Yearly Archives: 2015

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Republishing from January 2010 – Iain Remembered

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Today I am driving to the village where I lived, on and off, from 2010 to 2014. Which belonging to the late Iain Robinson and his wife. Iain and I went and saw the house about this time of year in 2009 and he instantly felt it was for him. Unfortunately the house has not sold since his death in 2011. But fortunately for me I am able to pick up the items I didn’t have the room in the car for last July. Which is when I packed up and left – heading towards Canada and the US. The books are all gone and the one refered to in this post is in Japan now. It will be interesting to visit the house and village after a year or mores absence. Maybe I’ll be able to take a walk in the hills while in the area. Or not.

Iain_books_1.jpg

They have a smell all of their own – and a feel and a certain character to them. Ancient dust, brittle paper, long loved volumes. The books, so very very many of them, are all now shelved. I think I qualify as a Bibliophile. Iain said this afternoon during a pause in the action. Oh! and here, grasping a desperately ancient volume, is the very first book I ever bought – I was nine. Canada (Romance of Empire) by Beckles Wilson written around 1900. Here is a sampling from Chapter V: The Founding of Montreal.

Of all the great cities of the world you will not find one that has had so romantic a beginning as Montreal. The stories sent home by the Jesuits had stirred all France, and made the more pious and enterprising spirits more than ever resolved to teach the wicked redskins (ahem!) a lesson in Christianity and plant the fear of God in their hearts. The French said they did not believe in treating the savages (double ahem) of the New World in the cruel way the Spaniards had done in Peru and Mexico; They preferred to win them over to civilised ways by kindness and the force of good example.

There we have it. What can I say? Sorry Canada. If we knew then what we know now, things may well have turned out differently. Hopefully.

When Iain returns to his wife and home in Japan at the end of the month I will come back to the books, and house. If all goes to plan I will manage to carve out about six weeks of rest/renewal/retreat time before flying to…Canada! So my labours of the past week are of mutual benefit.

This post is for Tom in Canada who loves books.

Overcome Difficulties, photograph

Merit Walking

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Fairy Steps, Arnside Cumbria.
Fairy Steps, Arnside Cumbria.

It is said
Don’t touch
The walls
And a wish
Is granted –
I guess.

A narrow pass
Made for fairies.
With wings
I’d say!
Too narrow a pass –
For mortals.

Life takes
The narrow pass
When wings
and a ‘prayer’
Is all there is –
Left.

stone wall gate
As one walks from field to field squeezing through these constructions are a constant reminder of how tight and constricted life circumstances can become. Mentally, physically, emotionally. And the need to carry on into the field beyond and the one beyond that.

These past couple of days I’ve taken advantage of the fine weather to walk in the local area. One of the must visit places are the Fairy Steps. A narrow and precipitous stair-way down (or up) a limestone wall. (this walk gives an idea of what it looks like around here – the walk includes the Fairy Steps too).

A thought for all those who are currently climbing through a ‘narrow pass’ in their lives.

Overcome Difficulties, photograph, Teachings

Death Poem from a Mother

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From a mother to her children.
From a mother to her children.

To Those I Love…
When I am gone, just release me, let me go
So I can move into my afterglow
You mustn’t tie me down with your tears
Let’s be happy that we had so many years
I gave you my love, you can only guess
How much you gave me in happiness.
I thank you for the love you each have shown
But now it’s time I travelled on alone
So grieve for me a while, if grieve you must
Then let your grief be comforted with trust
It’s only for a while that we must part
So bless the memories within our heart
And then, when you must come this way alone
I’ll greet you with a smile and a “Welcome Home.”
Marian Wootton

All merit from this post and the poem go to Marian Wootton who died on 21st January 2015. And to her children. What a wonderful poem to find among the private papers of one’s recently deceased mother. Lovely and thank you K for your continuing support.

Curiosities, Out and About, photograph, Uncategorized

Living On Alms

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Not every day a hot air balloon comes close enough to see people in the passenger basket, dangling dangerously close to tree tops! Yesterday evening was such a day. Such excitement among the children. And the rest of us! Eventually the balloon made a dignified, all be it unscheduled, landing on the local playing field. Was it a flight or a voyage? It must have been scary what ever it was.

This evening a walk along the marshes at sun set. The tide was out the mud flats exposed. Not a place to venture out into. And stay alive.

Exactly a week ago I transferred across the Pennines from the monastery to stay in Cumbria again. This time to ‘flat-sit’ in South Lakeland close to Morecambe Bay. And close to a number of sangha members.

It’s been good to have lived in both Shasta and Throssel this past year and connect with my fellow monastics. Now time to return to where you all live. To connect. Directly.

Living takes many forms. Talking to a plumber about her work this morning on Skype and then this afternoon a short drive to visit an 80+ year old grappling with living her life. Then sitting in the car while a swarm of workers sprayed and wash it. ‘You work very hard’ I said in appreciation of a job very well done. Their English didn’t stretch to an answer. Living takes many forms. Living on donations, as I do, is……? Humbling.

Thank you people for your financial support which makes it possible to live as I do. And for offerings too. Today a bed sheet arrived by mail and a frying pan handed me. Much gratitude all around.

Daily Life, Out and About, photograph, Teachings

From the Forbidden City

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Wu Wei translated as 'Doing Nothing'
Wu Wei translated as ‘Doing Nothing’

Here’s a nice bit of, what I think is very old, calligraphy hanging up in the middle of one of the most important halls of the Forbidden city. Wu Wei (translated as ‘Doing Nothing’ on the plaque outside.

Reading from right to left the first character is Wu which is the same character of my name – Mu which means…empty, immaculate, no and nothing! The second character of my name – go means work, karma/action. So the calligraphy is close to Mugo in meaning which makes this image rather special for me.

Doing nothing, an under rated activity, can be ‘doing’ a great deal. And doing nothing can be entirely the wrong thing to do! All worth sitting with.

Thanks to the very long-time reader of Jade for this photograph, snapped in China just the other day.