7.10.2012 印度的女性主義

最近看了一齣印度Bollywood的電影，名《Kahaani》（中譯《追擊枕邊謎》），難得地在印度這個壓抑女性的社會背景下，一反傳統地歌頌女性的角色。事實上，數千年前，印度這個靈性的國度，就知道女性擁有與男性平等的力量，只是經歷了近千年的黑暗時代而被扭曲了。

戲中女主角，腹大便便的Vidya在Durga Puja節慶期間的加爾各答，鍥而不捨地搜尋她失踪的丈夫。原來戲中有戲，橋段引人入勝。不過由於本人過去數年也是主要探討印度的靈性層面，因此對戲裡最後一段感受至深。最後有一段獨白，畫面是印度女神Durga像，說的是邪不能勝正。

其實印度神祇中除了有大家熟悉的Shiva（濕婆，毁滅之神）和Krishna（黑天），也有很多出名的女神，如Shiva的妻子Parvati（雪山神女），又可被稱作瑜伽之母；Parvati的兇相化身，Kali（同為毁滅之神）；以及這套戲提及的，擁有多對手（有點像我們的千手觀音），連老虎也能降服的Durga（難近之母）。

印度傳統裡沒有特別著重男性或女性神祇，因為Oneness（天地萬物為一）是重要的概念，同時也著重男性（Shiva）與女性能量（Shakti）的結合，就如中國傳統裡所說的陰陽平衡。但那不是單純指世界應把男性代表著理性和邏輯的男性能量，融和女性如母親般溫柔有力的女性能量，而是指是每個人也應平衡其內在也擁有的這兩股男性和女性能量。

那為何從前的印度傳統會崇拜女神，現在卻把女性的地位貶至那麼低呢？結婚時，女家要負責所有開支，甚至與我們中國傳統相反的是，新郎會收到女家送的名貴「嫁妝」；女性在結婚時必需為處女，否則會被家庭摒棄；離了婚的女性也一文不值，休想再嫁，甚至會被社會唾棄。原來從前女性留在家裡，是因為被尊重所以要被保護；現在則被扭曲成妻子是丈夫的附屬品，沒有丈夫的批准，任何人也不能看其妻子一眼。

其實不只是印度，整個世界在近代也把女性壓抑下去，這牽涉到近年代表Ego（自我／我執）的男性能量主宰社會的運行有關。

印度有說，隨著Dark Age即將被Golden Age所取代（請看《從三子絕食看2012末日現象》一文），人們會較隨心而行，減低被Ego支配，一直被壓抑的女性能量亦將回歸。《Kahaani》突破傳統，以女主角擔大旗，而且印度票房和口碑均甚佳，便令我不期然想到這種時代變遷，知覺逆轉的大趨勢。

29.9.2012 食環園──Food recycling

本人居住的小島之婦女會近數月發起了廚餘回收計劃，名為食環園，我很喜歡這個名字，甚有循環再用，生生不息之意。該婦女會有一小園圃用作栽種植物，因此生產所得的廚餘將重新投入大地之母。

我最欣賞的是她們推行這個項目的認真和熱誠，逢星期一至六的早上，他們均會在街市對面設置回收站，風雨不改。登記了的島民可以獲得一個耐用結實的回收盒（有大有小，例如我這些獨居人士，一個小的已足夠用上數日），把盛滿廚餘的盒子交到回收站，她們便會發放一個新的乾淨盒子給你，還可以獲得一個蓋章，儲夠一定數目便可獲得小禮物（最能吸引師奶們吧）。

還記得在塱原工作營當義工時，那裡也有收集廚餘，但只限未煮過的蔬果，也不可以混了油。但該婦女會似乎擁有一部十分強力的廚餘機，因此基本上是甚麼廚餘也能回收，無論是熟或生，是肉或菜，紙張例外。因此作為鼓勵島民回收廚餘可算十分有效，因為一旦要分類，相信不少人均會怕麻煩而卻步。

還記得計劃實施的第一周，因為島民反應熱烈，該婦女會要再加碼訂購回收盒。看到島民的熱心，我發現如果有適當的配套，很多人也會願意為環保出一分力。

從小到大，我也被訓練得從不浪費食物，因此連碗裡的一粒飯，我也會吃得乾乾淨淨。從前當財經記者，看到企業宴客盡出珍饈百味。往大陸出差，更是送上舖天蓋地的食物，他就是要你吃不完，否則他覺得款待不周兼沒面子。我每每看著桌上的食物，也覺得很痛心，在世界不同角落看到多少人沒有東西吃啊。

所以雖然本人住在島的山上，卻十分支持這個食環園計劃，即使每天早上要刻意下山再騎單車更換回收盒，也在所不辭。如果你住的地方沒有廚餘回收計劃，其也可以考慮自製一個廚餘筒，我在印度聽過一個相關的講座，感覺上並不難，最重要是有心！詳情請參考這個英文網站：https://sites.google.com/site/basiccomposting/sawdust-composting

不過個人認為，要幫助地球減少廢物，在自製廚餘之前，第一步應該是減少購買和煮那麼多食物。很多時，我們也是「眼闊肚窄」，點了或煮了一桌的餸，卻沒有辦法吃完，那何不先點／煮小量一點，不夠再加量？那豈不省錢又能減少浪費？況且，其實要能促進消化，我們的胃裡應該只有五成食物、兩成半液體和兩成半空氣才是。

18.9.2012 除了痛苦是自找，際遇也是自找！

有外藉朋友在香港工作接近七年時，給公司裁掉了，更在醫院大病後被迫從公司住宅搬出。她憤慨為公司賣命這麼多年，竟落得如此下場。屋漏偏逢連夜雨，她摯愛的父親病逝，沒有工作簽證難以在香港長待，雖然她在香港擁有物業，但仍被入境處多番留難，她常恐懼會被趕出香港。在種種逆境下，男朋友也借酒消愁，最後也離她而去。

很戲劇化的人生吧？相信不少人也有或多或少類似的經歷。

本人從小到大也遭遇過更糟糕的事情，因此對此有深切的體會。

每個人來到這個地球也是為了去學習一些課堂，如何學習，其實全部由我們自己決定。如之前所述，Your mind creates your own reality。如果你悲觀，你身邊的世界也是多災多難。正如這位朋友，每當她訴苦時，就只會怪責前老闆、入境處、際遇，口氣悲觀之極，她周圍也蒙著一層灰濛濛的顏色。

但是，除了痛苦是自找，其實際遇也是自找！她要學習的正正就是要樂觀及從任何逆境中也能看到曙光，因此她自己才會「創造」這麼多的難關。最初的難關通常較容易處理，但若果當事人不能從中看到難關中埋藏著的課堂，並改變自己，那她自己會再「創造」一個更難的的難關。若然還是察覺不了，這個難關會不斷升級，就像遊戲機最後要打終極怪獸，它務必要徹徹底底把你拋進地獄，直到你猛然醒覺為止。

可怕嗎？對的，很可怕。就像我這位朋友，我相信她有這些如電影般的經歷，是因為她已經錯過了多次醒覺的機會。

所以當你看到同一個情況在人生裡出現、出現、又出現，而自己也不斷承著受相同的痛苦，那便要提高警覺，從事件中的蛛絲馬跡反省究竟當中藏著甚麼課堂。然後撫心自問（不要自欺欺人，沒有人會聽到你內心的反省，所以一定要勇敢承認自己的錯誤），如果相同情況再出現，你會有怎樣不同的態度？

當你準備好了，你自己便會再「創造」相同的情況，看你是否真的從錯誤中學習了，如果你能走出這個不斷重覆的循環，那難關／糟糕的事情才會停止再出現。

人生很神奇吧？當你能站高一些，便會看到「迷矇裡的自己」其實只是潛意識裡那「清醒的自己」的一枚棋子。因此，每個人也有能力改變在身邊發生的際遇。停止怪責世界，立即從你自己的內在世界作出改變吧。

14.9.2012 痛苦是自找的！

情人跟你鬧分手時，他／她可能會說：「我不想帶給你痛苦……」又或「都是你令我那麼傷心！」但其實，除了你自己之外，沒有人能給你加諸任何痛苦。

「怎麼會？如果不是他／她，我今日何以會落得如斯田地？」你可以衝口說出這句話，但當你冷靜下來後，不妨想一想，對方有拿著刀拿著槍迫你傷心和痛苦嗎？如果不是你自己作出允許，你是不會傷心和痛苦的。

其實對方，甚至乎是你的外在世界，就只是你的一面鏡子。所以當你聲嘶力竭地指對方是你痛苦的罪魁禍首時，其實就正正是在鬧你自己啊！不明白嗎？對方有第三者、對方不願意向你許下結婚的承諾、對方就是不願意聽自己的話作出更好的改變等等，雖然你都不能控制事情如何發生，結果又是如何，但你卻控制得了你的內在世界。

對方有第三者？若你能企得高一點，便能看得清楚，這個人根本靠不住，給你早點發現，反而得以避免繼續磋跎下去；對方不願意向你許下結婚的承諾？你想結婚，但或許你根本未準備好，對方遲疑不決反能讓你看清楚自己的心意；對方就是不願意聽自己的話作出更好的改變？你說想他更上進、想他更成熟、想他更有幽默感……怎麼你就是要控制他？控制不了其實就是為自己製造麻煩，怎麼不能接受他就是他（Let him be himself）？

除了感情方面，相信不少人也習慣投訴老闆無理、同事耍手段、工作環境壓力大等等。再一次提醒你，其他人和外在環境只是你的一面鏡子，一塊反映你內心世界的鏡子。認真想一想，如果你內在世界快樂和平衡，那些無理、手段或壓力又怎能偷走你的快樂？外在世界的事情可以繼續發生，繼續被老闆壓榨、繼續被同事欺負、繼續面對千條死線和數個大項目，但，你的內心卻可以平靜如湖水，也不會讓負面情緒上心。

這中間的要訣是，你不能改變外在世界，卻能改變你的內在世界／態度。若果你悲觀，從你眼中看出的世界也是黑色的；如果你樂觀，則處處也是天堂。

你願意跟我一同看這個世界的光明面嗎？

10.9.2012 世事有偶然嗎？

醒覺之後，踏出Comfort Zone之後，你的心靈會漸漸開放，奇妙的事情亦會不斷發生。例如你會留意到不少偶然，怎麼剛想起這個朋友，他便會來電又或在你眼前出現？怎麼正在思考一個問題，答案便會在書裡又或電視中無意中「飄過來」？怎麼正想：「如果有朱古力吃就好了。」立時同事在毫不知情下會送你一盒朱古力？

這真是偶然嗎？其實這是物以類聚。當你開啟了心靈，接通了宇宙的「頻率」，就很容易「心想事成」。這是為何要保持思想正面的原因，因為若果你常常憂慮一件事情，例如去旅行時不斷擔憂會被人搶劫，那宇宙便會接收到「搶劫」的訊息，很容易令噩夢成真。

不過很多時，我們並不察覺我們的思想有多強大，也不明白Your mind creates your own reality（你的思想創造你的實相）。因此，總是投訴世界很黑暗的人，常會遇到壞人，每天也十分倒楣。這是因為他「相信」自己會遇到壞人，那宇宙接收到這個訊息，便真的讓他遇到壞人。相反，總是十分樂觀，對任何際遇也心懷感激的人，便會處處遇到貴人。

那要如何打破惡性循環？首先，你得先信任自己「應該（deserve）」幸運，一切也會順利，好人好事也會陸續發生。我說的信任是要真心地完全相信，而非口講信任，但心底裡其實仍然認為自己不會那麼幸運。

其次，就是要懂得欣賞所獲得的東西或所有際遇，不要視為理所當然。當你投訴阿媽炒的菜不夠惹味又或飯不夠綿時，可有想過那些在路邊吃冷飯菜汁的拾荒者？當你埋怨自己不夠苗條又或面上很多雀斑時，可有想過那些因意外而被毁容又或天生殘缺的人？你手中擁有的東西並非必然，即使是吃的一粒米也是經過太陽和土壤長時間培植，當中歷經風吹雨打加上農夫的「鋤禾日當午，汗滴禾下土」，再經不同工人的運輸和包裝，以及由天然資源生產的電力煮熟才會送到你面前。因此常常懂得欣賞身邊的事物和擁有的東西，亦能幫助你吸引更多「幸運際遇」。

最後，就是要懂得「施予」。What you give is what you get。你向別人釋出善意，樂於助人，也會獲得其他人相同的待遇。但注意，施予的態度應是無私，即沒有目的，不期求回報，動機要單純；若然自私自利，只顧榨取，你便會錯失了宇宙賜給你的無盡豐盛。

以上所說的，全是我過去幾年人在路上的深切體驗。只發生一次，我可能未必會相信，認為是「偶然」，但當親身反覆驗證後，便知道這真的是宇宙的定律。

不相信嗎？何不現在就開始試試看？

7.9.2012 醒覺之後

大部份人，一生人裡都過著由社會和文化所建構的生活裡，用心理學或靈性的名詞去說，就是活於自己的Ego（小我或我執）裡。他們讀醫、讀法律，是因為父母的意願；他們結婚、生小孩，是因為朋輩間人有我也要有的壓力；他們努力工作、賺錢是要符合社會的期望。

你說他們不開心嗎？不是。因為他們被蒙在Ego的鼓裡，以為一直循規蹈矩，達成所有身邊人和社會的期望就已經是完成了所有人生大事。有的或許會覺得人生已無憾，有的半夜夢迴又或年老之時，或會感到生命中總是欠缺了一些東西。

每個人醒覺（Awakening）的時刻不盡相同，但正如上一篇文章《從三子絕食看2012年末日現像》提及，踏入Golden Age，不論老幼，越來越多人會醒覺。

醒覺是怎樣的呢？首先你會意識到自己的生命欠缺了一些東西，例如即使你的家庭看似美滿又或事業有成，但心裡總是不快樂。你會問：「自己營營役役到底是為了甚麼？」「自己來到這個世界上又是為了甚麼？」「難道我的人生只是工作、結婚和生兒育女？」等等．接著是重要的一步，一是你會視這為自己對生命的嗟怨，從而無意識地把這把聲音壓下去；二是你會意識到你自己意識到對生命的這種疑問，這就為之醒覺。

醒覺之後，你會開始尋找這種人生裡缺乏了的東西，這一步需要很大勇氣並踏出你的安全區（Comfort Zone），也會遇到很多質疑和阻力，親朋戚友會以其「權威」的態度阻撓你又或從恐懼的層面恐嚇你。但這正正是宇宙要測試你的決心：「你準備好了排除萬難追尋你心裡缺乏的那種東西沒？」如果你被恐嚇到了，又縮回了你的安全區，那股醒覺的意識可能會隨年月及世俗的薰陶而被再次掩蓋。

但如果你完全信任你內心的那一把聲音，出走未知，找尋那東西。宇宙便會回應你的訴求，而奇妙的旅程將會就此展開。

六年前，我是在獨自背包西藏旅行時醒覺了。

四年前，我不顧一切、放下一切地出走，通過旅行找尋我內心所欠缺的那件東西。

三年前，我在印度找到了。原來那件東西一直在我心底裡，只是過去被社會建構的Ego所蒙蔽。

現在，我知道我為甚麼要來到這個世界、我是誰、也知道我要走的路是甚麼。

看到身邊有不少人在醒覺的階段，很想向他們分享：「你們只是欠缺那醒覺之後所需的勇氣，從而踏出自己的安全區，以及那要對自己的完全信任。」

沒有任何一個決定是錯或是對，All is well，欣然接受生命給你的東西，才能活出自己、活出生命。

從現在這一刻起，行動吧！

1.9.2012 從三子絕食看2012末日現象

近日學民三子絕食事件，令我想起了2012年的「末日」現象．瑪雅日曆預言，2012年12月21日乃為期5125年的一個地球周期之完結，甚至有荷李活電影將之描繪成世界末日．

其實很多新時代和不同的學說指出，與世界末日相反，那將是一個新周期的開始．以我熟悉的印度學說來解釋，不少印度古文和不同的聖人均指出，現時我們正身處Kali Yuga（Kali字面解衝突、不和、爭吵等；Yuga解時期）又可稱作Dark Age（黑暗時代），為宇宙四個周期中最後一個，亦是人類靈性上最敗壞的一個時期，貪婪、慾望、憤怒和無知橫行．

Kali Yuga的事例可見於過去100年來的兩場世界大戰、斷斷續續的部落戰爭和大屠殺、以及近50年來大自然受嚴重破壞而出現的生存危機等數之不盡的災難．

不過，物極必反，又正如火鳯凰在烈火中重生，其實2012年12月21日正正是Kali Yuga的完結，下一個周期將是Satya Yuga（Satya意思是真相）又稱作Golden Age（黃金時期）．相反地，這是人類靈性上最光輝的一個時期，所有人也從事於良善、崇高、純淨的事情．

人類將於這兩個時代的交接期出現明顯的知覺易轉（Shift of consciousness）．

過去數年生活於歐洲和印度時，已明顯感覺到人類知覺的提升．很多人已不再著重物質的滿足，而是追求靈性、與大自然平衡的生存之道，也更能與自己的內心接通，聽隨內心的呼喚．印度Ashram裡充滿了來求「真相」的Seekers（真相尋求者），而且醒覺（Awakening）的年齡越來越年輕，不少十多歲的年青人，對宇宙萬物中無形規律，已較一般年長者有更深刻理解．

經觀察後，發現在這場全球知覺易轉的海浪中，亞洲的步伐比較緩慢．當歐美父母已明白課室並不是教育的全部，「讀萬卷書，不如行萬里路」，並鼓勵高中畢業的年青人拿一個Gap year體驗世界時，香港則還在填鴨式教育，甚至乎推行國民教育；而當越來越多人懂得放下物質世界的幻覺，而向內尋求真相和人生意義時，香港人則似乎仍然視買樓為人生目標．

不過，香港人的學習曲線一向較斜，是以可能將會有一個可觀的知覺易轉爆發．兩年前回香港，沒有那麼多人注重素食和有機健康食品．今年回來，卻發現有一個小陽春，甚至還有Green Monday和更多民間綠色團體；我一向不偏重甚麼政治立場，也不留意選舉，卻留意到政綱十分能顯示這知覺易轉，設合未來黃金周期運轉的獨立候選人龐一鳴．

當然，最令我明顯感到舊的Dark Age即將被新的Golden Age取締的，就是近日這三位年青人的絕食事件．看到他們，我便看到了這一股知覺易轉的勢頭已不能扭轉，我相信越來越多人會Awaken，並在即將來臨的Golden Age中發掘自己的「真相」．

What are the benefits of meditation?

Find a quiet and peaceful place to meditate can create a multiplier effect

Many people ask, 'What are the benefits of meditation?', 'To what state can meditation bring oneself to?', 'Am I suitable for meditation?'

I am not a teacher, but I would like to share my past few years meditation experience.

In Chinese, meditation gives an impression that a person has to sit still. In fact, one can meditate while he is sitting, walking, lying down, standing or even when he is engaging in different kinds of activities. Meditation means when we are highly concentrated, it is thoughtless in our mind, and it creates a strong experience of living in the moment and the sense of existence.

Simple meditation starts from breathing, meaning focusing completely on the process of breathing in and breathing out. The process of observing breathing is just like chaining a monkey, making him can only climb up and down along the rod, therefore unable to do whatever he likes. Our minds are just like monkey, so it is always called, 'Monkey mind.'

In fact, many people don't even know that they have a monkey mind, they let their brains occupied by different thoughts and images. If they are not indulging in the memories of yesterday, they are expecting for the fruits in future. They cannot stop thinking for even one moment. They may feel tired mentally, but they don't understand why.

Therefore, meditation can raise the consciousness of people. First, through observing breathing, you will notice that you cannot rest your mind on the process of observing breathing for even a single moment. Your mind is always in the past and in the future. Afterwords, you can try to put all your attention on breathing in place of that unbroken thinking stream. You have to do it with all your effort and persistently. If you could achieve the stage of thoughtlessness, even for one minute, you would find that your mind would be very sharp and refreshing.

So in daily life, meditation not only increase one's productivity and also his energy level.

I should skip the part that some people can achieve Samadhi (Sanskrit, meaning a state of non-dualistic consciousness, and in which the mind become still and one-pointed), because I don't have such an experience.

However, I do experience that thoughtless and blissful state through long hours of meditation. The first time was during the 10 days Vipassana Retreat in India, I strongly felt and experience the EXISTENCE of myself. The second time was also during a Vipassana Retreat in Nepal, some traumas and knots were dissolved and I could clearly listen to my heart and my soul. And through meditating every day in the past few years, I was sometimes inspired and got revelation in life situations after meditation.

There is a Vipassana Retreat in Sheung Shui, Hong Kong. During these 10days, one has to meditate 10.5 hours per day, beginners may feel scared. But I strong recommend the retreat to those who are really willing to learn meditation. If you could free just 10 days in your lifetime to face the naked self, you would be rewarded.

For those who don't want to take this challenge, I recommend you to get up 10mins earlier every morning. Find a comfortable and quiet spot to sit, no matter you want to sit in cross-leg or on a chair, the point is to sit with your spine straight, so as to let the Chi/Prana flow freely. Close your eyes, slowly breathe in and notice that the cold air is flowing into your nostrils, trachea, lungs. Then slowly breathe out, and notice that the already warm air is flowing out from your lungs, then trachea and nostrils. Repeat this cycle for at least 5 to 10mins, if there are thoughts occuring and take away your attention, just slowing bring your attention back to observing the process of breathing.

If you can be persistent and do this exercise for a few months, and even prolong the mins of observing breathing, I think you will definitely notice the benefits of meditation by yourself.

Fasting for better health

I am doing my weekly fasting while I am writing this article.

What is fasting? Fasting is not to eat anything voluntarily. It can be as short as one day, and as long as a few days or a week. In all the traditions of different religions, there is the practice of fasting. Eg, Muslims fast for a month in the annual Ramadan, they only eat or drink anything before sunrise and after sunset. Also, Indians are used to fast in different festivals.

I remember why did I start my first time fasting a few years ago. I was in Amma's Ashram (Amma is my guru, she is famous for giving hugs to everyone) in South India, learning different kinds of spiritual practices, eg meditation, yoga, chanting, selfless service etc. Besides, in silence and fasting are also part of it.

Although I always heard people in the ashram fast regularly, but I couldn't make the determination. You have to know that I really love eating, only by just imagining that I should not eat, I suffer. Until one of my ashram friends told me one day, 'Amma said, if we cannot even control our senses, how can we control our mind?' She really woke me up immediately, because if I put so much effort to calm my mind through meditation, but I forgot to laid a good foundation, wasn't it like learning running before I could even walk?

Since then, I started to fast once a week, in between I paused because of different reasons, I resumed it again, stopped and resumed again. At first, I allowed myself to do a fruit fast, that's to eat one kind of fruit on that day. I tried once, but I found that it was worse than not eating anything, because if I allowed myself to eat fruit (I chose banana), on the contrary, I ate a lot and it caused discomfort in my stomach.

So I tried not to eat anything at all, but just drinking water. The duration of fasting is from the time after dinner on the previous day, until before breakfast on the following day, that's around 36hours. Although at first I struggled a lot and I always felt I was hungry, but once I could keep up until a certain time of the day, I didn't feel hungry anymore. On the day after fasting, my mind was so sharp and so clear, I also felt very light, and I found that meditation was especially good after fasting.

Fasting is not only good on the mind and heart level, it is very important on the physical level also. In Indian Ayurveda, it says as our bodies are susceptible to different toxins, fasting is the best way to detox. Ayurveda also says, fasting is the best healing method as it can remove the sources of diseases through detoxification.

Moreover, fasting can cleanse our bodies, boost up immunity and balance metabolism.

Amma even explains it in a much better way, 'Our digestion system is like a machine, unless we fast, it will never take a break. Any machine which works 24hours a day can easily break down. So fasting once a week can maintain our machines in a better way.'

Of course I have to say that, not everyone is suitable for fasting, some people may experience stomachache or feeling weak, if so, you need to do it according to your ability. For example, you can try to fast after lunch, like Buddhist monks, or you can do the fruit fast or juice fast (drink only fruit juice or grass juice), and you should choose a day which you don't need to work. When your body get used to it, then you can try the whole day fasting.

Crazy for bread

Home-made, super yummy whole grain raisin bread.

I love bread, especially those dense and super think whole grain bread. But here in HK, except in the Western bakery and Western supermarkt, you can only find those fluffy white sliced bread, baked with lots of yeast and air. I remember when I first came back to HK, I spot out the so-called 'Whole grain bread' in the local pastry shop, I asked, 'Why is it still so white?' 'Whole grain bread is like this.' It seems that there is a different definition of whole grain bread among us.

As a result, at that time, in order to buy a real loaf of whole grain bread, I would deliberately take the ferry to Central (of course I would do other shopping as well). When I came to know that there was bread machine in the world, I was really excited, and I was so lucky that I got it as a house-warming gift from my good friend. Since then, my house was always full the the aroma of freshly baked bread.

The great invention────Bread machine.

By then, my house was always open to international couchsurfers. Obviously, Europeans and Americans are bread-eating people, so the 1kg bread was always not enough for us every morning. But I remember that sharing real bread, plus putting different spread like fruit jam, peanut butter and fresh fruits was one of the happiest moments in life.

I love to go to a particular Western supermarket to buy bread flour, normally the products they sell are really expensive, but I find that bread flour is particular cheaper than other places. The one I use most to make bread is the already mixed Six Seeds Bread Flour (with Sunflower seeds, poppy seeds, linseeds etc), very convenient to use and the bread tastes exactly the same as those in Europe.

Next is Pumpernickel Bread Flour, it is a kind of very German bread, very very dense and heavy in texture, not everyone like it, but I love it. I love it especially when I can taste the caraway seed when it gives me a spike of taste.

The above are all pre-mix flour, it is not easy to get it done wrongly. But I do love to mix my own flour, esp with Whole Grain Bread Flour and Spelt Flour (An ancient floor widely used in and before Middle Age, it is the ancestor of modern wheat and is very nutritional), also add my favourite sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, dried fruits and nuts etc, it tastes great.

In fact, there are many benefits of baking your own bread. First, as I live on an island, so I don't need to deliberately go to town to buy bread anymore; it is more economical, as a loaf of read bread in the Western bakery costs more than 30HKD, a package of bread flour only costs 45HKD, and it is sufficient to back 3 loaves of bread; these kinds of bread do not use too much yeast (the function is to help them to expand a lot in size), so it won't create too much gas in your body; for sure there will not be preservatives and chemical in home-made bread; you can select your own organic floor and ingredients, and you don't need to tolerant those unhealthy white bread anymore; you can add as many seeds and nuts as you want, as they are usually kept like jewels that you can only find a few in a loaf; you can eat freshly baked bread whenever and wherever you like, isn't it like dreaming?

Except using bread as sweet like putting jam, I like using bread to make Italian Bruschetta. However, in order to suit my specific vegetarian diet, I skip the favourite ingredient in Italian cooking──galic, but in my opinion, they are more light and delicious!

I first take a slice of thick bread (usually they use baguette, but I think it is very airy, without that dense texture) to toast, can toast it until it is crispy also, then put a spread of thick avocado paste on it (choose the most ripen one, then you can use them like jam), add a pinch of Himalayan salt and toss some extra virgin olive oil on it, you can also put some slices of black olives on it. The secret is, you have to eat it while it is still hot......Yum! With such simple ingredients, the taste is incredibly delicious, quickly try it out!