The nights are drawing in fast now. The sun is dipping behind the far hill by around 6.00 pm. In no time it will be dipping at around 3.30 pm and dusk comes soon after that. There is a decided feel in the air of autumn, the leaves are gathering in piles on the lane. Blown by the wind.

But what is this we see as we walk back from meditation? Light beaming out of the usually dark pump house/shed in the paddock. We all know what’s happening in there and in due time so will you. There will be a photograph. For now I like to imagine that something strange and amazing is emanating from within. In truth something amazing is being made. The light might represent the creative energy being generated.

And Adrienne’s creative side has come to the fore, as has her enthusiasm for what she does…. The title of her post is Too Much Confidence in which she ponders the effect here enthusiasm has on some visiting friends. Adrienne and I are similar in our sharing of enthusiasm, enthusiastically.

The word went out around the monastery this morning that John Daido Loori Roshi died yesterday. As well as being a well respected Zen Master he was a great photographer too.

Loori grew up in a working-class family in Jersey City, New Jersey, joined the Navy, and later worked for 17 years as a physical chemist while nurturing a lifelong love of photography. It wasn’t until he began studying with the influential photographer Minor White that Loori recognized a spiritual element in his work. He then underwent 14 years of both lay and monastic Zen training in New York and California. In 1980, Loori founded the Zen Mountain Monastery in Mt. Tremper, New York, considered one of the leading Zen training centers in the United States.
From a tribute on the The American Museum of Natural History website.

To be perfectly frank I got back to my room this evening a bit disturbed. I can’t remember the name of the film but I do remember the focus was on the trap of celebrity in the film industry. A satire and there was cynicism in it too. There was a point being made, and I got it!

Earlier in the evening I found myself making up a song to the tune of Bless ’em All, a war song made famous by Vera Lynn. It is a celebration of today, of meeting a shoal of Jade readers here for the Festival ceremony for Manjusri, Bodhisattva of Wisdom and more besides:

Bless ’em all, Alfie, Mum, Da Ad, and all
And Jenny/Sue/Dave/Dave/Brenda/Angie… and the short and the tall
Bless all the readers and contributors three
Bless all the sunshine and the dah-di-dee-dah
For I’m saying good-bye to them all
As back to their billets they crawl
You’ll get no (fill in the blank) this side of the (Great) Ocean
So cheer up Rev. Mugo Bless ’em all.

Anyway, seeing Jim’s post One Perspective On The spirit Of Jade rounded off the evening rather well. I’d wanted to make note of Ayse talking about merit, just in case this aspect of things got over looked, and Jim got there first. I think my little ditty complements his post quite well…. Do I embarrass myself!