Happy New Year and a bit of Retrospection

Its been a dark old time one way and the other, and to make matters apparently more difficult in the build-up to the seasonal festivities was a lot of snow. I thought it looked beautiful, like some of the cards the Minder had been ooohing and aaahing over as she opened them, and I loved crunching in it during my daily walk.

The snowfall also meant a lot of you human-folk were forced off the roads for a day or so, and were given some unexpected downtime. It was a gift. An opportunity to be contemplative, be still and to think about the shadow self in the dark days before the light.

What is the Shadow Self? Its like my photograph - a dark image in the sunlight. We all have one, and all we need do is look at it and see it for what it is. I find Mindfulness helps with this.

Before I move on to wish you all a Happy New Year, I want to take a nano to pay tribute to my feline brother Sollie whose ashes are on the shelf above as I dictate this. Sadly we lost him on November 12th, and with him went a light in this household. He was both quirky and bold, and I often caught the Minder laughing out loud at his antics; the morning light would reveal his hunting trophies - empty cigarette packets, Indian restaurant menus, the odd rodent, and his favourite plastic rings which had held a six pack. He was a cheeky chappie who knew how to keep me in my place. Unlike Lennie who is a bit of a pushover.



This video, sent by our friend Lesley, shows some of the moves I make on Lennie to push him over. This cat and dog are very cute, and animal lovers among you will like it I'm sure. I should point out, however, that Lennie and I are not quite so enamoured, but we are full of loving kindness towards each other, and can even, occasionally, be seen sharing the same basket. Alas we don't have a swimming pool.



And now its 2010! We go into the new year with all the right vibes. On New Year's eve there was not only the sixth lunar eclipse of the year (usually there are only four), but also the 13th Full Moon of the year. The full moon was in Cancer and Capricorn and, according to my friend Sheila, this augers well for all us women! YESSSSS! All good signs for better times ahead as the nights begin to draw out, and the Christmas decorations and lights go away for another year. Happy New Year from us - may it be filled with blessings for all.

New shoots and Farewells

March 20th, 2009
Today is the Spring Equinox which means that the day has exactly the same number of hours of darkness and light. It is a time to think about balance.

But before I do that I have to ask you HOW did we get from this snowy scene where I needed my coat it was so cold ....


to this?

Now it is the Equinox AND the first day of Spring. The snow has all gone. The garden is full of new shoots. The sun is warm. And I am full of spring fever.

'C'mon let's go chase rabbits' I say.

'We're going to Coldrum Barrow' replies my Minder.

Yup that will fill the bill nicely. I can chase rabbits while my Minder sits on stones to meditate.

Coldrum Longbarrow is our special favourite walk. For those who don't know, it is a very, very old place. My Minder tells people it is even older than Stonehenge. On our way there today she tells me that the big tall stones were put up all those years ago, on purpose, to face the east so they catch the equinox sun. Actually I sort of knew that already - but in an animal way if you get my meaning.

Here is a picture of the tall stones of Coldrum Barrow. The sharp eyed among you will notice that it was taken around the time of the Autumn Equinox. I know. I know. A picture of how the stones look today would be good. But we were in a rush so Mindfulness, balance and the camera were all left at home.



When we near Coldrum I hear drums. I run ahead an up the steps to see what's going on. There are primroses all over the place. Some are even peeping out from under the stones. My Minder kicks herself (again) for forgetting the camera. But then her attention is caught by the men drumming, and after a bit she settles down to meditate. Not me - there are far too many new and exciting scents to explore. So the Minder does her thing, and I do mine, and both of us in our own way celebrate the change in season, and think about how to balance the dark and light in our lives.

Just before I go and finally leave Winter behind, I would like to say a couple of sad farewells to friends who left us during the Winter.

Firstly to a dear dog known as the Rough Diamond. You can read all about him on http://60goingon16.typepad.com/my_weblog/2009/02/shine-on-you-crazy-diamond-.html
He was an old friend of the Minder, and was much loved for many things, but especially his brave kind heart. It was on February 20th we heard the news. I remember my Minder wiping her eyes and nose with a flimsy piece of paper which she gets out of a box at these times. 'Its been a day for tears ' she said to me 'First Jan's funeral which was very weepy, and then I come home to this news.'

And so too goodbye to our lovely friend Jan who meditated with us all. She passed the day before the snow came down. Jan was full of sunshine. She loved rainbows and sunflowers. I think she was like a sunflower. She had yellow hair and a big heart which was full of seeds of loving kindness.

This you tube clip says farewell better than I can. Jan chose Somewhere over the Rainbow as her musical goodbye when she left the church for the cemetary. I'm told she was accompanied by lots of people, and surrounded by masses and masses of flowers. The flowers were yellow - like the primroses at Coldrum.

What is our true nature?

Chris J and Stan both touch on this point in Barking Balloon Dog,  and I have spent the last month or so thinking about my true nature and what that means.   Are Barking Balloon Dog and I typical of the Jack Russell Terrier nature?  Is this who and what we are?  Or is it learned?  These are questions that Thomas Merton, who was a Trappist Monk, wrote about and debated much better than I can.  

While I was reflecting on what exactly is our true nature this you tube clip came my way.  It made me wonder whether this lion is showing a universal aspect of the true nature shared by all living creatures. It made my Minder cry.  

Perhaps for some Witney is a bit cheesy, the film quality is grainy, and the commentary has a couple of minor mistakes in it; but the essential message is forever - not just for Christmas.    

Barking Balloon Dog

The debate re Mindfulness carries on in this household (see post below for the background to this). The Minder is still unsure how much of my focus on playing with a frisbee/ball/ squeaky toy etc is Mindfulness and how much of it is obsession. Whatever. All I know is that I give 100% of my attention to playing, hiking, digging for a rat, putting up a pheasant, making new friends, chasing rabbits, rolling, sleeping, guarding house and home, meditating, and the many other things a dog with a blog does in every happy moment of her day. And if that isn't being Mindful I don't know what is.

And now I see I have a kindred spirit - Balloon Dog. I thank my friend Ronni who sent me this film; she said it reminds her of me. Truth to tell I probably wouldn't do what Balloon Dog does because I'm not keen on loud noises. Talking of which ...... watch carefully - see when Balloon Dog barks how her Minder smiles sweetly and even laughs! not so mine. When I bark like that I'm in the doo doo. Big Time. But I digress - tell me is Balloon Dog practising Mindfulness here or is it obsession?

Could this be Mindfulness?

That is the question.   And help is needed with an answer.

But as usual I am rushing my fences.  Let me explain and start at the beginning.  Firstly we need to understand what we are talking about.  So.  Buddhism (a religion from the East) started Mindfulness as a meditation technique to help still the busy mind.  That's as far as I go on the  technicalities.  Not my Minder.  She quotes from books whereas I quote from life.  Anyway I invite her to read out loud:

 

Mindfulness is "knowing what is happening while it is happening no matter what it is " and I am quoting from Diamond Mind by Rob Nairn, she says.   

I jump up and down.  Okeydokey, I say,  -  that is exactly what I do when I play with my frisbee.  Look I am playing with my frisbee now.  I know that's what I am doing, and I love playing this game.  

My Minder claims that while I am close I don't get a cigar.  (??? What would I want with a cigar???)  How come?  AND SO WHAT?  I bark loudly.  Now I'm being told to stop that silly noise by my Minder.  But I pay her no attention.    I am rolling my frisbee this way and now that way.   Did I say I love my frisbee.  Maybe I did,  but my mind is like a jack-in-the-box; here one minute gone the next.   YESSSSSS  I love my frisbee, and when I play with it my mind is empty of anything else.  I am in the moment.  I am completely focussed.  And I want the world to know that I KNOW WHAT IS HAPPENING WHILE IT IS HAPPENINNGGG ......

Uh oh.  Because I'm shouting again the frisbee is taken away as a punishment. My Minder cannot stand it when I bark loudly.  She reckons it means I'm not practising Mindfulness.  But I am practising.  I am.  Honest.  I whisper.  Please give me back my frisbee pleeeEEEESSSSE.  

I get it back on the condition I play my game quietly.   I play on.   I tell my Minder I can be quiet or noisy and still be practising Mindfulness.

Hmmm - (this is the noise my Minder makes when she is stumped).  I reassure her.  Look.   I know I am playing with my frisbee.  And I know I like playing with my frisbee.  And I know I am expressing my enjoyment.  She agrees but only up to a point.  She is sure that while I am focussed on my frisbee I exclude everything else that is going on,  and that is not being mindful.  She says that if I were truly practising Mindfulness I'd be aware of, for example, her talking to me.

I am aware you are talking to me, I reply, but it doesn't mean I have to listen to you;  yes, of course,  you are part of the moment and I am mindful of that,  and, at the same time, I am mindful of my frisbee-game and my reaction to it. 

My Minder thinks about this; then she agrees I could  be ticking all Mindfulness boxes, but still there is a niggle.  Something is not quite right but she doesn't know what it is.  Maybe you can meditate on it, I suggest, - or ask someone else - and then could you get back to me?