Where Spirit Meets the Bone

From Crinkle Crag looking into the Langdale Valley
From Crinkle Crag looking into the Langdale Valley

Who knows what ‘wars’ were going on down in the valley on Sunday, much yelling going on. The Fells just carry on as usual in Autumn – being what they are.

Have compassion for everyone you meet
You do not know
what wars are going on
down there,
where the spirit meets the bone.

Lucinda Williams
Full lyrics on Brain Pickings. + YouTube link

Yes, once again this Sunday I was out on the fell-tops where indeed ‘spirit meets bone’! Do I need to say more?

Once, over twenty years ago now, I mentioned to Rev. Master (Jiyu-Kennett) I’d been up on a Tor on Dartmoor in Devon while back in England to visit my family. She paused and smiled and said ‘you like being up high don’t you’. To which I replied, ‘Yes’! Up on the South Downs was about as high as she would have probably reached. But who knows. What I saw in her was Mudita, sympathetic joy. She shared in my obvious love of being out, looking out, on the vast landscape. Sunday was the perfect day to sit quietly up high and allow the majesty.  A slight difficulty in my bones (ankle) a blessing, causing me to turn around before reaching Bowfell, the destination, and make a slow and careful descent, pausing lots.

My intention in sharing with you some of my ‘up high’ adventures is for you to join me in the joy.

Print Friendly, PDF & Email

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.