Rohan Chalmers's Blog, page 2
October 29, 2011
Computised Utopia and the Land of Lost Souls
{Before the end, the humans had become removed from nature and became dependent on the fabrication of material objects. One mechanical creation in particular played a major part in their Armageddon. An object called a computer. In its infancy, this tool appeared to be a major asset to the human race. The transfer of information between people was able to occur very quickly, leaving no borders or boundaries to separate people. It also allowed many options for entertainment. But with time, the humans’ dissatisfaction with the real world gradually gave way to a merging of fact with fiction, where eventually fiction became the reality for many people.}
This paragraph from the book, ‘I Maya’, becomes an introduction to a description of what Maya communicates while in hiding from Evil, that evil that finally was able to manipulate the world into it’s own self destruction.
She will learn that the evolution for humans allowed for both parallel positive and negative paths. In Maya’s world evolution utilised intuitive instincts along with the the development of organic, and more passive technologies rather than those of the industrialised, mechanical world that we live in today. We have evolved through our technological and monolithic religous history to believe we are on a higher lever than the natural world and her laws and that she was something that could be controlled.
Maya learns that humans grew to be over reliant on material objects, and continued to be constantly manipulated by the media and corperations who were successful in moulding them into the type of consumers that these corporations allied with the govenments wanted them to be.
We have developed to become hybrid manifestations of fads and kitch, where the ‘use by dates’ on material objects becomes ever shorter compelling us to buy the latest gadgets which we are led to believe will somehow bring about a personal Utopia that each individual seeks.
Maya uses the word ‘dissatisfaction’ brought about by the over reliance on material culture which leaves the soul starved. The need for we humans to be entertained is something that she will learn to understand as the story develops. Entertainment became the subsitute which distracted humans from the basic realities and simplicities of life where once upon a time ancient wisdom allowed them insight into the richness of meaning and a sense of purpose. It also allows for governments to have breathing space from addressing real concerns of the people that would end up being extremely costly.
What was left in late earths history were hungry souls, where personal cultural identity, a personal sense of ones own history, and the sense of spirutuality in whatever form that may have taken were eroded away and replaced with the hunger for immediate sense gratification.
Maya writes for a possible listener that the computer has its positive functions, the fast global transfer of knowledge became crucial in feeding information in real time of global events that effected them all. This now becomes especially relevent at this time of because of the global discontent where the people in many countries are saying enough to the companies and bankers who have been moulding and manipulating their lives for so long.
The negative consequence of computers and networking has resulted in the death of privacy. The next stage on the minds of the controllers after knowing all about you will be how to re-shape your reality, to gradually take you away from where you are now, to take you to a place that the new corperations create where they can continue to develop ways to gain complete control of you. Once they have taken you to that point you wont mind anymore because you will be conditioned to believe that this is what you have always been searching for. You may be already there now!
Our current form of capitalism can’t be connected with that sweeping word called ‘freedom’, Capitalism in the current form has always enslaved the Western World and the worlds they dominated through making them hungry for more and more material objects.
Protesting is one thing but bringing about positive change for creating a positive future will be another. Once you have the taste for many material objects, it can be difficult to reduce them. One persons idea of having enough to be happy is another persons idea of excess.
To find balance in a more equal world for all would require the end of private ownership of large companies and a mild and user friendly form of International Socialism along with a growing sense and re-connecting with a personal spirituality that can encompass all the ingredients for mutual co-existance which has alluded us so far in our history.
I can imagine a future with more localised Co-operatives, a growth in Vegitarianism resulting from environmental and economic concerns manisfesting itself in the creation of a more passive society; a world where one’s local village will be of more importance than a global economy that dictates that one system can work for all; where trade occurs in local currencies rather than a global mono monetry system that once again enslave the masses to support a wealthy few.
Without this revolutionary/evolutionary outlook, the current protests only become fads themselves. In this scenario, the great orators that sustain control through rhetoric with no substance, the leaders who align themselves with the 1% that supply the finances to keep them in those position of power, these people will then have written the future as described by Maya in the book and as the Roman leaders knew themselves, if the mob can be continuely entertained, they can be distracted from the real issues effecting them, issues for which we would need to finance heavily.
This paragraph from the book, ‘I Maya’, becomes an introduction to a description of what Maya communicates while in hiding from Evil, that evil that finally was able to manipulate the world into it’s own self destruction.
She will learn that the evolution for humans allowed for both parallel positive and negative paths. In Maya’s world evolution utilised intuitive instincts along with the the development of organic, and more passive technologies rather than those of the industrialised, mechanical world that we live in today. We have evolved through our technological and monolithic religous history to believe we are on a higher lever than the natural world and her laws and that she was something that could be controlled.
Maya learns that humans grew to be over reliant on material objects, and continued to be constantly manipulated by the media and corperations who were successful in moulding them into the type of consumers that these corporations allied with the govenments wanted them to be.
We have developed to become hybrid manifestations of fads and kitch, where the ‘use by dates’ on material objects becomes ever shorter compelling us to buy the latest gadgets which we are led to believe will somehow bring about a personal Utopia that each individual seeks.
Maya uses the word ‘dissatisfaction’ brought about by the over reliance on material culture which leaves the soul starved. The need for we humans to be entertained is something that she will learn to understand as the story develops. Entertainment became the subsitute which distracted humans from the basic realities and simplicities of life where once upon a time ancient wisdom allowed them insight into the richness of meaning and a sense of purpose. It also allows for governments to have breathing space from addressing real concerns of the people that would end up being extremely costly.
What was left in late earths history were hungry souls, where personal cultural identity, a personal sense of ones own history, and the sense of spirutuality in whatever form that may have taken were eroded away and replaced with the hunger for immediate sense gratification.
Maya writes for a possible listener that the computer has its positive functions, the fast global transfer of knowledge became crucial in feeding information in real time of global events that effected them all. This now becomes especially relevent at this time of because of the global discontent where the people in many countries are saying enough to the companies and bankers who have been moulding and manipulating their lives for so long.
The negative consequence of computers and networking has resulted in the death of privacy. The next stage on the minds of the controllers after knowing all about you will be how to re-shape your reality, to gradually take you away from where you are now, to take you to a place that the new corperations create where they can continue to develop ways to gain complete control of you. Once they have taken you to that point you wont mind anymore because you will be conditioned to believe that this is what you have always been searching for. You may be already there now!
Our current form of capitalism can’t be connected with that sweeping word called ‘freedom’, Capitalism in the current form has always enslaved the Western World and the worlds they dominated through making them hungry for more and more material objects.
Protesting is one thing but bringing about positive change for creating a positive future will be another. Once you have the taste for many material objects, it can be difficult to reduce them. One persons idea of having enough to be happy is another persons idea of excess.
To find balance in a more equal world for all would require the end of private ownership of large companies and a mild and user friendly form of International Socialism along with a growing sense and re-connecting with a personal spirituality that can encompass all the ingredients for mutual co-existance which has alluded us so far in our history.
I can imagine a future with more localised Co-operatives, a growth in Vegitarianism resulting from environmental and economic concerns manisfesting itself in the creation of a more passive society; a world where one’s local village will be of more importance than a global economy that dictates that one system can work for all; where trade occurs in local currencies rather than a global mono monetry system that once again enslave the masses to support a wealthy few.
Without this revolutionary/evolutionary outlook, the current protests only become fads themselves. In this scenario, the great orators that sustain control through rhetoric with no substance, the leaders who align themselves with the 1% that supply the finances to keep them in those position of power, these people will then have written the future as described by Maya in the book and as the Roman leaders knew themselves, if the mob can be continuely entertained, they can be distracted from the real issues effecting them, issues for which we would need to finance heavily.
September 16, 2011
Water Taxis and the Trinity of Buddhism
‘The only moment he felt any connection with this alien world was when he spotted on his journey a group of young saffron robed monks waiting for a water taxi on the riverside. How they contrasted in their tranquility with the chaos that surrounded them, he thought. He felt a sense of kinship with them; even though they were grounded in the Theravada tradition, which was more canon-based and literal, in contrast to his somewhat more mystical understanding and practice in Tibetan Buddhism; that sense of oneness still existed’.
One of the images I remember well from a trip to Bangkok in 2000, was the sight of the saffron robed monks lined up quietly being occupied by practicing being aware of the present, or reading something from a Buddhist Text.
Their silence and vision of peace contrasted with the fast pace of the taxis zooming up and down the river. This image posed as a reminder about finding poise and point of reference in every moment, regardless of how turbulent it may appear; not necessarily an easy state to always obtain and to hold onto for longer periods of time but the benefits of learning to do so are boundless.
One example is being able to think clearly in the midst of a chaotic or stressful situation. It’s not about being separate and dislocated from the negative situation; it’s about a heightened sense of awareness that give you an inner strength to cope with it.
The same can be said of pain. The next time you feel pain, attempt to enter the pain calmly and rather than attempting to avoid it. You may with practice develop the ability to self manage it rather than relying on drugs to cover it up.
In the second half of this extract, Rinpoche makes the observation that he feels connected with the Thai monks although he is of the Tibetan tradition.
Theravadan, Tibetan and Zen Buddhism are like three different personality traits in the same person. It pays to research and have a physical introduction to all three over some time to discover which form speaks to your own personality.
I have focused on the Tibetan tradition in this book because the imagery and visualisation techniques speak to my own personality. Eventually the personality should drain away until all three types become one.
One of the images I remember well from a trip to Bangkok in 2000, was the sight of the saffron robed monks lined up quietly being occupied by practicing being aware of the present, or reading something from a Buddhist Text.
Their silence and vision of peace contrasted with the fast pace of the taxis zooming up and down the river. This image posed as a reminder about finding poise and point of reference in every moment, regardless of how turbulent it may appear; not necessarily an easy state to always obtain and to hold onto for longer periods of time but the benefits of learning to do so are boundless.
One example is being able to think clearly in the midst of a chaotic or stressful situation. It’s not about being separate and dislocated from the negative situation; it’s about a heightened sense of awareness that give you an inner strength to cope with it.
The same can be said of pain. The next time you feel pain, attempt to enter the pain calmly and rather than attempting to avoid it. You may with practice develop the ability to self manage it rather than relying on drugs to cover it up.
In the second half of this extract, Rinpoche makes the observation that he feels connected with the Thai monks although he is of the Tibetan tradition.
Theravadan, Tibetan and Zen Buddhism are like three different personality traits in the same person. It pays to research and have a physical introduction to all three over some time to discover which form speaks to your own personality.
I have focused on the Tibetan tradition in this book because the imagery and visualisation techniques speak to my own personality. Eventually the personality should drain away until all three types become one.
July 22, 2011
Infinity of Mind
Rinpoche was aware now that his words, and even more so, his thoughts, had to be self-censored, knowing Ting had the ability to enter his mind. All Rinpoche’s years of mind training, with his years of exercising, self-analysis, and his abilities gained through well-guided development, were now about to be tested.
The first question that crossed Rinpoche’s mind in a deeper recess of his cognitive cerebral facility, a place in the mind where he knew thoughts would go undetected, was, Why did Ting make his ability to mind read obvious?
From this point in the story, Rinpoche now knows that he is not dealing with an average Police official.
No longer can there be freedom of thought, well, not freedom of thought on the basic level we use on a daily basis. Here we have 'mind hacking' where the freedom of being able to hold your own private thoughts can be infiltrated.
I am imagining here that the mind is a Pandora’s Box, where with the right training, we can enter mind spaces deep within a micro universe. Later in the book the discussion enters a realm of Macro and Micro Universes running into infinity in every direction.
Our concept of reality is dominated by imagery that has made the strongest impression on us. These impressions existing in this present moment of reading these words are continuely flowing and are being updated.
This is the dimension where Rinpoche now finds himself with Commissioner Ting. Rinpoche, being aware that the different levels exist, is able to enter deeper boxes, or deeper dimensions in the Microcosmos of his mind. Here he can think and formulate strategies privatly while maintaining a façade of faulse and controled thoughts at the surface level of his mind, the space that is being monitored by the Commissioner.
Meditation can help us to experience different levels of mind. Meditation allows us to leave the flow of surface thinking for a moment and allows us to sit on the edge of the stream to rest. On re-entering the stream, it becomes easier to understand the impermanence and non-reality of what we once thought to be set in stone.
Mind is as open as the sky; I hope you can feel an element of this from reading the book.
The first question that crossed Rinpoche’s mind in a deeper recess of his cognitive cerebral facility, a place in the mind where he knew thoughts would go undetected, was, Why did Ting make his ability to mind read obvious?
From this point in the story, Rinpoche now knows that he is not dealing with an average Police official.
No longer can there be freedom of thought, well, not freedom of thought on the basic level we use on a daily basis. Here we have 'mind hacking' where the freedom of being able to hold your own private thoughts can be infiltrated.
I am imagining here that the mind is a Pandora’s Box, where with the right training, we can enter mind spaces deep within a micro universe. Later in the book the discussion enters a realm of Macro and Micro Universes running into infinity in every direction.
Our concept of reality is dominated by imagery that has made the strongest impression on us. These impressions existing in this present moment of reading these words are continuely flowing and are being updated.
This is the dimension where Rinpoche now finds himself with Commissioner Ting. Rinpoche, being aware that the different levels exist, is able to enter deeper boxes, or deeper dimensions in the Microcosmos of his mind. Here he can think and formulate strategies privatly while maintaining a façade of faulse and controled thoughts at the surface level of his mind, the space that is being monitored by the Commissioner.
Meditation can help us to experience different levels of mind. Meditation allows us to leave the flow of surface thinking for a moment and allows us to sit on the edge of the stream to rest. On re-entering the stream, it becomes easier to understand the impermanence and non-reality of what we once thought to be set in stone.
Mind is as open as the sky; I hope you can feel an element of this from reading the book.
July 5, 2011
Speaking Without Words
‘The following morning began with the sound of a bird song entering from the small barred window that didn’t afford a view. The air was cool and crisp as Rinpoche raised his head and strained to take a deep breath of it.
The cool air offered a moment’s respite from the cell containing the odour of thirty sleeping, burgundy-clad monks, the silence occasionally being disturbed by the odd cough or whisper.
Rinpoche suddenly became aware that he was not alone; without words, without actually seeing the presence of his distraction propped against a wall in a darkened corner, he began to feel the Abbot was contacting him telepathically.
{Time for prayers}, came his non-verbal communication. Quietly, they stirred the other monks to wakening for a session of chants followed by silent meditation’.
For the first time in the book, I introduce the idea of non verbal communication. It is a subtle introduction and one that I hoped would appear completely natural without any element of the mystical.
It was a useful tool to be able to use in the book because it allows for communication between beings to take place from different times, universes and dimensions.
On another level it communicates the idea that there are no material barriers to the transfer of energy at these levels; that a level of understanding can be created that removes the inhibitions of closed awareness; it allows for a moment, ‘the horse to remove its blinkers to see the rest of the world around it, rather than just the tunnelled vision imposed upon it’.
I thought deeply about how to introduce the reader to thought transference, or E.S.P. I needed to show it occurring in a natural way, with a simple indicator to when it was happening. I hope introducing the brackets when someone is communicating is sufficient and obvious enough without being intrusive. In this first instance I literally say it is happening to assist the reader if the inclusion of the brackets alone has been missed, but from this point on, I leave it to the reader to be able to understand. I hope you do!
The cool air offered a moment’s respite from the cell containing the odour of thirty sleeping, burgundy-clad monks, the silence occasionally being disturbed by the odd cough or whisper.
Rinpoche suddenly became aware that he was not alone; without words, without actually seeing the presence of his distraction propped against a wall in a darkened corner, he began to feel the Abbot was contacting him telepathically.
{Time for prayers}, came his non-verbal communication. Quietly, they stirred the other monks to wakening for a session of chants followed by silent meditation’.
For the first time in the book, I introduce the idea of non verbal communication. It is a subtle introduction and one that I hoped would appear completely natural without any element of the mystical.
It was a useful tool to be able to use in the book because it allows for communication between beings to take place from different times, universes and dimensions.
On another level it communicates the idea that there are no material barriers to the transfer of energy at these levels; that a level of understanding can be created that removes the inhibitions of closed awareness; it allows for a moment, ‘the horse to remove its blinkers to see the rest of the world around it, rather than just the tunnelled vision imposed upon it’.
I thought deeply about how to introduce the reader to thought transference, or E.S.P. I needed to show it occurring in a natural way, with a simple indicator to when it was happening. I hope introducing the brackets when someone is communicating is sufficient and obvious enough without being intrusive. In this first instance I literally say it is happening to assist the reader if the inclusion of the brackets alone has been missed, but from this point on, I leave it to the reader to be able to understand. I hope you do!
June 28, 2011
Maya appears
In tutorials with his teacher, the Abbot explained that he, too, was aware of the presence of the girl, but the master was unable to turn himself around within the dream realm with the hope of confronting her directly.
“I know she is there, and like you, I have a sense of knowing her. She is definitely a powerful force who has a desire to communicate. She may be from a ghostly realm, someone who has died and has some unfinished business on earth. She may be seeking our assistance to rectify an injustice, for example. But she prevents me from seeing her or from being able to communicate with her. This I don’t understand. She allows you to see her, which might mean that she only wants to communicate with you. For this possible reason, should she appear in later communications between us, I will put her at ease and explain that I have no desire in distracting her attention, and if she wishes, she should communicate with you directly without fear of interference from me.”
For the first time Maya is introduced to the reader.
I remember a story a long time ago about one Tibetan monk who would travel into different death realms to communicate with troubled souls in an attempt to help them on their journeys. I was young when I heard this but it stuck in my mind. There are many references in films of these 'troubled souls' that haunt our realm due to some unresolved issue and how they seek the help of gifted people with extra insight to seek resolution. I have no problem with spiritual belief. For my nature, it is completely natural. It is related to creativity, belief in what cant be seen but felt and experienced internally, requires imagination. The line between imagination and reality is as thin as you allow it to be.
As I have written in an earlier blog, the story revealed itself to me as if it was a film playing out before my eyes. In relation to this scene with Maya, she was seated in a large black room, so dark that the walls around her couldn't be seen. A shaft of intense blue light with the luminosity of diamonds fell on her from above falling on her jet black hair. Rinpoche is standing just away from her, head slightly bowed as if aware of her presence but without actually looking directly at her. All is silent. Gradually Maya reveals more about herself as she writes her journal. At some point she writes, 'I Maya.....', which becomes the title of the book.
“I know she is there, and like you, I have a sense of knowing her. She is definitely a powerful force who has a desire to communicate. She may be from a ghostly realm, someone who has died and has some unfinished business on earth. She may be seeking our assistance to rectify an injustice, for example. But she prevents me from seeing her or from being able to communicate with her. This I don’t understand. She allows you to see her, which might mean that she only wants to communicate with you. For this possible reason, should she appear in later communications between us, I will put her at ease and explain that I have no desire in distracting her attention, and if she wishes, she should communicate with you directly without fear of interference from me.”
For the first time Maya is introduced to the reader.
I remember a story a long time ago about one Tibetan monk who would travel into different death realms to communicate with troubled souls in an attempt to help them on their journeys. I was young when I heard this but it stuck in my mind. There are many references in films of these 'troubled souls' that haunt our realm due to some unresolved issue and how they seek the help of gifted people with extra insight to seek resolution. I have no problem with spiritual belief. For my nature, it is completely natural. It is related to creativity, belief in what cant be seen but felt and experienced internally, requires imagination. The line between imagination and reality is as thin as you allow it to be.
As I have written in an earlier blog, the story revealed itself to me as if it was a film playing out before my eyes. In relation to this scene with Maya, she was seated in a large black room, so dark that the walls around her couldn't be seen. A shaft of intense blue light with the luminosity of diamonds fell on her from above falling on her jet black hair. Rinpoche is standing just away from her, head slightly bowed as if aware of her presence but without actually looking directly at her. All is silent. Gradually Maya reveals more about herself as she writes her journal. At some point she writes, 'I Maya.....', which becomes the title of the book.
June 18, 2011
Do books have a future?
http://www.guardian.co.uk/discussion/...
Guardian Books podcast: Do books have a future?
Publishers, academics, digital pioneers and writers assembled in Milan at the Book Tomorrow conference. Claire Armitstead went along to find out what the future holds for the printed word.
I wrote a comment in the Guardian Newspaper in the UK.
The question of books and their future is a great interest of mine.
In my book, Maya lived in a world without books but they were introduced to her world by Humans. In my next book I'm working on at the moment, books are a thing of the past, but the new incarnation of Maya is taking an interest in physical books which will lead her into the stories journey.
Guardian Books podcast: Do books have a future?
Publishers, academics, digital pioneers and writers assembled in Milan at the Book Tomorrow conference. Claire Armitstead went along to find out what the future holds for the printed word.
I wrote a comment in the Guardian Newspaper in the UK.
The question of books and their future is a great interest of mine.
In my book, Maya lived in a world without books but they were introduced to her world by Humans. In my next book I'm working on at the moment, books are a thing of the past, but the new incarnation of Maya is taking an interest in physical books which will lead her into the stories journey.
June 1, 2011
Chapter 1, page 3 paragraph
A variety of thoughts immediately rushed through Rinpoche's mind.I am going to die! How is it possible for men to so easily sink to thelowest hellish states and stop seeing people as human anymore? He hadthoughts of Nazis taking Jews to concentration camps. He replaced fearwith breathing and watching. He refused to be part of this film playingout before him and decided just to watch as a third person for whomthese events were unfolding from a distance. This, he thought, was thechallenge of this situation. Experience, all experience, is part of learning.
In this chapter, Rinpoche finds himself in a situation where his understandings about himself will now be tested to the extreme. In this moment, one immediate thought comes to mind and that is the possibility of dying shortly. This I imagine would be an immediate thought of one placed in that situation. A variety of thoughts start to fill his mind and we see that Rinpoche allows himself to also think about some philosophical aspects as he tries to come to terms with the situation he finds himself in. Finally, he is able to fall back onto his training and self conditioning by removing himself from the mundane image of self and viewing the person, in this case Rinpoche as a third person. This can be a good practice to undertake in daily life which requires you to view your concept of self from outside your shell. It can help you to take yourself away from daily action without consciousness and to become conscious for a moment on your reality in each moment. It assists in being able to view present time, your place in it which can lead to a calm state of mind in all kinds of situations. A calm mind has the flow-on-effect of a calm body allowing for energy to flow well throughout which can lead to better physical health. Finally Rinpoche rests in the idea that all experience is learning, if you want to feel a sense life possibly holding some meaning and while also offering you a solution to the question relating to why negative things can happen, you can use this thought. Without the bad in life, we would never know what is good. From our mistakes and mistakes of others, we can know something new that may end up being valuable information in the future strengthening your ability to deal with a wider variety of life's scenarios....that's if you allow them to.
In this chapter, Rinpoche finds himself in a situation where his understandings about himself will now be tested to the extreme. In this moment, one immediate thought comes to mind and that is the possibility of dying shortly. This I imagine would be an immediate thought of one placed in that situation. A variety of thoughts start to fill his mind and we see that Rinpoche allows himself to also think about some philosophical aspects as he tries to come to terms with the situation he finds himself in. Finally, he is able to fall back onto his training and self conditioning by removing himself from the mundane image of self and viewing the person, in this case Rinpoche as a third person. This can be a good practice to undertake in daily life which requires you to view your concept of self from outside your shell. It can help you to take yourself away from daily action without consciousness and to become conscious for a moment on your reality in each moment. It assists in being able to view present time, your place in it which can lead to a calm state of mind in all kinds of situations. A calm mind has the flow-on-effect of a calm body allowing for energy to flow well throughout which can lead to better physical health. Finally Rinpoche rests in the idea that all experience is learning, if you want to feel a sense life possibly holding some meaning and while also offering you a solution to the question relating to why negative things can happen, you can use this thought. Without the bad in life, we would never know what is good. From our mistakes and mistakes of others, we can know something new that may end up being valuable information in the future strengthening your ability to deal with a wider variety of life's scenarios....that's if you allow them to.
May 21, 2011
Chapter 1. Paragraphs 3, 4 and 5.
It was the time of the Tibetan riots against the Chinese occupation; it was 2008, the lead-up to China’s hosting of the Olympic Games.
An element of guilt slowly invaded his thoughts as he pondered relentlessly the question of whether, ethically, he should be involved in the protests in a more direct way. But the Abbot of his monastery left it to each of the monks to decide for themselves whether to be involved or not.
“The answer can only depend on where you are, at this moment, in your personal dream. If you know where you are now with clarity, then the question is answered; you are taking the right action!”
In this excerpt from the book, I begin to introduce the very human side of Rinpoche.
Even though a monk with advanced understanding about his/her religion, if I can dare to call Buddhism a religion, s/he is still dealing with issues of conscious that we all need to face at certain times in our lives. It can be slightly naïve sometimes for a lay person to believe that people more advanced on the spiritual journey are somehow less attached or somehow more mentally free when it comes to human, every day issues but this is not necessarily correct. The problems and mental dilemmas still exist for them as they too are part of this shared experience with us, but it comes down to viewpoint and how we perceive a situation; it’s a search for the right view that allows solutions to present themselves.
This idea is also presented to us by the statement that the Abbot makes in relation to participating in the protests or not. Once presented with the right view, the individual can then act in a way according to their own place in their own personal experience.
An element of guilt slowly invaded his thoughts as he pondered relentlessly the question of whether, ethically, he should be involved in the protests in a more direct way. But the Abbot of his monastery left it to each of the monks to decide for themselves whether to be involved or not.
“The answer can only depend on where you are, at this moment, in your personal dream. If you know where you are now with clarity, then the question is answered; you are taking the right action!”
In this excerpt from the book, I begin to introduce the very human side of Rinpoche.
Even though a monk with advanced understanding about his/her religion, if I can dare to call Buddhism a religion, s/he is still dealing with issues of conscious that we all need to face at certain times in our lives. It can be slightly naïve sometimes for a lay person to believe that people more advanced on the spiritual journey are somehow less attached or somehow more mentally free when it comes to human, every day issues but this is not necessarily correct. The problems and mental dilemmas still exist for them as they too are part of this shared experience with us, but it comes down to viewpoint and how we perceive a situation; it’s a search for the right view that allows solutions to present themselves.
This idea is also presented to us by the statement that the Abbot makes in relation to participating in the protests or not. Once presented with the right view, the individual can then act in a way according to their own place in their own personal experience.
April 26, 2011
Chapter 1, Paragraph 2.
Chapter 1 paragraph 2.
“He focused on the fearful sight of Yamantaka staring out at him, which for a moment filled Rinpoche with terror as if this Yidam, this focus for meditation, was laughing at him through the sounds of the firecrackers and the chanting and yelling that were drawing ever nearer to the temple that had been for many years, his sanctuary.”
Firstly, a Yidam is a fully enlightened being who becomes a focus for someone meditating in the Tibetan Tantric Buddhist tradition. This form of Buddhism is the backbone to the story.
Yamantaka is one of these enlightened beings.
There are several reasons why I focused on Yamantaka in this story.
On a personal level, I remember seeing this image as a child which frightened me very much.
The dynamics of the image with all its theatricality automatically appealed to my nature being someone who responds to visuals primarily.
Also, Rinpoche being a reflection of myself in many ways could naturally have had an element of fear upon looking at this image.
It also allows for Rinpoche to be human, a character who is very much dealing with everyday emotions as we are.
Yamantaka is the Yidam who terminates death. In the tantric practice using Yamantaka as a focus for meditation practice, allows the practitioner to focus on a variety of aspects related to death in its different forms.
There is firstly the mortal mundane death in its physical sense that we experience represented by the Yama (Lord of Death). There is also the death of ignorance that a practitioner of Buddhism aims for; ignorance that relates to the clinging onto the mundane life we have without realizing that it is only part of a continues journey through re-carnation.
The ultimate aim then is to once and for all end the cycle of rebirths and to become a part of the whole again, to ultimately lose self identity, to once again become a drop in the sea, this finally is the ultimate goal of the characters that possess this awareness within the book.
“He focused on the fearful sight of Yamantaka staring out at him, which for a moment filled Rinpoche with terror as if this Yidam, this focus for meditation, was laughing at him through the sounds of the firecrackers and the chanting and yelling that were drawing ever nearer to the temple that had been for many years, his sanctuary.”
Firstly, a Yidam is a fully enlightened being who becomes a focus for someone meditating in the Tibetan Tantric Buddhist tradition. This form of Buddhism is the backbone to the story.
Yamantaka is one of these enlightened beings.
There are several reasons why I focused on Yamantaka in this story.
On a personal level, I remember seeing this image as a child which frightened me very much.
The dynamics of the image with all its theatricality automatically appealed to my nature being someone who responds to visuals primarily.
Also, Rinpoche being a reflection of myself in many ways could naturally have had an element of fear upon looking at this image.
It also allows for Rinpoche to be human, a character who is very much dealing with everyday emotions as we are.
Yamantaka is the Yidam who terminates death. In the tantric practice using Yamantaka as a focus for meditation practice, allows the practitioner to focus on a variety of aspects related to death in its different forms.
There is firstly the mortal mundane death in its physical sense that we experience represented by the Yama (Lord of Death). There is also the death of ignorance that a practitioner of Buddhism aims for; ignorance that relates to the clinging onto the mundane life we have without realizing that it is only part of a continues journey through re-carnation.
The ultimate aim then is to once and for all end the cycle of rebirths and to become a part of the whole again, to ultimately lose self identity, to once again become a drop in the sea, this finally is the ultimate goal of the characters that possess this awareness within the book.
March 29, 2011
Where it began.
I will always remember where I got the idea for the books beginning. It was a night time and I as standing by the window looking out over the dark Mediterranean Sea while living in Spain.
CNN was on the television keeping me company in the background.
It was the lead up to the Beijing Olympics and there was a report about the protests by monks in Tibet
This instantly became the starting point. What would happen in the story from that beginning I had no idea because like my painting, I would discover that my writing would also be improvisational, expressionistic, and relatively spontaneous. One action would lead to another, cause and effect. This process became less so as the story developed because past events would need to match and link with future ones so bridges needed to be connected between the pieces of the jigsaw puzzle for events to be plausible.
Through the apparent spontaneous actions of the characters in a book, the author needs to be playing a god by also creating their plausible fates.
CNN was on the television keeping me company in the background.
It was the lead up to the Beijing Olympics and there was a report about the protests by monks in Tibet
This instantly became the starting point. What would happen in the story from that beginning I had no idea because like my painting, I would discover that my writing would also be improvisational, expressionistic, and relatively spontaneous. One action would lead to another, cause and effect. This process became less so as the story developed because past events would need to match and link with future ones so bridges needed to be connected between the pieces of the jigsaw puzzle for events to be plausible.
Through the apparent spontaneous actions of the characters in a book, the author needs to be playing a god by also creating their plausible fates.
