Baan Unrak - Home of Joy

In life, we tends to "launch"' many complaints, however, we will start to cherish our everything we have once we noticed that we are more better than others. One of the beautiful and meaningful experience that I have had in this life is working as a volunteer for a children home in one of the Northwest rural area in Thailand - Sangklaburi. Sangklaburi - located along the Thai-Myanmar border. The region is home to immense beauty along with immense social problems.

A Community Without a Country
This area is also home to many refugees fleeing war, forced labor and poverty in Burma/Myanmar. Leaving family and community behind has destroyed the support network for families and exacerbated the immense challenges they face when relocating to a foreign country and culture.This area is home to many refugees fleeing war, forced labor and poverty in Burma/Myanmar. Leaving family and community behind has destroyed the support network for families and exacerbated the immense challenges they face when relocating to a foreign country and culture.

Upon arrival in Thailand, Burmese immigrants are restricted to living in a small region around the border where they encounter discrimination and a lack of jobs. Access to medical treatment and public education is minimal as immigrants face great barriers receiving social services without legal papers. Most of the children at Baan Unrak have either come from Burma or were born in Thailand but lack legal papers claiming their national identity.


Alcohol, drug and spousal abuse
Rampant alcohol and drug abuse are problems in our community. Tolerance of spousal abuse is also common in this area. Abandonment of children born in prior relationships is a routine occurrence in this region. Poverty exacerbates these problems.


HIV
HIV/AIDS is also a significant problem as many men travel to find work in urban areas where they visit prostitutes and become infected. Then, they transmit it to their wives and unborn children. Women are sometimes forced into prostitution due to lack of employment prospects making them at high risk to contract HIV. This leads to one or both parents dying or being too weak to care for their children.


When I worked in this orphan home, I found that myself are so lucky being born in Malaysia and raise in the family that provides me with education and sufficient foods. In the orphan home, most of the children were being sent to there due to the poor economic situation of their family that having too many siblings. Some cases, the child even being abandon in nowhere and being adopted by the children home. However, one valuable thing that noticed was most of the children in regardless of their background they always have the sweetest smile on their face and live at the moment of joy. Perhaps this is the true meaning as the name of the orphan home; Baan Unrak - Home of Joy

"If it's not good enough to eat, it's not good enough for your skin!"

Personally I prefer to use all-natural and organic skincare that do not contain any harmful chemicals. This means skin care which has no artificial fragrance or colour, no harmful preservatives, no harsh detergents such as SLS, no petrochemicals such as mineral oil or any other petroleum by-products and no animal cruelty.I agree with most of the organic supporter's believe that if the skincare is not “good enough to eat” as in safe enough to eat, it’s not good enough for your skin. Why? because our skin is the body’s largest organ. It is capable of absorbing whatever we put on it. On a daily basis, people are slathering on a huge amounts of chemicals on their bodies without even realizing it.

It is also our responsibility to create an awareness for people to think about what they put onto their skins on a daily basis. If we won’t put it in our mouth, why would we put it onto our skin? Or our babies’ skin? The skin is really the body's largest organ. If you don't understand the ingredients, should you be putting it onto your skin? Chemicals in skin care are mostly unnecessarily and are potentially harmful so why take the risk when affordable alternatives are available. I encourage everyone to read the labels and understand what it all means.

Below are some dedicated organic brand that I would suggest:

MUKTI

Mukti Botanicals was created in year 2000 primarily due to sheer frustration. Mukti (the founder) was desperately searching for a range of personal care products that were free from harmful chemicals and supported by a genuine philosophy of personal and planetary awareness, health and wellbeing. Her criteria was so strict and her desire so profound that she decided to create her own range. After ten years of research and study including: cosmetic chemistry, aromatherapy, herbalism and organics, she formulated a range of clean, green certified organic products.

Mukti (mooktee) has captured the spirit of liberation and freedom with Australian skincare products that are certified organic and in line with her philosophy - choose products that assist the body to release to toxins instead of absorbing them and, never put on your skin what you would not put in your mouth.

Partnering modern science with traditional herbal recipes, Mukti’s products are certified organic and made in Australia using 100% plant based ingredients to harness the best that nature has to offer. The formulations include optimal concentrations of pure essential therapeutic grade oils, certified organic herbal extracts, essential fatty acids, natural vitamins, plant based liposomes and antioxidants that all significantly contribute to moisture retention, oxygenation and cell regeneration.

Mukti Botanicals utilizes only the purest & highest grade certified organic and natural ingredients, therefore, a little of the product goes a long way. The products are handcrafted in small batches to ensure quality, integrity and freshness. All products have a guaranteed shelf-life of 18-24 months unopened.

Just Herbal

Just Herbal was created in New Zealand in response to a need for affordable, pure, simple, chemical free, natural and effective skin care products and after discovering that other "commercial" products were laden with harmful chemicals.The product range incorporates a wide range of wonderful natural ingredients, all of which feed, nourish, heal and compliment the skin. Just Herbal offers an extensive range of affordable natural face and body products.

BIGUINE BIO

Manufactured for more than 30 years in the beautiful Dordogne region of FRANCE, BIGUINE BIO products are made of 100% natural ingredients and are not tested on animals. The very potent and active ingredients such as essential oils, plants, fruits, vegetable and tree barks extracts, vitamins and minerals work in perfect synergy with your skin, with no chemical ingredients to lessen their efficiency, and enhance the natural beauty of your skin to give it the glow of perfection.

BIGUINE BIO products are:

* Organically grown without pesticides

* Plant, trees, flowers, fruits and vegetable based

* Plant extracts obtained by maceration

* Organically grown 100% pure essential oils

* Made with mineral trace elements (Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, etc)

* Made with vitamins A, B, C, E & P (bioflavonoids)

* Suitable for vegans

BIGUINE BIO products do not contain any synthetic ingredients, petro-chemicals, animal products, AHA'S or Retin A, lanolin or GMO's (Genetically Modified Organisms).

BIGUINE BIO products are Cosmebio certified (by certifying agency: Ecocert). Cosmebio certification requires that a minimum of 95% of all the ingredients are of natural origin, that 95% of vegetal ingredients are Organic, and that a minimum of 10% of all ingredients in the final product (including non-certifiable water, often in the majority) are Organic. These percentages are always indicated clearly on packaging, following the complete product formula.

BIGUINE BIO goes further than the Cosmebio obligations as BIGUINE BIO products contain 100% ingredients of natural origin.

19th Jul 2004, Fiesch, Switzerland

19th Jul 2004, Fiesch, Switzerland

The Cable Car To The Top Of The Mountain

On the peak of the mountain, far above the winding course of the glacier - meandering through the deep valley like the tyre tracks from God's Great Jeep .We sit in meditation, perched upon the edge of the great drop to the world below.

Meditation was somehow so natural up here. So easy to slip into a sublime flow. The air so pure and tingling with timeless wisdom.

...And then my eyes opened. Slammed in the face by the awe of the panorama that stretched from one horizon to the other. This point could have been any in the history of the world. The mountains seemed so eternal, so reliable. My heart felt reconnected. I could have stayed for a long while...

Local Tourism

Recently re-visit to Cameron Highland with a friend with the intention to show him more about Malaysia. He was pretty happy as CH is a totally new place for him and he enjoyed the Palas Tea plantation.

However, as a Malaysian being 4th time in CH, I pity the highlands people and feel sad about the spoiled environment due to the over development. Forest are being explored into a housing site and I am not too sure is that to serve the residential purpose for the local or being sold for business minded people for renting to tourist. The last time I been to CH was in year Oct 2007, just 18 months, the environment has changed a lot such as new housing area, and I noticed that Starbuck has also trying to penetrate the market there by having a new outlet in Tanah Rata.

Besides Palas Tea Plantation, I dont have the mood to show our friend around to other so called tourist area such as rose valley, Bees Farm, cactus valley and so on....Not any particular reason, just feel that not worth the time to spend in such a "copy cating" place and does not represent the true Malaysia culture. Worst, one thing I feel very funny was the reddish "strawberry" products that hang around the stalls along the roadside. Imagine the whole stall was filled with reddish products include ballon, pillow...everything. Just name it...all with the reddish colour. Our friend made a joke as he seen the phenomena " what is this strawberry nation !!" . Our laughter filled up the cold air and vibrated starbuck tea table that night.

I do hope that local can be more creative in term of doing business by diversify the products and can do something that could represent Truly Malaysia culture. In order to promote local tourism, we need to know our strength in our culture which is unique and only be found in Malaysia.

The Protective Fence

Found this articles by one of the philosopher. Just love it and wanna share.....

A Protective Fence

Present-day humanity has, no doubt, made considerable intellectual progress. But in the external world, there is a lack of adjustment. This is the reason that among the educated people of today the number of people suffering from psychic disorders is on the increase: because there is no adjustment in the speeds of the inner and outer worlds.

Not only is there maladjustment in speed but also in rhythm; that is, the pattern of internal psychic rhythm is altogether different from the external rhythm of the objective world. Obviously, clash is inevitable and the impact of this clash is felt much more in the psychic realm than in the physical sphere. As a result, human beings lose their mental adjustment.

Many theories, sounding somewhat pleasing to the ear, have spoken glibly of human equality; but upon application people discovered the ineffectiveness of these theories, because the fundamental principles of these philosophies were contrary to the basic realities of the world. “Diversity, not identity, is the law of nature”. The world is full of diversities – a panorama of variegated forms and rhythms. One must never forget it.

Sometimes the superficial display of these theories has dazzled the eyes of the onlooker, but actually they contained no dynamism. In the end they have only flung humanity into the quagmire of dogmatism. They did not contribute to the welfare of any human being.

The devotional sentiment is the highest and most valuable treasure of humanity. Because it is such a tender inner asset, to preserve it from the onslaughts of materialism, one must build a protective fence around it, just as people put up a guard-rail around a small tender plant. Now the question is, what is this protective fence? It is a proper philosophy which will establish the correct harmony between the spiritual and material worlds, and be a perennial source of inspiration for the onward movement of society.

CHANGE NOW FOR A NEW EARTH?

It is so easy to forget that we are a part of this enormous universe where Earth planet belongs. We focus on the "me" all the time, my health, my children, my home, and my happiness, my suffering... But with all the imminent global climate and food shortage crisis, can we still afford to hide ourselves in our little world? When the Earth is destroyed, nothing else matters... we must move faster! We must act now and act fast like responsible adults. Let's not disappoint our future generations.

We are using up the Earth's resources reserve like petroleum and clean water meant for our future generations to feed our ever-expanding appetite for animal-based diet and cravings for material possessions. Can you imagine when the whole population in China and India eat and live like people in well-developed countries like US or even Malaysia?

Since when organic has become an option? It is never an option if you live on Earth. Organic is the natural choice and it is the only choice for a sustainable living on Earth. It is how life should have been. Observe the nature and you shall learn that whatever that is good for us is also good for our Earth and the reverse is also true. Rudolf Steiner, the scientist and philosopher, and founding father of organic farming, revealed in 1920s that consumption of synthetic chemicals by mothers would affect the future generations' ability to handle emotional stress later in their life, resulting in hyperactivity, mood swing, depression etc. Chemicals have been widely used in farming since our grandparents' era, which explains why emotional problems are so common these days. The good news is we know now the root cause of many problems and the solution for better health and better Earth. Choose wisely...please take care of the health of our future Earth-keepers... and please do not consume our Earth to death!

There is increasing awareness around the world, more and more people are more conscious in supporting Earth-friendly businesses. We believe that the power of group effort can change the whole society and the outcome. Do not underestimate your contribution. If one in ten people change, we can move the whole society! Everyone must have the courage and discipline to change so that the Earth can be healed, in time.

Are you thinking about what are the things you can do to contribute? For a start, I urge you to take some time, to gain some understandings on green products such as Honda, Solamas etc which I hope you can find some inspirations from these big businesses an be a greener consumer. Besides that a documentary movie 11th hour narrated by Leonardo DiCaprio is also a must watch. Take time to digest the messages spoken by the various people in the movie. I really hope that all of us will be inspired and hopeful that humankind will somehow rise and awaken in time.
Have joy in what you are doing; love where you are living; be aware of what you are buying... Every dollar you spend is a vote for what you believe in. A new Earth awaits us.

“There is sufficiency in the world for man’s need but not for man’s greed.” –Gandhi

Sustainable Tourism

An important lesson I learned in Laos, is to become a more social conscious traveler. Beside stimulating the economy, tourism can play an important role to improve the social development and preserve the culture and tradition of the society. Here are a few examples that I could think about:

1. Fair Trade: Spend on Local Products
Instead of purchasing duty free products from multinational brand in the airport, buying the local handcrafts as souvenirs to your friends could be a better idea. if you choose wisely, some of the products are amazingly good. In addition to help sustain the local small businesses, the very few dollars they earn from you might help a family from hunger on the day, or help a child to go to school.

2. Eliminate Illiteracy
In developing countries, they have very limited books and study equipment, and they are not afford to buy it. Sharing the used materials with them could be a good means to flow in more information resources to them.

3. Knowledge Sharing
Try to talk to the people to understand the situation and give constructive suggestion for discussion, many of them can't see their future due to their limited exposure. Sharing some ideas about how to find opportunities would be very helpful. However, I always remind myself not to promise or give too much hope and expectation if I can't do it. Besides, many of them like to practice English or other foreign languages, this could be a great thing to do too.

4. Culture Preservation
Try to understand, respect and show interest to the culture so that the locals will become more conscious to preserve their own tradition. For instance, in Luang Prabang, a town in Laos, many tourists from Thailand participate in their alm giving in the morning, which gives them more incentives to continue it.

5. Ecology Preservation
Participate in some activities with the animals, especially endangered animals which need extra money to take care of them. For example the elephant riding, you gain benefit having fun communicating with the animal and learning more about the ecology, your money is wisely spend to preserve and take care of the animals. Of course if you are not an animal lover you can
try to do something else like with the plants.

6. Support Local Projects
For example, there are some bridges taking fee so that the money can be used to build and maintain the bridge which make the transportation easier. Try to pay the fee and use the bridge.

7. Share the stories with your friends.