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Japan, aspects of

Japan, aspects of

Now back home in Canada, in the middle of Nature’s awesome exhibit of her Fall colour palette, I find myself drifting off to memories of my all too brief time in Japan.
Japan had never been one of my travel destinations, so when I decided to go, it was pack up and go, no research or prior reading was done on the country, their customs, attitudes and behaviors.

For instance, I had no idea that in Japan public toilets did not supply paper towels, or hand dryers. I would have known to bring with me my own handkerchief.

Western tradition, we say “Ladies first”… Japanese tradition is “you first” the other person is placed on a higher social level than oneself… BUT… interestingly, going through a doorway, the senior male is expected to lead the way, and on a crowded train or bus, there is not need for a man to give up his seat, no matter how many packages or children a woman may be carrying. (social expectation)

When invited for lunch, a visitor usually leaves by 3 pm. while for an evening meal, visitors do not stay any later than 8 pm, even if encouraged to stay, the polite response is to leave. Host and family will often even go as far as the transit station with their guests. At the least, they will all stand at the door wishing the parting guests, safe journey etc.

The Japanese language is rich with special ways to express gratitude  ie..
O-machido-sama deshita, -Thank you for waiting.
Go-chiso-sama deshita – Thank you for the meal.
Go-kuro-sama deshita – Thank you for going out of your way
O-tsukara-sama deshita -Thank you for your hard work.

Think how often we hear or say Thank you in our daily lives.

What I did experience and loved was the underground streets (Chikado) (areas of shopping) that are built in conjunction with major subway stations (train stations) in the larger cities, ie. Tokyo, Osaka and Nagoya in particular)

Every eating place (shokudo) and resutoran (restaurant) has an outdoor display cabinet that contains shokuhin sanpuru, (life size plastic replicas of dishes being served in that location). I understand that in most cases, what you see outside is a very close duplicate to what you will actually get in the shop, down to the number of slices and size of portions.

I came back home with a yen for more of the fabulous food offerings I had while in Japan.No, this taste delight has not been satisfied. I will have to continue in my searching. chances are I’ll do better in a larger city, i.e. Toronto. If you have any suggestions, please send them along to me.

In PL we say…. Saying Thank You creates a heart to heart connection.  If you don’t put your thoughts into words and actions, you will not be able to express how you truly feel.  By expressing your gratitude in words, you can really get your feelings across.

Blessings to you all, now and forever

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Greet Everyone with a Smile!

Greet Everyone with a Smile!

The basic building block of human relationships is greeting one another. Be the first to greet others cheerfully. A cheerful outlook can be such a “positive” to those around you.
This “otterly” delightful “Tiny” is Muttley, she never failed to bring smiles to those who shared time with her or in her sphere. I tried to find the picture I have of her with a big smile plastered on her face. Couldn’t, but.. did find this one.

Although I have not seen Muttley for awhile now, I will never forget her because of the personality she shared with me whenever we met. She always made me smile. That is a special quality.

In PL, we believe that a positive outlook, can influence the mood of people around you and keep things upbeat.

“My philosophy is that not only are you responsible for your life, but doing the best at this moment puts you in the best place for the next moment” Oprah Winfrey

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photo – outside library Kemptville – Christianne M

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October memory

October 13

I had such a happy excursion yesterday.  My husband with the two dogs, did some touring around the countryside near home.  It was a simply fantastic day!  What can I say, not much, I’d rather some the pictures with you…

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Even in the last days of its bloom, this flower is an expression of nature’s glory.

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Nature’s colour palette is filled with the richness of the shades that so brilliantly say “autumn”

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Old markers in a newly discovered (to me) historic cemetery beckoned to me from the road, I had to explore.  The older the cemetery, the more serene. With the dazzling sunshine, and dappled shade this one was lovely.

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A tribute of another time, still sits proudly on a marker, its beauty may be faded, but it still exudes pulchritude and charm

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The riot of colour that filled my day had me exhilarated and filled with a joy that was near to bursting.  I love Canada and the four season it offers.

God resides in a prayerful Mind….. Evidence of the “Master’s” creativity was on full display yesterday.  From pictures I saw being posted yesterday on FB
(Facebook) we were not alone in our rediscovery  of the knockout day available to us yesterday.  Every day is filled with new discoveries.

Let me leave you a thanksgiving greeting I got this morning, I’m sorry the graphics did not  copy paste, but the verse is cute. click on pumpkin pie)

“the pursuit of happiness is the chase of a lifetime!”


TWAS THE NIGHT OF THANKSGIVING,
BUT I JUST COULDN’T SLEEP.
I TRIED COUNTING BACKWARDS,
I TRIED COUNTING SHEEP.

THE LEFTOVERS BECKONED –
THE DARK MEAT AND WHITE,
BUT I FOUGHT THE TEMPTATION
WITH ALL OF MY MIGHT.

TOSSING AND TURNING WITH ANTICIPATION,
THE THOUGHT OF A SNACK BECAME INFATUATION.
SO, I RACED TO THE KITCHEN, FLUNG OPEN THE DOOR,
AND GAZED AT THE FRIDGE, FULL OF GOODIES GALORE.
GOBBLED UP
TURKEY AND BUTTERED POTATOES,
PICKLES AND CARROTS, BEANS AND TOMATOES.

I FELT MYSELF SWELLING SO PLUMP AND SO ROUND,
‘TIL ALL OF A SUDDEN, I ROSE OFF THE GROUND.
I CRASHED THROUGH THE CEILING, FLOATING INTO THE SKY,
WITH A MOUTHFUL OF PUDDING AND A HANDFUL OF PIE.
BUT, I MANAGED TO YELL AS I SOARED PAST THE TREES….
HAPPY EATING TO ALL – PASS THE CRANBERRIES, PLEASE.
MAY YOUR STUFFING BE TASTY,
MAY YOUR
TURKEY BE PLUMP.
MAY YOUR POTATOES ‘N GRAVY HAVE NARY A LUMP.
MAY YOUR YAMS BE DELICIOUS.
MAY YOUR PIES TAKE THE PRIZE,
MAY YOUR THANKSGIVING DINNER STAY OFF OF YOUR THIGHS!!

HAPPY   THANKSGIVING   TO  ALL

Blessings – Matthew 5:1 and 6
photos -iPhone -Q  Kemptivlle, Mountain and surrounding areas.
 
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Perfect Liberty

Perfect Liberty

PL Is alive and well in Raglan. PL is everywhere!

i did want to let readers who visit Raglan, Tiny Outpost  or any other location in SL (Second Life) to know that you can get to the church by visiting this kiosk (in Raglan Shire) for a LM. Or contact me (Q) and I’ll send it to you next time I’m there. Rev. Goto is also able to be there if you ever want a personal consultation with him. (English/Japanese) at the PL church in SL.

If you would like to meet with Q, she too can be available, you need only to contact her.  With Shocktober here, there is a lot going on in Raglan and @ Tiny Outpost, the church is open 24/7

Have a great day today.

Begin your Day with Appreciation..

Love and Blessings

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Letting Go of Ego

Letting Go of our Ego

PL teaches > if we are always caught up with power,status and appearances, we will find it hard to accomplish anything of worth. We are encouraged to “Let Go” and express ourselves fully.
Gosh, “ego” can be so abstract. Often it isn’t till I am well into the fray that I discover my “ego” has helped land me there.

For fun I looked up “EGO” in the Concise Oxford English Dictionary, why not… it is very early in the a.m.  and i want to know what the academic definition is of EGO is, since i seem to have one of my very own.  Here we go. 1> a person’s  sense self esteem or self importance   (2 )psychoanalysis  the part of the mind that mediates between the conscious mind and the unconscious and is responsible for reality testing and a sense of personal identity. Compare with ID and Superego 3. philosophy (in metaphysics) a conscious thinking subject.

I just know you feel so much brighter and care free with this little tidbit of information tucked into your gray matter =^_^=….

Personally I think that    an “ego” is a very personal part of our “personality and character.  Certainly there are days when it can be very fragile, and other days when it is simply mulish.  Ego might be something to discuss with Rev. Eugene next time we are sitting down for a “visit”.  Consultations and visits with the ministers is very encouraged in the PL church.  When James H. Rutz (free lance writer) talks about the formality in churches and how the personal sharing and one on one has disappeared from many of the “today” churches, I’m happy to say that this is not the case with the PL Churches,   PL has a unique way of offering “Personal Guidance”

We believe strongly that happiness is built by establishing wishes and goals.  through consultations with a PL minister, you receive personal guidance tailored to your individual character and situation.  You can receive consultations from a PL minister for any kind of problem or situation.  Not only do PL Consultations help you solve problems, but through consultations, you can learn how to express your true self for the sake of society and for the sake of others,  

Our mission in PL is to create  World Peace, we believe we can do this by passing on from one person to another the teachings of PL

Letting Go of Your Ego Will Make You a Stronger Person.  Tall request… nah… put your mind to it and YOU CAN DO IT.

H A P P Y    F R I D A Y     everyone!  Enjoy your day whatever you are doing?  Make every second count !!

Love and blessings…… now and always

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photo- Loco Poco Monkey avatar,SL virtual world – taken by Q

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What colour are you today?

What colour are you today?

What colour is your world today? Have you ever been asked that before. It was a popular question back in the days when I was still working at the hospital. In Psychology colour testing, and rating was the newest topic of discussion. In the world of Fashion, the colours you liked to wear, or leaned to, gave expression to.. are you fall? spring> winter? each season of course had a rainbow of colours that went with them.

Colour symbolism is one of the most universal of types of symbolism and has been consciously used in the liturgy in heraldry, alchemy, art and literature. If you were to make yourself a “talisman” today, what colour would it be? I remember giving an art class one day where the participants decided it would be fun to do a good luck talisman as their challenge of that day, Their first choice was what the object would be, and the second was what colours they wanted to use.

Personally over the years, I have gravitated to “earth” tones, but suddenly I would take a nose dive into the brighter gemstone colours, for some reason, though I love these bright cheerful colours, I prefer to wear more subtle and darker colours. With the aging process, that has fluctuated but only in small degrees. I fell in love with a pair of a capris that were a beautiful jewel tone of amethyst, fit like a dream and are super comfortable. I’ve worn them maybe once, but I won’t pass them on, my hand will linger on them when dressing, but when push comes to shove, the familiar, stand by me, faded jeans, or worn gray win out.
In life, situations and people drift in and out of our daily waking lives, often much like the colour palette we all seem to have in one form or another in our lives, and how we interact, or “see” these “visitors” actually colours are days/nights.

**note to readers ** a glimpse behind the scenes the software of this website, just dropped the last 15 minutes of my visit with you…. I saw shades of black, then red…. sigh.. now I’m back to a neutral zone, since I feel reconnected.  computers, what to do with them.. rhetorical question of course. *** end of insert

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Here we go.  I’ve added some colour,  Ahhh… that’s better.. lighter, pastel, muted… still colour.  this is what life is all about isn’t it.  We chose what colour to present ourselves with when we dress, and we “chose” how to respond to situations in our lives.  Some get passionate responses, bright vivid colours… other times, we are accepting, life flows along, when a bump or detour happens, we can be colorful or very dark, depending on the situation.  When we hurt, colours don’t harmonize, they clash.  If we get sick, we can look completely washed out.

Lets start our colour palette with a smile….  that always works…. Be Happy today and always.  Let’s create a rainbow day!

 

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October 1. Day of Peace

October 1. Day of Peace

Every 1st of the month, we in PL, celebrate Day of Peace.
Through this ceremony we pray for World Peace and dedicate ourselves to live as peaceful human beings in our own worlds which includes our home, school,work and community

Service is today at 10 a.m for those of you who can come to the church.

We have a special celebration on the 1st. but we try to live each and every day with World Peace in our hearts.
If we all, each and every one of us, sincerely prays for the peace we so much strive for. Our combined efforts can and will change the world.

Let us join hands and take a moment in prayer.

If you have access to a bible… James 1:22-25 it begins
Don’t I beg you, only hear the message, but put it into practice, otherwise you are merely deluding yourselves…..

PL Precept # 15 All is a Mirror
PL Precept # 21 Live in Perfect LIberty.

October is a month, rich with spiritual history…. drink it in.

Blessings everyone.

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Learning is a Lifelong Process

Learning is a Lifelong Process

“No matter your age, there is something to be learned and there is always room for improvement. Always remember that there is wisdom to be gained from any situation.”

The day I had today, had me coming home and digging through my PL teachings, till I found the above lesson. Life doesn’t always provide me with a clear picture. I have to come home and process the feelings and emotions I picked up along my journey (running errands)

I just finished reading Louise Penny’s the Beautiful Mystery. the story line takes place in a remote part of Quebec in a monastery where two dozen cloistered monks live in peace and prayer. By suppertime today I was ready to transport myself to the serenity of the chapel or one of the cells. Where I could sit/lie down and turn the “chaos” of the world out.. .. simply take, long deep breaths in gathering in the calm, then holding the quiet before letting out the pollution
of the city.

I will visualize the chapel in the Peace Tower in the Holy Land and recall the tranquility I found there.

Closing my eyes, I allow the moment to wash over me…..
Aaahhhh my smile is starting, yes, I feel now that it will be a happy sleep. good night dear reader….

May you too be blessed with the comfort of a loving heart.

photo – Virtual landscape from SL -by Q

Rev. Fukito Kimura

Finally I can  introduce you to Rev. Fukito Kimura, I am trying to get a better picture of him, and when I do I will post it.  This man is genuine, kind  and compassionate.   I mentioned him just the other day.  It has taken me awhile to present him to you because he speaks no English and I no Japanese.  He was kind enough to reply to my question,  how was it he became a PL minister.  For those of you who read Japanese, I will copy paste his response to me.  The training to be a PL minister is long and it is one of total dedication to the goals and philosophy of the church.  Reading his words, is not meeting him in person, but perhaps if you travel to Japan, you will look him up, or if you want to know about PL, talk to us here in the USA or Canada.

Rev Kimura

What follows are his words translated by Rev. Eugene (Ottawa  church)

One month has passed since Founders’ Day.
I’m very sorry to respond late in regards to your questions, Dymoon.
I will write the reason for becoming a minister.
I attended a university in Nara Prefecture after graduating from the PL high school. In 1987 when I was a senior in the university, I have not decided on what to do after graduation.
One day, a upper classman from my old high school dropped by that I was acquainted with. He asked me if I wanted to become a PL minister. I knew how hard of a work you put in as a PL minister and people around me was also expressed not becoming a minister, so I thought to myself that I would not cut it as a minister.
But, the upper classman’s request was very serious and he kept insisting for me to become a minister. What started to change my mind was the upper classman’s words of, “Let’s repay Oshieoya-sama.” That simple act of giving back for the blessings you received made more sense to me than looking for a job that I can do or want to do. By the end of summer (the school year in Japan is from April to March), even though I had many ideas of my future, I started to think that I might have regrets in the future if I don’t become a minister. Hence, I decided to become a minister.
In October of the same year, I went to take the entrance exam for the ministers trainee school together with the upper classman. And, I was accepted into the 26th Class of Ministers’ Trainee which started in April of the following year.
It would take too many spaces here to write everything, so I’m going to jump to the point where I met my wife and had 3 children.
My time in living in Holy Land has been long, but recently I had the opportunity to do Misasage at a church for 4 years. The Misasage at the church had change my views quite a bit towards other people and especially towards myself. It’s not that I was lazy, but through practicing my Mioshie and PL teachings, I learned the meaning behind what it is to overdo which I tend to do. At my current Misasage at the Rensei Department, it gives me great joy knowing that it is a continuous changes that happens and with that, we strive to make it so that it conforms with Oshieoya-sama’s feelings and ideas which will lead to the Rensei participants being able to appreciate.
The following is what I keep in mind while I do my Misasage.
That is, never forget to do Shikiri (prayer). To do Misasage with Shikiri, it makes you humble, and to align yourself with Oshieoya-sama’s feelings and ideas. I grew up in PL Holy Land, so to pray was second nature. But, I did not experience the true blessings in praying until I was over 40 year-old.

What is the difference between doing your Misasage just with your own strength and doing it with Shikiri. To give you an example in my own ways, to make a boat go forward, one way is to use an oar to paddle. You will move forward just as much as you paddle. A better option is to use a sail. If the wind blows into the sail, the boat will move forward like gliding on top of the water. I believe to do Shikiri is the sail that catches the wind that is called Oshieoya. By catching the wind with the sail (Shikiri), your timing with everything around you becomes better. A person who can help you do things will appear when you need them or receive the perfect tools to do what you are doing. It makes a great difference in your Misasage when you do and don’t do Shikiri.
Furthermore, because I do Shikiri, no matter what results I get, I can always believe that this will turn out for the beast due to the fact that I am riding on Oshieoya-sama’s wind.
During the Overseas Rensei, I believe that I was able to talk to you while you were waiting for the next lecture was because I was doing my Misasage with Shikiri. If you were able to have appreciations towards what I said, then it must be because Oshieoya-sama’s Shikiri was there. I have also expressed my intuition to other people as well. To do the Rensei Misasage is about accumulation of all your experience.
I believe that all staff who did Misasage did so with Shikiri to truly make the experience wonderful for all the PL members from overseas who came to Holy Land this year,
This is the reason why I became a minister and my state of mind doing my Misasage.
Thank you very much.

教祖祭から1ヶ月が過ぎてしまいました。
さて、デーモンさんからいただいた質問に対しての返事が遅くなり、申し訳ありません。
私がPL教師を志願した経緯を簡単に書きます。
PL学園高校から奈良県の大学に進学した私は、1987年に4年生になり、進路に悩んでいました。
そんな時に親しくしてくれていた先輩にPL教師にならないかと誘われました。PL教師の仕事の大変さを知っていましたので、私にはその仕事は無理だと思っていましたし、周囲にもPL教師にはならないことを言っていたくらいです。
しかし、その先輩の誘いは本気で、粘り強く話し掛けてくれました。その先輩の「おしえおや様へ恩返しをしよう」という言葉に感動して、だんだんと気持ちがPL教師になる方へ傾いていきました。自分に合った仕事を探す、やりたい事を見つけるのではなく、「おしえおや様へ恩返しをする」という単純な動機が自分の心を動かしていきました。その間にも、いろいろな自分の将来を描いてみましたが、夏休みの終わる頃になると、PL教師にならなければ、将来後悔するのではないかと思うようになり、とうとう教師志願をさせていただくことになりました。
そして、その年の10月に、その先輩と2人で教師養成機関である「PL教校」に入校するための試験を受けました。
そして、翌年4月から教校本科26期生としてPL教師になるための研修を受けることになりました。
その後のことは書いていると、とても長くなるので省略しますが、PL教師として献身させていただいている間に今の妻と知り合い、結婚して、更に子どもが3人授かりました。
本庁での生活も長いのですが、最近は約4年間の教会の献身も経験しました。この教会での献身は私の考え方を大きく変えました。人に対して、また自分に対して厳しく考えることが少なくなったように思えます。怠け者になったということではありませんが、PLの教えや「みおしえ」を実行させていただく中で、「度を過ごす」という間違いの意味を学ぶことができたと思っています。現在の錬成課の献身も毎日が変化の連続で、おしえおや様の感動に沿った錬成を推進させていただき、錬成員に喜んでもらえることが大きな喜びになっています。
次に私が献身で心掛けていることです。
それは、「遂断り」「祈り」を忘れないことです。遂断りながら献身をさせていただくということは、謙虚な気持ちを忘れないことと、おしえおや様の感動に沿うということ
です。私はPL聖地で育ちましたので、遂断ることは当たり前の行いでした。しかし、遂断ることの本当の有難さは、40歳を過ぎてから、改めて感じる体験がいくつかありました。
自分の力だけでする献身と、遂断りながらする献身の差は何でしょうか。私なりに例を挙げるなら、ボートを前に進めようとする時に、オールで漕いで進む方法があります。オールで漕いだ分だけ前にボートを進めることができますが、もっと良い方法として帆を張るという進め方もあるでしょう。風を帆一杯に受ければ、ボートは水上を滑るように進むはずです。遂断るということは、おしえおや様という風を受ける帆を張ることだと思っています。その風を遂断りという帆で受ければ、自分の周囲の巡り合わせが、タイミングが良くなり、自分を助けてくれる人が現れたり、必要な道具が授かったりして、遂断らない時と違って明らかに献身がはかどっていきます。
また、遂断ってさせていただくと、どんな結果になっても、おしえおや様の風に乗っているのだから、きっと良いことになると思えるようになりました。
海外団参錬成でデーモンさんが講義の時間を待っていた時に声を掛けさせていただけたのは、遂断って推進の献身をさせていただけたからだと思います。その言葉に対して、感謝の気持ちを持っていただけたのならば、おしえおや様の遂断りが働いたのだと思います。デーモンさん以外の方にも気付かせていただいた表現をさせていただきました。錬成の推進とは、その積み重ねだと思っています。
今年の教祖祭団参で、外国から多くのPL会員が聖地を訪れましたが、皆さんには、錬成課をはじめとした多くのスタッフが遂断りながら、気付かせていただいたことを大切にしながら、献身をさせていただいたと思っています。
以上が、私がPL教師にならせていただいた経緯と献身の時に心がけていることです。
ありがとうございました。

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Wednesday’s greeting

Wednesday's greeting

Isn’t this a great quote. I read it once, then a second time, 10 words, well put together. Another way of say “Life is Art” the first PL Precept.
I dearly want you to meet Sensei Fukito Kimura, the minister I told you about in an earlier blog. From PL Holy Land in Tondabayasghi, Osaka,Japan. He found a way to communicate with me even though neither of us spoke the other’s language. No, not through a translator, on a one on one. ( I was in Japan for Rensei training, blog(s) would be back in early August for those of you wanting a re read)

I was so impressed with his sincerity,kindness and overall demeanor I asked Rev. Goto to ask him if I could communicate further with him once back in Canada.  He graciously agreed.  It has been a challenge, but I did manage to ask him to tell me how he became a minister with PL, and why.  He did write, (Rev. Euguene) our minister here in Ottawa) kindly did the translation for me.   Now here dear reader, is where one of my lessons in life, has to be put into practice. Somehow in the getting the file from the church to my computer it got corrupted.  Patience is one of the virtues, I have had to learn and practice, and to do it creatively =^_^=.  (Rev. Eugene is away)

Rev Kimura

Meet Sensei  Fukito Kimura, a young family man dedicated to his craft.  He had not thought of being a minister till well into the last years of his schooling.  Once that decision was taken, he never looked back.  He had a church, but was called back to the Holy Land headquarters to  work there.  He is the Coordinator of Rensei Training.  He derives great joy and sense of reward in what he does.  On the shy side, he at first appears reserved, but when you watch him in action, ensuring all runs smoothly for the many many attendees,  you realize he is focused on what he is doing.  He is living in the moment.  His words when he wrote were gentle and wise.

When I get the translation again, I will post his response in Japanese for those of you who read Japanese, because I believe that it will be a true reflection of Sensei Fukito’s words.  And the English translation.

I know today’s teaching was on the Value of Money and Things…  but I wanted to talk about the value of Friendships and how  a real connection with another person will always be through a sincere desire to reach out and embrace that person with a love that speaks from the “heart” 

Become a peace maker in life, a smile goes a long way, not everyone is lovable, we don’t always succeed at being gracious or kind, but we can all work towards a happier day. It begins with one tiny step at a time.

Emphasize on the inner spiritual energy of love and peace… Blessings all…

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