This sheep herding operation stopped me in my tracks this morning. Once again I was in my beloved Lake District. This time to pick up a monk left there two weeks ago, to rest. I was being navigated by a TomTom satellite navigation gadget. It did so well, talking me along remote roads I’d never have been able to negotiate without stopping every few miles to check a map. The road I particularly liked was the one over the fell from Grasemere to Great Langdale valley. I’m fairly sure this is a flock of Herdwick sheep by the way.

During a brief walk in the Langdale valley, in the fine rain that is so dear to my memories of hiking in these fair hills, I found myself addressing one of the sheep directly. Nice coat! I exclaimed, a spinning wheel flashing before my eyes. There was no answer, of course, however they do seem to smile. They are certainly not at all like other sheep who skitter away when humans are close. These just kept on grazing grass, undisturbed and unperturbed as I passed by. I see their fine coats are less used for knitting yarn and more carpet and loft insulation material!

Herdwicks are a dual-purpose breed, but are primarily raised for their hard and resilient grey wool. Their fleece is primarily suited to use as carpet wool; these carpets are sold under the auspices of the National Trust. The wool is also an excellent natural insulator – it is possible to buy sheets of fireproofed wool to fit as loft insulation.

Thanks go to Janet who bought the TomTom originally, and to her family who donated the the machine to the monastery following her death.

Hearing about a woman: there is every sign of cancer. She is choosing not to see a doctor: it’s her choice.

Hear about a man: there was a diagnosis of senile dementia. He chose to stop eating: he died soon afterwards.

Nothing much to say: except there is no absolute right or wrong here. And Great Compassion manifests in all conditions: no matter what.

Monks re-pointing the brickwork on a chimney called down to me. There is a great view from up here, make a great picture. By the time I had changed into trousers and fetched my camera the mist and rain had closed in and the view was almost obscured. Coming down off the roof, carefully, I then went for a walk on the bottom road. The valley was grey and the world appeared flat. The camera saw it differently.

A monk of our Order wrote an article for our in-house Journal about Training in the Grey World of Doubt and Despair which Lions Gate Buddhist Priory has reproduced. (I see a part 2 of the article but no part 1 unfortunately). I hope what is said will inspire you, as it has a number of people.

You might be wondering how it is that the Buddhist monks in Burma are able to participate in anti government protests. Here is how.

On Sept. 18, monks in Mogok, upper Burma, gathered together at the Aungchanthar Monastery to decide whether or not to overturn their alms bowls: to declare a formal boycott of the country’s military regime, together with the rest of the Buddhist order — the Sangha — in response to a brutal attack on a group of their peers early in the month.

Burma’s Saffron Revolution

A chap who had been coming here regularly wrote an email to me today letting me know that:

Zen training is not for me and I have arranged to go to an ashram in India, travelling on the 23rd Oct. And further on in the email he wrote: I am not a religious man and prefer a practical hands on, spiritual approach. Something like, try everything deeply, until something fits deeply.

Here is part of my reply:

I find it interesting that you say I am not a religious man and prefer a hands on practical, spiritual approach. You know, I might have said that! I probably did say that on my application for my first introductory retreat, way back when. So what is the difference, (between being a religious man and a spiritually orientated one)? Is it to do with difficulties around so called organized religion? When I think about it we are, of all the schools of Buddhism, known for our ‘hands on practical approach’. Yes, and we certainly are organized too, however from where I sit life would be a shambles without it! Now the ‘religion’ part I can see how you might be struggling. Nothing is an obstacle in the end of course…

So for all the people who will be in flight soon, including my correspondent, here is a short scripture which I recite silently when taking off and landing:

Invocation for the Removal of Disasters
Adoration to all the Buddhas.
Adoration to the limitless teaching.
Peace! Speak! Blaze Up! Open!
To the glorious, peaceful One
For Whom there is no disaster,
Hail! Hail! Hail!

Zen is a Religion Thanks to RB for quoting Rev. Master Jiyu-Kennet on the subject of religion.