If I could tell you…

Posted on April 1, 2018 by AlianaAlani

single-red-rose-3

If I could tell you a story, it would be about how beautiful you are.
It would be a story of love, and laughter, and possibility.
If I could tell you.

If I could tell you a story here and now, would you listen?
Or are you busy – with phones, and games, and the clutter of living?
If I could tell you.

And if I told you, would anything be different, in your world and mine?
Or would we wander, still, like lost souls in the desert of remembering?
If I could tell you.

For if I could tell you – the short form of it at least –
This is what I would say:

You are as beautiful as the sun and moon and stars.
As special as that which knows no beginning and no end.
You are the light of day, and the darkness of night.

You are unique, unlike all else, and yet you are one with all things.
You matter – and though it oft times seems that all this you do not remember,
I would tell you anyway, if you would listen.

I would tell you.

Stories –

Posted on January 21, 2018 by AlianaAlani

STORIES –
by: Aliana Alani ©2018

You can love them or hate them.
Laugh till you cry or cry till you sob.

You can bravely follow page by page,
Or sneak peek to the end, to be sure to be sure.

You can raise their swords of truth as though they were your own,
Or shake your head at the sheer folly of where they appear to go.

Through them – you can be a swashbuckler, a Cinderella, an angel, or a spy.
You can dust off your dancing shoes,
Or race that Formula One car to the finish.
In some, you can even fly.

And if they are good enough – if they are well told –
They will, at some point, capture your heart.
From that moment on, for however long a time,
You will believe them to be your own.

This is for you…

Posted on August 26, 2015 by AlianaAlani

I’ve had 22shangrila up and running for awhile now. Some of you have been following here since the beginning; others are new, or at least newer. Some click ‘like’ having found something in that moment that speaks to you and then you are gone into the internet mist, never to be heard from again. Some come back. Some choose to hang around.

To all of you, I want to say – THANK YOU!

Thank you for being touched by something in this site, whether that be poetry, an article, or some of the other work I do. Thank you for letting me know. And thank you for choosing to follow to see what else might show up here.

The purpose of 22shangrila has always been to communicate – to speak to the language of the heart in us all, no matter the form or moment – but especially through the power of word, image, and story. And of course to let you know what I’m doing.

I’m not the best at answering, or for that matter at clicking ‘follow’ to your sites when you come to mine. Apologies. The intention is often there. I do take a look at what you’re doing if you click ‘like’ on mine, and I often say to myself, ‘I must make a comment, a thank you, an I-like-your-work-too’. But then the moment goes, the phone rings, the muse calls, and my best intentions fly off into the winds. I’ll try to get better at that.

After all, we are a community of world storytellers, are we not? Mystics in the making, perhaps. Poets abounding. Weaving new visions and thoughts that, yes, could quite possibly change our world for the better. And we all matter.

So here’s to you – all of you – may every day in your life flourish with harmony, balance, and love. May you weave the most scrumptious tales ever, whether they be in word, image, or sound! And may they dance in our world like magic calling us home.

I hope you’ll hang around. If it feels right, send a comment note or an email (I will answer those) and tell me what you’re doing to help this world be a kinder happier place.

And again – THANK YOU!

Aliana

In The Realm of Sky

Posted on February 26, 2015 by AlianaAlani

I mentioned last month that I would be taking the pdf of In The Realm of Sky off the site. It took a little longer to get around to than anticipated due to some unexpected developments in my life (more on that later, maybe). So today is the day.

I truly hope you have enjoyed reading it as much as I did writing it, and I hope you have enjoyed receiving it free-of-charge. To me, it is a magical story.

Until a print book copy is done (hopefully late this year), the pdf of the story will still be available upon request, but for a small fee. Just email me at 22shangrila.com or leave a comment/request below if you haven’t read In The Realm of Sky and want to.

I’ll be keeping a wee info page regarding the story on the site so that anyone can check it out at their leisure.

Wishing you a heart-filled delicious day!

Posted on January 25, 2015 by AlianaAlani

Warm wishes for a wonderful 2015 coming your way! May all your fondest clearest and most empowered dreams come true, and may they always be filled with love.

We are almost at the end of January (how quickly it goes) and already it’s been a whirlwind of a time in our world. I’m coming to you late in this as are my good wishes to you. New Year’s found me flat out with that flu/cold virus that has swept across North America and so it’s taken awhile to rise up from that bed and catch up with, well just about everything.

So here’s goes … a bit of news on the work and a few thoughts re what’s been going on.

TEMPLATES FROM THE GARDEN – the sacred geometry artwork I’ve been doing. There’s a new one available. It’s called – Awakening Creativity. It’s big, it’s beautiful, it’s powerful. If you feel drawn to see it, to perhaps become a Keeper of its Focus or to buy it as artwork, send me a quick email c/o 22shangrila.com or leave a message here and I’ll get back to you with images and info.

IN THE REALM OF SKY – the small children’s book I wrote and posted here last year – has been available for you to read free-of-charge for awhile now. I want you to know that I’ll be taking it down from this site within the week. So if you want to read it before then, do so now. After that, the book will be available, hopefully late this year, but in print form. Hence you will need to buy it. I’ll update you as that happens.

SESSION WORK – For buckets of time in the not-so-distant, I was available as a spiritual facilitator for private sessions, workshops, retreats, and speaking events. It was a potent time. I ended up taking time out, partly to go to Ireland and follow a yellow-brick road that took longer than one could possibly imagine (okay maybe you could), and partly to focus on writing and exploring our world. Recently I have started being available for session work again. This is often long distant work, so by phone or Skype. And it is always with a focus of coming home to your true essence and to the Garden of Love & Light. You are welcome to email me if you feel this work might be for you. At present I am only available to see a few clients at a time.

There are new projects beginning, new artwork, and hopefully a bit of poetry. I’ll update you on those as they happen. And thanks for taking the time to check it all out!!

THE WHIRLWIND … If the beginning of 2015 is any indication of how this year will be, at least in the world-at-large, then hang onto your hats and get centered because that’s what we’ll need to be to either ride out the storm or shift to a new paradigm. Shifting is definitely in the cards – we have been moving toward it for awhile – as is living in The Garden.

So balance, kindness, and compassion are key now, as is that ever constant – love – which ultimately allows us to prosper in the best of ways.

It has always been my sense that to truly live in The Garden of Love, one must surrender attachments; to old ways of being, old stories, perceptions and judgements. One is often called to forgive what was in order to love what can be. The term ‘wiping the slate clean’ comes to mind.

Non-judgement (& no one said this one was going to be easy) also requires a tolerance of being; to look beyond the histories and stories (ours or another’s) to the Spirit that lives within (whether you call it Spirit, the Divine, God, or the Eternal); remembering that the essence of all Spirit is the same – that when I look at you, I am indeed looking at Spirit. When I allow that, I am able to recognize that we are all truly one.

At the level of Spirit, freedom is a way of being. It is meant to be that way in our world as well, just as we are meant to be the conscious expression of Spirit in our world.

With that in mind, freedom becomes a right, not a privilege. So when we in this world attempt to inhibit freedom – whether that be freedom of speech, freedom of expression, or any of the other freedoms we should be holding dear, we are in fact inhibiting a path to the conscious manifestation of the essence of our own being here on earth.

So here’s the thing – It is easy to allow freedom when it’s all going according to your own take on things; when what you say or believe matches what I think. It is when you speak, write, or parody in a way that seems to counter what I have chosen to believe, that the challenge arises. Will I still recognize your right to freedom of expression or will I damn it?

Voltaire, a French philosopher, writer & historian has been quoted as saying, “I may not agree with what you have to say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.” From time to time, I remind myself of this gem of wisdom, especially in moments like those in Paris recently.

I am as well a storyteller. Stories come in many forms, one of which happens to be satire. Satire has been around for longer than you and I can remember. It has always been a way to poke fun at or shine a light on that which is out of balance in the world. Just as art in its myriad of forms has also been a way for us to rise above the mundane, to dare to dream, to live beyond the expected, to change, to laugh, to cry, and again, to shine a light on that which is or is not working.

It is through story that, consciously or not, we end up creating new worlds. How sad if the world we ended up with would be but a tiny crafted box only big enough for infinitesimally small experiences and even smaller expressions of being; a box with no freedom and very little light.

Which for some reason brings me to William Butler Yeats who wrote in a now famous poem – “I have spread my dreams under your feet. Tread softly because you tread on my dreams.”

So in this year of 2015, let us dare to dream a world of harmony and love into being, beyond the hatred and fear. Let us reach beyond those boxes to the skies and dare to live with passion. And most importantly, let us dare to love.

Blessings and love to you all.

Coming to you soon – IN THE REALM OF SKY

Posted on August 1, 2014 by AlianaAlani

Stories can be funny things. Sometimes you struggle to hear them. Sometimes they will call at you until you answer. IN THE REALM OF SKY was one of those. Its first words came like a waterfall. I had no idea what the story was going to be about, nor its primary form, only that it desired to be shared and would not leave me be.

Until last year, I didn’t write children’s stories. So I didn’t know this would be one. It is a sweet small poignant tale that any of us, young or older, can appreciate. Its message is universal. And it wants to be shared. Recently it seemed important to do just that.

So I am making this little book available to you all, at the moment free-of-charge, in pdf format. You are welcome to read it and to download it (changing it in any way is not an option). I am hopeful that sometime soon there will be money to make it available in print form as well. For now, this will do.

It will be available soon here on my web blog – http://www.22shangrila.com (look for the page marked IN THE REALM OF SKY) – and from me personally via email – aliana@22shangrila.com.

IN THE REALM OF SKY is meant to be shared with the world, so please let others know about it.

If this story touches your heart, I’d love to hear from you, and if you would like to contribute to it or future stories of mine coming to you this way, please feel free to click on the PayPal Donate button on my blog at http://www.22shangrila.com. All donations are gratefully received.

Blessings and Aloha to you all!

Aliana

Exploring The Possible … Through the Power of Story

Posted on June 21, 2014 by AlianaAlani

I recently created a Group Page on Facebook called – Exploring the Possible … Through the Power of Story. It has been created to provide a place for people to share their stories and visions of a world of harmony & love, with the idea that in doing so, we and our world can blossom. The article that explains it all is below. You do have to ask to be a member but otherwise it’s an open site, so when you have time, go to the Group Page, take a look and see if it’s for you.

THIS GROUP IS FOR ANYONE TRULY INTERESTED IN ENVISIONING & LIVING IN A WORLD OF HARMONY & LOVE – HERE & NOW

…The group has been started by ALIANA ALANI

THROUGH THE POWER OF STORY…

EVERYTHING IN LIFE IS A STORY. The stories we tell ourselves. The ones we tell each other. The ones we tell our world. Story is how we define the inner and outer of our lives, and it is how we choose to change – from an old story that no longer serves us into a new story of who we want to become.

COLLECTIVELY THESE STORIES become our histories, myths and legends. They waft through the annals of time to a later date where you or I read about them, ponder, and are often enlightened. They are the jewels in the treasure chest of life. They can also be those pesky chains that bind us to the past.

STORY COMES IN MANY FORMS – through the power of imagination and intent, it can take shape via word, sound, and visual – think book, blog, film, video, YouTube, theatre, photography, painting, illustration, speaking, singing, rapping, slam poetry, and of course music.

This is where you and I come in.

THE STORY OF A WORLD OF HARMONY & LOVE:

FOR CENTURIES PEOPLE have spoken of a land of milk and honey; a place resplendent with harmony, love, and abundance. Whether envisioned through the eyes of a poet or storyteller, philosopher, mystic or messiah, it is ever etched within the fabric of the collective mind and heart of we, the people of planet earth.

THIS LAND OF POSSIBILITY has over time been gifted many names. Some call it Shangri-La or Shamballa, some The Land of The Blessed, some Paradise, and many, The Garden of Eden. And though the dynamics within may vary, the essence of all these stories remains the same. In it, we are in tune with our inner spirit, at one with our hearts, in balance with mind and body, and at peace with all in the world which we inhabit. In it, we effortlessly flourish in a magnificent manifestation of the celebration of life. I call this place, The Garden. And in my heart, I know it already exists.

So here’s the opportunity – and I’m hoping you’ll want to come onboard.

WHAT IF WE EACH TAKE THE TIME to envision what The Garden looks like to us? How we feel in it and how we act in it? What if we tell a story about that in whatever form feels right? What if we share that story – here, now?

BY DOING IT, we shine a light on it in our hearts. By sharing it, we shine a light on it in our world.

IMAGINE – your story calling out a song to someone else’s – maybe you’re in North America, maybe they are in India, maybe Bali or Hawaii, Australia or New Zealand, Europe or Asia, Africa or the Middle East – maybe the story sounds similar, maybe even the same. IMAGINE – the power of love in that.

SO WHETHER YOU WRITE a poem, a short story, a song; whether you put something on YouTube and link it here; whether you do a painting or a series of photographs; whether you do an improv session at your school or local theatre and film it for us to see; whether you do it as a group or by yourself – whatever wonderful form you choose to take – take the time to tell us your story, your vision, your dream of a world of harmony and balance, love and prosperity – here and now.

HELP THE VISION GROW. The crazy thing is, if you tell it often enough, you’ll end up living it. Think where we’ll all be then.

JOIN THE VISION – CREATE THE MAGIC – SHINE A LIGHT

…and remember, this is a place for sharing positive loving stories … nothing less will do

ALOHA … and thank you, ALIANA

Listen…

Posted on April 29, 2014 by AlianaAlani

©Aliana Alani 2014

Listen to the winds

Everywhere there is poetry

Everywhere, a story

Your life and mine

The man in the street with a cup and a sign

The story it says of him

The story he has yet to tell

Listen to the winds

Whispers and prayers

Whispers and blessings

Listen

The Gucci bag and the bling tell a tale

But what’s inside tells more

The country, the clan, the lone wolf

All dancing on song lines from yesterday to tomorrow

Beating a drum, a heartbeat, a rhythm

Of passion and promise, sorrow and longing

Desires and dreams

Everywhere there is poetry

Everywhere, a story

Listen to the winds

Listen

For Philip Seymour Hoffman – in memory & in gratitude

Posted on February 7, 2014 by AlianaAlani

For sharing his amazing talent and beauty with us all … for daring to always push the envelop as an actor … and for being an inspiration to the world of story – THANK YOU.

This poem comes to mind – for his family, for his friends, and for those of us who never knew him personally but somehow feel the loss …

It is by Mary E Faye and it is called: I DID NOT DIE

Do not stand at my grave and forever weep.

I am not there; I do not sleep.

I am a thousand winds that blow.

I am the diamond glints on snow.

I am the sunlight on ripened grain.

I am the gentle autumn’s rain.

When you awaken in the morning’s hush

I am the swift uplifting rush

Of quiet birds in circled flight.

I am the soft stars that shine at night.

Do not stand at my grave and forever cry.

I am not there. I did not die.

Bless your heart, Philip Seymour Hoffman. We are richer because you were here.

Raining Sapphires …

Posted on February 1, 2014 by AlianaAlani

I wrote most of this a couple of years ago. Suddenly woke up yesterday knowing I had to dust it off, edit & update it a bit, and share with you. I hope that in some small way it touches a positive chord in your heart. Blessings to you, Aliana

It was raining sapphires along the sands and beaches of my heart. The sky kissed the air with perfumed stardust and the earth trembled, shivering like a fragile expectant lover. It beckoned as lovers often do in a strange hypnotic fashion, its rhythm enticing and provocative, its inner smile illusive and tempting. Yet somehow I could not follow, not fully, not yet. Perhaps it was the dust that clouded my vision. Perhaps it was fear, of the known and the not. Perhaps it was the one thing I frequently chose to ignore, to dance around, to two-step, to tango, to fox-trot, from there to here and fro; the one thing I knew would eventually happen, and yet … Perhaps it was all of these, and more.

This was, after all, my story, hence my world.

The picture comes in fragments. It is unstable and will not hold. That is its illusion, and to some, its reality. It appears increasingly bleak and fond of monochromes, especially shades of grey and black, as though its creator had decided to cast it all in shards of steel and bones of white ash, with a dash of startling midnight blue. Its waters pound against timid shores. Its winds blow like hurricanes of ancient memory. It does not speak of tomorrows, only what was, what might have been, therefore by lineage and association what could be, today. It tantalizes through threads of adrenaline pumped with escalating chords of anxiety. Its song is of flight and fright, of dread and fear. Its clothes are many layered, yet its costume remains the same. If it has its way, soon wherever we turn, this will be all we see. It will be all we feel. It will be all we think we know. We will be wrong but…

For this is a road of dissolution and dismembering that ultimately can know no air.

Within the fragments reside people, lands, countries, and stories. Within the fragments are hearts capable of soaring yet feeling broken, their worlds crumbling around them – security, sustenance, love – all seem to vanish within one large long cosmic breath. The classic, Poof, and there is no more. The cause varies but the result appears the same. The world watches in horror, its compassion tinged with a hidden worry that any minute the breath will turn in their direction. What then? What happens after that? So we begin to speak in apocalyptic terms, with words and gestures both large and expressive. We speak, often forgetting the power of thought, the energy generated by sound and intent. Forgetting what many of our ancestors knew; that by doing so, we may indeed be calling our own little apocalypse into being. We may be helping to magnify its possibility.

For it too travels a road that ultimately can know no air.

Like the many sides of a fine diamond or those sapphires on the beaches of my heart, inside each facet of the stories that make up our lives, no matter what appears to be happening in the moment, no matter whether we love it or hate it, lives an inner jewel that hovers like a secret key waiting to be discovered, a key that can unlock untold mysteries and bring with it endless peace and happiness. A key that is ours to have and use; that has always been there and always will be. The key may appear unique, perhaps even exotic, yet one thing that it carries is a link to beauty for beauty is a corridor to the heart, and the heart is one giant door to love. Love, as many have waxed poetic, is all there really is. In case you have forgotten, as many of us do.

Beauty is often said to be in the eye of the beholder. Where one person sees devastation, another observes within its skeletal midst an awe-inspiring splendor. Where another perceives garbage, someone else sees a dance of wonder hovering midst an air-floating plastic bag. And where some envision approaching death with fear and horror, others see within the light of life waiting to be reborn.

If you track this thought with me, you will perhaps find that hidden key. That lingering midst despair and devastation, no matter how impossible or painful it may seem (and it often seems totally impossible and incredibly painful) is an opportunity to view hence feel the beauty of existence, even if it is only for a moment, a seed of possibility blowing in a wind of turmoil. That in so doing, you may find yourself bringing that solitary seed of beauty to the fore more and more each day until one day, amazingly, within you only it will exist, having now blossomed, as seeds are apt to do, into a magnificent abundant garden of life, your life, and death, whatever form it had been taking, will have vanished mysteriously into the endless unknown.

Every moment is an opportunity, especially for love.

With that those sapphires sparkle and glitter, tossing their brilliance into the centre, into the heart finally, sprinkling their ethereal wisdom like starlight upon the ocean of my soul. A door within blasts open.

And I am home.