October 29, 2012

The walk

 

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Here are some pictures of the walk this morning with the people we met on “couchsurfing” by a friend from the Turkish table.
We were Huseyin (Turk), Juli (Hungarian), Omar (Syrian-Argentinian), Cynthia (Argentinian), Nacho (Spaniard) and Tzia (Israeli) from our part and some 20 or 30 from this group composed of Turks and people from other nationalities.

It was a very pleasant walk along old Istanbul, we drank bozza and ate in typical places close to the Valens Aqueduct and ended up in Balat, a Jewish-Armenian neighbourhood. Along this walk we had the opportunity of talking to many if not all, whom we invited to our ceremonies in the evening-night at Kadiköy.

The ceremonies

Here are the pictures of those who came to the ceremonies. Many attended, two Turks (Canara and  Can), one Italian who lives in Berlin (Elena) and Farbod (Iranian who lives in Dubai and studies in London), well it was all a mundialization phenomenon, but a very interesting atmosphere was created during the ceremony. Huseyin (Turk) and Tzvia (Israeli) officiated the Service and Well Being ceremonies in Turkish and English since everyone understood English, except for the Turkish artist Canara, who was very happy for  the experience. The same with the others who followed the ceremonies very well.

Coffee at Canara’s atelier

Everything ended with hugs, tea and pastries and Canara (a friend of Carlos S.) invited us  to her atelier to have tea, so we all went. Apparently there were many visual artists, painters, sculptors, ceramists, people specialized in drawings and collages… so a whole talk about art-related issues came up and they proposed to do some productions inspired by The Message and do an exhibit.
Canara’s atelier is two roads parallel to ours and is close to a small theatre, there were also some other artists I didn’t know yet and there we had some tea, coffee and pastries, which Tzvia bought. We enjoyed them and had a wonderful moment of interchange.
Then, Elena, who is also an artist, and although she lives in Berlin, was invited to do an exhibit in Kadiköy of her collages. She asked us to go to her atelier and invited us to ice cream and to talk some
more.
So, from ten in the morning when we left the home-salita, until almost midnight we were talking to people, going from one side to the other, enjoying ceremonies and a very good atmosphere.
Thank you to all our friend who arrived like  “April showers” this atmosphere could be created.
So we thank our friends for their visits and animation.
A big hug,
Eduardo

Today in Istanbul - October 28, 2012

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Hello friends,

Today we went to pick up Omar and Cynthia at their hotel and took them to Kadikoy close to the salita since the house was full with Nacho,Hüseyin, Juli y Tzvia.

Soon we met to eat some fish (balik ekmek), very cheap, in a magnificent sunny day and we waited for Tzvia who was late. 

When we reached home, Ozan had arrived and was talking with Hüseyin, Juli and Nacho. Çanan (artist) called, warnng us she would be late due to traffic and  Jönturk wasn't here.

So when we arrived from the airport, we had tea and prepared everything for the ceremonies.

We did them in Spanish and Turkish, everything very well, very calm, with meaning. Afterwards, we had dinner together, sharing a meal prepared by Hüseyin y Juli.

So I am sending some pictures of the beautiful day which was today. Maybe Nacho will also send some pictures of this sunny day.

Tomorrow we agreed to go for a walk and meet new people we don't know yet and in the afternoon we will do a ceremony with the artist who will also invite some other friends of hers. 

A big hug,

Eduardo, Nacho, Huseyin y Juli

Monday Oct. 22, Tuesday Oct. 23, Wednesday Oct 24, thursday Oct 25

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Monday 22nd

We had a date wih the first contact from Spain in Istanbul by Nacho and Carlos, a journalist who, not only was interested in the Message but also wanted an interview and for his newspaper.
The meeting point was in Taksim at one p.m. and we went Eduardo, Juli, Huseyin, Nacho and Carlos. When we saw Onur, the journalist, he took us to a terrace of a bar, a welcoming place, high up and with a view... there we sat and asked for tea. Onur started asking questions and recording an audio on his mobile. He asked each one what had brought him there and the "whys" of this message.. Each one fit in their answers and on his part Onur identifiied himself better with us.
In the end, we went from an interview to a talk among all of us.
We also talked about the 15m and the occupy movement, with whom Orun is more synched with. We took pictures and decided to eat together and then go for coffee. On the way, Onur bought a copy of his newspaper, Bir Gun, leftist newspaper.
Onur thought of a friend of his who might be interested and called her on the phone. Since she didn't answer we agreed to meet again on Thursday with him and some of his friends to do ceremonies. He
couldn't on Saturday which was the day we had chosen.

Tuesday 23

The meeting of the day was again at one p.m. at Taksim. We met Nacho, Huseyin, Juli and Carlos. While we were on our way, Nazmi, the person we were supposed to meet, called to tell us he would be an hour late.
So we went to visit Galata bridge. When we arrived to the meeting place we called but he couldn't make it until a quarter past two which was a problem for us since Juli was leaving at two thirty. When Nazmi arrived we saw that he could speak English well and so Husyein and Juli left. Nacho, Carlos and Nazmi had tea and talked. Nazmi was curious to know things, although spiritually he felt full of the book of knowledge Meravada. As a matter of fact, he spoke more than we did.
We decided to stay in touch and he said we would come on Thursday to the ceremonies..

Wednesday 24

Nacho and Carlos went on a thorough tour on this day since it was Carlos's first time in Istanbul. Anyway, at night, we all sent invitations to our contacts and friends, by phone and by email, inviting everyone to ceremonies at the Salita on Thursday at seven p.m.

Thursday Oct. 25

At 8::30 a.m. the roads were totally quiet. At nine a.m. the same. At ten, a few shopowners open for some shy passersby.... it is Bayran, the feast of the sacrifice, nobody on the streets, everyone at home with their families and we are totally baffled. 

We confirmed with a few contacts who wouldn't make it to the ceremony this afternoon. On the other side, one of them calls us to meet at eight at a center close to the salita.

At seven thirty Ozan shows up, when we thought nobody would com. We invited him to acompany us to visit Canan who doesn't speak English and with whom we are supposed to meet. We got in touch with her in Spain and it is the first time we'll be seeing her. 

Nacho, Eduardo, Ozan and Carlos go to the meeting place, and we met Canan a very energic woman, an art teacher and after getting to know each other, we go to her studio which is close by. Once there, we talk about the message and the connection among us is evident.

We read a chapter in Spanish and Turkish and Canan gives her postcards of her drawings. We have chai, talk about art, sculptures, many, many things. Among others, Canan will experiment with Silo's Message and will do an art show with what she feels since she already has paintings with her experiences with yoga and meditation.

Soon, the five of us go out to dinner and Canan and Ozan will be coming to the ceremony Saturday.

October 25, 2012 in Istanbul

 

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Hello friends,

today we went to see Jönturk and Carlos S. said good-bye to him until spring.

Then we went for a walk at the port and we ate balik ekmek with a good ice-cream, so everything calm and pleasant. The day was festive and there were few people on the streets and when someone showed up we noticed the holiday atmosphere of the bayran the "lamb".

In the afternoon, we waited for the journalist, who sent us an sms saying he had forgotten it was baryan, the day of the lamb and that he ws with his family. A contact of Carlos S. who only speaks Turkish called. She is a painter, sculptor and we agreed to have tea and she could meet us at the Nazim Hikmet cafe.

Fortunately, Ozan came and we went to the cafe, we met the artist and she soon invited us to her studio which is right next door to our home/salita. 

She offered us a small copy of her paintings as a gift.

So we showed us the book of the Message and we gave her the Comments and some flyers and a small object she appreciated.

Carlos S. read some paragraphs of the book in Spanish and the lady in Turkish. She liked the first chapter, The Meditation. She said she needed something like that and that maybe it was time to dedicate to her spirituality after having left it aside for a while, that meeting us could be a sign.

So we went out to dinner and to look for a bus to take Carlos S. to the airport since he was going back to Spain.

Surely Nacho and Carlos will send some comments about these meetings.

I am sending you some pictures.

 Big hug,

Eduardo, Nacho and Carlos

Today, October 20, 2012 Meeting about the book of the Message in Ankara

 

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Hello friends,

today, October 20, 2012, at 14:00, in Ankara, we starter our meeting with the book of Silo’s Message. Four contacts came we had met at the Spanish-speaking café. One of them Günsel, we already knew for a while. Two left pretty quickly, perhaps they didn’t like the book.
Günsel’s friend is called Borak, both are students. A while before Yüksel and his friend Neyla had arrived and she prepared some Kyurdish food from Urfa for us which was delicious. Reyhan helped and later Aylin. Reyhan’s friend, Yilmaz also came, as well as Handan, Yusuf and ofr course Huseyin who was back from Eskesehir.

After a time of interchange, accompanied by chai and some sweets,
Handan took the initiative of reading some chapters of the Book to then talk about understandings and experiences. We read Chapter 17 and 18 and an animated talk followed. After talking, we proposed to do ceremonies and everyone agreed. So Neyla, Reyhan, Borak and Günsel, for the first time, and Yusuf, Huseyin, Yüksel, Handan, Aylin, Eduardo, Nacho, Carlos and Peter first did a service, guided by Handan and then did a well being, guided by Aylin. It was very beautiful and intense.

After Günsel and Borak had to leave so we had a meal with those who stayed, eating the very good food Neyla had prepared. We were all super happy in this shining afternoon. At 18:00 all the friends said good-bye and left happily.

At 20:15 Yusuf and Yüksel came back. Yusuf brought a new book of poems in Kurdish to dedicate it to us. We were very thankful for this present. He gave us the book today because we won’t be in Ankara to attend the presentation next week.

Now Huseyin, Eduardo,Nacho, Carlos,Yüksel, Ysuf and Peter, are going for a walk to get some fresh air.

A big hug to all,
Handan, Aylin, Reyhan, Neyla, Yüksel, Eduardo, Huseyin, Carlos, Nacho,
Günsel, Yusuf and Peter

Teaching Spanish - Ankara, October 19, 2012

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Hello friends,

this morning, Nacho and Carlos went to the city center to get in touch with its tones, ways, etc. After they went up on a hill where there was some kind of castle with old walls, from where part of the city can be seen from above. Later they went to the museum of civilizations, which although it is being restored and only half of it is open, shows they very rich and ancient human presence in this area.
When they came back home, they met with Peter and Eduardo who dedicated the day, together with Yuksel to fix some things with the gas and other fixtures in the house. At six in the afternoon, Eduardo, Nacho and Carlos went to visit Altug and went with him to a student neighborhood where there was a meeting. The meeting was of a group of students who meet in order to speak Spanish "the language of Cervantes". There were a sum of 30 people in a very big table, most of whom were Spanish students.but also people working in Latin American embassies and us...
We started talking and helping to talk and it was easy to talk about our issues when they asked what we were doing in Turkey, you can only answer. And of course we commented about the book presentation
tomorrow. Many did not really care but 3 were clearly interested and left their phone numbers and we agreed to see them tomorrow.. It was two intense hours where we talked with mmany people, since it is a
custom that people change seats to talk to the others
We came home  late, so with this was our last activity of the day.

Hugs,
Peter, Nacho, Eduardo and Carlos

Today in Ankara, October 18, 2012

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Hello friends,

Today, October 18th was a day full of good things.

It all started in the morning at 11:30 when we went out to buy gas, deposit some money in the bank and buy bus tickets for the trip back to Istanbul next Sunday and Monday.

After having fixed these 3 domestic things, Peter called Aylin and they agreed to meet for chai in Kizilay. We met at 13:00 and her friend Emine, whom we know very well, was also there about to start her job at the Ardiz cafe. Emine was very happy to see us. After some words and hugs she went off to work and Aylin, Eduardo, Carlos, Huseyin, Nacho and Peter went to a place with an indoor garden they had been to many times. We had chai and something to eat and we talked to Aylin in a happy mood, with good humor and, of course, lots of laughter. Aylin talked to friends on the phone and we couldn’t understand anything but soon she said we were going to Yüksel’s office to have coffee and chai. So, off we went and when we arrived we found Yüksel, his friend Neyla and Reyhan. Reyhan was very happy to see us and Yüksel tells us that Neyla will come to the salita/house this Saturday for some Kurdish food. Later he tells us that another 20 friends were coming if it was OK. We said of course, so we will do a Book presentation and ceremonies.

In the meantime, a very beautiful situation was created in the office, with Reyhan who made some very good chai and coffee for us and super good sweets and again we talked a lot and laughed a lot and were in a good mood, learning more and more Turkish and, in their case, English. At a certain moment, Reyhan’s couple, Yilmaz arrived and we found out it was his birthday, so we exchanged hugs and our best wishes for his new year in life. He is a musician and singer and plays the Sas, a string instrument here. We continued talking and had fun and good vibes.

After a while Huseyin left with Yilmaz to the house/salita to speak with him more calmly and later, at around 17:00, we also left, knowing that Reyhan would come over later. Eduardo had spoken to Altug on the phone to meet in Kizilay. So, Yüksel and Eduardo went back to Kizilay whereas Carlos, Nacho and Peter went back home. In front of the house, we met Yilmaz who told us he was going to fetch his music instrument and would be back.

In the house, Huseyin tells us that we will celebrate Yilmaz’s birthday, with food and cake. We called Eduardo to tell him, so Eduardo, Yüksel and Altug also come back. Reyhan arrives and Huseyin gathers some money to buy food and Yüksel goes out shopping. In the meantime we had chai and talked, in the kitchen and the living room, about the meaning of nonviolence and the sense of Silo’s Message. It was also very beautiful. And then Aylin arrived. So we were 10 persons. Yüksel and Reyhan prepared delicious food and at around 21:30 we all ate and everything was fine and dandy. After the food, Aylin and Reyhan prepared cake in the kitchen with candles and everything. They came in with the lights out, carrying the cake, to Yilmaz’s great surprise. There is some kind of tradition here, Yilmaz making a wish while he blew the candles and after Reyhan fed him a little piece of cake while we applauded.

Of course, we asked Yilmaz for a small concert. He is a very sensitive person and he played and sang with interiority. We were very thankful and he was also very happy. Soon after his friend, Fatima, arrived when she found out he was celebrating his birthday at the house/salita.

At it was almost 23:00. A day with friends and new friends, a small marathon, a trip across human landscapes and inner landscapes, weaving everything in luminous energies and atmospheres.

We were all very happy and tomorrow we’ll see how it goes.

Saturday, Carlos has a meeting with a university professor at 14:30. Huseyin is going with him.

There will also be a new meeting about the Book at 14:00.

This is it for now. If you click on the picture above, you will see many pictures of today.

A big hug to all,

Huseyin, Yüksel, Aylin, Altug, Reyhan, Yilmaz, Eduardo, Carlos, Nacho and Peter

Today in Ankara, October 17, 2012

 

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Hello friends,

Today, October 17, was the day of the weekly meeting. For the occasion, our Spanish friends, Nacho Martinez and Carlos Sanchez, who arrived yesterday in Istanbul, came straight away to Ankara, accompanied by Eduardo and Yüksel. They got here at 17:30. Huseyin is in Ankara these days as well (he arrived yesterday). During the day, Peter prepared a good meal for after the meeting.

We had coffee, chai and sweets until Handan and Zehra arrived at 19:30. Yüksel, in the meantime, went to pick up his 9 year-old son, Shiar, whom we met for the first time. Yüksel asked a ceremony of Protection for his son and explained to Shiar how the ceremony is and what it is done for.

Mehtap was sick so she couldn’t come and Aylin had to work.

So we started at 20:00 with a ceremony of Protection with the participation of Nacho, Carlos, Eduardo, Huseyin, Yüksel, Handan, Zehra and Peter, with Yüksel’s son in front of the officiants (Zehra and Huseyin). He was very serious and attentive. It was really very beautiful. In the end we all hugged and passed our best feelings and wishes to him.

After Shiar went to the kitchen to paly and we continued with the Service and Well Being. Handan, guiding the Service very well and Yüksel, the Well Being, also very well. Everything very good and intense and a well charged silence.

At the end of the ceremonies and after having sent our best feelings, force and light to different people for whom we asked well being, we all hugged with much human warmth. And we quickly set the table to eat together in a friendly atmosphere. After we said good-bye to Shahir and Yüksel took him back to his mother’s house.

At 22:30 we went out to Kizilay to have a walk and chat.

And this was the end of a good day.

A warm hug to all,

Eduardo, Yüksel, Handan, Zehra, Huseyin, Nacho, Carlos and Peter

Today in Ankara, October 15, 2012

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Hello friends,

Yesterday, Sunday, was a day for rest and Peter stayed at home reading and studying materials and other things.

Today, October 15th, Aylin came to pick up Peter at 14:30 so they could go together to Yüksel’s office. Reyhan, who also works with Yüksel, was there as well. Reyhan was very happy to see us and we had chai and sweets and talked for 3 hours in a very relaxed and beautiful atmosphere. It was pratically a learning exchange of Turkish (Peter) and English (Aylin and Reyhan). A very dynamic exchange where we understood each other better and better, sometimes helped by the dictionary.

Reyhan is a very nice person and is an academic ceramics artist. We also talked about that and the big problems artists of this world have in Turkey, where politicians aren’t very interested in supporting artists.

At 16:45, Aylin had to go give another photography class to 20 students and we agreed to see each other later in Kizilay. We continued talking Reyhan and Peter until 18:00. There were wonderful books of ancient art of different times and archaelogical objects in Yüksel’s office. So we looked at some of them and Reyhan explained what they were about.

We left at 18:00 and walked part of the way together until we reached the big Mosque where Peter headed towards home.

In the meantime Handan called, also to meet at Kizilay. So we met at 19:30 in front of the IMGE bookstore. Handan’s friend, Ayhan, the scientist also came. We went to eat together in a lovely place further down. Aylian and Ayhan who hadn’t went talked about the importance of positive thinking because it always leads to good things, whereas the opposite happens with negative thinking. We also talked about the importance of an inner change because if not everyone will continue creating problems for themselves and other, producing suffering and violence. Handan and Aylin expressed they wanted to change and recognized the importance of growing in a coherent and unifying direction. We also talked about the presentation of the Book scheduled for November 3 at the Babil cafe and about the testimonies we could have.

It was all very beautiful. Again Ayhan invited us to his home one of these days. We’ll see when it will happen.

At 21:30 we headed towards Kizilay, Ayhan and Aylin, to take a bus to go home and Handan and Peter continued towards Kolej. There was lots of joy all the time and a good sense of humor and lots of laughter. Handan told Peter about a place in Ankara, after a mountain where there is a lake. We will go there next Sunday.

Talking all the while, Handan told a very funny story and we all laughed a lot, we arrived to the Kolej metro and we said our good-byes until tomorrow afternoon.

It was a very happy day and rich in relationships which are more and more relaxed and at the same time close, we feel each other reciprocally. Trust grows and opens doors. This makes everyone happy and everyone feels energized.

Tomorrow we will visit Mehtap’s office once again and we’ll see how the day goes on filling itself.

A big hug to everyone,

Aylin, Handan and Peter

Today in Ankara, October 13, 2012

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Hello friends,

Today, Saturday, we met to talk about the book of Silo’s Message at the salita, with Handan, Mehtap, Zehra, Leyla (a friend of Zehra’s who participated other times), Eduardo and Peter. We started at about
13:30, having chai, chestnuts and some good sweets. We chose  the chapter of the book that talks  about light and soon there were questions about the luminous and transparent sphere of the service,
how to place it. Eduardo and Peter shared their personal experiences about the sphere and that everyone sees for themselves how it works for them. Then the participants expressed difficulties with their families and how to overcome suffering. We proposed to read together the Path, pausing after each paragraph, to exchange on how each one experienced the different parts. This was all translated into and from English by Mehtap. Handan translated into Turkish what she said in English.
At a certain point, an atmosphere between the participants began building and culminated in a catharsis. It was very interesting that this happen right when we were interchanging about the Path. After it
was very easy to see how we all have inner violence which sometimes projects itself outside with lots of force, even though nobody wants to, like something out of control. Even though it wasn’t the best
moment of the day, anyhow, it gave us the possibility of talking about this issue among many with a meditative attitude.
The meeting ended at about 16:00, Handan stayed at home with Eduardo and Peter talking about the fact that it isn’t easy this work with ourselves and in a team, that it takes a certain effort from everyone.
In this context we also talked about the “I” and how this “I” can give problems to oneself and others etc. In short, that we are all good persons, but sure, each one has their little inner monster and that
the work with the Book, in its different parts, helps inner reflection and in the intention of changing step by step in the desired direction, together with others.
So all very well and we could deepen, helped by a real life situation which was created.
At 17:00 we decided to go out to fix Eduardo’s phone and then we went to fetch Handan’s document in the center. Both intentions failed, in the sense that it was closed and the problem with Eduardo’s phone couldn’t be fixed. So we decided to go eat in Kizilay and we ended up at LeMan Kültür where we ate very well. After we went for a walk and Handan saw a scientist friend of hers, the same as  yesterday, at a small table with two young girls at the Ormanci café. So we sat down with him and the girls at the small table, we introduced ourselves and started talking to them. One of the girls studies the piano, asked us what we were doing in Ankara and Handan spoke animatedly about the Message with her. The girl liked what  we transmitted, so we invited her to the next meeting, giving her a calling card, showing her the web of Silonun Mesaji, where she can find the book and read it. She was thankful and we continued talking about various things, the international theatre festival Handan’s friend is organizing in Ankara on March 2013 together with the girl and other persons and other things. Clearly we couldn’t understand everything.

At 20:00 we said good-bye and Handan’s friend invited us to his house to eat together. We’ll see when the opportunity arises. Walking towards home we met other friends and colleagues of Handan and we
stopped to chat with them.
When we arrived at home, Handan said good-bye. She was going home and tomorrow she will go hiking in the mountains.
Yüksel was waiting for us at home and a while later Ayilin arrived, very happy. We spent some joyful moments together laughing a lot and having some good chai, Yüksel prepared. Again we spoke in this happy and free atmosphere of this possible and interesting process of change in the relationships of all these good friends who are part of the nucleus of the Message in Ankara.
Aylin left at 21:30 and agreed to meet with Peter on Monday at 14:00 to go to Yüksel’s office, since Peter doesn’t know where Yüksel works.
Tonight Eduardo and Yüksel will travel to Istanbul, they will come back on the 17th together with Nacho Martinez and Carlos Sanchez to participate in the weekly meeting and stay for some days.

It was a very rich day, exchanges and experiences and meetings with new persons.

A big hug to all,
Handan, Eduardo, Aylin, Yüksel, Mehtap, Zehra, Leyla and Peter

Today in Ankara, October 12, 2012

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This morning, at 11:00, Yüksel, Eduardo and Peter went to Mehtap’s office. She had invited us to have lunch together. We took a minibus in Kizilay which took 30 minutes to reach 100 Yil neighbourhood. When we went inside the Bank office we saw Mehtap sitting behind a table and she quickly came to say hello to us and to take us to her table.
We sat down and Mehtap quickly organized chai for us. She was very happy she could welcome us in her office and we talked for a while because she had to stay there until 13:30. A while later, a very nice
woman arrived who had to deposit some cash and we saw Mehtap at work, taking care of the lady who’s name, we later found out was Bilge. We started talking to her and she told us she worked for 30 years in the Voice of Turkey, which transmitted in 30 languages. She was in charge of Greek since when she was young she lived close to a Greek island and there she went to school. This woman was so nice, so happy, we were enchanted by her and when she asked what we were doing in Ankara, Mehtap told her about the Message. She was very open, so we invited her to come to Mehtap to the meeting next Wednesday. The two of them made arrangements and we gave Bilge our calling cards and then it was time to eat. One of Mehtap’s colleagues asked if she could join us and of course yes. So we went to a restaurant close by with a terrace, we ate well and talked to each other and to her colleague, who is called Demet.

At 14:30, Mehtap took us to the bus stop and we said good-bye and were all very happy.

Back at home, Saniye called at 15:00, to tell Peter she already was in Kizilay. So Peter went off to meet her. After various calls and communication and with the help of two young people who talked to her, we managed to meet and went to a terrace to have chai and chat. Saniye is a good friend of Suhela, a friend of Yüksel. We started talking in Dutch, which was a new experience being in Ankara, talking to a Turkish lady who speaks perfect Dutch. The contact was immediately good, easy and with good emotions. We chatted about our lives for a while and then Peter showed her the book and the Comments and we talked about Silo’s Message connecting it to today’s world, talking about current events and going back to the Book and so forth. At 16:30, Saniye had to go back home to prepare dinner for her daughter and before leaving, she invited us to go to her house next week to eat
and meet other friends. She also said she could organize a meeting in her house to talk about the Message. It was all very relaxed. Peter gave her the book and she asked how much it cost and he said she could have it. So she said that when she finished it, she would give it back. So Peter told her that it could be that she would not want to give it back and she replied that if that were the case, she would pay for it.
We said our good-byes warmly and agreed she would call to set  the visit. A reciprocal transmission was produced.
Back home, Yüksel arrived so that we could go to Babil cafe to talk to the owner about the possibility of  organizing a Book presentation.
Handan also called, she was close to the house and we waited for her to arrive. So the four of us went to Babil café where we had chai and a very good salep, while we waited for the owner. An hour later, while we were talking, first to one of Handan’s friends, who she met at the table next to the one we were sitting at,  who met a former student of  his. We  invited both to our table. Shortly after, the owner arrived, his name is Yunus Topal and he is a very nice guy. He is a photographer, journalist and works at a Ministry. The conversation was very easy and quickly it was evident we could do the presentation and that he would call the press and his circle of friends and clients. Of course, on our part, we will invite anyone we can, it is a good occasion for everyone to invite friends and family. The presentation was set for Saturday, November 3rd at 17:00 hours.  Eduardo, Christophe, Denis, Manuela and Tommaso will be here on that date. So we left and were all very happy, already imagining how to do the presentation with testimonies froom our Turkish friends and including a ceremony with all those present.
It was a very happy day with multiple meetings with new person.
Eduardo and Peter ended the day with some good food and delicious roasted chestnuts.

A big hug to all,

Eduardo, Peter, Mehtap, Handan, Yüksel

Today in Ankara, October 11, 2012

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Hello friends,
this morning, Eduardo and Peter went to the bank to fix some things and expenses, then they went for chai and sweets in a beautiful place.
We  talked for a long time about issues relating to the monograph, of Silo and other things we are interested in and we inspired ourselves very much. After we went to Babil Café, where, according to Yüksel and Aylin, apparently, it would be possible to do a book presentation. It is a very lovely place, very quiet and with lots of pictures of writers on the wall. We liked it and continued talking for a while longer. Tomorrow we will go back with Yüksel and talk to the owner.
Arriving home, Mehtap called announcing that Yüksel would take us tomorrow to her office, to eat  together. Peter called Saniye, the Dutch speaking Turkish woman, and they agreed to meet tomorrow at 16:00 in Kizilay.
Later, Altug called and Eduardo went to Kizilay to meet him, together with Yusuf, Yusuf’s uncle, Suleyman, and two young girl friends who speak Spanish, Gülsen and Danila. Peter stayed home, because, in the meantime, Ümit had called to say he was coming over. The company of someone who asks for leave from his job at the airport to see you is very special. After an hour Eduardo, Yusuf, Suleiman and Isan arrived, and then Yüksel. So the kitchen was full and everone having tea.
Suleyman wanted to speak German with Peter and in general we spent a good time together. They left at about 20:30 and we stayed Yüksel, Eduardo, Ümit and Peter eating something together and having more chai. Everything was relaxed and pleasant. Ümit was very happy and said he would get organized so that we could see more of each other in the next days.
Yüksel had bought a beautiful book about Pompei, with lots of pictures and drawings, overlapping which showed how the buildings were originally, squares and others.
So this was a day of different meetings with friends, all taking place in a very good human atmosphere.

A big hug to all,
Eduardo, Yüksel, Ümit, Yusuf, Altug, Gülsen, Damla and Peter

Today in Ankara - October 10, 2012

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Dear friends,

Today was a day of cleaning the house/salita for the weekly meeting and do some grocery shopping.

Early in the morning Huseyin went back to Diyarbakir. When he arrived he called to say the trip had gone well and that he would be back next week.

At 16:30 Eduardo arrived from Istanbul to spend some days with us.

After having talked for a long while, exchanging news and information, Peter prepared food for after the meeting.

At 18:30, Yüksel arrived and shortly after, Mehtap and Zehra, who greeted Eduardo very joyfully, for being in Ankara and we had chai and biscuits, all the while talking in an atmosphere of good friends. Aylin also came and she was very glad and happy to see Eduardo and we continued talking and having tea. Handan called to say she was close by and at 20:00 we started the ceremonies. We put the Book in the middle on the floor and Yüksel took it to guide the service. He did it very well and we could very easily connect within ourselves. The meditation was on Principle 12. During the ceremony a very intimate and charged atmosphere in its silence and in the end we were very connected to each other. Yüksel put the Book on the floor and this time Aylin picked it up and she also guided us beautifully in the ceremony of Well Being. The same intense and intimately heartfelt experience repeated itself and we were all very grateful in the end.

Peter proposed to meet again with those who could next Saturday to read the Book and exchange about the texts. Mehtap and Zehra signed up for sure and the time will be 13:00. Handan and Aylin need to see if they can and will tell us in the following days. Yüksel must travel so he will not be here on Saturday. He asked if we could repeat it another day and we said yes.

Once this was done, Mehtap, Zehra and Yüksel had to go whereas Handan and Aylin stayed to eat together with Eduardo and Peter. We had another tea while we waited for the food to be ready. Handan also brought some good food to share which she had prepared at home.

We had long conversations, sometimes with lots of laughter, but everything went very well and it was a very close and intimate exchange, we felt very close to each other. It really was very interesting and gratifying, because we are in this process, also with other friends, of deepening the issues of the Message and relating them to everyday life and to what happens to us internally and in relation to others. It is giving us the opportunity to give more meaning to our weekly meetings and the other moments of the Message, especially this permanent nucleus we are.

At 22:30, Handan and Aylin went home together and we agreed to see each other in the next days.

Mehtap confirmed her invitation to have dinner at her house and meet her family and will let us know exactly when.

Tomorrow there will be many things, but we’ll tell you about them tomorrow.

A big hug,

Handan, Aylin, Mehtap, Zehra, Yüksel, Eduardo and Peter

Today in Ankara, October 8, 2012

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Hello friends,

Today was a very good day as well. At around 15:30 in the afternoon Hüseyin and Peter, went to the Center of the Federation of Alevi associations (Alevi cultural associations) to meet with Huseyin, Zehra’s husband, who is the director of the Federation. Zehra organized this meeting and she also attended. We were very warmly received and immediately a very nice lady offered us chai. For a good while we exchanged information about the life of Alevis and Silo’s Message, reaffirming, there are many things in common, such as tolerance, nonviolent attitude as a direction in life, etc.

At a certain point we asked Huseyin if it would be possible to make a book presentation in the center. He explained that this center is the central office of the federation and not a place for semas or other kinds of meetings. But, if after reading the book, it seems good to him, he can send a recommendation to associations which, in turn, through their boards, can freely decide if they are interested in organizing a presentation. He promised to give us a list of associations and their contacts. We gave him the Book and Commentaries so that he could read them and after a little more conversation between Hüseyin, Huseyin and Zehra we said good-bye warmly, to the nice lady as well and Hüseyin and Peter went to the same place we had been to the other day with Zehra, Mehtap and her friend Tayfun and had a long conversation about interesting issues concerning us.

We went back home at 19:00 and Hüseyin went to rest for a while because tomorrow very early he must travel to Konya from where he will be back on the same day. At 20:00 Handan called to say she was coming and we talked until Aylin arrived at 20:30. We continued talking until Yüksel arrived at 21:30 and the four us went on talking. It was all very lively and in a good mood. At 22:00 Handan proposed to do ceremonies and we woke up Hüseyin so that he could also participate.

The ceremonies went very well, Handan and Aylin guiding one ceremony each. During the Well Being we tried to send well being to every person who is suffering violence in Syria and between Syria and Turkey and we asked for the end of all the war-related violence in the region. It was very intense and very beautiful and at the end we were all very well and happy of having been together in this wave of well being and asking.

Previously, while we were talking in the kitchen, Handan invited us to go to her house tomorrow at 14:00 to eat together. We also talked about possible presentations and Yüksel and Aylin agreed that Babil cafe is a good place. Tomorrow we will visit this place, which is in Kizilay, to make contact and feel the atmosphere.

At 22:30, Handan and Aylin went home and that was the end of a very beautiful day.

Tomorrow we’ll see how it goes.

A big hug to all,

Hüseyin, Handan, Aylin, Yüksel and Peter