Welcome to the world of corners ...

On the 5th day of every month you will come across a new corner and a new story around ...
To make this journey a bit more challenging an extra corner will be occasionally thrown in as a surprise.
Any footprints from your travelling experience left in the comment box will be always appreciated.
If you find my corners enjoyable, please share them with your friends.


Friday 9 August 2013

“There is no end, only the beginning ...”


My haiku as promised ...



                                                         Run towards the joy
                                                        for the joy of running
                                              there is no end, only the beginning


... and yes, the beginning it is!

I would like to invite you to my new blog just launched and titled ... Edith Piaf and my Parisian journey ...”, while my current one is going to have a bit of a holiday.
 
 
 
                                      Here is the link ... 
                                    http://olgakulanowska1.blogspot.com.au/

                                                                                          
                                                 Hope you can join me in Paris!

 

   Photography by Olga Kulanowska

Friday 5 July 2013

“Random acts of kindness ...”


                          


                                   Today I have decided to share with you something
                                           that I have started nearly 9 years ago.               
                       Something that might be needed right now even more than before.



                     Here it is ...


                                                                                             10th October 2004 (Sydney, Australia)
   Hi ... my name is Olga.

If you value harmony and peace, please allow me to share this short story with you.
The other day I watched a very inspiring movie based on a true story titled “The Last Brickmaker in America”. It not only brought tears into my eyes, but also an idea into my heart.

We often do not pursue our ideas for one or another reason, so they stays locked in our heart like a caged bird whose song may only be heard by one person. But if this bird was to be set free, more people would have a chance to enjoy his song.

About two years ago I was preparing material for a new one-day workshop.
I ended up with so many ideas that it became impossible to condense them into a seven-hour time frame, and consequently it was easier for me to place it into a “too hard basket”.

The earlier mentioned movie had not only reminded me of the essence that I had planned to convey through this particular workshop ...

           “Just because of our weaknesses and imperfections
             we should not stop ourselves from sharing our strengths with others.
             The more we focus on sharing our strengths,
             the more our weaknesses and imperfections will dissolve in the process.”

                                                                                          ... but it also prompted me to act on it!

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
   An invitation ...
 
 
 
 

                               ... to embrace my simple idea on sharing our strengths.


    At first:

Extend three acts of kindness to strangers.
These acts can be very simple...
  • help a mum to carry a pram up the stairs
  • help to catch someone's hat blown away by the wind
  • if you see a car in a shopping centre car park with the lights left on,
    advise the information desk of the registration number
The number “three” is only symbolic and you may choose to do more or less acts of kindness, or adopt this as an annual ritual.
There is no copyright on this idea, although may I ask you for one thing ...
Please, let the intentions behind it to remain pure and unconditional.
Once you open your heart, you will see many opportunities.

    Then:
When you have extended an act of kindness, please forward this letter to another person. However it is important that you forward this letter (or print and drop to someone's letter box) after you have conducted your act of kindness, as this will increase a positive energy held by it.
Think of the act of kindness as a stamp required for posting/emailing of this letter.

    My wish:
I would love you to share with me any special experiences that have arisen from your participation in acts of kindness with hope of gathering enough stories to create a blog, and to allow your words (with your permission) to inspire even more people into extending their acts of kindness ... just one of the strengths we all have in us!

Please remember that every act of kindness offered by you will help to rebuild harmony on our planet, just like every water drop will help to create more rain. A multitude of small actions is often by far more powerful and lasting than one big one.

    Thank you!                                                                   harmony4uandme@hotmail.com               
                                                              Love & light,
                                                                                                              Olga                                                                                                                                
                  
                Now, I would like to give you a link to something as special
                                        as the icing on the cake ...

                         https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y_attZ0kvFE&feature=player_embedded
 


                       Enjoy!






     Photography by Olga Kulanowska

Wednesday 5 June 2013

Follow up on ... "Feel what your eyes see and let the words flow"


 
 

                                               Photography by Olga Kulanowska


I wonder how did you go with created your own haiku to the photo above?


                As promised ... (my haiku)       
                                
                                                   Through the mist of my past
                                                   in search of answers
                                                   my journey ends where it begun
                                           



                                          More of “Olga's haiku” ...
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                   My twisted body
                   ready to let go
                   awaiting winter's touch
 

               Photography by Gerd Heise





 
                                                       A bridal waltz
                                                       twirling dreams around
                                                       can you feel my heart

 
                                                     Photography by Gerd Heise
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                                 
     Magician's hand
     leading the dance
     story lost in colour
 
 
 
 
 
 
                     Photography by Jacky Fox









                   Between the folds of time
                   an awaken soul
                   basking in the light



                Photography by Yushan Sui ~ 
                      http://goo.gl/hNmfw






                                                      Teasing the sky above
                                                      romancing the air
                                                      colourful ribbons in my hair

                                                     Photography by Gonul Balci











         Free spirit trapped
         by the wing of wisdom
         rooted deeply in earth



Photography by Olga Kulanowska











                   Captured within my eye
                   a gazing moon
                   suspended in the sky





                                                                                    Photography by Hatice Dincer


                                             Wheel of fortune
                                             with golden rind
                                             bubbling with joy still to be found


                                                  Photography by Bartek Ryszka










        Reality fading away
        as I follow you
        through the void between us



    Photography by Claudine de Fay









                   Waiting for something
                   something not there
                   does anybody care



              Photography by Jeff Dowell






                                                       Fishing for wisdom
                                                       shining from above
                                                       in the depths of my life


                                                Photography by Alessandro Baffa








A fire of your love
keeps my heart burning with hope
my body so bare, so cold




                  Photography by Mikko Tyllinen



                                                ... and how about writing a haiku to this photo?

 
 
 
 
                                      This will be a happy challenge for you and me!


Sunday 5 May 2013

(Part 3) “Lake Titicaca, me and the power of Natural Therapies.”



PART 3 ...





I was startled by a knock on the door and my name being called. I got up feeling rather annoyed.

As I opened the door, I saw Bruno in the company of another man. “What is it?” I asked. He told me that he needed my help and went on to explain that one of the tourists, a young Danish man, was not very well. He was losing consciousness and had a temperature. Without hesitation, I agreed to accompany them. I started to pray for guidance, asking God for all the help I could get while quickly dressing and gathering all that I might need.


 
 




Though woken from my sleep only moments ago, I was fully alert as I followed both men up the rocky path with unexpected ease.




It wasn’t long before we entered the room where a few people were gathered. Lying on the bed was a young man in his early to mid twenties with two friends standing by his side. I could sense that he was filled with the fear of dying. I too was filled with fear: a fear of not knowing if my skills would be enough to help him. He whispered to me that he was feeling hot, dizzy, barely hanging on in his body and most of all, afraid of falling asleep.
 
Bruno introduced me briefly to the host family and the island’s first aider who had done all he could. As I glanced at their faces, all eight of them shared with me a look of hope. We all knew that the closest medical help was about four hours away by boat. The silent “expectation” placed upon me together with the need to totally trust in myself and my knowledge felt challenging as well as frightening. And so without knowing how, I entered into a different state of awareness — a state of totally being in the now while surrendering to my highest wisdom. It is in this state that at times the impossible becomes possible.

 




I started by placing some peppermint oil on his chest (over the clothes) while gathering more information from his friends about what else, apart from the high altitude, might have contributed to his present state. As I held Jin Shin Jyutsu (Japanese Ancient Art of Healing) point 17 (Left + Right) I was told he had smoked quite a few cigarettes that evening, including three other ones. He had also played soccer and made his way up to the temple rather quickly. As I followed with JSJ point 22 (L + R) he mentioned feeling a little relaxed but a bit more hot and dizzy. After holding JSJ point 1 (L + R) he started to feel better. After this I moved to his feet to do some Reflexology. His body was starving for oxygen and to keep it functioning, I placed the priority on increasing the blood flow to the brain by working on his big toes. Then I placed my palms over the soles of his feet to allow for the energy being channelled to strengthen his weak body.
 















Minutes later, he shared with us some good news: he felt less hot and dizzy, more relaxed and more present within his physical self. At this point I got up to do Energy Healing above his body and when I returned to his feet, I felt compelled to make a request of him: “If you believe in something then just ask for help.” I asked his friends to give me a hand. I got one of them to hold JSJ point 17 (L + R) and the other one to hold JSJ point 1 (L + R) as I continued channelling the energy through his feet and working his big toes to further increase the oxygen flow to his brain.

 


Maybe ten minutes went by before he announced the need to empty his bladder. By then he was able to get up and with the help of his friends, walk outside to do so. After his return we decided to check his temperature and while awaiting the reading, I went on to do some more Energy Healing above his body. Even though his temperature wasn’t high to begin with, a drop of .2ºC from 37.2ºC to 37ºC was still a positive sign and so was an increase in his blood pressure when rechecked by the first aider.






By now he was feeling much better compared with how he felt just over an hour ago. He appeared to be much more at one with his whole body (physical, mental, emotional, spiritual) and the fear had left him. His condition seemed to have stabilised and I felt comfortable that my help was no longer required. But before leaving, I asked them to come and get me if his condition deteriorated and instructed his friends in how to assist him while awaiting my return. I also recommended a medical checkup once he returned to the mainland and that he should avoid cigarettes of any kind for at least a few days, the longer the better.







Before leaving the room, I silently bid goodnight to everyone present, which I then realised also represented reassurance to them that everything would be fine. Hoping for this to be true, I continued to pray for his full recovery while walking home.



On approaching the front gate the man guiding me back stopped to say something to me. With my half-dozen words of Spanish and with the help of other languages I knew, I was able to understand that his wife had some stomach problems and he was asking me if I could see her the next day. His request felt like a reward to me for a job well done, and I was most gratified. I felt as if that night, I had truly graduated.
 
 



Entering my room as quietly as possible, I was looking forward to much-awaited sleep. However, as my mind was busy coming to terms with what had just happened and my body was still letting go of the mental and emotional tension, sleep was out of reach. And when sleep finally came, it was very light as my subconscious mind remained on standby.

With the rising sun sneaking into our room, I felt like I could give myself permission to take a deep breath. I was hoping to see Bruno before their departure to ask about the young man but it wasn’t until the following week that my mind’s uncertainty was fully cleared with the news of his successful recovery.

 
 
 
 
During my short stay I was privileged to assist quite a few women and men both young and old who came to see me from different parts of the island. I was almost embarrassed as I felt their high respect and total trust towards me. Me, a foreign woman who could not even speak their language and with qualifications endorsed only by the witnesses of the never-to-be-forgotten event. An event with its many lessons for all present and a message to all: not to underestimate the power of Natural Therapies.


 
 
 
 
 
 

Before I knew it, I was saluting my last sunrise on Amantani with a dance of mixed feelings in my heart and preparing for a goodbye to yet another of my “spiritual homes”.
 

 
 
Deep inside I was hoping that I could somehow leave behind my “absent body” to allow the energy to continue with the healing and I found the way – a wooden rosary. It was a present from a client of mine from her recent trip to the Vatican. I had been rather surprised by her gift and suspected that my Polish background might have led her to think that I followed Catholicism. My decision to take the rosary with me was influenced by an unusual event that took place close to my departure from Sydney. “Just in case”, I thought to myself when adding it to my luggage, and I was glad that I did.



On the boat leaving the island behind, I reached for the wooden beads. With tears in my eyes I called upon Pachamama and Pachatata for support before handing the rosary to the guide with an unusual request: “Please give these beads to someone on the island with a health problem. They must hold them between their palms for about 10 minutes in the morning and at night for seven days, and after that, pass them on to another person in need of healing.”








Will I ever find out if my request is fulfilled?


 


6 March 2006 – Sydney (email from Lima)

Hi Olga, I received news from Puno they told me that people continued to pray with el Rosario ... Regards Gisella”


      With thanks to Pachamama and Pachatata I hope for no end to this story.
 



PS
Knowing that hands in the prayer position correspond to Jin Shin Jyutsu position for activating a general whole-body healing, I decided to use a rosary as a facilitating tool.


Sunday 14 April 2013

(Part 2) "Lake Titicaca, me and the power of Natural Therapies."


PART 2 ...
 

 
 
Another three weeks went by without any success with obtaining a refund or any clue about the purpose of my trip. And then, one afternoon about seven weeks before my departure, a message shot like an arrow through my mind: “You are going back to Amantani Island to offer your healing services for the community.”

 
 
 
 
 
 
“Thank you!” I replied as I felt my “Virgo rising” letting out a big sigh of relief and my “Piscean sun” looking forward to the magical energy of Lake Titicaca.





18 December 2005 – Lima to Puno


Only a few hours after arriving in Lima at 11pm, I was back at the same airport catching my 6am flight to Juliaca near Puno. With quite a few plane trips in recent years I have become proficient in saying “Hand check, no X-ray please” when handing over the homeopathic items for my personal use. I also noticed the security staff were getting more familiar with this kind of medicine, making the whole process so much easier. I guess this is one way of introducing natural therapies to the world.

On this particular morning I had an older man with a happy face checking my “treasure box” and while looking at the collection of remedies, he asked: “Do they really work?” to which I joyously replied: “Yes, and with no side effects.” He seemed content, as if my answer reinforced his own opinion. Furthermore, after questioning the purpose of my trip, he was pleased to hear my answer, acknowledging that the people on the islands were often the last in line to receive any help. His comment gave me a warm reassurance that I was heading in the right direction.




















21 December 2005 – Puno to Amantani Island – Lake Titicaca


I was all ready and full of anticipation for my two week stay on this “very special to me” island. A travel representative called to confirm my early morning pickup. He also informed me that Benedicto’s home where I had organised to stay was situated on the other side of the island from where the boat would arrive. And so, my first night on Amantani would be with a different family. I wasn’t too happy about it as I wanted to set myself up as soon as I could, but in South America hiccups are not uncommon. At times, “going with the flow” is the best option to avoid making things more difficult.


I was one of the first to be picked up and once on the boat, I was greeted by yet another hiccup. Expecting a direct trip by the public boat, I was surprised to be part of the overnight tour to the islands, identical to the one that I had done only a year ago. I wondered if it was my safety or extra income that had influenced their decision. However, on the more positive side, there is a usually a reason behind most hiccups, in this case to be revealed sooner than I thought.

 
The group on the boat was made up of smaller groups of two to four travellers from different countries. Our local guide Bruno as well as other people on the boat were a bit curious about the reason for my extended stay, as Amantani is not exactly a Greek island. Nevertheless it has its own charm, despite an altitude of about 4000 metres, lack of electricity and running water, a rainy season with overnight temperatures at the time of below 10ºC and daytime temperatures in the sun of 54ºC as well as other minor “highlights”. Bruno was very interested in my work and in natural therapies. He was eager to find out as much as possible, so I tried my best to answer his many questions.
 

Upon arrival on Amantani by the floating islands, I discovered I was to share a bedroom with two French girls. Shortly after entering the premises of our host family, we were invited to the kitchen for lunch. This was still being prepared in clay pots over traditional wood fire clay stove by the mother and daughter. It wasn’t long before the increasing level of smoke looking for a non-existent chimney filled our eyes. Our “French” resistance was short-lived and with tears running down our cheeks, we gave ourselves permission to wait outside.


After lunch, together with Bruno, we made our way up to the Pachatata Temple where we would await the sunset over Lake Titicaca. The island has two temples: a round-shaped Pachamama to celebrate the female energy of Mother Earth located on the highest point of the island and a square-shaped Pachatata to celebrate her male energy on the second highest point. You can make a wish and have it granted by walking three times in an anti-clockwise direction around either of the temples. Having done this on my first trip, I was pleasantly surprised to see my wish come true. Be careful what you wish for as these requests do get granted, except perhaps when you wish for a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.




















As the sun disappeared, the temperature dropped rather quickly, so a warm dinner upon our return was very much appreciated. And to warm us up even more, a traditional dance party was awaiting us at the local community hall. Dressed in their traditional clothing, we had a lot of fun following our local dance partners to the sounds of the Andean band. As the party came to an end, we felt hot, tired and definitely ready for bed. The sky was full of stars that night and it seemed to me like there were more stars than the sky itself.



As my roommates went to sleep, I stayed back with Bruno in the courtyard as he offered to write a short note in Spanish for me explaining the purpose of my stay and anything else I thought the people might want to know. The island’s native language is Quechua, but the majority of people speak Spanish. I could speak neither!


With an introductory letter in my hand, I quietly entered the room so as not to awaken the girls. By now I was looking forward to a well-deserved sleep as it had been a long journey for my body. Less than an hour later, I was woken up by the sound of the metal gate being opened and a conversation between two men. Wondering what was going on, I was startled by a knock on the door and my name being called.

                                               To be continued next month ...