5 Myths About Anger and Why They Make Me Mad

I was furious, I yelled at them and called them names. I threw a couple of objects onto the floor and left. It happens to me rarely, yet it did happen recently (mid-May 2021, such a memorable day!). I felt guilty, embarrassed, and I wished I could turn back the hands of time and choose a different response. It was like an emotional hangover, very unpleasant. I took a firm decision: it ain’t gonna happen again! Sounds familiar? Should we throw anger out of the window, ban it and declare it’s guilty of all social and political issues…? I don’t think so. Here are 5 myths about anger.

Street Art - Belleville Paris
Street Art – Belleville, Paris

Myth #1: Anger is useless

Anger, as all emotions, has its place in our lives. Without anger, we wouldn’t be able to protect ourselves, set boundaries, challenge the status quo or fight for our rights. Anger is an energy and all energy can be transformed. We all can turn fury into a force for good:

“If you’re not angry, you’re either a stone, or you’re too sick to be angry. You should be angry. You must not be bitter. Bitterness is like cancer. It eats upon the host. It doesn’t do anything to the object of its displeasure. So use that anger, yes. You write it. You paint it. You dance it. You march it. You vote it. You do everything about it. You talk it. Never stop talking it.” 

Maya Angelou

You have the right to be angry. Use it as fuel and create something new. Support the disadvantaged and the underdog, start a movement or make art, furiously. 😁

Myth #2: Anger is toxic

Anger is a natural physiological and emotional reaction to injustice or threat. Your body knows how to deal with it. So don’t stop it, hide it, or squeeze it. Instead, admit it, feel it, and communicate it, preferably in a more responsible way than I did 😁. Unexpressed or supressed anger is toxic. Pretending that nothing happened and keeping a smile on your face, when your blood is boiling, does not do you any service.

Myth #3: Anger is dangerous

As a kid, I saw adults fighting (verbally, I’m not talking about box ;). They screamed, cursed and hurt each other emotionally. Hence, I linked anger to danger. Maybe this is why it took me ages before I allowed myself to express it. I was afraid to cause harm. I’m still learning how to communicate frustration in an intelligent way and before it gets overwhelming. Anger can be clean and precise. It does not need to be loud, violent or abusive. Yes, getting anrgy in a right way is an Art!

Myth #4: Anger is the opposite of forgiveness

It seems absurd to get mad at the person we’re trying to forgive, yet, “there is no forgiveness without rage”, as says Holocaust survivor Dr. Edith Eger in her interview with Larry King. This incredible woman is a clinical psychologist and lecturer, and she speaks from experience. Other experts back her up. Anger is necessary to forgive:

“One reason why forgiveness can be so difficult is we often believe that in order to find peace through forgiveness, we need to reject our anger. However, the true key to embracing forgiveness and its many benefits actually lies not in rejecting our anger but rather in listening to and understanding our anger as a necessary and useful emotion.”

Michael Friedman, Ph.D. (from an online article “Why We Must Listen to Our Anger to Achieve Forgiveness”)

Angry? Yes, it’s uncomfortable, but you’re on your way to peace. Don’t take shortcuts, feel it, allow it and let it heal you. Please. 💜

Peaceful Paris

Myth #5: If you want to be spiritual, avoid anger at all costs

As an evolved being, you’ll only experience peace, you’ll be forever grateful, kind to all life forms and filled with love. This is rubbish. You’ll become more aware of your needs, wants, desires and emotions, including fear, sadness or anger. Please don’t transform yourself into a doormat so that people can walk all over you. Loosing yourself in order to please others is not spiritual. Letting others disrespect you isn’t either. As says Anand Mehrotra, author and yoga teacher, when we grow:

“Anger becomes fierceness, we don’t become placid. Some people have this very strange idea that enlightenment is hyper-politeness. This is idiotic”.

Clear, right?! I couldn’t agree more.

What if anger was both natural and necessary? What if it could be transformed into as a force for good? And you, what do you think of anger? How do you channel this powerful energy?

Leave a comment and share this article with all your (furious) friends. Thank you! 😁

Wishing you peace and sense of empowerment,

With love,
Paulina

“I don’t know a perfect person. I only know flawed people who are still worth loving.”

John Green
Street Art – Belleville, Paris

Lire la suite

Wishing you a magic New Year!

“And now let us welcome the new year, full of things that never were.” ~ Rainer Maria Rilke

How your 2019 have been so far? Mine was dynamic and intense. Maybe my outbursts of laughter or tears will never stop? Looking at my beautiful mum, I may have inherited a gene making my mood dance like a crazy unicorn. 😀

I wish us all a wonderful New Year and…

The courage to be true to ourselves
To not seek approval outside of our own hearts
To follow our instincts
To keep faith – always – especially when it’s hard
To live fully, fiercely, intensely
To live well
To love with our whole hearts
To commit to what matters and re-commit every day, in spite of having no guarantees
To take risks and be brave
To own both our strengths and shadows
To express our emotions, to feel and honour them
To be gentle with ourselves and other beings
To enjoy space, to declutter, to remove the non-essential
To remember that nothing and no one belongs to us and yet we belong to everything
To value our relationships and people in our lives
To go for our dreams, one step at a time
To create and build
To explore more of this beautiful place (new territories, cultures, tastes, smells, books, songs, ah!)
To believe that we are enough, deeply loved and that life celebrates itself through us
To grow, learn and remain innocent, pure, curious and fresh in spirit
To remain in peace and remember to breathe, when things are turbulent and tough
To flourish and to shine
To let our souls guide us
To have fun in the process
To en-JOY and dance
To live, feel and be here and now, unapologetically, truly, humbly.

The older I get, the more I honour vulnerability, both in me and others:

“Vulnerability sounds like truth and feels like courage. Truth and courage aren’t always comfortable, but they’re never weakness.” ~ Brené Brown

Fuerza, la familia – we are all in this together! Have a bright and blessed New Year! 😀

 

“Water is fluid, soft, and yielding. But water will wear away rock, which is rigid and cannot yield. As a rule, whatever is fluid, soft, and yielding will overcome whatever is rigid and hard. This is another paradox: what is soft is strong.” ~ Lao Tzu

 

“Love is a living, breathing thing. There is no need to force it to grow in a particular direction. If we start by being easy and gentle with ourselves, we will find it is just there inside of us, solid and healing.” ~ Thich Nhat Hanh

“Follow your inner moonlight; don’t hide the madness.” ~ Allen Ginsberg

Lire la suite

This time again – my birthday!

« The birth of all things is weak and tender; and therefore we should have our eyes intent on beginnings. » ~ Michel de Montaigne

 

Hola la familia! 25th of October was my birthday. So grateful for all the lovely wishes, it made me feel loved and special! 😀 I had a delicious dinner and lots of extraordinary red wine with 2 beautiful ladies. Ah! These few past days were intense, both cheerful and challenging. Full moon played its role here, I guess! As every year, it is now time to wrap up, celebrate and make space for the new!

Life is short and a gift that we unpack, create and allow daily. I have my ups and downs, at times I feel vulnerable, overstressed or lonely, but with age (it really sounds like I am getting older!), I feel so much more at peace with myself, others and life itself. I have dreams and a clear direction. I am in love and learning to love deeply and well (this one may take me a few life times!).

I am grateful for sweet presence of beautiful and inspiring people around me. I like my job, most of the time, typically after 10 am when my brain starts to wake up! 😀 I feel supported by friends, family and wise people who I call, when trouble comes. I learn new things every day. I know what makes me feel alive and I try to do it often: dance, movement, art, poetry, music, languages (Arabic and Spanish – may God grant me with patience and discipline to learn them slowly but surely!), nurturing open interactions, travel and spiritual inquiries!

I try to keep balance between some sort of positive routine (security – yes, I need you!) and being spontaneous, adventurous and a little crazy (I got it after my one and only mum). Revolutions are not part of my temper but I can feel in my bones that something is waking up and this New Year will bring some fresh new stuff. Curious what will come my way. I have some ideas, but it is better not to know, surprises are good. 😀

Recently, when I had an intense, sad and a desperate lonely moment, I promised myself to listen to my soul (sounds strange, but this is what came up!). When it feels right in my heart, then it is probably the best thing to do. Please wish me courage. Vive la folie douce! Love to all of you. And love to me too, indeed, joyful gentle love is the best soul food available in store, à volonté, olé! 😀

Please see below a poem I wrote recently. I value space and emptiness more and more. They are so pure and liberating, hope you will enjoy!

Love,
Pau

 

« I have a great curiosity to see new things, but not to own them. It’s very peaceful this way, and one of the nice things about getting older. » ~ Lee Radziwill

 

South of Spain.

Miss emptiness

I fear you
I honour you
I want you
Please feel welcome
Come, come, come to me
Be my guest
Or rather allow me to be yours
For a brief cup of tea
Let me feel
Your freedom
Lightness of being
Innocence of now

 

Take everything
Remove all the layers
Wants, desires, fears, attachments
Labels, illusions and aspirations
Put everything to the sacred fire
Let it burn, burn, burn
Let it go, go, go
So that I can simply be
In this vast spaciousness
In this pure openness
In here and now

 

I am on my way home
Leaving my suitcase behind
No keys, no wallet, no passport
I am naked and my heart is open
Ready to jump into the abyss
Of no-thing
I am afraid – deep down
I know that life will catch me
I trust you miss emptiness
You are so dense with life
Your dance is so full of light
You are breathing yourself in and out
In an endless wind of joy

 

Blue sky. Poland.

« My witness is the empty sky. » ~ Jack Kerouac

Belleville. Paris.

 “One just needs a little alertness to see and find out: life is really a great cosmic laughter.” ~ Osho

Art in Paris.

 “Don’t seek, don’t search, don’t ask, don’t knock, don’t demand, relax. If you relax it comes, if you relax it is there. If you relax, you start vibrating with it.” ~ Osho

 

My lovely sisters and I. Poland.

 “Creativity is the greatest rebellion in existence.” ~ Osho

Nice sound to finish with. I love it. It feels like warm sunny wind on my skin and make me want to travel far away! 😀

***

Thank you! Feel free to share and let me know your thoughts!

***

Lire la suite

L’interview Skype avec Nina Caniac – praticienne en hypnose de soin quantique de Dolores Cannon

« Vous avancez parmi ces choses pour voir que c’est en vous que le choix réside, cela doit se produire en vous. C’est en vous que vous faites votre nouvelle ou votre ancienne Terre. Afin de créer votre réalité comme vous la voulez. » – Dolores Cannon

 

Hola Amigos !

J’ai la joie de partager avec vous une nouvelle interview avec une belle personne inspirante !

Ancienne illustratrice des livres pour enfants, Nina Caniac pratique aujourd’hui l’hypnose de soin quantique de Dolores Cannon (QHHT). Elle s’est aussi formée à l’hypnose d’introspection d’Aurelio Mejía. Elle ne cesse d’approfondir ses compétences et commence à créer sa propre méthode de thérapie. Elle déborde d’énergie, irradie la bienveillance et est persuadée que « la peur n’est qu’une illusion qui empêche d’avancer ».

Regardez la vidéo en ayant le cœur et l’esprit ouverts, nous parlons extra-terrestres, vies antérieures, jeunes versus vieilles âmes, anges, etc. La spiritualité est un sujet intime et chacun possède son système de croyances qui lui est propre. L’objectif de cette interview est de vous présenter la vision originale de Nina. Vous pouvez aussi le percevoir comme une métaphore. En effet, de nombreux exemples tirés de ses séances d’hypnose sont un résultat d’un dialogue que ses clients entretiennent avec leur moi profond/subconscient, dans un état modifié de conscience.

Ayant fait une séance avec Nina, tout au début de son parcours de praticienne d’hypnose, je peux témoigner : ce que j’ai vu m’a surprise, touchée et ouvert le cœur. Et je ne sais toujours pas quoi en penser ! Mais est-ce réellement important ? La vie est un grand mystère et heureusement. Enfin, tout « voyage » dans la dimension inconsciente et irrationnelle de notre être a un objectif bien pragmatique : nous permettre d’avoir des clefs pour être plus en paix avec nous-mêmes et les autres, vivre bien ici et maintenant, s’ancrer dans le corps et oser ouvrir son cœur un peu plus chaque jour. Je vous laisse découvrir !

 

Voici la trame de l’interview :

  1. Parle-nous de ton parcours. Comment tu es devenue praticienne de l’hypnose de soin quantique (QHHT) ?
  2. Comment s’est passée ta transition entre le métier d’illustratrice et ta vocation de praticienne de QHHT ?
  3. En quoi consiste la méthode de QHHT – restrictions, pour qui, etc. ?
  4. Les étapes d’une séance d’hypnose selon la méthode QHHT.
  5. Est-ce qu’on se souvient de ce qui s’est passé lors d’une séance ou non ?
  6. Idée reçue sur l’hypnose : « je n’ai aucun contrôle sur ce qui se passe – je risque de me faire manipuler » – vrai ou pas ?
  7. Si je reste conscient pendant la séance, ça veut dire que l’hypnose n’a pas marché ?
  8. Si je suis très cérébral, je n’arriverai pas à lâcher prise donc rentrer dans l’hypnose ?
  9. Quelles personnes viennent vers toi et avec quels types de questions ? Exemples de transformations.
  10. Comment les sujets abordés ont évolué ? Moins de travail sur les vies passées et plus de reconnexion à soi ici et maintenant.
  11. Jeunes et vielles âmes – qu’est-ce que tu en penses ?
  12. « Petits nouveaux » – les personnes qui ont moins de 10 vies sur Terre.
  13. Le rôle des « petits nouveaux » / la génération qui arrive.
  14. Evolution de la Terre – nous vivons des temps intéressants, c’est un privilège d’être ici !
  15. Santé est une décision. L’hypnose permet de comprendre la cause de la maladie et son message donc de guérir.
  16. Pour faire un travail sur soi – il vaut mieux être seul ou en couple ?
  17. Tu es en train de développer ta propre méthode – parles-en un peu !
  18. Où est-ce qu’on peut trouver les informations sur toi, ta méthode, comment te contacter ?
  19. Un message/un dernier mot à ceux qui nous regardent ?

 

« Nul besoin de croire dans les vies intérieures, l’histoire vécue en hypnose peut nous servir d’une belle métaphore. » – Nina Caniac

Préférences de Nina :

  • Citation : « La peur n’est qu’une illusion qui empêche d’avancer » – auteur inconnu
  • Livre : « Le conte chaud et doux des chaudoudoux » – livre pour enfants de Claude Steiner (avec un beau message qui plaira aussi aux adultes !)
  • Film : série « Sense8 » (la bande-annonce donne des frissons !)

Pour aller plus loin :

« La réalité n’est qu’une illusion, bien que très tenace. » – Albert Einstein

Curieuse de savoir…

  1. Qu’est-ce que cela vous inspire ?
  2. Quelles sont vos expériences des états modifiés de conscience/l’hypnose ?

 

Merci de votre feedback e à très bientôt !

Lire la suite

Vive la France and the whole world – to all nomadic souls out there!

« Some people think football is a matter of life and death. I assure you, it’s much more serious than that. » ~ Bill Shankly

Dear Friends,

Today France became a world champion in Football World Cup. Until recently, I was not into football, but discovered the crazy joyful fun of watching the matches together and teasing my foreign friends during the competition. I like France. It has been my home since September 2007, I studied here, I met great people, fell in love and became independent financially (finally, phew, this was something!). I learned a new craft (totally unexpectedly) and grew up (a little bit). I will never be fully French, neither totally Polish. After living abroad for more than a decade, I apparently speak English with French accent (I am working on it!), still love pierogi and appreciate the naughty French habit of questioning the status quo (ok, let’s be fair – questioning every single thing). I am a bittersweet mix and hopefully took the best from both sides. 😀 I strongly believe that we can be happy, wherever we are. Merci, la France, my adoptive country, for the opportunities you gave me, for offering me the environment where I could learn, have fun and contribute. I would like to see you smiling more often; being a little bit more open to various accents and origins and slightly humbler (this one is nearly impossible, I know!). But hey, lovely Frenchies – today we are champions, let’s show off a little bit and make some noise! 😀 Vive la France and the whole world – we are all nomads and a unique, beautiful and original blend of languages, cultures and experiences!

Love,

Paulina

 

« I had a meal last night. I ordered everything in French, surprised everybody. It was a Chinese restaurant. I said to this Chinese waiter, ‘Look, this chicken I got here is cold.’ He said, ‘It should be, it’s been dead two weeks.’ » ~ Tommy Cooper

 

« We can stand here like the French, or we can do something about it. » ~ Marge Simpson

***

The poem has nothing to do with the above text, buy hey – who told it should? Enjoy! 😀

***

Nothing belongs to me
My home is in the moving
My heart is empty
Hungry for connection like a wild wolf
Woof woof  🙂
And fresh like a forest after a summer storm
At times, it feels heavy under a tone of teardrops
Intense like a big blue ocean not-that-pacific
I resist hard not to dive deep or weep
Then I relax, with a silent yes on my lips
And it all becomes like a warm friendly hug
I breathe in and out
It flows freely
It cleans my clutter
It purifies my spirit
I feel safe, soft and sure
Like a sunny silk sky
There is enough space
To let it all in
The good
The bad
The ugly

***
It comes and goes
I say welcome
Please be my guest
Let’s have a tea
Let’s chat (I’ll try to shut up)
And we’ll simply be together
For a long tender while
Then the wind will come
To take you somewhere else
While I’ll still stand here
Like I am
Purer
Emptier
Richer

***

« I’m an adaptable nomad. I love Paris, I’ve been living in Los Angeles and New York since 1990. I love London, too. My roots are inside of me. » ~ Julie Delpy

 

« A nomad I will remain for life, in love with distant and uncharted places. » ~ Isabelle Eberhardt

Lire la suite

London calling {my soul}

« Don’t force anything. Let life be a deep let go. » ~ Eileen Caddy

My beloved London, in 2017 I was lucky enough to live with you for a very brief while. I was both stressed and grateful, while falling asleep and waking up in your classy arms. I would love to learn more of your lingo, walk again through your frenetic streets decorated with colourful breath-taking art pieces. I want to taste more of your take away surprising dishes and explore your clubs, coffee shops and peaceful sacred spots. I would like to dance at your glory, go to your concerts, run through your parks and gracefully squeeze in your crowded tube. {I am a little size – it is ok if it is tight!} Yes, I am afraid; we do not know each other very well. But I simply cannot ignore my drive to explore and connect. I want to meet your people. I want to lose myself in your hectic and noisy melting pot. One way or another, I will be back. Maybe for a couple of days, a few months or even longer, who knows? Hope you don’t mind? 😉 Anyway, thank you so much for having me, really appreciated the whole bitter-sweet  intense and enriching experience!

 

Magnificent piece of street art on Hanbury Street by artist Dale Grimshaw

« The best bribe which London offers today to the imagination, is, that, in such a vast variety of people and conditions, one can believe there is room for persons of romantic character to exist, and that the poet, the mystic, and the hero may hope to confront their counterparts. » ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

I wrote a (not very) sophisticated poem, voilà!

 

***
London chéri
You are so damn expensive (oh shit!*)
This is how you test someone’s commitment to build a lasting partnership
Many brave hearts play with destiny to get a sense
Of your crazy, intense and colourful spirit
Full of smiley faces and exotic accents
(They all find a common ground after a few drinks)
You are extravagant, sweet, free and fresh
(Also because of the rain, your sky is so capricious and dramatic)
You are hectic, eclectic and business oriented
Yet, you host so many places of worship
Where people pray in countless ways
With same pure, infinite beauty
You taste like a delicious mixture of best dishes from around the globe
I love your vibrant, funky look when you dress to impress on a dance floor
(You never wear tights, I am not sure why)
You politely point out where to look while crossing the street
And how many seconds are left to get to the other side safely
Yet, you make us all feel like non-diagnosed dyslexics
Or headless chickens running against the clock
London – I miss you and your freaky folks
Plus our romantic random lonely walks
Bear with me ~ I’ll be back!
Me enamoré
***

* Nom de Dieu

A few pictures + a few quotes, enjoy!

« It is not what you say that matters. It is what you are and how you live. » ~ Eileen Caddy

“Wild Warrior Women will save the world.” ~ Rune Lazuli

Tower Bridge

The Queen’s Theatre

Camden Town

Camden Town chic

Pure crazy joy at Camden Town (!!)

Brick Lane Market

Near Brick Lane Market

Lucky tube station

Hyde Park, picture by Virginie Petorin: https://www.virginiepetorin.co.uk/

« Let there be more joy and laughter in your living. » ~ Eileen Caddy

Thanks for reading, what about you – any countries, cities or places that you want to explore? I wish you enjoy yourself and feel home (free + safe + Wi-Fi), wherever you are. 😉

Lire la suite

Commitment or somewhere between trust and let go

« Do I contradict myself? Very well, then I contradict myself, I am large, I contain multitudes. » ~ Walt Whitman

I wrote the below piece some time ago. It still touches me deeply. My relationship with commitment is ambiguous. I am full of paradoxes. I want to build, I want long term goals, stability and, at the very same time, I cherish freedom, spontaneity and space for new adventures. I celebrate life exactly as it is here and now and I aim high, both for myself and others. Needless to say it is a little bit chaotic from time to time! 🙂 Playing with this complexity is a tricky game. Balance is a myth. We are all work in progress. As long as we grow, move forward and make adjustments, all is fine. I have no answers or tips. I believe life is a mystery and we all learn through experience rather than intellect. Before, I was trying to stop the pain, hide from the darkness that I could sense coming from a big black hole inside me. Now, I let myself go more and more. I trust the process, my guts and my vulnerability. Thanks God there is dance, music, sun, wind, daylight, water, poetry, art, laughter and warm hearts around me. And there is chocolate. Someone has planned the whole experience pretty well. 🙂

“Love so deeply that even the darkness feels welcomed.” ~ Rune Lazuli

 

Somewhere between trust and let go

I feel grateful and at peace.
It is good to be committed to a relationship, a job or a company.
It is good to be committed to one’s own growth, desires, needs, projects, dreams and hopes.
It is good to be committed to oneself, to here and now, to life.
Not for as to control, possess or improve.
But to grow, nurture, accept and thus fully enjoy, celebrate and cherish.
The one and only thing that will occur for sure is change.
So let’s appreciate what happens to us now. It shall pass.
So let’s commit, in spite of uncertainty, without attachment to a specific result, just for the sake of love.
So let’s move gently with the flow, and enjoy the now, and the new.
So let’s have some fun, even though there will be pain too.
This is the price of living passionately.
This is the price of commitment.
And there will be sweet and spicy surprises too.
We have come full circle. The vicious or the virtuous one?
A matter of perspective.

 

“To be creative means to be in love with life. You can be creative only if you love life enough that you want to enhance its beauty, you want to bring a little more music to it, a little more poetry to it, a little more dance to it.” ~ Osho

 

“This is going to sound crazy. Say yes to everything. Accept all offers. Go along with the plan. Support someone else’s dream. Say « yes »; « right »; « sure »; « I will »; « okay »; « of course »; « YES! » Cultivate all the ways you can imagine to express affirmation. When the answer to all questions is yes, you enter a new world, a world of action, possibility, and adventure.” ~ Patricia Ryan Madson

 

“Love me when I am rain, hold me when I am fire.” ~ Rune Lazuli

Lire la suite

I don’t need you (to)

Dear Friends,

Long time no speak, happy to be back and wising you All a lovely 2018!

Please see below a poem and a few quotes from Rune Lazuli, a young female poet whose words go straight to my heart, she is so inspiring and I love her bitter sweet, authentic style. She is on Instagram and Facebook. You may want to check out her work!

Best Wishes and have fun! 😀

Love,

Pau

***

I don’t need you (to)

I don’t need you to be perfect

I find it sexy when you do not know

How to answer my stubborn questions

I find it charming when you doubt

And show your scars

I don’t want long-term promises

Or big beautiful words

I want patience

I want presence

I want prayer

I want commitment to here and now

And authentic joyful

Bitter-sweet chaos

I don’t search for a perfect equation

I accept uncertainty

Provided that there is aliveness

That there is movement

That there is total acceptance

And an open heart, especially when it hurts

I want us to blossom somewhere

In between right or wrong

Black or white

In the graceful clumsy dance

Of two souls

Who accidentally looked into each other’s eyes

***

“Your strength is measured in your ability to smile.” ~ Rune Lazuli

 

“To be a poet is to be wildly vulnerable.

It is to comfortably reveal your most violent scars.”

Rune Lazuli

 

“The way in which you choose to heal is beautiful.” ~ Rune Lazuli

“We are the granddaughters of the witches they were not able to burn.” ~ Unknown

To finish with style, one of my favourite songs ever, enjoy! 😉

Lire la suite

Where I come from (!!)

“You have to leave the city of your comfort and go into the wilderness of your intuition. What you’ll discover will be wonderful. What you’ll discover is yourself.” ~ Alan Alda

My home city – Warsaw. Poland.

To everyone who has ever left something dear to their heart

I welcomed your first scream
First breath
First look into your parents’ eyes
Filled with joy and wonder
I taught you how to write, read and count (on yourself)
I nourished you and sang you sweet lullabies
So that you could enter the kingdom of colourful soft dreams
You grew beautifully under my wings
You fell in love for the first time
You suffered and became stronger
You discovered deep blue sea and enjoyed its powerful fresh waves
You looked in awe at the most magnificent
Mountains covered with vibrant autumn leaves
I offered you your first job opportunity
And put excellent teachers on your path
Who ignited passion for foreign lands and languages

***
And then you abandoned us
To pursue joy abroad
You betrayed both your ancestors and I
You left your parents’ comfortable home
And were gone, once and for all
Into the wild and gorgeous (oh là là) land
“I am sorry” – you say somewhat sad
Even though you owe me every-single-thing
And will never repay your debts
My little sweetheart
As long as there is spark in your eyes
And fire in your belly
As long as you love intensely
And carry me in your heart
With humble gratitude
You have my blessings
I gave you roots and wings
So please use both wisely
And travel foolishly if this is your soul’s calling
Remember to call your parents
Not only when you are lost or sad
You naughty nomadic curious spirit

***
I will always be there for you
Like an old beautiful peaceful tree
You are welcome any time
To rest in my arms and whisper your stories
With your funny foreign accent and weird wording

Love,
Pau-land

****

“Home is where the heart can laugh without shyness.” ~ Vernon Baker

View from my parents’ house. Warsaw.

“In a forest of a hundred thousand trees, no two leaves are alike. And no two journeys along the same path are alike.” ~ Paulo Coelho

Countryside near my grandparents’ house.

“All our wisdom is stored in the trees.” ~ Santosh Kalwar

tree of life
Tree of life.

Nice Polish song – old but gold! 😀

Another Polish song – a little more nostalgic – I love it, hope you will enjoy. 😀

If you are unsure, whether to visit Poland, watch the below short video! 😀

More on my home country, please visit and check it on your own!

Lire la suite

L’interview avec Margaux Dewitte, globe-trotteuse optimiste !

Margaux en Cappadoce, Turquie
Source : http://www.serialhikers.com

« L’impulsion du voyage est l’un des plus encourageants symptômes de la vie. » ~ Agnès Repplier

C’est avec joie que je publie un nouvel entretien avec une belle personne inspirante. J’ai croisé Margaux Dewitte dans le cadre de mon activité salariée. Cette jeune femme a tout lâché et a décidé de partir à l’aventure, en direction de l’Australie. Margaux et son copain Julien ont choisi de voyager d’une manière alternative : écologique, économique et en valorisant les rencontres authentiques. Ils ne prennent pas d’avion, à la place : ils prennent tout leur temps pour bien découvrir chaque région. Ils voyagent principalement en auto-stop, logent chez l’habitant et réalisent différentes missions de volontariat tout au long de leur parcours.  A l’heure d’aujourd’hui (décembre 2017), ils ont traversé 1 pays par mois en moyenne (11 pays en tout) et ont dépensé entre 2€ à 4€ par jour et par personne. De quoi  nous faire rêver ! 😀

Nous avons discuté avec Margaux de ses motivations pour partir, sa vision de voyage (quête initiatique!), les diverses missions de volontariats qu’elle a réalisées, les difficultés rencontrées, les avantages et défis de voyager en couple, les précieuses prises de conscience survenues suite à des interactions avec d’autres cultures, la tendance « no make-up », enfin ses projets et futurs destinations.

Voici la trame de l’entretien :

  1. Comment ton voyage a commencé ? Le déclic, la démission, la décision.
  2. Pourquoi es-tu partie ?
  3. Préparatifs – les choses à faire avant le grand départ : bilan de santé, côté administratif, faire son sac.
  4. Comment vous voyagez (4 volets : écologique, économique, humain et lié au temps) ?
  5. Quels sont les modes de voyages que tu ne choisirais pas toi-même ? « Pour toi, voyer n’est pas… »
  6. Quelles sont les missions de volontariat que tu as réalisées ?
  7. Quelles sont les difficultés que vous avez rencontrées et comment vous les avez dépassées ?
  8. Voyager en couple – avantages et défis. L’accident en Bosnie-Herzégovine.
  9. Le meilleur souvenir de ton voyage.
  10. La mixité en France : certes, un grand défi, mais surtout une source d’inspiration et de richesse.
  11. Qu’est-ce que le voyage a changé dans ta vie : ta vision des choses, tes habitudes, etc . ?
  12. Quelle est ta prochaine destination et pour quand le prochain départ ?
  13. Allez-vous changer quelque chose dans votre manière de voyager, suite à votre dernière expérience ?
  14. Est-ce que tu veux ajouter quelque chose / laisser un message à ceux qui nous regardent ?
  15. Où est-ce qu’on peut trouver les informations sur votre voyage, comment rester en contact ?
  16. L’évènement auquel Margaux participe – Traveler On Stage #7 – le 6 décembre 2017 à Paris, lieu : Le Hasard Ludique.

Petite Margaux

 « Voyager, c’est grandir. C’est la grande aventure. Celle qui laisse des traces dans l’âme. » ~ Marc Thiercelin

Margaux et Julien attendent une voiture
Source : http://www.serialhikers.com

« Comme tout ce qui compte dans la vie, un beau voyage est une œuvre d’art. » ~ André Suarès

Pour mieux connaître Margaux :

  • Ses citations préférées :

« Voyager est la seule chose qu’on achète qui nous rend plus riche. » ~ Auteur inconnu

« L’être humain perd sa santé à gagner de l’argent et par la suite, il perd son argent à se refaire une santé. Il pense au futur, au point d’oublier le présent, de sorte qu’il ne vit ni dans le présent, ni dans le futur. Finalement, il vit comme s’il n’allait jamais mourir et il meurt comme s’il n’avait jamais vécu… » ~ Dalaï Lama

  • Son livre préféré : « 1984 » de George Orwell
  • Son film préféré : « Inception » de Christopher Nolan (pour son analyse fine de la manipulation, les paysages et la bande sonore)
  • Ses plats préférés : les fromages français, l’ajvar serbe (délicieuse purée de poivrons sucrés typique des Balkans, à étaler sur du pain ou en accompagnement de plat) et les mezzés grecs (tous sans exception!)
  • Page web de Margaux Dewitte & Julien Espaze – « Tour du Monde alternatif en stop »

***

Si vous avez apprécié l’interview, cela peut également vous intéresser :

Contenus créés par Margaux et  Julien :
Volontariats :
  • Un réseau mondial mettant en relation des voyageurs prêts à donner un coup de main avec des hôtes qui ont besoin d’aide pour leurs projets ou leurs activités.
  • Une plateforme de mise en relation des voyageurs avec des hôtes (hébergement et nourriture contre de l’aide, principalement dans des fermes) ;
  • Woofing – travail bénévole dans une ferme biologique.
A lire sur mon blog, sur le même sujet :
  • L’article où j’ai décrit le voyage au pays de mes ancêtres et en Cappadoce (le temps était très limité, mais l’expérience inoubliable !) ;
  • L’article où je parle de mon voyage en Afrique (Sénégal) qui m’a chamboulée.
Autres :
  • Traveler On Stage #7 – évènement auquel Margaux a participé –  elle y a fait un discours sur son expérience de voyage (le 6 décembre 2017 à Paris 18e, lieu : Le Hasard Ludique)
  • Site internet offrant un service d’hébergement temporaire et gratuit, entre particuliers.
  • La tendance no make-up soutenue par certaines chanteuses, comme par exemple : Alicia Keys, qui a décidé de ne plus porter de maquillage.

***

Pour finir, je vous propose d’apprécier une courte vidéo réalisée par Margaux et Julien, relatant leur séjour en Turquie. Les images, la musique – tout est beau, lumineux, magique, découvrez par vous-mêmes !

Comme toujours, merci de votre visite, vos partages et commentaires ; à très vite, until then – have FUN! 😀

Lire la suite