A few days ago I mentioned the solitary fly between the pages of Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind. Here is a fable about a fly, which I rather like. And here can be found the possible explanation for Suzuki’s fly, it’s a quote from Meister Eckhart.

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Keep a thought for us in Europe, hurricane force winds are blowing down trees and people are getting killed.

It is late in the evening and too late to be writing a post. So I am really glad to have found a posting from Canada I can point you towards. It reminds me of a happy day out while I was in Edmonton last year, when I encountered real wild buffalo. Having already heard of the encounter described below I kept my distance and had no need to call on a ‘higher power’. Interesting how god comes into the picture when the chips are down and extinction is close. If we had been raised Buddhist from the start we would no doubt call on Kanzeon for help. Calling for help is the important thing. It’s an act of faith, the object is less important.

I dove into the bushes and hid behind a tree, suddenly finding religion and praying to God: “Let me get out of this and I swear I’ll never do anything this stupid again.” I couldn’t see the buffalo from where I was crouched, but I could hear her stamping the ground and snorting. After a while the sounds faded, but I was too chastised to dare the trail again, so I skulked back to my car the long way, through the scratchy, tangled bushes, vowing never to take wild animals for granted.

If you get a chance to watch The Worlds Fastest Indian I’d take it. You will no doubt be waiting in suspense, as I was, for something bad to happen, but it doesn’t. Nothing bad happens at all. I think that’s it really, it shows how conditioned one is to bad stuff happening.

I’m in Hexham on the weekly town trip. A parking space opens up opposite the library and I race in. First assignment; return two library books and check-out this weeks copy of the New Scientist for one of the senior monks. My coat pocket strikes up a jaunty tune and I dive for my mobile phone. “Reverend Mugo, sorry to bother you, have you been to Tesco’s”? “No” I answer honestly, while remembering I wasn’t due to go there anyway. “Could you pick up five heads of winter greens please”? “Sure”. Then I ask jovially, “What’s it worth”? Serious silence prevails from the monastery end of the conversation. I interject hurriedly, “Oh never mind about that I’ll get the greens. No problem”. I make a mental note to not tease or joke around with the novices, until they know me better.

Onwards to three banking assignments, a visit to the one and only haberdashery counter in the town for ribbon and elastic, Boots the Chemist for cough medicine and lozenges, then drop off a bag of clothing at a charity shop. Each assignment has a separate piece of paper with detailed instructions; the shop, what to buy, the brand name, the number of bottles or packages etc. Doing the town trip reminds me of tests we did in Girl Guides. Go to this map reference, head due north ten paces, look up and read message, “Go to nearby village, buy five heads of winter greens and cook them on camp fire. And be back by 5.00”!

I take a break for coffee and toasted tea cake before proceeding, not to Tesco but to the newly opened Waitrose. Haven of peace and plenty as it is, since most people are at Tesco’s! Lingering over coffee a booklet catches my eye, the word BALTIC stands out boldly. It’s a catalogue for a Centre for Contemporary Art, Gateshead Quays near Newcastle. Later, back in the monastery, I discover the centre was started by a congregation member, who is not a million miles away from here either. It’s a small world.

People are sometimes surprised that monks do, so called, worldly things. For example that a monk would carry a mobile phone, or that they would ‘dive’ for it. Would we be more likely to reach sloooowly and serenely into our well organized pocket, then press the right button first time? We would probably be thought not to joke around for sure!

Will the novice I spoke to doubt because I joked with her and she didn’t get it? Probably not. However doubt in the practice can set in as a consequence of such seemingly inconsequential events and events of great seriousness too. The arising of doubt and loss of faith, and their place in practice, is a worthy subject to take a look at…another time.

I hope you enjoyed shopping with me today. While everyday life may look ordinary, below the waves of activity the life is extra ordinary. If one is not swayed by appearances, or holding to expectations. This is not easy or simple, yet leads to deepening understanding.

I’m not sure how it could have got there. A squashed fly between pages 122 and 133, Day fifty three: to Annapurna Base Camp. It’s moving for heavens sake! A breeze from the window, the wind is up again tonight, causes the fly to quiver and shake on the page. I’m reminded of the image of a fly within the pages of Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind by Shunryu Suzuki. The meaning of the fly was lost on me at the time, and even now! Tomorrow I’ll deal with this desiccated fly.

But it’s the end of day fifty two, actually the entire day, that remains with me because the author clearly was close to giving up, but didn’t.

Wongchu wants one of the Sherpas to come and sit with me through the night, but I dissuade him, and, watched over by an inanimate but impressive array of tablets, tissues, ointments, creams and sprays, I close my eyes and wait.

The whole book, Himalaya by Michael Palin can be read on the Internet.