Category Archives: Films/Books

Smoking Memories – Coughing Better

January 12, 2009 Mugo 4 Comments

Coughing better he’d say jovially having cleared his bronchioles once again. (Coughing was both necessary and also had become part of who we knew and loved). Then, spitting in the rose bed, he’d light up again. Sometimes, to be playful, he’d waft Balkan Sobranie in my direction. Ah! Smoke, smoke, smoke that cigarette, or in his case pipe. Ah! How the tide has turned now.

This was my boss from aged seventeen through to late twenties. On and off. A man, and his family, I owe a great deal to. A love for photograph for one. He had however a healthy disregard for health matters in general, as so many did of his generation. In particular a disregard for noxious fumes. My daily lung diet was, for years, a tobacco and chemical fume fug. All much intensified by being within an unventilated darkroom.

Last time I saw my old boss alive I was already a monk and he was severely disabled with Parkinson’s Disease. Would he recognize me? Know who I was? It was so sad. Then, suddenly he pointed at me all bright eyed and laughed and laughed. My bald head perhaps? I don’t know. I went over to him and held his hand, patting it and silently reciting the three Homages of Buddha, Dharma and Sangha in blessing. It was all I could think to do. It was the last time I saw him.

Now I’m wondering if his dear wife is still alive…

We watched a film called Thank You for Smoking a satire on the tobacco industry. It’s well worth watching. Funny too.

Films/Books, Teachings

Rending Verse

January 4, 2009 Mugo 7 Comments

This evening we watched a documentary about William Owen, the First World War poet. Who was William Owen? According to the documentary he seems to have changed the course of war poetry, and poetry in general. That largely came about through his meeting and friendship with Siegfried Sassoon, a poet I read in the 1960’s.

Here is Owen’s Dulce Et Decorum Est bringing our eye-ear-nose-tongue-body-mind to join with his, in the trenches.

For those who know the Scripture of Great Wisdom (The Heart Sutra) the no eye, ear, nose etc. is pointing out no separate eye, ear etc.

Rent – ripped apart.

…and on the deepest level, there is that which cannot be rent.

Films/Books, Teachings

Aspire To Play

December 27, 2008 Mugo 4 Comments

This water colour is by one of the monks, inspired by a ceiling painting in the Dunhuan caves. Interestingly enough the flying being is called an aspara. I’d like to think that she/he are there to help bring about an aspiration to play. In fact I’ve been pondering on the subject of play. That’s the merits of, the necessity of, the simple good fun of and above all, the release that play brings about. I’m talking about the spirit of play one sees in children and animals and sometimes in adults.

A thought I have of play, or image more like, is of a mumma Grizzly Bear seen in Montana sliding down a mountains side on her back with her cub on her belly. …and then climbing back up and doing it all over again, and again and again! And another image of a grizzly, not so into extreme sports, spotted on her back with front claws entwined with back claws, rocky back and forth, back and forth. Perhaps her teenage cub watched on thinking, Dah?

The above events were described in True Grizz by Doug Chadwick. An engaging book about Grizzly Bears in and around Glacial National Park, Montana.

Postings may be a bit patchy for a few days.

Daily Life, Films/Books, This and That

Connections

December 2, 2008 Mugo 3 Comments

Quite by chance, on Monday, I saw a chap briefly who I’d met at Throssel before. It was a significant meeting back then since he’d been helping an isolated member I have responsibility for. Turns out he’d been here all week-end, and I didn’t know. That sometimes happens since guests are generally on retreat and the monks help that process by not engaging people in casual conversation. Which means we are not looking about to see who’s here, of course.

If you plan to come on retreat, or to stay, and would like to say hi please drop me a line before you get here. Or say something the the Guest Department monks. That way I can make sure to bump into you at an appropriate moment. It’s always a pleasure and a joy.

Yes, it was a happy meeting on Monday. Not only for seeing a familiar face but for being reminded that he was, and still is a Jade reader! And because our on-line conversation, via the comments section, back some time last year was connected with death I promised to mention the name of a book I find most helpful. And the book is: There’s More to Dying than Death, Lama Shenpen Hookham.

Monday’s meeting was just one more nudge to get more Bodhi Leaf pins/badges made. There are more of you out there gazing at the screen than I had thought. And one more old friend tells me, via email, he will be checking in again. Welcome back! Glad you’re alive.

Films/Books

Into The Wild

November 10, 2008 Mugo 5 Comments

We watched Into the Wild this evening. The story of an idealistic young man’s adventure to Alaska. He didn’t return alive.

I encountered the book, Into the Wild, some years ago while staying in Vancouver, Canada. If I remember correctly I stayed up half the night reading it! When I was 19 I hitch-hiked up the Alaska Highway eager for adventure and the wilderness. Thankfully I survived the whole experience and eventually returned via the inland passage to Vancouver, and then onwards to New York and England.

Thank goodness for the enormous tolerance of my parents. Bless ’em.

Happiness is only real when shared.

As reported in the film the above was found among the writings of Christopher McCandless in the old school bus he died in, alone.

Jade Mountains Buddha Hall