A beautiful weekend video

Hi Lovelies

I hope you enjoy this song and video. I mentioned it a little earlier... its very peaceful and happy.

How has your week been?

Enjoy

El xx

Women in India- 'Thus far and no more' by Abhishek Shanker Anand

An acquaintance of mine from facebook living in India wrote this powerful and deep response to the rape crisis occurring there. I m sharing here in the hope that people will read it and love it, and share it on! Thanks El x

Thus far…  and no more

-By  Abhishek Shanker Anand

A burglar breaks into a bank and says he was “provoked” by the huge amount of money kept there.Is his explanation accepted? No. When a person is murdered, and the murderer says he was “provoked”, is he left scot-free? No. Corporal Punishment is condemned and many teachers who meted out inhumane punishments have been brought to book. And if they say they were provoked by the students behaviour,is it accepted? Never.

Then why do men think it is acceptable in the  case of rape? And yet, that was the exact reaction that came from many quarters especially from policemen when the shocking gang rape of a 23-year-old in Delhi came to light. And shockingly, most women too, think that victims of rape and molestation bring it upon themselves.

This attitude is deeply rooted in our patriarchal system, where the male alone gets to make all the decisions and where the women are forced into submission and are made to believe that they have no right to live their lives for themselves,the way they want to.  And if they violate this decree, they are asking for trouble. And what is more, the women who are submissive will force other women too into submission.

It starts right in our families, where the son is given more importance than a daughter, and a free reign.A boy’s bad behavior is most likely to be dismissed “as typical of a male”. And what do we get? We get men who think that any kind of behaviour is acceptable, including violence, and he can get away with it, simply because he is a male. They think it is the women who should know their limits, and not the men. And it is certainly this attitude that exists in homes, which blames the girl entirely and encourages such incidences in our country.

When sexual abuse occurs within a family, the women who are closely related to the victim create a false impression that the responsibility rests with the victim alone. This creates feelings of guilt, depression and hopelessness in the victim, and she will find no support, even from her own mother, to complain again the culprits. The question is, Why do we disfigure women as a form of revenge?

There are limits to a womans patience and tolerance, and men have far exceeded these limits. It is time that women stop taking blame for mens crimes. It is time that women realise that it is never their fault. That they alone have the right over their bodies and dignity,  and that no man has the right to touch them even without their permission. It is time that women spoke out, fearlessly. It is time that women were provoked, provoked to fight back.

The bystander phenomenon have gone on long enough in India. This is a plea to all women- STAND UP FOR YOURSELF, STAND UP FOR OTHER WOMEN. You see some girl in trouble, immediately go to her aid- each and every woman in the crowd- reach there, mob the molester, give him a public lesson that he will never forget. Start doing this, and you will see the bullies cower.

A bully lasts only as long as his victim fears him. Woman power has always been under-estimated. Power doesn’t lie in muscles. Power lies in RETALIATING TOGETHER. This act does not need a bill to be passed by the parliament. It needs no law to be enforced. It needs only COURAGE.

As for the so called “educated men”, who believe that this situation is a result  of women crossing their limits in their dressing, let me remind them of an incident in the Ramayana when Sita was abducted by Ravan and her ornaments were shown to her husband Ram and brother in law Lakshman. Lakshman could only identify her anklets. Because he only looked at her feet, out of RESPECT. And this respect for women is what lacking in men today. Before you criticise women for loosing their morals and not emulating Sita, remember that you have lost your values and do not respect women anymore. There is still a lot to cry over in the country, so please change the your thinking, your mentality, CHANGE YOURSELF FIRST…

contact : abhi21anand@gmail.com

'I am Light'- Inspiration.xx

(image: adventoutpost.com)

India Arie, one of my favourite singers has just released her new album 'Songversation'. Its so beautiful and healing, I advise all of you to youtube, soundcloud, google this album! Go and Listen. In fact listen to all of India's music. She has helped me through hard times and her mission is to heal people through music, to uplift the soul :)

I just wanted to share some of her lyrics from her new song, I am Light. I hope they inspire you today as they did me!! If you are sad or broken, remember these words. With love. xxx


I am light, I am light 

I am not the things my family did
I am not the voices in my head
I am not the pieces of the brokenness inside

I am light, I am light 

I'm not the mistakes that I have made or any of the things that caused me pain
I am not the pieces of the dream I left behind

I am light, I am light 

I am not the colour of my eyes
I am not the skin on the outside
I am not my age, I am not my race, my soul inside is all light

All light, all light 
I am light, I am light

I am divinity defined
I am the God on the inside
I am a star, a piece of it all
I am light

Ellie Goulding- New Song!

Hi everyone,

I am loving Ellie Gouldings music at the mo! She has just released this cover of a Leona Lewis song and it is totally brilliant, very summery and festival inspired. Can imagine dancing to this :) Very addictive!

Enjoy xxx

Hello, My Birthday, Life, Summer- I'm Back today xxx

Dear Wonderful Readers,

I decided to take a blog hiatus because of what was going on in my personal life. Thank god I am starting to feel a bit brighter again and I wanted to give you a little update!

Yesterday was my 25th Birthday! I had a fab day with my best friends taking me out for lunch. One of them has a baby daughter who is so gorgeous, was lovely having cuddles with her! I also saw my aunt and cousin and was so nice to get all my birthday messages, cards, texts etc. I am planning to go to the Harry Potter film studios with friends at the end of the month as I am a big fan and they are so close to me here in London. 

I just wanted to write to send love and to say I hope to post more regularly again!!!!

Much love and light,

El xxxxxxx