What You See

Changing trains at Preston. A hub for north/south and west/east lines. I am heading south. I believe it is true to say we in the UK are proud of our railway heritage. This iron work on the approach to the platforms restored to earlier glory depicts the white red rose, Lancashire’s county flower.

But I saw Dharma wheels! Proof that what we see and understand is highly conditioned.

Buddha’s Enlightenment

The 8th of December has come and gone which is traditionally the date when Buddhists celebrate the Buddha’s Enlightenment. But, like the Buddha’s Birth in May, it is a movable feast and in the West Buddhists don’t tend to mark these events at all. In my tradition we do and here is an alter set up aglow with light and colour and may I say Love. It reminds me of times spent preparing festival altars, getting everything just so, standing back and taking it all in and then tweaking here and there. For me the celebration was all about the preparations. The care taken and then in the evening after the ceremony and the feast the sweet sadness of putting the altar back to its everyday arrangement. Such events marked the turning of the year.

Something in me wishes these important events in the life of the historic Buddha were more widely remembered and as in the monastery we could wish those around us Happy Buddha’s Enlightenment. There was genuine joy in that. So I was particularly happy to receive this photograph from Rev. Master Jigen based in North Norfolk who like other monks in smaller and larger temples ‘make the effort’ and join with others to sing and celebrate.

Happy Buddha’s Enlightenment even if a few days late.

Sending Posts to Jade

This is a test to see if sending posts via email works or not. If it does I’ll be happy since this means I will not be tethered to my laptop while traveling. The downside is I’ve no spell checker to rely on so please forgive my mistakes this week.

A festive cup o’ something.

Waiting For Conditions to Ripen

Two days ago the weather was wild. There was a Met. Office Severe Weather warning in place with structural damage expected over a huge swathe of Britain. At a critical moment the other morning it was clearly a time to decide to stay indoors, batten down the hatches and sit it out. But I was due to travel in an hour to stay with somebody for a couple of days. And I could hear the two people who have been with me packing their car to return to Sussex. The wind was howling and the rain was horizontal! What to do? This was one of those moments when which ever way one turns there’s no easy solution. An appointment needed rescheduling but on that wild morning my hand wouldn’t lift the phone to do that and it was also clear my guests intended to travel, no matter what.
Patience in the Face of Discomfort – Field of Merit post by Mugo.

I spent a good part of the morning writing this post for Field of Merit. I have run out of steam for the day and am now unashamed re-posting it here for your interest instead of writing something new.

The Lakes – Atmospheric and Without Rival

Windermere in calm grey beauty. Ah silence!
Windermere in calm grey beauty. Ah silence!

Only when
standing there
will the silence
come upon you.

Dock posts by Windermere.
Dock posts by Windermere.

yesterdays grey
atmospheric
brooding
Lake Windermere

Castlerigg Stone Circle near Keswick. Cumbria, UK
Castlerigg Stone Circle near Keswick. Cumbria, UK

Come here
dawn or
dusk
be still.

I’ve had a couple visiting from Sussex these past days. Yesterday we drove through the center of the Lake District from Kendal up past Lake Windermere to Ambleside (stopping for tea) and then onwards in the gathering gloom to Castlerigg Stone Circle. On a plateau above Keswick with long views in every direction, this has to be the most spectacular setting of any stone circle in Britain. It wasn’t the moment to be there unfortunately however it is a must visit place and dawn would be my preferred time t and dusk is good too. Reminder to self: never again take the single track road off the main north/south A519. It’s called Castle Lane. It might be a short cut but meeting another car head on, as we did, is no fun!

I’d be able to wax on about the Lake District for pages and pages, it was my first love from age 13 when up from the Sussex coast on a school trip. There are so many brilliant sites with fantastic photographs of this area. My snaps give a taste. To know the place you have to go eat it! Breath it. Walk it. And above all, respect it.