Antiques and Artifacts

This entry is as much about a life-saving prescription for the love of your life, as it is about an antique and artefacts extraordinaire cum collector and dealer.
Antiques and Artifacts at Casterbridge in White River is more than just a quaint shop where you can buy expensive and not so expensive gifts - it is a trip down memory lane. "I love every item in this shop and will simply not display anything that I don't like," says owner Angie Bunyard.

Angie can probably write a book on people's responses, remarks and body language as they walk through and explore the many pages of history - all cemented in the minds of young and old. Angie is in fact, in my mind, selling memories - reconnecting people with experiences on an academic and emotional level.

"I meet the most extraordinary people, we engage and talk about everything and all, they share and sometimes, I can be but only amazed."

Angie thrives on the solitude and quietness of nature which nourishes the soul like nothing else. She grew up in Rhodesia. As the owner of a Safari Travel company in Botswana for more than 20 years, she supports various causes but "I am most certainly not an activist for anything," she says. She still organises Safari Travel for a very specific conservation market.

Angie studied fashion design - explored some opportunities in Los Angeles and New York and the rest before her stint in Botswana. "Nature, and to a certain extent also antiques, offers authenticity which is not to be found anywhere else. And, she landed in the antique business purely by coincidence, but that's a story on its own.

She supported Greg Duffy in Rocky's Drift with his antique business before setting up this business which offers a fusion of African art and artefacts, morphed with various genres of furniture and interior design. And, for a moment my attention is drawn to the music playing in the background - "Bob Dylan and tequila" she chirps - beautiful...

Yes, actually this is a place for peaceful and quiet contemplation, where every piece in her store has a story to tell - and sometimes, just sometimes, that story is yours. This shop really offers a "breyani" of life experiences and things.

But it is time to get a little technical. This is also the destination where you can now get that life-saving prescription for your classic or older-generation car. Angie has recently been appointed the exclusive supplier of the Castrol Classic range of engine oils in the Lowveld.

The range includes six engine oils as well as a Running In oil for rebuilt engines and transmission oil. These products have been developed specifically for owners of pre-1980 vehicles and motorcycles and offer a 100% correct formulation and viscosity as per the original engine manufacturers. "A classic car engine can have the opposite characteristics with cork/graphite/rope seals, low-pressure gear-driven pumps, larger oil galleries and greater dependence on splash and cling lubrication compared to modern engines," says importers Paul Williams and Giovanni Schule.

Using these products will prevent the scouring effect from carbon flake-off blocking jets and oil galleries. "With its perfect corrosion inhibitors, the engine components in these older engines, will enjoy significantly better protection than what modern oils - as good as it is - can provide, says Paul.

Well, Antiques and Artifacts is a destination shop for both connoisseur and casual browser. It offers perfect warm-fuzzy-feeling prescriptions. And, in this day and age, the latter are priceless.

Authored by me and was first published in the Autodealer Lowveld.

Wheat

Somewhere in the middle of nowhere a traveller has stopped and now leans against his car. It is quiet. A light breeze pushes its way through a wheat field. As the last rays of the sun races towards the horizon he recognises the swish of an irrigation system. It tingle’s his nose with a blend of water, dust, and soil. As it reaches his soul he realises the truth in the moment. "Remarkable," he whispers. Yes, this is it.

You see, wheat in seed form is utterly elegant and simple, with extreme complexity within. The latter can and will only manifest true beauty and value once all the elements synchronise to literally grow this seed to fulfilment.

Every person has been blessed with specific skills and talents. The synchronicity is each person’s intention to always add value and enhance the other’s skills and talents. This is how we create those conditions where everyone will experience their "remarkable - this is it" moments.

To create these conditions we employ the universe, technology, visuals, words, body language and the rest. Yes, with the right intention and focus one will be able to create and tell "remarkable" stories in such a manner that people will nose it - it will touch their being.

This is my intention – to provide words and pictures that will touch people’s beingness.

TO BE ...

TO BE …

During 2005/2006 I became unemployed and although this period presented many challenges, it was also a blessed time. 

By end of the third month and mostly non-responses to various job applications, I asked God (Great Spirit) what it is that I am supposed to do. A few days later the reply presented itself – “be still”. I cannot be still, I replied.

Few days later – “be still and know that I am God”. I said but you are not answering my question. Again a few days later – “Just be”.

What does it means to just be, I again asked. I meditated on this and again, a few days later there came this reply – “to be means to do absolutely nothing in order to achieve absolutely everything”.  

Another couple of days later – “that book idea of yours – it’s time to get busy”. So that’s what I did, I started writing and visualising instead of focusing exclusively on finding employment. That book “Journey from within” has now been published as an ePUB and is available from various electronic platforms.

I also began to study Reiki, reflexology and various other energy healing techniques and methodologies. I studied the Essene’s – an ancient people who lived near the Dead Sea and also left us with the Dead Sea scrolls. Studying their technology of prayer I was hit by a flash of insight which related back to the above definition of “to be”.

I have just read Mind Power by Robin Banks and his instructions on visualisation and manifestation synchronises perfectly with the Essene’s technology of prayer. It not only requires you to have an absolute clear picture of what it is that you want or ask for but – you actually have to taste, feel, smell and experience having it even though it is not yet, now, a physical reality. And you have to hold this picture in your mind – refresh it daily – whilst continuing to do whatever it is that you do in this life. We cannot ask if we don’t have a clear picture of what it is that we want. You only have to ask once also and then just keep the picture in your mind.

Towards the end of me being unemployed (20 months) – that last month - when I did not see myself managing another month of unemployment I wrote down three things which I would like to have – I then meditated on it and burned the note. 

One thing I asked for was for work that is in line with my purpose. My manuscript was just about completed. Three weeks later I applied for the position I currently still (9 years) hold – and despite no formal journalism training, I was appointed the motoring editor of a media company in Nelspruit.

I met and married a living angel and live in a house on a hill looking down in a valley. I am not world renowned or a millionaire, but I am hugely successful in what I do.

Lots of money does not necessarily result from being successful although success may bring you lots of money. 

Being happy and fulfilled irrespective of your perceived monetary value is a gift to be treasured like no other. It requires one “to be”.  

"To be" also does not mean to do nothing - perhaps not physically - one always have to do something - decide - create a clear picture - visualise - believe and have faith in the process and it will manifest. 


"Are you so sure it's not the dancer who creates the music she moves to? Or the painter who manifests the mountains he captures? Or the tycoon who builds the empire before there's a dime? 

Whatever you want, let it exist first in your mind, imagine every nuance and consideration, let the walls have substance, the halls have depth, and the money have weight in the palm of your hand, and then all that's necessary to bring it to pass will be drawn unto you." 

Sneaky, clever, foxy, wry  

    The Universe