A Commitment To Shine

International Day of Peace

2011-09-20T23:31:00.000-04:00

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

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

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

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

HAVE A WONDERFUL AND PEACEFUL DAY, EVERYONE!

Zero One-ing in Quebec!

2011-06-29T11:16:00.009-04:00

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Quote Of The Day

2011-06-28T13:11:00.000-04:00

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

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

2011-05-25T17:17:00.009-04:00

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

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

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

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

Taking on adventures

2011-05-23T10:18:00.009-04:00

Happy renewing, beautifuls!

We are… two days after the end of the world. I just arrived in paradise. What a wonderful morning here! Yes I referred -with a large smile upon my face- to the end of the world that was predicted by a crowd of people for May 21st. Fifteen minutes ago, I had no idea that I would drop some lines about it but, being sat here, breathing that fresh and cold air, I am to realize the special moment that I am living right now and for the next –hopefully numerous- few months.

I opened my eyes at around 4:30 am, hearing the nature waking up by the window that stayed opened all night. I didn’t really go back to the dream world. Nope. Something in the moment and outside of the room was too exciting. I arrived here last night, so I didn’t see the land around what will be my new home in just a couple of days. Three hours later, it was still early, and Maxime, my friend and future roommate, was still asleep. I had thought that I could wait for him to walk and discover the 5 acres land, but I just couldn’t wait any more! Because Maxime lives much closer than I, he came here a few times already, and even has started to bring some boxes in, so he knows much about the place. Until here, I had not even visited the house. I signed the bail on Maxime’s feeling and sayings, and on the 3 or 4 pictures I had seen on internet. And here I am, on this beautiful morning of May 23, 2011.

Thus, not being able to go back to sleep, I jumped into my pair of jeans, put some socks and shoes, rolled myself up in a fleecy blanket and I went outside. Flower after flower, bird song after bird song, I discovered the first acre or so. I’ll wait for Maxime to walk the rest, so he can show me the limits of the land, and not to venture onto our neighbors' property. Walking back to the front yard, I thought “there will be much more work to do than what I thought before having our garden”… but this won’t be today anyway, so I decided to grab my lap top in the house, and to go back outside to have a bit of a writing moment, to see what would come up of this new flow of inspiration. Instinctively, I went straight to the limits of the cleared portion of the land. There, a small wooden bridge over a stream leads to a cooler and smelling good universe. I sat there, at the entrance of the forest to write this post. I introduce myself to this magnificent forest. Very soon, we’ll know better each other. And because we’ll be in a very close interrelation, I want to take some time, so that we can welcome one another, so that we can become acclimatized to each other. For now, lets just come up the inspiration it brings me.

Once again, I am taking a new turn onto the very exciting path of life. Since I decided to quit everything, almost 3 years ago, I am taking on new adventures over new adventures. How amazing things happen when we allow life to surprise us! I went from the suburban life to the return in the big metropolis of Montreal, to living in a very isolated but big city that we discover after driving like 5 hours in the woods, to come back in Montreal with a brand new glance over things and a new perspective on life, for now moving on the countryside, at the most south end of the province that I’ve ever lived. Yes, this little piece of paradise is located at about 15 minutes to the Vermont USA border.

Here, surrounded by this green life, I wouldn’t be surprised to wake up one morning, seeing a deer on the land, or a fox playing around. I’ve been told that we can hear coyotes howling at night. Oh, if only I had a camera with me to picture this place and this moment for you!

I feel that, even so I’ll be very busy, taking care of the land and of the garden, and working on some great business projects, I’ll be back on A Commitment To Shine more often. I feel totally inspired here. I feel that I’ll be utterly happy here.
IT'S MY LITTLE ZERO ONE.
Yes, since I arrived here last night, I kept having flashbacks of feelings I had in Kauai. I feel the two adventures very closely related. Alriiight!! I totally am ready and opened to take over this new exalting one, to learn and to process personal things through it.

Wonderful Life, you’ll never cease to amaze me.
YOURS IN SUCH GRATEFULNESS,
Marie

Free Thank You's

2011-03-21T22:11:00.014-04:00

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

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

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

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

And my first one goes out like this:

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

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

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

The spring revives the inspiration

2011-03-14T18:25:00.016-04:00

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

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

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

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

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

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

TAKE CARE, BEAUTIFULS!
All the love,

Marie

The International Day of Awesomeness

2011-03-01T12:40:00.001-05:00

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!

2010-12-26T15:40:00.007-05:00

Happy Sunday, beautifuls!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Quote of the day

2010-12-13T16:08:00.001-05:00

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

Miracle rescues

2010-12-11T15:32:00.007-05:00

I wonder if you have saw this news passing by on internet last month, and if this astonnish you as much as me?

Every year, from July to October, thousands of animals cross the Mara River, to migrate from the Masai Mara to the Lamai plains. For the Zebras, the Wildebeest and the Thomson's gazelles, this Great Migration is indeed a necessary adventure to their survive, even though it costs the life of some of them. But this time, a hippo was there, and something amazing happened.

"The hippo was watching as the wildebeest herd swam past. As soon as the calf jumped in, the hippo swam up to it and pushed it along all the way across until it had reached safety on the other side. It then went back and did the same for a zebra foal just minutes later."

Yes, a hippopotamus -the third largest land animal- rescued a baby zebra and a baby wildebeest from drowning, as they were trying to crossed over the river with their herd.

The beautiful photos of this great moment have been captured by Michael Yule and other guests of Lemala Camp, a seasonal tented camp for those who want to capture the best wildlife action in Tanzania.

Don't you think that it is an amazing story? Nature is so surprising and so wonderfully made!

Go sit in a park somewhere this weekend, and observe it! Let me know which beauties you'll have seen!
ENJOY THIS SNOWY WEEKEND!
And let yourself be inspired by this female hyppo, and spontaneously help those who are different from you!

The sound of love - With My Own Two Hands - Ben Harper

2010-12-09T17:09:00.000-05:00

Yes, it IS that simple!

Use our own two hands to reach out to our peers. Use our own two hands to clean up this place, our Home to all.
LOVE AND GRATITUDE!

Reduse and reuse before anything else!

2010-12-06T12:50:00.005-05:00

I am glad that we have covered a part of the recycling topic in one of my permaculture classes, and that this brought me to have a great conversation with one of my friends recently.

I always have found that there was a huge problem in our way to see and to use the recycling option in our life… I mean… Why taking a new plastic glass at each new drink that you are ordering in a festival, for example? I always get a weird glance and an answer like “Duh! It’s recyclable, ya know?!” WTF!! Not because it is recyclable that we have to use tons of those!! Recycling is the very last hope in a chain of choices available. The first is to REDUCE. The second is to REUSE. And THEN comes the very last one, which is to RECYCLE! So can you tell me why the heck we all focus on recycling?? And so many plastic containers are still produced, used and consumed and which are NOT recyclable, and too many of us are still not aware of which ones those are. I’ll tell you: plastics number three and six are NOT recyclable.

Wanna have some ideas of how to reuse the plastic that you find along the way? Create art! Yes, let's turn trash into beautiful pieces of art that will make smile and that will inspire!

Or build houses! Whatever that your creative mind will tell you to do!

And now that we are all aware of: let’s just leave those products on the shelves: companies will end up having no other choice than to change their packaging! Be assured, there is way enough of plastic already stuck here with us to create your art! No worries!

I can also give you this so very effective tip to reduce your consumption of plastic (also applicable for any other type of consumption, obviously!)... Ask yourself: "Am I gonna die if I don’t get this yummy treat, or this frozen meal that comes in this not recyclable container?" Do I really want to add one more piece of plastic somewhere on the ground of our beautiful planet and which my great-great grandchildren will still be stuck with, and be cursing me, saying “What have you done?!” A resounding NO! Do you feel the same? Good! It is our responsibility, each of us, to educate our loved ones. Some or I should say... many are bothered by my "preachings", as they say. Great! We all remember of what bothers us, right? haha! No one has ever made change things without bothering anyone.

I love my place in this universe. I wouldn't exchange it with no other being! Well, what else can one ask for, than to make things evolve as one is also doing so, and by being surrounded by other enlighten and amazing beings? I say: enjoy and have fun, little fish!

YOURS IN THIS SO FUN JOURNEY,

LOVE!

The multifaceted nature of sharing: All for the ONENESS

2010-12-03T22:44:00.020-05:00

To me, there is no other action that is more important than SHARING. Sharing ideas helps to bring things further on, sharing food makes nobody to be hungry, sharing our happiness brings more than just you to smile about something, and sharing someone’s sadness or pain is what we call compassion, is what helps someone to stand up throughout hard times.

I am the first one that is gaining from my sharings on this blog of mine. To write my posts, I’m taking a moment of zen to think about a topic. It leads me to push my thoughts further on. It inspires me first, be assured! A day where I write is a day to be cranked up in positivity. And -since I am not only blogging (you must guessed!), but I am also acting in the way I am preaching- it happens that, in a day off of writing, I sometimes need a little boost. And in those moments, well it happens that I go back and re-read one of my own posts, in addition to all of others’ blogs, who are great sources of inspiration as well.

There are so many great sources of inspiration in this vast world of blogging. In addition to all those that I have already shared with you, some others put magic in my life lately.

Green and Free Blog: some of this cool cat’s posts will kick your ass, be aware! Thank for your beautiful self, Miss Vanessa!
i’m on an adventure: the youth has something to teach us. Jenni is truly amazing.
Miss Moon in the Sky: the lovely Tumblr site of my dear friend Hana. Her blog has often put me into great thoughts also:
Today, Tomorrow, and Sometime Yesterday.

You are all shining so bright, lovely ladies! I am proud to know you and to be by your side in this great journey!

And I am so grateful to you. Yes, to YOU, dearest reader, for your support and for your lovely comments.

I am here because you
are there. We are all
creating this together.

I love you. Yes, YOU,
dearest reader, because
you totally rock!

Be inspired, be beautiful, and lets share stuff together, my friends!
WITH YOU IN HARMONY,
M.E

From Me to We

2010-11-30T12:34:00.009-05:00

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!

We can achieve this together!

2010-11-23T01:11:00.004-05:00

Hey, friends!

I wonder if you have noticed the new online video campaign of Plastic Pollution Coallition, featuring celebrities pledging to REFUSE disposable plastics?
Here’s Jack Johnson, in one of those.

A bit more than 2 weeks ago, I've shared with you my excitment for great events that were to come up on this incredible month of November. And since then, some more have been added to my list, which continues to grow on an on, pricipally because of my new classes of permaculture. So, I am now taking the time to share with you my account of the famous live stream one day event: the worldwide webcast forum TEDxGreatPacificGarbagePatch. Okay, I didn’t really have to participate, but just to tune in and to pay 100% of my ears and of my attention to the important discussions and to the artistic sharings. And sometime cheering up, alone in my living room, I admit!

Thus, as most of you might already know, Plastic Pollution Coallition was holding this forum on November 6, in Los Angeles, CA. Many leaders in ocean conservation, health and environmental issues were participating, in the ultimate goal of sharing their great desire to see things change, and to find solutions to stop the pollution from plastic. I don’t know if you were tuned in, but that was a fantastic event!

Wonder why the existence of that big plastic patch in the middle of the Pacific Ocean? Ha! Well, did you know that not even a little fragment of plastic, produced since its discovery in 1870, has never disappeared from the surface of the Earth? Well… a lot has been deeply buried, and some has been recycled and transformed… into another shape of plastic, though…

The social activist Erica Williams said about plastic: "These objects, created to be used for only a few moments, stay with us forever at a tremendous cost to the planet and the environment."

Here is a really motivating video for stopping using plastic (at the very minimum, the disposable sort).

If this is not enough to convince you, I don’t know what would do! Raise your glass and stainless steel water bottles to this, y’all!

Now, I‘ve shared an idea here a month ago, after I stumbled upon an invention which, to me, would be the only solution to make all the plastic of 140 years of accumulation to disappear. Please allow me to share the invention with you all a second time, as a refresh and an awe state of mind.

To this, I say again: put that machine on a boat and make it eat the plastic patch! What do you think, my friends? If you have any other ideas or any additions related to mine, I would LOVE to hear you!

But of course, we are all aware that this won’t solve all our plastic problems. We have to solve it at its source: stop using disposable plastic. And this is one the four challenges thrown by the TEDxGreatPacificGarbagePatch as a conclusion to the forum. This is the only challenge that is directly concerning each of us. By the way, I take this opportunity to invite you to take The REFUSE Pledge HERE.

The three other challenges were aimed to the manufacturers of plastic products, to policymakers and political leaders around the globe, and to all nations threatened by plastic pollution. You can learn more about each of these challenges HERE.

If we make efforts to hold them all, I think that we can all agree to say that it will have an immediate impact on the environment and on our health. Not to mention all the animal species who will be saved from a great danger.

I am perfectly positive on that: I truly believe that we can achieve these goals all together!

On this burst of enthusiasm, I wish you all to spend an amazing weekend, surrounded by the ones you love!

NAMASTE

Learning permaculture together - Part 1

2010-11-19T22:12:00.008-05:00

Happy Friday everyone!

I am finally able to take some time to write this post! I wanted to do so way before, but the crazy rythm of awesome things happening into my life simply puts me into a state of mind blown right now! But hey: no place for complaining, though: I am utterly happy! Or... could I ask to life to be a little more boring sometimes, so that I can feel like to crash earlier at nights? haha I'll make it through, no worries!

Okay! Lets start this!
A week and a half ago, I was on my way to Montreal's downtown, at the Concordia University, to attend to my very first permaculture class of a series of four. And, as I am convinced that permaculture and the biodynamic agriculture are one of the many awesomenesses of this world that will save the planet, I'm bringing you all with me into these classes, so we can all learn it together. How are you with me in there? Ha! You're in my heart and in my thoughts, since I am so strongly thinking of all of my fellow humans, who will all benefit from this craze of this area of learning.

Thus, yes, I am at the point where I think that, being in this class was helping the planet, since I'll do my best to integrate these learnings, and since I'll share the science with some people, whom will also integrate and share it with some others, whom... get the portrait? This is the exact principle of changing the world: "What we do in our life ripples in eternity". That was one of the slides that caught my attention... well, they all did, actually! And I am hoping to soon have a video of it to share with you.

So! The most part of this very first class has been a refresh of some basics that I already knew. But the way that the teacher -a very kindful and sweet young man named Graham- was bringing the topics and was sharing his infos simply hooked me up. The dude has the knack to captivate us. So many times I went like... "Uh? What does he want to lead us to?"... then, just perfectly quick enough, it appears: "Oh! Brilliant! Now I will remember that!" The uncommun contexts mark. And that's precisely how he brought me to think about things he said, many times during this past week. That's something that I am absolutely grateful for.

Oh! And the ones of you who are also readers of SuperForest, you will like this: it happens that I was wearing my SuperForest shirt on that day (I just felt it was a perfect day to wear it when I got up!). And, since all of his teaching was simply superforesty, I was just boiling to slip something about it! At a moment, he said something that sounded like "it's time to replant, to create forests" or something like that, and I had to bite my lips to don't shout "Hell yes! THIS (my shirt) is what it is all about! We are creating SUPERforests!!" haha You might guess that I went to talk to Graham at the end of the class to let him know about the positivity blog, which I am absolutely positive that he's gonna like!

At the end of each class, there is time allowed for a fun "Do It Yourself" portion. Into the very first class, we got our hands dirty -yaaay!!- to make seed balls. We had much fun doing it, and I'll have ten beautiful small balls to treat Mother Nature with on next spring! Aweeee!!

Seed balls "have use in nearly any climate region in which plants can grow, for reseeding ecosystems into areas of man-made-deserts, for avoiding seed eaters, and for protecting seeds until long-duration rains fall to soak the clay ball, stimulating the seeds with the moisture, and washing away some of the clay off the top of the ball. The seeds inside then germinate in the best possible plant establishment conditions available in each climate-region". Thank you Wikipedia: I could not have explain it better!

I went to the second class this week. Absolutely interesting also, even though I've been less participating, because the topics were much more technical / political, and all in english (...or maybe it is just me, because I was utterly tired... and maybe a bit preoccupied?). Well anyways, I will need to take time to rethink and review it all like a movie in my head, to assure that I am transmitting correctly. But what I CAN say is that the "Do It Yourself" portion was to make a self watering plant container, made out of two recycled plastic buckets. Sorry, no picture for this one! But these are easy to find on internet, no worries!

Now, let me tell you a little more about where these classes are taught. I have had the surprise of my life to discover a small community of rad and marginal people at the Concordia University: the People's Potato. The University counts many buildings, but the one that interest me here is the Henry F. Hall building. This building has a rooftop greenhouse, that is "an all-organic space, geared towards education and research, sustainable horticulture, and community-building". Amazing, right? They call it The Concordia Greenhouse Project, which is managed by a working group of Sustainable Concordia, acting in partnership with the department of Geography, Planning and Environment. The role of the Sustainable Concordia is to seek to create more ecologically, socially and economically sustainable university community.

They even have two banana trees in there! Man, if we would have had a similar group in a French university, I can swear I would have made my way to studdy for an higher degree! Anyways... I'll make connections with some of these cool cats now, be assured! You can learn more about The Concordia Greenhouse Project HERE.

Graham Calder, our teacher, is very commited to the Concordia University. The young Permaculture Designer and Human Environment specialist also has his own social enterprise, P3 Permaculture Design - People for the Profit of the Planet. If you are interested in knowing more about permaculture, please, have your first "class" with him, by listening to this 26 minutes podcast on The Philosophical Traveller blog.

Thank you, mister Graham to BE the change and to add your beautiful colors to my learning in constant improvement!

Let yourself be inspired by this, and plant, my friends! Plant any kind of greens, anywhere you feel like to do so! And for those who are in for the New Reality Transmission, don't miss it tonight: only two days left! We need your powerful thoughts!
MUCH LOVE AND ALOHA TO ALL OF YOU! ☼

Quote Of The Day

2010-11-17T12:08:00.001-05:00

"Not everything that counts can be counted, and not everything that can be counted counts." Albert Einstein

♥

The sound of love - I had a dream - Luc and The Lovingstons

2010-11-17T01:35:00.007-05:00

I am utterly in love with this song of Luc and The Lovingtons, that I first heard it on the SuperForest Soundtrack last Friday night. Ready? Don't be shy to grooooove! ;)

You liked this one? Well, be assured to listen to the album version, then: you'll be totally hooked! Okay, I knew them for their amazing Freedom Song already, but when I heard this last one I just rushed to buy their new CD! These guys really have some great stuff, I'm telling you!

Now, I know that I am neglecting you a bit lately, and I promise that I'll be back with some new posts soon...

YOURS IN THE BALANCE,

M.E

Expressive ME

2010-11-11T22:04:00.008-05:00

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!

Hopeful - Through politic understanding

2010-11-11T00:42:00.008-05:00

All right my friends!
Let’s make it completely different today, okay? Some things are obsessing me right now, and ‘til I don’t do something about it, it seems that it won’t go away… So please allow me.

Maybe that I shouldn’t open that can of worms, but I can’t help but to give my point of view on politic… Since I understood and started to feel the ONENESS, I feel concerned by everything that is going on the planet. Well, I mean… I already WAS, at some point (I am one of those sensible person who is touched when something bad happen to any other person or country), but what has changed is that I now feel concerned even BEFORE anything good or bad happens. Get it?

Also, I’ve been the one who hated politic, but still understood a significant enough amount of. And it is weird how I’ve followed the recent campaign of my southern neighbours… as I did for the last one in my own country (but which was the first I was really interested in and was following). So, this makes this U.S. campaign the second that I am following. Ha! I think this means much though! No? Anyways… that’s not my point. My point is that, during that campaign, I went on some other blogs and so many times I went like “No!! You don’t get it!! Stop fighting, people, please!!”

All of this just brought me to feel even more interested into politic. Hummm… weird once more. The young women that used to think she would never EVER take a lead conversation about politic is just taking a step aside. I think that what I have read recently has simply put a brighter spot light on why we are always stuck with the same parties that we are ALWAYS unsatisfied with... As soon as the result is revealed, EVERYBODY start to criticize… What the heck?! WE voted them! In there is an answer, when we stop and take a moment of zen to think about it, no?? To me, this means that, globally, maybe we do not understand properly how politic works… or rather, and most probably, we DO understand it, but just don’t always act like so… Am I completely out of the track? Tell me if so, please!

What I want to highlight is that there is nothing “personal” in politic. And YES, we have to globalize concerning each party (ideas & members). I mean… The one guy of a party that we vote for, even though we do not agree with a big part of what the rest of his party is promoting, just because that one guy is nice and different… That’s wrong. And NO, I don’t think that I am being “unfair” to say that. It’s nothing personal. When this one guy will be in chamber with his peeps, WHO will make pass or stop an idea? The nice dude? No: his PARTY. So YES, we must think globally. So, to my point of view, it is better to vote for one guy that we don't admire this much if his PARTY promote something that we feel good for our planet. If we think that they will bring things further: these are the one we should vote for. And... this is my very personal process for voting: I love to vote for the very small party that we all know they won't rule things out 'cause they are too small. Great! As soon as I am not voting for one of those big machines! I pick the small one that I feel the most open and honnest, and I give it my vote. My message to the big ones is all there!

A second point: If you have done your homeworks and tried to understand and make up your mind, but still don’t know for whom voting, please, don’t vote like if you were playing Heads Or Tails: Cancel your vote! And, seriously, this is really important: not to simply don’t go voting, but to CANCEL your vote. Why? Because this gesture expresses a saturation and sickness and is a wholesale rejection of the way we do politic. A ridiculously low turnout for election would send a strong message to political parties, supporters and media, and by the gesture, we weaken the legitimacy of these parties, whether they are government, opposition or third parties.

My last point is… PLEASE, people: stop feeling attacked when someone disagrees with your choices in voting! If some are “against” a party, this does NOT mean that they are “against” you! Once again? Politic.is.nothing.personal.

And everything is never completely black or white, even more true in politic: there are a lot of grey zones.

You've probably already guessed that I am from the left (that’s not really a secret, and I assume who I am and the way I think). But we live in a world still much from the right. Am I wrestling and being mad with everybody? Nope. There would be no point, and I would be putting too much of negative energies into the atmosphere. Things are what they are, and the only things we CAN do are to pick our choices, hope for the best, and certainly put positivity out there and love our peers whatever their opinions are.

I am conscious that the results of this US campaign will ripple to my country. And soon enough. And I can tell that it will get to yours as well, anywhere you are from, that’s for sure. And that’s why I am definitely putting the most positivity in the atmosphere for what is to come for you first, my southern neighbours, after this result of the elections.

And I hope that this will take you to some reflexions, as it does for me.
On this… I wish you to have a good night and to sleep well.

THOUGHTFUL BUT HOPEFUL, YOURS IN THE ONENESS,
LOVE

The Call Of The New Paradigm

2010-11-09T23:43:00.006-05:00

This so beautiful poem has been delivered to me by the magical of internet... and by the little help of my friend Pati ;)

Please be aware, you'll be moved and utterly inspired. If you are not ready for that, maybe you should just skip it for now... Naaah! Seriously: enjoy it!

THE CALL OF THE NEW PARADIGME

I give thanks for this precious moment,
This chance to be alive.
For life is sacred, special, and a fragile thing.

Realizing that it may end at any moment
I give thanks for all that I have
And strive to live each day to the fullest.

I have come to realize the power that is within me.
That my former thoughts, words and actions
Became my present state
And right now, in this moment, I’m creating my future.

Understanding this awesome power that I have
It’s my deepest prayer to realize my supreme potential
In the liberated free-play of consciousness,
In this vast expanse,
So that I may inspire others to do the same.

I impress upon my consciousness
States of perfection
Perfect Being, which I’ve found Within
Perfect Wisdom, which I’ve found in Oneness
Perfect Compassion which I’ve found within humanity.

I now know that I live, breathe, and have my being
Within a living field of unified consciousness.
All things arise and fall
Within this field of consciousness.
A sea of infinite potential.
Where thoughts and phenomena,
Are the free play of space.

And in this moment
While there is this “I”
I begin to see the world as it really is,
Perfect and pure.
Where every atom vibrates with joy
And is held together by love.
Where everything is fresh and meaningful,
Radiant with unlimited potential.

I affirm that all the people of the world are created equal and pure,
That abundance, joy, health, and peace
Are the natural and complete states of our being.
I accept these now for myself,
And in doing so I’ve accepted these gifts for all of humanity.

I know now that I have a purpose in life
We all do
And everyday I express that purpose,
And I allow others to do the same.

For I know that we’re all one.
I’m another you
You’re another me
Me is transformed into We
and we’re all in this together.
So I reach out my hands and care for all of life
And I embrace all of the world
Knowing that I have truly touched
The very essence of my own existence.

I give myself the permission to be a miracle
I give myself over to the world
And use my life and all I can share Consciously
So that I may benefit whoever may cross my path.
Even if it’s for just a moment.

For I know it’s in moments like these,
That all of existence is unfolding through us,
And I become certain that heaven is truly here on earth,
And that life is beautiful, perfect and exactly as it should be.

I have become an expression of perfection.

And so it is.

So...? How do you feel now?
This treasure has been written by Suzy Agarthea.
Thank you, Suzy, for your beautiful presence!
SLEEP WELL, MY DEAR FRIENDS

Quote Of The Day

2010-11-07T12:25:00.002-05:00

"LIFE ISN'T ABOUT FINDING YOURSELF. LIFE IS ABOUT CREATING YOURSELF.” George Bernard Shaw
♥

Awesomeness

2010-11-06T16:58:00.010-04:00

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!

Important events to come!

2010-11-05T00:40:00.019-04:00

With no further ado,
I am sharing with you the events that I've been brought up to know about, through sharings with other people (you can relate to my last post).

THE FIRST EVENT
On November 6, the global alliance Plastic Pollution Coalition will host a one day event that will gather global thought leaders to discuss and to share their vision for possible ways to solve the problem of the great plastic patch that is in the middle of the Pacific ocean.. Now you’re talking! It took so long! This patch isn’t recent, though! I’ve been talking about it with many friends since a long time… But no, I didn’t do anything else than talking... and raising awareness about it. I didn’t act any further, and I am very sorry for this.

But! Recently I’ve found an awesome solution to resolve the patch, which I’ve shared. Take this, TED, discuss about it! :)

I can’t wait to know and to dig the solutions they will come up with on tomorrow! Be tuned to watch it LIVE!

While being in the plastiki subject, I’d like to share with you this video of a wise 14 year old boy speaking out about it. Cheers, J.D.! Raise the CARE.

THE SECOND EVENT
This is something absolutely way beyond my hopes, and I was so eager to share it with you. But before, let’s just do a premise.

Clearly, most of us feel that something huge is in process in our universe right now. A major change is to come. Human consciousness is beautifully growing (well, I like to see it as it is florishing), and coincidences are increased tenfold at a breathtaking speed. The whole planet is in a very high vibration, and our solar plexus being boosted up is the result. What, you didn’t related? Then it worths that you meditate for a few minutes, and scan your sweet self. Where is the highest point in energy? Well, it maybe is different for you, but a lot of my friends and I are feeling it at this point, that is the third chakra.

By the way, here's the best definition of the 3rd chakra that I found for you :

"The third chakra completes the physical trilogy of

the human energy system.

Like chakras one and two, it primarily relates to

a physical form of power.

Where the first chakra resonates to group tribal power,

and where the second chakra resonates to the flow of

power between the self and others,

the third chakra relates to our personal power

in relation to the external world."

Now, does it make more sense why you maybe feel like me that your solar plexus feels like it is boiling?

And if it happens that the highest point of energy that you feel is at another location, everything is just perfect: either way, it will tell you much what you should go for.

Okay! I am extending too much that premise. Let’s now go to the point : the second event, which I also saw yesterday night that SuperForester Jesse had shared.

Whatever it is happening to our world, I think we can all agree to say that it is real. So from there, I think we should just use this opening and growth of the awareness to perform the greatest thing that, never before, has been accomplished by the human kind (well…for what we can recall of the two last thousand of years, at least...!). Let's use our vibrant energy to change the course of things.

The next proposal is based on a real theory, whose value is undeniable.

Four months ago, I’ve thrown a call for a global meditation to resolve another unbalance, the oil spill in the gulf. So you know that I'll be jumping in for that exciting one. I'll push my weekly group meditation session that my brother and I have settled at his place, to do this one everyday for 11 days in a row instead. We'll just resume after this little interlude. Hope you'll join in and you'll inform all of your peeps also.

Here is a link so you can know for sure at what time to set yourself for doing this with us, according to your time zone: www.timezoneconverter.com/cgi-bin/tzc.tzc. Be on time and mind free, we'll have much fun together, my zen friends!

LOVE AND GRATITUDE
ॐ

Dona Nobis Pacem

2010-11-04T07:54:00.020-04:00

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

2010-11-03T23:15:00.004-04:00

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.

2010-11-01T23:00:00.006-04:00

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!

The sound of love - Together - Bob Sinclar

2010-10-30T10:57:00.002-04:00

Even though it is far from being my favorite type of music, I absolutely love Bob Sinclair's messages. Here is a soooo lovely video -and of course with great lyrics- that I just found out! And this makes you think of... what?

Yes! This obviously makes me think of the Humanifesto video as well! What about teaming up and singing April's wonderful song, now? haha :)
OH, SO MUCH LOVE GOING OUT IN YOUR DIRECTION!
HAVE A FANTASTIC WEEKEND OF HALLOWEEN, EVERYONE! GET COSTUMED, BE SILLY, HAVE A WHALE OF A TIME! ☼

Quote Of The Day

2010-10-27T11:08:00.003-04:00

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!

BlogBlast For Peace 2010: be tuned!

2010-10-25T22:06:00.002-04:00

Will you jump in and blog about peace with all of us on November 4th? Please, get informed about this blogger event by clicking HERE.
MUCH LOVE, EVERYONE!

Happy 3rd Birthday, SuperForest!!

2010-10-24T18:49:00.009-04:00

Those who read SuperForest can probably recognize some traits of A Commitment To Shine that are directly inspired from this first blog, which is my favorite daily reading. You all can imagine that I couldn’t even think not to take part of this wonderful project of creating a video reflecting its fundamental values and its positive influence in this wonderful world! In only two weeks, the idea for this project came out, 56 people from all around the world have jumped in (reciting portions of the Humanifesto –if you haven’t yet, you really should read this great document, translated in 19 languages!) and this most superforesty video has been produced and came out so wonderfully! AWESOME! Watch this out y’all!

Since I got to know this positivity blog, I stopped reading newspaper and watching TV. This doesn’t mean that I don’t care, don’t get me wrong: it’s totally the opposite! Where I’ve changed my point of view is here:

Reading newspapers and watching TV was bringing me to focus on the bad actions/news happening everywhere. Thus, I came to realize that, by focusing on it, I was only amplifying and feeding the general depressive state coming out of it. We don’t NEED to know WHICH bad actions/news are actually happening in WHICH part of the world to be conscious that some are happening at anytime. And I think that where we can change our very own output into all of this is by feeding ourselves with uplifting and very positive things/info AND TO THROW IT BACK INTO THE UNIVERSE (this is way much more effective than panicking, that's for sure!). Being uplifting with positivism makes us vibrating higher, which has only good effects on ourselves, on others surrounding us and on the whole planet, be assured. And this is where SuperForest interferes.

SuperForest inspires me. SuperForest uplifts me. SuperForest makes me smile and gives me some more reasons to be grateful for each day. SuperForest speaks to my heart, and my heart resounds in the universe.

Back to seven months ago, I used to think that my very little person didn’t have any valuable power in this so wide world. I used to sadden me at the fact (I thought) I couldn’t change anything to some sad situations, and since I am very sensible to so many things, every day I was easily able to find something to be frustrated about!

But then Jason Mraz’s music resounded to my heart. Intrigued, I wanted to know more about. And I discovered a whole universe of positivity. I discovered SuperForest. Now opened to it, only some tiny unexpected experiments occuring into my life have been enough to wake me up to something else, and to realize the role we all have, each and everyone. EVERYTHING took another sense. My life is in perpetual changing since then, and everyday is a new occasion to make a difference and to join my small but VALUABLE contribution to change the world for the best.

HOW NOT TO BE GRATEFUL?!? I LOVE YOU SUPERFOREST, EVERY SINGLE DAY, I LOVE YOU AND HONOR YOU BY BEING AN EXTENT OF YOUR AWESOME POSITIVE IMPACT.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, SUPERFOREST, AND LONG LIFE TO YOU!
In love and gratitude,
Marie-Eve

P.S. YOU "encouraged ME to step out of our comfort zones and take action toward the things I believe in"! THANK YOU, FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART. ♥

Inventions that we love: a plastic eater!

2010-10-21T17:37:00.007-04:00

I am so excited by this find that has been delivered to me by Facebook... well, by my friend Amanda. THANK YOU Amanda! Oh, man, I love the Internet for its easy process of high-speed learning and sharing! Please, watch this, and tell me what you think!

I say: YES!! Now let's take the big patch of plastic that is in the middle of the ocean, and get it eat by this machine!! Whahaha!

Okay, you'll probably be tempted to say "yeah, but oil is not good either", totally legitimate: this has been exactly my first reaction during the very first seconds... then I said... "Hey, wait a minute!": there are some kinds of plastic that cannot be recycled... and where does this plastic go? At the dump. And it produces bad gases anyway. So why not?! And hell yeah, I've thought: let's put this machine on a boat and bring it to this plastic patch!

What do you think, my friends? Worth it?
ENJOY THIS MOMENT OF REFLEXION! LOVE!

WE ARE the environment

2010-10-17T19:51:00.018-04:00

Have you ever been caught in a swirl of questions facing something that you feel so strong, but which you don't understand? It happens to me more and more frequently... As if it is my heart that is starting to understand things... But the mind, not wanting to lose the lead, engages a struggle, which simply freezes me completely, staying there for hours, endlessly questioning myself, juggling with question marks and missing answers.

I can say that this is what happens each time I come back in town, after a hike in the woods. Just as today. When I find myself surrounded by nature, I simply FEEL things. My heart is all there. IT sees, feels, understands every living forms. I don't need to talk. My HEART is communicating with everything that is surrounding me. The light seems to have another color. The whole universe takes another sens.

Then I come back in town... and something brings my mind back. And I get lost in the struggle. And... the mind sometimes wins and leaves me having doubts about my mental health, I admit! :P

Today, this video -from my daily reading of my favorite blog, which you all know as being SuperForest- made me understand something (well, obviously yes I understood, or I wouldn't even have been able to write the first two paragraphs, since I couldn't put words on all of this before!)... Please take a moment to watch it.

Okaaaaay! Is that why I was feeling so connected with the nature? Yeaaaah! I AM the environment! Strange how I was able to feel it but not to understand it, because I couldn't put words on it. Thus, I couldn't link up. --Words, words, yeah... My opinion is that us humans need them too much at times! And I count myself into this. We pay too much attention to words and not enough to feelings-- All this to say that I already had the answers in my hands (coming from music that I listen to: "I'm all of you", "We’re all just here as one"), but I couldn't fully understand these words (and still, am I really fully integrating this notion?), since it doesn't make sens to the mind. And I was feeling all of this without understanding what I was feeling.
I-WAS-NOT-LINKING-UP!

I think I couldn't because it is not logical to the point of view that had been given to me by the society in which I live, and because the mind is trained to always take the wheel. It definitely isn't an easy task to get away from what has been inculcated! And I am so grateful to now get to see with the eyes of my heart! Even if this sometimes means that I have to face some others' eyes telling me that I am a fool. All of what I receive from giving greater openness and more importance to my heart worth it a thousand times! Thank you, wonderful life, to never cease to amaze me!

Now I should say: because you are reading this, I KNOW you are aware of and taking good care of the environment. So from here, what can we do more? Raise awareness of others surrounding us. Preach for Mother Nature. Yeah, preach for Her! Without any fear of judgement. Because those who judge will not change anything, but WE have the power to change the way that all of us are looking at the environment... And that, by dint of speaking, it will eventually no longer be a matter of judgement anyway... It's thus up to us to change it all!

WE ARE THE ENVIRONMENT. Let's treat it with as much of consideration as we treat ourselves, and this world will definitely be a better place!
PEACE

The global movement to unity

2010-10-15T21:36:00.006-04:00

This year, I discovered (yeah, tons of astonishing things, but this is one more!) the international campaign 350.org, dedicated to building a movement to unite the world around solutions to the climate crisis.

350 is the number of parts per million CO2 in the atmosphere to get back to, to avoid runaway climate change. 350 is the number of writers, scholars, activists, leaders, and visionaries who support the cause and message.

Did you noticed the song whistled in background? Yeah! It's Home, from these guys that we love: Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros! What a good match, don't you think?

As the video is showing, each individual can make a whale of a difference. This is why I decided to jump into action even if I remembered of the date only on the night before and was too late to register to any established working group (there were many different ones in -and around- Montreal: conferences, help on farming, potlucks, and more). Thus, on the very morning of the 10/10/10, I didn't yet know what I would be doing to join my forces, but I knew one thing for sure: I would be contributing, no matter what!

And as I expected, the day has been a source of joy and an opportunity for new connections. I knew I could trust the universe to guide me to great sources of inpiration, so I've just followed its flow, which has led my friend Rachel and I out of the town for a bit of hiking at the Mont Saint-Gregoire, in the village where I grew up as a teenager.

Since the village is well known for its orchards and its sugar houses, I naturally thought: "Hey, let's stop by and pick some apples, which we'll distribute on our hike!"

Well... I said that the idea of picking apples came naturally, which is absolutely true but so funny! Okay, I'll explain myself here: believe it or not, I was doing it for the very first time in my life!! Don't you think that it is very strange that the first fruits I've been picking and eating fresh in the next minute (from a tree I mean, not from bushes. That, I did it often, though!) were exotic fruits, as Liliko'i (passion fruits) and litchees, and NOT the famous fruits from my country? I think it's kind of weird... and sad, at some point! But I am lucky enough for it became a natural reflex since that trip to Kauai. Better late than never, as they say! Right?

Thus, this is what we did. We went to one of the many orchards, picked two types of apples and we filled our bag. Then we jumped back in the car and headed off to the mountain for a short hiking. By the time we arrived on the first top, we had given almost all of the apples: "Hello! Would you like a fresh picked apple?" and we were started, connecting with every person we were passing by, and telling them about the special day and the importance of preserving our environment. Wow! How fun it was and so cool cats we met! Everybody was more than happy for this "unsual" connection. Hummm...in what is it "unsual", are you wondering? Well in Quebec province (maybe it's similar in many other parts of the world, but I can't really say...), people like to connect with others, but they do not (probably just because living into our mind and not into our heart, and stopping ourselves in the fear to be judge?)... but if you make the first steps, they will be pleased and smiley. So this is what I try to do more and more, and that makes me happy!

Rachel and I had a quick pic-nic on the belvedere, finished to distribute the last apples, chatted for a while with two nice guys that we met, before to walk down back with them, while refilling our empty bag with all the trash we found on our way. Yaaayy!! Now I can say that we jumped in the special day of unity for a healthier globe!!

Once arrived at the foot of the mount, we lay down for a moment in the fallen leaves and filled our nostrils with their good smell. Then, we finally sorted the garbage to throw away and the recycling before leaving.

Ahhh! What a wonderful day! It felt so damn good to jump into that day of action! Thank you, Mother Nature, for giving me the chance, every single day, to see your beauty! Peace to you, beautiful blue globe!
ॐ

Please feel free to share about that day! Have you done anything? Do you have any good ideas for the next worldwide action day?

The sound of love - Si Au Moins J'étais Deux - Maco

2010-10-13T19:09:00.000-04:00

For this one, I've chose this best instrumental version of the original song by Maco. I first heard this version in a publicity for the milk, on Quebec television a few years ago. I love this melody, if only I could whistle well...

Okay, I admit that you probably should drop the slightly insidious french message of the end...! ;)

Stay tune to know how I celebarted and commited myself on the 10/10/10!
LOVE

A SuperMrazy show!

2010-10-11T01:13:00.010-04:00

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! ☼

Let's rally today!

2010-10-10T09:15:00.006-04:00

Heyo pals! Today is the 10/10/10!
A while ago, I've heard that this intention has been put up for a special day of worldwide rallies, but for a reason that is escaping me, it went in the drawer of oblivions at the back of my head... But it has been miraculously brought back to my concious yesterday night -right before I go to bed- by a friend of my enlarged universal family sharing the link of 350.org.

Thus, because I am at the very last minute, I won't be of the same commitment that I would have liked, but hey, I won't drop it, oh no! You know you can always count me in for you, beautiful blue globe! So I will do something for sure! Don't know what yet, but for sure it will be much fun!

Thus, my fellow humans, I am asking: will you be in today? Whatever your action is, send me your pictures in, so we can share about! And remember that there is no too small action! Can't wait to read you about this very special day!

MUCH LOVE TO ALL OF YOU, AND PEACE TO THE GLOBE! ॐ

P.S. do not despair for my post about Jason Mraz's concert, it's coming! The starving internet just ate it all up last night to remember me priorities... so I've listened to it and I ran outside to join a friend of mine! I will have to start it all over again... but not today, 'cuz I'll be out to enjoy that day! Love!

Heading off to Ontario

2010-10-04T22:14:00.000-04:00

It is with so much of excitment that I'm am writing this pretty short post tonight! Why's that? Because tomorrow morning, I'll be jumping in a bus to head off to the neighboring province to attend to my very first Jason Mraz show! Woohooo! Yes! I am waiting for this since I discovered his amazing music "from heart to hearts" - which means since only (but although pretty long) 7 months!

This will be very high in energies, I can feel it! This guy, along with other people (most of whom I never met) are at the origin of my transformation, like guides to a trail of which I did not suspect the presence, on which I never cease to be amazed since then. I can't wait to tell you more about the experience (that it will be) to feel and to welcome this powerful wave of love more deeply than ever, by being directly on the spot!

Yes, my dear friends, for sure I am:
YOURS IN THE POSITIVITY AND LOVE SPREADING! ☼

A bit of poetry

2010-09-29T00:32:00.004-04:00

I am not a poet at all. I maybe end up to lay some singular verses like once a year, when I am extraordinarily inspired by something, someone, or a whole magical world that really affected me in a good way, and I've never shared them.

But while I was doing camping with the wonderful Rainbow Family of Quebec this summer, I've met dozens of inspiring people. Two of them in particular got my attention, and they gave me their poem booklet. I'd like to share a part of their work with you. I am pretty sure they would be agree with my choices!

This first one has been written by Henrik Vierula, a young and highly energetic man that I kept passing by while he was frolicking in the trails, shooting "You are beautiful and I love you!" to everyone! Here goes the untitled poem:

My fellow humans,
This is an invitation for you to awaken,
to your true nature as light workers,
for our very name hu-man contains the clue:

a hue is a colour in a spectrum of light
which a prism can divide
the rainbow inside the light of the sun
the light of the one
in motion

and a man is potential to manoeuvre
and manipulate this light.

I can see it in your eyes, reflected in a smile,
when we laugh and make light of a situation.

Illumination is our natural state of affairs,
our statements and affirmations frame our perception
and a string of words can turn into
tunnel vision
repetition, hypnotism, television that's the prism
that divides the spectrum of race and religion,
all meta-fiction scripting our relation to every-one.
The one in every-body, personified melody,
speak it into being:
identify i-densify
make dense the matter, materialize

The two next ones are only parts of texts (since his are longer) from another loveful fellow, but whom was completely different in the energy he was vibrating. With his bald head and his utterly calm attitude, he was making me think of a Buddhist monk. His smile has something really inviting and comforting. Something from the divine, as if all the love of the Universe was sitting in. Emanated from him all the beautiful light gathered from all those places of wisdom he visited. Thus, here go the two parts, written by Joseph Corallo:

Not All Angels Have Wings

Not all angels have wings, but they all have love.
Some are simple like you and me, ordinaryhuman beings learning to be better everyday. It's natural for angels to love and be good, but it is miraculous for humanbeings to be able to do what angels do. Wings or no wings, we are angels too, and able to fly.
(...)

(...)
The world doesn't need more jewels and treasures, but it sure needs more compassion and love. Diamonds may be shining and bright, but a happy soul shines even brighter. If you come with me, we would do so many wonderful things together. We will make the world a better place, transforming it into a globe of love. I will show you how to charge yourself with God's pure light, so you can shine day and night.

Now, with all this inspiration in my hands, maybe one day you here will be the very firsts to read one of my own tries? Who knows!

I invite you to meet up with the Rainbow Family of your country next summer (yes, the family is all over the world!). I garanty you that you'll meet only amazing brothers and sisters, each as inspiring as the other. And why not traveling up to here, and meet us? There were people from all around the globe here this summer! Cheers to the extended family!

MUCH LOVE, BROTHERS ANS SISTERS READERS!

For a reason, a season or a lifetime

2010-09-26T19:52:00.008-04:00

One of my colleagues has always been like an angel to me. Back in April 2009, she sent me the text that you'll read in a moment. I'm sure it will affect you as much as it does for me (not surprising that I kept it during all that time and that I am just to rediscover it in doing some clean up through my email box! This was meant to be so.)! After you'll have finished reading it, you will also know the reason why it has reached you today. Here it goes. Enjoy!

People come into your life for a reason, a season or a lifetime.
When you know which one it is, you will know what to do for that person.

When someone is in your life for a REASON,
it is usually to meet a need you have expressed.
They have come to assist you through a difficulty,
to provide you with guidance and support,
To aid you physically, emotionally or spiritually.
They may seem like a godsend and they are.
They are there for the reason you need them to be.
Then, without any wrongdoing on your part or at an inconvenient time,
This person will say or do something to bring the relationship to an end.

Sometimes they die.
Sometimes they walk away.
Sometimes they act up and force you to take a stand.
What we must realize is that our need has been met,
our desire fulfilled, their work is done.
The prayer you sent up has been answered and now it is time to move on.

Some people come into your life for a SEASON, because your turn has come to share,
grow or learn.
They bring you an experience of peace or make you laugh.
They may teach you something you have never done.
They usually give you an unbelievable amount of joy.
Believe it, it is real. But only for a season.

LIFETIME relationships teach you lifetime lessons,
Things you must build upon in order to have a solid emotional foundation.
Your job is to accept the lesson,
Love the person and put what you have learned to use in all other relationships and areas of your life
It is said that love is blind but friendship is clairvoyant

THANK YOU ALL, FOR BEING A PART OF MY LIFE!
WHETHER YOU ARE A REASON, A SEASON, OR A LIFETIME.

P.S. Thank you C. for your love and kindness! ♥

2010-09-24T15:58:00.001-04:00

Pssst, hey friends! Have you missed the addition of the videos of two great Quebec's nature spots? Yes! I finally added the two vids to the post that is telling you about my last weekend of camping! Enjoy them by clicking HERE! I'm pretty sure that these will make you want to come visit our beautiful province next summer!

ENJOY YOUR WEEKEND, EVERYONE! ☼

Cleaning your fridge is fun!

2010-09-23T12:17:00.003-04:00

Yes, I know: All I seem wanting to share lately is about food. It looks like I'm eating up my emotions for seeing my favorite season to go away... It probably IS the case though! Can I move where it's always sunny and hot? haha! Oh well! I suppose I have to enjoy one more white season, then! What do they say again? Enjoy the NOW, yes, it must be it! ;)

So! The topic of the day: Who said that cleaning the fridge was just another yuky chore?

Of course, if you let a bunch of food to rot in it, you won't enjoy cleaning it! But hey, don't let your veggies to get wasted: turn them into cream soups as soon as they get a little too soft to be interesting to crunch onto! Cut them all in big chunks, whatever they are, brown them a little in a big cauldron, and scarcely cover it up with water, flavored with a bit of stock and spices. Let the mix boil until it gets just soft enough so your blender can turn it into cream. Once it is cooled down, separate it into a few small containers and freeze it. With not much efforts and just like a half hour, you'll have a delicious soup, just as grandma used to make those! For an accompaniment with your sandwich on a lunch time, you'll just have to take a quantity out of the freezer, reheat it -and it will then be up to you to add some milk or cream to make it more creamy if you'd like, or to add a handful of fresh sprouts to increase its nutritional value- and... TADAM!

Here are the benefits that I got from the last cleaning of my fridge.

Two different soups. I've put in the right cauldron: a broccoli (with all of its trunk), one big onion, just a bit of leek, a yellow potatoe, chicken broth and Provence herbs -which gave me two big yogurt containers- while my left cauldron was being treated with a few carots who started getting hairs, a bunch of yellow beans, some leeks, two leftovers of onions, a yellow potatoe and a small leftover of celery, water, chicken stock and Provence herbs. -No need to specify for each: everything was organic! Yum, is saying my body!- Towards the end of cooking, I added: a bunch of fresh basil, the leaves of the celery and two diced tomatoes. This marvellous mix gave me three big yogurt containers to freeze.

Doesn't it make your mouth watering and make you want to run to your fridge for a clean? Yeah? Well, this makes me happy, 'cause it was the purpose of my post! :)

Okay, Mother Nature likes to have a snack with your wastes, but just snacks, yo! Not your whole fridge!

Have fun turning yummies into meals before they get wasted! And enjoy the colors of the fall season! Yes, it's officially there!
MUCH LOVE AND GOOD SMELLS FROM MY KITCHEN! ♥

No cars in town: We like it!

2010-09-21T23:34:00.002-04:00

Breathe fresher and easier in downtown this week!
Hey, Montreal peeps, do not forget! Use the subway to go downtown this week, or you’ll get stuck!

A loud YES, I am saying! I love this week called “In Town Without My Car”, which takes place every year (always around today's date) since 2003. It all started with only one day but, on citizens demand, has just become a whole week for the very first year!

Thus, for five consecutive days, car traffic is forbidden in a certain area of the town (bounded by this quadrilateral) during daytime until 3:30 PM. In addition, the Place-des-Arts section of Sainte-Catherine St. will be closed to traffic until 8 PM! Awesome! Apparently, this is the largest perimeter closed to all vehicular traffic in a city among approximately 1300 cities organizing similar days in the world. This IS definitely something that makes me smiling very wide!

No gases emissions, no irritating horns: for sure we will breathe easier and be a way more zen!

Enjoy this great week, Montrealers! And you, yes YOU, other friends from other parts of this magnificent globe: Wanna share a green and inspirational initiative organized by your town? Please, go ahead! We want to know!

LOVE TO ALL OF YOU!

The sound of love - John Lennon

2010-09-21T12:52:00.002-04:00

Hey there!
It is impossible to do not think of John Lennon when we are looking for peaceful and love words, so here is a video that I recently discovered, although I already knew the song.

And naturally, this is an inescapable one...

In peace, and sending you much love,

HAVE A GREAT WEEK EVERYONE!

Sprouting: for the love of your body!

2010-09-18T00:41:00.014-04:00

Sprouts, sprouts, sprouts! My lovely little sprouts, how you are good to me!

With the days getting shorter and the grayer temperature brought by the autumn that is arriving to our door, my body is screaming to me for more of raw energy. Thus, I've listened to the call and immediately doubled the diversity of my production! Yep! I have tons of seeds at home, but I usually sprout only one or two varieties at a time. But why is that exactly? Well... I'm affraid I have to admit that it is by lack of perseverance, and nothing else!

Alright! We all feel the reactions of our body, right? But when do we stop to ask it ''Okay, I heard you, but what are you trying to tell me there?'' and relate the reaction to a specific need? I actually am to develop my attention to the deep calls trown to me. I am slowly opening my senses and improving my connectivity with my Self. And it is obvious: with the universe as well. ;)

So! Yeah! Let me introduce you to my little healing friends! What do we got here...

The colorful pair of beans, Mr. Mung and Ms. Adzuki. Then Misters Wheat and Incredible Fenugreek are the little guys I've been eating for breakfast on my rock (in the middle of the rapids, remember? By the way, I recently added directly to the post one of the videos we made of the highest point of the camping site. Hope you'll enjoy it!). And the last, but for sure not the least: my beloved Alfalfas! I also made some Quinoa sprouts, but I've eaten them all up already (these are pretty quick to sprout though)!

I cannot part with sprouting, especially for Alfalfas! I even started doing it at Zero One also, as well as mung beans and lentils! It is such an easy thing to do by yourself at home, and is so beneficial for your body! Look at this video from Kristen's Raw to get to know, step by step, how to do it! And why wouldn't you take the opportunity to visit her blog? You really should!

As a person from the Hyppocrate Health Institute wrote me once: "If you don't take care of your body, where will you live"? So, fight the little drops of energy naturally, while treating yourself!

ENJOY THE GOOD RAYS OF SUNSHINE THIS WEEKEND, MY DEAR FRIENDS! ☼

LoVE!

Some tips for preserving our precious crops!

2010-09-16T12:53:00.001-04:00

Since I am back to live in the big city of Montreal, and since all the spots into the community gardens of my neighborhood were already booked, I could not make my garden this year... I miss gardening so much, but I've at least planted two window-boxes of fine herbs that I hung to my frontdoor balcony, and I still have participated in the creation of a few gardens during my visit to Zero One, a gem of intentional community doing permaculture. Have a read of the post I’ve wrote about it… and if you want to know more about it, please read also my friend Jackson’s very interesting posts!

But even if I haven't done my own garden, I've eaten local veggies, fresh and organics, during the whole summer, thanks to my subscription to the CSA baskets. Then, I'd like to continue to eat the same quality during the long Quebec's winter, as much as possible. So, I will have to hurry up and go buy some vegetables in greater quantity at the organic food store -that is at four street blocks from my place- in making sure they are well produced in my province. Why’s that ? I donc think it is much necessary to tell you the whole story of how are preserved the vegetable produced in other countries so they can get "fresh" in our plate, nor the one about all the gases released in the atmosphere to meet our "needs"... Right?

And what will I do with these veggies? Well I'll prepare and frozen them, of course! Then I though «Let’s share some tips with my friends (that’s YOU!), so they can do the same with the veggies they have grown, or so they can give me their own tips!»

Thus, to keep your crops, there are interesting alternatives that do not date from yesterday : preserves, pickles and jams, fermentations, freezing and dehydration. Some food, such as herbs herbs can be kept steeped in oil. These are all simple ways to save and preserve the flavor and nutritional values of your food, and avoid commercial products often containing high levels of sugars, salts, artificial colorings and preservatives.

Let’s take a closer look to the advantages of some of these ways…

The preserves, pickles and jams

Cooking and keeping food into airtight glass Mason jars allows you to keep it for about a year or so. The berries are, of course, delicious in jams. The pickles, onions, beets and peppers are excellent for pickling, or to make ketchup and chutney. And homemade tomato sauce is a vital asset for last minute meal.Also, even if they require a little more of preparation time, canning and jams are offering much more advantages. Indeed, beside the fact that they can serve as nice and healthy gift when we are invited for diner at a friend's place, to prepare them can be a fun activity with family, friends or neighbors!

Nothing less complicated: you just have to do a quick internet search, or to go for a walk to the library, to find recipes that match our tastes and our needs. Even better: pay yourself a visit to your grand'ma, you'll make her day by asking her for her best recipes!

The only tip I have to give you, to do it right, is to pay attention to the sterilization process of your jars and of the food. For preserves of acid food (such as fruits, pickles, chutney, etc.), the bacterias are eliminated by simply boiling the jars once they are filled and sealed. But other preserves (such as meet, soups, sauces, ect.) must be heated to a temperature above 116 °C. How to know if your preserves have been heated enough? The lids should be "sucked" towards the inside of the jar when cooling. If it inflates, this means that sterilization has failed and you must restart the process, or consume the product very quickly and keeping it cold.

The freezing
Any fruits or vegetables can be freezed, this is not an issue. Simply spread them on a plate for the first few hours of freezing, then put them in a container or a freezer bag. This will prevent them from sticking in a bread unbreakable.

Where you have to be careful is when freezing prepared meals. To freeze a prepared meal containing milk or cream is never a good thing… Thus, my tip is to prepare the meal without it, and you’ll simply adjust the recipe when you’ll reheat it to serve. This is what I do with cream soups though.

The dehydration
Dehydration keeps all the vitamins in it. Dried food is long shelf life, contain no fat, and taste delicious. Apart from traditional herbs and raisins, it is quite possible, with a dehydrator, to preserve many foods, such as tomatoes, pears, berries, which can serve as healthy snacks, or can be add to the preparation of many desserts and salads. We can even make grain crackers and dehydrate fish and meat.My tip would be to keep your dried food in a cool place, by limiting its exposure to light, which can degrade the vitamins.

Now! Feel free to share you knowledge on the topic!
GOOD LUCK WITH YOUR PROJECTS OF PRESERVING YOUR PRECIOUS CROPS! HAVE FUN, AND SHARE YOUR SUCCESSES! LoVE!

It's time for some Quebec music!

2010-09-13T12:56:00.005-04:00

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! ☼

Places I love - Café Santropol

2010-09-12T08:52:00.002-04:00

Good morning my dear friends!

As second post of the series, I wish to introduce you to a Café where I love to go when I am craving for a heavenly delicious sandwich without making it by myself...

Café Santropol proves that even small businesses can have a large impact. The opening of the hippy-dippy restaurant, 34 years ago, was mainly to stop a block of buildings on St. Urbain Street from being demolished. The facts are that, in the mid-seventies, many of the row houses in the immediate area of Montreal's first hospital (Hotel Dieu hospital, founded in 1645 by an order of nuns) had been demolished. And the block of buildings at the corner of St. Urbain and Duluth streets was next.

Gilker, a man living on the upstair flat of one of these buildings, decided to take over the first floor for an extra raise of his rent, although he was already indebted, because he figured that a building with a on going concern in it would be harder to tear down than an unoccupied one.

He cleaned the premises, pending an idea to come to him for knowing how to use them. The winter passed by, In the meantime, he was scrounging the alleys for discarded furniture. And it occured to be all clear by the spring of 1976. This part of the city has always had a large student population, because of the two universities close by. The area was ripe for restaurants. But still indebted, Gilker couldn't even afford to put in a grill or any other usual kitchen equipment. Thus, he decided to have a menu made with stuff that didn't require cooking: sandwiches, salads and soups. The bakers of the neighborhood were bringing desserts, quiches and bread.

Café Santropol, wearing rather eclectic furniture picked up here and there in the neighboring streets, then became known as a quirky restaurant with a simple menu and a comfortable decor.

Gilker admit that the business sense was the last thing his two partners and him learned, and one of them declared: "It took five or six years before we could really pay the bills. We sold some stuff for years at less than cost and didn't know it."

As the café became established, the threat of demolition receded. The block of housing became a co-operative. The restaurant has been expanded in 2003, and now accommodates about 50 people. The beautiful garden they have added behind the building has been voted best terrace in Montreal many times over by alternative newspapers. When weather permitting, an additionnal 30 people can sit there, amongst a wide variety of wild flowers and indigenous plants, under the trees, or around the fish pond.

Today, the Café still makes its own bread and grow its own sprouts that goes into their delicious sandwiches and decorate the plates.

Thank you, Café Santropole, for welcoming people with so much love! Paying me a visit to your restaurant, always make me feel so good!

A recommendation for my friends: bring your own container and take the sandwich to go! The Café is close by the pretty and big Jeanne-Mance park and the Mount Royal park, wich one I'll introduce to you into a next post.
ENJOY YOUR DAY, EVERYONE! ☼

I am posting LoVE!

2010-09-09T21:02:00.001-04:00

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! ♥

The sound of love - New Soul - Yael Naim

2010-09-08T20:28:00.002-04:00

I like Yael Neim's songs and videos. I know that we have already heard this next one a lot, but I like it! And, oh! I DO have to make one of my rooms like this!

We can feel so good and free by inviting all other beings in our universe! It's a privilege to meet you all!

SENDING LOVE AND GOOD VIBES TO EACH AND EVERYONE OF YOU!

Meet up with our Inner Child

2010-09-06T14:03:00.011-04:00

I know I've shared much more personnal/spiritual stuff lately, but I think that what I am experiencing are gifts of life, and that everybody should be allowed to experience it and share about it. So, I am saying: ''Why not?'' It seems that this does not help only me, but some of you also. Thus, if this must be part of the many tangents that is taking my blog, that's fine!

Then, here is another one!
A sister from my large universal family has recently published an awesome post –which I recommend to have a read of, on her blog : Today, Tomorrow, And Sometime Yesterday– that made me take a cosmic journey.

Through the read of the post, she made me stop and think to my Young Me. And through this thinking, I saw more clearly one important thing: that I am not two, but one, in a different time and space.

Okay, let’s make a digression to explain myself: since my shift to a different mentality, I was seeing myself as a (kind of) new entity, as if I was a too different person and not recognising the old me… So wrong I was! I can now see and admit that it seemed easier to cut myself from this past of wounds than to undertake the long journey for its heal. It is clear that this path would have led me to the eventual return of things...

Thus, with the flow of my thoughts, triggered by the read of the post, I realized that a much bigger part of me didn’t changed as much as I thought. I did not became someone else: I've evolved! Duh, I know it seems clear to most of you but, nope, it wasn’t for me! Thus, as and when I was realizing all this, I slowly entered in a fairy garden –probably something to do with the drawings of the post- where I met my Young Me, nicely sat down in a fetal position under a magestic tree -a Weeping Willow tree, for sure. I took the time to observe and feel Young Me, then we connected. Tears of joy and compassion gain me, and I told her how proud I was of how she made it this far! I held her in my arms, against my heart, so she can feel all the love fulfilling it and to give her the courage for even better.

This cosmical connection with Young Marie-Eve totally dumbfounded me. And now this post will be there to always remember me of returning for quick visits, to give myself a hug and bring me the healing peace. Coming back from there, feeling this love I've just been giving myself through my Young Me, has no price, and I think ''This is wonderful''! This definitely is an experience I recommend to everyone!

I also began to divide the clutters of my closet and mind, as sister Hana wrote about, and do some cleaning, to give back to the moments from the past what is their own, and move forward feeling lighter, and get ready for a new adventure! Yay!! Dear Universe, get ready to feel and feed me with your awesomeness! Haha!

Much gratitude for this great reading and for everything that resulted from this. Thank you, Miss Flower Joyologist from the Big Apple! Love,
~Marie ♥

Mission completed!

2010-08-31T20:22:00.036-04:00

Heyo pals!
Every summer, one thing is never a compromise on my "to do list", and it is to go camping at least once. And I can say that I've never did as much of camping as this summer! So, without any wait, here is all about my last weekend!

In early afternoon on Friday, my friend and I left the noisy city to join my brother and three other friends on our favorite camping site, which is the site of the 2008 Quebec's Rainbow Gathering, close to the Megantic Mount.

As soon as we arrived, after the firsts hugs and talks, started the assembly of the tents, the harvesting of dead wood for the firecamp, and the decoration of our spaces to create the good vibe that has tinted our whole weekend. Then we cooked fish and vegetables in papillotes, and played music until we burned all the wood gathered.

The view is beautiful from the hammock, but don't swing too hard,
'cause you'll find the drop very high, and the level of water a way
too low in the river down there (due to this summer drought)!

After a good night of sleep, lulled by the sound of the rapids just a few feet close by, I woke up and had my breakfast, sat on a rock in the middle of the rapids, facing the current and the sunshine, letting myself being bathed in its rays.

My yummy breakfast. Let's talk about it! I prepared myself a mix of yogurt, berries and granola cereals, accompanied with a crescent. But my brother, always taking care of his little sister, jumped across the river to bring me a yummy flat cranberry bread covered with nut butter and with fenugreek and wheat sprouts. MMMmmm! What an awesome breakfast! Now I am ready to go in expedition! Let's stroll down the river and extract some ''Fool's Gold'' (Pyrite, which is as perfect cubes in the rocks) and harvest some more wood for tonight!

What is this low voice, Marie?! Ha! :P
What a nice decoration, right? It was naturally almost all there,
we just defined the outline. Yes, we are tree huggers, and we
like to give back to nature what it gives us -which are
loving and healing good vibrations!

For the second and last night, I didn't participated in the jam session. Inspired by the beautiful moon and by the different vibe, I've massaged my friends' head and shoulders, just as I learned to do so, sat on a beach in Hawaii, and which is so beneficial! Then we went for a long walk in the woods to listen to the coyotes howl. To end this day in a perfect way, I fell asleep hypnotized by the flames of the firecamp.

On sunday, after another breakfast on the same rock and a refreshing swim, we packed our stuff and went on the top of the St-Joseph Mount (the second highest mountain of the Megantic mountain range) to chill, recentering ourselves with the energy of Mother Nature and having great talks.

The mountains that we see in the distance are
the White Mountains of New Hampshire, USA.

The zoom on the height on the other side is made on the Megantic Astronomical Observatory.

Then comes the inevitable return into Babylone and its traffic! Oh well! I have to make part of it for right now, and I am fine with this. Montreal is still a beautiful city, and still has much treasures to share with me.

The important to highlight from this weekend story is that I've found everything I was looking for, and I am glad to say that all has came to me by itself. I could not have hoped for better! I guess I called it loud enough and was listening carefully enough to receive the answers in my heart. I am so lucky to have such good friends whom I can thank for their love, and to have received the gift of this special relationship with dearest Mother Nature, who always has had the knack to enlight and comfort me. I could be seperated from anyone, but never from her beauties without becoming totally insane.

In all my gratefulness for all that is given to me, 'cause I can share it all with you.
MAY YOU ALL FEEL HER LOVE TODAY! ♥

Places I love - Montreal Parks - Part one

2010-08-25T21:45:00.006-04:00

Haha! Here finally is the new series of posts I promised you! Let's start it with the most important thing on this planet. I'm sure you already guessed this one: YES! I am talking about Nature!

Nature appeases me. It has always done and has never ducked out. I am not affraid to say that Her and I have a great relationship of trust, and I feel that we are listening to one another. Therefore, it truly is a great gift that we have many parks in Montreal!

Of course, I sometimes need a way more, as for this upcoming weekend : I'll go camping and hiking in the great Megantic Mountain. Can't wait to have a great talk with Her and to feel her energy to heal and confort! Ah, Mother Nature, how I love you!

Thus, the Jarry Park, the Maisonneuve Park and the Montreal's Botanical Garden are, together, the right (East) lung of the city, while the Mount Royal and the Lafontaine Park are its left (West) lung. Let me introduce you to the first ones!

A small lake, a soccer field, an interior pool, and the tennis stadium find their place on a 36 hectares of green at the Jarry Park.

Isn't it a peaceful view? This is my favotite spot of the park!

The Maisonneuve Park has a superficy of 63 hectares. It is where the biggest celebrations are organised for the St-Jean Baptiste, the Quebec's nationnal day. Yes, this is also the place where we can find the Olympic Stadium, for which we are still paying, although its structure is getting weak! ;P

And finally, this is our beautiful Botanical Garden. There we can enjoy, among many others, a Japanese and a Chinese gardens, and different conservatories.

The Mount Royal and the Lafontaine Park are both really specials to me, and I will have a lot more to say about, so you'll have to be patient until I can have personal pictures to share with you for those ones!

Enjoy all the beautiful colours that the parks in your town will have to offer you this automn!
NAMASTE

The sound of love - Everybody - Ingrid Michaelson

2010-08-21T09:01:00.002-04:00

Another sticky love song, yay!!
She has performed here in Montreal 3 weeks ago, at the Osheaga Festival. Sadly, I have to admit that I missed it...

As Ingrid says it so well, let the LOVE begin, my friends!
:)

Environmental sustainability & Craft breweries

2010-08-19T20:12:00.017-04:00

I am an amateur of beers of craft breweries. In my country, we have tons of small craft breweries, so I am well served when I feel like to make my night special and have a sip of a new tasty drink!

What a happy surprise when I stumbled on a jem of an article tonight! I’ve learned a lot concerning the great actions taken by many of the smaller breweries around the world when it comes to environmental sustainability issues. Did you know that some of them use wind and/or solar power and heat exchangers? And that some also participate to massive recycling programs? Can you see that big smile on my face right now? I have one thing to say : Awesome!!

These small breweries are winking at and teaching to the big brewhouses that, in addition to have much less impact on the environment, it is possible to have a solid profit, and even to do it in ranking the level of their employees happiness and the quality of their products!!

Here are some of the Breweries highlighted by the article :

NEW BELGIUM

One of the most eco-friendly brewery is located in Fort Collins, Colorado. This employee-owned business became, not less than 11 years ago, the largest private consumer of wind-powered electricity. New belgium focusses to minimize their environmental impact and to "honor natural resources by closing the loops between waste and input". In addition of their use of evaporative coolers and of the natural light, a benefit that is allowed by the region, I also like the fact that they promote the bicycle as an alternative transport by organising public events such as Tour de Fat, their philanthropic bike festival, for wich they use a solar-powered stage to provide sound for the day.

The brewery prides itself -and rightly!- to be a "model of joyful environmentalism through their commitment to relationships, continuous improvement, and the camaraderie and cheer of beer".

Seriously, I got to try their Frambozen (Rapsberry brown ale)! I just discovered, through my research for the writting of this post, that they brew one with their seasonal product line! I have to tell you: my favorite beer of all was –yes, I have to say WAS, ‘cause it doesn’t exists anymore… sigh!- the Liefmans Frambozen.

BROOKLYN BREWERY

Using wind power to get 100% of its needs in electricity, this brewery located in Brooklyn is the first NYC company to switch to 100% renewable energy. As per the article I’ve read : "This saves the atmosphere from 335,000 pounds of carbon dioxide, 1,500 pounds of sulfur dioxide, and 500 pounds of nitrogen oxide that would otherwise be emitted".

Brooklyn Brewery also uses the complete raw materials by paying local farmers to pick up all the grains that are left over after brewing, so they can feed their cattle (hummm... I will have to dig concerning this: reuse waste IS awesome... but not quite sure it really is a good thing for the animals?).

SIERRA NEVADA BREWING COMPANY

Since 2 years, this brewery located in Chico, California, is partly powered by solar panels. The country can count on them to help supplying the power grid during peak power usage periods. In addition of reusing spent vegetable oil from their Taproom & Restaurant to make the biodiesel they are using in their long haul and local route trucks, Sierra Nevada Brewering Co diverts 98.2% of its waste from the landfill!

STEAM WHISTLE BREWING

Combining wind power and low-impact hydro generators to power their brewery located in Brooklyn, Steam Whistle goes greener by using B20 Bio Fuel in their delivery trucks. The brewery makes its beers in using only four -and natural- ingredients (pure spring water, malted barley, hops and yeast), all GMO-free! I will definitely have to find and taste this beer!

What do you think about all this? It seems that a wind of freshness and change is blowing over the beer industry!

This makes me feel so good to think that companies like those mentioned above are saving the atmosphere from the emissions of tons of crap gases by their choices to go with clean and renewable power sources!

I highly encourage you to dig and find out the small companies from your country that are doing the right thing, and to support them the more you can, ‘cause it’s this way that we will end up to see changes to extend on a much bigger scale, like to bigger companies.

Have a great weekend everybody, and have a "green" cool beer to the health of our planet... and of ours through it!
LOVE AND GRATITUDE!

Experiencing high stuff!

2010-08-13T00:16:00.007-04:00

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!

The sound of love - Teach Your Children - CSNY

2010-08-11T15:38:00.018-04:00

Today, this post of the series will be a little different. I am meditative, and here is the result, hoping you'll enjoy it as much as I am.

Someone gave me a textbook at the Quebec's Rainbow Gathering. It is about rainbows (surprise!) and hapiness. I know why I met this person and received that book. I am reading it right now, and something wants to be shouted out loud:

I think that the happiness of someone should never rest on someone else's shoulders, especially not on his children shoulders. Others may be there to give clues, maybe tips, but each is responsible of his own happiness and health at the end.

So today, as The Sound Of Love, I think that this next song goes well along with my thoughts. This version is played by only three of them, CSN (and is missing the first chords), but it is the one I like the most.

I want to thank the special someone who brought my attention to this beautiful song a few months ago.

I also feel like to share with you a passage from the textbook, written by Joseph Corallo:

"(…) I am learning to give thanks and eat whatever life puts on my plate, even if at times it isn’t very tasty. Believing in something higher than myself gives me the advantage to see the world from the stars. Faith has opened my eyes to greater things and provided me with the necessary tools, to make my life as beautiful as I want it to be. If I were to believe in nothing, I would be no different than those people who once believed that there was nothing past the edge of the sea, afraid that if one would go far enough he would fall off a precipice."

I am not afraid to seek further, since I have faith.
ANICCA

Inspiration of the day

2010-08-10T16:42:00.010-04:00

My last weekend has been a little tough. But I am fortunate enough to have friends to help me out. This is how I’ve tumbled upon this story: a friend of mine sent it to me.

At the age of 34, Ed Stafford has just become the first man to walk the length of the Amazon river, in South America, from the source (the summit of Nevado Mismi, in Peru) to the sea. This makes a total of 6500 km, that he started to walk on 2nd April 2008. He reached its ultimate goal, the mouth of the river in Brazi, on 9th August 2010, after 859 days of walking. "It's amazing to be here, it proves we can do anything!", he was pleased to say on his arrival.
Attacked by scorpions, locked in tribes and even accused of murder: his journey has not been easy. Carrying a satellite phone and a laptop in his luggage, he kept reporting his adventures on his blog and on Twitter, with the aim of using his expedition to educate its readers about the dangers that threaten the Amazon rainforest and its inhabitants.

Stafford now uses his experience to inspire and motivate people to achieve their own personal goals, and to show that it is possible to succeed, no matter which seemingly insurmountable hardship we are faced to. “My aim is to inspire others and to make people feel that they have a connection to the Amazon, its wonders and its problems. I also hope to motivate others to believe they can achieve their dreams, by listening to my story of what it took to strive to become the first man ever to walk the entire length of the Amazon River.”

He will not benefit of a return to normal life for very long, since he already planned to conduct another expedition in September 2011. Good luck, Ed Stafford!

It has a number of people that nothing can stop them when it concerns their deepest convictions! I now have a lot to meditate, and batteries of positivity to recharge!

Thank you, Eric. Maybe I am throwing you some strings, but you just thrown me a whole skein right there! ;)
Thank you Hana, for shining and for sending me your good vibes!
Thank you SuperForest, ‘cause I can always count on you to make me see things clearer!

IN STRENGHT AND HOPE,
Marie-Eve

An amazing summer!

2010-08-04T16:02:00.018-04:00

Happy Wednesday, my dear friends!

You probably noticed that I’ve been off from writing for a bit more than two weeks… My month of July has been super but happily busy! By the way, I am definitely having the greatest summer ever! And I do really hope that you are enjoying yours as much!

You must be asking "But what is she doing that is so great?" Ha! I’m happy you asked! ;) Let me tell you…

It all started with my move back to Montreal city in last May. Then I did much with my new roomate and best friend Claude-Emilie: a lot of very long walks in town...

and a few pic-nics and frisbee-football-soccer playing in parks.

Where all became even much more thrilling, is when I travelled to Kauai, learned a bit about permaculture and connected with new friends, feeling like I'd just found back, accross the ocean, the family that I had lost sight of at the end of a previous life. My heart suddenly began to feel much lighter.

When I came back here, a gift was waiting for me: I spent a wonderful time with an angel. Her name is Olivia, she is my little niece and she will be 1 year-old next weekend! I babysat her for the first time, and this has been for four amazing days! She brings me a lot of peace and she radically brings me into the "NOW".

This leads us to the month of July. I celebrated my 31st anniversary on the 1st and, spreaded onto a couple of weeks, I attended to many festivals, as the latest: the Osheaga Music and Art Festival, where I’ve saw, among others, Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros performing on stage. AWESOME! You can read my report of the event on SuperForest.org by clicking HERE.

Finally, I closed this very hot month in attending to two huge, but REALLY HUGE, events of camping. The first one was the Space Gathering and, the latest, the Rainbow Gathering. This last activity is the one that has contributed the most -beside my trip to Zero One, of course- to my ongoing transformation process. It has been another wonderful surprise, and I felt just like if I had found another, a third, family! See, I now feel like I have family members all over the world! YAY! To my eyes, it is coming true now : ONE BIG FAMILY. THE ONENESS (it is kinda the subtitle of my blog, it’s time to refer to it!). This sounds so sweet to my ears!

Now, I am just waiting to get pictures taken by friends (who probably still are in the woods there, or still on their raft, if it didn't sink!) to share more of this event with you guys.

Until I get those, let’s go play outside! Have an incredible month of August everyone!
MUCH LOVE TO ALL OF LOVE YOU!

The kind of heroes

2010-07-20T12:42:00.008-04:00

There is a group of musicians/singers that I am listening to a lot since a couple of weeks, see months. These guys are called The Makepeace Brothers, and besides the fact that I like their name (since they are real brothers and that it is their real last name, no joke), I love their catchy songs and their harmonious voices.

There is one of their song that moves me even more than the other ones. This song, bluring my eyes and swelling my heart at each listening, is called "Hero". Okay, there is also "Lonely Days", but for completly other reasons! :P

Thus, here it is, "Hero". Yep, you well noticed! It is the song that inspired me the title of the present post.

Let's now get to the main reason for me to write this post: I wanted to take a moment to tell you, YOU, my dearest friends -the ones I know, the ones I don't know yet- that you are all inspiring me so much! Every single day. Thank you for contributing to improve our beautiful world, for contributing to this «third revolution of our human story»! Thank you for inspiring me!

You definitely ARE the kind of hero we need! Seriously. Think about it for a moment. Take this sentence and stick it in bold letters on your miror. And while you're there, why not doing an incredible superhero sexy move?! Just do it every morning! Alriiiight!! Let's be superheroes together!

Now, for the Makepeace Brothers, you really should buy their CDs from their website: they have way more of good stuff than what we can find on the web! I promise, you won't be disapointed!

And hey, while I'm thinking about it: this is the best occasion to share this other amazing song and video, made by SuperForester April performing a LOVELY song that she wrote for all SuperForesters around the world! It is in my top five of things I like to refer to, to lift me up when I'm feeling a little blue. Cheers and thank you, dear April for this so touching and catchy song!

HAND IN HAND IN THIS GREAT JOURNEY,
LOVE!

The sound of love - Give Love - MC Yogi

2010-07-19T11:48:00.003-04:00

In the "Weekend updates" previous post, I've presented you an indian chanting video, which made me think about an other song, from MC Yogi, a singer I've discovered this year. Here is a remix he did and which made me laugh a lot, since I already knew the original chant:

And here is the video I first intended to share with you as "The Sound Of Love":

What a catchy song, right?! Don't you suddenly feel needy to give love away?
LOVE LOVE LOVE, MY FRIENDS!
♥

Power to choose, Power to BE

2010-07-17T10:41:00.004-04:00

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! ☼

Sharing recipes! YAY!

2010-07-15T10:39:00.011-04:00

My roomate and I subscribed to CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) for the very first time this year. Yesterday, we went to pick up our basket at the delivery point, and we brought back a full basket of a wide variety of yummy organic veggies at the appartment. We got super excited by the idea of all the healthy meals we will have the chance to prepare this week!

In our basket, we got beets for the first time, and this will allow me to prepare my favorite raw food recipe. Then I though, why not sharing it with all of you?! It already has been published on the web last april, because of my participation to a food challenge proposed by SuperForester Heather and her sister Wendy, creators of the lovely blog Little Foodies, so here is the link :

http://little-foodies.blogspot.com/2010/04/rising-to-real-food-challenge-marie-eve.html

And because I did a mistake in placing back all the veggies in the basket for the picture (we got a lettuce, not a Kale), now I can also share with you an other recipe! Haha! It is a really delicious cabbages salad that I learned to prepared when I took my Raw Food classes with my teacher and great friend Nadine.

Cabbages salad

Equal parts of :
Shredded red cabbage
Shredded Kale
Green Lentils Sprouts
To taste:
Nutritional yeast Angevita (very rich in complex B vitamins, and taste a bit cheesy)
Mediterranean Dressing

Mix all ingredients.

As an aside note to this great recipe: For any salad containing cabbage, you should put the dressing several hours ahead and refrigerate. Since cabbage is hard, it takes longer to really get dressed by the taste of the dressing. Also, you might know that cruciferous vegetables (cabbage, broccoli, ect.) are good anti-carcinogenic.

Mediterranean Dressing

1/2 cup Olive oil
4 tablespoons Balsamic vinegar
2-4 cloves Chopped garlic
4 teaspoon Basil
4 teaspoon Origano
1 teaspoon Marjoram
To taste:
Bragg (liquid Aminos)
Freshly ground pepper

Mix all ingredients. You can keep the dressing for months in the refrigerator, but think about to take it out ahead of the fridge, to let it return to liquid, and mix well.

Look at all those beautiful colors! Aren't these pics opening up your appetite? ;)
Now, I guess I can ask you, dearest readers, to feel free to send in your favorite recipes of healthy meal! Let's see what we can share! Enjoy preparing refreshing food this summer!
LOVE AND FRESH BREEZES! ☼

Weekend updates

2010-07-14T16:15:00.009-04:00

Okay! I promissed updates about this huge camping event I attended to… but what to say? Han! That has been a way, WAY, bigger and crazy event than I was imagining, that’s for sure! And I’ll be attending to it next year, that's another pretty sure point! ;)

The site was amazing and the organizers have done an incredible job to make in sort that the 800 of super nice fellows present there (yes, you’ve well read: we were approximatively 800 people! I know, it’s crazy!) can have much fun and do camping there.

I went with my brother and 5 other great friends of ours. And thanks to them, we were camping in the VIP part, further in the woods. We installed our tent in circle with a wide tarpaulin over, where we could gather and have lunches and great talks in the middle. We left the city on Friday in a big rain (after a week of crazy heat waves, of course rain had to fell down at the exact moment we were leaving do do camping! Ha!), but we got chance that during the weekend, the sun ended up to come out, to let us enjoying to swim in the refreshing river!

Music was playing 24 hours a day for 4 days (but I've been there 3 days), in different parts of the site. At the some kind of "medium intensity" stage, I discovered a DJ called Equanimous, making Psy-trance electro music. He waked me up slowly with a really sweet music on sunday morning. I would have liked to share his music with you, but I have not been able to find anything from him on the net yet… I’ll keep paying attention and let you know! For right now, I could just give you a pretty far taste of what it was: it was kind of starting with the sweet music of a some kind of indian chanting, like this one that I love:

And then it was slowly mixed into a psy-trance music. An awesome waking up, I can tell you!

This was my first time of participating to a huge event like this. I'm super tired to had almost no sleep, but I’ve enjoyed it so much! We made lots of new friends, which I’ll probably see again soon in another upcoming super cool event, since I’m going to do camping at the Quebec’s Rainbow Gathering! YAAY!! What a super busy and so exciting summer time! :)

HAVE A GREAT WEEK EVERYONE!

The sound of love - Let's Live For Today - The Grass Roots

2010-07-11T11:19:00.000-04:00

Let's continue in the same nostalgia than the last post on this serie of lovely videos.

I'm born in 1979, so this is way before me, but I used to hear that song regularly in my childhood, because my daddy was (and still is) listening oldies only, while driving us into one of his collectible vintage cars.

Enjoy your day, by living it for today!
LOVE

I want it magical!

2010-07-08T17:23:00.014-04:00

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!

Let's save that Gulf!

2010-07-03T00:47:00.035-04:00

I have something to propose you.

Many experiments have been made and the proof no longer needs to be done: our energy is very powerful when we are very confident and sincere. For those who are less familiar with this type of experimentations, you can find a lot of documentation on (among others) Dr. Masaru Emoto's researches, which concern the characteristics of water and how it physically responds to emotions.

Currently, most of us feel the emotion of anger above all, when we consider what is happening in the Gulf. The emotion is justified, however we may be of greater help to our planet and to its every living forms, if sincerely, with strength and humility, we send out our best energies.

Thus, let's leave aside the small demonstrations (such as those on plants, water droplets or rice). It is time to implement our powerful energy at a very large scale. The ocean needs us. Let's give it the love needed to heal itself.

This week, I received an email that made me think a lot, and which brought me to ask for your help. This email was suggesting a prayer. On my side, I'm proposing a Worldwide Meditation, the "Metta bhavana" (loving-kindness) kind. Depending on your possibilities, take a half hour to an hour, once or several times a day (the important is the strength and sincerity you'll put into), sit and meditate. Metta bhavana is the most universally beneficial form of discursive meditation, and can be practiced in any conditions. It is usually done in different stages, but for the specific cause, let's concentrate on the final stage instead: direct your sincere wishes of love and healing to the ocean, more specifically to the Gulf of Mexico and its inhabitants. "May all beings be rid of suffering. May all beings be happy".

Since any kind of sincere and massive sendings, no matter the way you choose to do it, will have its effect, I still pass on the prayer that has been sent to me, which was proposed by Emoto himself. Maybe some of you will prefer this way:

"I am sending the energy of love and gratitude

to the waters and all the living creatures in Gulf of Mexico.

To the water, whales, dolphins, pelicans, fishes,

shellfishes, planktons, corals, algae

and all creatures in our Gulf of Mexico:

I apologize.

Please forgive me.

Thank you.

I love you."

Be convinced that we are not so helpless. It is even though the opposite! If we can not travel to give a hand directly on the site, please know that our combined energies, by daily meditation or prayer practiced several times a day with great determination, can literally change the course of things! No need to know how this takes place. Just recognize that the power of love is greater than any other active power in the Universe!

Do not hesitate to spread around the world this invitation to a Worldwide Meditation, or the prayer suggested by Dr. Emoto. Let's act with serious and make, by ourselves, that cleansing of the ocean to come true!

Begging you to implement yourself with serious in this great role.
YOURS IN THE UNIFICATION OF THE POWER TO THE LOVEFUL,
MARIE-EVE ♥

Thx to Jon and bA

for this last

brilliant

assembly of words

The sound of love - Somewhere Over The Rainbow - Israel Kamakawiwo

2010-06-29T17:14:00.004-04:00

I have to tell you one interesting fact: I have not seen any rainbows for years and years here, but on my recent trip to Kauai, I saw tons of them, and even double rainbows! This island has something really special! And this next incredible thing also happened, which made my jaw dropping and my mind blowing:

During our main day of planting, a really good rain fell on Zero One, but we simply continued to plant, with a big smile plastered on our face. One of us suddenly exclaimed: "A rainbow on Zero One!" What? Yes! A very bright rainbow was ending right there on the land! -Have you ever saw the end of a rainbow? Not me, until that unique day!- The one and only thought that came to me was that the land of Zero One had just been blessed, that an energy was trying to tell us: "Your work is important and it will bear fruits. Thank you!"

And now that I am thinking about this, it makes me think about this beautiful and really appropriate song.

It also reminds me my childhood, dreaming of banging my heels and find myself traveling automatically, as in The Wizard of Oz. Oh, how I'd love to bang my heels and return in Kauai right now! ;)

HAVE A WONDERFUL AND COLORFUL DAY, EVERYONE!

P.S. See how this man have been -and still is, in a way- loved! Funerals should always be as beautiful as this one. A celebration.
PEACE

Zero One : A taste of paradise.

2010-06-27T03:00:00.028-04:00

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, Justin and Mea, whom 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 with the yummy wastes, and it all start again. It is also a similar relationship with the neighborhood. What goes around comes around! Live in peace and harmony with every kinds of beings surrounding you, give them love without any wait 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 (always the longest) observation time. 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, in connecting with some other friends and neighbors who came by to give a hand, and by using no machinery or 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 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. 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. What have I said before? ABUNDANCE!! Yes!).

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

The first step to make your new garden: a layer of cardboards. Give it a good shower, then cover it with green wastes and/or dry 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. 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. 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 are all special and lovely people!
I love you all! You all have been such givers! Aloha and Mahalo! ♥

Quebec's National Day

2010-06-24T12:10:00.004-04:00

Heyo! I'm coming back in Quebec just in time to celebrate our national day, the Saint-Jean-Baptiste! And what a great day this will be! I'm so in! Completely fresh from my super amazing trip to Zero One, a wonderful land of permaculture in Hawaii. I'll let you know more about my trip in a next post, I promise it's coming up! But today, let's celebrate the Quebec! Yaayy!!

Saint-Jean-Baptiste is love sharing at a wide scale for the people here. I would love my province to feel like this on every single day! I'm working this way, but I'm just a little grain... but still one! Trying to sand off the kinda stiffy side of my fellows, and make smile to be contagious.

For the occasion, let's share this video of a local group:

I'm out now (wearing my blue shirt, of course!), for so much fun, smiles and love spreading!

MUCH LOVE TO YOU ALL!

The sound of love - Say Hey (I Love You) - Michael Franti & Spearhead

2010-06-10T11:56:00.003-04:00

Hey there! Let's post one more song before I fly, for what promises to be the greatest trip of my life! No pressure Jackson: it's most because I've almost never traveled! ;)

The sound of love is a series of posts, sharing videos that spread the love, so here it goes again...

Awweee! High-five to Michael Franti for having created this marvellous song and video! A big thank also goes to Tyler and SuperForester Mathew, both from The Sun Shines On, where I first watched it!

Sing and dance this "sticky" song the whole day long, my dear friends!
P.S: I'll tell you more about this trip when I'll be back!
LOVE

Read this!

2010-06-04T23:38:00.006-04:00

Two or three months ago, I've sent this to many close friends, and I even shared it on Facebook, but I don't know why I never though about sharing this here on my blog? So here it is! If you have one thing to read today, for a first or the umpteenth time (we always need some reminds), it is this one:

The SuperForest Humanifesto

The SuperForest Humanifesto

What is going to save the human race?

Please.
Thank you.

Three words that will totally change this planet.
More than solar power. More than recycling. More than wind energy.

Why?

Because if we all started treating the people and things that we interact with every day with respect and compassion, the effects would ripple through every aspect of our lives, transforming society.

Our parents taught us the manners “rule-sets” that we use every day, and as a result, we feel that we have (through years of introspection) begun walking the path towards enlightenment. Our manners dictate the way we treat the external world, the Environment. We feel that it is primarily our manners that dictate our success as humans.

Folks talk about wanting to save the “Environment”, and that conjures up images of bubbling brooks and unspoiled forests. But “the Environment” isn’t just greenery and pretty scenery. It’s our slums, our airports, our houses, our supermarkets.
The Environment is everything that disappears when you close your eyes.

If you want to improve it, you must begin with what you see and encounter every single day of your life.

Before we can set about elevating our present society from a carbon-based one to a solar-electric one, knowing full well that solar-electric decentralized power means a higher quality of life for all, we must first pause and ask ourselves: Why? What is worth saving?

Human Consciousness.

Our gift and curse as humans is our incredible consciousness. We are aware, and that is the greatest and worst thing we’ve got going for us. Because we can clearly see how well we could be living, how politely we could be treating one another, how incredible life could be; we feel it is our duty to delight and inform our fellow humans in the hopes of creating a better world.

There is no reason every human on Earth could not have access to:
Clean Water
Nutritious Un-modified Food
Shelter
Education
Open Source Communication
Freedom from Oppression and Fascism

But, as is painfully obvious, most humans don’t have those things.
Most humans don’t have two of the six!

They could, but they don’t.

Why?

Bad Manners.

Nearly every religion this planet has yet produced has as one of its tenets the idea that to be happy, you must treat others as you yourself would hope to be treated.
A failure in this respect is simply bad form.

When a company decides to dump its waste into a river that others downstream use for drinking water, that is bad manners.

When a society chooses to isolate its citizenry in prisons and not offer any chance at rehabilitation, that is bad manners.

When a person decides to walk into a school and open fire on their classmates, that is extremely bad manners.

That is why we MUST START NOW.

All new generations must be schooled in the art of good manners if we are to survive, let alone flourish, as a species.

Try your hardest to treat others as you hope they would treat you, and actively look for ways to help the people around you. Do this from a pure place within you and watch the effects ripple outward!

Why?

Because so few are doing it.

Good manners make you stand out like a struck match in a dark room.

Three Essentials:

Make eye contact with anyone you interact with. Smiling is optional but highly encouraged.
Use the words “Please” and “Thank You” as often as you can.
Seek out ways to improve the lives of others. This can be as small as carrying someones bag up a flight of stairs, or holding a door open.

Do these three things and your life will change immeasurably. And you will begin to change the lives of those who come into contact with you in a measurable and positive way.

We are filled with optimism and hope.

Thank you for reading this.

Team SuperForest

* * *

I told you! Right? Now that you have read this, don't you feel like fulfilled with optimism? That you would like to go out on the street and smile wide at everybody you're passing by? Well, please do! You are loved, and you are love itself: give a part of it! :)
And, of course, the next thing to do is to share this with everybody that you think they could be interested in!

For this wonderful texte in any other language (translated by some kindful superforesters - they are all kindful! - from all around the world), click on the link below:
http://teamsuperforest.org/superforest/2008/04/23/the-superforest-humanifesto-2/

MUCH LOVE TO EVERYONE OF YOU!

The suburb

2010-06-01T12:18:00.013-04:00

Last weekend, I have been invited by one of my roommate's friends to spend time with five of them in his place. We all had a great time. I’ve been doing many things for the first time of the year, and I even did the first train trip of my whole life!

On satrurday, we went to the park and played frisbee, soccer and football. Then we had a BBQ, a few beers and great talks. Unfortunately, I have had to renounce to do camping, ‘cause the night was too chilly, so we all did "indoor camping".

The next day, all six went for a bycicle ride. And what a long and nice ride! Before we know it, we had more than 10km to the odometer, so we decided to continue and go have a lunch to the beach.

My roommate and I at the beach in Oka.

I’m taking you with me for a part of the ride with this short video (excuse the french speaking on it). This is the moment that we all stopped and stood on the side of the bike path to stare at a couple of Canada geeses and their little babies, a rare occasion!

Once back to our friend’s place, many hours and 34km later, we just sat down, chitchatted, and look at books of pictures, exhausted by the ride. Another BBQ, and hop! It’s time to catch the train!

Thank you Alexis for this memorable weekend! We all have appreciated your hospitality, and it also have been so great to leave the big and noisy city of Montreal for these two days! I’ll find a way soon to share the other videos with the five of you!

I hope you all also spent an amazing weekend, dear readers! Now, let's (myself) grow and eat tons of sprouts to help my body to forget all this meat that I have, once more, fed him with, and let's (all of us) start this new week with a wide smile and lightheartedness!
LOVE!

The sound of love - Follow Me - The Makepeace Brothers

2010-05-29T10:24:00.002-04:00

I like these guys! They are simple, funny and talented! And moreover, they use this talent to spread the love! Cheers to the Makepeace Brothers!

To quote them: Our time has come to shine!

May you all have a fantastic weekend!
LOVE AND SUNSHINE

Grateful for life

2010-05-28T23:54:00.003-04:00

This morning, on my way with my roomate to go at her school to get a handcrafted wood furniture that she has made, I walked the same streets than I usually do. But this morning, there were many police cars. A very dramatical car accident, involving three cars had just happened. It seems that a truck, for a reason that I don't know yet, had crossed the opposite course, climbed onto the pavement, crossed a green portion of the park, passed through a bus shelter, to finally crash into two other cars on the next cross street.

For the whole day, I've been having a thought for the poor people who were involved in the accident, trying somehow to send them my best wishes, and hoping - oh so hard - that it has been less dramatical than I was imagining. And I couldn't help but to think that I could have been walking on this pavement, or waiting for the bus in the parc or at the bus shelter, on the car's path...

Tonight, when I came back home, I found out that - thanks God - nobody has lost life, but three people have been seriously injured: a walker, a 20 years old lady who was waiting for the bus, and the driver who has lost the control of his vehicle.

I needed this to remind me that an as ridiculous accident as this one can happen to us at any time, but I'm glad it was not MY time yet. To be grateful for life took even more sens for me today.

I love you all my friends! Live our lives and give love to our loved ones every day which is offered to us!
IN ALL MY GRATEFULNESS FOR THIS LIFE ♥

Happy birthday, brother!

2010-05-22T08:19:00.011-04:00

I got the chance to have two older brothers, who I love very much. Let’s call them Jerry, the youngest of them (I already mentioned him in some previous posts), and Marc, the oldest by 9 years. And today is the birthday of the elder. So this is especially for him :

I love you, and I'm missing you so much!! Hope I’ll be able to visit you within the next year! So often I’m thinking of you, hoping and praying so that everything goes well for you! Much love and kisses to you from here.
YOUR LITTLE SISTER ♥

Lost and found

2010-05-20T23:24:00.007-04:00

I’d like to send a special thanks into the universe, to the very kind and honest person who has found my water bottle today.

In this beautiful day, my roommate and I went for a very long walk accross the town, entering into many stores, just to browse for some summer clothes. We always have a water bottle when we go for a long walk. Usually, I prefer to fill it with - of course - water, but in which I add a bit of liquid chlorophyll, with just a drop of some kind of sweetness, like maple syrup or simply stevia.

Unfortunately, what had to happen happened... It's only when the thirst took me, that I realised none of us was holding my very brand new "Supporting Hearth Day 2010" bottle. Confused and sad a bit by this lost, since it is my favorite one for many good reasons, we started to review the entire last hour or so. Just a big blank. We finally had no other choice than return into the largest store we were went. Running around and asking to any employees I was passing by.

Discouraged, I was about to give up, but still decided to ask to this one last person, folding clothes behind a counter. As I was approaching, I perceived this grey metal shape. Seeing my look of astonishment, she exclaims: "Yes! Someone has found it!" Nothing but gratitude and joyfulness came over me. All the customers around could certainly feel it! At least, I saw a smile emerging on some faces, while I was proudly brandishing it. YES!

I am so surprised to have found it back in such a large store, with such a lot of people!
SO, WHOEVER YOU ARE: THANK YOU!

The sound of love - What Is Love? - Never Shout Never

2010-05-20T11:07:00.002-04:00

Here is an interesting video I've discovered while browsing to find new songs for this The sound of love series of posts.

I like the way it has been made. Sunny, sunny day, everyone!
LOVE ☼

What a beautiful day to do gardening!

2010-05-18T22:52:00.012-04:00

This afternoon, I've been doing one of my jardinieres, while the nice renovation man was building an additional part to my kitchen's cupboards. I love gardening, it allows me to be fully mind-centered, giving love and carefulness to those plants that bring good smells up to our nose, or good tastes up to our taste buds.

So here is my first fine herbs jardiniere.

And here is the biggest tree of the whole street, which actually is right in front of my appartment, and which gave me shade in this nice and hot day. Can you see the beautiful lilac at my neighbour's place? Each time I open my door, its awesome smell comes to me. I love lilacs!

I wish you to have a very nice "zen moment" in doing your own jardinieres (or garden, I wish I could have one!), if those are not done by now!
LOVE AND SUNSHINE!

Thanks to my French friends

2010-05-16T23:15:00.001-04:00

Yesterday, I went partying to the appartment of my roommate's boyfriend and friends. Thought I would come back soon at home, but just wanted to go chill out a bit with them. Yeah, right! It appeared that I had a SO great and wonderful time there, dancing like crazy on every type of music, feeling totally free of appearances.

The more liquid that was going through my body, the more I was going faaaar away from the time to go to bed. I finally never get back home that night! I finally fell down early in the morning, and slept on a camping mat for a couple of pretty short hours!

What an awesome and easy-going party that has been! Thank you, buddies, for this memorable time! I wish we had made a video, or took any pictures of this event!

LOVE!

Nothing related, except for the magical instrument that I brought at the party, but I just got the news in: my wonderful -9 months old- little niece started to (kinda tried to) play Djembe too! Alllriiiiight!! Kisses!

P.S. Thanks for the cute picture, Pete!

Reposting other people's

2010-05-15T13:21:00.016-04:00

Hey there, pals!

I'd like to repost two things from SuperForest.org today. First, this post, written by Carla on May 10th, about the way to "be present" in our day-to-day tasks. I think that to do so, is one of my top ten of things to do for a better health (see OTHER COOL LINKS ON... HOW TO CHANGE HABITS FOR A BETTER HEALTH, on the left of the screen), with changing food habits, using greener products, communing with Mother Nature, and practicing lovefulness and joyfulness. All very nice topics that goes along with my blog! So here goes her post, in its entirety:

SuperForesters Carla and Diego Present: “The Art of Doing” (Field Notes Edition!)

Good Morning, SuperForest!

A few weeks ago, I wrote a post on "The Art of Doing" and how absolute presence was something I was severely lacking in my life. Without even being fully aware of it, my mind would float to the past or drift toward the future and more often than not, this would build a lot of stress and tension. Noticing these problems and reflecting upon them was the first step, taking action was the second.

So I started out right away. Knowing my lack of presence was a brilliant opportunity for change and self-improvement, I decided to pick a day in which from the moment I got out of bed, to the moment I slipped back in, I would be "present" and "aware". That particular day turned out be a Tuesday, and despite being aware of the challenge I was about to face, it was still much more difficult than I expected. But as time has progressed, it has (slowly) been easier to integrate "presence" in my normal consciousness. Here are a few things I learned along the way... my "field notes", if you will. :)

1. Get rid of your daily to-do list. Instead of writing a long list of things you have to do that day, narrow it down to perhaps one or two things you get to do that day. That's all. Just pick one thing you're excited about and do that one thing while focusing all of your energy on it and removing all distractions in the periphery. Once you do that one thing, move on to another, and another, and so on. I was a skeptic about this theory until I tried it and found I was actually getting much more high quality work done.

2. Be conscious of not only your actions (and focusing on the task at hand), but your thoughts, too. If you find yourself falling back on negativity, literally say "out" to those thoughts. If you're anything like me, you might be surprised at how often this occurs.

3. If you do find yourself beginning to feel any tension or get worried, pause, take a few deep breaths, and recollect

4. Fourth, never underestimate the power of the great outdoors. This one totally took my by surprise because during my "day of presence", I noticed that the easiest place to fully embrace the here and now was outside. When I was doing regular daily tasks (showering, brushing my teeth, reading, writing, etc.) inside, it was very very difficult for me to concentrate on what I was doing. But outside, my senses were heightened. I would see the dancing leaves on trees, feel the wind on my skin, and it seemed as if all sounds were electric and there was constant beauty in my surroundings. Put simply, when outside it is difficult to focus upon anything but the present moment.

At around this same time, SuperForester Diego Stocco had a similar experience of absorption in nature and presence during events that as he put it, were "out of [his] control". Being the artist that he is, he proceeded immediately by capturing it in a video he calls "Wind Light Trees and Piano" and has agreed to tag team this post with me by writing a bit about what the experience was like that afternoon, what his constant work with nature has taught him, and consequently, how nature helps illustrate the beauty of presence.

Take it away, Diego!

Right before I recorded "Wind Light Trees and Piano", I heard the wind and the wind chimes, and the trees and everything else moving, I knew it was happening right there and if I wanted to live that moment, I had to jump out of the house and record it!

I learned to really appreciate these random and uncontrollable moments because they give me an opportunity to be more reactive, when I recorded "Wind Light Trees and Piano" I couldn't expect having the same gust of wind happening twice exactly the same, so I had to be ready and focused if I wanted to record that moment. I extend this principle also to when I'm playing my custom built instruments, improvisation is a big part of what I do.

Essentially, this brings us to the fifth major thing presence teaches us, and that is...

5. Be reactive.Moments like the one depicted in “Wind Light Trees and Piano” happen spontaneously, like a musical movement we didn't expect. And with the beauty of nature around to inspire us, act upon those inspirations, and create something.

And there you have it, SuperForesters. Four tips on how to be present and the big tip from SuperForester Diego on what to do with that presence.

I'm definitely nowhere near a high level of being able to constantly "live in the moment" but when it comes to presence, perhaps that's the point. Maybe it's something that has to be practiced more than it is "perfected". In any case, I look forward to continuing the journey.

With much love and appreciation,

SuperForester Carla (and SuperForester Diego!)

P.S. Much gratitude goes out to Diego for not only co-writing this post with me, but for constantly creating astounding sources of inspiration. Thank You!

* * *

Thank you Carla, to have allowed me to repost this. I could not have explain it better! Many thanks also go to your always-so-great posts, dear Carla, 'cause they often get to me right on time to bring me to push my own thoughts further! Cheers, and may you continue to enjoy your challenge this much! ♥

Also, for your information, this REALLY works! I am, personally, living this same experience since about two months - and that's why Carla's post has called me this much! - and I can say that I am as much excited than she is, by the way that I am feeling the effects of it. It has changed so many things, and I feel so much lighter, that I will just never be able to let this way of being to go away! Also, the fourth point that she discribes is absolutely the same for myself! So go outside! Yeaah!

In addition, just to let you know, Diego Stocco is the great creative musician that makes music from a bonsai and music from sand. Check these out!

Finally, the second thing I wanted to repost is this super, but really SUPER, great video, shared on May 9th by SuperForester Mathew. Since that I've watched it a first time, I'm watching it everyday! So I want to pass this on:

Do things that scare you, Sing, Dance, Be nice to your siblings, all so good advices! "Brother and sister, together we'll make it through", I like it! Thanks, Mathew, to have brought my attention on this video!

ENJOY YOUR YOUTH, ENJOY LIFE! LOVE! ☼

Enlighten me, please!

2010-05-13T13:16:00.010-04:00

Ok, I am probably missing something there…

So, I want to share some thoughts that makes me feel a little mad today… I know, this is a feeling that I am trying hard to never feed – and that here is supposed to be a space for sharing love and positivity - but, I think that you guys can help me out to turn it into happier thoughts…

This morning I read a TreeHugger's article on Facebook, concerning all the spilled oil in the gulf, and so many other people’s comments turned me perplex…

So first, here is the article :
http://www.treehugger.com/files/2010/05/us-army-gulf-spill-oil-asphalt-experimental-chemical-video.php

And here is just one of the videos you’ll see if you take the time to click on the link and read the full article :

And then, here is what I think about all this :

I DO agree that we are already too much exposed to too many chemicals (and I AM working on to do my part to reduce it) but, even if it is an addition of some more chems, I DO also think that this is already a more efficient solution, NO?

It is not simply by placing barriers before it gets to the beaches that will save what is left. It really is time that we remove fingers from the nose, and work faster, more intelligently! These barriers do not help to clean up anything out there: they simply are a hypocritical way to hide the ugliness of our actions (right on the other side, the bottom sand WILL be deeply polluted, and of course the water too!)... So that the people do not see, at first glance, all the spilled oil and all these little dead beings...

So I think that, if we work quick enough with it, this polymer will absorb all the oil and we’ll just catch it before it sinks into the ocean…

Thus, until proven otherwise, it still is a good idea, to me! Am I just dumb, or what? Please someone, enlighten me with your lantern!

PEACE

The sound of love - Anything You Want - Jason Mraz

2010-05-13T08:15:00.009-04:00

Have I told you that this guy is my favorite singer? Yeah... and too many times probably! ;) But if you like my posts, I'm pretty sure that you love, or might love, Mraz as much as I do!

Among all of his songs, here is probably my favorite one. To share it with you, I've chose a version with the lyrics, so that they get stuck into your head, and so that you sing it the whole day long... hehe!

I know, this version also has an extension over the beginning of another song, and I am sorry for not being able to fix this.

One more thing, as a little aside note: we often kinda forget the whole team surrounding our favorite singers... who are nonetheless part of the final result that we love so much. So, for all of your wonderful songs, I want to thank you, Mraz, AND your whole big team! Toca, you also are doing an amazing job! Love you all!

MAY YOU ALL, DEAR READERS, SPEND A FABULOUS DAY, SINGING! ☼

Thank you, dearest friends!

2010-05-11T23:42:00.008-04:00

Here are 2 short stories of things I recently did with two friends of mine. The stories and the two friends are - in a way - related, even if they don't know this much each other yet.

THE TONIGHT SUPPER.
Tonight, a great friend of mine came to my place for supper AND, in all of his generosity, to do me the favor to settle another computer for me and my roomate, since I have broke the laptop...

I first met this friend when I was a teenager, in a visit to my youngest brother's place. We came closer friends about 2 years ago, when I started to go much more often to my brother's place and started to do camping with them all in the summer. We found that we had much in common and much to share.

Tonight again, we shared much and had fun. I appreciate those moments.

THE OTHER NIGHT SUPPER...
AND WHAT HAPPENED TO THE LAPTOP.
Last Friday night, my roomate and I were having a super great, inspirational conversation, after we had a yummy supper together - two things that are now rare for more than a month, since she is very busy at her woodworking school - when I suddenly accidentally spilled my glass of wine on her laptop.

There followed a frantic race to mop up the liquid as quickly as possible between each keys. Then the longest waiting moment of my life, to see what would happen... A dark shade was making its way into the screen... I know: we should simply have turned it off BEFORE, but we innocently thought that we did it quickly enough, so that everything would be okay. But no: the final shut down happened by itself.

The bewilderment and guilt are taking me, as I look up to watch at my roomate. Almost as distraught as me, she doesn't say a word. No daggers in her look, no swearing words, nothing. As calmly as possible, she finally just said "Okay, let's leave it dry for a while, we'll see tomorrow, and wish it will be fine".

TO END IT UP.
Since Saturday, the laptop is lying opened at my other friend's place - the first mentioned in this post - with fans oriented on it, to dry. And since there, I am grateful everyday that my secondly mentioned friend - my roomate - don't make me feel too guilty for this.

Thank you, Pete and Claude-Emilie, for being such good friends, generous and patients. Our friendship has a very high importance to me. I hope I let you know it quite often.

I LOVE YOU BOTH, DEAREST FRIENDS!

Simple things to do

2010-05-05T14:05:00.008-04:00

Since I'm back in Montreal, I've changed one more habit. As everybody, I sometimes do not have the time or the energy to cook myself something. In these cases, I used to take the phone and order something to eat... and unfortunately receive a bunch of not recyclable containers.

Since a lot of restaurants are accessible by walk here, I've started go out and get my meals by myself (I know, sometimes, we just do not feel like going outside, but then I choose a really close restaurant, and do what I can with their menu). I bring with me my own big reusable container and insist so that they put my take-out order in it. Sometimes, employees look at me with a some kinda weird face, but does this really bother me? I do it by convictions, and it makes me happy, so I am cool with their reaction, do my best to explain, and if I still get that weird look, I just reply by a huge smile before going back home to enjoy my "greener" meal.

This action is not extraordinary, but is still an addition, among all other actions done by you all in all over the world. :)

MUCH LOVE TO YOU!

The sound of love - Better Way - Ben Harper

2010-05-03T21:30:00.003-04:00

I could have been one of these humble people walking on your footsteps in that video, sir Ben Harper!

The stronger we'll believe, and act for, the more our world gets better,
LOVE

Laundromats

2010-05-03T21:12:00.006-04:00

Last weekend was, for my roomate and I, the beginning of our final move into our new appartment. It will continue tomorrow with all my boxes that are coming from Abitibi, where I lived during the past year. With all this bedlam, our washer and dryer machines are not connected yet, because some renovations are still to be done. Thus, for the second time this week, after dinner, I grab my roomate's laptop and a bag of clothes, and I go to this laundromat at a short distance by walk, which is attached to a cybercafe, from where I am writing this post while eating my dessert.

This will probably sounds strange to many of you, but I had never been in a laundromat before! And I am actually getting a lot of fun at it! Ok, probably that knowing the fact that this is a temporary situation makes a difference in how I appreciate it... But in this current situation, this is a new way for me to get in touch with the people in my new neighborhood, in talking to them while folding clothes: why not?!

Have a great week everyone!

LOVE

The friendship and the height-air

2010-04-29T22:37:00.012-04:00

Is it possible to spend a better day than go hiking with very good friends, and then have a lunch and chill out on the top of a mountain? This is how I spent one of my days earlier this week. Of course, always with me when I do those kind of so rad activities, my beloved brother.

Ok, this was a very small mountain, you can tell by the picture above, which has been taken on the lowest of the two peaks of the Saint-Grégoire Mount.

I just love those perfect days!
♥

The sound of love - One Love - Playing For Change

2010-04-29T08:03:00.007-04:00

Here is one of the most beautiful song of the world. Let your heart and your whole soul be submerged by this sweetest version!

LOVE

Things that make me happy

2010-04-28T20:18:00.014-04:00

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

The sound of love - When The Sun Comes Up - Jackson Nash

2010-04-27T00:53:00.008-04:00

I've just been hit by an idea for a serie of posts... I do not set a particular rate for these publications, 'cause I want to go freely with it, as for everything else on here.

So, let's start this serie with this awesome and funny video. You'll understand my choice, it is a real gush of happiness and love.

Jackson, you put a never ending smile on my face each time I look at this video! I hope it's all right with you that I'm using it, I think it deserves to be spread!
MUCH LOVE TO YOU MY FRIEND

Great people doing great things

2010-04-25T12:34:00.006-04:00

This is an addition to my previous post. It is one of the best exemple, at a huge scale, of the great power hidden inside each of us. These are 2 parts (of 5) of an interesting documentary on the meditation technique, briefly introduced into my previous post, applied in the largest prison in the world, the Tihar jail. Personnaly, its end has moved me very much.

This is it! I won't talk much more about this path, so if you find some kind of interests into these two last posts, I invite you to dig on it.

See you later in this coming week for other sweetnesses of the world!
MUCH LOVE

The impermanency

2010-04-24T08:53:00.007-04:00

When we are attentive and open to the subtle signs of life, we can gradually perceive how certain experiences or certain people are strategically placed on our path, for a more or less important period... in fact, just about the time needed for you to realise or accomplish certain steps that you came to seek in this present life. Well, this is my personal point of view.

These last days, I've been experiencing a new level of teaching. I've been gone in a Vipassana Center for a 10 days closed retreat of intensive and specifique meditation. This has been an experience of real hard work, for sure!

I did not intended to write about this at all, 'cause this is such a personal process, and each live it differently, and everybody is not interested in it. However, after I came back home from there yesterday, I spent the whole afternoon to fully recover back all my normal senses and my mind, then I joined my roomate for a long walk and a supper on a nice green terrace of a café where we like to go. You'll be eventually introduced to this great place in a serie of posts I'll start this summer, wich will be called Places I Love, but let's go back for now to what made me slightly change my mind.

So, after the supper, while waiting to pay, my mind has wandered to someone, then to some news I was expecting to receive and didn't came in, then continue wandering... you know how it goes! Of course, I've started to feel a bad sensation. I automatically started to simply observe it, calmly. Then, without having deliberately caused it, I smiled, and told to myself "Anicca"... This is impermanent. Thus, I got up and went to pay. The sensation had been gone!

Then I realised the huge power wich this Vipassana experience brought me. It is an another part of the transformation. Observe sensations, the good ones AS the bad ones, with equanimity, changes everything. It will be a great tool to face things more easily and calmly. If this is all what these 10 days have brought me, well it's already a HUGE thing. I suppose that this is what I was ready to acept and learn for this step; that this is what my pasts experiences were there for... and this last one have been there to prepare me to some other ones. And I am grateful for this.

May all beings be happy.
LOVE