Cempaka Culture and Tourism: An Indonesian Take on Christmas

"The Recalibration of Awareness – Apr 20/21, 2012 (Kryon channeled by Lee Carroll) (Subjects: Old Energy, Recalibration Lectures, God / Creator, Religions/Spiritual systems (Catholic Church, Priests/Nun’s, Worship, John Paul Pope, Women in the Church otherwise church will go, Current Pope won’t do it), Middle East, Jews, Governments will change (Internet, Media, Democracies, Dictators, North Korea, Nations voted at once), Integrity (Businesses, Tobacco Companies, Bankers/ Financial Institutes, Pharmaceutical company to collapse), Illuminati (Started in Greece, with Shipping, Financial markets, Stock markets, Pharmaceutical money (fund to build Africa, to develop)), Shift of Human Consciousness, (Old) Souls, Women, Masters to/already come back, Global Unity.... etc.) - (Text version)

“… The Shift in Human Nature

You're starting to see integrity change. Awareness recalibrates integrity, and the Human Being who would sit there and take advantage of another Human Being in an old energy would never do it in a new energy. The reason? It will become intuitive, so this is a shift in Human Nature as well, for in the past you have assumed that people take advantage of people first and integrity comes later. That's just ordinary Human nature.

In the past, Human nature expressed within governments worked like this: If you were stronger than the other one, you simply conquered them. If you were strong, it was an invitation to conquer. If you were weak, it was an invitation to be conquered. No one even thought about it. It was the way of things. The bigger you could have your armies, the better they would do when you sent them out to conquer. That's not how you think today. Did you notice?

Any country that thinks this way today will not survive, for humanity has discovered that the world goes far better by putting things together instead of tearing them apart. The new energy puts the weak and strong together in ways that make sense and that have integrity. Take a look at what happened to some of the businesses in this great land (USA). Up to 30 years ago, when you started realizing some of them didn't have integrity, you eliminated them. What happened to the tobacco companies when you realized they were knowingly addicting your children? Today, they still sell their products to less-aware countries, but that will also change.

What did you do a few years ago when you realized that your bankers were actually selling you homes that they knew you couldn't pay for later? They were walking away, smiling greedily, not thinking about the heartbreak that was to follow when a life's dream would be lost. Dear American, you are in a recession. However, this is like when you prune a tree and cut back the branches. When the tree grows back, you've got control and the branches will grow bigger and stronger than they were before, without the greed factor. Then, if you don't like the way it grows back, you'll prune it again! I tell you this because awareness is now in control of big money. It's right before your eyes, what you're doing. But fear often rules. …”

Friday, December 17, 2010

An Indonesian Take on Christmas

Jakarta Globe, Sylviana Hamdani | December 17, 2010

Christmas is just around the corner. While it is certainly not Indonesian in origin, more and more people in Jakarta are celebrating the holiday by shopping for gifts, spending time with loved ones and decorating their homes. But just because Christmas is not Indonesian does not mean we cannot give our Christmas decorations a uniquely Indonesian touch.

Christmas trees decorated with cookies in Surabaya.

“Christmas celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ,” said Paulus Lekenila, from Bumi Surya Decorations. “And he was not born at the North Pole or in the US either. So, normally the celebrations and decorations depend on each country’s unique traditions.”

This year, consider creating some Indonesian-inspired Christmas decorations that are creative and inexpensive to brighten up your home.

The Christmas tree is the traditional holiday centerpiece for most homes. But to make things more interesting, you can try making one yourself with used or recycled materials. It will definitely take more time, but it’s a fun holiday project that you and your loved ones can work on together.

You will need four or five boxes worth of used plastic water cups to create a Christmas tree approximately 1.2 meters tall. The first step is to wipe the cups clean and remove the labels. Draw a circle about 60 centimeters in diameter on a piece of cardboard and glue the cups, upside down, within the circle.

Place the next row, using fewer cups, on top of the first, and continue to create the classical conical shape of a Christmas tree.

You can also create your own star to go on top of the tree. All you need are a few red and green plastic straws, glued together, side by side. Twist the staws into the shape of a star or glue them together. Then cut a hole into the bottom of the plastic cup at the top of your tree, making sure it is just big enough to hold your tree topper up straight.

To decorate the body of the tree, you can cut figures of Santa, angels and candy canes from old Christmas cards and magazines and stick them onto the cups. As a final touch, drape a set of blinking Christmas lights on your tree.

“The clear plastic cups will reflect the lights beautifully at night,” Paulus said.

If you’re too busy to make your own Christmas tree, you can buy one at many of the department stores in town and decorate it in your own unique and personal way.

‘’Make it Indonesian by decorating it with materials from our own country,” said Anita Buntarman, an interior designer at Millennia Tata Aria.

For example, you can use bits and pieces of old batik to create colorful bows to adorn your tree. You can also hang some gold and silver wayang (Javanese shadow puppet) ornaments, which can be found at department stores around town.

“To make it more special, tie seashells together with thin wires and hang them on your Christmas tree,” said Suhaili, a designer at Satu Daun Interior.

“The glossy surface of the shells will sparkle beautifully when the Christmas tree is lighted.”

Instead of covering your Christmas tree with ribbons or tinsel, the interior designer suggested using shredded raffia in different colors. You can also use vibrantly colored textiles from Indonesia, such as songket or ulos, to cover the base of the tree.

Traditional fabrics are also great for making your own Christmas stockings to hang on the walls of your living room.

“It’s the creativity that counts,” Anita said. “When your friends and relatives come to visit, they’re going to be impressed by the unique and personal touch reflected in every Christmas decoration.”

Besides the living room, the dining room is also an important focal point in the house. For Christmas luncheons and dinners, you can decorate your dining table with a beautiful centerpiece made of red poinsettias and asparagus ferns.

“If you have a long dining table, you can put a large pot in the center and two smaller ones on either side,” Suhaili said.

To give it a touch of Indonesia, put a long strip of batik under the centerpiece as a table runner.

As for the napkins, Suhaili suggests tying each of them with a golden ribbon and a small bell. “The sound of the bell as guests untie their napkins to start lunch or dinner will make the occasion so much merrier,” she said.

To make the dining room even more vibrant and festive, you can also tie alternating red and green bows onto the back of each chair.

“Don’t be afraid to experiment,” Anita said. “Use your imagination with the items you find.

“I’m sure you’ll discover lots of fun and surprising ideas to decorate your home for Christmas.”