Seven Days a Week

November 11, 2008 Mugo 5 Comments

Seven days a week. Meditation-ceremonies-meals-community teas-business meetings-more meals and teas-washing up-walking in the rain-talking in the rain….singing in the rain! Then there is doing laundry-washing self-preparing for ceremonies-cleaning boots-sewing robes-answering emails-multiple refuge phone calls-lay ministry business. Not to mention-medical appointments-driving people to the airport-delivering cars for repair-shopping-non medical appointments. Yes and there is sleep too. Seven nights a week.

Then there is writing for Jade Mountains. This has to be in my spare time. This tends to be when everybody else is asleep. Everybody else is asleep!

Now that I’ve landed back in the monastery again postings are likely to be less frequent and responding to comments will be patchy at best. I’ll do my best to do what I can though. And thank you for leaving your comments by the way, all of them.

Films/Books

Into The Wild

November 10, 2008 Mugo 5 Comments

We watched Into the Wild this evening. The story of an idealistic young man’s adventure to Alaska. He didn’t return alive.

I encountered the book, Into the Wild, some years ago while staying in Vancouver, Canada. If I remember correctly I stayed up half the night reading it! When I was 19 I hitch-hiked up the Alaska Highway eager for adventure and the wilderness. Thankfully I survived the whole experience and eventually returned via the inland passage to Vancouver, and then onwards to New York and England.

Thank goodness for the enormous tolerance of my parents. Bless ’em.

Happiness is only real when shared.

As reported in the film the above was found among the writings of Christopher McCandless in the old school bus he died in, alone.

Daily Life

Buddha Dharma in the Bangkok Post

November 7, 2008 Mugo 1 Comment

The country is plunging into deep conflicts and anarchy because the powers-that-be, as well as those who want to overthrow them, are trapped in the we/they dichotomy, violating the Buddhist duty to transcend the false illusion of self – the root cause of hatred and violence.

From an article in the Bangkok Post. The article is an interesting insight into politics in Thailand, where Buddhist teachings are at least talked about.

The article came to me in the post as an actual, old fashioned, newspaper clipping. The son of a congregation member picked it up in Bankok, gave it to his mother and she sent it to me. Written on the clipping was Mum, with an arrow pointing to the title: Power of the Void the Void of Power.

The life of this clipping is a reminder of how information still circulates the slow way. Bangkok by plane to the UK then by car/train/bus to a living room in Yorkshire. The Royal Mail carried it through it’s system and was eventually delivered by Brian our postman who works his round in this valley in Northumberland. Even more amazing is that I can Google Bangkok Post October 28 2008 Ekachai and now share the article with you on-line.

Yes, I do still marvel at this kind of thing.

Out and About, Teachings

Escapes

November 5, 2008 Mugo 2 Comments

A New York Times travel article takes readers on a Buddhist Pilgrimage in San Francisco. Interestingly the article is headed Escapes.

“Since the 1800s, San Francisco was the most important gateway for people coming from the Pacific Rim,” said Charlie Chin, artist in residence at the Chinese Historical Society of America in San Francisco, who also leads tours and gives lectures. “They weren’t proselytizing Buddhism, but they brought it here with their other cultural beliefs and practices.”

Today, a spiritual tourist, whether Buddhist or not, can find inspiration if not enlightenment following in the footsteps of American Buddhism on a pilgrimage throughout the Greater Bay Area.

I’d imagine America is rocking following the election results. Some rocking with gladness and others with….all sorts of emotions. I’m keeping a thought for all of the people in this bowl of stew. Now is the time to be still in the midst of conditions and continue the pilgrimage.