Review of 2015

FB did a review for me few days ago and I thought that's it, I need not spend time cracking my head to write a proper review. This was the plan until I read Ringo's blogpost and I thought 'hmmm... I should write a proper one, to really dig into memories and review my 2015 in a serious way'. And so, this is the result of that thought. It's going to be a bilingual post as some of the deeper feeling has to be expressed in my mother tongue.

My 2015 new year resolution reads:

Personal:
1. exercise 3 times a week
only exercise once or twice a week doing yoga. tried modern jazz, zumba, badminton and didn't really enjoy them. finally settling at yoga. love it and invested in a good yoga mat, yoga towel and blocks.
 
2. keep glucose at manageable level (<7 .0="" p="">
so far so good, have been looking after my diet but recently after going on therapy, starts to relax a bit on food as I realize food is what I enjoy

3. keep baby growth journal (once a week)
didn't manage to write every week but I made sure I wrote every other week.

刊登于诗华日报的2014新年回顾

4. defend thesis and grad

         

with my supervisor Assoc. Prof Dr Ed.

5. savings RM8000 for pilgrimage trip
Ticked! 

灵鹫山

这是一个让我心灵上“充电”的旅程。回来之后，心是满满的。真的。虽然有些关于自己的事情可能还没想通，但总是会有勇气去克服的。这个旅程也让我“亲证”到“有愿就有力”的强大，以及共修的力量。

下文是po在面书的文字。因为很重要，所以贴在这里：
今早在祇园精舍世尊说法台遗迹前，文成带领此次参与朝圣之旅的大伙儿总回向。我们一行17人除了来自古晋的大多数，尚有西马友人及友人在新国、台湾 工作的友人。大伙儿11月28日在KLIA会合后即飞往尼泊尔都城加德满都，之后便由蓝毗尼园开始了追寻佛陀足迹的旅途。一路上，我们每到一圣地皆绕塔、 顶礼、供养花、香或烛。我们亦每天在酒店、车上或在圣地共修简单的巴利文三皈五戒及中文慈经。每天晚餐后，我们皆集聚在一起，聆听负责做圣地资料整理的团 员（轮流）分享关于隔天要到访的圣地的背景说明。一路上，由于印度冬天温差变化及饮食习惯有异，加上长途车程不便水分补充不足，团员或多或少经历些许四大 不调，所幸大家皆能顺利完成朝圣。
现在的印度相较于2007年我父母来朝圣时，主要前往圣地的公路及交通系统已经更方便。虽然如此，我仍然感觉长途跋涉的不易。往往一个点到一个点是好几个 小时的车程。实在很难想象佛陀是如何用他的双脚走遍这些土地。除此之外，佛陀当时还必须克服气候温差等问题。每晚冷得躲在被窝里的我们，实在无法想象佛陀 露宿树下林间的情形。每到一圣地，看着佛陀曾经生活、对弟子说法的地方，尝试在脑海里 描绘当时是怎么样的一种情景。难以忘记：在拘司那拉与大伙儿一起抬着15米长的袈裟绕涅槃塔寺时忍不住伤感而悄然泪下、爬上灵鹫山时一抬头看见说法台上南 传僧众领着居士在诵经的感动、在那兰陀僧院遗址想象无数僧侣学法辩经等曾经的辉煌、在鹿野苑博物馆内看见出土文物佛陀说法像的心头一震以及在祇园精舍读诵 弥陀经时刹那的鸡皮疙瘩。
此趟朝圣之旅首先要感谢法显及玄奘大师，没有他们当年的记载，就没有后来考古的发现。还有阿育王及历代拥护佛教的君王，谢谢他们建塔建寺，让我们得以遁迹 佛陀的古道。感谢印度旅行社Magadh Travel，导游Sona，司机（昨天连续在大雾里开了11个小时的车）及随车小弟（搬抬行李等）。也谢谢负责与印度方接洽联系的Ringo，负责旅途 共修的文成（我们出发前在古晋也共修祈愿旅途顺利）及领队我家菩萨（虽然2年前是我发起，但他是负责策划及执行到底的幕后功臣）。此外也感谢浩刚准备并一 路背着香烛，更感谢每一个团员，没有大家我们无法成行。最后，感谢家人帮助照顾我们的小菩萨，让我们可以很安心地去朝圣。感谢龙天护法及一切成就此趟旅程 的因缘。
经云：有五法能导致正法久住于世，不被遗忘而终至消失。何着为五？比丘、比丘尼与在家的男、女二众，尊重、奉献于佛、法、僧、学处与定。
佛法的火种虽然在印度式微，但只要我们仍然拥护三宝、持戒及修习禅定，那么火就可以继续照亮世间。
在祇园献上一朵含苞待放的莲，提醒自己莫忘初心。也将朝圣功德回向一切有情及回向正法久住。
愿与大家共享朝圣的喜悦与感动。是以为记。

2015年12月8日（佛历2559）。12.44 午。朝圣圆满由Sravasti往Lucknow路上

6. meditate 15 mins a week
not executed

Temple:
1. Maintain website and FB
website is a bit neglected but FB I did contribute to it

2. Library storytelling sessions
the activity was canceled due to lack of participants

3. organise parent-child picture book workshop
Ticked!

4. contribute to Sunday Dharma school teaching

佛学班一年级的孩子们

Family:
1. spend quality time with son (play/ read with 100% focus at least 10-15 mins a day)
although sometimes was busy with work over the weekend, I made sure I spent quality time with him as promised.

To Read:
1. Brain Rules
Checked! 

2. Brain Rules for baby
Checked! 

3. Parenting Without Borders
Checked! 
 
4. 学佛三要
....
5. S.
.....

Anyway, although book no. 4 and 5 I ended up not reading them just yet, I read many other books, in between my busy schedule, about science, fiction and etc. Some notable ones are 生命清单， 叮-点子来了， The art of creative thinking, The power of habit, Sapiens: a brief history of humankind 及印度圣境之旅. Year 2016 I hope to read more on religion.

Some other interesting things that I did or learnt that worth jotting down:

went to Imee's Buddhism Hymns concert

learned Zentangle

start growing succulents

re-potting and new additions

Watched a few good movies:
Inside out (watched twice), The Walk, Martian...

2015之最：

1. 最重大的事：我。终。于。毕。业。了
2. 最值得的事：陪孩子长大
3. 最想感谢的人：老公及家婆
4. 最勇敢和最对的决定：辞去tech support一职
5. 最重要的发现： 原来我是introvert
6. 最让我心灵充实的事：朝圣

2016的具体计划尚未出炉，容我好好想一想。但已经在清单里的有：
1. 继续上禅绕课
2. 拜师学modern calligraphy
3. 多花时间读书，尤其宗教类：要把sapiens和《从巴利藏经看佛陀一生》读完。
4. 每天给自己定课
5. craft hobbies 减肥计划 -把不需要的工具、材料捐赠或转卖，把时间重心放在quilling, zentangle 及calligraphy。有空的时候，可以玩一玩bookbinding啦。 
6. 整理朝圣照片文字，po在图书馆的网页上。