End of August & Intimate Reflections

Soul Seeing 

{source: Daily Om, 2006}

When we want to see deeply into the heart and mind of another person, soul seeing, also called soul gazing, allows us to see their soul. The soul is the purest expression of an individual and is not bound by physical forms or fleeting emotions. Through a simple art that involves looking deeply into a partner's eyes, soul seeing can show you a person's inner beauty that you might otherwise miss. It is possible for someone who appears cold to have a warm, giving, nurturing soul or someone of average appearance to have a beautiful soul.

One of my favourite films of all time
"The Notebook".

Soul seeing is a way of looking past shapes, sizes, attitudes, and behaviour to see the real individual that lies beneath the surface. It allows you to see the true essence of another person, the radiance of their being, and their spirit within. Soul seeing is accomplished by sitting face to face with another person. It is helpful to first state your intention before you begin. As you stare softly into each other's eyes without stopping to look away, each of your souls is revealed to the other. Try not to look for anything in particular or seek traits you're hoping to find. Simply let the other person's soul reveal itself to you. 

After twenty minutes have passed, stay where you are and share a period of silent reflection with your partner for two minutes. You may have suddenly seen your partner's inner nature as clearly as a bright day, or you may need to meditate on your experience before you feel comfortable with your impressions. Either way, soul seeing can be a wonderfully intimate and shared experience. So little of who each of us is can be captured by our appearance or personality.

I have a crush on your mind,
I fell for your personality,
and your looks are just
a big bonus!
--Nicholas Sparks
"The Notebook"

The thoughts, fears, desires, and longings that are part of what makes us whole are not always written across our faces. Often, the most surprising thing you may learn while soul seeing is that while you and the other person may appear on the surface to be quite different, you actually share many of the same inner qualities. And then there is the unique beauty that resides within that is longing to be revealed to another who is willing to see. Soul seeing can help you experience the people in your life as they truly are, beyond any mental barriers or physical limitations.

...

I love this:
"The greatest gift you can give to somebody 
is your own personal development...

Let the love in your heart be the light that guides you 
through your darkest moments."

Be LOVE 

Be PRESENT 

Pay ATTENTION 

As always, Stay in your HEART. 

In Love, Light & Liberation, 

 Night night zzzz

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Blueberry Cheesecake with Choc-Chips (No-Bake)

Baby, the first time I saw your face

I felt like having a piece of cheesecake,

'Coz I haven't got a clue about your taste
Or what kind of kiss we're going to make...

Mint Choc-Chips or Nutella-Banana or Caramel-Toffee, at its finest?
One of a kind, delish, velvety, creamy, sweet & no-bake...
hmmm...until then, please let me ask my fairy Goddess, 
while savouring a yummy bite of "Blueberry Cheesecake".

--Anonymous, @Cheesecake Wonderland;) 

Hershy's
Dark Chocolate Kisses ;)

{photo: My Blueberry Nights (2007) Film}

Ingredients:

60g or 1 pack of White Sesame Crackers 

(or digestive biscuits of your choice)

75g butter, melted

250g Cream Cheese Block, softened

2 tablespoons Hershey's Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips

1/2 can sweet condensed milk

2 teaspoons gelatin powder,
dissolved in ¾ coffee cup boiling water

2 tablespoons lime or lemon juice

1 -2 teaspoon(s) Vanilla or Vanilla butter essence

How to:

• Using food processor or a rolling pin to make cracker crumbs. Combine the cracker crumbs and butter with a fork until well blended and press in the base of a 16-cm spring pan; chill for about 10-15 minutes. 
• Beat the cream cheese in a bowl using electric mixer until smooth. Beat in gelatin mixture until just combined. Add condensed milk, lime juice and the vanilla butter essence, continue beating until smooth. 
• Add in the chocolate chips and fold gently; 
• Pour mixture into a prepared base and refrigerate at least 3 hours or until set; 
• Top with some blueberry preserves when serving.

Enjoy! :)

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Lime-Tea Agar-Agar

Agar-agar dessert is similar to jelly, but with different compound: jelly is made from animal gelatin whereas Agar-agar is made from vegetable gelatin, with high gelling properties. It is considered one of the most popular desserts in South East Asia. In Thailand, Agar-agar dessert can be found at local markets throughout the country. It  can come in various shapes, flavours and colours, and tastes better when it is refrigerated e.g. young coconut agar-agar with coconut cream topping, coffee agar-agar, cream soda agar-agar, grenadine agar-agar and pandan agar-agar. Agar-agar dessert can be commonly used in almost any occasion (from a homely house warming party, New Year's celebration to religious ceremonies). 

This morning, I was fancying Italian Limoncello Gelée, without considering the fact that I have no more gelatin powder, no Limoncello, no Soda water or Prosecco in the house...Making "Lime-Tea Agar-agar" was therefore my alternative choice, in relation to Limoncello:) You can use any tea of your choice: Earl Grey, English Breakfast, Ceylon, Assam, Malaysian, etc. This time, I used famous Malaysian black tea powder (from Cameron Highlands) with its rich aroma and full-bodied flavour.

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons Agar-agar powder
(Pearl Mermaid Brand)

6 cups hot water

1 tablespoon black tea powder, 

dissolved in hot water and filtered

1 cup caster sugar (or as per your taste)

2 teaspoons lime juice

• Mix agar-agar powder with tea mixture in a pot or medium sized saucepan. Stir until just combined;
• Then bring mixture to boil with low heat;
• Add in sugar, simmer stirring until completely dissolved; 
• Remove the pot from the heat. Transfer the pot to a bowl of water at room temperature; 
• Fill agar-agar mixture into prepared molds or a 8-inch-square tray; 
• Leave it to cool then refrigerate for about 45 minutes, or until set; 
• Cut into square pieces and decorate with lime slice and a sprig of mint when serving.

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Tricoloured Pommes Anna

Pommes Anna or Anna potatoes, is a classic French dish of sliced, layered potatoes cooked in a very large amount of melted butter, traditionally served immediately on a hot plate, as a sort of a bed for sliced roast meat, or a small wedge, nicely nestled next to salad.

I had a lovely idea, using carrot and yam, to add more colour and taste to my sense. I like it with mushroom cream sauce and side salad (all-in-one dish): one of my favourite vegetarian dishes, not only for its name, "Anna", but also for its "easy to make and delicious to eat" potato philosophy. Plus when Anne is lazy and bored with rice, noodles or pasta menus, potato just fits right in!:)

Note: For richer taste, crushed garlic, breadcrumbs and grated Gruyère cheese can be sprinkled between the layers and a bit of extra cheese for the top, before baking, the same method as "Gratin Dauphinois", only without crème fraîche (cream).

Ingredients:

6 medium waxy potatoes

2 carrots

2 yams

150 g butter, melted

Extra butter for greasing

Salt & pepper  

and/or chili powder (for Thai tongue)

• Preheat the oven to 210°C . Grease a deep 16 cm round cake tin or tart tin with melted butter;
• Peel the potatoes, carrots and yams and cut into very thin slices with a mandolin or sharp knife; 
• Lay the potatoes, carrot and yam slices on paper towels or tea towels and pat dry. Start from the centre of the dish, overlap one-third of the potatoes slices over the base, brushing butter over each layer and seasoning; 
• Repeat the layers with carrot slices and yam slices, and finish with potato slices, respectively, drizzling the last bit of butter over the top. Cut a circle of baking parchment to fit over the top of the potato. Bake for about 1 hour or until cooked and brown; 
• Remove from the oven and leave for 3-5 minutes, then pour off any excess butter. Run a knife around the edge to loosen. Then turn out and cut into slices onto a serving plate.

Bon Appétit!

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Rekindled Love & Romance in "Before Midnight"

I am a die-hard fan of the two adorable and inseparable soul-mates, "Celine & Jesse", who made every moment count, pouring as much living as they could, into the time "Before Sunrise" (1995)...

Celine & Jesse were twenty-somethings who first met in the mid' 90's on a train from Budapest, bound for Vienna. They sensed a connection and explored after-hours Vienna together. Love was their destination. On the way there was the mutual sharing of hopes, jokes, dreams, worries and wonder. It was their crossroads, a day to linger in their memories before parting...And a valentine to young love forever...

Soul Mates

I don't know how it is... you are so familiar to me--or why it feels less like I'm getting to know you and more as though I am remembering who you are. How every smile, every whisper brings me closer to the impossible conclusion that I have known you before, I have loved you before--in another time, a different place--some other existence.

--Lang Leav

Is there someone who lingers 

in your memory- 

someone who makes you wonder 

what might have been?

Nine years later, lightning stroke twice. They unexpectedly met in Paris upon Jesse's first book publication. They had only one fading afternoon to decide if they should share their tomorrows..."Before Sunset" (2004)...

And now "Before Midnight", Celine & Jesse's relationship at nine-year intervals. Almost 2 decades have passed since their first encounter on a train, disembarked in Vienna. Now the lovers are in their early 40's, on holidays in Greece. It is an interesting process, not just psychologically but as a life experience. We don't need anything except what it feels like to connect with another human being. What that feels like. That feels Magical! --Ethan Hawke

"I love you and I am not in conflict about it... I accept the whole package-the crazy and the brilliant, alright? I know you are not going to change and I don't want you to. It's called accepting you for being you... I also know that you love me, alright? And I am OK with you being a complicated human being. I don't want to live a boring life." 

--Jesse (Before Midnight)

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