If we are peaceful, if we are happy, we can smile and blossom
like a flower, and everyone in our family, our entire society,
will benefit from our peace.Thich Nhat Hanh
Banner inspired by: Elise
Category Archives: Inspiration
Ten Things for an hot early Summer
1. Frozen orange pieces instead of popsicles
2. Iced coffee for an afternoon energy kick
3. Wet sun caps for a cool head
4. A cool feet bath for a fresh feeling
5. Lots of salad and fruits to eat
6. Cold water with lemon slices
7. Bare feet walking to reconnect with the earth
8. River baths and many moments in nature
9. Sketching and reading in the shadow of a tree
10. Being thankful for a new summer to come, Alhamdulillah!
I do not have a lot to say these days – The weather is hot and work at school is still huge.
But I wish you blessed early summer days full of fun, laughter and innocent childish play.
May Peace be with you!
these days and nights…
“Verily, in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find rest”
(The Holy Qur’an, 13: 28)
It is reported from Abu Hurairah (raa), that Allah’s Messenger (sas) said: “The best fast after Ramadan is in Allah’s month of Muharram, and the best prayer after the obligatory prayer is the Night Prayer”
(Sahih Muslim)
… here’s enjoying the last sacred days with increased night prayers and remembrance of Allah, but also preparing the feast day of Ramadan’s end, called ‘Id el fitr: henna coloring, cleaning, a little bit of crafting and baking.
Blessed week to you!
… in the meantime… some color and inspiration
While browsing for new ideas on how to craft some garlands with the kids for the schools-end party, I found some lovely blogs.
I wish you a week full of colorful inspiration, love and simple happiness! Salam aleikoum!
http://miekewillems.blogspot.com
http://bettermebetterworld.blogspot.com
http://salmashabbyblog.blogspot.com
http://lenasjoberg.blogspot.com
http://annamariahorner.blogspot.com
Time tested
Mashaallah, I have so much to do and therefore no time for blogging. Just wanting to share a lovely poem and sending greetings of peace to all of you !
Time Tested Beauty Tips
by Sam LevensonFor attractive lips, speak words of kindness.
For lovely eyes, seek out the good in people.
For a slim figure, share your food with the hungry.
For beautiful hair, let a child run his fingers through it once a day.
For poise, walk with the knowledge that you’ll never walk alone…
People, even more than things, have to be restored, renewed, revived, reclaimed and redeemed.
Never throw out anybody.
Remember, if you ever need a helping hand, you’ll find one at the end of your arm.
As you grow older you will discover that you have two hands.
One for helping yourself, the other for helping others.
The beauty of a woman is not in the clothes she wears, the figure that she carries, or the way she combs her hair.
The beauty of a woman must be seen from in her eyes, because that is the doorway to her heart, the place where love resides.The beauty of a woman is not in a facial mole, but true beauty in a woman is reflected in her soul.
It is the caring that she lovingly gives, the passion that she shows, and the beauty of a woman whith passing years only grows!
Unplugged
Life up here, where we live, is mostly still unplugged. A lot of work is still done by hand and you seldom hear machines or motors; the air is still clean, children mostly play together in nature and people gather outside. That’s a blessing, subhanallah, and it was one of the main reasons why we choose to live here, alhamdulillah.
But here as well as elsewhere, in many areas of everyday life, it demands a conscious choice to choose “unplugged” as a lifestyle.
Unplugging means to me to avoid technical stuff; to avoid mechanic sound; to use desktops and screens fewer; to switch off often CD-players, TV, computers, mobile phones, i-pods, blackberries, kitchen helpers and all the other things that promise us to make live funnier, easier and quicker; to me it means to avoid everything processed in general.
Living unplugged means to allow silence and quiet; to listen to the sound of our souls and nature; it means to slow down; to choose a conscious state of mind; to look at and connect with the people and the beauty around us; to work by hand; trying to live as much natural-sustainable-eco-green as possible.
It is a choice everyone can make in her own life. It isn’t easy sometimes and courage and some effort are needed. But it is definitely worth it.
It brings us closer to the essentials of life; to our own self; to the people we love; it restores and fine-tunes all our senses; it heals and it draws us closer to our pure fitra (pure, good and innocent state of every human being).
And in the end it draws us closer to nature and to our Creator.
I wish you well, I wish you moments in “acoustic style” and may Allah bless your life with as much “unplugged” as possible!
Post inspired by nature and “Beauty that moves”.
On Children
Your children are not your children.
They are the sons and daughters of Life’s longing for itself.
They come through you but not from you,
And though they are with you yet they belong not to you.You may give them your love but not your thoughts,
For they have their own thoughts.
You may house their bodies but not their souls,
For their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow,
which you cannot visit, not even in your dreams.You may strive to be like them,
but seek not to make them like you.
For life goes not backward nor tarries with yesterday.You are the bows from which your children
as living arrows are sent forth.
The archer sees the mark upon the path of the infinite,
and He bends you with His might
that His arrows may go swift and far.Let your bending in the archer’s hand be for gladness;
For even as He loves the arrow that flies,
so He loves also the bow that is stable.
from Kahlil Gibran in “The Prophet”
“When the earth is shaken…”
“When the earth is shaken with its final earthquake.
And when the earth throws out its burdens.
And man will say:”What is the matter with it?”
That Day it will declare its information about all that happened over it of good or evil.
Because your Lord will inspire it.
That Day mankind will proceed in scattered groups that they may be shown their deeds.
So whosoever does good equal to the weight of an atom shall see it.
And whosoever does evil equal to the weight of an atom shall see it.”
(Sura 99)
These days I cannot help but have to think about our final destination, about doomsday and the last judgment. Mashaallah.
The shocking events in Japan fill me with fear and humbleness, but also with confirmation about the power of Allah, our Creator.
I feel that we have no time to waste, that we have to strive for paradise, to compete in doing good deeds, to better ourselves, to ask for forgiveness and His mercy, to ask for guidance for all mankind and to praise our Lord.
“And turn in repentance and in obedience with true faith to your Lord and submit to Him before the torment comes upon you, then you will not be helped.”
(Sura 39, Verse 54)
“When the sun is wound round and its light is lost and is overthrown.
And when the stars fall.
And when the mountains are made to pass away;
And when the pregnant she-camels are neglected;
And when the wild beasts are gathered together.
And when the seas become as blazing fire or overflow.
And when the souls are joined with their bodies.
And when the female infant buried alive is questioned:
For what sin was she killed?
And when the written pages of deeds (of every person) are laid open.
And when the heaven is stripped off and taken away from its place;
And when the hellfire is set ablaze.
And when paradise is brought near.
Then every person will know what he has brought of good and evil.”
(Sura 81 / verse 1-14)
May you all be blessed with His mercy! Ameen.
Logotherapy, Islam and some Books
In the morning, when the children are still asleep, I often crawl into the warm corner beside our chimney, welcoming the first sunrays with a cup of tea and a good book before the hustle and bustle of the day starts and this morning I thought it is time to give you an update of the books that are in my mind at the moment…
Last year a very dear friend of mine introduced me to the concept of logotherapy and since summer I already read some different books about and am now in love with it.
I like the concept behind it so much as it seems to me being the only successive approach to life, to human problems in general:
The thing is not to question life and hard times and to ask “why?”
But rather try to give an answer to the (sometimes hard) questions life is offering us and to face it with a meaningful, positive attitude.
I love the concept of seeing the human being as free and independent (in the last consequence even free from the own ego and desires), always having the possibility to change and to take direction on our own, even in the worst of cases, might it only be by an inner change of view.
I see that the Islamic concept of seeing life as a test, trying to make the best out of any given situation, to behave in one’s best way is nothing different.
Logotherapy fits so very well with Islam and its concept – it seems as if the one just complements the other. I think logotherapy puts circumstances, thoughts and human psyche in words and Islam gives a concept of meaning and purpose and offers even a whole detailed way of life. Both enrich the other, subhanallah.
If you are also interested to read more about logotherapy, I first recommend you Viktor E. Frankl’s book “Men’s search for meaning”.
I liked the book so much. I found it very disturbing in the beginning because I never could and still cannot stand to hear all the cruelty of concentration camps, in which Frankl spent some years of his life. But he managed to write his story with deep hope and optimism – very touching and very true.
I also recommend all the books from Elisabeth Lukas (available in English, German and other languages), a specialist in logotherapy.
At the moment I am reading another book on psychology and healing, called “The secret of instant healing” (Quantenheilung) from Frank J. Kinslow, which my father recommended to me. The book is much less of a spiritual one and some parts do not fit with my Muslim point of view, but the whole thing of healing through positive energy and thoughts seems to be great…. I am trying on it and will give you an update later, inchaallah.
What about you? What are the best books you’ve read over the last months?
Happy reading and happy March!
Homemakers at Heart
I am a homemaker at heart. And I am proud to be – alhamdulillah and with God’s help.
I deeply feel that it is us, the mothers, who create a home, who feed the spirit within.
It is us, the mothers, who introduce meaning and consciousness to family life.
It is our God-given duty to provide love and care, an open ear, a beautiful environment, a warm meal and a welcoming hug.
It is up to our individual creativity how we celebrate family life, how we establish rhythm, how we practice faith, how we strengthen family bonds, and how we create a peaceful atmosphere.
It is us, the mothers, who are responsible to bring up a new generation of people to this world – children who are able to live in love, peace and respect for themselves and the world around.
I love to be the center of our home, the maker of rhythm and routine in the best of its meanings.
I love to be the provider of comfort, coziness and nourishment.
I am proud to be a manager, a guide, the keeper of balance, of continuity, of love and of peace around here.
I am the shepherdess of my flock.
I am the heart and the soul of the home.
I am the mamma – a real homemaker.
And I am thankful for it, subhanallah.
Today I feel blessed to be. Alhamdulillah.
There are great books out there on homemaking and here are some articles I wrote and some literature I read:
Shea Darian: “Seven times the sun”
Steven and Teri Maxwell: “Managers of their homes”
Amanda Blake Soule: “Handmade Home” and “the creative family”
Rahima Baldwin Dancy: “You are your child’s first teacher”
Myla and Jon Kabat-Zinn: “Everyday Blessings”
Mohammed Rida Beshir: “Meeting the challenge of parenting in the West”
* about how to make a house a home
* the making of traditions
* manager of my home
* time management
* about children’s playplace and toys
