don’t fixate on right and wrong,” the book says “not to fuss over black and white, you miss out on the beauty of grey.

From The Art of Simple Living, 100 Daily Practices from a Japanese Zen Monk for a Lifetime of Calm and Joy.

Ah yes! I like the word ‘fixate’ here. In the course of a talk or article, we will frequently mention ‘the opposites’, such as right and wrong, light and dark, and here in this quote above, ‘black and white’! So this is pointing to rigid thinking, holding to ideas – holding on TIGHTLY to ideas, opinions, views. Rigidly. That’s a common experience and quote often one only knows how much of a grasp after having come out of the other side. ‘Cricky! Didn’t know I felt that strongly about – whatever’!

But here there is the possibility of ‘grey’? That there is actual beauty in grey and I’m not thinking this is pointing to what we talk about as ‘the middle way’, or the ‘Third Position, beyond the opposites’ although there is a certain elegance in discovering a way between those hard unrelenting twin pillars of right and wrong.

The other morning early there was a wisp of cloud running along the bottom of the valley below. Above clear sunlit hillside and towards the monastery, again sunlit trees picked out in the early morning sun slanting shadows. Such beauty and yet one’s eyes pick out the sharp, clearly defined edges rather than the whispy grey cloud, which quickly dissipated. Mentally or in other spheres we tend to dismiss the ‘grey areas’ as we sprint towards clarity. Between right and wrong, there are many shades of grey where clarity has to give way to ‘not knowing’, to giving time and space for clarity enough to move, to make a decision. To leave a patient in their room to settle and rest, or wait a moment. It’s a judgment call, a grey area to tolerate until the time is right. To leave.

Seems to me there is much more grey than sharp edges to our daily lives. Beauty lies there, tolerance, patience, compassion and a certain discomfort of ‘not knowing’. Not knowing is grey. I’m OK with grey.

So simple and so many are doing it.

I lit a candle
I made an offering
I rang a bell
We sat
We sang
We bowed
Thank you all

Thanks to the group member who circulated this to others sitting at the same time.

There are very many unsung heroes, one can’t sing for them all. However tonight I will ‘sing’ for Bethany an NHS nurse who told me about a book she is reading. She reads one page in the morning and one in the evening, well done I say. The book is, The Art of Simple Living, 100 Daily Practices from a Japanese Zen Monk for a Lifetime of Calm and Joy. I’m not recommending it but I’m pointing out that books such as this one work as an introduction, a seed which grows and sometimes flowers, opening the way to life-changing decisions. Or simply teach about how to live a better life, no formal religion required. For some of us though, no better no worse, there is an irresistible pull inwards ignited by those inky pages. That’s inwards to our deepest heart which cannot be laid aside at will.

Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind by Shunryū Suzuki was my seed book discovered in the 1960’s. I’ve heard about many books that sometimes literally fall off the shelf in a library or bookshop or call from a friends bookshelf. Now the field is wide open; so many books, so much information, so many influences, so easy to be pulled this way and that. Which way is the right way, is there a way? Forward?

Then there are the stray people who float into one’s life sometimes briefly sometimes for the rest of one’s life. So many people who influence without even trying, not even a little bit. Casting my mind back now to what I’d imagine Bethany’s age might be and to who then, at that age, influenced me. That would be Hayden my boss who taught me photography and how to drink like an adult. And to respect myself. At the end of his life he suffered the indignities of Parkinsons Disease and Dementia.

That’s it Bethany, I said I’d write and I have. Keep up the good work and enjoy your life.

And I thought I had made up a new word!

Precautious is an adjective that means being careful by actively preparing to avoid something negative. It can refer to a person or an action.

This speaks to me as we venture out that little bit more. On a necessary car trip yesterday I noticed how the car had a car smell. I’d not been out in one since March 14th! Not been out of the valley since then. Not been shopping or to a medical or dental appointment or….well, just not been anywhere except here.