Month: January 2023

Artists Hall at Waterperry

by Tom Monks

Artists Hall at Waterperry

 

What a delight, the Artists Hall at Waterperry. The immediate entrance into the manifest world with its depiction of the creation must be seen and enjoyed. The vibrant colours are there to saturate in. Almost from the river itself which flows through and around it.

As always with life, with a journey one moves through levels and so with the frescoes. Once one has enjoyed the physical world then one begins (in this experience anyway) to wonder and ask – What more? One has a sense there must be more. There is so much to explore and discover.

On the second level one finds the tools to help with this exploration, this discovery. The depictions of studying, of learning and of reflection are welcome reminders. The depictions are simple but they do call out. Why would one not follow this direction? They show the discipline required. Across the glass bridge one finds even more tools. Tools is not the right word. Let’s say practices. The main, essential practices of Advaita. Meditation and Satsanga. The almost bodiless, spirit-like soul sitting at meditation. Nothing to do. Nowhere to go. What more could one ask for. Nothing more is needed. Yet there is more. Satsanga, Satsanga, Satsanga. We are all interdependent. We are all parts, Parts of a Whole. Parts of a unity. We are all One – Advaita.

And so to the top level. Pure Space, Pure White. Signifying the Absolute, the Source, All.

 

OM purnamadah purnamidam purnat purnamudacyate

purnasya purmamadaya purnamevavasisyate

OM shantih shantih shantih

[That is perfect. This is perfect. Perfect comes from perfect

Take perfect from perfect, the remainder is perfect

OM peace peace peace.]

Change of Tack

by Tom Monks

I love writing – I find it very therapeutic – It does require discipline

Time to start getting back into it – Over six years since last treatment. – The cancer just went away – No complaints from me – A little bit of disbelief – There have been some close calls since and some biopsies and lots of scanning – But over 10 years post diagnosis it is just gone – They won’t let me go – Still need be be scanned –

What to do now – I have just come back from an Art and creative writing course in the UK – Frosty Oxfordshire – The following came to me while I was over there – Maybe I can follow up with more writing

 

Cold Winter Day

(Waiting until the cold has gone)

 

Patches of green among the frosted grass

Creeping frost everywhere

Patches where the sun has managed to penetrate

The hardness of the now solid ground

Waiting until the cold has gone

 

 

Benches, tables and chairs

Outdoor furniture deserted

Now covered in frost

And waiting to be re-peopled

Waiting until the cold has gone

 

 

Chattering unseen birds

Their song fills the air

Great, many limbed and leafless Oak

Waiting to burst into life

Waiting until the cold has gone

 

 

Rock hard dirt track

Leading to a field of grazing cattle

Standing like statues

This track will become muddy again

When the cold has gone

 

Faraway hum of traffic

There, present but really not disturbing

Even the ornamental grasses still standing

And the bare creepers around the front of the house

Waiting until the cold has gone

 

 

 

Waiting until the cold has gone

Waiting

Waiting until the cold has gone

 

Waterperry

19th January 2023.