Daring to realise the value of  ‘living the life’, what we have in this world is a challenge that each one of us needs to contemplate.

We need to rediscover and deepen our understanding of what a wondrous gift is life.

What do the words ‘I’m too busy’, ‘with more important things to do’, ‘schedules to keep’ and so on and so forth mean?

Meanwhile…………..

For years now, many people have been asking how I got to Bali and really all I have been able to say is that it’s a long story.

When pressed I have promised that one day I would tell it…. when I actually know what to say about the whole journey.

Perhaps because it would simply take too long and the days of story telling, when it didn’t matter how long it took for a story to be told, seem to be long gone.

In those times, the nights were long, the stars were an integral part of living life and set the ’stage’ for the mystery to unfold. People participated with a focus that brought each and every one of them deep into the experience. Story tellers were Masters of their wonderful art. They were the story and could make it live in the hearts of the participants.

Meanwhile though, my work has always been my way of communication. Each piece tells a story in a way that my words could not and maybe even should not.

Pauline just came across the following article and would like to share it with you:

What the Mayan Elders are sharing about 2012

Carlos Barrios, Mayan elder and Ajq’ij (is a ceremonial priest and spiritual guide) of the Eagle Clan. Carlos initiated an investigation into the different Mayan calendars circulating. Carlos along with his brother Gerardo studied with many teachers and interviewed nearly 600 traditional Mayan elders to widen their scope of knowledge. Carlos found out quickly there were several conflicting interpretations of Mayan hieroglyphs, petroglyphs, Sacred Books of ‘Chilam Balam’ and various ancient text. Carlos found some strong words for those who may have contributed to the confusion:

Carlos Barrios: “Anthropologists visit the temple sites and read the inscriptions and make up stories about the Maya, but they do not read the signs correctly. It’s just their imagination. Other people write about prophecy in the name of the Maya. They say that the world will end in December 2012. The Mayan elders are angry with this. The world will not end. It will be transformed.”

“We are no longer in the World of the Fourth Sun, but we are not yet in the World of the Fifth Sun. This is the time in-between, the time of transition. As we pass through transition there is a colossal, global convergence of environmental destruction, social chaos, war, and ongoing Earth Changes.”

He continues: “Humanity will continue, but in a different way. Material structures will change. From this we will have the opportunity to be more human. We are living in the most important era of the Mayan calendars and prophecies. All the prophecies of the world, all the traditions are converging now. There is no time for games. The spiritual ideal of this era is action.”

Carlos tells us: “The indigenous have the calendars and know how to accurately interpret it — not others. The Mayan Calendars comprehension of time, seasons, and cycles has proven itself to be vast and sophisticated. The Maya understand 17 different calendars such as the Tzolk’in or Cholq’ij, some of them charting time accurately over a span of more than ten million years.

“All was predicted by the mathematical cycles of the Mayan calendars. — It will change –everything will change. Mayan Day-keepers view the Dec. 21, 2012 date as a rebirth, the start of the World of the Fifth Sun. It will be the start of a new era resulting from and signified by the solar meridian crossing the galactic equator and the Earth aligning itself with the center of the galaxy.”

At sunrise on December 21, 2012 for the first time in 26,000 years the Sun rises to conjunct the intersection of the Milky Way and the plane of the ecliptic. This cosmic cross is considered to be an embodiment of the Sacred Tree, The Tree of Life, a tree remembered in all the world’s spiritual traditions.

Some observers say this alignment with the heart of the galaxy in 2012 will open a channel for cosmic energy to flow through the Earth, cleansing it and all that dwells upon it, raising all to a higher level of vibration. Carlos reminds us: “This process has already begun. Change is accelerating now and it will continue to accelerate.
If the people of the Earth can get to this 2012 date in good shape without having destroyed too much of the Earth, we will rise to a new, higher level. But to get there we must transform enormously powerful forces that seek to block the way.”

The date specified in the calendar Winter Solstice in the year 2012 does not mark the end of the world. Many outside people writing about the Mayan calendar sensationalize this date, but they do not know. The ones who know are the indigenous elders who are entrusted with keeping the tradition.

Carlos tells us: “The economy now is a fiction. The first five-year stretch of transition from August 1987 to August 1992 was the beginning of the destruction of the material world. We have progressed ten years deeper into the transition phase by now, and many of the so-called sources of financial stability are in fact hollow. The banks are weak. This is a delicate moment for them. They could crash globally, if we don’t pay attention. Now, people are paying attention.”

The North and South Poles are both breaking up. The level of the water in the oceans is going to rise. But at the same time land in the ocean, especially near Cuba, is also going to rise. Carlos tells a story about the most recent Mayan New Year ceremonies in Guatemala. He said that one respected Mam elder, who lives all year in a solitary mountain cave, journeyed to Chichicastenango to speak with the people at the ceremony. The elder delivered a simple, direct message. He called for human beings to come together in support of life and light.

“Right now each person and group is going his or her own way. The elder of the mountains said there is hope if the people of the light can come together and unite in some way. We live in a world of polarity — day and night, man and woman, positive and negative. Light and darkness need each other. They are a balance.”

“Just now the dark side is very strong, and very clear about what they want. They have their vision and their priorities clearly held, and also their hierarchy. They are working in many ways so that we will be unable to connect with the spiral Fifth World in 2012.”

“On the light side everyone thinks they are the most important, that their own understandings, or their group’s understandings, are the key. There’s a diversity of cultures and opinions, so there is competition, diffusion, and no single focus.”

Carlos believes the dark side works to block unity through denial and materialism. It also works to destroy those who are working with the light to get the Earth to a higher level. They like the energy of the old, declining Fourth World, the materialism. They do not want it to change. They do not want unity. They want to stay at this level, and are afraid of the next level.

The dark power of the declining Fourth World cannot be destroyed or overpowered. It’s too strong and clear for that, and that is the wrong strategy. The dark can only be transformed when confronted with simplicity and open-heartedness. This is what leads to unity, a key concept for the World of the Fifth Sun.

Carlos said the emerging era of the Fifth Sun will call attention to a much-overlooked element. Whereas the four traditional elements of Earth, Air, Fire and Water have dominated various epochs in the past, there will be a fifth element to reckon with in the time of the Fifth Sun — that element is ‘ETHER’.

The dictionary defines Ether as a “hypothetical substance supposed to occupy all space, postulated to account for the propagation of electromagnetic radiation through space.” Perhaps it could be defined as the “space between space”. I would suggest it could be manifest as the alignment of charged particles from our solar system (Sun), and our galaxy (Milky Way) surge. The Ether element represents spiritual energy.

“The element of the Fifth Sun is celestial. Within the context of Ether there can be a joining of the polarities. No more darkness or light in the people, but an uplifted unity. But right now the realm of darkness is not interested in this. They are organized to block it. They seek to unbalance the Earth and its environment so we will be unready for the alignment in 2012.”

“We need to work together for peace, and balance with the other side. We need to take care of the Earth that feeds and shelters us. We need to put our entire mind and heart into pursuing unity and unity now, to confront the other side and preserve life.”

“We are disturbed — we can’t play anymore. Our planet can be renewed or ravaged. Now is the time to awaken and take action. Everyone is needed. You are not here for no reason. Everyone who is here now has an important purpose. This is a hard but a special time. We have the opportunity for growth, but we must be ready for this moment in history.”

Carlos says: “The prophesied changes are going to happen, but our attitude and actions determine how harsh or mild they are. We need to act, to make changes, and to elect people to represent us who understand and who will take political action to respect the Earth.”

“Meditation and spiritual practice are good, but also action. It’s very important to be clear about who you are, and also about your relation to the Earth. Develop yourself according to your own tradition and the call of your heart. But remember to respect differences, and strive for unity. Eat wisely — a lot of food is corrupt in either subtle or gross ways. Pay attention to what you are taking into your body. Learn to preserve food, and to conserve energy. Learn some good breathing techniques, so you have mastery of your breath. Be clear. Follow a tradition with great roots. It is not important what tradition, your heart will tell you, but it must have great roots.”

“We live in a world of energy. An important task at this time is to learn to sense or see the energy of everyone and everything — people, plants, animals. This becomes increasingly important as we draw close to the World of the Fifth Sun, for it is associated with the element ‘ether’ — the realm where energy lives and weaves. Go to the sacred places of the Earth to pray for peace, and have respect for the Earth which gives us our food, clothing, and shelter. We need to reactivate the energy of these sacred places. That is our work.”

“One simple but effective prayer technique is to light white or baby-blue colored candles. Think of a moment in peace. Speak your intention to the flame and send the light of it on to the leaders who have the power to make war or peace.”

Carlos reminds us this is a crucially important moment for humanity and for Earth. Each person is important. He said the elders have opened the doors so that other races can come to the Mayan world to receive the tradition. “The Maya have long appreciated and respected that there are other colors, other races, and other spiritual systems. They know that the destiny of the Mayan world is related to the destiny of the whole world.”

“The greatest wisdom is in simplicity. Love, respect, tolerance, sharing, gratitude, forgiveness. It’s not complex or elaborate. The real knowledge is free. It’s encoded in your DNA. All you need is within you. Great teachers have said that from the beginning. Find your heart, and you will find your way.”

What a ridiculous attitude to the precious gift of life…. this constant violence, greed and scapegoating. It is a time for deep reflection, humility (in the true sense) and soul searching at both an individual and collective level.

It is time to rediscover a profound love and gratitude for the miracle of life, for ourselves, for each other and for this beautiful planet that continues despite the endless horrendous atrocities perpetuated in the name of ‘higher and highest ideals’.

It is time to rediscover the meaning of co-operation and realise the destructive consequences of the competitive paradigm.
That joy still exists and is available to us all is a lesson in itself.

Pauline would like to wish everybody a very Happy Christmas and a wonderful 2011.

She would also like to extend her special appreciation to everyone for their interest, comments and feedback throughout the past year. It really means a lot to her.

Ireland was once known as the island of saints and scholars. The spirit of integrity and nobility of her people survived despite the many atrocities visited upon them by the betrayals, both spiritual and temporal of those in power, their lackeys and those Irish who, for many reasons, betrayed their own people.

There are many examples, in the fragments of history that remain to us, that show clearly how the harmony and health of any society and/or country can be brought to ruin. Only the extremely myopic are unable to see how certain behaviours, when based on ideologies that encourage the belief that ‘I can have anything I want just because I want or deserve it’ or ‘because society owes it to me’ have devastating consequences.  Then there are those who refuse to look, as then they would be obliged to notice the tough calluses that have thickened the delicate fibres of their visionary apparatus.

When economic values take precedence over justice and plain old common sense, chaos is inevitable.

We human beings need to stop the greedy carelessness that has polluted our ways of perceiving each other and this beautiful world within which we live. We need to ‘remember to remember’ who we are. We need to face the atrocities that many attitudes and belief systems have created and continue to create.There seems to be arrogance of being that defies life itself. It’s as if we human beings have forgotten who we are and how to live with ourselves and with one another.

These days the journey from Ubud to Denpasar (or ‘Badung’ to give it the traditional Balinese name) has become quite an extraordinary adventure. Beyond any doubt it is a very real lesson in being in the flow of the great ‘Nowness’. Road rules are kept to the skimpy minimum, if not ignored completely. Motorbikes with anything up to six people on board, blast their way through the tiniest openings simply to get ahead, seem to move in an endless stream.

Ladies, with ages ranging from very young to very old, perch gracefully behind husbands, sons or daughters on their way somewhere. It is easy to identify those on their way to a Temple as they are dressed in their beautiful, colourful Temple clothes with flowers in their hair and offerings on their heads. Sometimes the offerings are almost as tall as the ladies who carry them. Their serene faces, in the midst of the heated atmosphere of chaotic traffic, are living examples of what equanimity means as a way of living life as it is.

Trucks, huge tourist buses, cars of all shapes and sizes speed their way as if the ‘devil himself’ is chasing them for the possession of their most precious belongings. Every now and again the signs of road rage manifest through forgotten politeness.

Outbursts of blatant anger for trivial reasons, such as traffic conundrums, is a relatively new phenomenon in Bali. For those of us who have experienced life there, before the hype of modern life descended on the island, it can be quite a shock. It seems to have become the norm in other countries but it just doesn’t seem to have a place in Bali.

Yet, even in the midst of all the craziness, smiles are always but a nod or a greeting away. This is one of the facets of Bali I love.

One of the places I have come to know a little is the Pfalz. It is in South Germany near the French border. It is a beautiful area and has been the major wine growing area in Germany since Roman times.

For anyone who enjoys the peace and quiet of forest walks, without the discomfort of hauling backpacks around it’s perfect. There are little villages everywhere. Walking into some of them is like stepping into the pages of some childhood Fairy Tale. The people are generally very friendly.

The contrast between the ultra modern fast way of living and the timelessness of those hidden villages is an experience in itself. From science fiction to the tales of old…it’s all there. Artists can find an endless supply of visual treasures, both of the natural and man made variety. The structures, textures and colours are, in some places, staggering in their intensity and depth. The stories they tell fill the air with a life that has never been destroyed. There are many elements that provide bridges to the little known aspects of the past. Ancient Celtic fortresses in various but fascinating states of disrepair are constant reminders of a time before the Romans decided to visit the barbarians of the northern regions.  Then there are castles dating from the days of the crusades. It is in the Pfalz that King Richard the Lionheart was kept prisoner. The castle is still intact.

There is a beauty and harmony in the pre-war architecture that testifies to the many characteristics of the German peoples, that remains hidden in the shadows. Their sense of aesthetics tells of a past that remains obscured by the tragic circumstances that perhaps need to be understood from more informed from an open and clear perspective.

The quality of artistic expression, in any society, gives expression to the quality of its true self as individuals and as a group. This quality can be a guiding spirit in our attempts to understand the similarities and the differences that can provide fascinating opportunities to grow beyond habitual automatic and reflexive modes of thinking and come to a deeper understanding of ourselves and others.

Pauline has just launched a range of Greeting Cards printed on top quality paper. They come in packs of 10 and details are available by clicking on the ‘Greeting Cards’ button above.

Germany is a place that relatively few people choose to visit. Yet it is an extraordinary country, full of surprises, especially for those intrepid explorers with a passion for stepping beyond the boundaries of generally recommended tourist destinations.

Circumstances beyond my control dictated my first few visits to Germany. It was awesome. Of course, it so happened that I found myself in the heart of the biggest industrial area of the whole country. From Bali, as it was before it became a major tourist destination, to a mega modern metropolis and all it represented…..’Ouch’. It seemed so harsh, so super clean, so utterly organised, formal, hyper-real, that it hurt. It took every scrap of focus that I could muster just to adjust to the speed with which people rushed their lives away, as if life depended on stress, just to survive. There seemed to be so many rules of how to live life properly, as dictated by the ‘this must be so and that absolutely cannot be’ rule. All I really wanted to do was run away. However, the kindness of people I met, the many discussions about life, work, philosophy, etc, enabled me to appreciate where I was. It eventually led to an opening of a door to a Germany that is, to this day, relatively unknown and certainly not appreciated.