I know this will come as a blow to many who have had their trials, joys not to mention life achievement, witnessed by Felicity the Ficus. A tree now late of the Lay Common Room in the Hall of Pure Offerings, Throssel Hole Buddhist Abbey.

There is nothing like a tree to bear witness. That’s witness for example to one’s Lay Ordination ceremony, which is definitely a significant moment in one’s life as a Buddhist. Or a living thing to keep you company when feeling alone. Take a walk amongst trees and you walk with friends.

One becomes attached to the known, the reliable, the undemanding and ever giving. I miss her too, all through lockdown and when we had no guests here I’d visit, pleading with her branches not to give up, to put on new growth even though it was cold and lonely.  New growth came when guests returned, and the heating put on again. I anthropomorphize with no apology.

This week I elected to stay in a room in the Hall of Pure Offerings for the period of the monastic retreat. Room 7. Each time I pass the opened door to the common room on my way to a meditation period,  I glance in and notice the space where once a graceful and loyal ‘friend’ once was. Call that sentimental attachment? Possibly.

Most people can wax lyrical about trees. And why not?

Note: The tree went to a good and caring home locally, in Allendale. Two people dedicated to caring for and growing plants, and caring for people too. Thank you.

Here are two enlightenment beings, pictured here with flower garlands to celebrate their first visit here after lockdown, May 18th 2021.  Anne is on the left and Julie, her friend, on the right. This week we said our final fond farewells to Anne while her cremated remains were scattered here at Throssel. Her daughter and partner, as well as Anne’s husband and his brother, were there. A number of others who knew Anne attended, Julie included.

Love you Anne, gone from our sight but not gone from this place, your spiritual home. Not gone from our hearts, either. Is that an expression of attachment? Possibly. It would be odd if one didn’t become attached over time, that’s attached to just about anything. Anne has been returning to her spiritual home for many years. Can one become unhelpfully attached to places, too?  Possibly. Attached to one’s teachers and mentors? Possibly. To students…the list is endless, if one chooses to make a list. Let’s not.

I gave a tour of the monastery the other day. Saying farewell, the woman pointed out her car, “I’m not materialistic” she said “however I’m attached to my car”. If I’d been quicker, I’d have responded “of course you are attached, how would you find it in a car park if you weren’t”! I could have said, Attachments and detachments flow together throughout one’s entire life. 

Enlightenment Beings
Let’s
Be that

A photograph of the actual Devon Splits referenced in the last post have been added to it. And because they look so tasty, here they are again…

The other day, I made some sweet rolls using dry yeast, which comes in granulated form. Halfway through kneading a huge mound of dough, I developed a growing sense of unease. This doesn’t feel right, I thought, and sure enough, it was not right!

There is a moment isn’t there when you realise you’ve made a mistake; spilt something, crashed, fallen over, fallen for a scam, taken a wrong turning, not activated yeast before adding to dough mix! When you can lose it. Perhaps you do.

In my case, I’d not done the right thing by those yeast granules! I could have let the entire world know, but I didn’t, that could have been shame or there just wasn’t the time to make a fuss.

Later in that morning I told one of the kitchen staff, adding (probably with pride): “Everything is retrievable, including one’s composure!” Her hearty, knowing laugh made my morning.

Devon Splits anybody?

This splendid folded ghost came in the post the other day. Folding is an art and for some, a passion. A lifelong dedication to this three-dimensional art which goes past art in application.

Think of stents in arteries, saving lives? Think of the James Webb Space Telescope, in space, doing what is does. And before it could start operating as a telescope, the massive sun shield had to unfold. An unbelievable complex origami application.

Skill and dedication come in many forms, for example, folding one’s limbs in preparation to sit still in meditation.