My Solace

Written by Deborah Jordaan

Good day loyal readers. Today I am writing about what makes me find peace and calm in the crazy world I call my life. We all find solace in something or someone and we feel like we are home.

Do we ever find peace in our minds? I do not know if that is possible sometimes. To me, I find my solace when I see the love in people’s eyes when they look at me with thanks and adoration.

The job I do as a carer always makes me feel like I am home when I see the elderly. It lightens my heart. They appreciate everything I do for them and in turn, I give them the love I would give my dearly departed mother and grandmother. Every granny I see I see a trait my dear mother had. So they all as a collective personify my mother. I see their pain and longing for a child and give them emotionally what they need and they give me what I need just by being there to listen to me or by allowing me to help them with whatever it is they need.

When my mother was alive I could never imagine that one day she would not be there and that I would miss her so much. I search for her in every older lady I meet. When a glimmer of my mother shines through I am attached to the person. So we are forever trying to find significance in other humans.

All I want is to be happy and enjoy the moment in another person’s company. My grandsons fill my soul with peace and happiness. They are my refuge.

I had two daughters and the chance to have more children was taken from me. When my grandbabies were born I thanked the universe for giving me the ideal family, two daughters and two grandsons. What more could I ask. I am a very emotional being and when my soul is happy I am forever faithful to the person that makes me happy.

It is not easy to find that feeling of wonderment, so grasp it with both hands when you do. We do not need someone to complete us, we need someone to be part of our soul.

A soul mate does not have to be one person, it can be a few people who contribute to the well-being of our souls.

Animals and nature can also be our places we go if we need that feeling of being completely happy or at least part of it. We cannot be happy all the time but if we find happiness part of the time, that is also okay.

So I hope you find your happy place and when you do hold on to it as people take a lifetime to search for it but sometimes never find it. Be blessed and loved.

Have happy thoughts.

How to Explore Your Awareness

Written by Elsabe Smit

When people become aware of their spiritual awakening, they become aware of ‘going out of their mind’, in other words setting the brain aside and opening up to the awareness that there are different dimensions that exist around us, and that we only chose to live in this one for the moment.

How do you deal with this spiritual awakening? The first action is to choose whether you want to reject it or consciously explore it. If you want to reject it, that is your choice, and it is neither right nor wrong. Whichever way you choose is perfect for you.

If, on the other hand, you want to consciously explore your new awareness, you will be surprised to discover the many opportunities that are opening up to you. At the same time you will experience what I can only describe as a deep sense of knowing about what resonates with you and what you should stay away from.

There are as many different directions and flavors of spirituality as there are people on this earth. You will find that you are intuitively drawn to some of these directions and practices, while you will probably find others to be hilarious and quite entertaining.

Remember, what you laugh at may be a very serious matter for someone else. The best advice I can give you is to trust your heart and listen to your intuition, and you will find this path quite rewarding.

However, this is only the advice of one person. If anyone insists on telling you which path is the best for you, I would question the intentions of that person, because how you explore your spirituality is a very personal decision.

Where do you find more information on exploring your spirituality? That depends on your own inclination. One option is to go to the nearest large bookstore and explore the mind, body and spirit section. Some books will call out to you, while others will not attract you at all.

If you do not like reading, find shops that focus in what is popularly known as ‘new age’ shops and browse. Look at the items and advertisements in the shops and explore, explore, explore. Search the internet for information on topics that you find interesting, and find groups that you can associate with and have conversations with.

If all of that increases your confusion, then here is something simple that you can do. Find a quiet space, close your eyes, and ask for experiences that will bring enlightenment and clarity to you. Then simply open your heart and spirit for these experiences, and ‘go out of your mind’, in other words set aside any judgment while you explore and expand your wonderful awareness.

If you are looking for scientific proof and explanations of the experiences that you are having, you will find them (or rather these explanations will find you once you have voiced your intention). If you only want to increase your intuitive awareness, you will have this.
Enjoy every step of this new path, wherever it takes you.

Believe me, it is mind-blowing!

Practical Magic – 102 Soup for the Soul

Written by Vanessa Anderson

The usual conjuring and imagery of Witches, witchcraft and spell work often centre around a cauldron bubbling on a hot fire – hubble and bubble – while a cackling crone stirs the pot, muttering softly to herself as she dollops and sprinkles her tinctures and herbs. Each component is selected for cause and effect, a concoction of sorts meant for suture and salve, whether corporeal, ethereal or spiritual. An act of intent, for which ailment affects.

I previously appealed to you, to remember your magic yet I was not quite sure yet which element of practical magic should follow my last instalment for I truly believe that everything we do, with intent, is magic. One practice, in particular, keeps circling my mind – cooking, brewing, concocting, creating with love and intent, spelling.

In my piece titled – When the world tries to break someone you love – I wrote about my nephew, he is sick, very sick. Amid the chaos of disrupted routine and emotional upheaval, one simple, wholesome act pulls together the red thread that binds us all – cooking. It is this element because it is so raw in our existence that I want to reflect on it in this piece.

The ill, like the stone thrown across a pond, cause a ripple and those within the concentric circles ebbing outward – hold the space of the one within. We take care of them, holding them together so that they can hold those within.

Through all the ages of man, in every culture across the spiritual realm, we have sustained each other, held these circles together and gathered others towards us, with food. When we celebrate, we gather and share food, when we mourn, we gather and share food, when others are ill, we do what comes naturally – we cook, we gather and we share food.

We do this to hold the line when others are raging against a battle and, if we are lucky, we may have others to hold the line should we find ourselves in a battle that threatens to consume us.

When we were little, and we felt sick, we rested and our mothers made us soup to eat. When family and friends are sick, we offer to make their food, and we sustain them when they do have not the strength to do so themselves. It is a practice (in magic) done naturally, with intent. We give of our time and our energy towards others, the ingredients may be wholesome and nourishing, but that is not all on offer.

We infuse love, a knowing and understanding of the space others are in. It is an act of kindness where energy, like magic flows naturally. It is not odd or strange that the foods we prepare are often, exactly what the body needs to support it. It is knowledge within, sometimes we forget, sometimes the universe reminds us.

Food, good food, is energy. When it is prepared with love and intent – whether twirling round a cauldron or a pot on the stove – it is magic.

All magic is, is practice with intent.

We give our thought to the idea that someone else is in need. We give thought to the knowing that they have other things on their mind. No matter whether they are the one who is ill, or the one taking care of the ill, or those holding the space between the lines and the circles – our thoughts, through simple practices, like making food, become the tincture that offers suture and salve to the wounds of the embattled.

Remember that you are magic.

Test the theory, remember the last meal you made now remember the way you approached preparing it, what you infused within, how you and others felt eating it? Was it merely sustenance for an empty stomach, or did it nourish and nurture more than just body?

Last thought: if you are what you eat, then should you not take back the power over how it is prepared?

Bullying is Not Okay

Written by Deborah Jordaan

Good day beautiful inhabitants of our planet. Today I am writing on a subject we all recognise. I myself went through bullying at school and my brother was taunted because of his disability when he was younger.

I heard of a little boy of ten that was taunted daily at school. He lost interest in school work and he would tell his mommy he is feeling ill just so that he would not have to go to school. He reported the incidents to the teachers and the mother was told not to go to the education department of the area as the school will investigate the incidents. The bullies kept on taunting the young boy that the mother approached the parents of the children as it was becoming a big problem. The main bully was making his two friends also bully the boy.

Since the subject was discussed between the parents and the school; the pupils have for now stopped the taunting and the little boy is doing much better at school.

This is primary school what is going to happen in high school?

The other incident in the same school was of an eleven-year-old girl who slit her wrist with a scissor in the class while the teacher had left the class. When asked why she was doing that she said that she was teased by everyone that she had HIV because she was such a skinny little girl.

Now I ask you did this little girl report it and if she did why was no one listening that she got to this point where she was self-mutilating? How is this little girl going to cope in high school?

When I was younger I was verbally teased for being a nerd but today teasing is to an extreme. There is violence and weapons that get involved at some stage in the higher grades. What is happening?

Yes I understand teachers are under pressure from the children that are not behaving but then their bad behaviour should go on file and that file should follow them to high school so that the school is aware of the insolent pupil coming to their school and decide whether they want that pupil. Kids should be profiled from a young because if it is ignored the gangster mentality takes over and that in turn creates murderers and psychopaths.

Sad pupil being bullied by classmates at corridor in school

I am no child psychologist but have seen these things first-hand. So, who do we blame for this child’s behaviour? Are parents, teachers or older siblings at fault?

The unfortunate thing is that the bullied child will either be suicidal, antisocial or everything else that goes with mental health. The bully in turn might end up as a criminal when he/she becomes an adult.

Communication is key to making any system work. So lack of communication creates havoc and violence. The taunting might start off as a simple joke but eventually, become a serious problem.
So listen when a child speaks they might just be telling the truth and need your help. Not everyone is an attention seeker.

Be blessed and love and nurture your children.

Be Yourself

Written by Karin Kelly — Transformation Coach

Focus word “BE YOURSELF “
We look outside of ourselves for love since that is how we found stability and love as children. We received rewards for our good deeds. The truth is, the love you’re looking for can only come from within.

Here are 3—of a couple points to practise being YOU.

• Cast Out the Idea That You Have to Be Perfect

If you’re wondering how to practice self-love, start by ditching the idea of perfect; perfect in every way—body, life, IQ. The idea of perfection is false, and when you see it on social media, it frequently hides serious mental health problems.

• Understand That Sometimes Social Expectations Offer Unrealistic Standards.

You are unique on this earth and cannot reasonably be compared to anyone else. You are the only one to whom you should compare yourself.

• Daily gratitude is the key to happiness and loving yourself.

When we get comfortable, we get ungrateful. Change that, and show gratitude every day.

Daily habits of intentionally recognising and feeling gratitude are one of the highest emotional and vibrational states you can experience. When you cultivate gratitude, you are able to feel true joy and peace, no matter what you currently have or don’t have in your life.

For those who understand how to use this power and practice it daily, they are able to attract more things into their lives to be thankful for.

Be Safe … Be YOU

#beingyou #coachkarinkelly #karinkelly

Tears of Grief

Memoir of Chris De Flamingh

In the month of June 2021, I suffered the loss of four loved ones due to illness / Covid-19 and old age.

God has not forsaken us as I can testify to that. Since I lost my only surviving parent in April 2019,

I have only strengthened my love and trust in God since my mom’s passing.

Ta’ Saartjie (Aunt – my mom’s sister)

Tony (Cousin)

Pieter (Cousin)

Tannie Cora (Aunt – my mom’s sister-in-law)

I will miss you and love you always.

Rest in peace.

God is our Strength and Protector. He will be with us no matter what.

To God be the glory.

Beautiful Moments

Written by Deborah Jordaan

Good day, beautiful souls of our universe. Hopefully, the ether has been blessing you abundantly. Today I am writing about the beautiful moments of the war, yes there are moments but people are not aware as the soldiers never really talk about it.

This is a true story of a young soldier at the ripe age of eighteen in Angola in nineteen seventy-eight. His unit would patrol a different area every week by foot.

They came upon a village and they planned on being there for three days. They camped next to the river near the village and this is where our soldier was approached by a little lad of four years old-short pants, a scruffy shirt and no shoes.

As the dialect was not the same they battled to communicate but eventually, the soldier convinced the little one to fill his three canteens of water by the river.

On the lad’s return with the heavy canteens which he had been dragging behind himself to the soldier, the soldier, in turn, rewarded him. The soldier gave him one sweet and peanut bar from his rat pack. You must realise the soldier only had a bit of ration so what he gave the little lad was a lot of his own ration.

As the day went by the little lad had not gone back to the village yet and the sun was already setting. His mother eventually came looking for him and the little lad did not want to leave. The soldier asked the local person that understood the uvambo language, why the little one did not want to leave?

The person relayed back to the soldier that the mother had said he had never had any sugar or sweets since the little one’s birth. He came back every day for sweeties but unfortunately, the soldiers left a few days later and the little one cried while waving goodbye.

On his travels, he met a little girl aged eight in a POW camp while he was waiting to fly out of Angola. He befriended her from the other side of the fence as he could not get into the camp. She could not speak English. She understood when he gave her some of his condensed milk called a pikkie and a vitamin c sweet that he was not an enemy but a friend.

After a few days, he had to leave. On the day of departure, she handed him a piece of paper with Portuguese wording which he could not understand. He could only have it translated when he got back to his initial base camp. The note said, `I do not know who you are, but I love you.’

The experience of meeting the little lad and sharing the rations with him made him feel happy that he made a difference in the little lad’s life for just a moment, but the memory will last a lifetime for the little one. The little girl in the camp brought out his brotherly feelings as he had a little sister at home.

He felt that he hopefully made the moments they shared memorable so that she did not think that all soldiers were bad.

Be blessed and always make memories with little humans that will stay with them. Those two little people will tell their children about the soldier that brightened their dark moments with a sweetie.

Plato…

Written by Ada Den Hollander

I must have been about 15 or 16 years old when I read Plato at school. Plato, the Greek philosopher who lived from 427 -347 BC and is still regularly quoted to this day. I actually wonder now what I understood about his philosophies at that young age, but at the time I was not at all bothered. I found it interesting, we discussed what we read in class and I thought I understood everything very well. Plato’s most famous writing is, of course, the allegory of the cave in his work Politea (State). I am going to write that allegory here in my own words but clearly based on Plato. With a conclusion of course, otherwise I could have sufficed with a reference to Wikipedia.

Six people sit in a cave, all with their arms, legs and necks chained to the wall. As a result, they can only look one way, straight ahead. They have never been outside the cave. A fire burns at the narrow opening, leaving only a faint glow from the sun. People or animals passing by outside the cave or things carried alongside the cave are projected onto the wall by the fire, causing all the prisoners to see only shadows. It may look like this:

For the prisoners, the shadows are the reality, they don’t know any better, they’ve never seen anything else, and no one has the urge to ask questions. One day one of them escapes. Once outside, he doesn’t know what he sees as soon as his eyes have adjusted to the harsh sunlight. What beautiful, colourful pastures. And then those animals. He is totally overwhelmed by so much beauty. People look at him strangely, but kindly greet and smile at him.

As excited as he is about his discovery of a completely different world outside the cave, he decides to go back to the cave and tell the prisoners about his experience. After his eyes have adjusted to the darkness, he starts telling his story. The prisoners start laughing out loud. They’ve never heard such nonsense. Colour? Beauty? A bright sun? Are you crazy? Ridiculous. The reality is here and nowhere else. Get lost.

There is nothing for the escaped person to do but to leave and begin his adventure outside the cave, called life.

The meaning of this allegory may be clear and seems to apply extremely well to the chaotic situation in which the world finds itself today. Government leaders try to keep us in our cave, putting fear into us, new knowledge is not heard by the governments and is dismissed by the people in the cave.

Fortunately, more and more people are starting to wake up, protesting against the inhumanity and undesirability of the measures. Now the political leaders only have to admit that new insights have taught them that mistakes have been made. How difficult can that be? We all make mistakes and we learn from that. Don’t we? Why not them then? Are egos too big? Or maybe they should take a look at the extremely rich people getting richer every day. Follow the money and see where you end up. No surprise for me there.

I would suggest listening to people on YouTube for instance who dare to ask questions, who organise protests and share their medical knowledge.

What can go wrong with that? You can always go back to your cave.

(edited by Julia Thomas)

Road Trip to Nieuvoudtville

Yellow Cattails

Written by Nina Ganci

Finally, I went on another trip. This time 3 hours or 300kms away. Nieuwoudtville to view the spring flowers.

I arrived on Saturday morning and left on Monday morning.

South Africa is filled with ‘dorpies’ (little towns), more of a collection of 10 houses, an NG Church (a must in all dorpies), and a few shops. These one-horse towns are all the same. The preverbal horse has either run away or been buried and forgotten many moons ago.

Nieuwoudtville falls in this category. I doubt the ‘horse’ even lived there!!

This ‘dorpie’ is a charming peaceful town, that started in the late 1800s. It is famous for its flowers in spring. Known as the capital of bulbs. People flock from far afield to view the enormous variety of flowers and blooms.

There is just one tarred road that runs through this dorpie; all other roads are gravel, with only 1 stop sign in the whole dorpie.

The original stone houses have been converted to one of the 2 restaurants or one of the 3 B&B found in town. There is a trading type shop (that is closed on weekends – so did not manage to explore) plus 1 local ‘café’ that sells basic foods – bread, milk etc. I found 2 campsites in town and sheep fields.

As to the petrol station – I have no words. Please note on the photo their trading hours. This I discovered on Sunday at 10am.

Once I got over the ‘shock’ of not being able to fill my car, I met the friendliest and most helpful people you will ever find.

The flowers in town were magnificent and well worth the trip. The 4 nature reserves were overflowing with so many varieties of flowers it was breathtaking indeed. With so many flowers scattered everywhere, one forgets you are in the Karoo (semi-desert). The landscape is forever changing. God sure spilt some seeds in Nieuwoudtville!

A wind sock blowing in the wind

The town is very whimsical; therefore many more things to explore and discover.

The one campsite in town is a must-see…… some photos below

Accommodation at Campsite

Driver still in Car

I was truly impressed by the ruins left by the first people who lived there and their drama-filled history.

Will I visit again? Oh yes! Cannot wait to see more flowers in May and again in September.

The Little Immigrant

Children’s Story written by Grazia Martienssen

Good day children, Flyer the seagull here; Today let me tell you about Anna’s immigration

We’re Moving:

At supper time Anna’s mom announced that they would soon be moving to a new country.
“What about my friends, cousins, and granny?” asked Anna.
“You will make new friends and some of your cousins and your other granny are already there,” said Anna’s dad.
“What about school?” asked Anna.
“You will go to a new school,” replied dad.
“We are flying in an aeroplane,” said mom as she tried to steer the conversation to make Anna happy. Anna was excited as she had always wanted to fly but sad and confused about leaving friends and relatives behind. She had so many mixed emotions.

Have you and your family emigrated from a different country?
Which country are you from?

The Farewell Party:

The next day mom showed Anna the photos of her relatives in the country they were moving to.
“This is your other granny,” she said.
“Oh, you showed the photo when granny sent it,” Anna replied.
“These are your cousins and your aunt and uncle. Uncle Angelo is dad brother, and he can offer dad a better job once we are all there,” said mom.
That weekend they had a farewell party for all the relatives and friends they were going to leave behind. Mom and dad told Anna they could not take everything with them and had to give some things away, so they gave each person something to remember them by.
Anna sorted out her toys, clothes and books she was not taking with her.
“Here Archie,” she said to her friend next door, as she gave him her colourful ball that he loved playing with so much.
“Here Maria you can have my pink bear,” she said to her cousin. Anna loved playing with that bear.
Anna and her parents gave a lot of things away. Each person got something they needed or liked. Her parents also sold some of their things, and some of their friends and relatives also bought a few bits from them.
Granny was very emotional. “I understand you going to have a better future, and I am happy for you, but I am going to miss you all so much,” exclaimed Granny.
Some of the other relatives were also emotional. They wished them well and a safe journey. Anna’s parents promised to keep in touch.
Do you know who you and your family left behind when you immigrated?
Do you remember the emotions you went through?

Arriving at the Destination:

That Monday they left for the airport. Their relatives and friends saw them off. Two hours later they were flying.
Anna watched some cartoons on the plane. She had a window seat and watched the clouds floating by as they flew through them. The air hostesses were all very friendly and she loved the food on the plane. That night she dreamt of floating through the clouds, and the next morning she woke up at an airport.
“Have we arrived?” she asked. ‘’No, we need to catch another plane,” said dad.
Soon they were on another plane. They flew high and she saw a beautiful rainbow in the sky.
Some hours later they arrived at a large airport. As they got off the plane, Anna saw a lot of people waiting for their loved ones.
Then she saw a banner on which was written, “Welcome Anna” in big red letters being held by her granny. Everyone was very emotional to see them. They lived with granny for a while. Soon dad started his new job and Anna started at her new school and made new friends.

Have you made new friends? Did you start at a new school?