A little poetry … just because…

Posted on November 22, 2018 by AlianaAlani

I DANCED
©Aliana Alani 2018

plumeria

I danced once
With the king of heaven
In the land of saffron

Midst tinkling bells
And droning chants
Along invisible pathways
And perfumed winds
That whispered sacred promises

I danced
Until what was could not be found
And only what could be remained

We danced, the king of heaven and I
In the land of saffron
Under a banyan tree of golden light
That only we could see

And when it was over
(if it was ever over)
Only Love remained

Happy Canada Day!

Posted on July 1, 2018 by AlianaAlani

maple leaf Yes, it’s that day again when those of us in the North celebrate the leaf (maple, of course), the syrup (also maple), the moose, the elk, the beaver, and of course, the loon (no, not the coin but that’s okay to celebrate too). We can be found waxing poetic about the skies, the vastness of the land, the beauty of the waters (cold though they might be), the music, the vino, the micro-beer, and all other things wonderfully Canadian. Now that we are in the time of summer warmth (and for some of you it is truly hot hot), you might even discover a few of us thinking fondly of snowy chilly times, but only briefly, you understand, none of us wanting to inadvertently call the frozen realm toward us any time soon.

So go out there and celebrate. Wave a flag, lift a glass of cheer, say EH! if you must (clearly I’m not a fan), share a memory with someone near (only the good ones are allowed today), be generous, be polite (another quintessential Canadian trait), be happy, and remember – shower your life, your friends, and your world with loving kindness … for if ever loving kindness was needed, it’s now.

HAPPY CANADA DAY EVERYONE!

A bit of poetry, sent with love

Posted on May 9, 2018 by AlianaAlani

No Goddess Likes To Be Ignored

She enters your world like the goddess she is
Late or early, one knows not which
She has her own sense of time
Her own way

A flick of red-gold
A puff of smoke
Flirtatious, at first

She enters
And you pay her no mind, silly you
No goddess likes to be ignored

She beats the drum of her inner womb
Until you turn and look her way
Beats some more until you think – enough
But she has just begun

She’s claiming ground now
Caressing skin
Searching for the heart
Taking what is hers
What you thought was yours, silly you

Rumbling along the path of your tomorrows
Cracking wide the green of your todays
Filling the spaces, red-hot and wild

Call her if you can, if you will
But do not speak her name in vain
No goddess likes that either

Say to her only this:
I see you and I remember
Say:
Let us live in harmony, you and I
Say:
Aloha, Pele, Aloha, Aloha, Aloha

In case…

Posted on April 30, 2018 by AlianaAlani

Hi Everyone:

In case you happen to notice that my 22shangrila circle just got smaller, I thought I should reassure you that – no, it didn’t shrink from mysterious causes, or critters surfacing from the depths of some bog in the realm of Bog-Dom, nor was it ghosts that go BUMP in the night snatching circle people along the way. It is simply because I finally decided to do what I had been telling myself I would do for the past month or more, which was to delete my Facebook Friends account. Yes, I’m one of those who are ‘logging off’ the site for a multitude of reasons which I won’t bore you with. Because 22shangrila and my Facebook Friends account were linked to enable sharing, when one goes … well you get the picture.

I am however leaving the icons below my postings here so you can use them should you wish to, recognizing that what’s right for me is not necessarily right for everyone else.

So you know – 22shangrila.com is, from now on, my principle connection with The World. Thanks for being a part of it! If you like what you see, feel free to talk it up with your friends. And thanks for that too.

Life is like a garden…

Posted on April 27, 2018 by AlianaAlani

LIFE IS LIKE A GARDEN…

by Aliana Alani ©2018

LIFE IS LIKE A GARDEN. Granted we don’t always see it that way but if you think about it, really think about it – it is. So look around you. What do you see?

If it’s a garden in your yard, you might see blooming flowers, unless of course it’s the beginning of Spring in which case you may be looking at dead grass and last year’s we’ve-lost-all-our-glow autumn leaves. However, you might also see a fledgling little popup of green here or there, which is good news, because those would be the bulbs you planted last fall now getting ready to burst upon the scene with much desired vibrant colour. The thought of which makes a person smile. It’s got to. Who doesn’t love colour after a long white winter?

And if it’s the garden of your yard, you know that all there is to do is get out there with that rake, scoop up all those dead leaves, turn over the soil in those flower beds, and yup, plant a few flowers. And then, voilà, you have yourself a beauteous landscape of a backyard, guaranteed to touch your heart, and garner admiration from your neighbours all summer long.

Now – If it’s the garden of your life and all you see around you is dead grass, then you have a bit of work to do. Dead grass in your personal garden is a wakeup call. For just like your backyard garden needs a little TLC now and then (that’s tender loving care for those of you who might not remember), so does the garden of your life.

Dead grass brings with it questions. The obvious one being – where is the life? That’s a question bordering on the existential which could take you forever to answer if you’re not careful so give yourself permission to hear the sound bite version! And then we have – how long has it been since you’ve seeded it with dreams of possibility? Those are the Yes I Can dreams you’ve held close to your heart for so long. How long since you’ve watered your life with love? If you’re having trouble locating the watering can then you’ve got your answer to that one. If there’s a lot of dead grass then chances are you’ve either ignored your garden, perhaps completely, or fed it consciously or not with thoughts of anguish, doubt, or despair. Oh dear.

Your opportunity, should you choose to accept it, is to cast an eye (two if you’re feeling really brave) around the garden of your life and see what you find. If it’s an endless field of dead stuff, then ask yourself why. The next course of action is obviously the rake, the shovel, or the rototiller. But before you go using the rototiller, we should probably talk.

More Life is a Garden thoughts to come, so tune in again!

HAPPY GARDENING!

And so…

Posted on March 30, 2018 by AlianaAlani

We die to that which no longer serves us

Only to be reborn to that which we long for beyond all else

Remember…

Sessions…

Posted on March 6, 2018 by AlianaAlani

I am currently available for One-on-One Private Session work – Mondays, Tuesdays, and Saturdays.

To read more about it, click on Private Sessions

And remember –

Love is the answer.

Always has been. Always will be.

Happy New Year!

Posted on January 1, 2018 by AlianaAlani

Wishing everyone a truly magical New Year.

May 2018 bring you all much prosperity and joy. May your fondest dreams blossom into the awesome gardens they have always been meant to be. And may love fill your hearts to overflowing, and kindness waft through all your days.

May the light within you – eternal & everlasting – guide your way.

HAPPY NEW YEAR, EVERYONE!

Merry Christmas

Posted on December 21, 2017 by AlianaAlani

May the true spirit of Christmas touch your heart and bless your day – and may love and harmony prevail wherever you may be.

Merry Christmas – Happy Holidays

Peace on Earth

Blessings to you all!

Happy Thanksgiving

Posted on October 7, 2017 by AlianaAlani

autumn leaves It is Thanksgiving Weekend here in the Great Not-White-Yet North – traditionally a time of gratitude for all that you have been blessed to receive during the past year, and a prayer of thanks for all you hope to receive in the year to come.

Here it is also Autumn – a time when the leaves turn many colors, and at their perfect time, carpet the ground below. They dance midst the winds with a kind of reckless abandon as though they know their time is running short. I find myself incredibly grateful to watch them on this sunny day. I have always loved the dance of leaves.

I am grateful also for you, wherever you are – friends and strangers – those who click ‘like’ here and those who choose to ‘follow’. Thank you for dipping into the well that is 22shangrila and thank you for hanging around. Whether we have met or not, you make everything a bit brighter.

We live in an exquisitely beautiful world. Not always easy to remember in the midst of chaos, I know. So thank you for noticing its beauty, for taking the time to breathe it in, and for honoring it in your lives. For that, and for all you dare to do that is full of love, I am most grateful.

To you all, and to this very special planet which we all call home – THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!

May your days be ever blessed with love.