What Are We Afraid Of ?

Posted on September 2, 2018 by Razan Masri

Do we struggle to find the things we want? And why do we, when we have experienced receiving when we have least expected? Why do we position ourselves in the struggling mode when we can just let go when things don’t want to click? Why do we not learn that if it is bound to happen eventually it will… but we linger, once or twice or three times. Unsatisfied but what do we know then about satisfaction?

Life is perfect as it is today and tomorrow if we just accept ourselves in the now and we work as hard as we can (without struggling) for tomorrow. And not (a better tomorrow) for how do we know what is better anyway?

Sunset Diaries

Posted on June 24, 2018 by Razan Masri

And to every end a journey, and to every journey an end.

How Changing One Thing In Our Routine, Can Lighten Us Up.

Posted on June 12, 2018 by Razan Masri

Yesterday I posted on my instagram asking people what they do first thing in the morning.

The answers I got were mostly the usual things of opening our eyes, looking at our phones, heading for a shower. One different answer was, doing 3 yoga poses in bed which I thought must be a really good thing to try and do (if you are interested in yoga).

I sometimes feel it is always good to give our routine a change, an upbeat, something a little more ordinary to add on something new to our day, to our minds, and our attitude to life.

Some ideas I can throw in here are; watering your plants, doing a little prayer, kissing your loved awake or still asleep, meditating, or writing your morning pages.

Writing Morning Pages was my answer on my instagram in response to my question. It has been introduced to me a few years ago first, through a leadership camping training in Switzerland and second, in my writing group club in Amman. The former was used as a method to reflect and write at any time of the day on an empty page without thinking, just writing, letting all our feelings go into writing. And the later was taken from the book ‘The Artist Way’ and is done first thing in the morning, every day, religiously. It is a method to clear our minds and set our attitude positively to our day by using positive affirmations, positive thoughts, and goals.

Nothing is necessary for writing our Morning Pages, nothing is right or wrong, and no one needs to read them. They can be private or can be torn apart if it makes you feel more comfortable, but the idea is to write everything down every morning, first thing in the morning. Let it all out on empty pages. It is a great new start of the day.

They helped me make new self-realization, reflection, understand feelings, hidden thoughts, aspirations, dreams, neglect, it is just a very great way to understand oneself better, put what is unimportant aside on the pages, and put what we wish to attain from self-motivation on paper to remind us of our basic goals and dreams. Be gentle to my self, today, be gentle to everyone I encounter, smile, be graceful, walk with grace, speak with grace, listen with grace, give, with no expectations, no judgments, live, freely, loudly, happily, share, your dreams, and your love, be generous to yourself and to others… and this is how it goes.

I hope this blog post helps us live more positive. If you do have your own tip to share for a morning ritual, please comment and share.

My New Years Resolution

Posted on January 3, 2018 by Razan Masri

I always have a list of wants and wills for my new years resolution, but this new year I only want to be grateful, I want to listen to life, I want to accept what it brings, and when it brings what it brings I want to make sure I listen. Some things are sent our way, but are not ours, and we know it, but we don’t listen, while other things we pass by and we want, but are not good for us, but we don’t listen. 2017 taught me to let go, not by just going with any flow, nor by just being careless, but instead, to let go from wanting to over think, to let go from wanting to be in control, and to let go from questioning why, when, and how it happened. I let go by letting life take me where it wants to take me without having to understand. I choose, but I no longer swim against the tide, but with the tide. Today, my resolution for 2018 is to give back. It is to believe in the unseen or the un-comprehended, not only at times of difficulties, but at all times. We meet people, and we know from the very first moment where this new relationship will take us, we do not need to design it in our heads, as much as take the steps we feel is the right step to take and to believe in our souls that can hear. Whenever we are on a new path, we know where it will take us, but we are never certain, we don’t have to be certain, all we need to do is believe in our senses, and instead of clouding our own selves, to help open the doors by believing in our own readings. This new year of 2018, I want to strengthen my soul’s hearing, by accepting, by letting, by practicing, and above all by believing. This new year, I might be clueless to where I might be going, but I am thoughtful of my capabilities to know by feeling. And when felt, I will write it down, and I will remind myself that something good will happen.

A Piece

Posted on January 30, 2017 by Razan Masri

Found this beauty this morning on my instagram (EmergEast) and felt it was worthy to share. Since I have been absent from my blog, I decided why not do simple spreads whenever I could until I can give this blog my time again.

It has been hectic as going back to school after you turn thirty is pretty different than when you go to school right away. It is a different form of decision and will, priorities change and the will to aim high changes.

This on the other hand is a photograph from my weekend of Persian Food that I was absolutely brushed away by their sincerity in giving love and art to their plates. A Saffron Chicken dish sparkled with dried petals, grated vegetables for garnish, colorful spices and yogurt, not to forget some red-hot chilli pepper and parsley. indulge.

And although it was a gloomy weekend, it managed to still be colorful and beautiful.

Anyway have a colorful week.

An Imprortant Day

Posted on December 7, 2016 by Razan Masri

So what is it that you enjoy? What is it that you connect well with? Waking up to a small good read, maybe something that will give you energy, maybe a little chat with someone dear to your heart? Maybe few photographers reminding you of the highs of life? Maybe your tiny prayer book, few candles with your perfect scent? Maybe some native music, local music or symphony? What is it the makes your light shine? What is it the makes your cheek rise? Closing your eyes to a song that will only take you deep within your heart, connect, stay, sit, there inside your own self, sit, legs crossed, hands open, eyes closed, a smile, a soft cotton smile, let it soften every cell in your body, feel blissful, aroused to the idea of being elevated, now what is it that you want about today that you want to make happen? How can you imagine the process of what you are about to do, will go well, imagine it all from the very smallest, tiniest details, just go through it using your imagination, a magical option we all have within us, make your process the perfect way, feel the feeling you anticipate to feel, feel them deeply, hold into them, feel them and repeat them and say them, and attach yourself to them, watch your body vibrate light all around you, see them as sun rays going to all angles, see them spread and connect with other human beings who also need them, see your pink potion surround you with love, see that pink potion is only filing your ground, feel the amount of love one may have inside of each of us, feel it spread all around you like a hot steam that looks more like smoke, like cloud, pink, safe, loving, warm, and homogeneous.

This post is also available on the daily prompt

This photograph was selected from the collection of Q-TA

Just being Anthropologically Tangled

Posted on December 6, 2016 by Razan Masri

I started loosing my mind, but it is that sense of loosing that you know and you have experienced before, it is that moment when your brains are vomiting out ideas like a volcano explosion, I am certainly uncertain about how good or bad that is to say… Ideas, can they ever be bad? Pressuring, time consumption, possibility, vulnerability behind intentions, have I really come up with this idea for the sake of the before and after ideas, or is it a really good idea. You leave it, sleeping in your notes on your phone, or you stick it on a post it in front of your every day wall, or you scratch it down in one of your note books, I tried several times to organize that habit of mine that includes notes scattered everywhere, I have even started this blog just because of that, I think I have it written somewhere in my introduction or past introduction identifying the reason behind starting a blog: “to have one place for all my stars in my sky”. Sky, but there is a sky everywhere, isn’t there. I mean you go to Africa and there you have a sky, the same sky that you see in South East Asia, and then you have stars, but they are not always the very same stars, and this is my life with my notes, only a little overwhelming when I come to think about adding one more. But I add it, just in case you never know, one day, some day I might need it or find it or get back on it, does this happen to you at all? And this again goes back to my reason behind choosing to get into Anthropology, I just want to study people, my ideas are around understanding people, understanding situations, knowing the “unclear” a better word chosen to “unknown”, I just want to study things that happen that we can not utter in words, and so there is a complication in verbalizing, and so I suddenly am attracted to them like gravity calling me to make meaning of things.

Just a note on this post: I have been readings and thinking non stop about anthropological approach to anthropological topics for the past 24 hours “Dissertation Topic Matters”, maybe it will make better sense to my explicit post.

Added to the daily prompt on: Vanish

It becomes a habit, so here I am, back to writing…

Posted on December 5, 2016 by Razan Masri

I wanted to write on my blog, ever since I started my new life transition,

Well, now, we are almost over with the year 2016, and we are almost starting a new year,

It has been three months I suppose, since I stopped writing, actually, to be precise, since I stopped blogging.

I have visited this blog of mine several times, have written several posts, but I saved them on draft, I could not share them, although I never really think twice before publishing,

But I guess everything new is different, and everything different is an alien, “at first”. You can’t tell if it is good from bad, if you are enjoying it or not, if you are under stress or not, it is a notion, you are unfamiliar with. So, I dropped it.

But it has been few days, since I have had that blog tab open, I missed it, blogging, I have been taking photographs of new adventures, although even those were a little foggy, but I still documented them for my own self mater.

Today, I tried to wake up at 6:15am, but it was gloomy outside in London, foggy, it was dark, so I stayed in bed for another hour, 7:15am, I could no longer sleep, I can now feel a little bit of dawn, under my bed sheets I remained, until i slowly rose up, and as I looked between my window shutter, I noticed some pink dust, surprised, I woke up, quickly opened my window shutter, and the shades and sparks of sunrise appeared before my window. In the past two and a half months, that I have been living in this room, I, have never noticed the sunrise effect upon the sky, and for the first time in London, I have finally surrendered myself to life, to its miracles.

I have been trying, not that I have been too rigid, but I have been trying to keep that window open, that shade of life, that full of surprising notions, but everything was new. School, City, Alone, Books, Life, it all had new colors. I had to study, is all I thought about, even while on breaks, even while eating, while sleeping, even when I take the day off, “I have to study” keeps uttering inside my head, echoing throughout my body, it is like my life flipped 360 degrees to finally take the books into my arms a little more serious than just read. I had to learn. Had, because I am here for my masters.

But life never fails me, I kept looking for a way to open that window, and keep it open, have it on some kind of a foot, where it does not shut by the wind, I want my window of surprises open at all times. I have had many learnings and I want to share them, I want to keep them, record them, I more like, want to reflect on them, and what better than the art of writing?

Moving Forward: Recharging my Senses

Posted on August 28, 2016 by Razan Masri

Finally, I took a move, I left (one of the places I call home) to find another home. But I visited a past home of mine, another place I grew up in, another air I breathed to grow up with, I came back again to Canada. I came to Toronto this time, my home is more in Montreal, where I grew up, but for personal reasons, I came to Toronto. The air is the same here, the people, the atmosphere, the architecture, the spirit, the life, the love, it is Canada, it sure can be home again for me. A beautiful place that brightens up your senses, recharges every little atom in your body, it brings every dead element back into life. A life changing atmosphere, where all you can see is bright, hope written everywhere, hope, equality, respect, people are generous, friendly, giving, welcoming, hugging, you feel hugged, warmed up in between their arms, loved, rubbed, you feel vibrant. A place where I would love to call home, I would run and never run out of my energy because there is always energy being filled back in. A place I am happy to call home.

Today I decided to walk from downtown Toronto to the famous farmer’s market known as St. Lawrence Market, we walked in and walked between every fruit and vegetable color that can cross your mind, cheeses that you never thought existed, like coconut brie cheese from Quebec to a caramelized goat cheese from Holland. We had blueberries and raspberries, mangos and watermelons. Fish market, meat market, chicken market, marinated in spices, herbs and juices dipped in date and fig mustard or something like cranberry juiced mustard, you can buy a bunch of sunflowers for five dollars, roses and colorful floral, you will find people from all age groups and all nationalities, a food market that makes you want to spend the whole day in it. We then walked to a yet better destination known as the Distillery District. A Victorian architecture, a historic site, something like the old side of Toronto, filled with art spaces, art sculpts and art galleries. Cafes, and restaurants, exquisite boutiques and findings, this area is not to be missed. We had Mexican food at El Catrin, an unforgettable Guacamole en la Mesa, vegetarian burritos, Todo Santos Ceviche “lime marinated fish with mangos”, fish tacos and Atun Tostadas “sliced thin raw tuna on crips”, it was all delicious. We decided to have dessert at the Harbourfront where we walked to right after, if you have not tried the BeaverTails, then that is a must. At Castor Patisserie, this mouth-watering fried dough pastry served with spread chocolate or cinnamon sugar and other options is to crave for. Grab some and sit by Lake Ontario. Clear skies, clear mind, people watching, journal writing, mind escaping and filtering, best recharging meditation method on earth. Just let it all out, and let all the new in. A great after noon at the lake view, followed by a great cup of coffee from the Belzac’s Coffee Roasters to end my day with. It is time to stay open for all the new coming in.

toronto-harbor-front-distillery-district-farmer-market-saint-lawrence-market-1

toronto-harbor-front-distillery-district-farmer-market-saint-lawrence-market-10

Why you should visit Saraya Aqaba next?

Posted on March 1, 2016 by Razan Masri

That is if you are in Jordan or around Jordan.

Saraya Aqaba is ready to be cruised. I was lucky enough to get an invitation, and go drop it a visit last weekend, was welcomed by a very friendly staff, who took me and a group of other bloggers and social media influencers around.

First We Indulged in its foremost design. Interior and exterior. It is like a new wonderland. Only the Arabian themed wonderland. So full of our own oriental culture, authentic yet very modern. It lavished us with infinite luxury and poetic rhythm.

Saraya-Aqaba-Jordan-Travel-Red-Sea-easgle-hills

Second we familiarized ourselves more on Aqaba. Got to know the Red Sea from the Saraya scenic view. Found the lagoon at the heart of the project with the mountains on one side and occupied Palestine on the other.

Third If you are an architect or an artists, the architecture will take you to a new experience. I personally felt I entered the land of Aladdin, with the details being focused on the arch doors and windows, with the dome-shaped roofs. The villas looks like tiny squared houses cocooned one on top of the other.

Forth Enjoyed the different patterns, rugs, and flooring. From under construction, to fully constructed, to beach sand, from seeing myself in a glamorous gown, to casual jeans, and bare feet bikini. All throughout with my polka dots Nike.

Fifth Go with friends, family, partner(s); go with a group of people you enjoy your time exploring with. I went with like-minded people, who care about sharing what they experience to the world. Bloggers, tweeps, food critics, fashion followers, and social butterflies. (Find them on twitter from right to left: @Mahoozz @Eakhaldi @ZaynaHamarneh @Bigullak @LHaddadin @HamzehQasem @HadeelNourddin and myself @RazanMasri also find @kawthershabani @sal3885 @Emaneh45 @SarayaAqabaJo)

Sixth Finally we met the space. Met the future. Once a dream now is coming into reality. We headed towards the Sale Center and asked for a tour, checked out the furnished space from town houses, to villas and of course rested a while by the beach.

Seventh I never want to miss the colors of the sunset. And especially when by the beach. The reflection, the changing colors, the serene sound and feel, we used the time for some meditation, reflection, romance, just getting hypnotized by the spell of the Red Sea.