Good Food, and then Exercise by the Sea

With a break in the clouds I ventured forth for a walk after my very very vegi lunch. As luck would have it the sun came out and Culver Cliff turned a glowing chalky white. I can see the cliff way off in the distance from the front door of where I'm staying. I've grown fond of the view.

Lunch, I'm really packing in the vegi.

Culver Cliff at the extreme Eastern end of the Island, from Shanklin beach.

Looking southwest over a breakwater, taken from Shanklin beach.

Your Suggestions Please

Here is the text for the About section of Jade Mountains. As you can see I'm linking to a selection of postings. I'd appreciate your suggestions on what would be good to include.

Who? I'm a female disciple and Dharma Heir of the late Rev. Master Jiyu-Kennett having been ordained by her at Shasta Abbey California in 1981 and named a Master in 2000. Since 1996 I've served as the international O.B.C. Lay Ministry Adviser. I started to write a blog in 2003 however it was only in April 2005, when I embarked on a Pilgrimage to East Asia, that I started writing regularly. Initially I just wanted to share the sights and sounds of my journey with fellow monastics and lay friends. And I guess that's what I'm still doing...

Here’s a selection of postings to give you an overview of what I write about.

Why? Good question! In the end I think I continue to pump in text because this is a way I can pass on the teachings of Buddhism, given my set of monastic circumstances and responsibilities. There is a pull towards Compassion, that's why.

What's Offered? Apart from the blog, which tends to take center stage at present, there are links to basic teachings and scriptures we use within the O.B.C., some book recommendations, articles addressing themes in practice, Dharma Talks. This is work in progress, I'm limited by the amount of time I can devote to developing the site.

In Brief What you will find here is a medley of expression and to derive benefit from it, like a musical composition, there is a needs to listen with attention, within oneself. Somewhat poetic, yet true.

Just so you know, the views/ideas/teachings expressed here on this site do not necessarily represent those of the Order as a whole.

Have a Taste or Two

While out and about deciding on sites to link to for Jade Mountains I stumbled across a post about Telford Buddhist Priory which gives a taste of the place and people. The whole blog is worth a look see:

Buddhism in Britain A journal of a year spent communicating with and visiting Buddhist groups, organisations and individuals around the UK, on behalf of the Network of Buddhist Organisations (UK). Please note that all entries are personal reflections and do not necessarily represent the policy of the NBO.

And there is a posting about a visit to Dragon Bell Temple in Exeter too.

Walking, Sifting and Sorting

Freshwater Bay in the morning.

Yesterday was a long day. Freshwater Bay at 9.30 am on a cold morning was not inviting at all especially as I was about to follow the coast, on foot, for twelve miles. Like my friends I've been reporting on recently I enjoyed a lively back and forth in my mind about continuing on with the plan. I continued on, for better or for worse.

The trail ahead towards Chale, 12 miles away!

Looking back towards Freshwater Bay with the white cliffs marking Tennyson Down beyond

Everywhere there is evidence of erosion. The land is falling into the sea and we humans are in retreat.

Sifting and sorting in the background while I'm here on the Isle of Wight for rest and renewal are questions and contemplations on a number of matters. At first they seemed to be unrelated, aspirations to do this, inner nudges to do that, the ordering and timing of a number of projects. I can't say I've sat down purposefully and thought about all of this. However today after a very slow start, which was preceded by inner dialogue and confusion, matters have fallen into a workable, almost sensible, pattern. The journey continues.

Time for Celebrations

Next week a loyal reader of this blog is going to receive the Precepts at the Ten Precepts Retreat at Throssel. The retreat will start on Saturday. We have been in correspondence talking back and forth as she works through the inevitable Shall I, or shall I not, cancel? Will I, or will I not, be able to go through with the commitment to formally become a Buddhist? Her story is much the same as my friend and her steps towards surgery. I find them both inspiring in their willingness to lay themselves bare, to examine what's there and keep going on into the unknown. Congratulations to them both!

By way of offering encouragement I wrote the following:
You do realize that the first ceremony of the retreat is the journey to the monastery and you are well on the way to completing the most testing ceremony of all.

Her reply:
I hadn't thought of the journey to Throssel being the first "ceremony", but now you have said it, it makes perfect sense. It's funny how this practice gets to one, even though it is so subtle and you aren't aware of it happening at the time. I have already told you of some of the things that have changed for me like the drinking, smoking, watching less TV and being more discriminatory about what I do watch - but the wonderful thing is that they have all happened without any conscious effort. (Because she wants to follow the Precepts, and is.)

Today is the anniversary of a significant step I took some years ago, which involves rededicating ones life to keeping the Precepts. After the coffee and desert pictured here I walked for a few hours to reach home base. Close to where I'm staying is an old woodland. The guidebook describes it as one of the Island's most delectable spots. I reclined there for awhile against a tree and gazed up at the clear blue sky listening to the spring birds tweeting. Yes, time for celebrations.

This post is dedicated to yet another friend who is undergoing the ceremony of the journey to the monastery, literally and figuratively. Make that two friends.

Small Steps Big Changes

A good friend has been readying herself to have hip replacement surgery. Here follows excerpts from our recent correspondence.

So I phoned today for my annual medical check-up, and as I put the receiver down, a little voice said, call your surgeon, to which I replied, Oh, I don't think so, this is enough for one day to which the little voice replied, call your surgeon, to which I replied, well, I don't have the number to which the little voice replied, look it up in the phone book. So I did and then reached for the phone, and hesitated, and you can guess what the little voice replied, so I reached again, and hesitated. And that little voice, in a rather exasperated tone, said how will you ever explain this to Mugo? so I (reluctantly) dialed and asked to speak to Dr. Watson's nurse. A cheery voice said You got her! Oh well, no backing out now.

The nurse answered all my questions and the surgery coordinator will call me next week to talk about possible dates. And as if that wasn't enough, after I hung up the phone I went into see my department head and we sat and talked about possible dates and what would work best for him. I was also able to talk to him about some of my anxieties at having the surgery done at all. When it was all over (the phone call and chat), I felt much better. It's actually a big relief (to have started the ball rolling), and I am immensely grateful to you for your encouragement. Please consider this my first installment to my helpful mentor. Is mentor the word I want? Yes WordWeb has given me a definition that describes what you are, for me.

Here is part of my response:
I think your story is not uncommon when it comes to taking a major move in life. And let's face it having major surgery is a major move in life. It just takes that first leap over the voices, familiar ones I know about too, for the next steps to roll out before one.

...and her response:
Thank you for your reply. It was very encouraging to hear you say that my story is probably not uncommon. I had never thought of that! (And after all those years of mothering and nursing!) I actually think writing what I wrote to you helped me along in my process. And by all means you are welcome to use whatever of it for your blog, I trust your sense of privacy. In addition your comments have given me the thought that perhaps I will try to write a little more about the voices we hear in our own minds.

I hope this posting speaks for itself.

Comments

I've spent quite some time this evening leaving answers to comments left over the last couple of weeks or so. I'm sorry not to have kept up with the comments lately.

Photography Revisited

Waves at Freshwater Bay, Isle of Wight

At the moment there are severe gale warnings posted for northern Britain. Last night the Isle of Wight and the south coast got a beating with much flooding. These waves bursting up over the sea defences at Freshwater Bay had a small group of photographers trying their luck to catch a big one without getting soaked. Fortunately I remained dry.

Just up the road is the Dimbola Lodge, former home of Julia Margaret Cameron and now a museum exhibiting her work and telling her history. I've long admired Cameron's photographs and was glad of the opportunity to visit the westerly edge of this windswept island and take a look around. As a present to myself I bought two prints.

One is a striking image of a woman titled "Proserpine" and I think refers to Proserpina whose name comes from proserpere meaning "to emerge." (Wikipedia) The woman was a professional model unlike most of Camerions subjects who tended to be relatives, friends or servants. The other print is of Sir John Herschel. Herschel played a part in the history of photography including coining the word photography as well as discovering how to 'fix' photographs. He was also a photographic mentor to Julia Margaret Cameron.

I'll keep those two prints, treasures, tucked away to remind me of the day I turned sixty and of my long interest in photography.