Suostei (Hello) from Siem Reap Cambodia

It’s been ages since we updated our blog so we hope to bridge the gap with this update before we start blogging again.

Since leaving the apartment to move into a house share , along with the start of ESL for LIFE, we kinda lost ourselves along the way. And before we knew it, two years have passed since our last blog.

How time has flown. Looking back over the past two years, we feel like we have flown full circle.

We took flight from our apartment in 2018 as new awakened fledglings with high hopes of shared nesting with a fellow fledgling. We were meant to soar but soon realized that we were not birds of a feather. We needed our own nesting place.

So after a year of circling and directionless flight, we flew back to the coop to settle our somewhat ruffled feathers and rebuild our nest.

After a time of healing and reflection we were able to accept the lessons that life is teaching us. We have lost our pin feathers and now have the strength to spread our sturdy wings and soar once again.

We have learned so much about ourselves and each other. Instead of opening ourselves, we had closed. All was not lost though and great insight was gained. Sometimes we learn what we need and want through experiencing what we think we want. As the famous saying goes, “be careful what you wish for, as you just might get it!”

The journey that started as two 50 something, happy hippies has branched out into two separate paths that now crisscross along the way. Two different individuals seeking self, yet respectful and mindful of each other and wiser than before.

Along the way so many questions we both had about life, purpose, faith and our souls, has been answered.

But the most interesting of all is the realization that what we were both looking for, was there all the time…… within!

Would we have found it though, if we didn’t follow our hearts and leave South Africa to come to Asia? Since leaving the tread mill of life, society norms, deprogramming and living a simple lifestyle, we have had the time to reflect.

We have researched, read up, listened to, learned and personally experienced what soul purpose is and why we are having this incredible human experience here on Earth.

We now know that we are all connected, one energy. When we connect with the inner soul and spirit, we are one with the Universe, the Divine, God. So the Divine is within each and everyone of us.

We have learned that instead of looking outward, all we needed to do was to look within and fill our souls with love, for oneself and for others, acceptance of what is, be mindful and live in peace, giving thanks and gratitude while letting go of human desires and not acting out of ego.

The soul is that divine part of ourselves that is one with every other energy source on Earth and all connected to the Universal Source Energy.

Namaste’ says it all. The space within in me where the Universe resides sees and honours the space within you where the Universe resides. When I am in that space within me and you are in that space within you, we are ONE!

As with any practice, this is at times easier read and said, than done!

One of the first Buddhist principles is to see the inner beauty and nobility in others. Two and a half thousand years later, Jesus taught the same principles, “love your neighbour ,as you love yourself”.

And although this seems like a beautiful and pure concept to live by, life challenges you with having to deal with people who’s nobility is hard to see through their and one’s own egoic self and pain body.

All we can do, is to be mindful, live in presence, be aware of ego and not act out of ego and also not allow our minds to cloud our reality.

We need to look at this life on Earth as a soul journey, a time of learning, a path to be traveled without a destination. To live in the NOW and try to be a better person and to do better each day, better than we did yesterday.

We (laughingly) refer to ourselves as “Sapphathysts”(Sapphire and Amethyst connected in soul spirit and journeying through this life together)

We cannot undo what has been done before but we can be more aware and try everyday to seek the inner nobility and divine spirit that is within each one of us without judgement and with sensitivity. Be kind… Try to be less of a speaker and more of a listener.

We will be more present in the moment. Even the little moments, like when taking a shower and actually feel the warmth or coolness of the water on our skin, savouring that cup of coffee, listening to the birds, stopping to admire the beauty of the flowers, be en-captured by that butterfly or dragonfly in the garden, feel the sun and the breeze on our skin, look up to the night skies and see the stars and the moon, smell the rain, taste the sweetness of the fruit and the sourness of the lemon and accept “what is” while experiencing this amazing life we share.

Strengthen ourselves through mindfulness and by feeding the “inner spirit” so that it grows stronger than the mind, stronger than thought, stronger than desire and ego and start every day with gratitude, thanks and love.

Isn’t it amazing that the entire world right now, is having to do the same.

Mother Earth and the Universe is reminding us all, to take a step back and be grateful and thankful for all that we have and are blessed with each and every day and to stop taking it all for granted.

Hopefully, with the world in LOCK DOWN, people will have the time to reflect, to go within, to connect with spirit, to be grateful and thankful and to understand that when this LOCK DOWN is over, we all need to live more mindfully.

The human race needs to reassess their desire for material things, money, power ……. and it starts with each and every one of us.

If we all lived more simply with a new appreciation for this pale blue dot we call EARTH, if we all focus on our soul purpose instead of the desires of the world, surely there would be ENOUGH for every human being. No one need live in poverty and disease.

In the famous words of John Lennon, “and the world will be as one”. So let’s all be dreamers….

Everyone on this planet needs to awaken and now is the time. We need to look within and be guided by our own “inner” spirit.

Before we say, “leahaey” (goodbye) we wish to share our biggest highlight since our last blog update.

Our biggest highlight of 2019

Nikki Time

How wonderful it was to welcome this bright spark and energy, this amazing beautiful soul that Amethyst gets to call her daughter.

Welcome Nikki

An absolutely unique person who is still so much a little girl and yet a grown mature young woman.

Looking through her eyes at a country and town that has become home to us was like experiencing it for the first time all over again.

Besides exploring together and being able to share our life here with her, there was Mom and daughter quality time with lots of listening, guidance, love and positive energy exchanged from one soul to another.

At Angkor Wat
Tuk Tuk, our ride
Pub street
Boat trip to the floating village
At The Artbox

Mom would like to believe that Nikki left here shrouded in love and loving energy, which she took back with her to SA. When she got back to SA, she made some important life decisions and this bright, shining, beautiful soul found her person and the keeper of her heart in Lampies. And mom couldn’t be happier!

Another love was found with Keagan and his kindred soul and spirit Shinoa. His father is so proud of the young man he has grown into and knows that Sharon would be even prouder.

Keagan and Shinoa

Wesley is also doing extremely well for himself and Mom could not be prouder. And he is taking such good care of granny’s boy – Dre.

Dre, granny’s boy.

We are both so proud of all three of our children who have grown into independent, strong, mature and responsible adults. We are constantly reminded of how unique and individual each one of them are. They are all so very different but each one is true to themselves.

We were neither the “norm” when it came to parenting but we did one thing right. We gave them each the space, encircled in love, to BE.

Thank you to all our readers for taking the time to read through this long over due blog update.

Now that we have bridged the gap, we will continue to share some highlights of life here in Siem Reap.

We invite you to continue this journey with us.

Blessed Be!

Author: Amethyst

We are all spiritual beings experiencing a life of form here on this school called "Earth". I felt that my spirit and soul was being confined living in a western society with all its social norms and pressures. My spirit feels free in Cambodia. I hope that by sharing my experiences with you that you will also grow to love Cambodia as much as I do.