The monks retreat has ended however there is still time and space for contemplation. With this in mind I’m returning to very dear Zen Master Ryokan’s poem’s which I hope you will enjoy as much as I do. The photographs accompanying the text will be of fungi. This is for no other reason than I rarely get a chance, or reason, to publish them! The type of fungi I have grow on trees. About Fungus in Wikipedia.
…the fungi are now considered a separate kingdom, distinct from both plants and animals, from which they appear to have diverged approximately one billion years ago. Many studies have identified several distinct morphological, biochemical, and genetic features in the Fungi, clearly delineating this group from the other kingdoms. For these reasons, the fungi are placed in their own kingdom.
This is Lichen, see comment for it’s place in the fungus kingdom. (edited on 19th December, 2008.)
Maggie Mae was recently adopted and moved from a farm in Alberta, Canada to Edmonton. She was doing well with her house training and life in general, until recently. Her person, Mike of Jazzy and Mike renown is concerned as Maggie Mae has been poorly and Mike feels she is going down hill physically. Is she not super cute?
Spare a good thought for all of them.
The following photograph was added on 11th December.
Maggie Mae now feeling MUCH better!
See also comment attached to this posting if you need to know, or be reminded of, what it’s like to take care of a sick animal.
Word Wednesday: lesser know words, pointing to familiar themes, relevant to spiritual practice. Resipiscence is a corker!
Resipiscence
Noun: recognition of past mistakes and desire to do better in future.
The word is derived from Latin resipiscere which means ‘to recover one’s senses’.
From Foyle’s Philavery, A treasury of unusual words.
This looks like a fine sentiment, or ‘movement of the heart’, for those following a spiritual path.
One of the senior monks of our Order can be found answering questions on camera as part of the Clear Vision schools project, Ask a Buddhist. While I have not seen the videos personally, since I’m on a slow dial-up connection, Angie who comments regularly here has. She said, What a wonderful site! It is lovely to see and hear our Reverend – it is definitely worth putting on your blog. Thank you.
Here are the questions the children asked: Are you Enlightened? If not, how do you know? How would you know if you were?
A question on why Buddhist meditate and there is an answer to the following query: Buddhism goes on about suffering. Don’t you find it pessimistic and depressing? Good questions, I look forward to seeing and hearing the answers. As I understand it this is not a studio production job and the answers were caught on the fly, so to speak, with little or no opportunity for preparation.
For anybody with children or teachers giving instruction on Buddhism, The Clear Vision Trust is a wonderful resource.
I’m sorry if you are, like me, on a slow internet connection and not able to view these videos.
Walking up the lane in the windy darkness this evening, the trees thrashing around wildly. Attempting to bend into the wind, but it’s coming from every direction at once. Then I thought This is like being on an island in the middle of the sea. And then I realized This is an island in the middle of the sea!
Thanks for your well wishes. Now I’m going to have a looooong sleep.
Practice Within The Order of Buddhist Contemplatives
