Silent Sunday
Saturday … I resign!
This week I had to make a decision; should I go or should I stay? It was not easy; at the time there was not a clear cut answer.
I have been a working as a volunteer in a small academic library in southern Spain. For the last 7 years, and it has become my project and part of my life. I spent my entire annual leave at the Institute; at Christmas, Easter and Summer leaving my family at significant times to work in the library. I felt responsible to the library, students and the teachers; I worked diligently as all the teachers without pay. I would be a liar to say I enjoyed every moment; it was hard work, the conditions not always comfortable and the internet connection was in the beginning very unstable. Nonetheless, the disadvantages were outweighed 100% by the joys, friendships and end result; I would go home happy.
Sadly, for reasons unknown to me, and they still remain a mystery, the management structure changed and there was unrest among the staff; and some personnel cuts were made. To me they seemed undemocratic, unfair and cruel. While my role was not affected, my alliance was linked with those who had been so ungraciously dismissed and in my opinion without grounds.
Up ‘til now I had remained neutral serving the students and the staff, and my colleagues recommended I stayed if only to maintain the very important library and the students who should remain untouched by management unrest.
However since returning this summer for my regular two week stretch, I learned that the the Library was no longer a haven in the political unrest and the students were also taking sides; explicitly or implicitly putting me in a vulnerable situation. I soon knew that I too would have to make my opinions known and therefore putting a nail in my coffin and maybe an uncomfortable dismissal. However, without friendly support and aware of the unprofessional stand, making my resignation was not going to made easy. I went to great lengths to speak with the only representative of the management team on site only to be thwarted by his wife, spitefully on three occasions.
While I was able to deliver my note of resignation it was undignified and not as I hoped.
There is a point to this outburst; I wish to remain, grateful to those who had it possible for me to hold my position in the ITAS library; for the support, motivation and kindness shown. I am also happy that I have done a good job.
Friday’s library snapshot …
This little library here at Karma Guen was founded about 10 years ago with handful of books collected over the few years by a small group of Buddhists who had a dream to set up an Institute of Asian studies. Now it has grown to accomodate of the function of ITAS with almost 4000 books including many pechas. It has now outgrown the original building and is to be rehoused soon. These few pictures are quite unique because the ‘text room’ is ‘out of bounds’ simply because there is no room.
So the books are kept a quiet seclusion; the beating heart of Buddhist knowledge written in nearly every tongue, genre and from any position, lineage and discipline. Although most of the books are of an academic nature and for the study of Tibetan Buddhism and its language ; there are other items of literature relating to other Asian ‘religions’ and culture.
The new library building is under construction; but when completed it will become part of the Buddhist retreat, where it is housed, a vibrant resource for many students not just of Buddhist studies but those on a personal spiritual/religious discovery.
Alphabe Thursday … O is for Om
This week I have spoken of meditation and the use of a mantra to retain ‘focus.’ When meditating one hopes to find the absolute truth and us lesser mortals will go to great lengths to maintain one moment.
‘Om mani padme hum’ is such a mantra’ it is six Sanskrit syllables meaning jewel [of] the lotus flower; a epithet of Buddha. It might seem a bit of a tongue twister at first but once mastered it will roll off the tongue and when repeated many times one can achieve some sort of peace.
As we become more able to sit in meditation pose and focus also on the the four armed Chenrizig; the Bodhisattva of compassion then the mantra becomes more powerful and beneficial.
Wednesday’s goddess
In the library we have a new tanka, a beautiful painting of the white Tara … she has replaced the Green Tara, who has graced our wall for a few years, and now needs a little repair. She has watched over us well and she is my favoured goddess and in honour I found some lovely images and a short quote that suits her well.
The feminine energies of the Buddhist pantheon are epitomised in the radiant forms of the goddess Tara. Whose loving kindness radiates outward to lead a beings from worldly and spiritual peril. Green Tara’s colour represents a blending of white, blue and yellow ; colours that symbolise ; peace , growth and destruction. In her role as a saviour, Green Tara is said to protect beings from the ‘eight great terrors.’
Sited in the text Protection from the eight perils the 7th century Buddhist scholar Chandragomin expressed his devotion to the omnipresent goddess:-
Entering upon the road I see you, hand and feet reddened by the blood of a slain elephant. Upon the road I think of you, a lion trampled beneath your feet; thus I pass through a thick-grown impassable forest. Those who do not stop for an instant on their path of killing, wandering with the roaring sound of the host of bees flying at a cheek of fragrant intoxicating liquor; O Tara even they are conquered and bow before you.
A fire blazing as if the firmament were kindled by the wind’s great power at the dissolution of the world; even that will be calmed if a city should call out your name.
Entering upon the road linking and bending through the mountains, through the ravines and valleys, I see you wandering the road.
I think of Tara greater than the strength of serpents and their poison conquered and turned against them.
Entering upon the road where robbers bear aloft their weapons, I think of them trampled beneath the feet of Tara and with that power I go swiftly and joyfully to my home.
A wise man in daily prayer, bound, captive imprisoned by all the lords of this earth; need but think of the feet of Tara and instantly his bounds burst in a hundred pieces.
Though the seas rise clamorously upward as high as the abode of Brahma, your body, the terror of the sea monster, as in a boat in the midst thereof, by thinking of Tara I lose all fear.
A vampire, his body brown-haired, dark as colyrium, bound by his very sinews to hunger and thirst, delighting in the slaughter of men, even he is conquered by the thought of your lotus feet.
As a mother protects her child, so the cosmic mother Green Tara shelters all beings in her loving embrace. Green Tara is our spiritual insurance against harm and ill will.
Images from Celestial Gallery by Romio Shrestha ; text by Ian A Baker ; foreword by Deepak Chopra and afterword by Robert A F Thurman.
Weekly photo Challenge … Focus
This week my posts have a Buddhist/Spanish theme that I pleased about because that is where I am at the moment. I am among many meditators from all corners of Europe. Even though we are all Buddhists, and some from the same lineage and often the same teacher. When it comes to meditation and its focus for each of us the experience is as varied as grains of sand on the beach. None is right or wrong; just different. Some for instance will gaze upon a candle, others a spot on the wall, a mantra and some can focus on their third eye; an imagined eye between the eyebrows. With eyes softly closed, looking downwards,the meditator will attempt to maintain a clear mind. To find some clarity, space or truth on which to conduct his or her life. Of course this will not happen after a few sittings, for some it will not happen in a lifetime of acting and taking on the pose of Shakyamuni himself.
Meanwhile me while I am imbued with the theory and methods here at Karma Guen and often sitting in meditation pose I am still fighting with shopping lists, domestic unrest and work issues and my focus wobbles; so enlightenment for me this week is not likely.
Monday; after the Sunday stroll …
Arrived late on Saturday evening. So slept late on Sunday my usual walk planned, was rather later and warmer than I expected. So I took gentler stroll just before lunch; scrambling among the rocks and dry soil to find some little jewels.
As I sent this I added a picture taken this morning from the library window; the surrounding hills are dried and golden the few olive trees are a welcome emerald green ( Oh there is a poem here?. Also I am not in prison … but this is a view from my desk at 8 am.
Silent Sunday
Happy Holiday Weekend …
Today I am going to Spain to work in the library at Karma Guen for a Summer Course and staff meeting. I having been going two or three times a year for about seven years. Although these last two years it has been more difficult since we have been to Brazil as well. So there will be plenty to do and I am looking forward to catching up with good friends. I am hoping to post daily using materials from the library and images from around Karma Guen.
My heartfelt plea is that the internet and or Wifi will be kind.
Friday’s library snapshot with a holiday feel!
I am originally from the south coast of England; as child we sailed to and from the Isle of Wight. We even sailed round it and on one occasion we bypassed it and sailed to France. So when I saw this in the library I was keen to see whether Barbara Jones had captured the island as I remembered 50 years. ago.
According to the dust jacket; (my copy has one I am delighted to say) ‘The Isle of Wight is the Victorian Paradise of England. The mid-nineteenth century was its heyday, when Osborne House was built and it became one of the favourite residences of the Royal couple and when the warm health resorts on the coast received their ornate cottages, chalets and Italianate villas. Mrs Barbara Jones who for several years had taken a special interest in picturesque Victoriana has here described and painted this peculiar flavour of the Isle of Wight. The text and paintings were done especially for King Penguin Books.
I smiled as I read this because only someone who hadn’t been to the island would describe the portrayal as ‘peculiar’. I have been there many times, as a child and I have taken my children there since. And the Isle of Wight is odd, it is in a peculiar time warp and the pictures still stand as a fair representation.
Barbara Jones (1912-1978) studied Mural Decoration at the Royal College of Art. During the Second World War she was associated with the Recording Britain Project of the Pilgrim Trust. She produced striking murals for the post-war Britain Can Make It exhibition 1946, for the Festival of Britain 1951, for the P&O passenger liners and for hotels restaurants, exhibitions and schools. She also made designs for the children’s television series;the Woodentops. Most of her works;because of their nature did not survive.
However many books containing her artwork remain; as dust jackets and illustrations.
While Barbara Jones remained ‘less famous’ her contemporaries and a notable group of the Royal College of Art were John Piper, Edward Bawden, Eric Ravilious and Edward Ardizzone who became better known.
Coat Hanger Doll's House 