Here is something I wrote for the Shambhala Europe newsletter:
see www.shambhala-europe.org
My impressions of summer since the Gesar Festival have been of flowers:
the wisteria dripping purple blossoms for almost a month before fading
and beginning to take over the porch with virulent green tentacles;
then roses rising into their full summer glory, the ones on the corner
of the Bureau smelling so exquisite that some afternoons you just had
to go out and inhale them. And just as the roses wilted the katalpa
tree bloomed in thousands of orchid-like flowers and exuded its
heavenly scent. Now the hedgerows are wild with bracken and brambles,
and the hydrangeas are falling over themselves in glory. There have
been countless other delights of summer and that is before mentioning
the dharma which of course blossoms here. June was blissfully quiet,
dotted with a few small groups: of meditation beginners; a Level Five
mostly from Paris; and a dedicated group of Fire Puja folk who appeared
dripping with sweat and covered in ash from the aptly name Fire Puja
barn while the rest of us enjoyed the heat wave by heading off to swim
in the river at every opportunity.
Then came the Warriors, full of lungta and great gentleness - 50
practitioners, coming from across Europe and a few from across the
Altlantic. They brought a cooler ten days of mellow poetry reading and
much laughter and song from their 'uplifted dinners'. And everyone dressed up to go down to the Shrine tent (renamed the 'Shining
tent' by the young Ukrainian girl practicing her English) in the
afternoon for the excellent talks.
Now Dechen Choling is absorbed in Family Camp, rolling with children
and skateboards and wild energy. There are the Kyudo team in black and
white down under the trees by the new Azuchi, happy to have a sandy
bank to aim their arrows at. No more scuffling in the hay to search
for them. Yesterday there was a fire and lhasang under the Kami tree
and Kanjuro Shibata Sensei, 20th bow maker to the emperor of Japan,
with his XX cap on, led a ceremony to purify the energy and bring
blessings to the new Kyudo building. The old rope from around the Kami
tree was burnt to release any negativities: like skimming the scum off
the top of a soup he said. And the first ceremonial shot was fired by
Alex wearing a spectacular purple silk outfit and curved purple hat.
The whole of Family Camp joined in the ceremony and all the children
sat in awed silence while he prepared the arrows, drew the bow and
released. We were all in the spell of his concentration, and for a moment let go of mind. We have the blessed presence of Shibata Sensei for at
least another week and so far the weather forecast looks settled and
fine and the 10th Kami renewal ceremony will be on Tuesday.
