Uncategorised

Expectations and Appearances

5 Comments
I’m in Hexham on the weekly town trip. A parking space opens up opposite the library and I race in. First assignment; return two library books and check-out this weeks copy of the New Scientist for one of the senior monks. My coat pocket strikes up a jaunty tune and I dive for my mobile phone. “Reverend Mugo, sorry to bother you, have you been to Tesco’s”? “No” I answer honestly, while remembering I wasn’t due to go there anyway. “Could you pick up five heads of winter greens please”? “Sure”. Then I ask jovially, “What’s it worth”? Serious silence prevails from the monastery end of the conversation. I interject hurriedly, “Oh never mind about that I’ll get the greens. No problem”. I make a mental note to not tease or joke around with the novices, until they know me better.

Onwards to three banking assignments, a visit to the one and only haberdashery counter in the town for ribbon and elastic, Boots the Chemist for cough medicine and lozenges, then drop off a bag of clothing at a charity shop. Each assignment has a separate piece of paper with detailed instructions; the shop, what to buy, the brand name, the number of bottles or packages etc. Doing the town trip reminds me of tests we did in Girl Guides. Go to this map reference, head due north ten paces, look up and read message, “Go to nearby village, buy five heads of winter greens and cook them on camp fire. And be back by 5.00”!

I take a break for coffee and toasted tea cake before proceeding, not to Tesco but to the newly opened Waitrose. Haven of peace and plenty as it is, since most people are at Tesco’s! Lingering over coffee a booklet catches my eye, the word BALTIC stands out boldly. It’s a catalogue for a Centre for Contemporary Art, Gateshead Quays near Newcastle. Later, back in the monastery, I discover the centre was started by a congregation member, who is not a million miles away from here either. It’s a small world.

People are sometimes surprised that monks do, so called, worldly things. For example that a monk would carry a mobile phone, or that they would ‘dive’ for it. Would we be more likely to reach sloooowly and serenely into our well organized pocket, then press the right button first time? We would probably be thought not to joke around for sure!

Will the novice I spoke to doubt because I joked with her and she didn’t get it? Probably not. However doubt in the practice can set in as a consequence of such seemingly inconsequential events and events of great seriousness too. The arising of doubt and loss of faith, and their place in practice, is a worthy subject to take a look at…another time.

I hope you enjoyed shopping with me today. While everyday life may look ordinary, below the waves of activity the life is extra ordinary. If one is not swayed by appearances, or holding to expectations. This is not easy or simple, yet leads to deepening understanding.

Print Friendly, PDF & Email
Uncategorised

Keeping On Going On

3 Comments
I’m not sure how it could have got there. A squashed fly between pages 122 and 133, Day fifty three: to Annapurna Base Camp. It’s moving for heavens sake! A breeze from the window, the wind is up again tonight, causes the fly to quiver and shake on the page. I’m reminded of the image of a fly within the pages of Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind by Shunryu Suzuki. The meaning of the fly was lost on me at the time, and even now! Tomorrow I’ll deal with this desiccated fly.

But it’s the end of day fifty two, actually the entire day, that remains with me because the author clearly was close to giving up, but didn’t.

Wongchu wants one of the Sherpas to come and sit with me through the night, but I dissuade him, and, watched over by an inanimate but impressive array of tablets, tissues, ointments, creams and sprays, I close my eyes and wait.

The whole book, Himalaya by Michael Palin can be read on the Internet.

Print Friendly, PDF & Email
Uncategorised

Sub Zero Coffee

1 Comment

I was sent this via email today. Published now with permission.

I saw something this morning that either was pure optimism or really defined and said something about Albertans. With temperatures around -27 c as I passed Starbucks this morning they were setting up their patio chairs and tables outside and I know that when I go by there tonight on my way home they will be full. It had never struck me how unique this was ( I was going to say strange ) until today when I was talking to someone in Vancouver which is around the zero mark and they said it was so cold there were no patios open!

All a matter of perception apparently! Funny!

My thoughts are with those of you in Edmonton who continue to visit here.

Print Friendly, PDF & Email
Uncategorised

The Wonders of Water

2 Comments

Plunging my hands into a great vat of washing up water this evening I once again realize what a great blessing doing simple things can be. Just the familiarity of the pots and pans, the ladles, the brushes and worn out green scrubbers are balm, not to mention the water itself. All of these things add up to a sense of much appreciated groundedness in the midst of feeling somewhat disorientated.

Earlier in the day I’d had some routine eye tests and had drops to dilate my pupils. The effect takes quite a few hours to wear off and in the mean time the world is rendered mighty strange. I found myself thinking what it must be like to be a refugee. Disorientated, vulnerable, not able to trust ones experience of the world and to a greater or lesser extent, reliant upon others.

I remember somebody who was working to supply a refugee camp with water having to make a decision about the use of the water supply. To send it here, to provide showers or there to provide for some other need. I can’t remember the details so well. But I can imagine the joy of being able to have water, for what ever use.

We have a lot of water here at the moment, and high winds too. I’ll have a thought for those in the air and on the sea tonight.

Print Friendly, PDF & Email
Uncategorised

Signs of Good Health

3 Comments

Now then, did you ever wonder how medical people keep their sanity? Did you ever wonder how anybody in high pressure jobs keep their sanity? Take me for example. How do I manage to keep a sense of proportion in the midst of all that comes into the life of a priest. The answer is, among other things, blogging!

If you are in any doubt at all about the medical people take a look at The First Draft, a mediblogging project. Here several bloggers, probably upright and upstanding professionals in the medical world, write a paragraph in turn, coming up with a somewhat bonkers story. It makes compelling reading, all the while thinking, ‘I could be facing one of the authors across a consulting room desk’!

Somebody wrote me saying they appreciated the sense of fun coming through the writing here. While religious practice is deadly (there goes that word again) serious pointing as it does to realizing the cessation of suffering, there is room for laughter. Hopefully not at the expense of others. To do that would not be right.

Over there in the medical blogging world, which I have obviously been exploring of late, they are casting votes for various categories of medi blogs. I went over and cast my vote for our ER nurse, down-under.

Hah! I wonder what happened to the Buddhist blogger awards this year.

Print Friendly, PDF & Email

Practice Within The Order of Buddhist Contemplatives