The following correspondence is reproduced, in slightly modified form, with the authors permission.

Dear Reverend Master,
There is something that I wanted to write to you about. On Wednesday, on my return from Scotland, whilst on public transport, a thought came into the head: 'You could have (or send out) love for all these people here. There is no need to be defensive or closed in'. This was interesting, as it had never occurred to me in this way. Somehow, I think I have never truly known what love is - it is only starting now slowly to dawn on me. It started off about two years ago, when all of a sudden I realised that I could just love the little ducklings on the lake. I guess I'll need to nurture (or keep reminding myself of) this little plant - or should I just let it grow on its own?

Dear Friend,
Love, Compassion and Wisdom are the fundamental True Nature of your being. You don't need to do anything other than trust that this is so and notice when anguish, frustration, ill will and the like are there and let them go. In the very middle of what we regard as faults can be found love. Just open your heart, keep your insides soft and pliable and what flows, will flow. Love is not a thought; you will not necessarily consciously know about it in your daily life. You will see it's shadow and that is the stuff of meditation and daily life practice. That's watering the little plant!

Dear Reverend Master,
I thank you for these words.
In gassho,

I wonder if you have ever listened to the dawn chorus, that early morning time when birds break into song? I've know times when I'd wished the birds away back to their nests for another hours sleep, for them and especially for me! At this moment I have a CD playing in my laptop of the 'Dawn Chorus', A sound portrait of a British woodland at sunrise. This evening I'd been feeling a bit under the weather physically and had been casting about for inspiration. I thought this 'music' might help. And it has.

Somebody asked me about 'pain', how one dealt with it as a Buddhist. I remember once hearing my Master softly mentioning that somebody needed to understand the difference between 'being in pain and being in self'. I took a mental note. There is pain, and then there is pain accompanied by self-pity, which goes on and on and.... That's one way to 'be in self'. A health professional I was consulting with some years ago said, "Self-pity is an English persons disease". I took a mental note! It was the most helpful piece of information, not heard as an accusation, and I was able to take it to my heart. I took a mental note.

The birds are still twittering away enthusiastically, there's a wood pigeon and a pheasant in the distance. A peacock? That can't be right! Isn't it amazing how simple things can help lift the spirits and how a chance comment, heard while in pain and not in 'self', can change one for the better. Not much of an answer about dealing with pain, however getting things in perspective is a good start. Now I'd better send those birds back to their nests for the night. Time to sleep. One of our monks says, "Never underestimate the restorative power of a good nights sleep."