Here is the Friday Offering…. This starts a story cycle that may be of interest…. I must hop, work is calling!
Bright Blessings,
Gwyllm
On The Menu:
The Links
Koan:Zen in a Beggar’s Life
Peters’ Pick For Friday – Kristi Stassinopoulou “The Secrets Of The Rocks”
The Isle Of Dogs Part 1
The Bus Ride: Random Small Act of Kindness Makes a Big Difference
William Blake: The Garden Of Love
Art:Edward John Poynter (British, 1836-1919)
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The Links:
Mammal rise ‘not linked’ to dinos
Map proves Portuguese discovered Australia: new book
Alien abductions:carbon monoxide poisoning
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Koan:Zen in a Beggar’s Life
Tosui was a well-known Zen teacher of his time. He had lived in several temples and taught in various provinces.
The last temple he visited accumulated so many adherents that Tosui told them he was going to quit the lecture business entirely. He advised them to disperse and to go wherever they desired. After that no one could find any trace of him.
Three years later one of his disciples discovered him living with some beggars under a bridge in Kyoto. He at one implored Tosui to teach him.
“If you can do as I do for even a couple of days, I might,” Tosui replied.
So the former disciple dressed as a beggar and spent a day with Tosui. The following day one of the beggars died. Tosui and his pupil carried the body off at midnight and buried it on a mountainside. After that they returned to their shelter under the bridge.
Tosui slept soundly the remainder of the night, but the disciple could not sleep. When morning came Tosui said: “We do not have to beg food today. Our dead friend has left some over there.” But the disciple was unable to eat a single bite of it.
“I have said you could not do as I,” concluded Tosui. “Get out of here and do not bother me again.”
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Peters’ Pick For Friday – Kristi Stassinopoulou “The Secrets Of The Rocks”
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The Isle Of Dogs – Gwyllm
When I first moved to London in 1977, I lived in Brixton, staying at a house not far off of Brixton High Road about 3 blocks from the Brixton Market. It was a commune, that had been going for many years. Several of the people had been there onto 10 years, so it was a well established house locally. The street was a mixture of Jamaicans, Counter Culture types, and Students.
The house came equipped with a cat known as Atom, who had sadly been launched out the window by the local kids when he was a kitten… (hoping to see him land on his feet) 2 stories down, the poor cat landed on his head. He was simple but sweet. Purred like a dynamo at any given time.
The kitchen was the centre of the hive, people fixing tea, smoking hash, making toast… drinking tea.
I came to the house through my friend Fizzle, who I had met in Los Angeles. She was good pals with Phil Lithman, who I had worked with on and off in L.A., throwing the idea of doing a band together for several months… it ended up in a few gigs, but we could never work much past rehearsing, smoking hash, rehearsing… I had met Phil at The Sidewalk Cafe in Venice. He was the roommate with a fellow waiter, Jay who was also a friend of mine…. One day out of the blue Phil asked me if I could sing. Saying yes, he figured we could do a band together. I thought it a bit of a crazy idea, but it was all good fun.
(Phil Lithman and his friend Angie)
Anyway, when Fizzle moved back to London she started working at Stiff Records. I think she got the job through Phil, as Phil was old chums with Jake Rivera, one of the co-founders of Stiff (‘If It Ain’t Stiff, It Ain’t Worth a F**k’ pure Rivera, that). Phil had a brain storm before I left to the UK, he thought that Jake would sign me immediately to Stiff Records with his recommendation and my pipes. So, that seemed like a winning idea.
Fizzle and I ran around London, catching Mink Deville at the Odeon if I remember rightly on their first British tour, with Dr. Feelgood (first show after Wilco Johnson had left) opening for them. On the way there… we were going down into the Tube Station at Brixton… when I had two Jamaican guys grab my arms from behind and another going for my wallet. Fizzle turned around staring is amazement, as some how I bluffed them into running by sticking my hand into my inner jacket as if I had a weapon in there. I guess it was a crazy idea, but it worked. Fizzle said it was dangerous to resist as I could of been stabbed. We hurried on laughing as we went. It was a great show. A good time.
Fizzle introduced me to Kings’ Road, and various haunts and pubs. Especially Pubs. A delight that I still enjoy to this day.
I stayed on for a couple of weeks at her place, dossed out on her floor until it became a bit uncomfortable for everyone, and I decided to move on so as not to be the guest who overstayed….
I had met some nice people over the time that I had been in London. I had made acquaintances with not a few musicians, and one of them heard about my housing plight, and offered his bands squat on ‘The Isle Of Dogs’.
Now you may ask what is the Isle Of Dogs? Now days it is a fairly posh area of London, with expensive Condominiums and the like. Back in 1977 it was everything but. Dockside, with old East India Warehouses, built out over the Thames. It had once been a solid working class neighborhood, but had been severely bombed during the Blitz. Now (1977) it had empty warehouses, with Squats springing up everywhere, seedy Pubs, seedier drug deals, and various forms of mutated human life that was present in London at that point. Lots of Art Students, Punks, Painters, and Communards. I felt right at home.
To Be Continued…..
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The Bus Ride: Random Small Act of Kindness Makes a Big Difference
by Sateesh Chirputkar
My Master initiated me for meditation a few years back. I always listen to our Master on topics of Meditation and those related to natural and simple living. When I attended an advanced course on meditation our Master told us to use our knowledge in practical day to day life. As usual, I started observing myself and I realized that Meditation has given me an awareness that I was only awake. The Master many times emphasized the need of Giving and Effortless Living. A small real life incident taught me another law of nature.
A few days ago I was at a bus stop in town during the evening. The bus came on time and I took the window seat. The bus route was by the seashore and I was enjoying the breeze while watching the sea waves. After a few minutes the bus made it’s next stop. A young boy and a girl entered the bus. They were standing left standing when the bus took off. I glanced at them curiously and realized that all the window seats were occupied. They could sit but not together. Suddenly a different wave passed through my body and my inner mind gave me the instruction to get up. I got up and offered them my seat. The young lady smiled affectionately and said thank you very much. I occupied the other seat and we parted our ways. I don’t remember whether I got off the bus before them or not.
Months passed by. Suddenly one day while I was standing at the same bus stop waiting sometime for the bus to arrive I heard a voice.
“Excuse me Uncle,” I glanced in the direction of the voice. It was a beautiful young charming lady.
Puzzled, I said, “I do not recognize you.”
She said, “But I do you. Do you remember you gave us your window seat?”
Puzzled, I said, “Maybe, but what is so great in that?
She said, “Uncle you simply acted like a God for me. Had you not given your seat on that day, perhaps I would have not sat with my friend. By sitting together it helped us bridge a misunderstanding that has been between us forever. Do you know we are getting married next month?”
“Good! God Bless both of you,” I replied.
The young lady again said thank you and went onto her journey. I realized the importance of Giving that day. I also realized that small things can create great happenings in life. This was a great lesson for me.
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William Blake: The Garden Of Love
“THE GARDEN OF LOVE”
I went to the Garden of Love,
And saw what I never had seen:
A Chapel was built in the midst,
Where I used to play on the green.
And the gates of this Chapel were shut,
And “Thou shalt not” writ over the door;
So I turn’d to the Garden of Love,
That so many sweet flowers bore,
And I saw it was filled with graves,
And tomb-stones where flowers should be:
And Priests in black gowns, were walking their rounds,
And binding with briars, my joys & desires.
1794
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“A Divine Image”
Cruelty has a human heart,
And Jealousy a human face;
Terror the human form divine,
And Secresy the human dress.
The human dress is forged iron,
The human form a fiery forge,
The human face a furnace sealed,
The human heart its hungry gorge.
—
“Ah Sunflower”
Ah Sunflower, weary of time,
Who countest the steps of the sun;
Seeking after that sweet golden clime
Where the traveller’s journey is done;
Where the Youth pined away with desire,
And the pale virgin shrouded in snow,
Arise from their graves, and aspire
Where my Sunflower wishes to go!
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“Earth’s Answer”
Earth raised up her head
From the darkness dread and drear,
Her light fled,
Stony, dread,
And her locks covered with grey despair.
“Prisoned on watery shore,
Starry jealousy does keep my den
Cold and hoar;
Weeping o’re,
I hear the father of the ancient men.
“Selfish father of men!
Cruel, jealous, selfish fear!
Can delight,
Chained in night,
The virgins of youth and morning bear?
“Does spring hide its joy,
When buds and blossoms grow?
Does the sower
Sow by night,
Or the plowman in darkness plough?
“Break this heavy chain,
That does freeze my bones around!
Selfish, vain,
Eternal bane,
That free love with bondage bound.”
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