Tagua

WHAT IS TAGUA?

Tagua - pronounced (TAW-QWAH) - is hand carved and polished into miniature animals and figurines with the look and feel of ivory.

The average Tagua nut measures between 1 and 2 inches, and in a single year one palm can produce up to 20 pounds of nuts.Tagua is from a palm like tree which grows to a height of 20 to 30 feet in several tropical regions of South America.

Chemically they are pure cellulose and before the nut matures has a milky liquid in the center. When ripe the nuts fall to the ground and are gathered and dried from eight to twelve weeks, after which then become extremely hard.

The nut is non toxic and the color varies from white to amber.The taqua nut is close grain and very hard. The cellular structure and grain is similar to that of elephant ivory, but is more dense and resilient.

It resembles the finest ivory in texture and color and is slightly softer than mammal ivory. There are several names for this vegetable ivory nut, but most common is the "Tagua Nut".

Its' similarity to elephant ivory has been known by craftsman for years and is frequently passed as elephant ivory on objects fashioned from it and can be very deceptive.

It being so much like mammal ivory that pieces carved from it are sold at the same price as elephant ivory and in some carvings much more.

For over two hundred years vegetable ivory has been used by ivory carvers in the making of netsuke's, dice, dominoes, and chess pieces. Other uses found were cane and umbrella handles, pipes, mah-jongg tiles, sewing needle cases and the fine art of scrimshaw.

Religious figurines were carved as were many toys. In the late eighteen hundreds up through World War II this ivory nut was used to make some of the finest buttons in the clothing industry.

Ivory carving has flourished for hundreds of years sacrificing elephants, walrus, rhinos and other ivory bearing animals. This is a terrible waste, and has threatened a number of endangered species.

Tagua offers a welcome, moral alternative to ivory trading.

Vegetable Ivory is readily available, a harvestable renewable resource, and looks very similar to actual ivory. It offers third world countries a simple alternative to exploiting their natural resources.

christmas started early for me

This year's christmas started early for me as i walked through the supermarkets and stores in europe. Why? cos all the supermarkets are selling xmas munchies and cookies and tons of christmas related food stuffs and its so cool when u strolled down from one lane to the other looking at those wonderful yummy packages ..... heheheh

how i wish the supermarkets in spore would do that as well ....bring in all the yummy beautifully packages boxes of choclates, tins of amazing cuteee cookies, packs and packs of sweet yummy frosted sweets and sweet apples .... ahhhh * yummmmm*

2008 xmas would mark this year's ending as well .. as if time really flies past so quickly in a flash . not long ago it was just start of a year ... i remembered writing new year cards for maad market so that i can passed around to all the stall owners ...

now i am starting on xmas wrappings ..... so rich and happy the year has been and i am blessed indeed . not forgetting the lows of tides in the year but its the lows that makes me realized how rich i was in spite of all changes ... i somehow survived . heheheh so i am grateful my angels !

now i wish for a snowy xmas with wonderful reindeers ringing bells for this seasons ! Ho HO hO !

cutting it away

In every relationship, people are constantly exchanging energy that can become a chord connecting two people. This energetic cord forms just below the breastbone and can remain long after a relationship has ended.

This unbroken cord may leave an open channel between you and another person, through which emotions and energy can continue to flow. If you are unaware that the chord exists, it is easy to feel the other person’s emotions and mistakenly think that they are yours.

Besides the fact that this can limit the amount of closure you can experience in a relationship, letting this cord remain intact can leave you with a continued sense of sadness while creating feelings of lethargy as your own energy is sapped from you.

Cutting the cord can help you separate yourself from old baggage, unnecessary attachments, and release you from connections that are no longer serving you.Finding and cutting unwanted cords is a simple, gentle process that is best done alone and when you are relaxed.

It is important that you are strong in your intention to release the chord between you and someone else.

To begin, breathe deeply and perform a simple centering meditation. When you are ready, visualize or sense the chords that are connecting you to other people.

Run your fingers through the cords to separate them until you find the cord you wish to sever. There is no need to worry, because the chord you need to sever will feel just right.

When you have found it, determine where the cut should be made and then visualize the cord being cleanly cut.

If you need assistance, Archangel Michael can be called upon to help you with his sword.

Afterwards, if you feel that cutting the chord has left spaces in your energy field, then visualize those spaces being filled with healing sunlight.There may be times where cutting a cord can help free a relative or loved one to reach new stages of growth.

You’re not severing a relationship, but you are severing the chords that are no longer serving you both. At other times, a cord may simply refuse to be cut because it is still serving a higher purpose.

It is also important to remember that cutting a cord with someone is not a replacement for doing your emotional work with people. It can, however, be an enactment of that work upon its completion.

In any case, cutting a relationship cord should always be viewed as a positive and nurturing act. By cutting the cords that no longer need to be there, you are setting yourself and others free from the ties that bind.

sometimes a loss can be a gain

When we lose anything that we cherish, the sense of emptiness we are left behind with can be overwhelming. A space that was filled, whether in our lives or our hearts, is now a void, and the feelings of pain, loss, and separation can sometimes be difficult to bear.

While it is always important to honor what we’ve lost, sometimes a loss can also represent a chance for a new beginning.

When we are ready, the void left by a relationship, a job, or a dream can then be viewed as open space that can be filled with something new: new experiences, new knowledge, new job opportunities, new dreams, new people, and new ways to grow.

There are many ways to weave the threads of loss into a blessing. If you’ve lost a job or ended a relationship, your first thoughts may revolve around filling the void with a similar job or the same kind of relationship.

Try not to rush into anything just to fill up the emptiness. The loss of a job can free you up to explore new opportunities, especially if you’ve outgrown the old one.

Likewise, the loss of a relationship can give you a chance to rediscover your own interests, explore new passions, and meet different people.

If seeking the good in what seems like a bad situation makes you feel uncomfortable, then try to remember that you are not devaluing what you’ve lost or replacing it cold-heartedly.

You are surrendering to the fact that, in life, we sometimes have to let go and allow for what is new to enter into the open spaces created by our losses.

In doing so, you are honoring what has left you and welcoming the new into your life with open space, an open mind, and an open heart.