Having Fun!!!

Marlon was not selected for Andrea McCain “Experimental Witch” competition, but it seems that everybody had a lot of fun!

If there is any other making off, we will post here. Please send the video to witchofportobello@gmail.com

Image of the Day : Glad Day by William Blake

Glad Day

Quote of the Day

By Paulo Coelho

The two hardest tests on the spiritual road
are the patience to wait for the right moment
and the courage not to be disappointed
with what we encounter.
(Veronika decides to Die)

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Today’s Question by Aart Hilal

You are one of the few authors who give readers your books for free, I am sure that would have raised a lot of objection from your publishers, how did you deal with it?

Actually, all my publishers backed me up. Harper Collins, for example, decided to offer a new book of mine every month, for free reading. I’m putting them in my blog too: www.paulocoelhoblog.com

Image of the Day : Escher’s Hand

Escher\'s Hand

Today’s Question by Aart Hilal

With reference to Brida, would you elaborate on the quest for the other, the soulmate, who completes a soul?

There’s a motto in Alchemy: “Concentrate and dissolve”. As you may know alchemists would, through laboratory studies, try to distill the mercury from the sulfur and then refine the mercury until it converted into gold. This quest would lead them to the Philosopher Stone (which was the solid component) and the Long Life Elixir. All the process of distilling is based on this very simple motto: concentrate – meaning extracting the essence – and dissolve – meaning mixing the essence with something else.

Many disregard that through this routine, alchemists were also training their patience and thus transforming their perception of the world.

I think you can apply this same motto to love: in order to preserve love’s freedom, one has to be able at the same time to dive into its essence and to share it others.

Quote of the Day

By Paulo Coelho

The heart never suffers
when it goes in search of its dream,
because every moment of the search
is a step towards encountering
God and Eternity.
(The Alchemist)

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That which is funny about man

By Paulo Coelho

A disciple asked Hejasi:

- I want to know what is the most funny thing about human beings.

Hejasi said:

- That they always think crooked: they’re in a hurry to grow, then lament their lost childhood, and soon loose the money they need to keep their health.

“They are so anxious about the future, that they neglect the present, and thus live in neither the present nor the future.

“They live as if they were never going to die, and die as if they had never lived.”

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Image of the Day : El Arqueometro

El Arqueometro

Today’s Question by Aart Hilal

What is your message to your readers especially Indian readers? Any mantras for making their lives doubly meaningful and satisfying?

I’ve never seen myself as someone giving away mantras for making other people lives more satisfying. I’m not responsible for others.

Freedom is exactly that: people making their decisions by themselves, not giving it away for a “guru” to answer and decide for them.

I think the best advice is always to not follow advices. Try life by yourself.

I’m just a man that has gone in the direction of his personal legend, taking risks and learning daily from all around me.

Quote of the Day

By Paulo Coelho

If we pay close attention
we will come to realize that
no day is the same as another.
Every morning brings
with it a hidden blessing.
(Unpublished)

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The donkey dies of exhaustion

By Paulo Coelho

Nasrudin decided to go in search of some new meditation techniques. He saddled his donkey, went to India, China and Mongolia, talked to the great masters, but found nothing.

He heard tell of a wise man in Nepal: he journeyed there, but as he was climbing the mountain to meet him, his donkey died of exhaustion. Nasrudin buried him there and then, and wept sadly. Someone passed by and commented:

- You came in search of a saint, this must be his tomb and you are lamenting his death.

- No, this is the place where I buried my donkey, who died of exhaustion.

- I don’t believe it – said the new arrival. – No one weeps over a dead donkey. This must be a place where miracles occur, and you want to keep them for yourself.

Although Nasrudin explained again and again, it was no use. The man went to the next village and spread the story of a great master who cured people at his tomb, and soon the pilgrims began to arrive.

Gradually, news of the discovery of the Wise Man of Silent Mourning spread throughout Nepal – and crowds rushed to the place. A wealthy man came, thought his prayers had been answered, and built an imposing monument where Nasrudin had buried his “master”.

In view of everything, Nasrudin decided to leave things as they were. But he learned once and for all, that when someone wants to believe a lie, no one can convince him otherwise.

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Image of the Day : Cyberspace

Quote of the Day

By Paulo Coelho

By changing the way you do routine things you allow a new person to grow inside of you.
(The Pilgrimage)

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Today’s Question by Aart Hilal

You have over the years become more visible on the Internet with your blog, Walking the Path — The Pilgrimage and your blogs in WordPress, MySpace & Facebook. Has the medium helped you understand your readers better?

Actually the medium has given me the possibility to get in touch with my readers and this is a priceless experience. Through my blog – www.paulocoelhoblog.com – as well as my profiles in social network communities I’ve managed to interact in ways that were impossible before.

Recently, I’ve discovered Digg and I love the idea of the internauts actually choosing and voting for the news that are relevant to them. Internet is one of my windows to the world.

Believe in yourself

John Lennon in his song “God” makes a list of things he doesn’t believe in to then say to all – he, who was the idol of his time – that he only believed in himself and Yoko.

So here’s my question : do you think that in order to believe in yourself you have to renounce first to all other beliefs?

Weekly Free Association : The Hourglass

Last week’s rocks have faced the test of time and converted itself into sand. Now we pass to the Hourglass.

Indeed, before being associated with death, the hourglass has its roots in time. The falling of sand, one of the first measurements of time, symbolizes instability and the constant transformation of things. It’s natural then that this object would remind people of “memento mori”, i.e “remember you will die”.
The hourglass is the main attribute of the gods of Time, Chronos or Aion.
Yet, given that this object needs to be turned constantly, it also conveys the idea of a cyclic time – reenacting the constant return of things and actions.
The hourglass is also a reminder of measurement in the sense that one has to use time wisely, preserving oneself and not simply throwing away the gift of life. Ascetic figures are often depicted with hourglass in western tradition.

Now you take the floor, what do you associate with the hourglass?