R.I.P.

This cat in Montana loved to hang out on the bird table, with the statue of Kanzeon. Bodhisattva of Great Compassion.

Uma, who had a mention a few days ago, died this afternoon. Now we just have Smudge the cat. He was off down the lane in the dark this evening, probably hunting.

Myxomatosis

The rabbit, a young one, stood motionless in the middle of the lane as I walked to meditation early this morning. Returning a couple of hours later it was on its side, gasping for breath. One of the monks had made a fence of gardening tools, signalling us to take care. Still later in the morning it was gone. Dead, at last, and now buried.

Myxomatosis is here, again. The virus gets into the rabbits gut and it's only a matter or time, a long slow time, before the infected creature is dead. I remember when, in the early 1950's, this disease struck the rabbits in our part of Sussex. We were near the Kent boarder where it was first discovered. Spread by accident or design, nobody is sure. This was my first encounter with slow death. I'd seen road kill often enough. Those gasping animals in beside the road left a deep impression on me.

Most of us must have passed the rabbit on our way too and fro to the main buildings this morning. In such circumstances we routinely make gassho and say the three Refuges of Buddha, Dharma and Sangha for the creatures benefit. It'll be the most blessed rabbit in the valley! As with the foot and mouth outbreak back in 2001 we can't do funerals for each animal, however we can offer something for the ones we see and keep the big picture in mind as well.

Each time I passed the scene there were thoughts of frustration; thoughts of helplessness in the face of its inevitable demise, there were the feelings of uncomfortableness looking at the raw reality of it all. And also there was the background wanting to DO something. But there isn't anything that can be done, the virus keeps on emerging. One could think, well it keeps the rabbit population down, which is true.

So, things/circumstances hardly ever come up smelling like roses, from every angle.

Quintessential England

Derwentwater by Keswick in the Lake District, with ducks.

In other words, if you stand up you are likely to fall in the water!

Each year our chemistry teacher lead a party of pupils from our school in Sussex on a walking tour in the Lake District. We traveled by train, the last part, from Kendel to Windermere being by steam. The South Downs were the highest I'd ever been above sea level, until I came to The Lakes, when I was thirteen.

My first sight of the high fells, as we traveled by coach from Windermere to our Youth Hostel in Grasmere, remain with me now. It was love at first sight. Nothing in this world has ever matched the lakeland fells. I remain forever loyal.

Interestingly I cannot remember ever going out in one of the rowing boats pictured here. I understand they cost, at one time, five shillings for a day!

Let it Be

Yesterday evening I was all set to write about focusing on the important thing. That is how to avoid getting caught up in the comings and goings of the coming and going of daily life. When, I discovered my newly washed laundry looking like it had taken a tour in the septic system. Then, having tinkered with my computer earlier in the day, discovered I was not able to log in to this Blog. Suddenly the comings and goings were right on my doorstep, and not going away!

Anyway, letting it be seems to work, as well as sleeping on it. After thoughts before bed about making an effort to back up 'Mountains', an email from Iain in Japan in the morning confirmed he'd just done that. Unasked.

Now, after a day out in the English Lake District I've managed to write this, although not on my computer. After a day taking photographs I'm quite proud of, I have mislaid my camera. I'll sleep on that...

Uma is Unwell

Just a quick note today to mention that Uma, one of our Abbey cats, is poorly at the moment.

Please offer her some positive thoughts during the day if you have the opportunity

in gassho

News from the Kitchen

Our cook here at Throssel pointed me to a blog written by the cook at Harnham Monastery AKA as Aruna Ratanagiri Buddhist Monastery. He is a layman and he updates every Friday. There are wonderful photographs and the blog opens an intimate window on the practical life of the monastery. Every week is listed what foods are needed as well, sometimes, what they have enough of. Obviously this is more of an 'in-house' blog however I think I'll be nipping over to Harnham on a Friday. At the moment the cook appears to be on holiday. Ours is taking a break too.

Here below is news from August 10th. Did we have sunshine then? We are not that distant from one another although I often think we have our very own weather system in this valley.

The retreat that was impending last week is today nearing its close. Outside, we’re into our fifth day of sunshine, contrary to my pessimistic predictions; and also those of our Italian friend who dug a protective moat for his tent in the manicured lawn of the walled garden: When our resident greenkeeper finds out, ‘il signor’ could be the first casualty of the week.


That is, if you don’t count the spectacular demise of the best porcelain cups (which shattered yesterday’s silence and for which I offer further apologies to Meme and Drew); or the following list of minor battle wounds thus far accrued:


One sprained shoulder (yoga teacher)
One twisted ankle (yoga student?)
One bee sting to the nose
One case of constipation (set free with prunes)
One case of earache (unrelated to the comfort of the new Dhamma seat)
Numerous minor kitchen burns.

This all sounds so familiar.

And should you be interested there is a download page on the monastery site. One download program gives you a random verse from the Dhammapada each time you boot up your computer. For daily inspiration.

Window Rattling

We met for our day retreat in the Friends Meeting House building which is very close to Manchester Town Hall. As each hour arrived the booming out of the Town Hall clock left us in no doubt to the passing of time. So loud, so very loud that at first we all thought something bad was happening out there in the streets of good old Manchester. Window rattling chimes.

Then today news of a tornado, or many mini tornadoes in England. One of our monks reported her experience of being in a house when one passed by. One moment calm the next car alarms going off, glass breaking, curtains sucked out through an open window. Moments later a return to calm and the wreckage strewn on the street. The house will need to be re roofed. Window rattling weather, and then some!

Richard said...
I used to walk to Battersea Park twenty years ago from Earls Court in the evenings and hop over the fence to walk to see the stupa by the river. One winters evening there was a gale blowing. As I climbed on the monument, there was no wind but the wind could be heard howling with the trees creaking and rustling away. I walked round looking at the four events in the Buddhas life in this zone of tranquility and stillness. Then I walked off the Stupa back into the gale...


Above is a comment left on the posting Wind and Rain. Copied here because of the connection with this posting, and the connection to practice. That's the fast changing 'weather' of practice, which one can become so very easily shaken by. Or rattled!

Take care out there.

Plastic Bags in the Pacific

There has been a lot of buz about supermarket plastic bags where I'm staying to-night in Preston, Lancashire.

If you're interested you might want to try searching on 'Banish the plastic bag' to find an article at www.guardian.co.uk on the growing campaign to stop the use of plastic shopping bags. The whole business was inspired by a young wildlife camerawoman whose outrage at the pollution of the Pacific ocean marine life by plastic bags led to shops in Modbury Devon stopping using them.

Manchester tomorrow. It will be good to spend a day in 'my city'.

Here Born...

1978. Newport Collage of Art, South Wales. The Documentary Photography Course taught by Magnum photographer David Hern. I was honoured to be part of that ground breaking course for one year. David gave all the students a signed copy of one of his black and white photographs. I've just had mine put in a proper frame.

Even before I'd become involved in Buddhism the picture I chose spoke directly of the human condition, in a gentle and compassionate way. The line from one of our scriptures fits it so well. 'Here born we clutch at things, and then compound delusion later on by following ideals'. The photo depicts a smartly dressed elderly gentleman reaching up to a balloon floating above him. On the back of my print is written, Happy times at the MG car owners' ball. Edinburgh, Scotland. 1967.

You can see this photograph and many other truly beautiful black and white photographs by David Hern on the Magnam web site. I discovered the link to Magnam here last evening. Many thanks.

The Magnum site is probably better with a fast connection, however well worth the wait with a slow connection.

Wind and Trees

This morning a small band of us, monks and guests, trudged up the windswept hill side carrying all the necessary to plant a tree. People ask to plant trees in memory of a relative or friend, it's a great way to establish a lasting and meaningful memorial, and at the same time help forest the land. We have quite a few memorial trees scattered around the property now.

When I first came here the priory, as it was then, was surrounded by fields and moor. We had a neighbours cows grazing in the area which is now the cemetery; we had cows in the fields above the main buildings. Now there are just rabbits grazing, thousands of them, and literally thousands of trees too. Over the years we've planted them, the majority surviving the wind and the rabbits. All the same each tree needs a tree guard and every one is staked for support against the gales. We work hard to keep the trees upright and alive.

Our guests favoured a more sheltered spot on the edge of the old hay field, now cropped close by the avaricious rabbits. There are wide views both up and across the valley from there. The rain held off. The hole was dug and the Rowan was eased in. Grown near Aberdeen they said, hardy tree stock from Scotland. Yes, hardy trees and hardy people too from up there. In no time that Rowan will become part of our developing windswept forest protected, while it establishes itself, by its larger and stronger neighbours.

All this mention of wind reminds me I had a major shift in attitude towards wind early this morning. Walking to the mediation hall in the early morning I realized the wind was actually going around and not through me. Seems such a simple thought however up to then I'd hunched myself mentally and physically, braced myself against the assault. The wind was in effect going through me. Now it is definitely going around me. No hunching or bracing, mentally or physically, from now on.

As I write the rain is at the window. I'll be taking another look at my attitude towards that too.

Ode to Darcey

I'd wanted to link to this touching obituary for a well loved dog a couple of days ago. Better late, than never at all.

Darcey. Darcey-Dog. 'Dee-Dee' to her many friends. A dog-lover's dog. Big black amiable giant with a heart of gold. You could roll around on the floor with her for hours. Her sense of fun was just amazing. Cheeky, obsessed with food, she could hear a sweetie paper at two hundred metres in a hurricane.

Onwards to Normal

They say it will be dark when we get up tomorrow morning at 5.45 a.m.

The sense of Autumn is in the air, it has been much cooler today, cold and changeable. Now wind and rain, now sunshine and showers. Now onwards to our normal schedule.

It's been almost a year since I arrived back in England. And it is at least a year since I took a look at what is out there in terms of Buddhist Podcasts. Perhaps I wasn't looking that hard however I only remember a small hand full. Now there is a shed full of them. Uh! I've been wanting to weave that expression into a blog for days!

It was my sometimes walking companion who told me the origin of the expression, a shed full. Preston Meditation Group, many years ago. Have another chocolate biscuit Reverend, don't worry we have a whole shed full of them! More than enough for all.

Thanks to Buddhist Village for the link.

Light of Faith

Now in sombre and grateful mood, a good and long time friend in the Sangha has turned a corner and will live on. It has been a long haul, long for him and long for his wife and family. And long for all of us travelling by their side. He is not completely out of the woods. Yet close.

At a distance I've been witness to such courage, and faith in action. Qualities I'd wish to emulate, ones we would all no doubt wish to emulate. And if any should doubt in the merit of sustained practice that doubt can be dissolved in the light of these past months.

Let us bow in gratitude to the highest Truth.

Different Sheds for Different Folks

Some weeks ago I visited Mount Grace Priory in North Yorkshire. Mt Grace is the best preserved example in England of a Carthusian monastery, where the monks lived as hermits. One of the individual cells has been reconstructed and restored and furnished, to show how the monks would have lived.

The 'cells' are more like modern day starter homes. In the restored cell, pictured here with figure, there are three rooms downstairs and one large one above with a weaving loom. All of the monks had some practical work such as weaving, spinning, book binding and the like. Each monk had a garden, a privy and a short length of cloister. Food was given them through a hole in the front wall by lay Brothers who basically took care of them and the administration of the monastery.

The film Into Great Silence, which I mentioned some weeks ago, was made in the large Carthusian monastery in France. Quite an austere life.

In contrast and a million miles away from the simple hermetic life, which I do not hold up as an ideal by the way, take a glimpse at the details of a prize winning shed in Reading Berkshire...inspired by Roman architecture. National Shed Week indeed?!! Only in Britain!

Speaking to Animals

Good boy. Come on, THERE'S a good boy. Walkies! What a good boy you are. GOOD BOY! WHAT a good boy you are. Here. Bickies (biscuit).

You can guess what's happening. I'm talking ridiculous dog talk in an attempt to get a reluctant dog to take his evening constitutional. Come ON! My voice deepens to bass in an attempt to establish authority. It works, for a few steps.

Eventually we are on the lane and heading for the bottom road. There is to be found a footpath sign on a wooden post. It points up towards the monastery. This public path cuts close to the main buildings then on up through the fields to the top road. We rarely have people walk this path and when we do they will stop to chat in a friendly fashion.

On the same public footpath sign is pinned a white arrow. I only found out about it's meaning recently. Our two dogs are fine together, off the lead, however it's a very different story if they meet while on the lead. The white arrow helps walkers, dog walkers, to make sure the dogs go in different directions. If the arrow points to the right, that's the signal to turn left, and vice versa. This system works for the most part but like all systems human fallibility kicks in sometimes. Oh well, we try.

My walk this evening reminds me, once again, to remember to speak in a friendly, and respectful, fashion. I think animals respond best this way. As do humans.

Winding Down Time

Hexham has been invaded by North American monks. Following our family gathering many of our guests descended on our local town to sight see, and shop. Isn't it just the way it is, one lives in beautiful and historic surroundings but only really take a good look when visitors come?

Several of us visited Hexham Abbey, not my first time inside, and once again I gloried at the Night Stair. I'd always been attracted to these worn stairs telling of their long life and particular story, of ancient and devoted clerics and their vocation to serve the community. The canons used the stair to go from their dormitory to the choir to perform their nightly office, then returning to bed presumably...

The canons, 26 of them when the Priory was at full strength, lived together as a close-knit society but worked among the wider community outside the Priory walls. Much of their time was spent at prayer in the Choir; but as ordained priests they also served in village churches, taught the young and ministered to the needy.

This morning the first batch of monks left for North America at 3.45 am followed by three more groups at 4.30, 6.30 and 9.15. The early morning has a special quality I rarely encounter, unless there is a need to be up early. I'll make note and perhaps get up when there is no need, other than to breath the early morning air.

We have had wonderful weather for the week of our meeting and it continues on, thankfully. As anybody who has been to a large gathering of people, a conference or a wedding or funeral or just a family get-together there is a necessary winding down time afterwards. That's what we are doing this week.

My Precepts - Zen Master Ryokan

Take care not to:
talk too much
talk too fast
talk without being asked to
talk gratuitously
talk with your hands
talk about worldly affairs
talk back rudely
argue
smile condescendingly at others' words
use elegant expressions
boast
avoid speaking directly
speak with a knowing air
jump from topic to topic
use fancy words
speak of past events that cannot be changed
speak like a pedant
avoid direct questions
speak ill of others
speak grandly of enlightenment
carry on while drunk
speak in an obnoxious manner
yell at children
make up fantastic stories
speak while angry
name-drop
ignore the people to whom you are speaking
speak sanctimoniously of Gods and Buddhas
use sugary speech
use flattering speech
speak of things of which you have no knowledge
monopolize the conversation
talk about others behind their backs
speak with conceit
bad-mouth others
chant prayers ostentatiously
complain about the amount of alms
give long-winded sermons
speak affectedly like an artist
speak affectedly like a tea master

Dewdrops on a Lotus Leaf, Zen Master Ryokan

Pearls of Wisdom 11

Take care not to:

give long-winded sermons
speak affectedly like an artist
speak affectedly like a tea master

My Precepts, from Dewdrops on a Lotus Leaf, Zen Master Ryokan

Pearls of Wisdom 10

Take care not to:

speak with conceit
bad-mouth others
chant prayers ostentatiously
complain about the amount of alms

My Precepts, from Dewdrops on a Lotus Leaf, Zen Master Ryokan

Pearls of Wisdom 9

Take care not to:

use flattering speech
speak of things of which you have no knowledge
monopolize the conversation
talk about others behind their backs

My Precepts, from Dewdrops on a Lotus Leaf, Zen Master Ryokan

Pearls of Wisdom 8

Take care not to:

ignore the people to whom you are speaking
speak sanctimoniously of Gods and Buddhas
use sugary speech

My Precepts, from Dewdrops on a Lotus Leaf, Zen Master Ryokan

Pearls of Wisdom 7

Take care not to:

yell at children
make up fantastic stories
speak while angry
name-drop

My Precepts, from Dewdrops on a Lotus Leaf, Zen Master Ryokan

Pearls of Wisdom 6

Take care not to:

speak ill of others
speak grandly of enlightenment
carry on while drunk
speak in an obnoxious manner

My Precepts, from Dewdrops on a Lotus Leaf, Zen Master Ryokan

Pearls of Wisdom 5

Take care not to:

use fancy words
speak of past events that cannot be changed
speak like a pedant
avoid direct questions

My Precepts, from Dewdrops on a Lotus Leaf, Zen Master Ryokan

Pearls of Wisdom 4

Take care not to:

boast
avoid speaking directly
speak with a knowing air
jump from topic to topic

My Precepts, from Dewdrops on a Lotus Leaf, Zen Master Ryokan

Pearls of Wisdom 3

Take care not to:

talk back rudely
argue
smile condescendingly at others' words
use elegant expressions

My Precepts, from Dewdrops on a Lotus Leaf, Zen Master Ryokan.

Pearls of Wisdom 2

Take care not to:

talk gratuitously
talk with your hands
talk about worldly affairs

My Precepts, from Dewdrops on a Lotus Leaf, Zen Master Ryokan