Land of Joy

Well, the retreat centre at Greenhaugh Hall, near Bellingham and not far from the current border with Scotland, lived up to its name over the weekend, what with the peaceful ambience, warm, dry weather, gentle teachings and friendly company ... a good opportunity to connect with like-minded folks from diverse backgrounds, exploring the very rich culture, philosophy and religion of Tibetan Buddhism ... the organisation behind this Place to Be is the Foundation for the Preservation of the Mahayana Tradition, with a world-wide membership ...  Land of Joy Retreat Centre is only three years old, the Victorian house and grounds, with walled garden, lily pond and over forty acres of woodland having been purchased through many donations, including one very substantial inheritance from a nun in the organisation ... the FPMT turns out to be a tolerant set-up, with a Tibetan flavour adopted by the mostly western supporters ... the key photos on display have the Dalai Lama in prime position, with his deceased student Lama Yeshe, referred to fondly as "Lama", and his living student Zopa Rinpoche, the current spiritual guiding light, in equal second place ... which reassuringly excludes the possibility of the tendentious New Kadampa cult, whose followers are active around Durham and Darlington ... readers interested in the controversy can investigate further and indeed it's a fascinating window on the world of organised religion in general and Mahayana Buddhism in particular ... its root seemingly the invocation of a dodgy deity, advised against by HHDL, and upheld by the NK cult leader ... subsequent behaviour of the rebellious guru and his deluded disciples appearing to embody the characteristics of Sugden, the dark deity, activities allegedly funded by the Chinese government, not content with having invaded Tibet and assumed political control, wanting to undermine HHDL's influence around the world ... economic and political sanctions often applied to governments according HH head of state status ... assassination plots spoken of, so far unsuccessful ... which is quite amazing and suggestive of powerful protection in place, though not necessarily from Sugden ... in an interesting parallel, a friend recently dabbled in the dark side by invoking Kali, a Hindu deity, with dramatic consequences ... on a psychological level we may benefit from confronting our dark side at some time, but it is an exercise best used cautiously, and if magic is involved, best left to magicians ...

Meanwhile, back at Land of Joy, trust in the universe is practised with a generosity model challenging the scarcity schema common in samsara ... the whole weekend offered without charge, bed, board, teachings, books, all of it ... guests given the opportunity to decide how much, if anything, they feel like offering ... a beautiful opportunity to practise abundance thinking and challenge our own relationships with the root of all evil. .. the place is run by volunteers, who say that the books are balancing nicely so far ... long may it flourish! 

As for the border with Scotland, that may become contentious again as the shall we shan't we drama plays out ... Scots much in favour of EU membership and many proposing reviving the independence from England referendum along with the DUK wide tide for another vote once the full implications of the current process are clearer ... latest political speculation suggesting a new party of the centre with the single issue of calling the divorce off attracting voters at a widely predicted General Election ... the crucifixion of the saintly J.C. is underway ... all very devious and polarising. .. keeping our minds in samsara and our lives less than joyful ...

The Buddhist path, which has many paths, continues to intrigue, and frequencies align more or less with folks drawn to them ... including those with early conditioning from Sikhism, Islam and Hinduism as well as the mainstream myth, albeit weakened, of Christianity,  with its own different paths ... however the point of the retreat from the daily life in Stanhope, already mostly a retreat, was not to join any path, but to connect with other human beings seeking truth ... plus some entertainment ... and joy, of course ...

Reaching out ...

Early walk before the resumption of rain, still welcome here, if not by those trapped indoors during the week and relying on weekend respite for vitamin D top-up ... FT offers some information beyond the sponsored feeds from FB ... rainy Sunday morning perfect for writing, what with blog and press release and leaflet promised for promotion of Community Garden ...

Yesterday, with sunshine and showers, sees a rare busy day of socialising ... a morning trip to Durham for the North-East Permaculture Convergence ... good to catch up with old friends from that world and to see a merger with Transition Towns, always attracting much the same list of characters ... a chance to share some thoughts on Community Gardens with others involved in similar projects, though, to be honest, none of the above really resonating and the energy of so many folks simultaneously speaking in five separate groups frazzling the brain, meaning a lunchtime escape to the silence ... before which an inspiring talk from Malcolm Green on an eco- village project in Cameroon offers great insights on community development challenges in Africa as well as the yearning of young men to experience Europe ... anyway, you can find out more on their website www.betterworld-cameroon.com ...

The evening event in the Church Hall was the barbecue, indoors due to the rain, and some chat with friends in the community for a while ... community garden apparently attracting support from local colonial outpost of the Council ... a mixed blessing, since small amounts of cash are usually followed by large amounts of paperwork and advice ... let's see how that turns out!

Back at the retreat cottage and currently home, friendly new neighbours arrive, with four children and three dogs, bringing youthful energy to the place ... looking like a weekend and holiday base for now ... as for more tranquil retreats, the Land of Joy calls on Friday and lasts until Monday ... a Buddhist Place to Be in North Northumberland, it awaits reports next week as to whether it lives up to the inspired name ... though,of course, that rather depends on the retreatants rather than the place itself ... the already known Barn at Sharpham tempting with a week at the end of September, maybe combined with Brockwood, before escape to Tavira and next stage of dental work ...

Hyperbollox

It has been reported that English folks tend to enjoy understatement in comparison to an American preference for hyperbole ... mass media in both places, however, stretch the credulity of the gullible with their stories of doom and gloom ... weather in Little Britain, previously known as the Disunited Kingdom, currently swings from savage blasts of sweltering heat to torrential downpours, the message being "stay indoors and keep watching the telly, drinking beer, cheering football teams, cheering or jeering politicians, depending on your opinion, created by a combination of your pre-programmed predilections and current dramas" ... and before leaving the mistaken impression that "American" means inhabitants of the U.S.A. , indeed a lazy and misleading usage, profuse apologies to Canadians, and inhabitants of Central and South America ... meanwhile, in Stanhope, the weather has been a little warm and yesterday's thunderstorm provided a welcome respite, not least for the thirsty land ...

The village provides an outdoor heated swimming pool for exercise and cooling off, thanks to sterling voluntary effort ... a great resource for locals and holidaymakers alike ... old-timers recall a more remote, natural pool up in the hills, before the facility appeared, and since water free from chlorine and urine and location free from crowds is preferred, a walk through the woods and along a tricky trail is rewarded with water deep enough to swim in, warmed by a series of limestone pavements the stream crosses along the way ...

Meanwhile, preposterous politics persist, popping up in FB feed, since advertising is a major source of revenue for the corporate giant of social media, along with data gathering for onward sale to those entities wishing to find new ways to brainwash us ... a compelling interview with Noam Chomsky suggests the "Trump" role is a deliberate distraction from a behind the scenes plot to deconstruct the state and its regulatory functions ... in Little Britain the drama is about breaking free from the clutches of the pesky Europeans (as if L.B. was somehow not in Europe), whilst dire economic consequences are predicted ... indeed already fruit and vegetables are rotting in the ground as Eastern European pickers, finding the hospitality strained, seek friendlier countries ... the jobs opened up to native Britons mostly declined ... all leading to the strong possibility that the process will lead nowhere, Brits will continue to enjoy freedom of movement in the rest of Europe, whilst behind the scenes deconstruction of the state has passed less noticed ... let's see!

In the relative reality of local life, wild raspberries are picked, elderberries and blackberries ripen, mushrooms await their turn, community projects develop, friendly folks stop for conversation, and a kinder world evolves ... and whether or not the little cottage in Stanhope can be called a retreat or just a shelter to be sometimes shared, it is surely the Place to Be just now ...

Stanhope Summer

Writers need holidays too, and since "writer" has been accepted as one of the facets of the rather complex organism known as "me", where better to take a break from writing than Stanhope in summer?

However, the muse resumes, prompted by the editor, who appears to enjoy the ramblings, offers occasional suggestions and generally plays the roles of "reader", "editor" and friend, along with "retired radical", "gardener", "bon viveur" and others better known to him"self" ...

The house is finding its own role, apart from shelter for the writer, as mini-retreat for guests in the gift economy ... and in this version of that concept, where each of us, taking a human incarnation, arrives with a gift, or maybe gifts, for the world(s) ... our choice is: to notice the gift and offer it; to notice it, commoditise it and sell it; or ignore it and pursue inauthentic paths prescribed by parents and other societal influences ... option two, a controversial topic in the so-called spiritual sphere, has the obvious disadvantage of changing the nature of the gift, since, by definition, a gift is no longer a gift if sold and not given ... and having spent a lot of energy examining the nature of money and its toxic potential, radical action is required to subvert its current absurdity, where ones and zeros on computers represent "money", any relation to an equitable exchange of value (my ten cabbages for your sack of spuds) has disappeared and the whole illusion is held in place by a hypnotised populace and armed police and other agents of the entities running the show .... whoever "they" may be ... possibly just aspects of "us" exaggerated? Or visitors from other dimensions, planets ...? Option three passes for "normal" and leads to all sorts of problems in the psyche, individual and collective ... as Alan Watts and many others have advised, "Do what you love, the universe takes care of the details" ... having the courage, which is the wisdom of the heart, to live this truth is not always easy ... and paradoxically, when in that flow, life seems to be living itself somehow ... trying to understand it with the fear infected mind too often the constant misguided companion ...

Anyway, visitors have arrived and enjoyed the simple comforts and surrounding delights, near and a little further, on foot and car assisted ... from the Land of the Free, sometimes known as Trumpistan, from Brockwood and the editor himself, on a visit from his summer retreat in France ... renovations still required, though all facilities are operational and since visits are priceless a few cosmetic changes may be excused ... yellow bathroom furniture apparently not as trendy as when first fitted ... solid fuel central heating, whilst cosy, rather labour intensive and climate unfriendly ...

As for the complications ensuing from the return to house and car ownership, they are seen as grist for the mill ... the free, wandering life a retreat and moving meditation ... re-engaging with community another practice along with the trickier task of more intimate interbeing ...

The library, in its third iteration, grows ... a boxful of books from Brockwood filling current shelf space ... recent trip to Findhorn adding the weird and wonderful Nature spirituality of Dorothy Maclean and Ogilvie Crombie ... who knows which book may spark with visitors, provide a piece of the jigsaw?

Since retirement is mostly one long holiday, a holiday from the holiday turns out to be a week at Brockwood as a volunteer, working to free the organic vegetables from unwanted competitors, otherwise known as "weeds" ... quite hard work in the sun, itself a good thing to experience briefly ... father's Protestant Work Ethic having been long resisted ... the fellowship of folks from around the world and different generations a real joy ... being part of the week-long bonding process fascinating and rewarding ... car enabling brief reunion with nearby friend and lover from another time ...

Meanwhile, the large and tempting house on Front Street, having replaced the "For Sale" sign with one saying "Sold" ... a small surprise met with equanimity ... quickly reverts to the previous status, raising the question of whether there is any energy out there for this dream of A Place to Be in the middle of Stanhope ...

Black and White (Pink)

Language has this mysterious power of posing as neutral, objective, symbols to describe what we want to discuss ... so, if we want to discuss power we had better start by examining assumptions about language ... and while we're at it, why not start with another key illusion in this 3D world, opposites, through which stories are created and often conflict, when humans identify emotionally with one pole, projecting value judgements of "good", "worthy" onto it, whilst vilifying its opposite pole, which we may label "evil", "unworthy" ... this starts, it seems, inside the psyche of each individual and when pathological comes into the field of psychology ... since internal conflict is unhealthy and the basis for a lack of ease or dis-ease ... as the thought generated battles rage other levels kick in, notably the chemical, and it is at this level that psychological interventions often start, treating symptoms ... sometimes helpfully, when the pain is too much, oftentimes less so, leading to a lifetime of drug dependency ... which is true for legally prescribed drugs, legal and optional drugs, including alcohol, as well as currently proscribed drugs ...

Opposites may also be called paradoxes. .. opposite suggestive of conflict, paradox not ... in the exploration of paradox comes the opportunity to transcend the polarity ... which was seen beautifully one day after several hours wandering the fells over Stanhope, when thinking fell away and perhaps the perfect paradox presented itself: You are the centre of the universe; at the same time, on a cosmic scale, nothing, and, since all is connected, everything ... examining this is to see the chance to play with life and be unafraid of death, another paradox which is described in previous pages, during a timeless trip with the sea ...

Picking up the title of today's blog, at societal level, apparent opposites of black and white play out ... black sometimes used as a negative, a word itself in need of examination, since positive and negative poles need not necessarily carry value judgements ... yin and yang, at another level, simply try to describe balance between darkness and light ... so, it is clear, that deep in the language, there is an emotional response available ...

An ongoing theme of human evolution is racial differentiation. ..the mechanism for this requires research, though a simplified version suggests skin colour is an adaptation to Sun intensity ... lazy language, wrapped up in historical power, has broad categories of who is called white and who black ... and interestingly, while black is constantly shifting as a word describing Afro-Caribbean races, often in an attempt to ameliorate the embedded bias ... coloured, people of colour and so on, white, whilst no more accurate as an objective adjective, is rarely challenged ... perhaps it would be helpful, whilst we still insist on such arbitrary separation, to say pink instead, possibly provocative and having the benefit of pricking macho pomposity at the same time ... Pink Supremacy, Make America Pink Again and other slogans subtly subvert the power appropriated by certain groups ... seeking security against the imagined dangers of  non-pink people ... amusingly many pink folks spend an inordinate amount of time and money trying to make the skin darker, whether through sunbathing or the quicker fix of spray tanning ... the former method, in moderation, does have the added benefit of Vitamin D ...

Over on the media of mass destruction front, tiring of the liberal line of the Guardian and the Observer, and reluctant to dive into the more rabid rags, which anyway pop up in social media as sponsored pieces just in case their focus on football, sex and fear goes out of fashion... of the weather or non-pink people ... a pink paper draws the attention for a peek at the version of reality written for rich folks ... the FT Weekend ... or Financial Times as it is better known ... plenty to read and maybe a little more truth, since the readership is mostly bought off by the current system, though some of the advertising beggars belief ... hugely expensive trinkets for mostly pink people, albeit tanned,with more money than sense ... indeed, one of the glossy supplements is titled "How to Spend It" ... including secluded getaways in Caribbean paradises, served unlikely cocktails by grateful non-pink locals ... psychological health issues not only an issue for poor folks ... ready access to alcohol and other drugs along with expensive rehab clinics all part of the drama of having too much in a crazy world where others die of hunger ...

Anyway, back to the language theme, here is a chance, having perceived part of the problem, to promote a solution ... and whilst paying too much attention to what we dislike only energises it, playing with words and adjusting their usage may help ... worth a try?

More mundanity ... a little heresy ... humanity and divinity ...

Having returned to the cottage in Stanhope ready to share it as a mini retreat centre, impending visitors delay renovations, though maybe lack of enthusiasm is playing a part too ... and since a car is required for the first visit, a few days are spent researching the possibilities along with attendant role playing from used car salesmen ... the car chosen comes from the local firm with an ethical reputation, even if the car itself was not the first choice ... anyway, it is blue, which is the main thing ... psyche is examined for any attachment to this new acquisition and there is none, as with the house ...it seems that the integration of no-self prevents the operation of "me" and therefore "mine", which is a liberation ... letting go of stuff has been done before and may be done again ... meanwhile house and car enable enhanced interaction with other humans, which seems a helpful stage, since solitude is seductive and maybe itself an attachment.

Meanwhile the growing library has new additions from David Bohm ... the optimistic "Quantum Theory", hopefully of use to visitors with some knowledge of mathematics and physics, and the philosophical work, "Thought as a System", which examines the ways thought leads to actions and eventually to a world which no sane individual or society would design ... pointing to "The Limits of Thought", co-authored with K ... and the problems inherent in processing incoming data through a conditioned brain ... or, as Bohm puts it:

" ... thought takes sense perception, among other things, as the source of its information; and it says that sense perception is unaffected by thought - that it is just telling you something. And thought will then proceed from there. But it may turn out that the perception has already been affected by thought, and that thought is thus taking something it has done as being a fact independent of thought."

This phenomenon was seen after a retreat at Findhorn some years ago, when, in an elevated state, visions appeared in the form of Christian symbols ... being more interested in Buddha at the time, mind protested ... two possible interpretations seem to be: the Christian fundamentalists are right after all and Jesus is indeed the one true path; a lifetime of steady conditioning has clogged the deeper layers of the brain to produce sub-conscious images ... take your pick! Or add your own interpretation ...

Reflecting on the pervasive nature of the Christian story, a brief foray into the history of calendars shows many alternative ways to measure world or human time, mostly religious and some still used in religious contexts ... however, in the current secular world time is measured from 2018 years ago, which, however you tell it to soothe non-Christian sensitivities, was the supposed incarnation of Christ ... 

Since the day is warm and sunny and free until four, when some envelopes need stuffing with next month's schedule for Wheels to Meals ... a task shared with Gillian who holds the project together, defending wherever possible against any attempts to measure it or ration it ... an angel in the community, a Christian of the Methodist non-conformist tendency, whose Minister likes to evangelize, though that's not Gillian's style ... Churches and Chapels, as elsewhere in the DUK, closing for want of customers ... some finding other uses ...

So, up the hill it is, in shorts and t-shirt, cooling breeze blowing, ground nesting birds twittering to distract predators, gorse filling the nostrils with long remembered aromas, uplifting views all round ... legs glad of the outing, keeping in trim for future adventures ... in harmony with Nature ... divine!

A quick peek at the mundane world ...

Sun is up early in May and options for Sunday included a "news" paper, to keep in awareness what lots of people think is going on ... a liberal source is chosen, since some have become so rabid as to be beyond belief ... unless the conditioning has prepared the ground for such utter rubbish, of course, and if we harbour any lingering resentment at folks not like us, then a little manure makes the prejudices flourish ... The Observer is careful to avoid offending racial, gender, sexual orientation sensitivities, though not beyond a little sneering at those deemed less sophisticated or intelligent ... perhaps forgetting the insight of quantum physics that the observer is not separate from the observed ... objective observation, therefore, a fallacy ... the sneerer and the sneered at connected and maybe, switching to Jungian psychology as a frame, that which we react against is often lurking in the dark recesses of our psyches ... clearing out those corners our contribution to a kinder sneer-free world ...

Meanwhile, in the realm of bread and circuses, the British Royal Family is rolling out another diversion, with a contemporary plot, as the younger son of the murdered Princess and her dashing soldier lover, having been incorporated into the Family without any embarrassing checks on bloodline, is to marry an American actress, ironically carrying the kind of racial blood considered too dark for Diana's last and unborn child ... presented as a progressive move by the liberal press, though enough blue blood heirs are deemed to be in place to avoid a dark skinned King on the throne ... these ancient stories persisting whilst the media draws attention to them, schools comply by inviting children to dress in red, white and blue today, live tv covers the pageant ... in Weardale, the wonderfully eccentric editor of the local newspaper and owner of the world's largest collection of memorabilia on the British monarchy, all in the best possible taste, becomes a celebrity on U.S. tv, joining in the revelry ...

In dreams I fly, though when others join the dream and attempts are made to fly high, perhaps to impress, it's hard to rise more than a few feet from the ground ... any dream interpreting readers welcome to let us know what that means ... once flying entailed running off a cliff, now vertical take off works, using the arms as wings ... other dreams are hanging around on the Camino, loath to leave ... though waking consciousness has adjusted well enough ... a spell of sunny weather helping, along with welcoming words from folks in the community ... a couple of trips out with the elders re-establishing routines ...

The small front lawn is sacrificed for flowers and vegetables, a good time for sowing and planting to supplement Nature's bounty in the woods and hedgerows. .. renovations on hold for now ... no point risking an upside down house just as a visitor arrives ... which raises the question of a car, needed for airport trips and outings to remote spots where public transport doesn't venture ... or not in a reasonable timescale anyway ... to rent or to buy? Easy Car has a platform for brokering personal vehicles, so maybe that's the way to go. .. detracting from simplicity somewhat, though adding convenience ... two buses to Newcastle and three back to have lunch with younger daughter an interesting way to spend yesterday ... direct buses run on Wednesdays and Saturdays in case you were wondering ...

As royal wedding fever takes over the media, polarised positions are taken ... proud to be British monarchists enjoying the spectacle, rabid republicans add their energy by raging against the soap opera ... not realising that ignoring what they don't want is much more effective than giving it attention ... a similar opportunity arises soon as the unlikely President of our closest ally arrives to meet the Queen ... the caricature presenting a mirror to the US people playing a brilliant part in the drama of a decadent empire ...

Well, that's the long overdue post dear readers ... not inclined to write for the sake of it and the daily life of the Camino always seems more conducive to blogging ... luckily you have the monarchical madness to compensate. ...