tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8009090056303685112024-02-07T19:22:06.578+01:00The Daydreamer's DiaryA storytelling blog on lifestyle and daydreaming.TheDaydreamerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13028378982570804851noreply@blogger.comBlogger774125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-800909005630368511.post-37575238127756599992020-07-08T16:42:00.002+02:002020-07-08T16:44:14.499+02:00Favorite podcasts<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGVoPt3QGOtImLegZou4m0X78ghaqFfXpyk_nO2yF9JVOlKgFxIEJs7BMLQVoagtG8MS0rs0oPr1G7Mw08yfGT3CeIvBCgcNeaDN2X3-r7m2buV7TDZX1-PVnTo2b9k4H3U_XWuEAaQn4/s5400/thedaydreamerdiary-podcasts.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3605" data-original-width="5400" height="335" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGVoPt3QGOtImLegZou4m0X78ghaqFfXpyk_nO2yF9JVOlKgFxIEJs7BMLQVoagtG8MS0rs0oPr1G7Mw08yfGT3CeIvBCgcNeaDN2X3-r7m2buV7TDZX1-PVnTo2b9k4H3U_XWuEAaQn4/w500-h335/thedaydreamerdiary-podcasts.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">This is a fairly new passion of mine: discovering new podcasts, new topics, new questions and enjoying the sheer talent that's out there. Far from the mainstream media.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Over the past year or so, I have had the pleasure of listening to some extremely interesting shows on topics as varied as: </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">-feminism</div><div style="text-align: justify;">-style</div><div style="text-align: justify;">-literature</div><div style="text-align: justify;">-writing</div><div style="text-align: justify;">-creativity</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">So what are my latest discoveries? Here we go, grab a coffee and read on!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">-<i><a href="https://www.nouvellesecoutes.fr/la-poudre/" target="_blank">La Poudre</a></i> (in French) by Nouvelles Ecoutes</div><div style="text-align: justify;">In this show the interviews go deep into politics, feminism and activism in general. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">What I like about it? The host's acumen: Lauren Bastide is very at easy with pretty much all types of profiles. You can picture her smiling or getting emotional as she speaks and asks her questions, it is a pleasure to listen to her. At the same time, there is no complacency on her part, but rather a sound dose of authenticity that is really refreshing. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Good to know: some of her episodes are in English. Some of her questions have turned into rituals; it is highly interesting to compare the answers of different guests, they give us a larger perspective and the opportunity to see what we take as our reality from new angles.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">-<i><a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/fr/podcast/le-go%C3%BBt-de-m/id1480837383" target="_blank">Le Goût de M</a></i> (from the Le Monde Magazine).</div><div><div style="text-align: justify;">I already quite enjoy reading the lifestyle magazine and the podcast brings a new twist to the picture. This is all about style and having taste or no taste, its meaning and roots. Again, the great variety of guests makes it an enriching experience, spanning every walk of life, generation and social aspect and layer - yes, don't get me started, as much as I regret it, there are layers out there... :-/ Each guest offers an excuse to take a social look onto our current situation and history, going back and forth between the past, the present and... the future.</div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">-<i><a href="https://www.arteradio.com/serie/bookmakers" target="_blank">Bookmakers</a> </i>by Arte Radio</div><div style="text-align: justify;">This podcast is about the making of books. It takes us into the fascinating creative process of the guest writer: how did he/she become a writer? Where does inspiration come from? What is style? How do you fuel it? These are just some of the questions xxxxxx asks his guests who unveil every aspect of their writing ritual. The experience is an enriching insight into a writer's mind and everyday life - I am fascinated by each writer's own rituals and creative process and could listen for hours on end to each of them. One of the latest (great) books I recently bought is by Alice Zeniter who was a guest on the show.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">-<a href="https://accidentalcreative.com/podcasts/" target="_blank">The Accidental Creative</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">This podcast is not the only one I listen to in English, but the circumstances in which I have come across it make it very special to me. I was coming back home after my father's passing away and our train could not continue its journey. We were transferred to a coach and it took us a whole night to drive back. My mind and heart were shattered and I found solace into the voice and topics discussed by Todd Henry on his show, Accidental Creative. The podcast is like a golden nugget every time, sharing tips, strategies, case studies and examples about creativity and its applications in everyday life and business.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Now tell me, what kind of podcast listener are you? Have you listened to any of the podcasts listed above? Let's share tips and titles!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWdRsRrFSEMJgqCj_qN8JJIxWR6LGwQCauR5e9uV8-IYdlrdCV2BweTrm4CZozhMV8dJQJXk14uDt8BUtmuXy9_NB6dyUXEGcVpGRVVd00wGqxHf-PAD5cZGlTncC8Ud4vdCQ02xnuJ8Y/s442/Signature+2016.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="138" data-original-width="442" height="64" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWdRsRrFSEMJgqCj_qN8JJIxWR6LGwQCauR5e9uV8-IYdlrdCV2BweTrm4CZozhMV8dJQJXk14uDt8BUtmuXy9_NB6dyUXEGcVpGRVVd00wGqxHf-PAD5cZGlTncC8Ud4vdCQ02xnuJ8Y/w205-h64/Signature+2016.png" width="205" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><font size="2">Source : Her Creative Studio</font></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>TheDaydreamerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13028378982570804851noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-800909005630368511.post-30171674793451858812020-05-29T11:10:00.001+02:002020-05-29T11:10:19.442+02:00Welcome swallows! {Look around}<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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When the swallows shoot through the sunlit sky, you know it is time for Spring. There are only a few things that I love more than watching their<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>pursuits above me and listening to their varied, high-pitched calls - if this isn’t a major expression of happiness, what is?</div>
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This evening, I will be waiting for them again. Sitting outside, craning my neck to reach the infinity above. Like dark spots of light, they will come and trace acrobatics in the sky, spreading their magic powder over all of us below.</div>
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Welcome Spring!</div>
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P.S. I do love their Italian name, "rondini", that comes straight from their family name, <i>Hirundinidae</i>. Their French name - "hirondelles" - is even closer to their original name and is also a beautiful word to pronounce, or so I find…</div>
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Credits: BNF Gallica - L'Amitié d'une hirondelle ! Romance, lyrics by Philippe Théolier, music by Alfred d'Hack.</div>
TheDaydreamerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13028378982570804851noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-800909005630368511.post-40505115006514503352020-04-27T15:37:00.000+02:002020-04-27T15:37:21.684+02:00Agur, Basque Country<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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When all doors seem close and your latest holiday as far away as the next rainbow... Just leave on the spur of the moment! Well, easier said than done, of course. But that's pretty much what we have managed to muster - a last-minute get away. Much needed. Just the four of us. Before the lockdown.<br />
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It is a known fact that whenever you turn the corner of your street, you may discover an entirely new world. No need to head for the farthest destination ever. So, map in hand and kids in arms, we leave for the Spanish Basque Country. Just around the corner.<br />
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And boy, are we right to do so. To un-plan, to follow our guts and go for an easy ride that proves to be utterly refreshing if not entirely relaxing! Despite the horrid weather, we manage to move around every single day... Well almost every single day. Once, we all feel we need to do... nothing. Or rather, just hang around, listening to music, painting, drawing, cutting and following the inclination of the moment.<br />
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<a href="https://theculturetrip.com/europe/spain/articles/10-things-to-see-and-do-in-mundaka-basque-country/" target="_blank">Mundaka</a> is our home-base. This emblematic surf spot is quite deserted at this time of the year - something surfer hubby is beyond happy. The first sign of surfers' life are the stickers that cover almost entirely the sign Mundaka at the entrance of the village, making it illegible. We know this is the place, we just know it.<br />
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The camping we have chosen offers an excellent restaurant and for our first lunch, we treat ourselves to local "risotto", fish, sea food and <i>pasteles</i>. From then on, we take over in our own kitchenette and enjoy a full array of local <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pincho" target="_blank">pinxtos</a>, with the occasional <a href="http://www.basquecountryspirit.com/en/eventdetail/what-can-i-drink-in-the-basque-country" target="_blank">glass of Txakoli</a> wine (make it a spritz for me, always...sorry!).<br />
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The coast on either side of Mundaka is amazingly green (and obviously rainy), boasting a dense eucalyptus forest that smells devine while we wind through it. I would advise a tour of the <a href="https://www.birdcenter.org/en" target="_blank">Urdaibai bird reservation</a>: they have a very detailed educational itinerary for adults and kids alike. The audio guides are included in the price and offer additional explanations and figures that are very interesting, enlightening and playful.<br />
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All in all, and before we headed to Bilbao to visit the world-famous <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guggenheim_Museum_Bilbao" target="_blank">Guggenheim museum</a>, we make the best of all that surrounds us, taking deep breaths and contemplating all that natures offers us, from its incredible green hues to the ever changing blue of the ocean.<br />
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It is as if taking a step back from the urban civilization was the best way possible to then plunge back into it and be ready to welcome every single one of its riches. So, beware, Bilbao: here we come!<br />
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<br />TheDaydreamerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13028378982570804851noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-800909005630368511.post-32555805354508951792020-02-27T11:06:00.003+01:002020-02-27T11:06:41.114+01:00Books I have read twice {Cover to Cover}<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Somebody famous recently said that they'd rather be read twice than actually be remembered for that one book in their life. I think I may be referring to a <a href="https://louiemedia.com/le-book-club" target="_blank">podcast</a> guest, maybe one of La Poudre's or PILE Le Podcast... (French speaking folks, don't miss these podcasts, I mean it.)<br />
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It got me thinking about the <a href="http://thedaydreamerdiary.blogspot.com/2017/04/le-jardin-du-silence-page-turner.html" target="_blank">books</a> I have read twice. Because, come to think of it, and despite the incredible pile of books I would like to read before I shut the door and leave this world, I have read some of them several times - and not just twice, truth be told.<br />
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Now, you have to understand that my memory being in the state it is now... I may forget a couple of those books along the way. It does not really matter, as I will then have the perfect excuse at the ready to put together the sequel to this post ;-)<br />
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The first book that comes to mind is:<br />
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<i> - South of the Border, East of the Sun</i> by Aruki Murakami<br />
I have totally fallen in love with the love story of the two main characters. Because yes, for me there are two of them, starting with Hajime, a man with a pretty successful life and whose name means "beginning". The short novel shows us how life can always change and take on a new turn, especially when we seem to be settled and satisfied. Murakami is one of my favorite authors because he artfully mixes reality in its most evocative form and haunting magic. And that's what makes this book so incredibly elegant and rich, letting my imagination go with the flow.<br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #282525; font-family: , "georgia" , serif; font-size: large; font-weight: inherit; letter-spacing: 1.6px;"><i>"Sometimes when I look at you, </i></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #282525; font-family: , "georgia" , serif; font-size: large; font-weight: inherit; letter-spacing: 1.6px;"><i>I feel I’m gazing at a distant star…. </i></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #282525; font-family: , "georgia" , serif; font-size: large; font-weight: inherit; letter-spacing: 1.6px;"><i>Maybe the star doesn’t even exist any more. </i></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #282525; font-family: , "georgia" , serif; font-size: large; font-weight: inherit; letter-spacing: 1.6px;"><i>Yet sometimes that light seems more real to me than anything."</i></span></div>
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<i>- Kitchen</i> by Banana Yoshimoto<br />
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Banana Yoshimoto excels in the art of writing descriptions that bring to the surface the quintessence of her characters. Every object and space is described in details. And in the middle of it, appears life with its whirlwinds. She is another wonderful example of the efficiency and poetry of Japanese style.<br />
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<i>- Nagasaki</i> by Eric Faye<br />
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This book is a recent discovery of mine. And the fact that it unveils events that have taken place in Nagasaki and it describes the life of a Japanese character is no coincidence. Eric Faye has efficiently adopted the Japanese way of writing. Short sentences that drill to the core of our existence. And a character faced with mysterious events or people who bring back reality to the forefront.<br />
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<i>- A Prayer for Owen Meany</i> by John Irving<br />
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The first pages of this book will forever remain etched in my memory - and that's a big statement for someone who tends to lose every bit of it...! Owen and his shrill, high-pitched voice have accompanied for a long time after I closed the book. And you know what? I have missed him ever since. That's why at some point I have felt the urge to open the book again, and start it over. For those who know me, it's also no coincidence if my dog's name was Owen. Bless him.<br />
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What books have you read more than once? Which one would you recommend to me?<br />
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Happy reading - and daydreaming - to all of you!<br />
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Souce: SincerelyMedia via Unsplash<br />
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<br />TheDaydreamerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13028378982570804851noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-800909005630368511.post-40358619651713488692020-01-16T13:15:00.000+01:002020-01-16T13:15:31.091+01:00Bach Flower Remedies {Discover}<div style="text-align: justify;">
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When I take a look back at all the latest posts (like those from ages ago...ehm...), I realize that there's quite a few of them, if not the majority, that fall under the "Discover" subtitle. You know, that's the additional title I add in between brackets in the title... It may not be very SEO friendly, but it does set the post in stone, as it were. It does add a definition, in a nutshell, with no frills.</div>
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Here's another Discover post. What does it mean...? Well, to start with, it is a pretty clear symbol of what my life has been like over the past four years. A roller coaster, for sure. And a quest that has led to quite a few discoveries. If it sounds positive - without rallying the rainbows and unicorns of the world - it is because it is so.</div>
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And finding out about the Bach Flowers Remedies is part of the inspiring and healing discoveries. The story of how it all happened a year ago is quite symbolic too.</div>
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While scrolling through Instagram - what else? - and trying to figure out the whole buzz around InstaStories, I stumble across a beautiful account: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/aromassenciel/" target="_blank">@aromassentiel</a> The pictures talk to me, the words even more (you bet). There's light and shadow in both. The final portrait is one of intricate details and infinite compassion and energy.</div>
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Mustering all my e-bravery, I click through the InstaStories. That's where I see that Agathe, <a href="https://linktr.ee/aromassenciel" target="_blank">Aromassentiel</a>'s founder, is located in Bordeaux and is willing to share one of her <a href="https://rebeccacampbell.me/oracledeck/" target="_blank">gorgeously inspiring deck of cards</a>.</div>
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Long story short, we meet in Bordeaux and share a nice coffee in a place I need to tell you more about. What happens then? We talk endlessly... and almost forget about the deck of cards! If this isn't a positive sign, I don't know what is. I am sure the oracles know what I am talking about.</div>
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That's how Agathe, who is a certified Bach Flower Instructor, came to accompany me during my mental therapy as a <a href="https://www.bachremedies.com/en" target="_blank">Bach Flower</a> specialist. She is sensitive, ready to listen and inspire change without being pushy. At the time, she started explaining where the Flower Bach Remedies come from, what they are for and how to use and understand their action.</div>
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If it wasn't all that easy for me to open up at the onset of our series of encounters and interviews, little by little and with Agathe's guidance, it all started to feel natural. I was reaching out to a fellow soul, we were exchanging and nourishing each other. </div>
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What I like about the Bach Flower Remedies?<br />
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They are natural, they make sense on their own as long as you listen to yourself, open up to your needs, both physical and mental. They evolve at your pace, delivering their energy as they go - hand in hand with you. And that's another point: I now understand that everything radiates energy in our world, and this has shifted my way of acknowledging its every angle. Bach Flowers are no exception.They can affect our emotions, the way we express them and they are involved in our <a href="https://www.bachremedies.com/en/bach-remedies-blog/how-do-our-emotions-affect-decision-making" target="_blank">decision-making process</a>, as well as our ability to recognize change and adapt to it.</div>
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The experience wouldn't have been the same for me without Agathe - I probably would not have ventured in this territory... who knows?</div>
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<i style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; color: #444444; font-family: "Open Sans", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.4px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">‘Disease of the body itself is nothing but the result of the disharmony between soul and mind. Remove the disharmony, and we regain harmony between soul and mind, and the body is once more perfect in all its parts.’</i></div>
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<i style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; color: #444444; font-family: "Open Sans", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.4px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></i></div>
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<i style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; font-size: 14.4px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></i></div>
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<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; font-size: 14.4px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Pssst...! Agathe and Marie are holding a <a href="https://www.weezevent.com/fleurs-de-bach-et-emotions-liees-au-feminin" target="_blank">workshop in Bordeaux on February 15</a> - there are a few spots left.</span></div>
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<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; font-size: 14.4px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; font-size: 14.4px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">By the way, this is not a sponsored post. This is just me, sharing - as always - a speck of my life and daydreaming discoveries along the way. </span><br />
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</span>TheDaydreamerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13028378982570804851noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-800909005630368511.post-38143074738810194462019-10-12T19:28:00.000+02:002019-10-12T19:28:54.175+02:00Moving on<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixtLWStJzCiyRTh8J0Ad2NZ2MKu1hZWaBXK-IRX1HA9nHGC3Tge3PV7nyaa7AuWPmhfpPnYHC7gyqbHSBp_pXI7Ow6f7Rgln8qgWoMVB1Gxdq2wJBZzRQNTHzsABOmN8kYJUVHZJIxW58/s1600/thedaydreamerdiary-move.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1337" data-original-width="1600" height="534" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixtLWStJzCiyRTh8J0Ad2NZ2MKu1hZWaBXK-IRX1HA9nHGC3Tge3PV7nyaa7AuWPmhfpPnYHC7gyqbHSBp_pXI7Ow6f7Rgln8qgWoMVB1Gxdq2wJBZzRQNTHzsABOmN8kYJUVHZJIxW58/s640/thedaydreamerdiary-move.jpg" width="640" /></a>While walking, ideas rush through. Typically whenever I am in no position to write them down. A couple of times in the past, I managed to take out my mobile and record my thoughts on the go.<br />
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Only, if you know me, you also know that walking with a phone in my hands, is not my cup of tea. It's probably a generational thing. I feel awkward, I feel like someone might just run past and steal the damn thing. Yoga would do me good, they say...<br />
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Anyway, imagine me walking and <a href="http://thedaydreamerdiary.blogspot.com/2017/12/ages.html" target="_blank">thinking about so many things</a> I'd like to share and write down. Mainly, the ideas that grow are about our move - we have just moved again, yep. Our first step towards a radical life change happened 3 years ago. It was all about leaving the big city behind. The city and a couple of highly toxic beings and situations.<br />
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Our second step is now, as in we are living in our - OUR - home and in the middle of renovation works. Our home is taking shape, developing its own character and whims. Very slowly. Its first lesson to us is patience. Something we seem to have forgotten all about. It's a paradox in the era of Slow-Life-and-Take-It-Slow and what-not.<br />
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We are trying to find our new bearings in the middle of current chaos. It's a rocky road, well beyond the practicalities. It's a rocky road for us as individuals, as parents and as a couple. But despite the occasional bumps... we are moving on!<br />
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Any tips for me as to what's the best way to move on smoothly and with a smile on my face ;-) ?! I am all ears.<br />
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<br />TheDaydreamerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13028378982570804851noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-800909005630368511.post-50830381440417178352019-04-26T12:42:00.003+02:002019-04-26T12:42:27.335+02:00It's all so still {Fairy Talk}<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Rain is not my forte. Rain, when I am inside, at home, in a cosy environment is an entirely different experience.</div>
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Both my kids say that they love rain. I suspect it's because they enjoy what's forbidden: jumping in ponds of rainwater, splashing each other and the occasional passerby. Like puppies, they enjoy the festive feeling of seeing and feeling droplets of life all around them. They celebrate life.</div>
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Rain, when I am safely tucked at home, with an open window and a sweetly fragrant palo santo stick filling the air; rain with a cup of tea or latte warming the body; rain when I take the time to draw a few cards from one of my beloved inspirational sets; this type of rain is a different story.</div>
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This story tells me that I need to slow down. I need to fall silent and soak in every cell of quiet around me. Quiet home, quiet walls, quiet carpet, quiet wooden floors. This quiet leaves white space for the rain to whisper in. Its whisper is enough, there's nothing else I need. Not even music. Although, a few keys of Bjork's song knock on my door... Oh, it's all so quiet... It's all so still...</div>
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Some people may call it a form of meditation. I would probably just call it my daydreaming addiction taking over as soon as I realize my batteries are running empty. Then, I shut the world down. And man, do I need to do so! Especially after a social event, lots of buzz, commitments etc. After a while, I need to go underwater. Rain on a spring day is a gentle nudge. It's the water element calling me back to the cradle.</div>
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Tell me, what encourages you to dive under the surface to replenish your being? What objects, events, environments or people whisper to your introvert ears?</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Credits: <a href="http://www.freepik.com/" target="_blank">Freepik</a></span>TheDaydreamerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13028378982570804851noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-800909005630368511.post-36919650832575727282019-04-01T14:53:00.004+02:002019-04-01T14:53:58.881+02:00Found in translation<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Do you ever get lost in translation? As when you try to follow your thoughts, implement your ideas and move on to another project and... and ... there, you're stuck. What was I saying...?<br />
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My guess it that I am not the only one who regularly looses her marbles. Ok, that's my guess. Cause being lonely out there is not really comforting right now. Back to my marbles. And possibly yours.<br />
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Lately, God bless, it seems that many paths cross in my life. When they cross, there's that tiny spark again. Connections are made, new doors open and the light shines a little brighter at the end of the tunnel.<br />
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The crossing of the paths, joining of the dots and star alignment... whatever I call it right now, possibly comes down to one thing: me.<br />
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<i>Here she goes, the self-centered blogger, argh. See ya! </i><br />
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WAIT!<br />
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I may be self-centered, but it's for the greater good, don't you see? I am sharing here. I am spelling it out black on white. My hope is, all this will ring a bell, raise awareness.<br />
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Let's dig a bit deeper: what paths have crossed in my life? First of all, there have been quite a few virtual encounters that have, unexpectedly, turned into real life meetings and slow webbing of friendships. How's that for a start?!<br />
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Then, books. Always books. I have been reading them, as always, with anticipation. More than once, they have resonated in my head. There are solid bridges between them. Quotes that lead me back to the previous read... And other than books, also movies! One of the latest is about wolves (have you watched Alpha?)... and guess what I have in my bag right now? A magazine special issue about... <i>canis lupus</i>. I originally bought it to show it to my girls - there's so much to learn from our fear of wolves... And now I find myself carrying it in my handbag.<br />
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My point, besides providing what I hope are enlightening examples, is that small bits and pieces start to make sense in my head. I could call these messages from the universe. Or just <i>me</i>, slowly leaving the haze of confusion that absorbed my life, my energy, my clarity... me as a human being over the past 4 years. Gosh. Four years.<br />
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Happy to have found my way in translation - and well beyond it seems.<br />
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What messages are you noticing on your way to mental health and peaceful recovery in general? Do share your journey. I am all ears.<br />
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<br />TheDaydreamerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13028378982570804851noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-800909005630368511.post-53159624256035253292018-09-05T14:50:00.000+02:002018-09-05T14:50:26.685+02:00To the Moon {Discover}
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This moon phase thing is brand new for me. Another chapter in the <a href="http://bit.ly/2LfoBRV" target="_blank">#makewaves learning journey</a> and a pretty magic one at that!<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></div>
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How did it all start…? To be honest, I do not recall the beginning of this adventure… It’s all covered in a soft veil of mist. My reading a couple of books about crystals may have led me to looking for new Instagram accounts, new books, new articles… Chances are, this moon mission of mine may have launched right then.</div>
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Who am I to turn my back to the Moon, after all? All the more as the southern European skies that welcomed me this summer are incredibly appealing every night: they show without a shadow the sparkling dress of the stars and the moon. It is a show of sheer hypnotizing beauty.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></div>
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To try and focus on mantras, self-development and self-introspection, I recently acquired a <a href="http://bit.ly/2Q7eu0m" target="_blank">deck of cards</a> I use almost daily (victory!) and the beautiful and minimalist <a href="https://themoonjournal.com/" target="_blank">Moon Flower Art Deck</a> that combines moon phases and flowers - and this is probably all it took to get me started.</div>
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BLOOD MOON LESSON</div>
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I am now quite familiar with Moon phases and the recent Blood Moon was another opportunity to read many an article about the eclipse, its mechanics and the esoteric or spiritual interpretations that followed. As part of my growing and learning process, I have learnt to let my skepticism down and open my eyes. Anything is possible, I can face it and trust my gut feelings. Where is this leading me?</div>
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The next chapter feels more daunting: are moon phases really linked to specific values that can guide our introspection and research? Does this matter in the end? After all, I am using the cards first and foremost as a source of inspiration; when I draw the Waxing Gibbons Moon card and read the associated term “Trust”, I tell myself that this is just the primordial spark. I start thinking about what I define as trust, how I relate to it, what place it has in my life and that of people around me, how to nurture it… The opportunities are endless and once I start down that path, I<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>never know where it is going to lead me. Ever experienced this?<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></div>
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WHAT IS THE SYMBOLISM OF THE MOON?<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></div>
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Aside from the self-awareness journey spurred by the terminology of the Moon Flower Art Deck, there’s the interpretation and influence of each moon phase over us, humans, and over mother Earth (tides, anyone?).</div>
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That will be another chapter for me to tackle soon enough. I hear it is a rather complex and controversial one - is the Moon a feminine figure? What about the symbolism of its cycle? The questions and mystery surrounding it can only encourage me to grab a pile of books, start shooting questions and jump into the new topic!<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></div>
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Care to join me on the next mission to the Moon?</div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;">Credits: TheDaydreamer</span></div>
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<br />TheDaydreamerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13028378982570804851noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-800909005630368511.post-45289326997255240262018-07-30T23:28:00.000+02:002018-07-30T23:58:07.147+02:00Learning time {Fairy Tale}<style type="text/css">
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SCHOOL IS OUT. KIDS ARE IN.</h3>
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Did you just say… “holidays”?! I am learning how to navigate this blessed time of the year. I am doing well, thank you. As I type this, you see, my two kids are watching a “scary movie”: <a href="http://bit.ly/2LRiAKy">Nanny McPhee</a>. Apparently, nothing glamorous to gloat about. Still, there are circumstances I am learning to manage and today this means it is pouring down, no beach, everybody’s locked inside a summer dwelling that’s all beautiful and neat…<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Until it rains and we need some kind of umbrella to go from one room to the other.</div>
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THE BEST SCHOOL</h3>
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Still, this is perfect to sit down and ponder. I strongly believe that outdoor life is the best school possible for kids, adults… humans of all walks of life. Kids can finally run free, gather small treasures, swim and play alone or with friends. Everything is possible. They are as inquisitive, curious, and daring as ever - sheer delight in my book. Not to mention that it provides tons of stories and memories. Think long winter evenings, more rainy days… And yet, there are still rules to abide by.
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Combine the two and both kids and parents learn how to define that thin line to ensure balance and well… happy holidays for everyone involved.</div>
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CARVE OUT</h3>
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Holidays turn out to be a unique learning opportunity. This is also when I have a craving for a different kind of learning - this is when night time is my savior. I have literally turned into a nocturnal bird who relishes the late hours to bask in silence, thoughts, meditation and creative activities.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> This is when I carve out time for my school hours.</span></div>
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NIGHT OWL</h3>
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Once everyone is sound asleep, only the walls of the house, the local cicadas and the occasional owl still stir. This is when creativity kicks in! Sitting down in the small patio, I take out the painting gear, my friends for the night: sheets of white paper, paint brushes, <a href="http://bit.ly/2LO4F86">watercolors</a>, Micron pens… How can I possibly feel lonely with them? Sometimes the moon sits next to me - just recently she blushed so intensely that <a href="http://bit.ly/2LLiJPT">everybody spoke about her</a>! The blood moon, they called it. Is that some great company, or what?!</div>
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MY FAVE ACTIVITIES</h3>
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What I have drawn and painted so far, are mainly flowers: dahlias, peonies, roses (very difficult) thanks to <a href="http://bit.ly/2M5ymP8" target="_blank">this gorgeous book</a>. I have doodled a lot too, thanks to <a href="http://bit.ly/2uYMcME">another amazing resource</a> I went through before leaving on holiday with the kids. As the hours grow dark, I feel safe and inspired - sometimes even overwhelmed by all that my mind wants to grasp, achieve, discover… It imagines the podcasts I want to catch up with, the latest chapter in my current book (<a href="http://bit.ly/2LNLDyL">this</a>, by the way), the pictures taken during the day I would like to edit, categorize and rename, the blogs I would like to read and the shell collection I would like to wash and display… And the list goes on and on…</div>
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This may sound like a to-do list, but it is not. I just let my mind take me where it feels most at ease and safe. No list, no pressure. And, do not be mistaken, this is what I am learning. For me, and for my kids. Learning to just…be here.</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Credits: TheDaydreamer</span><br />
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It has become a true <a href="http://thedaydreamerdiary.blogspot.com/2016/07/circles-in-sand-series-.html" target="_blank">tradition</a> and I can see no reason to skip it. I am very happy and grateful to be typing here again, in this special virtual corner of the world. I am especially happy to launch the 2018 Summer Series in true daydreaming style!<br />
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You know how much water is dear to me - a breath of life, a cradling world that speaks softly and confidently as long as I let it in and pay attention to it. As long as I can focus on its ripples and taste. </div>
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This year's title is <b>Make Waves</b>.</h3>
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This title sounds like an invitation to be active on all fronts and fully involved in the making of this series (t<a href="http://thedaydreamerdiary.blogspot.com/2017/07/being-of-essence.html" target="_blank">ime, halas, is still of essence</a> and lacking...). I have chosen this title to make YOU feel involved and to encourage you to embrace its many meanings.</div>
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How can we make waves?</h3>
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We can dive in the deepest sea or skim its surface, always marvel at its beauty and fragility. We can splash around alone or with our kids and friends... Feel united and unique in the motherly ocean, sea or lake we cherish.</div>
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We can also act in order to make things around us shift: drop toxic relationships, silence the unsettling noise made by all of those who want to prevent us from hearing the true stories of the world, escape our routine and take risks to find out who we really are, what we are really worth, accept uncertainty and challenges to grow and learn - always learn -, embrace diversity, compassion and champion acceptance...<br />
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The list is endless. So are the possibilities.</h3>
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Make Waves.</div>
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There are many waves, it is up to us to make something precious of them to be sure this summer does not pass us by.<br />
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TheDaydreamerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13028378982570804851noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-800909005630368511.post-39712520947645796162018-07-02T22:30:00.001+02:002018-07-02T22:46:29.945+02:00Ayurveda in my life {Discover}<div style="text-align: justify;">
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CIRCUMSTANCES</h3>
Circumstances. A word I do not like to use that often. Today is a special day then. Not only am I pronouncing it out loud, I am welcoming it in by writing it down.<br />
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Circumstances in my life brought about new experiences, some good, some bad and among the positive journeys I am going to include Ayurveda and the wonderful person who introduced me to it, Magali. With her jet black eyes, slender frame and reassuringly firm hand shake, she's opened the crack of Ayurveda. Some of its light touch me thanks to <i>Shirodhara</i>.<br />
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HOW DOES SHIRODHARA WORK?</h3>
The ancient body and mind therapy is known to soothe the anxious, stressed, overactive souls affected by post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) fighting with overflowing thoughts, recurring nightmares and tumbling down into the dark pit of doubts and fears.<br />
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Once I lie down on the wooden bed, face up, Magali bends my head so as not to hurt my neck. She opens the faucet, as it were. A warm stream of oil touches my forehead as I close my eyes and surrender. <i>Shirodhara</i> is a word that associates two meanings: head + flow/stream. The oil drips delicately, balances slightly from left to right at the beginning and then focuses its vibrations on the center of my forehead. This is our shrine: it encapsulates a dense network of nerves and symbolizes ideas, thoughts, dreams, rationale, logics.<br />
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Just picture yourself slapping your forehead when remembering something you thought you had forgotten. That's it. The forehead.<br />
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Now, I'll be honest here and tell you that the idea of having a stream of liquid poured over my head reminded me of some kind of torture... the fateful drop of water that hits the head on the same spot, over and over again. As I write this, I grasp the significance of hurting the cradle of our brain, a second heart of sorts.<br />
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EFFECTS OF SHIRODHARA</h3>
The good news is: <i>Shirodhara</i> has nothing to do with this memory of mine about turture, plucked from a book, no doubt. <i>Shirodhara</i> is a friendly therapy. It is meant to help clear my head, take away the tension, release positivity and serenity. The silky oil is so soft and calming, it acts like a soft blanket cradling me from left to right, holding me tight while letting me breathe again. Once the head is clear, tensions dissolve and the nervous system regains its balance, the rest of the body can start functioning properly again.<br />
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The feeling of relief is palpable following the healing session. I feel at peace when regaining consciousness after a state of deep, soulful meditation under the guidance of the oil action, the warmth of its touch, its vibrations and the silence filling the small room. I have traveled far and away. Now, I am back.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Credits: TheDaydreamer</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSg7-oq6QMVDr5DPXU6E-uYahydyqJea9FvzQKgzWvMsT1Fybbn3QAVxetsEabxxSRHWvQBBftR_8F6yAQOF-JvZx6eZZ_Ok68dKiHMWLbxKoLM5c1kOfcEmGEPrw5OMYLETbGO6OJBMQ/s1600/Signature+2016.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="138" data-original-width="442" height="61" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSg7-oq6QMVDr5DPXU6E-uYahydyqJea9FvzQKgzWvMsT1Fybbn3QAVxetsEabxxSRHWvQBBftR_8F6yAQOF-JvZx6eZZ_Ok68dKiHMWLbxKoLM5c1kOfcEmGEPrw5OMYLETbGO6OJBMQ/s200/Signature+2016.png" width="200" /></a></div>
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TheDaydreamerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13028378982570804851noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-800909005630368511.post-10931516013806147372018-02-20T12:04:00.000+01:002018-02-20T12:04:30.394+01:00Le froid apprivoisé : la cryothérapie {Discover}<div style="text-align: justify;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicL2dT94VaP7OOi3z2nTeqtiY2OIK8izhwRBzlvzpoqklWp8xsC-1HR19rtLwzaIKg2gYLGOOANqkRzRlfAXbXWDqTMDV0VNPVJbiwt9YtLQvHCEBNfC-qXyxxPMGyqgwWoKy5fDRwt9M/s1600/IMG_1586.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1242" data-original-width="1242" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicL2dT94VaP7OOi3z2nTeqtiY2OIK8izhwRBzlvzpoqklWp8xsC-1HR19rtLwzaIKg2gYLGOOANqkRzRlfAXbXWDqTMDV0VNPVJbiwt9YtLQvHCEBNfC-qXyxxPMGyqgwWoKy5fDRwt9M/s640/IMG_1586.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Au fil des ans, j'ai appris à regarder autour de moi pendant les longues saisons hivernales, à en extraire quelques étincelles de chaleur et de bonheur qui me donnent l'énergie suffisante - à défaut de la lumière - pour avancer, tête baissée et cœur léger, vers le printemps, à mon propre rythme.</div>
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Le froid existe autrement. Pour le découvrir, j'ai ouvert mes horizons aux thérapies complémentaires de la médecine traditionnelle (souvenez-vous de ma passion pour les <a href="http://thedaydreamerdiary.blogspot.fr/2017/07/being-of-essence.html" target="_blank">huiles essentielles</a>). C'est d'ailleurs au travers de cette dernière que je suis arrivée à la cryothérapie corps entier. A force de chercher, on trouve chaussure à son pied.</div>
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Afin de refaire le plein d'énergie, de combattre les hauts et les bas psychologiques, les coups de mou et les douleurs articulaires ou musculaires au quotidien ou après ma séance de sport, je tiens enfin une solution non invasive : la cryothérapie corps entier que j'ai découverte chez <a href="https://www.facebook.com/norkappcryo/" target="_blank">Norkapp</a>, à Bordeaux. </div>
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Ce <a href="https://www.facebook.com/norkappcryo/" target="_blank">centre spécialisé</a> est un havre de sérénité : conçu comme un cocon alliant douceur et expertise, j'y ai été accueillie par une infirmière diplômée d'Etat formée à la cryothérapie corps entier. Elle prend tout son temps pour me faire passer la visite préalable, m'expliquer qu'il s'agit d'une thérapie par le froid, pratiquée en chambre cryogénique, sans azote, pendant 3 minutes. La température de la chambre ? -85 °C.</div>
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Je retiens mon souffle. </div>
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L'infirmière enchaîne sur les effets du froid déclenchés grâce au choc thermique. Ce dernier provoque chez nous tous des réactions qui, dans un cadre maîtrisé, sont bénéfiques à bien des égards : libération d'endorphines, récupération après l'effort (adieu acide lactique), amélioration de la qualité du sommeil, libération de molécules anti-inflammatoires... </div>
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Une fois les extrémités de mon corps protégées, j'ôte mon peignoir et entre en maillot de bain (!) dans la chambre de cryothérapie bleutée. Je vous laisse imaginer la scène... Un contresens par excellence pour la frileuse que je suis ! </div>
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Une douce musique m'accueille, je suis les instructions de l'infirmière qui communique avec moi de sa voix posée, avec des mots précis. C'est important pour moi : j'ai besoin d'être rassurée et de comprendre aisément et rapidement ce qu'elle me dit. Inspirer par le nez et expirer tranquillement par la bouche m'aide à me caler dans le moment présent, sans hyper-ventiler . </div>
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Petit à petit, des picotements se font sentir sur ma peau - effet normal de l'exposition de l'épiderme à la température extrême. Je suis tellement à l'écoute et contente de cette nouvelle expérience que les trois minutes s'écoulent sans que je m'en aperçoive ! En tant que grande anxieuse, j'apprécie énormément de pouvoir discuter à tout instant avec l'infirmière, écouter la musique en chantonnant et bouger librement dans la chambre. A aucun moment je ne me sens prisonnière et entravée et ça, c'est capital à mes yeux pour accueillir le froid dans les meilleures conditions.</div>
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La suite se déroule dans la salle de relaxation : un espace minimaliste où je m'enveloppe dans un plaid, déguste une tasse de thé détox et me laisse aller à une douce détente et sérénité alors qu'une sensation de chaleur envahit mon corps. Les épaules se relâchent, je ferme les yeux et je me laisse aller sur le lit de repos... Je suis bien là, tous simplement.</div>
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Une parenthèse de bien-être qui, au fur et à mesure que j'accumule les séances, se consolide et apporte une aide naturelle, indolore et non invasive à ma récupération tant physique que psychologique et cela alors que je suis en pleine période de sevrage.<br />
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Vous savez quoi ? J'ai apprivoisé le froid. Vous êtes prêts à en faire autant ?</div>
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Ci-dessous, je partage avec vous les infos pratiques pour découvrir à votre tour la cryothérapie corps entier en suivant les empreintes de mes pas dans la neige... </div>
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ADRESSE:</div>
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Norkapp</div>
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Centre de cryothérapie corps entier</div>
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10, rue blanqui - 33300 Bordeaux</div>
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Arrêt de tram : ligne B, Achard ou Cité du Vin</div>
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@norkappcryo (Facebook, Twitter et Instagram)</div>
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contact@norkappcryo.com</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Illustration: <a href="http://www.thedaydreamerdiary.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">TheDaydreamer</a></span></div>
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TheDaydreamerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13028378982570804851noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-800909005630368511.post-10308553266707344642017-12-24T16:17:00.002+01:002017-12-24T16:17:53.208+01:00Ages ago<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyH7VGDe-XW_kat3JUebNfYqdvInFvtkO7QVMiq1ZmrjFcV5KgDqGi1hyphenhyphenCuqEjfS6PDjLsLvmrMFwfEdY5cXrwDvw5rVZDcLCrf0pxDuVRzU4n4wOCidMZDIPO0r9CQ10p2_YwIJtAtus/s1600/thedaydreamerdiary-blog-merrychristmas.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Blog wishes" border="0" data-original-height="1100" data-original-width="1286" height="547" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyH7VGDe-XW_kat3JUebNfYqdvInFvtkO7QVMiq1ZmrjFcV5KgDqGi1hyphenhyphenCuqEjfS6PDjLsLvmrMFwfEdY5cXrwDvw5rVZDcLCrf0pxDuVRzU4n4wOCidMZDIPO0r9CQ10p2_YwIJtAtus/s640/thedaydreamerdiary-blog-merrychristmas.png" title="Wishes" width="640" /></a></div>
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It's been ages since I last took the keyboard and typed away freely in the pages of this beloved blog.<br />
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Why, you may ask?<br />
Right, why, I may ask myself?<br />
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Ideas are always here, I've gone back to reading greedily, writing, watching, exploring, traveling more than ever in my head. Does this mean that I have become one of those daydreamers that never take action? That I can only live in my own thoughts, never touching the ground of mother Earth again?<br />
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The truth is probably in between: I am a colored balloon floating in mid-air; every now and then someone tugs at the string that pulls me closer to the ground - that is when I prepare the future, laying down new foundations, brick by brick, extremely carefully and aware that I do not fall into the same destructive trap again. There is no real balance yet between the floating and the ground, and that's most probably what I will be working on more than ever during the new year. This is also one of the reasons why I have been away from these pages, writing <a href="http://www.hubdot.com/" target="_blank">elsewhere</a> every now and then, taking pictures and posting for other brand new <a href="https://www.facebook.com/norkappcryo/" target="_blank">projects</a> too...<br />
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Oh no, do not expect from me any "resolutions": I loathe the word. It is set in cold stone, immuable and gloomy as a grey Parisian sky.<br />
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I see it more like the next station in my voyage that started in pain two years ago - a horrible, slow and venomous pain inflicted by another human being, or rather, by what was left of it. The voyage has become a constructive one and I am still recovering and learning to go with the (air) flow. That's part of its charm and of a necessary learning curve.<br />
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I wish you all a new learning curve too, no matter how steep and rugged the soil ahead may be. Let's keep on daydreaming, dreaming and reaching higher with the help of loving peers and ever inspiring nature around us.<br />
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From me, to you. With love.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Credits: CreativeMarket (edited by TheDaydreamer)</span><br />
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<br />TheDaydreamerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13028378982570804851noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-800909005630368511.post-49259976576435001682017-09-21T16:34:00.000+02:002017-09-21T16:34:46.585+02:00Walk in the Sun: Stand Up! {Get Moving}<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZOixDVk-0O4tBlBpISRp3tMunxB90zq7ZwBDIBXkaRHiPv472XJEe_fW88OLkVuY6-j7CtM-9RW2Qil06xUR58Bg3YJMwX_BYIXk69Y6WkqPrxPT2GAAVcFTrzCHDwKa0I-Nr8Iid-sQ/s1600/Walk+in+the+sun+SUP_final.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="SUP sports" border="0" data-original-height="476" data-original-width="682" height="446" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZOixDVk-0O4tBlBpISRp3tMunxB90zq7ZwBDIBXkaRHiPv472XJEe_fW88OLkVuY6-j7CtM-9RW2Qil06xUR58Bg3YJMwX_BYIXk69Y6WkqPrxPT2GAAVcFTrzCHDwKa0I-Nr8Iid-sQ/s640/Walk+in+the+sun+SUP_final.jpg" title="Stand up paddle" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Stand up!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Come on, you. Yes, you. Stand up!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">What for?! you may ask. Well, a million things but given that this post is part of the <a href="http://thedaydreamerdiary.blogspot.fr/2017/07/2017-summer-series.html"><i>Walk in the Sun</i></a> summer series, it’s for something fun, light and rewarding.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Standing up means to stand up for oneself, for one’s ideas - most certainly - but also quite literally to get moving (hi there, <a href="http://https//www.pinterest.fr/daydreamerdiary/boards/">Pinterest</a> friends!). All year long I have pedaled in the water, remember? This summer though I decided to stand up and face my fears. I decided to reach out to the sun, touch its flaming face and embrace the smooth surface of the Mediterranean<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>sea differently.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://thedaydreamerdiary.blogspot.fr/2010/08/playing-hard-to-get.html">Snorkling</a> is my passion: taking the time to look down instead of looking up (something I love doing, Instagram followers are aware of this, I am sure), swimming slowly to try and discern a fish here, one there and trying to memorize its shape so that once home I can flip open the book on local species and try to identify it. All this is part of a wonderfully satisfying summer ritual of mine.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">This year, I stood up and looked far ahead instead of looking down and digging into the bottom of the sea: there are new skylines appearing, new suns and lights flickering. To embrace them, I stood up on a paddle surf board (aka <a href="http://sup-passion.com/cest-quoi-stand-up-paddle-sup/">Stand Up Paddle</a> - SUP).<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">The trick is to choose an inflatable board that can follow along everywhere you travel and everywhere you know you have clear and warm blue seas waiting for you. The paddle surf package includes the surf board (its size depends on your own size) together with its fin, the paddle itself and the pump to inflate it. It’s not a light weight gear, let’s be honest (16kg). So it might be wise to check with the airline company first if that is your chosen means of transportation…<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">The other trick is to try paddle surfing <span class="s1">before</span> actually buying all the gear, common sense I would say. It gets more interesting if you can try paddle surfing in conditions that are not exactly your dream conditions: if you enjoy yourself in gray weather and on choppy waters, then the rest will be all about happiness and taking it all in!<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">The way I paddle surf is the way of the beginner: in the past I did receive a few guidelines and more recently a friend of mine, a surfer, explained some basic rules to me. There are just a few rules to start with, so they’re not difficult to remember. Applying them is a matter of exercise, practice and habits. I was lucky enough this summer to be able to hop on the surf board a couple of times a day for 5 days in a row - that’s not much, certainly, but enough to make me fall in love with the sensations, the effort and the sport itself. Fully aware that stand up paddle comes in different versions, the crazy one in high waves and unleashed conditions, I have to tell you up front that I enjoy the quiet kind: imagine a stroll on the water while it is calm, while waves kindly lap the shore. Harshness and speed are not my lot and I gather it is key in this sport like in any other to understand what is good for you, what it is you are craving and made for.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Given my contemplative nature and my liking for long-term effort instead of explosive effort, I had a hunch paddle surfing (as in strolling) would be my kind of activity: clear blue waters, warm temperatures all the way, blazing sun and rocks hosting schools of fish to look at - nature all around. Nature and my breathing, my muscles, my thirst, the fading sound of the beach and its noisy inhabitants (why are we so loud when at the beach?!) and the quest for balance. The hesitation and the fear I feel when trying to stand up kicks adrenaline up, and that’s life beating at my door. Forget the rules: after a couple of attempts, I just want to keep going, to find my spot, my balance, my pace. The rules will follow. Intuition comes first. Lesson learnt.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Once I stand up, it takes a few minutes to get used to the rhythm of the surface, to look up with conviction and trust so that I don’t feel seasick. Standing up looks easy, right? Well, it is not and stand up paddle is here to remind me that effort, perseverance and willingness sometimes need an extra nudge. Nature extends its hand, whispers encouragements and appealing promises. My mind and body welcome it all.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Will you stand up with me to discover new grounds and possibilities?</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Come on!</span></div>
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TheDaydreamerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13028378982570804851noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-800909005630368511.post-40404729413368971852017-08-13T00:00:00.001+02:002017-08-13T00:00:12.185+02:00Walk in the Sun: Paint Your Life {Discover}<div class="p1" style="text-align: justify;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8N1p6LSfc5NWexmcR46dwup7jvQGlSCWaqNwXlQsY3DR6HW69rYMmnta76BfjNJAiI6oi5kVETTvdJo3TrI6vcYePct29v6lEPOK3I63YWxj4moaSb2Szbg1ohrD6AVRWUZWquQT9u80/s1600/Paint+your+Life.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Ceramics" border="0" data-original-height="1586" data-original-width="1600" height="634" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8N1p6LSfc5NWexmcR46dwup7jvQGlSCWaqNwXlQsY3DR6HW69rYMmnta76BfjNJAiI6oi5kVETTvdJo3TrI6vcYePct29v6lEPOK3I63YWxj4moaSb2Szbg1ohrD6AVRWUZWquQT9u80/s640/Paint+your+Life.jpeg" title="Planete Ceramique" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;">In the <a href="http://www.bordeaux.fr/"><span class="s2">city</span></a> there’s a place where <a href="http://www.planeteceramique.fr/qui-sommes-nous"><span class="s2">Gail</span></a> welcomes you with a radiant smile and delicate gestures. She opens the door of her planet: <a href="http://www.planeteceramique.fr/"><span class="s2">Planète Céramique</span></a>. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;">Once you step in, a wall of bottles of paint shows off its hues, each of them carefully labeled for easier access. This is a place dedicated to rainbows and lights, unicorns and treasures. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;">We are a group of 3 women and an 7 kids of very different ages: we share the excitement to be here and to be told that we can choose a white ceramic object to paint and make it come alive with colors and lines, the sky is pretty much the limit which can only be comforting for our creative frenzy.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;">There is a wealth of items to choose from: plates, pitchers, mugs, bowls, animals…</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTo-DxJ8hcH3poknM-VMUMjrSta-NvuhGfpvKBTTohX6HouRNIZNFM0r9ECbfBZ-orSpRDCukI41F23ow-K6MuHd0hYw3R1aGzNAm_3xwHjsMqJtcGV5WaG9AdzmAbrA49UlDL0KEC6ro/s1600/file-4.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="White Ceramics" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTo-DxJ8hcH3poknM-VMUMjrSta-NvuhGfpvKBTTohX6HouRNIZNFM0r9ECbfBZ-orSpRDCukI41F23ow-K6MuHd0hYw3R1aGzNAm_3xwHjsMqJtcGV5WaG9AdzmAbrA49UlDL0KEC6ro/s640/file-4.jpeg" title="Planete Ceramique" width="480" /></a></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;">Under Gail’s kind guidance, we look up a wall that looks like a Pantone dream: each tile of color is identified by a corresponding number and we soon turn this into a game of simple maths. The children tend to go slightly overboard when choosing the hues they want to use to leave their print on each plate: call it the rules of chromatic attraction, they want to test them all and here is the place where you can make 50 shades out of any starting color and really start experimenting.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;">Their palettes soon turn into an abstract works of art of their own: the pencils and brushes come and go, new blends appear and the young ones marvel at the results before focusing on the idea they had in mind. Some paint an owl, others a mouse, intricate and minimalist black leaves from a book, they all slowly and carefully take shape, some of them are very orderly, others messy and that's when the frontiers between the colors and the shape of a bill or a wing need to be redefined with a pencil. The beauty of it is that the kids are free to move, no extra directions and their imagination runs free. They are happy creating and being offered the opportunity to create. </span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw4MvEhieclWESABOXJ3d4EG6EJ1a8_la24unbTfr0UmqMQir4QzDxIKVp77VNdvrgVg-4HPfA3h3fa1hJE1vwwu4OjKaBMjVg_uKtAK4pyHWGC6AIsSDsd1xoGk-6U9ZFlBdfcFVt6mk/s1600/file-1_2.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Palette" border="0" data-original-height="1568" data-original-width="1405" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw4MvEhieclWESABOXJ3d4EG6EJ1a8_la24unbTfr0UmqMQir4QzDxIKVp77VNdvrgVg-4HPfA3h3fa1hJE1vwwu4OjKaBMjVg_uKtAK4pyHWGC6AIsSDsd1xoGk-6U9ZFlBdfcFVt6mk/s640/file-1_2.jpeg" title="Children painting" width="572" /></a></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;">In Gail’s workshop there is a front and a back room: the older kids are working in silence in the back room, signing and dating their works of art like the young professionals they are. They are enjoying the process and the group work and completely own their creations. I wonder where this touch of ownership comes from: they are still young, where have they learned all this? Maybe social media and the visual world they live in actually help them understand the need to leave the print on what they make from scratch? </span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW3v2wsRyztAgLW76pfrAi0V7HMKBC033wPZkq0d7VMt-113S_4VZWZNTqivI_75C5aFooGnWePrO80IewUHlm3kPVyXI6SUkfiMHy-cgPFTrkqEvcKpDQXft_6ZUt3OPQk8xYq-cC4DE/s1600/file-6.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Planete Ceramique" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW3v2wsRyztAgLW76pfrAi0V7HMKBC033wPZkq0d7VMt-113S_4VZWZNTqivI_75C5aFooGnWePrO80IewUHlm3kPVyXI6SUkfiMHy-cgPFTrkqEvcKpDQXft_6ZUt3OPQk8xYq-cC4DE/s640/file-6.jpeg" title="Paint brushes" width="480" /></a></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;">Speaking of children and adults: it felt good to try and leave our comfort zone as adults and let the kid in us run free for a couple of hours. We made have promised ourselves to go back as a group of moms so as to let our hearts speak up, take some time off from efficiency and productivity. <a href="http://www.planeteceramique.fr/team-building"><span class="s2">Gail offers</span></a> team building sessions, workshops, school activities, and many other group activities - one more proof, if need be, that creating is good for all of us in need of a new pattern and shape in our life. It is good for all of us willing to paint our own dreams, reality and plans for the future, far from predefined labels and approaches, taking full advantage of a white canvas. What are we waiting for? </span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEn70MmonlgmltFVnzQBtSfNi26HPXzLf1PBs6mQVpSMZvgQZg268doOX_zZN3IBCdEUZX3fu0P-5-YEiVbiH-WZq7_EDAdlthI7H9_HD6RKdAljc9cze3i_k2CsFsS9ohgMvFzmTy6ig/s1600/Signature+2016.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="138" data-original-width="442" height="61" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEn70MmonlgmltFVnzQBtSfNi26HPXzLf1PBs6mQVpSMZvgQZg268doOX_zZN3IBCdEUZX3fu0P-5-YEiVbiH-WZq7_EDAdlthI7H9_HD6RKdAljc9cze3i_k2CsFsS9ohgMvFzmTy6ig/s200/Signature+2016.png" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;">Mobile: 06 37 33 78 43</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Opening hours</span></b></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;">Wed: 14h - 18h</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;">172, avenue de la Libération</span></span></div>
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TheDaydreamerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13028378982570804851noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-800909005630368511.post-7808358547516923222017-07-25T00:45:00.002+02:002017-07-25T00:45:50.221+02:00Walk in the Sun: Being of Essence {The Spa}<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn0h99Tw3xKJhXdkrb_X1jDl4dqfeFAb173osuoCkwkcc0LDzXyqQyjlkR1g75JfEwd6rigf_-fzxhC3Xf0bA7MsXtezUopxDBpKtW1Ss6wnQk97IqeCC78FFzy99JSTEdPO2feV8l-6o/s1600/Being+of+essence.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="2017 Summer Series" border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn0h99Tw3xKJhXdkrb_X1jDl4dqfeFAb173osuoCkwkcc0LDzXyqQyjlkR1g75JfEwd6rigf_-fzxhC3Xf0bA7MsXtezUopxDBpKtW1Ss6wnQk97IqeCC78FFzy99JSTEdPO2feV8l-6o/s640/Being+of+essence.png" title="Being of Essence" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Summer is a good time to try to refocus by giving myself a bit of slack and time off for a self-retreat and going, literally or figuratively, back to my roots. It is also a good opportunity to build on what has made me feel better during the rest of the year. <a href="http://www.pranarom.com/fr/aromatherapie-scientifique/les-huiles-essentielles">Essential oils</a> have been one of my latest discoveries and are playing an ever increasing role in my everyday life.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">I had heard about essential oils before. Sure. Then I met a young lady who has been part of my new life ever since our first encounter, when we poured our hearts out. Call it women intuition, it clicked. When it is that simple and spontaneous, why question it? Why overthink?</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Among her recurring topics of conversation were essential oils. It’s become one of her passions, quite simply. I do believe that’s the first reason why her interest was contagious and when she offered my first ever guide on essential oils and wooden box, that’s all I needed to take the plunge, with an extra little help from her and<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>her knowledge.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Thanks to her and Pranarom’s Dominique Baudoux’s guide, <i>Guide pratique Aromathérapie familiale et scientifique</i>, I am now hooked on essential oils and all their fields of application. The book can be compared to a quick start guide: to the point, well-structured and easily readable even for a beginner like me, it gives first-hand pieces of advice and direct access to the essence of oils.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">What is it all about? It’s about going back to ancient techniques of aromatherapy - think Australia’s Aborigens - to complement or supplement our traditional medication and therapeutic processes, to improve our wellbeing, both physical and mental. These volatile aromatic compounds are present in nature, all around us, the sky is the limit if you think about the number of plants surrounding us. If you’ve ever smelled a flower, you’ve experienced the fragrance of essential oils. Based on their volatile compound, essential oils will have a specific aroma and offer specific benefits to be leveraged in aromatherapy.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Thanks to different extraction techniques, the oils are taken out of the plant: the flower, the stem, the seeds, the roots and basically every single component of the plant can be used. Essential oils are long-lasting liquids to be stored in glass bottles. Based on the symptoms and disease, you will choose the relevant blend that you can either make yourself or ask your pharmacist (who should have received a specific training) to make it for you.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">There is no question that essential oils, at least for me, will ever replace medication and a good old visit to the GP, but as for many other things in life, mixing up, testing and finding what works best for me is the key to my balance. As a result, I am relying mainly on two methods whenever using essential oils alone or as blends:</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">-<span class="s1">Aromatic</span>: via the sense of smell. Oils are easily absorbed by smell receptors that are linked to the limbic system in the brain.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">-<span class="s1">Topic</span>: to be applied to skin, they penetrate easily and act directly on the desired spot.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">-<span class="s1">Internal</span>: I only use this method to alleviate physical asthenia (read below) and I am very cautious whenever I do because I am well aware that essential oils can be toxic for our body. This method though (3 drops under the tongue) has been the most efficient for me up to now, meaning that I do feel relief quite quickly.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Dominique Baudoux’s quick guide is one to read because there are hundreds of essential oils in the world to drown yourself into! Luckily and wisely enough, he focuses on 12 of them, giving the most common blends for some of the most widespread ailments. In a way, I see it as a personal pharmacy I can resort to anytime, anywhere. As I type, I am about 2,000km away from where I normally live; in my luggage, 5 small bottles of essential oil mixtures:</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">1. Depression p. 94</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">2. Physical asthenia p. 65</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">3. Mental asthenia p. 64</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">4. Constipation p. 85</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">How did I make the complex blends? Easy peasy, thanks to these books:</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span class="s2">1 <a href="http://https//www.amazon.fr/Guide-pratique-aromath%25C3%25A9rapie-familiale-scientifique/dp/2930353678/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1500934315&sr=8-1&keywords=dominique+baudoux"><span class="s3"><i>Guide pratique aromathérapie familiale et scientifique</i></span></a></span><span class="s3"><i> </i>by Dominique Baudoux</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">2 <a href="http://https//www.amazon.fr/Bible-huiles-essentielles-Dani%25C3%25A8le-Festy/dp/2848992425/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1500934381&sr=1-1&keywords=bible+des+huiles+essentielles"><i>Ma Bible des Huiles essentielles</i></a> by Danièle Festy</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Making these mixtures is a delicate and precise process to be taken seriously, just as for medications. To be honest with you, just as I thoroughly enjoy the making of a cake by following a detailed recipe, I tend to fully let go and enjoy the oil making process: it helps me focus while I know I am taking time for myself and my family. In the end, even the process of choosing the oils, making the right dosage, labelling the glass containers has become a form of wellbeing and mindfulness I have come to embrace fully every time. Think soothing ritual, precise gestures and healthy ingredients.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Have you ever used essential oils? What were your expectations? In what way have they met (or not) them? What are your favorite blends and methods of absorption? In what circumstances have you found out about essential oils and aromatherapy? Tell me everything, come on!</span></div>
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TheDaydreamerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13028378982570804851noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-800909005630368511.post-85643465530438320262017-07-18T23:36:00.000+02:002017-07-18T23:36:04.700+02:002017 Summer Series: Walk in the Sun {Fairy Talk}<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigxPIz-0imDbGujK2F_DMkbht3S9s-c-fAYniISZZKHzYnKiS3PYmiechKtJi0S7QgvtjvvGmLIvJ5AYA9pg1dTpOFHgotu7Ncv4wVL9ADWT6ssNDNpsg1lD97K2IorobrJGl4WZvnmG8/s1600/Walk+in+the+sun+intro+final.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigxPIz-0imDbGujK2F_DMkbht3S9s-c-fAYniISZZKHzYnKiS3PYmiechKtJi0S7QgvtjvvGmLIvJ5AYA9pg1dTpOFHgotu7Ncv4wVL9ADWT6ssNDNpsg1lD97K2IorobrJGl4WZvnmG8/s640/Walk+in+the+sun+intro+final.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">It has become a habit of mine to plan and design every year a special <a href="http://thedaydreamerdiary.blogspot.fr/2016/07/circles-in-sand-series-.html" target="_blank">summer series</a>. Why? Summer is a season I look forward to all year long, I crave for it, even now that our family has moved to the south; it is a time of the year where a special place, and special feelings fuel me; a moment of introspection and communion with nature; a unique moment I would not want to miss and one I enjoy writing about.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Let’s embrace this reassuring tradition of mine, shall we? Every year <a href="http://thedaydreamerdiary.blogspot.fr/2014/07/bless-summer-series-1-excess-look-around.html" target="_blank">I land in the same location</a>, but I rediscover it every time with different eyes. Why is that? Because I have changed over the past 12 months. So have you, I bet. The summer place that has welcomed me since I was born is a shrine for rediscovery and rebirth.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">You are right, this is all very sentimental and emotional: and over the past<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>few years I have learned to trust sentiments and emotions way more - call it the benefits of society’s deceits and lies. I know my guts will take me to safe grounds. This shows already in the title I have chosen: “Some day when my crying is done, I’m gonna wear a smile and <b>walk in the sun</b>”, from “Crying in the Rain” by a-ha. Yes, I am revisiting my teenager years but also keep a fond place in my heart and memory for <a href="http://thedaydreamerdiary.blogspot.fr/2016/04/a-ha-revival-through-music.html" target="_blank">that concert night back in Paris</a>…</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">I like repeating this line to myself and sing it every now and then because it is one rooted in progression, it leads me forward: there’s no way I am going to hide my crying in the rain anymore. I am even going to try not to cry, how’s that for a change? The concert I attended as a considerate birthday present from hubby is one of the happiest moment of the past years. So here you go, I give you a droplet of my happiness. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">The line is one of victory: personal, professional - it does not really matter. It is a victory over combined odds, the endorsement of our own beauty and talents we need to show, smiling and self-assured, to the world.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Summer has always meant for me a period of beauty and abundance of light, silence, nature, family… The right moment then to learn to let go, take it all in and walk fiercely in the welcoming sun to regain strength and look ahead with renewed faith in ourselves and the world.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Let’s go, let’s plunge together: fresh sea salt water and sun rays from<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>the ancient Mediterranean sea will wake us up from a deep sleep, make us wear a radiant smile again.</span></div>
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TheDaydreamerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13028378982570804851noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-800909005630368511.post-76576394088190900082017-05-29T00:17:00.001+02:002017-05-29T00:17:09.605+02:00Hub Dot, un cadeau {Discover}<div style="text-align: justify;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw40SYy5Ino3197_JzowJ0Q15M6Xz1_omqVHq8SlEpHMyQuFRSQpKnHrozMOK38mDmBC9iD88qTJPTzjplWSeiTVHg89j8vVdRbdA0Frw9Qi-BaX2k5InkErgnZORx2DEeCawpsAG7z9c/s1600/Hub+Dot+un+cadeau.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Hub Dot" border="0" data-original-height="924" data-original-width="1396" height="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw40SYy5Ino3197_JzowJ0Q15M6Xz1_omqVHq8SlEpHMyQuFRSQpKnHrozMOK38mDmBC9iD88qTJPTzjplWSeiTVHg89j8vVdRbdA0Frw9Qi-BaX2k5InkErgnZORx2DEeCawpsAG7z9c/s640/Hub+Dot+un+cadeau.png" title="Hub Dot Paris" width="640" /></a></div>
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De très jolis cadeaux sont venus me chauffer le cœur ce matin : assemblés par de petites mains dodues et marquées de traces de feutres de différentes couleurs, ils trônent à présent sur la commode avec leurs prédécesseurs. J'y tiens à ces petites merveilles de concentration et de créativité enfantine, beaucoup même.</div>
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En observant ces présents, ma mémoire a remonté le fil du temps : pour mes parents, ces dernières années, j'ai préféré un autre type de cadeau que celui acheté tout fait ; inutile de vous dire déjà que le temps pour fabriquer de mes mains quoi que ce soit est bel et bien révolu, à mon grand regret. Non, à tout cela, j'ai préféré les expériences. Celles que nous pouvons garder en mémoire, revisiter avec quelques déformations et agréments, ces petits tours que nous joue notre tête, course folle du temps aidant... </div>
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Comme dirait mon père : "Mais qui a donc besoin d'un pull alors que j'en ai déjà (élimés, troués et aux couleurs du siècle passé), je vous le demande ? Et hop, les cadeaux finissent au fond d'un sombre placard.</div>
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A partir de là, les expériences avec le reste de la famille m'ont semblé être la solution précieuse, inimitable, irremplaçable. Les tranches de vie passées ensemble ne se ressemblent jamais.</div>
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De pensée en souvenir, me voici arrivée d'un pas bondissant à <a href="https://hubdot.com/" target="_blank">Hub Dot</a> : depuis plusieurs mois je me suis engagée aux côté de toute une équipe à aider cette organisation à s'établir en France. Ce réseau de femmes est l'idée de Simona Barbieri, : italienne vibrante, solaire, pleine d'énergie et toujours en mouvement à l'instar de l'organisation qu'elle a fondée. D'un brunch entre filles chez elle est née l'idée et une conviction : ensemble, les femmes créent une synergie comme nulle autre. Ensemble, les femmes se racontent et s'ouvrent comme jamais. Ensemble, les femmes s'écoutent, autrement. </div>
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Pourquoi alors ne pas unir nos forces, partager nos talents connus, tout juste révélés ou encore cachés ? La version brève, c'est qu'en l'espace de quelques années Hub Dot est devenu un réseau virtuel et physique de 25 000 femmes. Oui, 25 000. Chacune d'entre elle a choisi un Dot (pastille colorée) associée à sa situation ou à son état d'esprit du moment et au diable les étiquettes habituelles. Toutes échangent librement sur la Piazza digitale et surtout, ce qui compte encore plus à mes yeux et fait toute la différence, en personne lors d'événements ponctuels organisés dans les villes du monde entier. Les conteuses choisies par les membres de Hub Dot dans chaque ville viennent animer ces événements en y prenant le micro 60 secondes : si peu pour concentrer l'essentiel de qui fait leur être, leur aventure personnelle, leur devenir. Joli défi pour toute femme qui se respecte, vous ne trouvez pas ?</div>
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C'est avant tout un grand cadeau pour une femme. Ça c'est un cadeau pour une mère, une entrepreneure, une étudiante, une voisine, une amie, une collègue...</div>
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Chaque rencontre est un creuset de mille et une histoires, mille et un portraits et de bien plus de rencontres et d'étincelles encore. Cette synergie, ces entrelacs, le plaisir de donner et recevoir qui l'on est et ce que l'on fait, c'est ça l'alchimie Hub Dot.</div>
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C'est une véritable force motrice (je vais vous faire grâce du "en marche") qui va notamment me permettre de recoller les morceaux de ma petite personne, retrouver confiance en moi-même, tendre la main aux autres, jeter des ponts entre deux rives, partager mon expérience pour que la femme assise à côté de moi puisse porter à bout son projet, ne pas se perdre de vue... Les possibilités sont infinies. Nos rêves, nos idées et nos capacités aussi.</div>
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Alors en ce jour de fête des mères, c'est une nouvelle expérience que j'offre à la mienne : elle <a href="https://hubdot.com/event/paris/101/hub-dot-paris-launch" target="_blank">participera à la rencontre du 8 juin prochain</a> à <a href="http://lamanufacturedudesign.com/" target="_blank">La Manufacture du Design</a>. Elle sera là, au cœur du réseau, pour passer un moment nouveau qui lui donnera, je le souhaite de tout mon cœur de fille, de mère et de femme, la volonté de saisir une nouvelle expérience à chérir.<br />
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Donner et recevoir.<br />
Un cadeau.<br />
Mon cadeau. </div>
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🔵 Informations pratiques concernant cet événement 🔵</div>
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1) Ecrivez-moi via l'onglet Contact de ce blog (communiqué de presse disponible sur demande)</div>
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2) Visitez le site <a href="http://www.hubdot.com/">www.hubdot.com</a></div>
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3) Pour acheter vos billets pour accéder à l'événement du 8 juin de 19h30 à 21h30 à la Manufacture du Design : <a href="https://hubdot.com/event/paris/101/hub-dot-paris-launch">https://hubdot.com/event/paris/101/hub-dot-paris-launch</a><br />
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4) <a href="http://lamanufacturedudesign.com/" target="_blank">La Manufacture du Design</a> : 15, square Edouard VII - 75009 Paris ⎜⎜01 84 17 39 29</div>
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5) Enregistrez-vous sur la Piazza digitale (gratuit) : <a href="http://www.hubdot.com/">www.hubdot.com</a> > Join & Connect </div>
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Vous pouvez y poser toutes les questions que vous voulez à toutes les femmes membres de cet espace virtuel où naissent les ententes, les échanges et se prolonge chaque événement physique Hub Dot.</div>
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6) <a href="https://www.facebook.com/hubdotfr/" target="_blank">Facebook</a><br />
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7) <a href="https://twitter.com/hubdotfrance" target="_blank">Twitter</a><br />
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8) <a href="https://www.instagram.com/hubdotparis/" target="_blank">Instagram</a></div>
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9) Choisissez votre Dot (pastille colorée) :<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiJIOPie3LBXg0cNxW4EnCIpjqW0IBeQGyb6-tC1WSv12tp34_F0nqZYweiDSld2znmCHsdmk6pjxLQb7uhKY1HHfYS9HdrbqGD9lpenAX8Eh6H_1YFrHurMXLgbAqFt-w28ne0aIZP_Y/s1600/Dots+en+franc%25CC%25A7ais.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Hub Dot Alchemy" border="0" data-original-height="308" data-original-width="1276" height="153" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiJIOPie3LBXg0cNxW4EnCIpjqW0IBeQGyb6-tC1WSv12tp34_F0nqZYweiDSld2znmCHsdmk6pjxLQb7uhKY1HHfYS9HdrbqGD9lpenAX8Eh6H_1YFrHurMXLgbAqFt-w28ne0aIZP_Y/s640/Dots+en+franc%25CC%25A7ais.png" title="Dot Alchemy" width="640" /></a></div>
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<u>N.B</u>. : j'ai proposé spontanément à Hub Dot d'écrire ce billet ; les liens ne sont pas sponsorisés et je ne touche aucune commission pour mes écrits. C'est un coup de cœur et des convictions que je vous livre en toute liberté ici, dans cet espace de parole et de partage qu'est ce blog pour moi depuis des années.</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Photo : Stocksnap (edited by The Daydreamer)</span><br />
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TheDaydreamerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13028378982570804851noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-800909005630368511.post-354301251946157532017-04-07T17:46:00.002+02:002017-04-07T17:46:47.881+02:00Le jardin du silence {Page-Turner}<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXr9r1uvF1OvpgA4pMnvLW-XzG58XrXMSavaf1TAp_4SImhFiX4ZzqHD12QxyNhheXqrFNrUeEJn1zJBHJZMu0pSiNhAr0i3JAzzWnp2fvHh8IuEMVQrdo0b_L_LOl2wy5FAooxeibXes/s1600/Jardin+du+silence.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Jardin zen" border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXr9r1uvF1OvpgA4pMnvLW-XzG58XrXMSavaf1TAp_4SImhFiX4ZzqHD12QxyNhheXqrFNrUeEJn1zJBHJZMu0pSiNhAr0i3JAzzWnp2fvHh8IuEMVQrdo0b_L_LOl2wy5FAooxeibXes/s640/Jardin+du+silence.png" title="Bouddhisme" width="502" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Dans le monde des <a href="http://thedaydreamerdiary.blogspot.fr/2015/11/ready-for-new-books-.html">livres d’un genre nouveau</a> que j’appréhende peu à peu, une jeune pousse a percé la terre, est arrivée jusqu’à moi : délicate, sensible et fragile, elle s’est posée sur ma table de nuit, à la lumière de ma liseuse. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Sa découverte a été un écrin de bonheur, cet hiver : alors que je me posais chez <a href="http://https//www.lafourchettebordelaise.fr/les-petits-mots-bleu-coffee-shop-bordeaux/">Les Petits Mots Bleus</a> pour apprécier un chocolat chaud, les murs m’appellent soudain. Quelques étagères bien disposées mettent en valeur des ouvrages, les uns derrière les autres, de tous styles, de toutes les couleurs : je tends la main, en saisis un, puis un autre et puis… <i>Tout ce qui compte en cet Instant - Journal de mon Jardin zen</i> par <a href="http://equerre.blogspot.fr/2012/06/japprends-joshin-luce-bachoux-1950.html">Joshin Luce Bachoux</a>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Ne s’agissant pas là d’une bibliothèque, je comprends bien que si le personnel du salon de thé me laisse aimablement le feuilleter, je ne peux l’emprunter. Soit, je l’achète, intriguée par l’auteure, la couverture, le titre… Tout cet univers qui semble m’appeler, m’attirer et m’inciter à dépasser la lisière de la forêt pour en explorer le cœur.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">L’auteure est une nonne bouddhiste qui anime “<a href="http://www.larbredeleveil.org/lademeure/">La Demeure Sans Limites</a>”, un lieu de retraite et repos, réflexion et introspection, un temple zen dans la nature. Déjà, son profil me surprend : je n’ai jamais lu les mots d’une nonne bouddhiste. Qu’a-t-elle à me révéler ? Ou à cacher peut-être ? Quelle est cette demeure où j’ai soudain envie d’ouvrir toutes les fenêtres et portes pour m’y installer et respirer un air plus doux, plus cristallin, plus vrai ? </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">A l’heure où j’ai besoin de calme, réflexion et écoute plus que jamais, ne venez pas me parler de hasard ou de destin dans le choix de cet ouvrage, au milieu de tant d’autres, pour petits et grands, que j’ai regardés, lus en travers, caressés, contemplés un instant, puis reposés dans ce salon de thé, un jour en ville. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Ce journal, m’a semblé incontournable, amical, chaleureux et intimiste ; ne racontons-nous pas tout à notre journal ? Presque tout et c’est déjà une preuve bien assez forte d’altruisme et de confiance en soi et en ses lecteurs.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgsOfOIFE2kugiJ-UrJeGTBtZx13zg_twV5vQSvHeZR_hnMz_uSSM6g0GiqV4RB_pTxyMSPudX5gA6QLcPbS9P_8twEe5zoyzkyvwuLAIGw4QJaufXBJ_trKo5AuFRABvYFWQObJ9kDdI/s1600/Jardin+du+silence+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgsOfOIFE2kugiJ-UrJeGTBtZx13zg_twV5vQSvHeZR_hnMz_uSSM6g0GiqV4RB_pTxyMSPudX5gA6QLcPbS9P_8twEe5zoyzkyvwuLAIGw4QJaufXBJ_trKo5AuFRABvYFWQObJ9kDdI/s400/Jardin+du+silence+2.JPG" width="363" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Ce jardin zen me fait de l’œil. Je ne saurais véritablement vous dire pourquoi étant donné que nous sommes célèbres dans la famille pour avoir fait sécher sur pied un cactus. A moins que ce ne soit justement pour cette raison qu’il m’appelle à lui ! Il a le sens de l’humour, ce journal…</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Le jardin dans son sens plus large, celui visible par-delà la fenêtre, au-delà de la clôture et dans notre for intérieur. Il faut le soigner, le bichonner même en lui apportant les bons nutriments pour le faire pousser et grandir. Ça me parle tout ça et au diable le cactus du passé.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">L’envie me prends donc de partager avec vous quelques phrases, perles de rosée matinale, feuilles séchées qui craquent sous les pieds… De vous inviter à voir ce jardin évoluer au rythme des saisons, d’envisager votre propre retraite spirituelle où bon vous semble ; un moment de pause, d’émerveillement.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">“<i>Nous participons du renouveau de la nature et le silence qui peu à peu s’est infiltré dans nos gestes, nos paroles et notre esprit, signifie peut-être qu’il est un temps pour recevoir et absorber avant de reprendre l’activité coutumière.</i>” p. 115</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">“<i>Qu’y a-t-il à écouter ? Le silence, le merveilleux silence de la montagne.</i>”</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">“<i>Ce moment éphémère comme la rosée du matin de printemps, comme un sourire, disparaîtra ; pourtant chacune de ces rencontres, aussi brève soit-elle, tisse le lien entre nous et les autres, indispensable à notre équilibre et à notre bonheur.</i>” p. 163</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">“<i>Retour à la Demeure, retour à la ferme grise et blanche du plateau ardéchois après quelques semaines entre Marseille et Paris. Le premier plaisir du retour (…) est d’écouter le silence, silence d’hiver entrecoupé de bourrasques de vent qui font filer les nuages.</i>” p. 169</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">“<i>Devant ce paysage, il me vient à l’esprit un terme du vocabulaire bouddhique, mette : cela signifie l’affection, la bienveillance, l’amitié protectrice. Je comprends ce mot, en fait, surtout à travers le geste : consoler un enfant, donner un verre d’eau à un assoiffé, tenir la main d’une personne qui va mourir.</i>” p. 209</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">“<i>Car le vrai silence n’est pas la non-parole - mail il dépend de l’intérieur : lorsque nos pensées cessent de s’agiter en tous sens, lorsque nous sommes attentifs à nos gestes et à tout ce qui nous entoure, notre esprit s’ouvre à tous les petits bruits du monde qui nous échappent le reste du temps. Le silence nous accompagne, nous porte, il est le repos de l’âme et du corps.</i>” p. 227</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Au travers de ces 6 citations choisies, je souhaite vous faire voyager un peu, beaucoup, passionnément en vous-mêmes. Je n’ai pas perdu le nord, non ; je l’ai juste retrouvé, dirons-nous, recentré même. Il ne s’agit pas d’égoïsme, comme on a pu me le dire sans ambages ; il s’agit justement de s’ouvrir aux autres en empruntant de nouveaux chemins et la lecture, une fois encore, est venue à ma rescousse grâce à ce petit recueil qui me fait penser au <a href="http://thedaydreamerdiary.blogspot.fr/2016/10/the-great-animal-orchestra.html">Grand Orchestre des Animaux</a> et tant d’autres découvertes liées au monde qui nous entoure, à son silence retentissant et surtout son enrichissant dialogue accessible à ceux qui savent… se taire, un instant.</span></div>
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Photo : <a href="http://https//spark.adobe.com/">Adobe Spark</a> (modifiée par TheDaydreamer)</div>
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TheDaydreamerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13028378982570804851noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-800909005630368511.post-80906213800134714302017-03-10T23:24:00.001+01:002017-03-10T23:24:16.892+01:00Forgotten On The Sand Island {Discover}<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUEE9ZwfVf1trAvyGfePZ5akmaTjZafqkWM4iW5KZS7KKpPWl9udi1rP_OeoMNuhoHQS2-fxE1_73wj52v2xcYZiO2ZoVKwBFfXvdn0K_DbR64giaFlueIOQU1tXCgtDCfCwntvdQeAk4/s1600/Tromelin+final.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Musée d'Aquitaine" border="0" height="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUEE9ZwfVf1trAvyGfePZ5akmaTjZafqkWM4iW5KZS7KKpPWl9udi1rP_OeoMNuhoHQS2-fxE1_73wj52v2xcYZiO2ZoVKwBFfXvdn0K_DbR64giaFlueIOQU1tXCgtDCfCwntvdQeAk4/s640/Tromelin+final.png" title="Tromelin island" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">The wild and noisy carnival parade was going on in the streets of Bordeaux, paralyzing its transportation network. Ignoring the craziness and taking advantage of the fact that the first Sunday of the month the city museums are free, I walked with a dear friend and her children all the way to the <a href="http://www.musee-aquitaine-bordeaux.fr/en">Musée d’Aquitaine</a>, our final destination on a rather overcast day.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">The illustrated poster hanging from the façade announced <a href="http://www.musee-aquitaine-bordeaux.fr/fr/evenement/tromelin-lile-des-esclaves-oublies">an exhibition on Tromelin, the island of forgotten slaves</a> in the Indian Ocean. Bordeaux has an intimate history with slavery - a painful and shameful past it does not like to boast even though it is at the roots of its economic power and identity. It is all the more surprising and encouraging to notice that local museums make a point of informing visitors about this chapter of the city’s story and economic development. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Another reason encouraged me to to visit the exhibition: years ago I read a book by French author Irène Frain, <a href="http://www.irenefrain.com/les_naufrages_de_lile_tromelin.php"><i>Les Naufragés de l’île Tromelin</i></a>. This haunting book speaks of a group of slaves abandoned on a forlorn island, lied to and left to their own devices for 15 years. Before even going into the details of the Bordeaux exhibition, I would like to tell you that this is a book to read, one that will engrave words, images and feelings in your mind. Strangely enough, I have not found the book in the museum library the day of my visit… It is also true that I have lacked the time and focus to linger there… </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">The Bordeaux Musée d’Aquitaine is a classy yet unpretentious building; it warmly welcomes you in a light filled hall where you can grab for free a guide to the exhibition and even an activity book for children. From then on, we plunge into an incredible sea voyage and perilous human story: the French trade vessel <i>Utile</i> set sail from the city of Bayonne on the south western coast of France in 1760 to reach the island of Mauritius in the Indian Ocean. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRksIaT9PQEkxBF2gAPG23DN55P2hRaOG8MKxXIlE0YW_V4jGMvjN7Xhw6cmSnlwfBstu5qZbygpitCgBq3xbOpFRGH-IkxOGlYcI6vK2x3CefjzTj8vPR5BxSuXJ6NAJ7sOyOyNHeFR0/s1600/photo.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Tromelin map" border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRksIaT9PQEkxBF2gAPG23DN55P2hRaOG8MKxXIlE0YW_V4jGMvjN7Xhw6cmSnlwfBstu5qZbygpitCgBq3xbOpFRGH-IkxOGlYcI6vK2x3CefjzTj8vPR5BxSuXJ6NAJ7sOyOyNHeFR0/s640/photo.jpeg" title="Island map" width="486" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Beautifully crafted and spacious wooden tables, barrels and wood engravings guide the visitor through the contents of the ship holds - so many produces traveling on high seas for months, from one continent to the other: textiles, spices, biscuits, wine, oats, preserved meat and even live cattle. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">The itinerary of the exhibition is clearly indicated and visitors circulate quite smoothly despite the crowd. We managed to read, admire, draw, imagine, dream and exchange ideas quite peacefully. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">In some of the rooms, visitors can leaf through the fascinating pages of <a href="http://www.dupuis.com/les-esclaves-oublies-de-tromelin/bd/les-esclaves-oublies-de-tromelin-les-esclaves-oublies-de-tromelin/25683">Savoia</a>’s illustrated album. The talented illustrator accompanied one of the recent excavations and research teams during an entire month on the island. The drawings and dialogues infuse the dramatic story with humanity; the slaves come alive through the eyes of one of the girls who survived the shipwreck and was saved by Tromelin himself. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">On the route to its final destination, the <i>Utile</i> vessel stopped in Madagascar to embark Madagascan slaves - an extremely lucrative and fraudulent activity for the captain and his crew. What they had not counted on though, is that in 1671, the ship tragically sank trapped </span><span style="font-size: small;">at night in the treacherous waters and sand banks of the ocean. Stranded on a deserted island recalling Polynesian <i>motus</i>, the 210 survivors - slaves included - built a boat with one idea in mind: escaping.</span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Too small to welcome everyone on board, the makeshift boat left without the slaves in the end. Seen as inferior and less valuable beings given the circumstances, they were abandoned with the promise of sending back another ship to save them. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Lies, then now and forever.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">How did people uprooted from their land, environment, and families to be traded before being shamelessly abandoned to certain death have managed to nourish their hopes and sanity on Tromelin island? How have they acted and resisted against the elements - storms, lack of shade and water for 15 years? </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Yes, 15 long, perilous, cruel years. 15 years of freedom too. Free slaves. How darkly ironic.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">The first excavation to document the tragedy of the <i>Utile</i> and its men was launched in 2006 - so incredibly late don’t you think? - and from then on underwater and land research teams unveiled the incredible secret and details of the slaves’ social community and organisation on the island. Aside from the strictly practical side of their lives - recycling, crafting kitchen utensils, building village walls and a brick oven - what the findings show is that the castaways’ first need was to ensure their own protection, to join forces to be stronger, to share their knowledge and skills and to understand their environment to turn it to their advantage. What is amazing, is the need and drive to form a social structure to be able to make decisions, find food, cook, share food, strategize to live, preserve traditions, and rituals such as burials and even become inventive!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Across the centuries, the message still rings true: society can most certainly be a ruthless grinding machine. Let’s acknowledge also its duality through its power as an agent of change, hope and strength. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Fifteen years after the shipwreck, eight castaways - seven women and an eight-month old baby - imagine, a birth! - were saved by Lieutenant Tromelin. The island was named as a tribute to the man. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Credits: <a href="https://stocksnap.io/" target="_blank">StockSnap</a> & TheDaydreamer</span></div>
TheDaydreamerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13028378982570804851noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-800909005630368511.post-75411580285298617162017-02-01T18:01:00.001+01:002017-02-01T18:01:48.626+01:00What's in a Handshake {Discover}<div class="p1">
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<span style="font-size: small;">It is incredible how much unsuspected good can stem from a negative situation, after what seems an eternal battle with myself and society at large. Trying to extract myself from the current psychological quagmire, I have followed the advice of a person I trust, someone who’s been by my side, heard every story there is to hear and who’s guided me right where I was afraid of going, for my own good, that is. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">That’s how I found myself on the doorstep of a yoga teacher who also specializes in <a href="http://ayurveda-retreat.co.uk/ayurvedic-massage-about/">ayurvedic massages</a>. I could have checked what these were before making the appointment and taking the tram to get there on time. But hey, I do enjoy surprises and I had a hunch this one was going to make it to the top of the epiphany list. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">I was right. The moment the teacher, called Magali, opened the door, a strong smell of spices and herbs embraced me, pulled me inside the white entrance and wrapped me in a warm fog. I had to take my coat, scarf, gloves and whatnot off in no time given the temperature in the room. It felt as if the sun was rising on the beach. The lady who welcomed me called me using my first name - familiar, yet respectful since she took my extended hand and literally held it into her two warm hands for a few seconds. More than what we’re accustomed too. Her handshake was firm but positive and benevolent. I could sense it, together with a flow of energy unknown to me.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Her dark gaze was piercing, straight, lively yet kind: she was not judging like most stares who scan you from head to toe in Total Recall style. Her black eyes stood out against the white radiance of her shirt and the surrounding walls. What’s in a handshake, you may ask?</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Pretty much someone’s world. I felt instantly welcome, hugged and understood. The moment she started explaining that ayurvedic massages are part of the holistic ayurveda therapy that listens and speaks to the mind and body, I gathered that this could finally be the right person at the right time for me. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Our meeting started with a dialogue. Comments, questions and answers and silences. At the end, she devised a massage session with herb-infused oils based on our conversation; my fears, my hopes, my present, my past… Obviously, that’s a lot, but unless you start somewhere, you’ll never get anywhere, I guess. So I opened up to the massage and the meditation session before it - yoga nidra. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">This is a kind of sleep meditation that leads you to a semi sleep state while being guided by the voice of the teacher. Magali used repetitions and visualisation for our session. Visualization works beautifully with me since my mind can seamlessly view what’s being said - hypnosis also uses this technique and that too worked wonders with me years ago. Slowly but surely, my mind was resting and surrendering to a slower pace, shifting its focus from negative, unrelenting thoughts to an effortless visualisation of each part of my body, the ground and my roots in the earth. At the end of the 1-hour session, the teacher asked me to choose a <a href="http://https//yogainternational.com/article/view/how-to-create-a-sankalpa"><i>sankalpa</i></a>. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">A <i>sankalpa</i> is a statement that I can call upon whenever needed to remind myself of where I want to go, what my purpose or desire is and who I am. Needless to say that for someone like me who does not like the term “resolution” this is a blessing: there’s no ego involved, no grinding efficiency involved or someone else’s needs, but a greater scale intention. The <i>sankalpa</i> is who I am, and my choices aligned with my destination. Every step of the way should make me progress towards the final desire.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Now tell me, have you ever tried yoga? What type of yoga? Does a sankalpa work for you? I am new to this world and yet, I feel like I’ve known it forever. Why do you think that is? Could it be because it’s leading me to discover something that was always inside me? This need to dig deeper, get in touch with the ground, its healing and feeding force? </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Credits: <a href="http://www.itspinkpot.com/">Pinkpot</a> (edited by TheDaydreamer)</span></div>
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TheDaydreamerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13028378982570804851noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-800909005630368511.post-32856231565578297402017-01-20T21:49:00.001+01:002017-01-20T21:49:54.871+01:00Beating Heart {Page-Turner}<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNvCrxAEsGyMdYx6vU8SfEAehvEabom-XWK8kmt2VFL6gn93amVgHTumW7tcQfQRd28mS5YkaG5LPWsejxglx5kcpxnUi6-RGIFJkjjudGPsEc0y9BGUu5wmHvOCfuuAnWRR2xiUnaLfQ/s1600/Beating+Heart+Final.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Montessori book" border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNvCrxAEsGyMdYx6vU8SfEAehvEabom-XWK8kmt2VFL6gn93amVgHTumW7tcQfQRd28mS5YkaG5LPWsejxglx5kcpxnUi6-RGIFJkjjudGPsEc0y9BGUu5wmHvOCfuuAnWRR2xiUnaLfQ/s640/Beating+Heart+Final.png" title="Beating Heart" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Having noticed how happy my kids are (thank you) and how much they enjoying expressing their happiness screaming their heads off and unscrewing my ears and sanity to throw it away in the nearest bin, I have come to relish silence. Silence.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">More than ever, I enjoy the quiet that falls on the house in the evening, once everyone is sleeping and I can push my own roots into the ground, feel the vital energy of the earth. To be honest, I always have, just even more so now that home is so full of life, to put it mildly. Finally, I can gather my thoughts - and everybody else’s mess around the place <i>en passant</i> - and try to think clearly.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">During one of my quick visits in the children literature section at the <a href="http://https//www.mollat.com/">Librairie Mollat</a> - the temple of my silences and book addiction - I found a small Montessori book in the Bébé Balthazar collection: <a href="http://www.editions-hatier.fr/livre/ecoute-le-silence-pedagogie-montessori"><i>Ecoute le Silence</i></a>. A book by <a href="http://www.editions-hatier.fr/auteur/marie-helene-place">Marie-Hélène Place</a> telling you how to listen to silence. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://amshq.org/Montessori-Education/History-of-Montessori-Education/Biography-of-Maria-Montessori" target="_blank">Maria Montessori </a>is the Italian woman behind the pedagogy and philosophy of children’s education, as well as the first woman doctor in Italy. Her method of education is focused on bringing parents and children together on the path of learning and on leveraging each child’s full potentials and stages of development and growth. According to her, teachers are guides who should encourage and show the way through love, respect, dignity and acceptance, leaving aside all temptation to judge.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">The book format is handy: small, made of thick pages that even my youngest daughter can handle easily, no need to ask for my help in turning the pages. The illustrations by talented illustrator <a href="http://www.editions-hatier.fr/auteur/caroline-fontaine-riquier">Caroline Fontaine Riquier</a> are a pleasure to look at, always: delicate, they do not overfill the page but tend to focus on the characters and their expressions, causing no interferences. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">The story is about being silent and discovering the riches that surround you. If you are silent, my child, you will be able to listen to the wind, to the fluttering wings of a butterfly, to the waves… Not everything is about you expressing yourself; it’s essential to learn to listen to be able to actually learn and grow - two of my favorite verbs. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">On one of the pages, the young audience is prompted to listen to the beating heart of the reader - mine, in that instance. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">I wish I’d filmed the scene: both my daughters were in awe of the sound coming out of my chest. The heart actually makes noise?! And from there, the game began: they took turns in listening to their hearts and then let’s call daddy and see if he’s got a beating heart too… Well, we’ve been listening to every single heart you can imagine by now.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">What’s in it for them? Discovery, mindfulness and awareness that beyond the surface, there’s a whole world begging to be discovered, waiting for your ears, eyes and mind to open up and acknowledge it. Hearts beat everywhere, and letting someone listen to yours is welcoming a fellow soul, intimately getting to know the other and his/her vital rhythm.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">“In your silence - when there are no words, no language, nobody else is present - you are getting in tune with existence.”</span></div>
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#1: DeathToTheStockPhoto (edited by TheDaydreamer)</div>
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TheDaydreamerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13028378982570804851noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-800909005630368511.post-34960345176526557812017-01-11T14:10:00.000+01:002017-01-11T14:10:38.309+01:00The Inconstant Gardener {Look Around}<div class="p1">
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<span style="font-size: small;">We let a cactus die. A cactus. This tells you just how good we are at taking care of plants. This sounds all the more dramatic as I am truly a nature lover, from plants to animals and - why not - pebbles and sand. How did the poor cactus die? We just did not water it, thinking that a desert-like environment would suit its needs just fine. Blissful ignorance has its perks and… its disadvantages too.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Now that we have moved and are back to what could resemble our <a href="http://thedaydreamerdiary.blogspot.fr/2009/04/amsterdam.html" target="_blank">Dutch way of life</a>, much closer to nature, with a patio and all, we are willing to give it another try. The patio still looks pretty empty and lonely at the moment, with a banana tree that humbly bowed its darkened leaves to the ground the minute the cold, the real stuff, showed up. Still, thrilled by the southern sun and the hundred possibilities it offers, we joined an ambitious, volunteering project: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/100jardiniers/?fref=nf" target="_blank">100 Jardiniers</a> or 100 Gardeners, if you wish.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">The not-for-profit event was promoted in the Bordeaux area by a new acquaintance who invited us to join the project, ordering online some bushes, trees or aromatics to plant in an unkept field as a way to infuse it with new life. The day chosen to plant was a cold December Sunday. One of those mystic days shrouded in a fog so thick and grey that we could not even imagine the limits of the field, the road, the fences... On this kind of day you are happy to be out and about with kindred souls, labouring the earth, drinking hot tea or coffee from a thermos, meeting new faces, exchanging advice, learning new terms (mallet anyone?) questions and answers. Words, smiles and stories surrounded us.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">The project was a way to redeem ourselves while showing the kids that you can be outdoor in winter, closer to nature, sweating to dig the precious hole for your tree-to-be and discovering your boundaries and the cycle of life. Does this sound like too much in one go? Kids have few limits, or so I find. After having tried to explain how and why people die, when and how they reach the stars in the sky to shine forever by their side, we thought that showing them the cycle of life by planting something in a given spot, preparing the ground for it, watching it grow, yield fruit, then wither and start over would be an easy, instinctive way of speaking of life, death and rebirth.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">We have chosen to plant a pear and a cherry tree and we should be able to pick the fruit in different seasons, turning the pages of the seasonal cycle too, whether it be for humans or for trees. My secret hope is that my eldest daughter will then stop asking for strawberries in the fall… I have accompanied the field experience with a book that is a regular bedtime read for us: <a href="http://www.nathan.fr/catalogue/fiche-produit.asp?ean13=9782092559017" target="_blank">Nos Saisons</a> (Our Seasons) by Caroline Pellissier and Virginie Aladjidi, illustrated by Emmanuelle Tchoukriel.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">As a family, and despite our clumsiness, we all enjoyed the hard work in the field, and the contemplation it involved; we were rewarded by new friendships, closer ties with acquaintances and our first ever winter picnic: we unfolded the blankets and the tables, opened bottles and tasted duck hearts grilled on the improvised BBQ under the watchful eyes of sheep and horses. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">The fog slowly lifted that day. Sun rays came through to grant much needed encouragements. There’s no doubt - if ever there was one - that a campfire, homemade food, a few drinks and a crowd of volunteers is a rallying experience to cherish.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">It felt like going back to the essential, soul binding gatherings that foster oral traditions, legends and discoveries. We all went back to nature’s roots and back to our own tribal, primordial roots. Isn't this part of a healing and reinvention process when you move, change lifestyle, city, social networks? Doesn't this alone show that we are social animals; we define the group, but more than anything else we need to be in the group, to find our place and space to be able to feel fulfilled. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">In the spring we shall go there again to check on the trees we planted and nature will tell us her full story, I am sure.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Credits: <a href="https://creativemarket.com/CreativelyAB" target="_blank">Love & Light on The Creative Market</a> (edited by TheDaydreamer)</span></div>
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TheDaydreamerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13028378982570804851noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-800909005630368511.post-25783636580211965832017-01-04T15:08:00.000+01:002017-01-04T15:15:39.592+01:00Mes remèdes ! {Page-Turner}<div style="text-align: justify;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq3GZvuyUP1m6xS86Y5BM-WNeo9s_8CBAABFi_9RwqzvltC2kD3pct_PXNHKNcw51LvpnedsgZtW_X-PxxEPghuZPG6nQFfg-t7HPDXupijq3S_E1CKPqLkbQc7gnOTNPHGQndReXPi2M/s1600/Me%25CC%2581lancolie+final.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Eva Bester" border="0" height="420" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq3GZvuyUP1m6xS86Y5BM-WNeo9s_8CBAABFi_9RwqzvltC2kD3pct_PXNHKNcw51LvpnedsgZtW_X-PxxEPghuZPG6nQFfg-t7HPDXupijq3S_E1CKPqLkbQc7gnOTNPHGQndReXPi2M/s640/Me%25CC%2581lancolie+final.png" title="Remèdes à la mélancolie" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;">C'est un hasard tout twitterien qui m'a fait tomber sur le podcast <a href="https://www.franceinter.fr/emissions/remede-a-la-melancolie"><span class="s2">Remède à la Mélancolie</span></a> mené avec magie et brio par la pétillante <a href="https://www.franceinter.fr/personnes/eva-bester"><span class="s2">Eva Bester</span></a> qui invite dans son émission sur France Inter des personnages de la vie publique (écrivains, acteurs, musiciens etc.) à se prononcer sur la mélancolie et leurs recettes permettant de l'accepter, l'éviter, l'appréhender. Le <a href="https://www.autrement.com/ouvrage/remedes-la-melancolie-eva-bester"><span class="s2">livre</span></a> tiré de l'émission m'a tout d'abord semblé maladroit : pas de voix, pas de spontanéité, les extraits de dialogues retranscrits semblent manquer de souffle... Lorsque je commence à lire un extrait, j'en veux plus, je veux le reste de l'émission, cette attente heureuse, le jingle et tout le reste ! Les auditeurs sont exigeants.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;">Cela étant dit, je l'ai fini, ce livre. Je vous dirai même plus : j'ai goûté ces petites perles de sagesse, de drôlerie et d'instantanés de vie d'invités connus et moins connus, voire inconnus pour moi. Ce remède est enthousiasmant, à tel point que dans l'anonymat et la modestie la plus totale, je me suis prise à ce jeu qui consiste à penser à la mélancolie pour mieux y trouver une solution : quels seraient mes remèdes ? N'allez pas penser que cette question soit recevable uniquement après les fêtes de fin d'année, lorsque tant d'individus se sont gavés de sourires forcés, de vœux mielleux et de gourmandises écœurantes dans un monde de traditions que l'on veut croire parfait et authentique, l'espace d'un instant et en dépit de l'écroulement de ce qui reste de ce même monde ; heureusement, la mélancolie peut frapper à tout instant, chacun d'entre nous, même ceux qui pensent y être insensibles ou imperméables ; elle déferle sans prévenir et surtout lorsque vous vous y attendez le moins - surprise ! Alors autant lui faire une place, autant mettre un couvert en plus à table tout de suite et trouver un refuge consolateur, juste au cas où...</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;">Mon premier remède, c'est avoir un chez soi du cœur et de l'âme. Chez moi, c'est les <span class="s2"><a href="http://thedaydreamerdiary.blogspot.fr/2016/07/circles-in-sand-series-.html">Pouilles</a>, au fin fond de l'Italie</span> Un chez moi saisonnier en ce qui me concerne, mais il compte plus que tout autre - la qualité prime la quantité. Un chez moi brut, authentique et sans fioritures. Un chez moi décalé loin des catalogues en papier glacé - quoi que... il y gagne du terrain - qui m'accueille depuis ma naissance quasiment, qu'il pleuve (très rarement) ou qu'il vente (presque tous les jours). Les couleurs, les saveurs et les sons de ce bout de terre qui se gagne à la sueur du front sont perçants, ne me laissant jamais indifférente et m'attirant tel un aimant. Jamais je n'ai résisté, pour mon plus grand bien ! Avec les Pouilles à l'horizon, le ciel devient clément, l'orage s'éloigne, le cœur et le corps s'embaument après tant de coups reçus.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;">Autre remède à l'insidieuse mélancolie, les albums pour les enfants. De trait de crayon en planche colorée, ils me fascinent car je ne connais rien du processus qui leur préexiste : main levée, ordinateur, tablette graphique...? A force de parcourir les pages virtuelles, les librairies et les bibliothèques, je commence à connaître mes dessinateurs fétiches et leurs univers : <a href="http://www.editions-memo.fr/crausaz"><span class="s2">Anne Crausaz</span></a>, <a href="http://www.rebeccadautremer.com/"><span class="s2">Rebecca Dautremer</span></a>, <a href="http://www.emilievast.com/"><span class="s2">Emilie Vast</span></a>, <a href="http://oliverjeffers.com/"><span class="s2">Oliver Jeffers</span></a>... Les styles ne sont pas les mêmes, l'émerveillement me prend par la main et m'entraîne vers d'autres histoires, farfelues, incroyables, épiques, intimistes... Une véritable ronde !</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;">La lumière des bougies couplée à une boisson chaude bercée entre mes mains mènent la vie dure aux idées sombres et préoccupations et cela même en plein été. Difficile de refuser <a href="http://linfuseur.com/"><span class="s2">une tisane</span></a> avant le coucher, quelle que soit la saison ! La bougie, c'est le point de repère, la lumière fluctuante dans la nuit ou en plein jour ; son doux mouvement est signe de flexibilité, d'adaptation et de vulnérabilité. Finalement il semblerait que sans vraiment le vouloir, mais sans aucun réticence, je me sois laissé glisser dans le courant du "hygge" que j'ai commencé à côtoyer il y a des années sous sa forme hollandaise, le "gezelligheid". Autant de mots imprononçables pour une philosophie de vie enveloppante qui ne demande qu'à être écoutée et adoptée.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;">Parlons musique à présent : le long de la route sinueuse qui mène à travers les pins et les fougères à l'océan, dans la brume ou sous le soleil, une voix pas comme les autres m'enlace, sans jamais me décevoir. Et le souvenir - pas la mélancolie ! - d'un concert me saisit, me fait trépigner et chanter à tue tête dans la voiture. Ecouter le son et la voix d'un <a href="http://thedaydreamerdiary.blogspot.fr/2016/04/a-ha-revival-through-music.html"><span class="s2">groupe de pop</span></a> qui a marqué les années 90, voici une touche de kitsch qui porte haut l'étendard du bonheur tout frais, tout beau !</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;">Je passe allègrement du coq à l'âne, mais c'est ça aussi un excellent remède à la mélancolie : avancer avec insouciance, sans planifier, se laisser porter par l'inspiration. Sans prévenir, le sable chaud et fin de mes petites plages de Méditerranée me glisse entre les doigts alors que j'ouvre à peine les yeux pour entrevoir juste ce qu'il faut du bonheur à la plage, la mer à mes pieds. Se baigner dans la Méditerranée, la regarder, en absorber chaque courbe et quelques gouttes... Ce berceau de tant d'imaginaire et de tant de cultures me fascine (et je ne suis pas la seule, cf. l'ouvrage dont il est question plus haut) depuis toujours ; si je ne risquerai pas l'aventure de la croisière, merci, j'embarque avec délectation sur chacune de ses vaguelettes ou me coule sous sa surface. Et là, la magie opère. Mélancolie, vous avez dit ? Je n'entends que le bruit des bulles...</span></span></div>
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</span><span class="s1">Photo: <a href="http://www.itspinkpot.com/"><span class="s4">It’s Pinkpot</span></a></span></div>
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