Ingredients:
Preparations:
Saute chopped onions, add green peppers and add garlic & ginger, dhania and spice with the Rajah flavourful and mild spice.
Fry in olive oil until all golden brown.
Add the chicken livers to the mixture and add a bit of lemon juice and half of the knorr chicken stock cube and spice with chicken spice.
fry for 5 minutes.
Serve the livers on a bed of…
Ingredients:
Basil, lettuce, grated beetroot, feta topped with avocado and sprinkled with chives.
Even as I describe that, it feels strange. “Sit in silence and try not to think.”
I recently went on a retreat where the greater part of the day, one spent in silence. The quiet time actually allowed me to reflect and I returned with a new surge of energy and drive.
Unfortunately, it seems many these days are doing too much of the “passing time” and too little in the way of silent communion with self and with God.
We live in an unforgivingly loud and distracting world, where we wake up to clock alarms and spend the rest of the day on someone else’s schedule.
We spend hours on cellphones, computers and tablets, dare I say, watching too much television without considering how much damage this “screen time” can cause, not just for us but for our children, who can suffer from sensory overload, lack of quality sleep and a nervous system which is overstimulated.
It is clear we are finding it harder and harder to find time for the quieter moments in life, being consumed by things that do not serve us. Forgetting to “be still and know that He is God”.
We are missing out because we tend to do too much and “be” too little. There is something unfortunate about the fact that those of us who are most productive are often unable to sit still. The one thing we can’t do, is to “just be”.
Franz Kafka says, “Remain silent at your table and listen. Don’t even listen, simply wait, be quiet, still and solitary. The world will freely offer itself to YOU to be unmasked, it has no choice, it will roll in ecstasy at your feet.”
In my weekly column, among other topics, I aim to share what I have learned in the pursuit of wellness, raising my level of consciousness and awareness.
Meditation is one such discipline I practice. I challenge you to take 10 minutes of each day to sit with no external stimulation. Just be with yourself and listen to the sound of your heart as it beats.
Marvel at the miracle of this very beating, because it is part of the miracle of God’s design. Feel the tips of your fingers touch, close your eyes and reconnect with self.
The art of removing yourself from the external world is free, empowering and wonderful!
Nkosi, whose mother passed away in 1997, was adopted by Gail Johnson, and lived out his life raising awareness about the pandemic as confusion reigned. With the mixed messages we were receiving from the government and media of the time, one can see how difficult life must have been for people living with HIV/Aids.
Fast forward to 2016, and we still have the highest profile HIV epidemic in the world. According to UNAIDS (the UN Programme on HIV/Aids) an estimated 7 million people are infected, and many millions more are affected. The good news is that SA has the largest antiretroviral treatment programme in the world.
My friend Criselda Kananda-Dudumashe launched her memoir on Tuesday, You Are Never Alone, and as someone who has been living positively for almost 20 years, her story is a reminder that being diagnosed with HIV/Aids is not a death sentence, one can live a long and productive life!
In this Aids month let us all re-examine whatever prejudices we may be harbouring against our sisters and brothers living with the virus . Let us remember that we are indeed all the same; one humanity, with a heartbeat and a pulse.
Recent events in the country have escalated to levels that can no longer be denied, and as we are bombarded with all manner of information, points of view and narratives, this might be as good a time for us to reflect as we come to the end of the year.
Needless to say, notwithstanding our own personal opinions, we have all been affected by the current political and socioeconomic events in South Africa.
We have experienced loss in the form of the deaths of many inspirational South Africans, we have seen the economy struggle to grow. We continue to experience the #FeesMustFall protests that also continue to rage on undeterred.
Young girls have had to rise up against discrimination aimed at them by the very school that should have been protecting them.
We are in the middle of one of the most severe droughts the country has ever seen.
It is easy to wallow in the doom and gloom at a time when it feels like that is all we have, but what about the good and the positive that surrounds us?
What about the sporting heroes who have brought glory to our country at the Rio Olympics and Paralympics, as well as the CAF Champions league? Do you remember the proud moment when Caster Semenya defied the odds and chose not to hear the naysayers?
The feeling we all had when she stood up on that podium with victory written all over her face?
What about the fact that we have the most progressive constitutions in the world? What about our hard- earned democracy that’s been lauded by the world?
What about everyday South Africans we encounter who have gone above and beyond to make this country what it is? The doctors and nurses who work endless shifts in crowded hospitals because they want to save lives? The police men and women who leave their families at home everyday to stand in the line of fire? The teachers who continue to give themselves to the children who will become the future leaders of our beautiful land?
As I reflect on 2016, I ponder on what we have been through as a people and as a nation. There is no doubt these are tumultuous times, but we must remember that we are only going through this moment, we will not be staying. We have to hold steadfast to the strength we have cultivated through the years as we overcame the challenges of the past.
It is time for us to direct our energies for the collective good. The rain will come, both literally and figuratively. It will energise the soil for new growth and endless possibilities. But until it does, bravery, courage and tenacity are what we need. Hope for a better tomorrow and not losing heart is what will sustain us, and a relentless pursuit of our dreams is what will move us forward.
Whatever the setbacks of the moment, whatever the difficulties we are facing, together we shall overcome. Call me an optimist, yes I am an eternal optimist!
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