against any incitement to such discrimination.
Article 8.
Everyone has the right to an effective remedy by the competent national tribunals for acts violating the fundamental rights granted him by the constitution or by law.
Article 9.
No one shall be subjected to arbitrary arrest, detention or exile.
Article 10.
Everyone is entitled in full equality to a fair and public hearing by an independent and impartial tribunal, in the determination of his rights and obligations and of any criminal charge against him.
Article 11.
(1) Everyone charged with a penal offence has the right to be presumed innocent until proved guilty according to law in a public trial at which he has had all the guarantees necessary for his defence.
(2) No one shall be held guilty of any penal offence on account of any act or omission which did not constitute a penal offence, under national or international law, at the time when it was committed. Nor shall a heavier penalty be imposed than the one that was applicable at the time the penal offence was committed.
Article 12.
No one shall be subjected to arbitrary interference with his privacy, family, home or correspondence, nor to attacks upon his honour and reputation. Everyone has the right to the protection of the law against such interference or attacks.
Article 13.
(1) Everyone has the right to freedom of movement and residence within the borders of each state.
(2) Everyone has the right to leave any country, including his own, and to return to his country.
Article 14.
(1) Everyone has the right to seek and to enjoy in other countries asylum from persecution.
(2) This right may not be invoked in the case of prosecutions genuinely arising from non-political crimes or from acts contrary to the purposes and principles of the United Nations.
Article 15.
(1) Everyone has the right to a nationality.
(2) No one shall be arbitrarily deprived of his nationality nor denied the right to change his nationality.
Article 16.
(1) Men and women of full age, without any limitation due to race, nationality or religion, have the right to marry and to found a family. They are entitled to equal rights as to marriage, during marriage and at its dissolution.
(2) Marriage shall be entered into only with the free and full consent of the intending spouses.
(3) The family is the natural and fundamental group unit of society and is entitled to protection by society and the State.
Article 17.
(1) Everyone has the right to own property alone as well as in association with others.
(2) No one shall be arbitrarily deprived of his property.
Article 18.
Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance.
Article 19.
Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.
Article 20.
(1) Everyone has the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and association.
(2) No one may be compelled to belong to an association.
Article 21.
(1) Everyone has the right to take part in the government of his country, directly or through freely chosen representatives.
(2) Everyone has the right of equal access to public service in his country.
(3) The will of the people shall be the basis of the authority of government; this will shall be expressed in periodic and genuine elections which shall be by universal and equal suffrage and shall be held by secret vote or by equivalent free voting procedures.
Article 22.
Everyone, as a member of society, has the right to social security and is entitled to realization, through national effort and international co-operation and in accordance with the organization and resources of each State, of the economic, social and cultural rights indispensable for his dignity and the free development of his personality.
Article 23.
(1) Everyone has the right to work, to free choice of employment, to just and favourable conditions of work and to protection against unemployment.
(2) Everyone, without any discrimination, has the right to equal pay for equal work.
(3) Everyone who works has the right to just and favourable remuneration ensuring for himself and his family an existence worthy of human dignity, and supplemented, if necessary, by other means of social protection.
(4) Everyone has the right to form and to join trade unions for the protection of his interests.
Article 24.
Everyone has the right to rest and leisure, including reasonable limitation of working hours and periodic holidays with pay.
Article 25.
(1) Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family, including food, clothing, housing and medical care and necessary social services, and the right to security in the event of unemployment, sickness, disability, widowhood, old age or other lack of livelihood in circumstances beyond his control.
(2) Motherhood and childhood are entitled to special care and assistance. All children, whether born in or out of wedlock, shall enjoy the same social protection.
Article 26.
(1) Everyone has the right to education. Education shall be free, at least in the elementary and fundamental stages. Elementary education shall be compulsory. Technical and professional education shall be made generally available and higher education shall be equally accessible to all on the basis of merit.
(2) Education shall be directed to the full development of the human personality and to the strengthening of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms. It shall promote understanding, tolerance and friendship among all nations, racial or religious groups, and shall further the activities of the United Nations for the maintenance of peace.
(3) Parents have a prior right to choose the kind of education that shall be given to their children.
Article 27.
(1) Everyone has the right freely to participate in the cultural life of the community, to enjoy the arts and to share in scientific advancement and its benefits.
(2) Everyone has the right to the protection of the moral and material interests resulting from any scientific, literary or artistic production of which he is the author.
Article 28.
Everyone is entitled to a social and international order in which the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration can be fully realized.
Article 29.
(1) Everyone has duties to the community in which alone the free and full development of his personality is possible.
(2) In the exercise of his rights and freedoms, everyone shall be subject only to such limitations as are determined by law solely for the purpose of securing due recognition and respect for the rights and freedoms of others and of meeting the just requirements of morality, public order and the general welfare in a democratic society.
(3) These rights and freedoms may in no case be exercised contrary to the purposes and principles of the United Nations.
Article 30.
Nothing in this Declaration may be interpreted as implying for any State, group or person any right to engage in any activity or to perform any act aimed at the destruction of any of the rights and freedoms set forth herein.

UMA's SAVE THE WORLD IN 30 DAYS- April 09

The ripple of love needs to come from within you. If you love yourself (different from egoistic pride) you will begin to take care of your body- ranging from the food you eat, the air you breathe, the lotion you put on your skin, the detergent you use. You will also begin to nourish your soul with acceptance, respect and compassion and allowing space to express what you have inside. Slowly but surely, with self-love and its consequential joy and happiness, love for other beings (family, friends, even strangers), our land, our trees, our air, our ecosystem will also arise spontaneously. And you may begin to see the interconnection between you, your neighbours, strangers, the trees, the flowers, the air, the plastic sea, the sewage, the land fill etc. And you may awaken to the reality that we are what we eat, drink, do and think. The bleach you used in your cleaning is going back to the water reservoir you are drinking from. The plastic you just put in your bin is adding to the already frightening plastic sea from Japan to Hawaii. And so in UMA's save the world in 30 days- it always starts with you and your actions are not based on an obligation or duty but out of your love for yourself, your children and their children.

1. Love yourself i.e. accept yourself as you are.
2. Stop condemning yourself.
3. Be compassionate with yourself.
4. Respect yourself.
5. Spend time alone everyday.
6. Smile when you are on the phone.
7. Take your dog for a walk.
8. Breathe fully and gently.
9. Put yourself in another’s shoes.
10. Walk gently on earth.
11. Smile at all times, esp on blue n rainy days.
12. Say 30 Thank you(s) every day.
13. Be Aware! You are what you think, do, eat and drink.
14. Eat less meat
15. Be vegetarian 2/3 times a week
16. Buy seasonal and local.
17. Buy Organic n natural.
18. Eat less processed foods.
19. BYO coffee mug for coffee/tea take out.
20. BYO travel cutlery set (fork, spoon and chopsticks)
21. Get a full health check up.
22. Exercise at least once a week.
23. Help a stranger.
24. Finish what is on your plate.
25. Tell someone about the “Plastic sea”
26. Watch less TV.
27. Shut down not stand by your PC at night.
28. Do not litter.
29. Pray for speedy recovery of the global economy.
30. Pray for world peace.

From Earth Hour to Inconvenient Hour...

I did not any plans for the earth hour, except to just relax n meditate in my lights off room. But things always have their own way of manifesting. After a call from a friend, I found myself in Life Cafe in SOHO where earth hour was welcomed and celebrated with candles and a band of talented yogis on guitars, playing self-written songs on spirituality, margaritas, save the human... and hip hop jamming. Amazingly positive energy created with crowds at dinner table, organic beers served at the bar, and die-hard supporter taking the lower seats on the floor! But I turned my head to look outside and saw lights (sigh....I guess they were the other camp voting for global warming...).

Post earth hour, I picked up a copy of the Positive News from Life and decided to take the bus home (my action of the night to reduce carbon footprint). As I turned the pages of Positive News- my inconvenient hour began. Some seriously inconvenient facts were reported about livestock production being the biggest man-made contributor to green house gases in the world (18% of all global output from livestock production vs 14% from transport). Translation = what we are eating and our eating habits are one of the main causes for global climate change. I was not aware of the intensity of the issue until now- I am truly disturbed and this is a topic requiring further research on my part.

Bobsy, the co-founded of Positive News HK, Bookworm and Life cafe seems to have done the research and found the severity of the impact of livestock on the planet so pressing and serious that he recently founded the "SAVE THE HUMAN" Campaign launched on 1 March 2009. The Campaign aims at promoting public awareness through media communications and community services. You can go here to learn more http://www.100waystosavetheplanet.org/.

I had been a vegetarian for fives years until my health gave in with weak body and yellow/green face. I was "told" by my doctor to start eating meat again. Being responsible with myself and so taking care of my health I started eating meat again, a few times a week, albeit very very very reluctantly. My reason for being vegetarian was not ecological then, rather it was based on equality- that all beings are equal and human beings have no birth right to be having other animals for dinner. Just as we want to live, all other animals want to live too. My last straw was the Chicken incident. You need to be open minded to listen to my chicken incident. I was walking through the wet market in Causeway Bay where there were chicken stalls. Yes, I don't mean to sound freaky but a chicken spoke to me-I was receiving signals from a chicken asking me "if we are all equal and why are you (humans) slaughtering us?" I could not defend that one and became vegetarian since.

Tonight, it was no coincidence that my earth hour turned into inconvenient hour, it's the universe telling me what can I do as an individual about global warming. Turning off lights for 1 hour is an alarm bell ringing on global warming, but the crux must be to understand the issue and what we can do as an individual, a country and a nation to change the situation. Remember, small actions by many many people give us the change we are looking for. I am truly concerned and am re-evaluating the issue of meat vs vegetarian- especially now it's not only a matter of equality and compassion but one of saving the planet and its inhabitants. Three things for sure, I will be eating less meat, researching more on livestock production and global warming and looking for ways to be a healty vegetarian. If you have any suggestions/comments, please shout them my way.

Good night.

VOTE LOVE, VOTE BLACK, VOTE EARTH.

VOTE FOR LOVE
VOTE FOR CHANGE
VOTE FOR OUR CHILDREN
VOTE FOR OUR CHILDREN'S CHILDREN
VOTE FOR ONE BILLION WORDS
VOTE FOR ONE BLACK HOUR
VOTE FOR MOTHER EARTH
SWITCH OFF YOUR LIGHTS SATURDAY MARCH 28 @ 2030-2130
REGISTER AT http://www.earthhour.org/signup/

THE MESSAGE IS VOTE EARTH 328@2030hours

Date & Time- March 28 2009, 2030 -2130hours

Event-First global election- between Earth n Global Warming.

Voting vehicle= your light switch

Swift off = Vote for Earth

Leave on= Vote for Global Warming

Target= 1 billion votes for Earth, which will be presented to world leaders at the Global Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen 2009. This meeting will determine official government policies to take action against global warming, which will replace the Kyoto Protocol. It is the chance for the people of the world to make their voice heard.

PLS REGISTER 2B COUNTED at http://www.earthhour.org/signup/

March series- Uma's save the world in 30 days

Starting from now, I will a post monthly UMA's save the world in 30 days check-list. Wanna join me to do one small thing everyday? The logic is simple- one small action x many people = big change. For instance, there are 7mil people in HK, taking a conservative assumption, let's say half of the population care and take action, so each person uses one less plastic bag a day meaning HK will use 3.5 mil plastic bags less a day. Multiply that by a week, 2 weeks, 1month, etc etc, the cumulative effect continues. The truth is everytime you throw away something plastic, you are adding to the "plastic soup" floating in the Pacific Ocean, which by the way, is growing at such an alarming rate stretching from Hawaii to Japan.

1. Hug someone.
2. Never leave home without your own bag so BYOB.
3. Laugh with reckless abundance.
4. Visit someone sick.
5. Earn less air miles by flying less.
6. Donate your small change to charity.
7. Recycle, recycle, recycle.
8. Read the Basic Law (if you are in HK or your contry's constitution law).
9. Listen to somebody.
10. Watch less TV.
11. Plant a tree.
12. Look on the bright side.
13. Switch off the lights when not needed.
14. Shut down (not stand by) your PC .
15. Smile at the world.
16. Pray for world peace.
17. Take the lower seat.
18. Pick up rubbish from the ground.
19. Stay silent for 30mins with your TV/Radio/Phone OFF.
20. Love & be kind to yourself.
21. Forgive yourself.
22. Cook a meal from A to Z, with all fresh n organic ingredients.
23. Sing a song in foreign language.
24. Stop smoking.
25. Sleep by 11pm
26. Bring your own boxes for take cut.
27. Make you own laundry detergent. http://www.ecofriendlydaily.com/home/eco-friendly-laundry/
28. Give away your unwanted clothes. (e.g. red cross, oxfam, green collection boxes, your relatives, your friends)
29. Before you buy anything, think "do I really need this?"
30. Tell someone a joke.
31. Speak gently-even if you are mad/annoyed/unhappy etc etc

Are you Tree Free, Are you O'bon?

Sometimes the universe does send you feedback...here is how... these past few days, other than suffering from a somewhat frozen left shoulder, my mind has been pre-occupied with "...recycle, recycle recycle..." then my brother manifested from KL before me and said "check out this impossible to break O'bon pencil made from recycled newspaper."
Ladies & Gentlemen, may I present you the innovative & revolutionary O'bon superlovers - saving the trees and our children. The very concept of recycling newspapers into pencils, pens and ring binders is something to applaud. Products such as those at O'bon make the world a better place. Much better than making money and destroying our not infinite natural resources at the same time. Plus, O'bon certainly is up to passing John Elkington's Triple Bottom line test i.e. measuring business success in the broadened criteria of economic, social and envrionment.

O'bon's (http://www.obon.us/) offer a range of stationary such as pencils, pens, erasers and ring binders. The O'bon pencils are their flagship products and unlike traditional wood pencils, they are made from rolling recycled paper with O'bon super tight roll-on method (i hope they have patented this secret technology!) with water based glue. This way of rolling means the O'bon pencil is shock free when dropped. Since the graphite is not broken easily when dropped, it will last longer! And they are 100%toxin-free, conforming with EU standard of safety-this is good news, even I (someone who is not a mother) know about how kids love to put fingers in their mouths!
The pencils come in many series such as Original, Newspapers, Fruits, Wildlife and my favourite the Rainbow series.

The ring-binders are also very vibrant in colours and design. Most imporantly they are dioxin-free. Want to know about dioxin, the actions you can take to reduce dioxin consumption - click here to hear from the experts:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/medical_notes/358889.stm

http://cfpub.epa.gov/ncea/CFM/nceaQFind.cfm?keyword=Dioxin

The Patriot pens are also dioxin-free! It seems that one of the marketing strategies is to encourage companies use their products. If so, my suggestion is that O'bon may want to create a black & white or other cool clours corporate series as an alternative for the more serious corporate. Or consider house-branding O'bon products for a big client- bottom line permitting of course. There are so many creative ways to distribute the products and thus passing on the new black message. If you have not realised already, green is the new black.
And by the way, I am independent blogger who writes with absolute unfettered discretion. Nor do I receive any incentive, financial or otherwise from O'bon. (In fact, O'bon is probably not aware about this log, and I just wrote to them seeking their consent to display the two images above- if they are not happy with it, I will remove the pics). I applaud superlovers out there and write about products or whatever which support my vision to make the world a better place-which reminds me- I will need to add no. 11 to UMA's tips to go green "Say No to wood pencils and use O'bon pencil" and also amend no. 8-say NO to plastic to include pens and ring-binders.

Karma Direct- Mind Philathropist

A few weeks ago, I was having a late lunch at CWB Japanese Curry Bee. Since it was late, there was only one other guy eating at a table across from me. As I paid for my bill, I paid for his too. Yes that was the random good thing I did. But it was more that just a good thing. I intended to plant seeds of giving and love into the universal energy field and thereby reversing the cycle of what is happening all around us, especially in the light of the global economic crisis, causing so much stress for beings from all walks of life. As mentioned in my previous post- according to the universal law of cause and effect, the underlying causes of this current global crisis is greed and selfishness - the ulterior motivation and intention behind many "super" powers, decision makers, CEOs, bankers, fund managers etc - finally manifesting in the collapse of the world's economy - the worse since the Great Depression of the 1930s. There has been many opinions on the causes of and possible solutions to this economic tsunami from the world's renowned economists. However, I am looking at this from the point of the world as an universal energy field and the universal law of cause and effect. Karma is usually a synonym to the latter - however karma simply means actions.

There are three types of actions: virtuous, non-virtuous and neutral actions. Virtuous actions, with the required conditions will lead to virtuous results. Non-virtuous actions have non-virtuous results. Neutral actions have neutral results. Actions (including non-actions) can be carried out through three doors of our body (physical actions/non-actions), speech (words) and mind (thoughts).

Avoiding the ten non-virtuous actions is one of my very first and repeated instruction from my Guru. The non-virtuous deeds are divided into actions of body (killing, stealing, sexual misconduct), speech (lying, harsh speech, gossip/idle speech and calumny) and mind (coveting/desire, malice/hatred and wrong view/ignorance). Each of these actions will lead to corresponding result similar to its cause. For instance, killing will lead to shorter lifespan or illness. Stealing or taking that which is not yours will lead to one being poor. Not speaking the truth/lying will lead one being slandered or being deceived by others. Harsh speech (such as swearing and saying mean things) will lead to one hearing unpleasant speech or what one says will be basis of fighting or dis-harmony. Coveting will lead to one not getting what one has wished for and without sense of contentment. Malice will lead to very fearful state of mind. Of course, ideally not only do we want to avoid these non-virtuous deeds, with a good understanding karma, its power and how it works, we would naturally want to carry out virtuous actions. Oh and by the way, whether or not you believe in karma, it is happening to all of us. Karma and how it works is one of the universal truths, like the law of gravity, the law of impermanence (i.e. all born will die, all accumulated will be used up, all risen will fall, all began will end).

For the purposes of this discussion, let's look at the cause and effect of giving and taking. If one donates money to a charity with pure intention to help others, as opposed to a self-serving purpose, then this is a virtuous action and is liken to planting a virtuous seed. This seed with the meeting of right conditions such as sunlight, water and eco-friendly fertilizer will ripen in a virtuous tree bearing virtuous fruits. Therefore, if we are trying to get rich, we should be be planting seeds of giving rather than taking. Because by taking, which is no different then stealing, one is actually planting non-virtuous actions making oneself poorer in the future. There is however one big caveat here- I am not suggesting that each of us give away all our money, do nothing and wait to win the biggest lottery. This is absolutely not the point at all. Generosity is a state of mind- meaning as we go about our business, we go about it with a kind, generous mind rather than selfish and greedy one. We want to create win-win situations for all stakeholders rather that just benefiting ourselves to the detriment of others and destruction of our environment. Personally, the beauty with the teachings of Buddha is the wisdom of middle-way. Whatever actions we do or not do, they are carefully carried out in a non-extreme and skillful manner, certainly not just benefiting oneself at the cost of exploiting other beings or our land.

Thus, while my present circumstances do not permit me to be an uber-philanthropists like such of Bill Gates and Bill Clinton, I am a super-lover and super-giver from my mind. So I bought lunch for a stranger with very clear and strong thoughts of planting seeds of sharing and love and hence reversing the power of greed and selfishness. Perhaps the cynics and non-believers will argue that it was a senseless act of mediocrity. I don't blame them because they have not understood the true meaning of karma and how it works. But for those fortunate ones who gets it, they will never under-estimate the power of actions - virtuous and non-virtuous alike. A simple Hello, a friendly Mercibeaucoup or just a big smile to someone, stranger or not, is a good start. The goodness of an action is not merely measured on how big the action is, but rather on how genuine and sincere, how kind and how loving the heart is. Incidentally, even in facebook there are gadgets like"Pay your Karma forward", so it seems that I am not the only one who gets it :-)

50 YEARS IN EXILE

http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2009/03/09/china-tibet.html
http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5gDi2AyAoG_c0eownnoL7XaODrmUA

Fifty years ago tomorrow (March 10 1959) is the 5oth anniversary of the day His Holiness Dalai Lama and his fellowers escaped from Tibet to India. My own guru, His Eminence Chogye Trichen Rinpoche also fled from Tibet to Mustang around the same time. They travelled in the nights and hid in the days in fear of being discovered by the Chinese army. There were many stories told by those who survived the escape. There were also stories where the Chinese army would shoot the monks before the eyes of the Abbot- a cruel way of mental suffering.

Perhaps we can review how actions and intentions of negative frame of mind have done to us? Asked another way, what have killings, exploitations, hatred, power, greed, selfishness done for us, our land, our future generations? Nothing but destruction. Just take a moment to look at the state of our world today-the signs are too scary and too apparent. According to the law of cause and effect (aka Karma) what goes around comes around. So if you plant a negative seed, no matter what sunshine, water and fertilizer you add to it, the plant will have a negative/poison root, making it a poison plant. So we wonder why our economy is in crisis? Greed and selfishness is the answer. The more you take, the less you will have. The more you give, the more you will have. This is karma at works. Perhaps a separate discussion for another day.

Starting from sunrise tomorrow, I will take a 24 hour silent and fasting retreat as a sincere token of respect for those who died and fought in the 1959 killings in Tibet. A token of respect for those souls who are deprived of their very basic human rights - freedom to live in their homeland and freedom to religious belief. Yes its a small drop in the ocean, but a drop nonetheless. As an individual we can make choices of how we live our lives and how we affect those around us. We have a choice of how we want to contribute to the universal energy field. Each act done or not done, each word spoken or withheld, each thought in your mind is putting energy into this vast energy field. Each of us have the power to affect those people and things we interact with every second of the day. Even with each breathe you take you are affecting the world. I have reflected and mediated on this interdependency for a long time. The more you internalise it, the more aware you are of your actions and thoughts. Everyday, I vow to plant positive seeds of love and hope into our universal garden. What seeds would you plant tomorrow and day after, next week, next month, next year? My choice is clear :-)

Everyday is no plastic day so BYOB

Your recycled bag-don't leave home without it.

On 3 March 2009- the "Every day is no plastic bag day" campaign launched in HK- under the auspices of the Hong Kong Retail Management Association. The intention is to encourage about 2,000 stores of 18 major retailers in Hong Kong to stop handing out plastic bags to customers starting that day. The association said that the aim is to encourage further reduction of plastic bag usage across the city. The participating stores include major super markets like International,Gourmet, Wellcome,City Super, Great, 360,Market Place and chemists likeMannings and Watsons.
Xin hua news reported that " The association expected that this program would help reach the industry’s voluntary target of reducing plastic bag distribution by more than 400 million at the participating retailers.This will represent a 50 percent decrease from the 820 million plastic bags distributed in 2005, the baseline on which the voluntary target was set."

I suppose this good effort and no doubt a good start. However, some stores are better at executing and informing customers about this campaign. Others seem to take part by just putting a sign board of the poster at the front of the store! But this campaign is like a lion without teeth- it does not bite. Even if you don't bring your own bag- you will get a plastic in any case- at no further cost. Perhaps you think that charging for the use of plastic bag seems unreasonable and consumers should be given their choice. I disagree. In the UK, Marks and Spencers charges 10p for a plastic bag- and I hope HK will follow suit. After all, you don't feel the pinch unless it really hurts. And really it is the choice between protecting and destryoing our land. Not a difficult to figure out really.

There is also a much needed call for higher level of exposure and education to the general consumers in Hong Kong and Asia. We are need to educated to know what cumulative detriments are being done to our mother earth each time we use and thus creating a demand for plastic bags. The effects of global warming are already showing and the are moving in a frightening pace. Each of us (corporate and individuals alike) is responsible to do our part- its not just a matter for the environmental activists or the regulators, it's a matter we should take very closely in our hearts. Remember, we did not inherit this land, we are just borrowing it from our children.

First & Foremost- the "Me" place

It may be a bit too obvious- any one wanting to do good, first and foremost is to save me. There are many levels of what this means, but fundamentally, to accept oneself as who you are,nothing more, nothing less. i.e. to know that it is ok to be you and be comfortable with it. To know that that you are complete and perfect. I recall how many moments, I blame myself for things, or question if I am "good enough"- believe me, this is common dilemma especially for those grown up in traditional Asian upbringing. Or now, in this climate of economic breakdown, we all have moments of anxiety and fear of what is going to happen next. Sometimes we can go all over the place, and except we forget to visit "me", for the me place might bring us to places which scare us. Most of us, prefer not to be scared. But sometimes if you don't take the bull by its horns, so to speak, you will always be threatened by it somewhat, it will always bind you and keep you from moving forward to the next level. Perhaps challenge yourself next time, when you see your wondering mind running away from me- its very tricky, the mind is really a master plan when it comes to planning for escapes- a full schedule perhaps, hour to hour? a lot of laughter to disguise how you truly feel? or just lots of booze to keep you down. For me, I just sit and watch TV. Clearly in order to do good for others, first I need to do good to me. This is logical following the fact we should all know by now- how can you love others, if you don't love yourself? So instead of running away & resisting, I am developing a friendly relationship with the places which scare me. And you know what, it is not as scary as you would imagine. It certainly liberates me in certain subtle ways and with this process, more space is created, this space gives me great comfort, to feel the calmness from me after all these years of internal and somewhat hidden turbulence. So when was the last time you went to me? Perhaps you might want to do something different when you start to escape? Or you can continue to resist, although I should remind all of us, myself included, that what we resist persists. It is wonderul that life is full of choices-be wise what you choice though, it will certainly come back to greet you someday.

Letting Go in my jourmey home

Below is a by-product of insomnia...

Buddha taught 84,000 teachings, there are different methods, vehicles and rituals in Buddhism, and the point of it all is to enable us to awaken in our natural state, the nature of our mind, aka Buddha nature. For me, a more universal way to express is to return to the Source. For many came from two and two came from One. So it’s about returning to the One, or our intrinsic nature , a return to where we came from, so I call it home. This is the ultimate state of freedom and happiness. To re-unite with our source or core.

The journey to our nature, is about letting go. What is letting go? It certainly does not mean total abstaining from everything, for letting go is a state of mind - "care-free non-attachment", attitude. Just because I am wearing an expensive branded shirt, does not mean I am attached to that shirt. Afterall, the issue is not this world and the pleasures of life but rather our attachment to it. But it's not about just a mere physical letting go of something or someone but a state of mind where the existence or non-existence of that something or someone does not impact one’s state of mind whatsoever. Letting go of all dualities of good and bad, happy and sad, up and down, with and without and so on.

For a mind which has completely let go, including the letting go itself, is a free mind.

Perhaps a free mind can experience easier our true state, after all, despite our physical states, we are but energy and ultimately, we are One with our Source which is no different from the Universe.

For me,this is a long process like peeling an onion, I am more than grateful to my Guru’s blessings because finally I am on the journey to let go and I know I am returning Home for certain, it’s a question of time when I will arrive there! This is the million dollar question...

mercibeaucoup

thank you, xia xia, aligato, tukchijei, danebat, merci, -it really amazes me how we don't say enough of these words. They are probably the most beautiful words ever existed in our vocab yet to underuse. in fact, i feel sad to see people who does not say these words often. Ask yourself, how many thank yous have you said today? How many thank yous have you said to yourself? Have we all forgotten to appreciate and be grateful for all the things ( small or big) in our lives? Or have we unwisely chose to just remember the not so good things? These days, in this state of world economic turmoil, there is so much negative energy beaming out of any one- can of course can't blame them. But we must not let the negative energy suck us in like a horrific tsunami, we can choose to put in instead positive energy to the universal energy pool, which by the way, each of us is absolutely responsible for. so why not start by saying thanks for the things, like how you woke up still alive and breathing, how cadbury milk bar will be fairtrade by this summer, how the sun was shining and wind blowing. At this instant, I am grateful for the space before me for allowing me to write down random thoughts for no particular reasons, just space for my mental and emotional vomit. Merci