Category Archives: Falls Between the Cracks

Recollection

Reclining Buddha
Reclining Buddha

Sitting here this evening later than I’d like. Recollecting my day. Sitting here in the same room where twenty years ago I sat giving talks, working at this very same desk, doing the monthly accounts, writing out checks, sticking on stamps. Recollecting the people sitting on the couch where now there is a bed. One chap who came then is reading this blog now! We have remained in touch. And today I met up with a woman I gave meditation instruction to, back then. We have kept in touch.

But best of all was the neighbour, always ready for some good-natured banter across the garden fence, who this afternoon guided me up the too narrow drive so I could load the car with logs. Apple logs from the tree in the back garden, now pollarded with spiky new growth. The neighbour still ready for the banter but more mellow now.

Now looking up to meet the gaze of the reclining Buddha I bought at Macro the local cash-and-carry store. Bought for Rev. Mildred, now deceased, as a reminded for her to be the reclining Buddha. A positive reminder to rest while she worked on regaining her strength and health.

This post is in memory of Rev. Mildred and for all those who, all those years ago, supported us. When I think about it there are others from that time reading this blog. Thank you all.

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Accumulation and Cleaning

Clean fridge - Ah! that's better.
Ah! that’s better.

Each time I enter the local corner shop I breath in a now familiar smell. In the back of my mind I wonder what it is and where does it come from. Now I know! This morning opening the fridge where I’m house sitting the same smell wafted out. Fridge mold can insinuate itself slowly until I guess it gets to critical mass. Neither afraid or ashamed I had at it and cleaned the fridge thoroughly. Too bad I didn’t consult the internet before doing so as using the right cleaning agents insure the mold never returns. Here’s one persons step by step guide to fridge cleaning and mold elimination.

Mold and dirt and dust accumulate over time, as does the accumulation of clothes, books, shoes, tools, fixings, paperwork – the list goes on and on. These past weeks I’ve been helping somebody to resolve things, that’s to recycle and move on the accumulation of a life time. My pleasure. Each time a substantial amount leaves the house somehow breathing becomes easier.

As I carefully and enthusiastically tackled the fridge I was mentally moving towards what else needed cleaning. What could I clean next? Indeed some people can spend a good part of their day cleaning and tidying, whether it’s needed or not! One persons OK for the moment is another persons life work. We are all built differently, have unique mental/emotional capacities and the standards we attempt to uphold can be self evidently RIGHT.

Anybody who has been on a retreat in our tradition will know the first scheduled activity after meditation and scripture singing is….cleaning! It’s not as if the place is dirty it’s just that grunge and cobwebs and the like accumulate imperceptibility over time and need to be kept up with. It took me awhile to realize the everyday life teaching embedded within these early morning, cold and hungry, work periods. And the appreciation deepens and is still deepening.

From the Heart Sutra: No accumulation, no annihilation. – And still we live our days attentively noticing and dealing with that which comes to us. Ultimately there isn’t a measuring stick one can apply to our efforts, or to the efforts of others. One thing is for sure though, condemnation of oneself, and of others, is an accumulation that’s best kept up with.

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Help Build a Temple

Kwan Yin Loves Pie.
Kwan Yin Loves Pie.

One of the temples of the order I am part of has published a cookbook. No ordinary cookbook this one – Kwan Yin Loves Pie. I’m showcasing Grants Politically Incorrect No-Nonsense Pancakes. As an aid to memory, since the recipe calls for one of everything, Grant suggests singing/humming One-is-the-loneliest-number…. and other similar songs. And here is Rev. Master Koten on Chocolate Chip Scones

These scones are delicious as they are,
but the chocolate chips
bring them up to a
whole new level. Koten

Obviously this is much more than just a cookbook. More a window on the lives of those who gather around this temple. There is teaching on the important ingredient, love. I’d say the background smile coming through this book is as important.

One of the congregation members reports:The cookbook is a fundraiser towards getting some building done at Dragon Flower Mountain (Lions Gate Buddhist Priory’s rural temple in British Columbia Canada), which I know all are hoping can maybe start this summer (2013.)

The book can be ordered by email and paid for on-line. In addition the temple has generously posted a pdf version of the cookbook. Be sure to make a donation if you download the pdf. Every dollar counts.

I was just talking to one of the monks at the temple in deepest rural British Columbia letting them know I am posting this. Apart from saying a friendly hi I wanted to make sure somebody drove up the mountain to the ‘upper cabin’ to check email regularly to catch your cookbook orders.

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Gloves for Life

New work gloves.
New work gloves.

Warm hands.
Warm wrists.
Unencumbered fingers.
Happiness is mine!

It’s been a milestone day in terms of the Field of Merit project and these gloves will remind me of it. Given by my monastic colleague this morning. I don’t seem to be able to take them off now! There is something special about hand made gifts and about those who make and give them too. Thank you so much.

News of our milestone day will appear in the next post on Field of Merit website. I’ll link to it.

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Sympathetic Joy

Moss Star
Here seeming to float above the top of a gate post is a mossy star! Amazing! Here to show, once again, that nature decorates SO well! However sometimes nature gets a helping hand, for the fun and joy of sharing our human endeavours. Thus we have another collective wool crafting event in Eastern Cumbria. But anybody in the world can join in.

Help us to transform the woodland of National Trust property Acorn Bank with thousands of woollen artworks, in support of the Campaign for Wool. We are inviting schools, groups, organizations and individuals to make and send in woollen artworks, made using any wool craft technique or woollen material. Absolutely anyone can get involved! This new project follows on from our 2011/12 ‘Join the FLOCK’ project, that saw over 5000 people sending in pom-pom sheep to form a giant art installation.
Woolen Woods.

Join the flock  at the Woolfest Cockermouth
Inspired by a friend’s friend who had unraveled a home-knit and then knitted it into the most beautiful fine scarf I rifled through the local charity shop for wool this afternoon. But nothing turned up. At the very least I’d like to knit a spider and a butterfly for the woolly woods.

Yes, I champion such collective efforts, they bring people together. And I rather like the lone knitters who wrap up fences and lamp posts at dead of night with their home knits. Just why is that I wonder? Partly it brings me joy to encounter creative efforts freely shared, boldly displayed. And want to share that with you.

In this post titled A Joyful New Year on Field of Merit Rev. Alicia talks about joy. Doing that which brings joy. Perhaps I derive joy from others joy! Did anybody hear of Mudita one of the four sublime states? Mudita, sympathetic joy.

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