This is a post-cancer blog – Is there such a thing as post-cancer _ can explore that in future posts
Art certainly helps – Helped me – from doing a History of Art diploma in TCD – Wow – the energy of being a “mature” student amongst the new freshers – Sharing lectures – To taking some (covid era online art classes) – to in-person intensive drawing classes – to planning a Month on Florence studying Florentine Renaissance Art and Italian language
Art does help
Why do i let time go by without posting – without writing.
July already
Have a bit to say and working (this evening ) on a new poem)
Have a close friend newly diagnosed with this Emporer (In other words Fucker) of diseases – Brings it all back – There is much more to life than this fucker
Some ideas in mind on a few different subjects –
Lets see what comes
Writing is therapeutic
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.]
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.
Haven’t posted in almost 2 years – Time to get writing again – Got some motivation today – Breathing – Cycling – Electric bikes – Greenways – Let’s see if those thoughts (They have got me thinking) stir me out of stasis – Imaging cycling and sea swimming, seeing the country and enjoying life – Covid has a lot to answer for ……
It is easy to start things when out of the river. But how to continue while wondering or wandering … Maybe that is what makes us hold back from starting..
I have started (in the last few months) studying a History of European painting (and absolutely loving it) and have been doing my best to continue to learn Sanskrit – If it is hard to find the time now imagine tryin to find the time while canoeing
Wake up, Got out of bed
Make my way downstairs and make some coffee
Looking up i know it’s time to do some work
Make my juice and make my porridge
Got to my desk to answer some emails
Got into to the groove and and I’m into it for the day
Ah ah ah ah ….
“If the boat they we’re all riding in was plunging over the falls upside down, there was nothing to do but fall with it. Tengo could struggle all he wanted to at this point, and it would do nothing to change the flow of the river” – Murakami 1Q84
I haven’t posted in such a long time. Was reading Murakami a good bit this year. Love the lines quoted above for some reason. I suppose it is because he describes the futility of struggling.
Enjoying being well while it lasts. Resolving to write more. Determined to enjoy life. As always – Drink the best wine first
My Canoe Trip 