RIP Ted Kennedy

Dear Ted Kennedy,

Growing up an Aquarian in the Sixties made me very early aware of the wide world, even though I was growing up in the westernmost European country in Europe, Portugal.

From watching man's landing on the Moon, age seven (which meant a special authorization from Father to stay up all night, due to time difference in Portugal) to all that went on happening in our world, you and your Family became a PRESENCE in my life very early and never left it.

I see through any of your flaws - would you be a real HUMAN BEING if you did not have them? But GREATER are your undeniable QUALITIES and your SPIRIT OF SERVICE to MANKIND.
Listening to the episode of the refuzeniks I could only feel how GLOBAL a citizen you were. I miss you already. May your Soul go on to ever greater accomplishments.

Love,

Isabel

(This text was first left as a comment on http://www.aquariuspapers.com/ - the photo is mine and merely means to uplift our thoughts... taken from the sky...)

Greetings from the Atlantic!

THIS POST IS DEDICATED TO ROBERT WILKINSON OF AQUARIUS PAPERS


http://www.aquariuspapers.com/



AND TO ADITYA, WHO ASKED ME TO ALSO SHOW SOME PICTURES OF PORTUGAL.




All of these pictures were taken by me in a fishermen's town called PENICHE, in the western Atlantic area around ninety quilometers north of Lisbon.

The Atlantic is deeply intertwined with our Soul of navigators and adventurers.

It also plays the role of Lullaby singer when we feel drained or in need of soothing...

Its sheer energy is a wonderful incentive to LIVE.

And there are many inspiring moments to treasure forever...

With best greetings to all, from sunny Portugal and the Peniche Atlantic Ocean!

Isabel

03 rd. May 2009.

(Photos by Isabel)

Lisbon's lovely Balconies...

Walking through Lisbon one can find all sorts of colours and lively sights, from beautiful flowered balconies, to the typical "mercearias" which sell fruit and vegetables and whose shop windows are so refreshing to look at!

Everywhere, some explosion of colour catches your eye... in a source of permanent Joy.

Things may be as common as a restaurant decorating it's windows with simple transparent glass bottles with white flowers inside...

Or they can be more complex, as this example of a balcony with two different sorts of flowers falling in a "cascade" of colour, in a silent colourfull duet!

I hope you all enjoy it as much as me!

Isabel

Lisbon, 19th. April 2009.

(Photos by Isabel).

Welcoming the Spring with NEW EYES...

WALKING THROUGH LISBON IS LIKE MEDITATING...



Lisbon is a mysterious town, secretive and beautiful, feminine in its atmosphere… and as such, a bit illusive…

But to go through its streets simply observing and perceiving all the life that is flowing through it at every moment, is a unique experience…

Be it along its narrow streets that go up and down it seven hills, or from one of several spots from which one can perceive the breathtaking panorama, or even from its old Castle - from which a magnificent view can be enjoyed - this a City one learns to know and love by opening up our eyes, ears, but mainly our HEARTS.

That is why I leave these pictures, to share this lightness of being that Lisbon exhales, this happiness in movement and sound… This magnificent place to be born or live in, or simply to visit!

Isabel

Lisbon, 29th. March 2009

(Photos by Isabel)

Poetry in the streets of Lisbon...

Beautiful Lisbon! Where the Light is unique in its nuances, shadows and lace...

Sacred City built upon Seven original Hills... The Legend says that it inherits its name from Ulisses, who in his travels would have founded Lisbon...

A city with almost "palpable" JOY...

A certain lightness in the air, an invitation to walk and reflect...

In its many winding roads, light, colour, shape and people all combining to bring you to an introspective mood, a longing for the Happiness of simple things and good friends...

The first announcement of impending night...

How would it be possible not to LOVE this City?

Isabel

(photos by Isabel).

Back in the New Year...

It's been a loooong silence... But Lisbon is still shining, bright in this Christmas Season...

I remember, as I was a child, how this Season was lived in the homes of all those who shared the Spirit of Christmas... Long ago, in this country it was mostly the "creche" that was traditional... but then, through the years, the Christmas Tree also became a "must" in most homes.

In the last few years, Lisbon has started to have a huge Tree in a central place - so, I am showing this year's at the top of Edward VIIth Park...

But there is a special atmosphere in this city, even when it is not Christmas... On those other times and moods, I will speack next time!

Happy New Year to all!

Isabel

From the womb of the night...

From the womb of the night
cometh the light
with promises of new beginnings.
And the memory of stars
sheds a mysterious glow
into small, everyday things.

Everything is full of Magic
when the Breath becomes the Power
of the Love that binds us all.
And the Magic is the Beauty,
the simplicity of Nature,
sights and sounds and smells
and Love.

And the Magic becomes stronger
the simpler our life becomes,
for an empty hand can give
so much more than all the riches
if it's filled with Loving Light,
if it travels with new Wings.

Through clean waters
and fresh breeze
do we refresh these
our bodies,
Garments of Light and of Sound.

And by pronnouncing the Words
create new Worlds of Becoming
re-creating our World.

Anticipating the future
we live in the Present Moment
just being whole and transparent,
so that the Magic in Nature
can fill our hearts with the Love
that shows the Wisdom inside...

So that the Magic won't hide
the Glory of LOVE BECOMING
the Splendour
of Loving LIGHT.

Isabel

(Photo by Isabel of the Magic Mist of a Foggy Morning at the Country side...)

Within us, serenity...

Within each one of us there is a silent space which can fully regenerate us. We should have enought time to allow it to manifest. Within each of us there is everything that there is all over the Cosmos. Only when there is serenity can we access a totaly "other" dimension.

When we breath deeply, we sit calmly and let all the vivifying ingredients that roam the atmosphere penetrate our whole Being. We will see that it is not only the mind that winds down, but also all our body, all our cells purifying themselves and getting thus to function better and more harmoniously.

Why not make sure that every day we keep this quality time for ourselves? If we try this daily, at least for 10 to 15 minutes, we will soon discover that our body and our whole Being will function a lot better.

José António

(Photo by Isabel at São Pedro de Muel beach, Portugal)

Be...

Be empty:

Like a wind
that passes freely
without grabbing anything.

Be free:

For freedom is the silence
where you can cease to be
so small,
so tired,
so scared of being ONE
with Life itself.

Be:
As one awakening
to a fresh new day
just BE;

As one observing
without previous thought
just SEE;

As one who LOVES
without a selfish centre
just shed the LIGHT
that gives you Life and Wings.

And with these Wings
become the Bird
that flies the World
with just one vision,
unified:

A centre of all Space,
a moment of all Time,
a Self without a centre
and, in the Heart of all
a point of FULL AWARENESS,
a HOME without a home.
A Heart that is all places,
all times and every dream,
a Wing made just of Light
that shadows everything...

Just BE...

Isabel

(Photo by Isabel of Seaguls flying together at Nazaré beach, Portugal)

A moment of reflection...

"Sometimes, the most important thing we do in a whole day, lies in the pause between two breaths". Etty Hillesum

In the midst of all the confusion of a day (work, traffic, not enough time for lunch, problems with the kids, the TV "crap" we more or less have to endure) how refreshing it is to have a break! To make silence. Real, utter silence. To breath in and out fully and slowly, even if just for a few minutes at a time...

Any place is a good place for this pause. In the bus, cooking dinner, before going to bed, etc.. For as long as we can STOP the external noise and lissen to what there is inside us, in the depth of our BEING.

José António

(Photo by Isabel)