Category Archives: photograph

Daily Life, Falls Between the Cracks, Overcome Difficulties, photograph

Letting Happiness In – Letting Go of Books

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The following is a copy of a Facebook ‘post’ sent to me by the author who wanted me to have the opportunity to choose a book. Publishing here because….well, you can imagine why because.

An Exercise in Letting Go (Or, ‘Let me give you a book.’)
For a long time, I’ve felt like the dozens of books I take with me from place to place, and the hundreds more in various storage locations, are like horcruxes (look up that word). I’ve felt that each is an intimately personal treasure, close to my hand, or locked away safely with the people I trust the most. In reading them, they changed me, and with my highlighting, my underlining, and my exasperated and sarcastic annotations, I returned the favour. Saccharine as it sounds, I took them to form some part of my identity. Not just that they have supported the development of my thinking processes, perspectives on life, and prejudices, but that ‘having a lot of books’ is an important part of who I am. I am a reader. Intelligent. Intellectual. Thoughtful. Reflective. Moreover, owning an amount of books that is hopelessly impractical for my lifestyle choice (fairly low-earning, fairly nomadic) seemed like a sort of promissory note to myself: one day I am going to have the lifestyle that I think is befitting of these books. I suppose what I had in mind by that was being an Oxbridge don, with an office of wall-to-wall bookshelves and living to be made by thinking, reflecting, and generating and discussing ideas. But, in fits and starts, I am beginning to understand that neither attachment to some identity, nor attachment to some outcome, is doing me much good. No moment is ever going to be more worthy of my joy than right now, because right now is all I have. Letting go of an attachment to some identity; letting go of an attachment to some outcome, is letting happiness in. :)

Twee Buddhist sentiments aside, I’m getting rid of my books. I’m holding on to a lot of them- the stronger the attachments, the longer it’ll take to feel ready to let go. I’ve catalogued the ones I’m discarding, thanking each for what it’s taught me, and writing a small response to each: part epitaph, part sales pitch. I’m going to put them up for sale in the coming weeks, but before I do that, I want to offer each of you the gift of a book, in the hopes that I might spread a little joy your way. Yours E.

This chap is currently selling his books through the University system however when they become publicly available I’ll post the list. The epitaph/sales pitch he has written for each book is worth a read and speaks volumes.

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Daily Life, Out and About, photograph, Teachings

Meeting Life

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Herdwick Lambs meet cattle grid. Langdale Valley
Herdwick Lambs meet cattle grid. Langdale Valley

How like life!
To move forward?
To tackle the obstacle?
To turn back?

Largely out of
conscious awareness
we face the obstacle
and move.

Or do a little dance
freeze
wonder and stall
in the end we move.

These large lambs in the Langdale Valley – wandered off to graze on the abundant green grass that is all around them. We say in one of our scriptures that the obstacles dissolve and in a fundamental sense they do. The point is  being  awake and notice what’s in front. And for that matter what’s all around and within – unimaginable to behold. There is no stationary place we inhabit. Not even when sitting still!

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Daily Life, Out and About, Overcome Difficulties, photograph

Maintaining a Sense of Proportion

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#lovethelakes #cumbria #lakedistrict #picturecumbriasharp-edge-and-tarn

Hold a true friend with both your hands.
Nigerian Proverb

Amen to that! And my new friend? Blencathra, mountain of all mountains. Last Monday I walked up one (of a number) of the ‘edges’ that lead to the top. Perfect weather with views out to the very edges of the Lake District. A day to remember with an inside smile. But that’s how I’ll remember today. Nothing dramatic. And yesterday visiting a long time known Buddhist trainee living on one of the edges of the Lakes, Walney Island. The high fells stretching like a frill across the skyline, from one side of her living room window to the other.

Yes, I’ve been taking the opportunity to get out and about and to climb up into the mountains. How fortunate am I? Great Stickle, Swirl How, Crinkle Crags, Bow Fell and the Old Man of Coniston. High Street from Haweswater and more. On the Band and back again, for more. The names are the stuff of poems, there is a rhythm in their walking and I’ve chanted their names as I’ve neared the end of a long day walking.

Yes, and I’ve taken the opportunity to get out and about and meet old friends. How fortunate am I? By phone and email, driving and Skype calling. No mountain climb, however testing, can ever match up to the lived-lives of the people I’m privileged to spend time with. Many of their names I remember as I walk and chant a verse for. Each morning.

It’s the end of a long day and a long hot summer. With rain beating down on the skylight of my just-moved-into new room I’m thinking. Thinking that all experiences pass, relationships all end, shelter keeps the rain out no matter where it is and being able to smile in adversity helps.

Note route marked in yellow when out of view and red when in view.
Note route marked in yellow when out of view and red when in view.

Whats not to love about this mountain? See trailer for Life of the Mountain, film by Terry Abraham released in May.

I’m smiling now, inwardly, remembering the long crampon scratch marks on rocks high on Crinkle Crags. Winter walking? Winter talking? More towards the level of the sea, around Morecambe Bay, visiting an elderly woman there. Enjoy the Autumn golds and perhaps the Winter whites.

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Curiosities, Daily Life, Out and About, photograph

Fabulous Fungus Fanciers!

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Let not this day end without acknowledging the truely decent, humble, dedicated and above all peaceful gathering of fungus explorers from Kew Gardens who I had the honour to go walk-about with today.

Not only was it a window on a whole area of the natural world largely hidden from the naked eye but also an insight into the minds and hearts of people, unknown and unsung, who care about the wellbeing of unglamorous – fungus!

It was not a day for ‘racing’! Five hours didn’t get us far physically however in terms of the micro world we traveled to the moon and back! Who would have imagined what fungus get up to! It’s a circus down in the woods – everyday.

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Daily Life, Out and About, photograph

Keeping on Walking

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Walking along a narrow pavement this afternoon, in walking shoes and wearing a small day pack (to carry shopping in), a woman stopped me. Have you got far to go? she inquired. Errrm, about 3 mins to get home I replied, wondering at the question. She then, without drawing breath, proceeded to describe the walk she had just done. She’d been on a huge long hike around the lanes even though not exactly kited out for the project. More like going shopping clothes. We could have swapped! Now, remembering that brief conversation, I can remember so much about how she looked, just as in the same way I can remember details about the woman I mention in the above video. Face, hair, clothing, hat, (in the case of the woman today – impressive gold teeth!), foot ware. However, most especially I will remember the bright ‘spirit’ shining from their eyes. Walking can do that. Cause people to shine.

But I’ve been ‘racing’! Racing to complete a few tasks by days end. It’s one thing to put structure into ones day quite another, as the day draws to a close, to readjust/restructure in the face of fading light. Unfortunately, as happened to me the other day, when out on a walk in the hills in the face of fading light, I had no option but to keep on walking! This short video was taken as the sun slid behind the ridge I’d been walking along earlier, On Returning from Coniston Old Man.

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