Soul Vacations

Giving ourselves time to reflect and heal can be a powerful way to process the things that are happening in our lives, and one of the best approaches to do this is by going on a retreat. And that’s what I’m going to do … :) with intention to heal and learn more about what had happened, why and how it is happened. Everyone has a different view and experiences the world differently. It is important to choose a type of retreat that works best for us (especially for me … kekekkee). Some of my friends recommend to me kind like a yoga or tai-chi. But I prefer to choose the one that really can connects with my soul needs. The most important thing is to respect our unique stage of development and to be patient with ourselves since any thoughts or issues that arise are simply part of the process of healing.

Just remember that, retreat is an intense period of time where serious soul searching takes place can help us allow whatever may happen to us to fully unfold. Going on retreat may sound like a vacation (don’t you think so?), but based on my experiences, most retreat ask you to look deep inside of yourself, and sometimes this can be uncomfortable or stir the pot of our soul.

Not everybody can have immediate healing for one time retreat. Sometimes it takes more time depending on our openness to the process by putting down all the ego, anger and be humble in every second. Putting our trust in the retreat process will make space for the necessary work we have to do, making it easier for our hearts and minds to explore wholly the innermost reaches of our soul. By paying attention to these messages, we pave the way for greater healing and transformation, since spending time in contemplation at a retreat will give us the gift of insight and understanding that we can use in all aspects of our daily lives.

By sharing these experiences, I hope it will make a ‘door’ to those who have planned to go… Happy weekend, Happy Hari Raya and God Bless you all.

Mary Annai Velangkanni

Continuations from my last visit to Medan in August..hehheee..

What you see below is not a Temple, it’s a church … called ‘Mary Annai Vellangkanni’ Our Lady of Good Health located at Tanjung Selamat, Medan North Sumatera. Based on the popular devotion to Mother Mary who is said to have appeared in 17th century in a coastal village called Vailankanni, in Tamil Nadu India. She has come to be known as Annai Velangkanni, meaning Mother of Velangkanni just as Mary, Our Lady of Lourdes and Our Lady of Fatima.

This majestic looking building resembles a towering Temple, which will certainly draw the attention of any passers by. Mary Annai Velangkanni was under construction from September 2001 to September 2005 and was declared open on 1st October 2005.

The uniqueness of this shrin lies in the originality of its Indo-Mogul architecture, in it's ornaments and display of colours done by amateur hands and above all in it's Biblical content narrating from the history of salvation from creation until the second coming of Jesus through it's structures, ornaments and paintings. The shrine consists of two floors; A Community Hall on the ground floor a place of worship on th first floor with a balcony and seven storey tower with tripple domes, symbolizing heaven, the abode of the Triune God Almighty.

Rev. Fr. James Bhrataputra, SJ designer architect and contractor of this monumental shrine. The whole concept of the shrine was inspired by one of the contemplations on the mystery of Incarnation as suggested in the spiritual exercise of St. Ignatius of Layola, the founder of the Jesuit Order. Rev. Fr James has tried to give a concrete form to his life long contemplation as a Jesuit.

Mini garden dedicated to the memory of Marian Pope John Paul 11.

Children park back of the chapel

Before the entrance of the second floor stand two huge statues of St. Paul, the Apostle of nations and St Francis Xavier the Apostle of Asia welcoming the visitors. I only managed snap a statue of St Paul.

Entrance of the Community Hall at the ground floor

The miracles of God.

The interior of the church that is studded fully with relief, paintings and ornaments is a feast for eyes.

The dome above the alter has three paintngs describing the second coming of Christ and tha last judgement scenes.

The last supper

From the entrance door of the church, you can see the paintings are diffrent. What's the different?? Let me tell you.. but for sure I couldnt believe my eyes too!!.. I saw they having the feast at a table but when I come closer to the altar.. the feast are on the floor. Too bad, My camera a 'too good' to took a picture..hahhahaaaa...

Another church.. which catch my eyes.. St Fransiscus De Asisi.. located at Brastagi

The structures and design from the Batak culture

Inside the chapel..

Actually I took too many pictures of different types of church with their own uniqueness and design... will share with you all..next time..hehhehee

I'm So Tired...

Feeling tired is one of the most common phrases in many of us especially with those who deal with timeline in work or study. Not easy to diagnose what is the real caused of tired as it could be caused by so many different ailments. Last night, I can’t sleep and my mind start thinking to find out why I feel so exhausted especially this week. Normally, I answered my mind by saying that ‘I’m tired coz I over worked ..I’m tired coz not enough time ..I’m tired coz not enough sleep and etc’. It’s just a few reasons of why I might be feeling so tired.

Maybe I bored with my routine works and daily personal life. Everyday come home from work and just collapse on couch or bed feeling tired. No desire to move on and don’t want to do anything. Feel trapped doing the same thing every day with no hope for escape. Always feel like my whole life was ‘get up, go to work, come home, go to bed then repeat again tomorrow’. Feel frustrated with what’s happening in my life.

Today is Saturday and not a working day for me. But still need to come to office to do some works.. now I’m ready to take a shower.. :(

Maybe I need to try something new… but I still feel tired to think about it.. hehheehee. And now I still very tireeeeeeeedddddddd….

The Obstacle..

Time is running out...

With every steps taken, it may lead to unforgiving decisions...

Lonely Weekend

Cloudy Saturday.. bored at home. No good movies played at Astro. I called up my friend to take a walk. Have a little breakfast then round-round town. Nothing interesting. We went to religious bookshop at Wisma Merdeka and saw an advertisement of Doulos coming down to KK.. and start today at 6.00pm!! wow... means I can have a lot books..hehehheee (ulat buku..). Too bad.. open at 6.00pm..sigh.. so, we decided to took a little drive away from town..and end up to Karambunai Resorts.. (cuci mata saja..hehehe..)

Far..far away...

One of the open restaurant in front of the swimming pool.. the food are quite expensive.. lunch cost RM150++ per pax.. including a glass of wine..phew..

Then we went to East Karambunai..Lagoon Park.. again.. cuci mata only..

Some activities at Lagoon Park..you can have one with the very moderate fee.. they count by hours. Entrance fee RM10 only..

Since it's a cloudy day..the water also look cloudy..hahhaaa.. I mean I hoping it's blue..

After sunsett mass..again.. this two single ladies..lol.. went to Doulos ship. Our intentions are only cuci mata and surveyed the price and come back tomorrow to 'invest' some money there. The price are based on unit. RM8 for 100 units. The price looked ok to me..coz you can have a lot of books such as religious, children bed time storybook and fairy tales, books by famous authors, educational, CD and etc which hardly to find at KK or Malaysia. If there is, price are expensived. But, I cannot control myself to have this book.. a cooking book. Very simple one. This what I'm looking for.. not much ingredients to prepare for one meal especially busy person like me..lol.. (atau kata lain...pemalas).

What you have to do is to prepare 3, 4 or 5 ingredients.. I bought it for RM32.. a lot of recipes inside.. from breakfast, lunch, dinner, cocktail, party, biscuits, juices, salad... I'll try to make one this evening.. then tonite will go back to Doulus.. Planned to buy a fairy tales and educational book for children..save for X'mas present.. hahahhaa.. why not since you can get it cheaper right?..lol..

Medan Trip 09.08.2009 (2nd day)

As I promised.. here is my 2nd day of trip to Medan, North Sumatera.. hehheee...

Going through Medan-Parapat route seeing a lake as big as that made Samosir appear like an amazing grand island in North Sumatera.

There is the legend of Lake Toba and Samosir Island believed by the Batak people. Once upon a time..hehheee.. bed time story..ready? there was a man who named Toba lived around a ravine of Toba hill. Nobody knew when he arrived or where he came from. He lived in a small temporary hut on a farming area by the river, surrounded by an oval shaped hill. He was a fisherman. He also owned a garden. Once, he found a big fish in his woven rattan fish trap and it changed his life, in fact, he had never caught such a big fish before. It was an extra ordinary one. Then he put it in his hut and went out to think about how to cook it in a special way. After a little while, he went back to the hut. To his surprise, it was not an ordinary fish but a supernatural one. It had turned into a beautiful princess named Nauli. It is scales had changes in to beautiful jeweled ornaments and dresses fit for a princess. He then proposed to her, he asked her “will you be my wife” she nodded romantically.

The man was very happy. The princess said that she would like to get married to him but only with one condition. He should never tell any body that she had been a fish. The man agreed, she told hil that if he broken his promise that there would be tears and disaster.

Finally, they lived happily and harmoniously with their only daughter named Samosir. After the daughter grew up her mother always asked her to take her father’s lunch to him where he was out working in the fields. But unfortunately she was very greedy. Once , she ate up all the food that should have been given to her father. He was very angry when he saw her eating up all his food in the street. He shouted to her," you are rebellious. You are really the offspring of a fish". The princess heard the curse and felt that he had broken their agreement, arriving home the daughter asked her mother, who was crying about it. Without answering her daughter’s question, she asked her to go to a hill because there would be a disaster. After she had been praying for one minute there was an earthquake. Heavy rains fell down and springs came up from the ground. The place turned into Lake Toba and the hill into Samosir Island

See the 'small cruise' there? we used it as a transport to Samosir Island..

The heavenly beautiful of Lake Toba...

The Pride of Medan Indonesia. Lake Toba also known as the largest volcanic lake (crater lake) in the world. It is estimated that Toba Lake was formed during a volcanic eruption about 70,00 thousand years ago. After this eruption, a caldera was formed that was filled by water afterwards and now known as Toba Lake. The pressure from the dormant magma, which has not yet erupted, caused Samosir Island to emerge. Samosir Island are in the middle of the Toba Lake. Samosir Island is the world’s fifth largest island lake. Samosir Island is an approximately almost as big as Singapore Island, often described as the heartland of Batak culture, with their traditional dwellings are elevated house made of hard wood, and are located amidst beautiful mountain scenery.

HORAS!!!! is the local greetings delivered with enthusiasm. The Batak people love their lake and island, and many traditional local songs are written about it. We've been served with their local songs along the way to the Samosir Island sing by their 'local singers' hehheee.. too bad, I did not managed to took their pic's. I'm too amazed by the panaromic view of the Lake Toba. There are also some fine woodcarves at Samosir Island, as a glance at any of the souvenir shops will verify.

Batak handicrafts..

Batik and handicraft at Samosir Island

You can shop as much as you can.. and remember to bargain as low as you can..

Souvenir shops at Samosir Island..

Resort provided along the way to Samosir Island.. nice resort

Way to Samosir Island.. one of the local transport.. speed boat for the villagers to go to the main land.

Another island at Lake Toba

Nice view from my room.. you can see the Lake and Samosir Island

My 2nd day of staying..Niagara Hotel & Resort. Located at hill area, this hotel facing the Lake Toba .

Some facilities at the resort... I'm not dared to swim..hehehehe..beside swimming pool, you can have a karaoke and full body massage with 50,000 rupiah or RM17 approx.. yes, I did took the body massage.. sorry I cannot upload here..hehehee..

Evening view from my veranda room... Lake Toba with Batak legend.

Giant foot massage.. do you dare to go to the middle without slippers or shoes?.. hehehe.. made from original stone..
I've tried..painful.. managed to get to the centre..but cannot continued with the 'journey massage'.. I cannot stand the pain . I asked my friends to throw my slippers..hahhaaa..

Will post the 3rd and 4th day in my next post.. visits to Brastagi, active volcanos, love story of Gundaling Hill... wait.. lol..