All posts by Mugo

photograph

Gifts

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Xmas card from my father, 1988!

Amazing! A christmas card sent to me by my father here at Throssel in 1988. It brought tears to my eyes to see his writing, almost illegible but all the same…what a gift. Holiday cards thought to be worth recycling are kept for future use in a box in the ‘project room’. I don’t think we even had one back 30 years ago! All those years this box has been shift about, buried and yet kept.

A few weeks ago the monk in charge of the projects room discovered this card and realizing it was sent to me years ago, gave it back. I was absolutely delighted. What did he say?

My dear H,

Happy Christmas holiday and new year. Hope you do not have to do too much cooking. (I was the cook at the time.)

Hope the Black Hole is not sitting on your back – anyway it is nearly Black Hole Day – 21st December. Winter Solstice which is far more important than Xmas to me.

We are nearly over our flu, but for a short time it does take it out of you. Just today your mother has noticed and you can see and feel the callous in her arm so it must be joined by now! (she broke her collar-bone in the summer).

Sorry that Mr. Cook is so ill. (Parkinson’s). Only hope that he doesn not have to suffer too long. Trust that you will get to see him and Mrs. Cook.

Love Daddy,

What a gift!

 

Daily Life, photograph

Trig Pillars

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Trig Pillar on the moors above Throssel.


A testament to surveyors of the past
Although 6,500+ trig pillars were built, hundreds have been lost to housing developments, farming, coastal erosion and other causes. The vast majority follow the standard Hotine design, but some are stone built, and in Scotland there are some ‘Vanessas’ which are taller, cylindrical concrete pillars.

You can only imagine how hard it was for surveyors of the past to not only map Britain, but to also locate sites for trig pillars and carry the materials to remote sites to then build the trig pillars too.

It’s a true testament to their skills that such an accurate map of Britain was created from such humble beginnings as the trig pillar 80 years ago.

Ordinance Survey Blog A history of the Trig Pillar

There is something special about our Trig points in Britain to the point of fond (perhaps sentimental) affection. We love to go and visit them, some people even ‘bag’ them in the same way others ‘bag’ mountain tops. Because Trigs are located in high places the views on a clear day are 360 degrees of unincumbered Britain. Today we could see the Cheviots to the north and in all directions we had crystal clear views. It was a fun walk with fellow monks and Brenda Bear came too, named after Brenda Birchenough a fond friend in the Dharma.

With thoughts for those whose day is not clear or bright, whose view is limited and who are alone, and not by choice.

Daily Life, Overcome Difficulties

Is That Not Enough?

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This was first posted late December 2009 and links in with yesterdays post, ‘Everybody has to be somewhere’.   (There were a lot of good comments added to this post by the way.)

1_Tree_above_ambleside.jpg
Taken on a sunny afternoon above Ambleside in the Lake District while on a walk.
 For most of my early adult life I looked for a purpose. A purpose to life, for living. Returning after my first retreat here at Throssel it occurred to me that I didn’t need to think about having a purpose any more. It was not that I had found a purpose. I did however wonder if I had and what it might be but nothing came to mind. No it was simply that I didn’t need to concern myself about a purpose for living any more. It was such a relief.

We hear of people in extremity who derive meaning, or purpose to live from simple things. For example I heard of a girl in a concentration camp who left behind, for she died in the camp, a diary. In it she recorded how each day she glimpsed a tree and it was this tree that kept her going and gave meaning to remaining alive.

Another story is of a Korean woman incarcerated for something she had not done. Each day the guards would take her out and beat and abuse her. Each day she did her walking and sitting meditation and, she wrote, I am free!

What is it that sets us free to simply live? Free as the tree to spread its branches and send its roots deep into the earth. To have our leaves turn brown in autumn and fall off and then to bud and blossom when the sun warms us. We are not plants, we are however filled with life. Is that not enough?

An after thought. At a certain time when I was almost at the end of reasonable life options I met a person who must have seen something in me. Anyway, he most seriously advised me to learn to meditate. And I couldn’t but take notice of him, he was in earnest. I distinctly remember him saying, It doesn’t matter where you do that, under a tree for example! So there you have it a link between trees and meditation

photograph, Teachings

Everybody Has to Be Somewhere

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Raspberry Pi Tree

Where ever you are
Who ever you are with
No matter what you are doing
No matter how you are feelin’

If you are laughing
or crying
Sighing or sleeping
or wide awake
Just remember

*You can’t dance
at two weddings
with
one behind!

Being in two places
at once isn’t
even slightly
possible.
*Yiddish saying.

The micro tree is plugged into a Raspberry Pi computer. Came to me yesterday in the post, so beautifully packed. This tree is now on my altar blinking away adding a warm red glow. Love it. For those who might wish to be where they are not, with different people or with somebody who has died. Or whatever. Hang in there, nothing last for ever. Even the good times pass.

Teachings

Buddhism From Within

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Tom (Thomas) Wharton, a Canadian author, wrote the following back in 2005 when I was running a priory in Edmonton. At that time I was keen to see Rev Master Daizui’s book more widely read or even known about. The following review copied below was never used, up until now. Here it is. Thanks Tom for letting me publish this after all this time.

I like Rev. MacPhillamy’s relaxed, conversational style. The lack of terms from other languages is also refreshing and offers a less “exotic” approach to the subject, which is a good thing. The ancient, Asian terminology that most Buddhist books use can make it seem that you should be having an ancient, Asian experience to really practice meditation, whatever that might mean!


The section on karma and rebirth I found particularly fascinating and helpful. I’ve never seen these elusive concepts set down in quite this accessible way. Rev. MacPhillamy proceeds from a straightforward description of ethical cause and effect which one can quickly verify for oneself with a little thought (when we hurt others we hurt ourselves), and proceeds from there to the more “cosmic” way of looking at the consequences of our actions.


At the stage I’m at with all of this, I find I’m not ready or willing to invest belief in some of these more cosmic notions. But of course neither Rev. MacPhillamy nor Buddhism itself would insist that I do so. And I feel that this respect for the individual person’s freedom of belief is one of the best clues that Buddhism points a trustworthy way to the truth about the universe. Truth shouldn’t need to be policed.


The last chapter, “So, Is this a religion?” offers a brief telling of Shakyamuni Buddha’s life which thankfully doesn’t scatter lotus petals over everything. This is the kind of biography that I would show to people who wanted to find out about the historical Buddha. It’s hard for us cynical westerners to believe that he is not actually worshipped by Buddhists when one reads some of the more mythic versions of his life story. Maybe these magical stories are true. How should I know? I just find it’s more encouraging to me to think about Buddha the human being.

Review written by Thomas Wharton

Buddhism From Within can be bought on-line and it doesn’t cost a fortune either.