Two months in Lebanon were enough to connect, reflect, rest and being. It was the longest stay for me since 2011. It was time to reconnect with the family and friends. To charge the body and empty the mind. Today, I start a new chapter of my traveling in turkey, and later in Armenia then India.
This is the second time for me in this abandoned hotel. When the service is good, you go back. That's what happened: abandoned since the Civil War. Rooms are spooky. Some greenery. The lights reach the hall. I give this place a 5 star review.
Another pine forest in Dhour Shweir, Mount Lebanon.
An abandoned hotel that tells a spooky story. Follow the narrow.
Pine forest. Blue sky. Small lake. Good company. Music. All we need to survive the afternoon.
No matter where you are, no matter who you are, as long as you're living this life, you'll end up suffering and getting wounded because this is part of life. You can't avoid them, but it's up to you how you want to deal with them. You either see consider yourself a "victim" or you see them an opportunity for your own growth on different levels. To read more (what to do to heal the self : about my healing process) link in Bio.
An Unexpected journey where we end up in an old abandoned fort 🏴☠️ A good way to spend Sunday.
Music. Pine forest. Mountain. River. Good company. All we need to survive the rabbit hole.
A good place to spend the afternoon: good company, pine forest, dogs and an abondaned truck.
A lake. A forest. A blue sky. Sometimes, that's all we need to breathe, to exist, and just be.
"West Beirut" is a great movie for many reasons. Many generations watched it, and the coming generations will watch it again. It's a story of a divided city (and country). A story of love that was trying to find its place in the middle of war. A story of people who wanted to live life while death was everywhere. Yesterday, while I was walking through the green line that divided Beirut between east and west parts, I saw this piece of Graffiti from the movie. It brought many memories from childhood and nineties.
we think that the war is over, but it's alive in our traumas, our reactions and our genes. Our generation, the one that was born in the eighties in the middle of civil war, was raised by generation of fighters and victims, and got all the traumas from our families, then the nineties came where nothing really happened, but then after 2000's, shit hits the fan again. this is how we got stuck in a vicious circle of PTSDs and other mental illnesses that led us to more depression and anxiety. To continue (link in bio)
In that gloomy night, we had a long conversation about cemeteries. She whispered about her favorite one. I promised her to take her to the cemetery where I found peace. Then, she dissolved into the fogs. ~ short story (ps. I took these photos from different cemeteries around Europe) #cemetries #graveyard #goth #death #cemetery #shortstory #europe
Wherever I go in Beirut or Mount Lebanon, I find abandoned homes. These places are another form of a silent war. A war that didn't stop. #Beirut #lebanon #abandoned #abandonedplaces #war
Another day at the heart of the forest where we heal, laugh, breathe and exist. Location: marj bisri, Mount Lebanon
in the silence, I had the time to understand when my past actions were coming from either the true self or my ego. When we breathe, we create awareness of ourselves, then we can easily see the ego naked. the more we breathe in silence, the more we're closer to our source, and detached from the ego. For more check link in bio #silence #buddhism #wisdom #aley #symposium #MountLebanon #lebanon #awareness
Places change, and we do as well. Today, I come back to Beirut, after 9 months of traveling around South Asia. My perception of the city changed. When I'm walking in Beirut, I don't have any grudges towards it, neither attachment. It's like when you meet an ex-partner and you're just neutral. Beirut is not my home anymore. It wasn't in the last 8 years since I left the city to work abroad. Now, it's just a confirmation. Beirut is just another city where I meet familiar faces and have good memories.
Recently, I participated in 10 days retreat course about Tibetan Buddhism in Tushita meditation center in Dharamshala, North India. The course included meditation sessions as well. it was 10 days of silence. For 10 days, I was mostly breathing and not trying to analyze reality. I was letting life goes through me with less thoughts and "less mind". the meditation sessions were sharpening my consciousness. For more: link in BIO | The subtle lessons of Silence #tushitameditationcentre #buddhism #wisdom #mantra #mind #consciousness #silence #oldways #oldtraditions #tibet #tibetanbuddhism
Tonight, I go back home. I've been stuck in the triangle of South Asia since last September: India, Nepal and Sri lanka. A lot of adventures, stories, laughing, dancing, growth and writings. Today, I finish a long chapter of learning and unlearning. A chapter that reshaped my mind. A chapter where I let go of the anger and hate that I had for other beings. A chapter where I learned more about Tibetan Buddhism and found myself again drowned to this philosophy. A chapter where I learned more about Lord Shiva, the goddess Parvati and lord Ganesh. A chapter where I challenged myself and my beliefs system. A chapter where I have more appreciation to what I have. A chapter that teaches me that life is full of magic and mysteries. It's a maze of riddles to solve sometimes through the mind and sometimes through our intuition. Always greatlful to every stranger and friend I met on the road. It's Time to have a rest and be at home with the family and friends. And to be closer to the mountains and forests in Lebanon.
Finally, you're 30! I remember our first rave in the suburb of Beirut (first photo) and not the last one in Goa. It's a gift to have a brother. See you soon on the dance floor @ribal.naim