An Angel in The Clouds

 

Hello Friends, 

Last week, life took an unexpected turn for me. I caught the c-virus. My life came to a stop as I went into 7 days of mandatory isolation. The symptoms I experienced were like a head-cold and at the end, I had an upset stomach.

I’m thankful I didn’t feel any sicker than having a winter cold or flu. During one of the long days, I was sitting in the backyard and catching some sun to feel better. I looked up at the sky and did a double-take. Was I seeing an angel in the clouds that was watching over me? In the moment, I felt like I would recover from the c-virus and everything was going to be all right.

  

Take care,
stay well,

♥ Ashlyn

 

Photo Credit: Ashlyn Brady

Mysterious Uluru - Part Two

 

Hello Friends,

Australia is an ancient land with the big red rock in its desert center. Uluru is sacred and culturally significant to the traditional owners, the Anangu People. In recent years, messages have been sent out from Uluru which is located inside the Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park.

In 2017, the board of the National Park agreed to ban climbing on the rock because of it's spiritual significance as a resting place for past spirits and ancestors. Environmental and safety reasons were also considered. Climbers were using the rock as a toilet and leaving rubbish behind. 37 rock climbers had died which greatly upset the traditional owners.

In 2017, the Uluru Statement From The Heart was issued to the Australian people with a call for Voice, Treaty and Truth. The First Nation people’s convention at Uluru called for a constitutionally entrenched voice to Parliament and a commission to oversee treaty-making and truth-telling.

The Uluru Statement From The Heart was rejected by the government of the day.

In October 2019, climbing Uluru was officially closed forever.

In May 2022, there was a change of Government in Australia. On the evening of his victory speech, the new Prime Minister reconfirmed his acceptance of the Uluru Statement From The Heart.

The call to change has come from mysterious Uluru. Australia can’t truly be a multi-cultural nation without including the sovereign culture of the First Australians. People are listening now. A new beginning is rising above the sunny horizon.

Take care,
stay well,

♥ Ashlyn

Photo Credits: Danny Lau and Photoholgic on unsplash.com

Mysterious Uluru - Part One

 

Hello Friends,

This week I’m writing about Uluru, which is a large, beautiful red sandstone rock formation located in the middle of Australia. It's also called the heart of the red center. Uluru has been in the news recently and for this Part One post I’ll talk about the rains.

Uluru, the mysterious monolith rises above a desert plain. It’s been around for a long time like 600 million years. The traditional owners are the Anangu people.

The color of the rock formation changes with the passing sun.
Uluru is thought of as mystical, sacred and magical by first nations people and regarded as a special place by Australians.

In early June, the big rock was covered in cloud and took on an eerie, translucent appearance as rain fell in the red desert center. Uluru has caves, water holes and canyons and the rains made the waterfalls flow on the eastern side. People who saw the rare event say the noise and sights were a unique experience of Uluru. Watch the video of the rain fed waterfalls.

In my next post, Part Two, I’ll write about the developments in recent years that have happened in the red heart of Australia. Uluru is a living, cultural landscape and messages are being sent out to beyond, if we can hear them. I hope you can join me again.

 

Take care,
stay well,

♥ Ashlyn

 

Photo Credit: Connor Smith on unsplash.com

2 Bridal Fashions

 

Hello Friends,

This week, I’m writing about 2 bridal fashions that caught my eye.

The first fashion is from Japan and it's called ‘The Solo Wedding’. BBC news call it “a unique option for single women to celebrate their independence”. The wedding doesn’t have a groom, and these types of weddings have been going on for several years now. The bride-to-be undergoes a glamour transformation and poses for photographs in her wedding dress. Marrying yourself is called ‘Sologamy’. Watch the video here .     

The ‘naked’ dress is the second bridal fashion which comes from the catwalks. Tradition encouraged brides to look their best in their wedding dresses. Social media influencers and celebrities have taken a new direction by being photographed wearing lacy, sheer and see-through gowns. Very daring! You can read more about it here.

 
Take care,
stay well,

♥ Ashlyn

Photo Credit: Sereja Ris on unsplash.com