Just why are those people flashing their lights? At me. Driving along this morning, the oncoming cars, the drivers, were flashing their lights. Something wrong with the car? Do I need to stop and see if something is flapping, or dragging along the ground? Something worrisome about the car I can’t see, but they can. There is something going on here. They are saying something, but what?

When something like this happens, drivers communicating something the tendency is to slow down and wonder and be warned. And that was precisely it. The message was SLOW DOWN there is a police vehicle up ahead with a speed camera aboard. Slow down or you will get a ticket! This all set me pondering the whole business of regulation generally. Not to mention the preceptual implications of warning other drivers about speed traps. I smiled inwardly because the police presence may not have caught anybody speeding but it did caused drivers to regulating each others speed. And that, after all, is the point of the police presence. To discourage drivers breaking the rule of the road.

My late father would become very animated when he saw signs on the side of the road announcing speed cameras. He was convinced they were not cameras at all, just dummy cameras. He didn’t like to be regulated like that. He felt it was regulation through deception. And I can see his point. Thankfully he didn’t speed up when he saw such signs!

I heard about a silent retreat where the participants agreed between themselves not to talk to each other. Sounds so simple. How else is silence to be maintained and held to if there is not mutual agreement to BE silent? This is self regulation. And that for the most part is how the sangha functions. Self regulation, guided by Preceptual truth.

My last thought: were those deceptive dummy cameras my father saw? Or was he deceiving himself? Love that dad.

This is for a regular reader, and her father just recently deceased.

said the Telus engineer as he stood on the threshold of the apartment where I am staying with members of the lay community here in Vancouver. There followed a rather interesting morning, which I do not have the time to talk about unfortunately.

Later, after the engineers had left, Michele sent me a link to a site with a rather interesting book on it titled Relating To a Spiritual Teacher. Here is a quote:.

Avoiding Over-dependence on Others for Spiritual Energy
Even after committing oneself to a spiritual path and establishing a disciple-mentor relationship, maintaining energy and motivation in one’s spiritual practice may often present a challenge. Thus, seekers need a variety of ways to help lift themselves from the inevitable moments of feeling uninspired and unmotivated. The classical texts recommend staying in close contact with other practitioners and with spiritual teachers when one finds oneself in need of support.

The book can be downloaded as a .pdf. I haven’t read it – yet.

Thanks to the Telus men. You were an inspiration to us, both of you. Peace is all around and so when it is pointed out…there is a confirmation of what is already, all around. It is good to speak up, from one’s heart – to hearts.