Reflections on layers

It's therapeutic to put my creative energy into photo collages 

when I'm emotionally distracted and can't get the unruly mind to focus on writing.

I enjoy the playfulness of overlaying images and love the serendipitous surprises.

Shapes and colours of underlying images meld and appear through each tier 

to form a coherent and visually pleasing, yet intangible whole

and only the person who creates it sees all the layers.

Similar to the multiple layers of experiences that mould us into who we are.

Past shades and lights are within us and seem intangible to others.

Each of us is the only one who can peel the layers 

to perceive the facets of his or her real self.

Let go of your fears

Look deep into the layers

untangle yourself

Toronto at dawn

Sometimes I wake up early and for a few precious minutes, I'm under the spell of nature

as I watch these breathtaking colours painting their way across the sky.

I love the peaceful lull, the quiet hush before cars and trucks start spilling onto the street 

and Toronto suddenly roars, hisses and clatters into a demented traffic rush.

Dawn in the city

sweeps away the grey slumber

stirs a new day's fire

Summer chaos and blooms

Feeling optimistic despite all the horrible things happening in this world.

No matter how bad things are, human kindness and solidarity

pop up in heartening ways to renew hope.

Expressing the feeling in the photo collage and the haiku below.

Blooms above chaos

pour over pandemic gloom 

scents of summer bliss 

The Power of Kindness

I'm grateful that most of us are doing our share to help Canada reopen

and we're keeping the social distance, wearing masks

and staying home as much as possible.

The long days on our own have been challenging but also an opportunity

to slow down, reflect on our needs, become resourceful,

and be kind to ourselves and to others.

Practicing self-kindness is great way to overcome the negativity of such an awful time.

It's been wonderful to gradually reconnect with good friends 

in backyards, parks, ravines, and with dear ones at home.

Sharing some photos taken on a nature walk.

Kindness of nature

lush, enchanting, mystical

 reflections of love

Rainbow of hope over Toronto

On the day Toronto goes into stage 2 reopening, a rainbow of hope appears on the skyline.

Hope in all colours

hard times softened with rainbows

love and compassion

The true voyage of discovery

The only true voyage of discovery would be not to visit strange lands but to possess other eyes.

Le seul véritable voyage, ce ne serait pas d'aller vers de nouveaux paysages, mais d'avoir d'autres yeux.

This insightful quote of Marcel Proust has so many layers of meaning. 

If we look at nature with new eyes, we can discover art in unexpected places, as in this photo.

On a more profound level, to view from others' eyes not only opens up new perspectives in seeing the world, 

but also enlightens us about others' values, lifestyles, cultures, 

which fosters open-mindedness and acceptance. 

Seeing with other's eyes opens our hearts so we can empathize with others' hardships 

and pain, as well as discover the wonders in each of us. 

It's not easy to possess other eyes, as we all tend to think of our views as best, or we get stuck 

in one way of thinking, but it's a worthwhile endeavour to bring more humanity within us.

Close up of a tree bark spattered with lichens and moss

Abstract art in nature

Spring into summer

A photo collage to celebrate summer's exuberance. 

What a wonderful surprise to enjoy this glorious weather in May.

Much needed cheer from the stress of the pandemic

to give us strength to keep going.

Keep safe everybody.

Spring into summer

Sunshine blasting its brilliance

warms the air with joy

Love through the pandemic

Spring is here

hovering with fear, anxiety 

but love is in the air, in the fresh blooms 

in the sunlight, in the exuberance of unfurling leaves

In the caring and courage of frontline heroes

the warmth of strangers offering their help
the renewed closeness of our dear ones

all who stay home to stop the spread.

Love seeps into our confinement 

 the strained beats of our hearts

deep into our reflective state

it embraces our aloneness

bolsters our togetherness

 to heal our brokenness.

Love weaves past physical distance

it whispers across wavelengths
attentive, patient, hopeful, 

lingers through all seasons

survives any pestilence

it is timeless.

It's fun superimposing images and letting them flow into each other for this photo collage.
I love the random melding of colours and their magical effects.

Low-cost ventilator to help patients suffering from Covid-19

My brother, a biomedical engineer, and the director of University of Florida's Centre for Safety, Simulation & Advanced Learning Technologies, designed with the help of his colleagues, a low-cost ventilator that can be assembled from parts bought in a hardware store.

Please pass this around if you know any person, preferably with engineering background, who can volunteer to build it in any part of the world that is running out of ventilators. It will save many lives.

Please be aware that this product is not fully tested. It's being shared because of the current state of emergency due to Covid-19, and the predicted ventilator shortage worldwide. Updates are available on the site:

https://simulation.health.ufl.edu/technology-development/open-source-ventilator-project/

More info about this DIY ventilator in his interview here:

https://www.gainesville.com/news/20200325/uf-researchers-design-low-cost-diy-ventilator

Let's all do our share in helping to stop the spread of this virus. 

Keep safe with social-distancing and self-isolation. 

A video of Sem speaking on behalf of University of Florida Health faculty to explain the concept.

New update on the ventilator on April 8, 2020

Spring hope, renewal and love

On a walk by the ravine, 

keeping six feet apart from others,

reflecting on the horrors of the pandemic flu,

the long weeks of social distancing and self-isolation,

I saw hope in this constellation of white buds

eager to sprout from the chaos of dead leaves.

I saw life renewed in spring sunshine,

felt the warmth of those dear to me,

their silent presence 

in my heart.

Lin Fengmian: the uncle I wish I had met

In the last week, I saw a few documentaries about the life of Lin Fengmian, a cousin of my father. He is hailed internationally as the artist who started modern art in China by blending western techniques and traditional Chinese art.

I wish I had met this incredibly talented uncle whose work and life fascinate me. But we lived in different countries, and a generation gap, and cultural differences separated us.

He had already passed away by the time relatives showed me the wide range of his work. I was sad that I never had a chance to meet him. As an artist, I felt an immediate affinity for his watercolours, and the moods he created with the harmonious movements of his brush.

I learned from the documentaries that traumatic events marked his life. I imagine painting was a healing force that helped him express his pain, and make life bearable, and even enjoyable.

These documentaries are in French. For those not familiar with French, and interested in his art, you can see samples of his work in those films.

Lin Fengmian: Combattre pour l'art

Lin Fenmian: S'approcher de l'art pur

Lin Fengmian: Hanté par calvaires

Lin Fengmian: Lady in Blue Dress

Light and Shadow

When the sun spreads its light over the bare trees in winter
the transient shadows on the snow never cease to amaze
infusing depth and beauty to the landscape.

Same with the light of self-awareness that exposes
our shifting shadows, bringing insight, depth
so we can appreciate our wholeness.

Authors' Afternoon ending ... passing the torch to Aiesha Bristol

Hello writers and book lovers, I would like to thank you all for participating as featured authors, and guests at the Authors' Afternoon, and making it fun and inspiring. Thanks also to Tony Merante of Stella's Café for providing the charming and cozy venue.

It's been wonderful connecting with you all while hosting the Authors' Afternoon for 2 1/2 years. Sad to say goodbye, but every good thing has to end or take on a different form. The café is becoming a restaurant. I'm moving on to other personal projects, but will keep supporting writers and artists in all creative fields.

Happy to announce that Aiesha Bristol, also known as SoulSis, the talented musician, and enthusiastic, friendly host of Flow Friday at Amp Studio Café (154 Oakwood Ave near St. Clair Ave W) will feature a writer on the 3rd Friday of each month.

Flow Friday runs from 3 pm to 9 pm every week. Writers who are interested in being featured can drop by any Flow Friday to chat with Aiesha, and be part of this welcoming community for creatives. It's best to arrive before 6 pm for a discussion. 

On February 21st, the 3rd Friday of this month, Oz Phills will be the featured writer from 6 pm. There will be an open stage for all forms of creative expression, a drum circle, and a jam afterwards. For more details on Flow Friday, check the event on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/events/amp-studio-cafe/flow-friday-creative-community/2468801046732976

Thank you all for your support. Looking forward to seeing you this coming Friday, February 21st at 6 pm at Amp Studio Café for Oz Phills' talk about his book, "Blessed By Rhythm".

Love always

Wishing you love today and always ...

We have lots of room in our hearts to love, not only those dear to us, our family, friends, partners, but also, all those who come into our lives. It is in our nature to spread love ... it is free and limitless.

An interesting article that discusses the benefits of spreading love: 6 Reasons to Spread the Love

This article explains the various aspects of love beautifully: What is Love and What isn't? From it, some quotes that I can relate to:

Love does not come with conditions, stipulations, addenda, or codes. Like the sun, love radiates independently of our fears and desires."

Love does not say, "If you want to be loved, you must be nice," or "Do what i want," or "Never love anyone else," or "Promise you'll never leave me."

Love cares what becomes of you, because love knows that we are all interconnected.

Gratitude

Feeling grateful ...

Winter can be darn cold and icy

but when nature paints the landscape with snow and mist

creating an enchanting and surreal world

I'm under its spell

When we focus on the positive

it's so much easier to let go of the negative.

Sharing this interesting article about the benefits of gratitude.

The Neuroscience of Gratitude and how it Affects Anxiety and Grief

Winter 's fog and mist

blurs the hard lines of the mind

softens our vision

The Coral Heart's lovely journey - Le beau voyage de Coeur de Corail

It was a pleasure to read this positive review on the French translation of my book, The Coral Heart. Thanks again Robert Furlong for helping me with the translation. Thanks to Alain Gordon-Gentil of Pamplemousses Editions for editing and publishing it. 

Quel plaisir de lire ces commentaires encourageants sur mon livre Coeur de Corail. Merci encore une fois à Robert Furlong de m'avoir aidé à traduire ce livre. Merci à Alain Gordon-Gentil de Pamplemousses Editions de l'avoir édité et publié. 

https://litteratureilemaurice.blogspot.com/2019/09/peggy-lampotang-coeur-de-corail-le.html?fbclid=IwAR15Hly3NbdCRwQ321Y8QR4hwdD4X1yPluOmF9Br2BUHj5lOLYYYoeYlqMo#comment-form

I'm also thrilled that 3rd year students at University of Mauritius are currently studying The Coral Heart and Coeur de Corail for their BA French with Translation. 

Both books are available in Mauritius in all major bookstores. In Toronto, the English version is available at Book City St. Clair and Yonge, and worldwide on amazon.

  

Winter Weekend at Niagara Falls

Heavy snow, rain, and slashing winds 

did not stop us from driving to the falls.

Warm inside, we watched through windows

the mesmerizing force of pounding water

heard nature's roar, its continuous rush

felt the thrill of life, of friendship.

At the casino, a different kind of rush.

Bleary-eyed players pushing buttons

feeding bills into garish machines

seeking the thrill of winning

at the risk of losing everything.

Taking risks, an inherent part of human nature, 

makes me curious about why we choose to put ourselves in danger.

Or do we really have a choice when our genes are hardwired to do so?

Or did our childhood environment determine our risk-taking needs?

Some interesting articles that explore these issues:

https://theconversation.com/why-danger-is-exciting-but-only-to-some-people-64680

https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.00874/full

Authors' Afternoon with Lee Gowan and Ranjini George

It is with great pleasure that I invite you to meet our guest authors
Lee Gowan and Ranjini George

Come by and be inspired by these two fabulous writers who will share their writing journeys 

and read from their memoir, a work-in progress titled:

LOVE, KANNON: OUR PILGRIMAGE TO TOKYO

Looking forward to seeing many of you there. 

This is our last Authors' Afternoon at Stella's Café. 

More information will follow regarding its continuation in a different format, location, and with a new host.

Wishing you Peace and Love in 2020

Best wishes to all my blog readers for the holiday season.
I love Christmas, a beautiful time of joy in giving.
May the spirit continue all year long.

As I reflect on 2019, a year of growth, forgiveness and love,
I feel blessed to be surrounded by wonderful people,
family and friends who warm my heart each day.
May 2020 bring the same to you.
Keep your heart open with love and kindness
and good things will come.

Harbourfront at dusk

Grateful that in this city, 

we can find our way, within minutes, to the water, 

to a vast sky uninterrupted by the ever-present jungle of buildings,

to a tranquil lake that allows us to unwind,

even when the weather is darn cold.

We take in the crisp air, a brisk wind slapping our coats,

whipping strands of hair across our elated faces,

and I realize I love winter, its toughness,

the resilience it brings out in us, 

and I wait for the softness 

of its snow flakes.