Adventure time: Lunar New Year at the Buddhist temple

On Sunday Dan and I went to the Buddhist temple here in Brisbane to have a look at the Lunar New Year celebrations.
The incredibly well groomed garden and cute lagoon next to it already did the job for me, but what we got to experience inside the temple was extremely inspirational.
There was a ceremony going on in one of the prayer rooms, the smoke and smell of incense was everywhere and lots of people gathered around to either participate or watch the ceremony.
I found it fascinating to see all of these people singing, kneeling and standing up, becoming a part of the room, the atmosphere. At one stage I actually had to hold back tears at the sight of this completely alien but beautiful culture. Yeah, I am THAT girl...


Once the ceremony was over the monks disappeared into a separate room and as they walked past I found myself being in complete awe over their lifestyle, their spirituality and their sense of being whole.
How good would it be to do what our society deems as "little to nothing" on a daily basis, yet feeling completely content, satisfied, one with everything around you?
Imagine not having to do what you have to do every day, without lacking a sense of accomplishment?
Heck, I feel like an insufficient human being if I decide to just read for 3 hrs, without doing the washing at the same time. What if that feeling would be replaced by something greater, something meaningful? What if I could live without worrying about money altogether?

Now don't tell me that wouldn't be flipping amazing!

But yes, yes. Even I have to return to the normal world at least at some point, but what I took with me from this adventure is a realization, one that clearly points out that possessions, location, social status, career, beauty - they don't mean shit, they don't contribute to anyone's happiness. It's about how you feel about yourself and the people around you. There is no recipe for happiness, it is not in the least affected by anything outside of yourself. Happiness is a mindset.
It's your choice.


Now: Adventure photos

GO DO

This is a selection of women who I looked up to when I was a young girl, tween and semi-adult (teenager). I always had to make myself stay up for Fast Forward with Charlotte Roche, because they used to show it at 11 pm. And Clarissa!! Who DIDN'T love Clarissa as a child?? HI SAM! She always had the most horrific clothes and she was an outsider and alt chick, just the way I always felt!! (Or anyone at that age I suppose!). I have put my obsession for Alicia Silverstone in words on this platform many times before, but cannot put together a post without her on the list. Britney Spears. What can I say? I remember her style was awful in the beginning. Demin dresses and fluffy pink Cowboyhats with rhinestones on them. The industry went and copied everything  and you could find above mentioned hats for years in one dollar shops. She was pretty flipping cool at the time! Enie should definitely dye her hair red again and by the way, is BRAVO TV still on air??? Last but not least Sarah Kuttner, whose show was the only thing left on MTV that was classified as watchable. She was sassy, honest, brutal, quirky and witty. She was the one that told Moneybrother he wears his jeans too tight. She had the star tattoo before all the other indie kids. Then MTV cancelled her show. Boo.


We got back to Brisbane today. Flying was a horror as usual and my legs still look like they belong to a pregnant lady. I have transformed all my hard earned muscles back into fat the last six weeks and am dreading the gym already. Roooaarrr. Yay me for ignoring the fact that it's summer in Australia. Now: bedtime!