About Razan Masri

I love exploring, researching, finding and sharing. I love to learn and to teach, I love to live and to laugh, I wish to speak to the world as an Arab Woman using the most beautiful language through photographs and writing.

Let Your Mind Serve You, Let It Not Destroy You

Posted on July 4, 2016 by Razan Masri

It is like being stuck in jail, only you have made this jail by yourself for your own self. Caged inside your own thoughts and head, creating knots that only gloom your serenity and sanity. You block the air from reaching out to your brains to free your repeated thoughts from strangling you down your own drain. Just breath, forget about it for a moment, get up and shake it off, move, leave, do something different, put a smile on someone’s face, change the nature you have created around you and pull yourself down to your own ground. Breath again, think about the possibilities, the multiple doors that can yet still open, think about the miracles that took place and still can take place , think about your opportunities, un-limit yourself and stop limiting yourself. Free yourself from your own cage, your own mind that can twist you apart. Let your mind serve you and let it not destroy you… Autonomy

Photo of the Day – Island

Posted on July 3, 2016 by Razan Masri

Space Out to an Island.

Opposites can Attract

Posted on July 2, 2016 by Razan Masri

A photograph of a Church built-in 1889 next to a Mosque built-in 1824 in Tripoli, Lebanon.

We have been segregated and divided from one another, when we were actually made for each other. We have been made opposites when we are nothing but truly very similar. We have the perception of Opposition built into each one of us and we have interpreted our spiritual beliefs into differences. Once we know we have different religions we automatically check the different box and mark ourselves different from one another. And why is that? because we pray in a different temples, we pray in a different form, or because we might dress differently, and because we might eat and drink differently? But did we forget to look at our similarities, that seem to be much bigger than our opposites? Our similarity in believing in a bigger meaning to our existence, our similarity in believing in the existence of the Divine God (whichever you wish to Call It), our similarity in the stories recited to us, our similarity in our values, our similarity in the use of our temples, our similarity in practicing a ritual to connect us to spirituality, our similarity in giving to our community, our similarity in our pure existence. Our temples have been built one next to the another since centuries ago, people lived together in harmony, people still live in harmony, we still share the same food on the table, we celebrate and congratulate one another, we seek peace and love upon our lives and upon each other. It does not matter if there is a minority out there who believe we are opposites, who dislike our opposites, as long as we no longer do see it as a fraction, but instead we see our opposites as our attraction; the beauty in our diversity, the beauty of our natural differences, being attracted to love one another for our differences, the true beauty of accepting and loving our differences, to look into our differences as a possible continuation of our own misinterpretation. We live with opposites, our lives are incomplete without opposites, puzzles only fit when opposite. Opposites are beautiful.

In response to the Opposites Photo Challenge by wordpress.- Read more about Tripoli, Lebanon.

What Prayers Look Like During Ramadan

Posted on July 2, 2016 by Razan Masri

I found this beautiful photograph on Instagram yesterday that I could not take my eyes off. Beautiful. It sure is, as much as prayers in Ramadan is. Serene. Full of color. From the prayer mat to what people are covered up with; to perform their prayers. Their spirits rise above to meet in unity, diverting their hearts and thoughts towards a meditative state of mutual connection towards the Divine. A prayer performed to remember what we are grateful for, to remember there is something much bigger than all of us, all of this and all of that, to remember that we are not alone but gifted, given, surrounded by miracles. Prayers; no matter how they are performed, no matter by whom they are performed, where or when, resemble the same beautiful purpose to express ones presence, gratitude, a beautiful way to express mutual humility and to remember always to take part in the unity of humanity.

Ramadan is a holly month that unites Muslims all around the world to submit their souls in the name of spirituality. They fast, practice their prayers, contribute as much as they can to charity and to their communities, it is a month to unite the people together to remember that we are all here, alive, today, through a common source. To practice not only what is good, but what can be better, to spread love, and peace, to ask for forgiveness and new chances, to start over again, to help people start over again. It is a month of unity, and it is a month of remembrance, a month for-giving.

To a world of today that is thirsty for our unity and love.

Photograph by Yassine Ismail, Morroco, found on EmergEast Instagram account.

Also tagged onto the Pleasure Daily post by wordpress.

UP in the air.

Posted on July 1, 2016 by Razan Masri

It is like a routine, a daily reminder, to get up, and start something new, everyday.

It is like walking up a mountain, between the trees, and the wind, and the air, and the breeze, and to breathe, once again, to remember, that life, is still up and running.

It is like being on the plane, looking out the window, to remember, the advantages of today, the opportunities of tomorrow.

It is like looking into the clouds, so white and fluffy, so inseparable and invisible, looking different at every angle, you can never get it right, because there is no right.

It is about the horrific things, that take place, every day, in this world, that make us forget, about the little things, we are surrounded by… reasons to be grateful for, that we keep pushing aside.

Prompt by WordPress Daily Post: Clouds

This is a photo of Piazza Novona, blue skies beautiful architecture in rome italy

Visit Amsterdam

This is the scenery most of the time in Bali.

walking clear skies Tannenheim Oberbalmberg, Solothurn (Switzerland)

The first thing to do is run to beach, we stayed at the most fashionable area in Bali “Seminyak” – Flores Sea

About the coastline

6-Jerusalem-Palestine-Israel-القدس-فلسطين

Travel to Barcelona and visit land marks and tourist attractions

Wadi Rum WadiRum Jordan VisitJordan Camels Sand Bedouin Tea Camp Hike Mountain Blog TravelBlog

Tannenheim Oberbalmberg, Solothurn (Switzerland)

sunset Tannenheim Oberbalmberg, Solothurn (Switzerland)

18-zebra-tanzania-serengetti-safari-animal-jungle-12

29-zebra-tanzania-serengetti-safari-animal-jungle-50

Hiking through Wadi Rayan Yabis between Ajloun and Jordan ValleyHiking through Wadi Rayan Yabis between Ajloun and Jordan Valley

Hadathe destroyed Palestinian Village protest during Israeli independence day

safari, tanzania, jungle, serengeti, ngorongoro crater, lake manyara

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48-zebra-tanzania-serengetti-safari-animal-jungle-52

Creative Space #2 – What are you doing with your life?

Posted on June 27, 2016 by Razan Masri

This is my second creative prompt in response to Elizabeth Gilbert Workshop on Hobbies, Job, Career and Vocation.

I am driven by passion everyday. I do things because I want to do them and I want to do them with love. My activities change and expand because I am driven by my passion. I wake up and I listen to my callings. Today, I feel like doing this, so I do it, and if I can’t do it today, I make sure I do it in the near future. I don’t wait on things to happen, I go and make them happen. I try, at least, I give it a chance, to understand, to listen, to feel, to experience, to elaborate on, to free myself from the curiosity that roams around inside my head.

My job was my career, and it was a choice I made and I went after it. It combined all what Elizabeth talks about; from hobbies, job, career and vocation. I used to enjoy holding photo shoots even if we didn’t make money out of them, I used to enjoy watching live shows that can support us be more productive and creative at work with the team, I used to enjoy creating fashion shows and events, even if it was at a small-scale, but of course the bigger they were the more enjoyment I felt. It was also my job, my money-making, my 9 to 5, my challenges and it sure did included many situations, moments and days were I wished I could disappear from existence. It was my career, nine years, building a small name into a brand, into a trend, into a tree with branches. And it used to be my vocation, for I felt fashion was what I was here for, what I was here to create, to expand in, and to share.

Two years ago, I decided to quit it all. All of it. I reached a point where I felt I wanted none of this and more of everything else, and as much time as I made for myself to do new things, I still did not have enough time. I was frustrated, because I wanted to follow my passion again.

I discovered, that it is okay for your passion to change. For your callings to change. What is not okay, is for you not to answer the change. Today I wake up every morning, and I write, I work on my book, on the blog, or on my note books. I read, online or offline (books). I exercise, I do yoga, cross fit, I run or swim. I enjoy the kitchen, I bake, make salads or cook. I travel when I can, I love exploring, discovering and meeting new people and new stories. I photograph during my travels, I love to document what I find beautiful and I love sharing them. But today, I do not have a job. I have few small little things on the side, but I do not have a full-time or a part-time job. I can afford it for a little bit, but I sure will need to find myself a source of income.

Nonetheless, I believe life is too short. Your vocation is your calling and your calling can change, and if it doesn’t then you are lucky. But I still consider myself lucky. I believe my vocation changes because it is changeable, it can never be the same. I feel I am here to find new findings, to learn new things and maybe change is my vocation, I am here to always find the new, and the very old can be the very new. I love researching, discovering, exploring, understanding, connecting the dots, I love staying alive, my Vocation is learning and trying something new everyday, and my favorite part is sharing it all.

Just like a Lioness

Posted on June 21, 2016 by Razan Masri

They hunt to feed their lion and cubs, they watch over their children, they are beautiful and wise animals. We found those three ladies in like a comma type of pass out. Flipping and turning while more than a dozen off-road cars surrounded them. They did not move, they only looked for a little bit, but continued to snooze.

Lioness, Lion, safari, tanzania, jungle, wild life, serengeti, ngorongoro

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Lioness, Lion, safari, tanzania, jungle, wild life

Lioness, Lion, safari, tanzania, jungle, wild life, serengeti

Check out the Wild Beast of Serengeti

Posted on June 20, 2016 by Razan Masri

They were enormous, I have never seen them before. There were too many, they were migrating for sure, they were real fun to look at, and every time a car passes by, they stop and stare as if they know what they are looking at, they are truly wild, wild like the rays of the sun, nothing can stop them and nothing can dilute them, they are there when they rise.

wild beast, jungle, wild, serengeti, tanzania, animal

About the Maasai Tribe

Posted on June 19, 2016 by Razan Masri

A day to remember,

Days to remember,

Meeting beautiful faces and beautiful people,

Who only like to meet new faces and different people,

Who only invite you to sing and dance with them and cherish the very moment,

Tribes, from all over, any tribe, a tribe,

Just some people who believe strongly in their own values and do not impose them on the other,

A tribe, that holds on close tight into their circle and feel happy to share their wisdom with the other,

Tribes, that surrender in circles, to form beautiful colors of ethnicity and earth figures,

Tribes, that build upon each other and on top of one another, in continuation forming a strong system that connects them together in union,

Tribes, they last long but they stay isolated from everything else in the name of their circle,

That circle, that bonds them and never leaves them alone no matter what,

That circle, that is like light bulbs and no light can turn on without turning the next one on and the next one on and the next one on,

And if one bulb doesn’t turn on, then the whole system mourn together in loss.

What to expect when going on a Safari trip

Posted on June 18, 2016 by Razan Masri

We planned to try all the camping options during out trip. We booked a night in a Semi-Luxury camp, a night in a regular camp and a night in a luxury camp. The semi-luxury camp was great, we had our private bathroom inside the tent, and we had a separate beautiful tent for breakfast and dinner. We hear the roar of lions at night and the sound of other wild animals. The regular camp was the most adventurous, as we literally have seen a hyena before going to bed, they offered a shared bathroom hall that were located a minute walking distance but was still unfavored and not recommended to be used during the night time, and a cafeteria serving both breakfast and dinner, the food was poorly done, but the experience was incredible. Our luxury camp which I was truly looking forward to was a total rip off. It was located outside of Serengeti, yet outside the wild, it was just like any hotel. It was a beautiful hotel, but luxury camps inside Serengeti offer an unforgettable experience which i totally recommend, even if you have to put a few hundred bucks on top of your budget, do it, you will never regret it, just make sure you see photos of what it will look like and compare it with other luxury camps available.

Creative Writing on my Safari Experience:

When love is nature,

And nature is love,

When looking at earth as a one big piece of art,

When nothing makes sense because everything makes pure sense,

When life taps you on the shoulder to tell you one word, Love.

Because without love, nothing is nourished,

Because without love, everything is dead.

Because to love we belong,

And without love we can never belong.

Because seeing this world can change like every climate,

We choose to see things the way we wish to see them,