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Saturday, August 3, 2013

MY FRENCH SHUI CAFÉ BLOG ARCHIVES: 12/05/2009 Does everybody die? Pépé's Story, a parable for the soul for humans like you and me.

Does everybody die? Pépé's Story, a parable for the soul for humans like you and me.


Bonjour!



A few of you already saw the trailer of Pépé’s Story I posted onYoutube at the end of November 2009...



Pépé's Story: YouTube trailer nov 2009




Then life happened... Again!



We all know "those days" where all hell break loose. Even moi, your uplifting French Accent! That day was last Thursday... After so much effort from so many people to help me put my home-made DVd for sale on line on my blog, I just understood that it was not technically going to work. And because of a lot of other "stuff" are happening in my life now, I felt miserable, devastated, wishing upon a meteorite to just hit me and paf! Journey over! 


I was so sad  for my friend Mike Carriere who worked so hard on editing the beta project, for Pépé, my grandfather who inspired me and pushed me to publish this video, even if he passed "away" a while back, for me... All the incredible artists who contributed like the fantastic Karma Moffett whose music carries the voice over.  I was hearing all my friends who watched the Beta version and wanted me to get it out... Alfredo, Maria, Elisabeth, even Ori in Atlanta who I never met "in real life" and who advised me through Twitter on Thanksgiving day...

Then I meditated more and Laura Iriarte called, and Elisabeth, and Matthieu, then Ron brought me chicken soup and served me a taste of my own medicine, in the "never give up" category!  I remembered what Perrie Burton, my Feng Shui colleague and Australian sister, had told me a while back: "Dec 5th will be your lucky day!"... 

So today, December 5th, I re-attacked the problem, helped by another great being and awesome photographer, Jon Rendell. I spent hours torturing every single options of my blog host.  And voilà!!! It is up and running on my brand new e-boutique!

{Note from Cat, 08/05/2013: While I had initially sold the video in order to share some love with the Make A Wish Foundation, I realized it was not going to spread the way I wanted to really help as many people as possible. Therefore I posted the video on Youtube later on, free now to fly on its own. The post below has been updated according to this change.}

This video, is ready for you, ready for anybody you know who is sad because a loved one is journeying through a path we cannot apprehend from this side only. Because death is a passage, a part of life, but it is also, from our human perspective, a rupture in the flow as we know it. And we need to find other approaches to embrace it and alos to help our people going through.

You have no idea what it represents for me to finally give this short story to the world. Closure. The end of a cycle, the beginning of a new venture!  I just wish it will give you the same comforting and soothing healing it gave already to many around me, no matter what they believe in or not.


Pépé’s Story: thoughts & gratitude



I made it! WE made it! MERCI. 

Now please SHARE Pépé's Story on YOUTUBE.  For you it is just about clicking a like, pushing the share button, but for the person who will receive the video, it can be a totally different perspective on death, mourning, guardian angels and reincarnation: maybe a chance to heal an open wound. Not a bad deal in a holiday time when we miss so much the ones who left... 


Pépé’s Story: thoughts on dying of sickness, not losing a fight and seeing beyond our eyesight.




Now I still need to buy a bottle of champagne for Mike and Jon, who worked for free, like everybody else... 

And if somebody knows Oprah, Deepak Choprah or Louise Hay, please let them know about Pépé's Story . Or let me know. I would love to spread the love further.

We are One. Human. Immortal. Fragile and magical.

Let's be good and never behave. And watch for the crows around us, they bring news from beyond...

Namaste,
and merci again. You have no idea...

Catherine




Pépé's Story by Catherine Grison
 Music by Karma Moffett - 2009 remastering by Mike Global-sf
 


A few real people to know and appreciate:

Mike Carriere: @globalSF


Your Comments:

·         12/6/2009 8:17 AM Elisabeth wrote:
As the first customer of this fabulous down-loadable story, i highly recommend you all go and buy the first edition NOW.
It makes a lovely gift, too - if you are into gifting things this time of the year ...
Reply to this
1.   12/6/2009 10:17 AM French Shui Cafe I Cat Grison wrote:
Thnak you Elisabeth, for supporting this project since day one, years ago. I am glad this story helped you on your path and I am grateful to have you as a friend. Merci!
·         12/7/2009 3:55 PM kris wrote:
hi cat, i totally agree,
life is not the end of the existence of our souls. we just get a new body to live in.

love n hugs
kris

one finds always what one wants to find,
one sees always what one wants to see,
one understands always what one think one understands,
one believes always in what we want to believe in.

life is there for us to learn to think beyond our imagination,
beyond the physical manifestation of our body,
beyond our own existence.

kris - ca 2009

MY FRENCH SHUI CAFÉ BLOG ARCHIVES: 11/25/2009 The #Gratitude Project 2009: Building Community by Giving Thanks

The #Gratitude Project 2009: Building Community by Giving Thanks
Bonjour!


      The most beautiful non religious American holiday, Thanksgiving, often turns into a food orgy and family drama. Let's claim the true Thanks Giving back and prove it is every day, everywhere. Check my new vlog on how to embrace the Gratitude:
     Give thanks to you first, the Universe will follow! 









To create more community, I decided to organize a special Project.  I asked my friends on Twitter & Facebook to email me 1 sentence in 129 characters maximum that could begin by: I give thanks for... and to send a picture.

Then, I mixed the sentences and the pictures, and I read the text, with my French accent, so that now we are really One, sharing the same gratitude. And spreading love and joy in respect...

I am very grateful for all of you who participated and I hope you will enjoy the final concept and share the result!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NbBIMcVdETo
Please comment! (I could not post the video  on my Blog; too long!!! LUVIT!)

I also recommend you to go visit Tambra and her Gratitude event: 
http://theartofwellbeing.typepad.com/gratitudeexperience/
where she gathered experiences and thoughts on the same subject. Radio Talk at 1pm Pacific time on Wed. 11/25. I may participate if I wake up, as it is already 5.27am and now I fulfilled my promise of posting today before dawn... I may go to sleep...

I wish you a glorious Thanks Giving, every day.

Be Good and Don't behave,
Namaste...

Catherine


·         11/25/2009 8:13 AM Raeven Western wrote:
So beautiful and well said! Thank you for sharing and revealing yourself with us! We are one.

Love, HUGs, many blessings and dreams come true to U!

Happy Holidays
www.RaevenWestern.com
1.   11/25/2009 8:39 AM French Shui Cafe I Cat Grison wrote:
Merci Raeven for participating in this project. Your light shines from NYC to SF! Since I met you on Twitter, i fianlly eat oatmale for breakfast!

Blessings to you, beautiful!
Cat
·         11/25/2009 9:16 AM Judd wrote:
Well said cherie!

This Thanksgiving will be spent with what I, ME loves...steak & Las Vegas. Bonne journee!

Je t'embrasse,
Judd~
1.   11/25/2009 10:25 AM French Shui Cafe I Cat Grison wrote:
Enjoy Judd, and spread thanks while enjoying your time off!
Bisouxxx
·         11/25/2009 9:46 AM calvarezHIS wrote:
I'm grateful for you, your time spent on this wonderful project... and your awesome accent!

merci x infinity!
1.   11/25/2009 10:23 AM French Shui Cafe I Cat Grison wrote:
Merci to you, Carol, for participating. I was going to do a collage and then it came to me I had to upgrade!

Many blessings...
·         11/25/2009 10:57 AM LifePathLiving wrote:
Very beautiful, Catherine. Thank you for creating the Gratitude Project and sharing it with the world. Inspiring!
Wishing you love & joy this Holiday season.
XOXO
Kristen
1.   11/25/2009 11:30 AM French Shui Cafe I Cat Grison wrote:
A real pleasure Kristen! Unfortunately one of my email file vanished last night when i was putting the video together and I could not recover all the answers...  I do apologize to my tweemis who don't see their words there... I hope they will just post on the comments!
Joy & Respect,
Catherine
·         11/25/2009 12:00 PM Tanveer Naseer wrote:
Hi Catherine,

What a wonderful idea your Gratitude Project is, if not to have so many others hear the things people are grateful for. It's a wonderful exercise to get others to see how much we have to be thankful for right now, not last year, not tomorrow, but today.

I've been participating in another effort called TweetsGiving (
http://tweetsgiving.epicchange.org/) where the goal is to fill the internet for 48 hours with words of gratitude. I'd like to share a piece I wrote for this event that I think fits in very well with your Gratitude Project. It's a personal story about someone I met years ago who taught me some valuable lessons about life.

It's called "The Story of Steve - A Personal Tale of Gratitude". I hope you and your writers will enjoy it -
http://bit.ly/65JGNk
1.   11/25/2009 1:40 PM French Shui Cafe I Cat Grison wrote:
Tanveer,
Merci beaucoup for this beautiful story. It totally reminds me of my encounter with a homeless gentleman in Paris, who had dropped out of his life when his wife divorced. I was bringing him books and we were talking literature together in the Metro Laumiere. Then one day, he was not there anymore. I really hope he found a way to emerge. He was brilliant.
Thank you for raising more awareness. Giving thanks means being aware.
Namaste,
Catherine
·         11/25/2009 12:10 PM Trudy wrote:
This is for my 'Net friend, Cat, from our earlier convo:

Lovely Cat. We don't really agree because of a fundamental belief I have. It's not the universe or myself I am thankful to. It is to God that I give every thanks & in Whom I have every hope. I watched the video & I love that you remind people not to lose the holiday to the worldly commercialism. (I have seen people nearly trampling each other in the grocery stores to get the food to make their holiday meal!) And I love that you remind people to be thankful every day! True. So, still, we are very different at our core, but I adore you, dearest. (And I just LOVE your accent


You are a wonderful woman and I admire so much your enthusiasm for life and humanity.
1.   11/25/2009 1:44 PM French Shui Cafe I Cat Grison wrote:
Trudy cherie,
Since I met you on Twitter, our paths were always crossing on Respect and Humor! My two keys to life....
Thank you so much for posting, I really appreciate.
I think we definitely agreed on the sacred part of Thanks Giving.
Only for me, God is all of us, in all of us, and It as different names. This is what I talk about when I say honor the core, the pure in you.

Blessings to you, and a true smile.
I wish you a beautiful Thanks Giving...
Catherine
·         11/25/2009 4:02 PM journeymagic wrote:
Cat this is a great thing you've done. I for one feel you have truly captured the essence of Thanksgiving by allowing us to participate in your wonderful project! Wishing you a very happy Thanksgiving with much love always! bisouxxx
Reply to this
·         11/25/2009 8:53 PM cindy adrienne quashie wrote:
Merci Mon Aimee...
1.   11/25/2009 9:17 PM French Shui Cafe I Cat Grison wrote:
C'est un honneur pour moi, I am truly grateful for all my tweemis who participated in this project. Merci!!!
Reply to this
·         11/25/2009 9:29 PM Rebecca wrote:
I'm thankful for people like this throughout the world.
·         11/26/2009 12:00 AM Mick wrote:
C'était vraiment une bonne idée, a GREAT idea. Mais J'ai aussi adore cet accent francais que tu as gardé. I'm happy to be one of your friends on twitter.
1.   11/26/2009 12:06 AM French Shui Cafe I Cat Grison wrote:
Tu n'as pas idee combien je pensais a toi pour ce projet, mais je ne voulais forcer personne. So glad you jumped in at the least minute!!!
·         11/26/2009 12:08 PM Gerald Joyce wrote:
Thank you for the wonderful message. I counted you in my list of things that I am grateful for today, being connected with you again. I watched your gratitude project last night....one of the most beautiful things that I've experienced lately. Have a wonderful, wonderful day.
Love always,
Gerald
·         11/26/2009 12:10 PM SoyezFous wrote:
Ta vidéo est parfaite... j'adore ta façon, non religieuse et ouverte d'esprit comme de coeur de voir les choses.. bravo !


I just would like to add my thanks for spreading such a positive way of life... we all need this !


Respectfully...
W*
·         11/26/2009 1:30 PM Keane Li wrote:
Very thankful to have met you this year, Ms. Grison!

C'est tres bien! Merci!
·         11/27/2009 1:10 PM Laura Iriarte wrote:
Catherine, very sweet and heartfelt...yes...thanksgiving is/should be more about giving thanks for what we have and who is in our life...im thankful for YOU!

1.   11/27/2009 1:23 PM French Shui Cafe I Cat Grison wrote:
I woke up this morning thinking: the world is full of beautiful people and I am lucky to meet them all, one by one. Sounds cheesy, but it is true.
Bisouxxx


Friday, August 2, 2013

MY FRENCH SHUI CAFÉ BLOG ARCHIVES: 11/10/2009 I Live Here: SF

I Live Here: SF





Home by Julie Michelle - 2009


Bonjour!

No vlog today as I am celebrating the anniversary of my arrival in the US, 9 years ago. I want to share with you an amazing photoshoot by the fabulous
Julie Michelle  (@JulieMichelle ex @TangoBaby on Twitter)  who captured the magic of my life, and its uncertainties. Through her caring and intuitive eye, she builds community.

Read my post on her site 
I Live Here: SF, it will explain to you why I live here.  It is all about love and symbols. As usual! Then click the Flickr link
and enjoy the beauty. She gave me an incredible moment where I felt just me. Deep. In joy.


Namaste.
Be good, and never behave!
Champagne!

Catherine


Your Comments:



·         11/11/2009 8:33 AM Donald Kinney wrote:
It has been a joy catching a glimpse of you and what you do... (((always doing my best not to behave)))
--by the way, isn't Julie wonderful?
1.   11/11/2009 9:33 AM French Shui Cafe I Cat Grison wrote:
Merci Donald!
If you are around SF, our paths may cross.
Especially if you are part of the amazing Julie's fan club too!

Au revoir...
·         11/11/2009 9:24 PM journeymagic wrote:
Cat after reading/seeing your post "I Live Here:SF" it finally came to me what had been in my mind about the pics @tangobabySF took of you and I wanted to tell you! The fabulous pictures are MESMERIZING!!! Every single one of them. It was wonderful to celebrate your 9th anniversary with you. With love, Veronica
1.   11/11/2009 9:36 PM French Shui Cafe I Cat Grison wrote:
6 powerful women for 9 crazy years! And a lot of ... LOVE!!!
·         11/12/2009 7:26 AM Britt wrote:
Catherine,
you touched every fabric of my being, by, simply sharing a mini portion of your life with the likes of us.
You have set others free, by virtue of telling your story, in essence, your journey.
You are beauty, inside & out. I can't wait to see what else life has in store.
Namaste
In Peace & In Love....
Britt
1.   11/12/2009 9:18 AM French Shui Cafe I Cat Grison wrote:
Merci Britt! My Ego is inflating!


No kidding now, this is why I shared my experience.
To open hearts, clear paths, and ultimately change lives. One small seed at a time, with a lot of love. People take what they want, it is their own rhythm.

Cat
·         11/12/2009 11:56 AM Jasmin Zorlu wrote:
What a wonderful article. I love SF too. Beautiful photos of you and your spirit!
1.   11/12/2009 3:08 PM French Shui Cafe I Cat Grison wrote:
Merci Jasmin!
You should definitely contact Julie, she is just fabulous and she would have a blast with all your hats and outfits!
Bisouxxx

·         11/13/2009 9:48 PM Perrie wrote:
Wow... what a great story and fantastic photos, so romantic and real.
Catherine, like everything that you do, you bring so much more then the ordinary.
The world is a better place for passionate people like you.
Catherine, you tell a story your with expression and inspiration; with your words you paint a picture and transport your readers in another time and place where perhaps most of have been, but not seen it in detail like you did.
With the photos, you make us all wish we were part of your story.
So proud to know you, it is so easy to love you.
Your friend Perrie
1.   11/14/2009 2:25 AM French Shui Cafe I Cat Grison wrote:
You know it means a lot to me, my dear Feng Shui Sister from the Down Under. Merci.
·         11/15/2009 11:22 PM Kat wrote:
Cherest Cat,

I just loved Every Single One of these shots!! With you and your beautiful friend and ...
You were/are so very beautiful in there, just like a high-glamour fashion model, only having very real Fun!!
I adore you. I adore this photographer, the light, the blacks & whites, the colors, all of it.
Thank you, thank you, thank you for all this wonderful beauty. I just adore you for it, even more! Oh my gosh ~
And, where'd you get that fabulous red dress?
1.   11/15/2009 11:40 PM French Shui Cafe I Cat Grison wrote:
Paris, Baby, Paris!

·         11/23/2009 4:22 PM Leila wrote:
Those photos are beautiful! Your smile, your spunk, the dress, the hair, you are a stunning woman! So many of those pix are my "faves" now on flickr
http://frenchshuicafe.com/emoticons/smile.png
I am so happy that you found your magic in gorgeous San Francisco. I LOVE SF!
Here's the link to the song. I dedicate it to you!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zzoh1CWWd2E

Leila
http://leilablogs.wordpress.com/
1.   11/23/2009 4:51 PM French Shui Cafe I Cat Grison wrote:
Merci Leila! Your voice is just perfect with your lyrics, so romantic. I really appreciate.
Bisouxxx
·         11/27/2009 8:38 PM Julie aka i live hereSF wrote:
Thank you, Cat, for the wonderful post about our photo shoot and my project...I can't believe I didn't see this earlier. It was just a wonderful day and I'm so glad my project brought us together. I'm enjoying comments here very much and obviously your love and light touch many many people. xoxo

1.   11/28/2009 1:57 AM French Shui Cafe I Cat Grison wrote:
I just shine out what I receive... Bisouxxx

MY FRENCH SHUI CAFÉ BLOG ARCHIVES: 11/06/2009 Stop the Fear Culture: we are ONE!

Stop the Fear Culture: we are ONE!

Bonjour!

Believe it or not, my post today came out of anger! Anger to see how anger could translate into fear and judgment  in the news, spreading more racism around the world, instead of building a stronger community able to take care of all its members.

I was on Twitter when the first then the second mass shootings happened in the US this week. And I was shocked to see the way the news were "informing" about these tragic events. I actually thought of adding an hyperlink with the news but I do not want this energy touching my blog.

I was so shocked that I began tweeting:
"JOURNALISTS: STOP talking about ethnic background when you broadcast on shootings. STOP RACIST FEAR CULTURE NOW!"

Then my tweemie @BrokePimpStyles , the beautiful Indy Adrienne Quashie (
http://quasheba.blogspot.com/), wrote and wrote more heartfelt tweets on this subject.

Then I decided to record this video (that I had to cut in 2 parts to fit in the blog format).
Voilà

It is for everybody in the world. And beyond! We are always somebody's alien. Let's build in joy together instead of destroying out of fear.

Be good and never behave,
Catherine


Stop the Fear Culture: Let's be color/religion blind when we look at the others. (1)


Stop the Fear Culture: Educate the Children and Share Love.(2)





Your Comments:


  • 11/6/2009 4:34 PM Catherine Grison wrote:
    By the way, I am sorry for butchering even more than usual the English language I like so much. But I am very emotional about that subject and, as usual, it is a total improvisation in one take. My apologies.
  • 11/6/2009 4:53 PM Deborah greenlasagna wrote:
    I am so glad you did this.
    People need to see that the world is watching, and that we are making a bad name for ourselves here.
    I honestly admit that racism is the one thing I cannot control my reaction to. I hate it, and I will not apologize for that.
  • 11/6/2009 6:15 PM Raeven Western wrote:
    "There is light in us of all, lets make it happen for everyone. Honor everyone, the beauty of life, just give!"

    My heart and condolences goes out to people who have gone through this and have been affected by this.

    Catherine, you are a beautiful woman, with a beautiful soul, with words so true. It's sad, because many people are conditioned to be stuck in a box. We need to give, share and have more love. It's not the exact solution, but it's a healthy start.
    Thank you for being the phenomenal French beauty that you are. Your love and light is felt.

    Always a Dreamer
    Raeven Western
    www.RaevenWestern.com
1.       11/6/2009 6:21 PM French Shui Cafe I Cat Grison wrote:
Merci Beautiful,
You got exactly my point. We are not going to change everybody everywhere. But if it begins young and grows in the new generations, why not trying to seed respect instead of hate, confidence instead of fear...
Bisouxxx to you and NYC!

Cat

  • 11/6/2009 7:04 PM cindy adrienne quashie wrote:
    I am often caught, lost contemplating why must life be wrought, with human inhumane-ness against humans. 

    I am not afraid to speak, but mostly I just keep, my tears inside.

    And then once in a while, always right on time, another appears.

    So while it may scare me still, I move forward with rejuvenated will, for Me and Catherine are ONE!
1.       11/6/2009 7:15 PM French Shui Cafe I Cat Grison wrote:
Did you intend to make me cry. Because you did.
Merci my Beauty...
  • 11/7/2009 7:07 AM Philippe wrote:
    Knowing what has been an almost daily occurrence since 911, I could anticipate, when news of the shooting came, what was going to happen.

    Shootings have happened, in schools, offices and elsewhere, involving all kinds of people, but if the killer happened to be arab (or even have an arab sounding name) I knew the whole arab community would have a disaster on its hands, including with school children being bullied, like North Korean children have been in the street in Japan.

    The medias as you point out are mostly to blame for this situation. Unfortunately, mainstream medias are embracing the kind of reporting used by Glenn Beck and others like him, "innocently" mentioning that a crime involves an immigrant or a foreigner and then saying that it does not mean that "all" immigrants are bad!

    The same toxic, racially charged comments, that nazis and others in search of scape-goats for all society problems have used ad nauseam for so long.

    You are right to be angry, to feel sick. If we don't, as human beings, it means we are tacitly accepting what they say and how they say it. Mass medias in that sense can be more dangerous than hate radio hosts because it is rare the public is for a against them and they prepare slowly the minds to a world where the "enemy" (and I am still waiting to know who exactly he is, apart from Bin Laden, and a bunch of terrorists) has a particular color, certain facial features, etc.
1.       11/7/2009 8:47 AM French Shui Cafe I Cat Grison wrote:

Philippe,
Merci beaucoup for your comment.

I saw racism everywhere, against everybody. People of the same color in the spectrum are still racist against each other. It is deeply rooted in human nature. I heard people yelling at me because of my color. Or lack of, should I say, I am pretty bleached!
http://frenchshuicafe.com/emoticons/smile.pngI saw people from any religion despised for their beliefs, harassed, killed. Nobody is exempt. Nobody is innocent.

But I believe that it mainly comes from the early education you receive when you are a baby/little child. I discovered racism when I walked into school. I thought it was so unacceptable, I wanted to walk out. I was the only one to play with the Gypsy kids who were stopping on their way to
Les Saintes Maries De la Mer. Later I changed schools and I did not feel this racism anymore. My best friend was a beautiful bright girl whose father was Black African and her mother White Belgian! We are still in touch!

What I am saying is that when you have children, you have the responsibility to educate them. If the mind and the heart are strong from the beginning, if they do not doubt about core values when they arrive in a social context like school, there will be less room for others to plant the seeds of hate.
And turn off the TV! Or at least, "decode" the news, the advertisement, the shows with your kids. Give them the tools to understand how easy it is to manipulate somebody, especially with an hypnotic media like TV. Watch foreign channels too to get a broader view.

Step by step...

Au revoir....

1.       11/7/2009 3:42 PM French Shui Cafe I Cat Grison wrote:
Merci Laura!

... WE are ALL the "right" people, and the wrong ones too!

11/9/2009 9:51 PM Heather wrote:
Thank you Catherine for your passion and humanity and for sharing it here with us.
Heather